Request for Proposals: Consultant, Labeling for Clean Cooking Products
The Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA) works with a global network of partners to build an inclusive industry that makes clean cooking accessible to the three billion people who live each day without it. Established in 2010, CCA is driving consumer demand, mobilizing investment to build a pipeline of scalable businesses, and fostering an enabling environment to allow the sector to thrive. Clean cooking transforms lives by improving health, protecting the climate and the environment, empowering women, and helping families save time and money.
Project Overview
CCA has supported the development of standards for clean cooking products, which has informed development of new products, policies, and programs for clean cooking, and has guided investment into the industry. In parallel with this work, CCA has also supported the Clean Cooking Association of Kenya in the development of prototype consumer labelling that would help to communicate product performance to potential customers and increase demand. The prototype label rates clean cooking products on a scale of 1-5 according to their efficiency. What remains to be understood is the effectiveness of the label in influencing purchasing behavior of customers in the Kenyan market.
To address this knowledge gap, CCA aims to support an action-based research project that uses the existing label prototype to better understand customer decision making and the influence that such a label might have on purchasing behavior. CCA is accepting proposals from interested potential consultants to carry out field-based research in Kenya and analysis to determine the effectiveness of the label prior to its launch using techniques and tools such as secondary data, surveys, observations, simulations, hypothetical scenarios, or small-scale and rapid learning pilots.
The consultant will be required to design and implement a research study that addresses the following (or related) research questions in the context of the Kenyan market:
- How might the existing label design compare to other approaches to label design? What does the existing label communicate to the prospective customer?
- What role does the label play in a prospective customer’s purchasing journey? What market problem does the label address?
- What is the effect of the label on sales performance across different product categories?
- If the label is effective in influencing the prospective customer’s purchasing journey, how does the effectiveness of a label change depending on the institution that issues it (i.e., government agency, trade association, civil society organization)?
- What additional factors might increase the effectiveness of a label in achieving its intended outcomes? Such factors might include existing customer awareness of clean cooking products, product brand recognition, additional point of sale signaling, or signaling within the broader public environment.
The project is anticipated for a duration of approximately four to six months, and all work will be done in close collaboration and oversight from CCA’s Evidence & Impact team and User Insights Lab, and in collaboration with the Clean Cooking Association of Kenya.
Submitted proposals should outline the approach, any specific analytical or disciplinary lenses that will be applied to the research, and where relevant, any initial hypotheses to be tested. Proposals should include references to supporting literature where relevant.
Budgets should clearly state assumptions that are incorporated into cost and effort estimates for this work and should outline any modularity of activities and associated costs. A detailed budget in US Dollars must be submitted with the proposal. Budget should include both pre-tax and net of tax values.
The consultant will be responsible for the following activities and deliverables:
- Research design and workplan
- Literature review
- Development of hypotheses and research questions based on the initial questions outlined above
- Implementation of learning activities, data collection, and analysis
- A repeatable approach to surfacing insights on purchasing behavior that can be deployed in different contexts
- Recommendations on whether and how the implementation of a clean cooking product label in Kenya should proceed
- Final summary report outlining the research methodology, findings, and conclusions
Qualifications
- Proposed approaches that outline participatory, agile, and adaptive learning suitable for market strengthening activities and processes.
- Experience in consumer insights, behavioral science, and marketing research in low- and middle-income markets.
- Experience uncovering user insights through research, data analytics and innovation.
- On-the-ground presence in Kenya with the ability to conduct action-based research.
- Industry experience in clean cooking, energy access, health, climate, gender, or other impact sectors is prefered.
- Demonstrated experience developing and maintaining effective working relationships with people, internally and externally, from a wide variety of types of organizations, cultural backgrounds, and functional expertise.
Evaluation Process
The Clean Cooking Alliance will review all written proposals and may request an interview and/or updated submission to address questions or provide clarifications. CCA will use the following criteria in our evaluation.
Weight and Evaluation Criteria:
- Approach, 40%: e.g. the framework and methodology answering the project’s key questions and outlining expected timeline and deliverables
- Capabilities and experience, 30%: e.g. expertise conducting user insights and economic research in low- and middle-income countries
- Project management, 20%: e.g. achievable action plan that will deliver the project on time and on budget
- Value for money, 10%: e.g. the proposed pricing demonstrates a competitive price and good value for the money
Intent and Disclaimer
This RFP is made with the intent to identify a consultant to deliver results as described in this RFP. UNF/CCA will rely on the Consultant’s representations to be truthful and as described. The Clean Cooking Alliance assumes it can be confident in the Consultant’s ability to deliver the product(s) and/or service(s) proposed in response to this RFP.
If the Clean Cooking Alliance amends the RFP, copies of any such amendments will be sent to all respondents to the proposal.
Proposal Guidelines and Requirements
- This RFP is open to multiple partners and is a competitive process.
- Proposals received after August 21, 2022 at 11:59pm EST will not be considered.
