Tender n#:           2024-09-CPB-IRS

Location:              Punjab and Sindh, Pakistan

Start date:            06/09/24

End date:             30/09/24

Better Cotton key contact:

[email protected]

All queries must be sent by email, to[email protected]  ONLY with the subject header:  “EOI Income & Resilience Study in Better Cotton Programme in Pakistan – Tender n# 2024-09-CPB-IRS”. Questions, requests and applications sent after the deadline (30/09/2024) will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.

Background

Better Cotton is the world’s largest cotton sustainability programme. Our mission: to help cotton communities survive and thrive, while protecting and restoring the environment. In difficult times, we are meeting the challenge head on. Through our network of field-level partners we have provided training on more sustainable farming practices to more than 2.9 million cotton farmers in 26 countries. More than a fifth of the world’s cotton is now grown under the Better Cotton Standard and our membership network includes more than 2,400 members.

Better Cotton Initiative, Pakistan (BCI Pakistan) is registered in Pakistan and working under a collaboration/service agreement with Better Cotton, Global.

More information about Better Cotton can be found on our website: www.bettercotton.org

Scope of Work

Better Cotton Pakistan is inviting qualified and experienced consultants/consulting firms to submit a proposal to conduct a study on Living Income and Economic Resilience in Better Cotton Programme communities in Pakistan.

Living income defined by the Global Living Wage Coalition is the net income that a household needs to earn to enable all members of the household to afford a decent standard of living. A decent standard of living is defined by a local equivalent income needed to cover basic needs, such as food, water, housing, education, health care, transportation, clothing, and other essential needs including provision for unexpected events.

Committee on Sustainability Assessment (COSA) measures resilience through three key indicators that are social, environmental and economic. Key themes of the economic resilience are financial resources and producer livelihoods under which the core elements are credit, assets and saving (Financial Resources) and income and diversification (Producer Livelihoods).

With Better Cotton 2030 strategy, Better Cotton commits to increase net income and resilience of 2 million farmers and workers across Better Cotton communities. In Pakistan, Better Cotton coordinates a capacity strengthening programme, delivered through Better Cotton staff and experienced field-level partners, referred to as Better Cotton Programme Partners. This programme aims to assist farming communities in adopting practices consistent with our Standard - the Better Cotton Principles and Criteria 3.0., and adjust to their local context. Better Cotton does not train farmers directly but shares training and resources through its network of Programme Partners, who are crucial for the success of the initiative at field level. More information on this can be found in our Theory of Change and on our Capacity Building info page.  

Farmers, workers and farming communities are the foundation of the whole cotton sector — without them there is no cotton and certainly no Better Cotton. That means their livelihoods are inherently interconnected with sustainable cotton production. As such, it is critical to work with farmers, workers and their families, particularly women and youth, to identify their main needs and challenges of making a decent living and leading a happy life - and find feasible and sustainable strategies to address those. This is not only key to achieve better working and living conditions and improved social inclusion but also a precondition to ensure a sustainable cotton value chain.

Terms & Conditions:

1. To obtain the bidding pack, please send an email to [email protected]. (Response time: within 02 working days)

2. Complete bidding documents can be submitted to BCI Pakistan Office, Office no. 3, 7^th floor 75 / 76 D-1, Main Boulevard, Block D1 Gulberg III, Lahore from 9:00am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday through registered courier. By hand submission or physical visits are not allowed.

3. Sealed bids should reach BCI Pakistan Office, Office no. 3, 7th floor 75 / 76 D-1, Main Boulevard, Block D1 Gulberg III, Lahore, on or before 11:59 PM 30-09-2024 and should be clearly marked “Bid for Income & Resilience Study in Better Cotton Programme in Pakistan”.

4. The Supplier must quote only one option for each service. Bids received with more than one options, and rates may be rejected.

5. Rates should be including of all type of taxes, duties, fees, charges and all other allied costs.

6. BCI Procurement committee reserves the right to change the quantities or cancel/reject any or all offers without assigning any reason.

7. Bidders must not be engaged in any corrupt, fraudulent, collusive or coercive practices including but not limited to applying/ bidding by multiple names / companies. If any bidder is found to be involved in such practices his/her bid may be rejected and the companies in question permanently blacklisted.

8. An award will be made based on the quality, cost factor, credibility, work references, reputation of the firm &/or any other factor/s as deemed fit by the committee/procurement authority for the selection.