Request for Quotation and Application for Round Robin Participation – ISO Stove Testing
To download the full application, click here.
ISO Stove Testing
The United Nations Foundation’s Clean Cooking Alliance is seeking quotations for service from qualified testing laboratories to perform ISO 19867-1:2018; Harmonized Laboratory Test Protocols; Part 1: Standard test sequence for emissions and performance, safety and durability, and report the findings according to ISO/TR 19867-3:2018; Harmonized Laboratory Test Protocols; Part 3: Voluntary performance targets for cookstoves based on laboratory testing. These services will be part of participation in a year-long Round Robin program.
Background of Organization
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 that allows 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.
Overview of Program
Selected testing laboratories from this Request For Quotation (RFQ) will be part of the second cohort of CCA’s ISO Round Robin Testing Program. The goal of the round robin testing program is to (1) deepen the capacity of testing centers and ensure that they are harmonized in their abilities, so that stakeholders receive similar results regardless of where in the world they send their stove to be tested, (2) build a co-created community of practice among the participating testing centers, and (3) generate ISO testing data for the Clean Cooking Catalog.
Program Requirements
This Program will require labs to complete three synchronized rounds of testing over 12-18 months. Synchronized testing involves all labs testing the same stove and fuel combination, with identical pots, over the same period of time.
Participating testing laboratories should expect to attend an initial five-day in-person training workshop (CCA will directly cover travel and lodging and reimburse meal costs for one participant per testing lab), attend three cohort-wide virtual calls of 60-90 minutes each per round, and separately submit their calibration and fuel analysis data, first testing replicate, full testing data, and final testing report to CCA for each round of testing.
Once selected testing centers are contracted, CCA will provide an initial disbursement for calibration gases and other supplies/equipment/materials needed to begin testing, and then pay for each round of testing upon receipt and approval of the final testing report for that round.
Projected Timeline of Testing Activities
Month 1:
- CCA notifies selected applicants, and finalizes contracts with testing centers
- CCA coordinates stove/fuel/pot shipments to testing centers
Month 2:
- In-person workshop to train or refresh testing centers on ISO testing protocol
- Testing centers conduct calibration activities, receive stoves, and begin practice tests with locally available fuel
Month 3 (likely January 2024):
- First round of testing begins:
- All testing centers attend group call to discuss stove operating procedures
- Calibration and fuel analysis data due to CCA
- First test replicate data due to CCA
- All testing centers attend group call to discuss first replicate data to review any variation between labs
Month 4:
- First round of testing (cont.):
- Full testing data (all 5 replicates) due to CCA
- All testing centers attend group call to discuss full data submitted and any outliers
Month 5:
- First round ends with testing centers submitting full testing reports to CCA
Repeat Months 3 through 5:
- Round 2 – Months 6 through 8
- Round 3 – Months 9 through 11
Following Month 11, additional testing may be funded using locally available stoves.
Submission Instructions
Please download and submit this document and any attachments by email to ederby@cleancooking.org and slloyd@cleancooking.org by 11am ET on September 15, 2023.
Q&A
Does my testing center need to be accredited under ISO 17025 to apply?
No, ISO 17025 accreditations are not required for participation in the program.