- The price provided should be in US dollars and should contain both pre-tax and net of tax values. If the process excludes certain fees or charges, the applicant must provide a detailed list of excluded fees with a complete explanation of the nature of those fees.
- CCA prefers a single point of contact who manages deliverables. If the execution of work to be performed by the Consultant requires the hiring of sub-contractors, the Consultant must clearly state this in the proposal. Sub-contractors must be identified and the work they will perform must be defined. Subcontractors are subject to vetting and approval of UNF/CCA.
- CCA will not refuse a proposal based upon the use of subcontractors; however, we retain the right to refuse the sub-contractors you have selected.
- Provisions of this RFP and the contents of the successful responses are considered available for inclusion in final contractual obligations.
Format for Proposals
Proposals must include applicant signature as well as a signed declaration form. Proposals must include the full legal name of applicant, as well as legal formation and ownership structure (e.g., incorporation certification, tax status and ID, etc.).
Contracting and Compliance
CCA will negotiate contract terms upon selection. A copy of the contract terms and conditions will be provided upon selection. All contracts are subject to review by the UNF’s Business Services and Budget Reporting team. The project will start upon the complete execution of the contract. The contract will outline terms and conditions, scope, budget, and applicable flow down terms. Selected recipient must comply with CCA, UNF, and funder compliance requirements. The selected recipient must also undergo detailed legal, financial, and commercial due diligence.
Release
The Consultant understands that the Clean Cooking Alliance has chosen to solicit an RFP for consulting services, and that the Consultant’s response does not guarantee that the Clean Cooking Alliance will enter into a new contract with the Consultant or continue any current contract with the Consultant.
The Consultant agrees that Clean Cooking Alliance may, at its sole discretion:
- Amend or cancel the RFP, in whole or in part, at any time
- Extend the deadline for submitting responses
- Determine whether a response does or does not substantially comply with the requirements of the RFP
- Waive any minor irregularity, informality or nonconformance with the provisions or procedures of the RFP
- Negotiate with all Consultants UNF deems acceptable
- Issue multiple awards
- Photocopy the responses for evaluation/review
This RFP is not an offer to contract. The Clean Cooking Alliance assumes no responsibility for Consultant’s cost to respond to this RFP. All responses become the property of the Clean Cooking Alliance.
The Consultant, by submitting a response to this RFP, waives all right to protest or seek any legal remedies whatsoever regarding any aspect of this RFP.
The Consultant represents that it has responded to the RFP with complete honesty and accuracy. If facts provided in the Consultant’s response change, the Consultant agrees to supplement its response in writing with any deletions, additions, or changes within ten (10) days of the changes. The Consultant will do this, as necessary, throughout the selection process.
The Consultant understands it may receive proprietary and confidential information from the Clean Cooking Alliance during the RFP process (“Confidential Information”). The Consultant and CCA agree to not use Confidential Information for any purpose other than the Consultant’s participation in the RFP process, and to not reveal Confidential Information directly or indirectly to any other person, entity, or organization without the prior written consent of the other party. The Consultant and CCA further agree to exercise all reasonable precautions to maintain the proprietary and confidential nature of Confidential Information where it can best demonstrate its value and capacity to delivery ecosystem-wide, meaningful value.
Grounds for Exclusion
- Material misrepresentations, including omissions, may disqualify the Consultant from a contract award.
- Submissions will be rejected in the Clean Cooking Alliance’s sole discretion if it finds that the Consultant has engaged in any illegal or corrupt practices in connection with the award.
- The Consultant will be excluded from participation for the reasons below. By submitting a proposal in response to the RFP, the Consultant confirms that none of the below circumstances apply:
- The Consultant is bankrupt or being wound up, is having their affairs administered by the courts, has entered into an arrangement with creditors, has suspended business activities, is subject of proceedings concerning those matters, or is in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure provided for in national legislation or regulations.
- The Consultant or persons having powers of representation, decision-making or control over them have been convicted of an offence concerning their professional conduct by a final judgment.
- The Consultant has been found guilty of grave professional misconduct; proven by any means which CCA can justify.
- The Consultant has not fulfilled obligations relating to the payment of social security contributions or taxes in accordance with the legal provisions of the country in which they are established, or within the United States of America, or those of the country where the contract is to be performed.
- The Consultant or persons having powers of representation, decision-making or control over them have been convicted for fraud, corruption, involvement in a criminal organization or money laundering by a final judgment.
- The Consultant makes use of child labor or forced labor and/or practice discrimination, and/or do not respect the right to freedom of association and the right to organize and engage in collective bargaining pursuant to the core conventions of the International Labor Organization (ILO).
Principal Point of Contact
Any questions about this RFP should be directed to Colm Fay cfay@cleancooking.org
Submission Details
Please email proposals to Colm Fay cfay@cleancooking.org no later than 11:59PM EDT on August 21st, 2022. Proposals should be submitted as a single PDF file.
Selected consultant must comply with United Nations Foundation and funder compliance requirements.