Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project: Short Consulting Study on “AS-IS” Assessment, Strengthening and Streamlining Systems and Processes of Assam Seeds Corporation Limited (ASCL)

Project ID: P155617

Project Title: Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project

Borrower Bid Reference: IN-ARIAS-317968-CS-QCBS

Published Date: 27-Jan-2023

Details:

World Bank financed

Assam Agribusiness & Rural Transformation Project (APART)

Assam Rural Infrastructure and Agricultural Services (ARIAS) Society

(An Autonomous Body of the Government of Assam)

Project Coordination Unit (PCU)

Request for PROPOSAL (RFP) : Hiring of Consulting Services for: Study on “as-is” assessment, strengthening and streamlining systems and processes of Assam Seeds Corporation Limited (ASCL)

1. Government of Assam (GoA), through the Government of India has received a loan of US$200 million from the World Bank (W.B.) for implementation of the Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART). The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to “add value and improve resilience of selected agriculture value chains, focusing on smallholder farmers and to advance Assam’s COVID-19 response”. The prioritized districts (undivided as of 1st April, 2016) are Nagaon, Sonitpur, Barpeta, Karbi Anglong, Kamrup, Dhubri, Golaghat, Kokrajhar, Lakhimpur, Darrang, Cachar, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Goalpara, Morigaon and Nalbari. The project is adopting a value chain and clusters approach to achieve the targeted objectives. The prioritized value chains are those of (i) cereals (rice, maize), (ii) pulses (lentil, pea, blackgram), (iii) spices and condiments (ginger, turmeric, mustard), (iv) fruits (banana, pineapple) & vegetables, (v) livestock (pork, milk) & fish and (vi) specialty commodities (eri and muga silk).
2. Under the proposed assignment, ARIAS Society now seeks to hire a firm or a consortium of firms for conducting a study on “as-is” assessment, strengthening and streamlining systems and processes of Assam Seed Corporation Limited, Assam. The objectives of ASCL are: (i) to carry on in the State of Assam the production, processing, drying, distribution and transportation of Agricultural seeds and (ii) to carry on business as seed merchants, to buy, sell, grow, prepare for market, import, export and deal in seeds of all kinds.
3. The State Project Director (SPD), ARIAS Society now invites eligible consultancy firms/ agencies to submit their Request for proposals (RFPs) for Hiring of Consulting Services for “Study on “as-is” assessment, strengthening and streamlining systems and processes of Assam Seeds Corporation Limited (ASCL)”. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services as indicated in the RFP for the proposed assignment, which may be seen at the website of ARIAS Society viz (http://www.arias.in/procurements.html).
4. The consultant will be selected in accordance with the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers; Procurement of Goods, Works, Non-Consulting & Consulting Services, July 2016”, available at www.worldbank.org. Attention of the interested agencies is drawn to paragraph 3.14 of the said Regulations relating to the Conflict of Interest. Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture (JV) or a sub-consultancy to enhance their qualifications. However, nature of association i.e. whether JV or Sub-Consultant, must be clearly mentioned in the Proposal.
5. Interested Consultancy Firms/ Agencies must submit their RFPs in written form in English language to the address given below on or before 2.00 pm of 20th February, 2023 in hard copy as well as a soft copy. Further information can be obtained at the address of the SPD given below from 11.00 am to 04.00 pm (IST) on all working days.

Organization/Department: ASSAM RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND AGRICULTURAL SERVICES (ARIAS) SOCIETY

Name: Baljeet Singh

Address: Project Coordination Unit, Agriculture Complex, Khanapara, G.S. Road, Guwahati

City:

Province/State:

Postal Code:

Country: India

Phone: 8128818162

Email: spd@arias.in

Website: