REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) FOR Establishment and Upgrading of Existing Nurseries at Inoi Farmers' Cooperative Society Limited in Kenya

Request for Proposals (RFP)

For

Establishment and Upgrading of Existing Nurseries at Inoi Farmers' Cooperative Society Limited

BREWING THE FUTURE – COFFEE TO STAY PROJECT (2025-2028)

Rainforest Alliance (RA) is seeking an experienced and reputable contractor to improve the existing nursery structure and construct a standard agroforestry nursery for smallholder coffee farmers at Inoi Farmers Cooperative Society Limited, Kirinyaga County

Summary Information

RA Department: Impact programs

Location(s): Kirinyaga County – Inoi Farmers Cooperative Society Limited

Commitment: At least 14 days

Desired start date and duration: July 2026

Under direction of: Country Director Kenya

About the Rainforest Alliance

The Rainforest Alliance (RA) is an international nonprofit organization working at the intersection of business, agriculture, and forests to make responsible business the new normal. We are building an alliance to protect forests, improve the livelihoods of farmers and forest communities, promote their human rights, and help them mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis.  We envision a world where people and nature thrive in harmony.

The Rainforest Alliance is creating a more sustainable world by using social and market forces to protect nature and improve the lives of farmers and forest communities.

For more information, please visit http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/about.

Project Background and Objective (Overview)

The project, Brewing the Future – Coffee to Stay, is funded by Tchibo GmbH (a coffee roaster) and implemented by Rainforest Alliance, in collaboration with Ibero Kenya (a coffee trading company under the Neumann Kaffee Gruppe) and Inoi Farmers’ Cooperative Society Ltd. (Inoi FCS). The project seeks to transition 5,000 smallholder coffee farmers affiliated with Inoi FCS in Kirinyaga County, located in the Mt. Kenya region, to regenerative agricultural practices that enhance environmental stewardship, market access, and sustainable livelihoods.

The overarching goal of the project is to contribute to sustainable livelihoods, climate resilience, and inclusive economic growth for smallholder coffee farmers in Mount Kenya, with a specific focus on Kirinyaga County.

Project objectives

Promoting regenerative and climate-smart agricultural practices

The aim is to enhance the capacity of coffee farmers to adopt regenerative and climate-smart agricultural practices, women & youth inclusion in coffee farming, with the overarching goal of improving soil health and increasing resilience to climate change.

Strengthening Coffee Business

The focus is to enhance the capacity of coffee farmers, board of management, wet mill managers, and staff on post-harvest processing techniques, produce premium quality coffee, create market linkages and resilient supply chains, and improve the income and livelihoods of coffee farmers.

Livelihoods Diversification

The project aims to support coffee farmers, diversifying their income sources, set up profitable enterprises, enhance access to financial solutions, strengthen the capacity of selected Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), and support women and youth groups' access to financial solutions.

Purpose of the Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to improve the existing coffee nursery structure and construct a fruit and tree nursery structure to support the production of healthy, high-quality seedlings within a protected and well-managed environment. The intervention aims to enhance seedling survival, strengthen disease and climate resilience, and promote sustainable coffee farming and agroforestry practices. In addition, the fruit and tree nursery will provide a sustainable source of quality seedlings to support food security, income generation, environmental conservation, landscape restoration, and climate change mitigation among target farming communities.

Scope of Work

The contractor shall be responsible for improving the existing coffee nursery structure and constructing a new fruit and tree nursery structure to support sustainable seedling production and agroforestry development. The scope of work shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

1. Site Assessment and Preparation

• Conduct a site assessment and confirm suitability of the proposed nursery location.
• Clear, level, and prepare the site for construction activities.

1. Improvement of four existing Coffee Nursery Structures

• Repair and reinforce the existing coffee nursery infrastructure.
• Upgrade propagator area with 75-80% UV shade nets and 50% UV shade net for hardening areas, potting areas and pathways.
• Ensure the nursery environment supports healthy seedling growth, disease prevention, and efficient water management.
• Construction of coffee propagators with a capacity of at least 50 kgs including the propagating media. (Note: A propagator measuring 1M * 15M has a capacity of 5kgs)
• The propagator should be covered with 1000-gauge UV treated translucent polythene sheet and a 75-80% shade net
• Size of the coffee nursery structure to be improved

• Plot A – 37m * 28m
• Plot B – 28m * 25m
• Plot C – 15m * 13m (Hardening area)
• Plot D – 37m * 28m

1. Construction of Fruit and Tree Nursery Structure

• Construct a standard nursery structure with at least 40,000 fruit and tree seedlings capacity, including shade netting, propagation areas, seedbeds, and water management systems.
• Proposed nursery measurement to be constructed

• 50m long * 8m wide

1. Environmental, Health, and Safety Compliance

• Ensure all construction activities comply with relevant environmental, occupational health, and safety standards.

1. Quality Assurance and Completion

• Ensure all works are completed to acceptable technical and structural standards as approved by RA.
• Hand over completed nursery structures in fully operational condition within the agreed timeline.

1. Branding and Visibility

• Design, produce, and install approved branded signage and visibility materials displaying project logos, partner identities, and key messaging at strategic locations within the nursery site.
• Ensure that all branding materials are durable, weather-resistant, and submitted to RA for approval prior to production and installation.

Procurement and installation of the existing structure and an agroforestry nursery will be as described in the BOQ table in Annex A.

Deliverables

Deliverables

Estimated submission date/timeline

Site assessment report and workplan

3 working days

Final project completion and handover report, including RA-Approved branding and completion of the newly constructed and upgraded nursery, with photo evidence.

11 working days

Logistical Support Rainforest Alliance will not be responsible for the consultant’s transportation, accommodation, or field-related logistics. These costs must be fully accounted for in the contractors’s financial proposal and managed independently. Rainforest Alliance, in partnership with Inoi FCS, will facilitate access to the site for viewing the status.

Supervision The work will be overseen by the Project Coordinator and Inoi FCS Board for the Brewing the Future – Coffee to Stay project. He will serve as the primary point of contact and provide overall coordination, technical guidance, and quality assurance throughout the consultancy period.

General Terms and Conditions for Request for Proposal

• Applicants must provide all requisite information under this RFP and clearly and concisely respond to all points set out in this RFP. Any proposal, which does not fully and comprehensively address this RFP, may be rejected.
• Proposals and/or any additional information received after the submission time and date are subject to rejection by RA.
• Incomplete proposals may be rejected by RA at its discretion.
• RA reserves the right to request additional information at any time during the procurement process.
• RA is at liberty to make multiple or no selections as part of the proposal process. RA also reserves the right to cancel the procurement.
• All proposal costs shall be borne by the applicant and will not be reimbursed by RA.
• It is the responsibility of every bidder to identify any information of a confidential or proprietary nature contained in its proposal so that it may be handled accordingly. However, RA cannot guarantee confidentiality.

Selection Criteria and qualifications

Expressions of interest will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Evaluation Criteria

Weight (%)

Relevant Experience and Technical Capacity

30%

Proposed Work Plan and Methodology

15%

Financial Proposal and Cost Effectiveness

30%

Quality Standards and Compliance

15%

Past Performance and References

10%

Total

100%

Submission Requirements:

Interested parties are invited to submit their Expression of Interest, including complete Bill of Quantities (BOQ) by Wednesday , 17th, June 2026. Submissions should include the following:

• Company Profile: Provide an overview of your company, including its history, experience, and expertise in similar projects.
• Qualifications: Outline the qualifications and experience of key personnel who would be involved in the project.
• Past Projects: Provide details of at least 3 references of previous projects related to commercial tree nursery construction, including task completion certificates.
• Approach: Outline your proposed work plan, including the completion time of the task. The contractor should be able to complete the nursery construction within two (2) weeks after signing the contract.
• Financial proposal requirements: Submit a financial proposal for both wooden-material and metallic-material options. The proposal should include a detailed cost breakdown in Kenya Shillings (KES), indicate all applicable taxes, and clearly outline the proposed payment terms and conditions.

Submission Address: Please submit your expression of interest (EOI) with complete Bill of Quantities (BOQ) using the attached format in Annex A as a preliminary guide. The EOIs should be sent with the subject “Nursery Establishment and Upgrading” to Daniel Mwangi [email protected]  copied to Marion Ng’ang’a [email protected]  latest by Wednesday , 17th June 2026 at 5 pm.

Contact person for questions

Daniel Mwangi - [email protected]

Deadline for submission of proposals

17th June 2026

Thank you for your interest in working with the Rainforest Alliance

Annex A: Proposed BOQ for Improving the Existing Coffee Nursery & Agroforestry Nursery Construction

Inoi Farmers’ Cooperative Society Ltd – Measuring

Item

Description

Unit

Qty

Rate

Amount (KES)

PROPOSED NURSERY – ELEMENT NO. 1 (ALL PROVISIONAL)

NOTE: All work measured under this element is up to and including the shade net.

Excavation & Earthworks

A

Site clearance – Clear the site of all bush scrub, undergrowth, and small trees; grub up roots and cart away or burn all arising.

SM

B

Excavate pits 450 × 450 × 450 mm deep for cedar poles, return fill and ram; remove surplus soil from site.

MM

C

Allow for keeping excavations free from mud and water, including pumping, piling, dewatering, and provision of drains.

Item

D

Install cell-treated cedar posts 10 feet long.

No

E

Metallic posts

No

F

Cutting discs plates

No

G

Welding rods

Pkts

H

Mild steel black pipes

Lm

I

Fasteners of approved sample

Lm

J

Self-tapping screws

Pkt

K

Primmer and paint

Sum

L

Provide assorted nails

Kgs

M

Binding wire.

Rolls

N

Galvanized wire

Rolls

0

Quarry stones (For propagator)

Pcs

p

Grading & earth levelling – Fill up levels and level earth to approval (labour).

Man-days

Q

Cement – 50 kg bags.

Bags

R

Waterproof cement.

Packet

S

Sand – Provide fine aggregates that pass 5mm sieve (sand) or equivalent.

Tons

T

Ballast – Machine crushed for cedar pole pad foundations.

Tons

U

Anti-termite treatment – TERMIDOR or approved equivalent insecticide treatment under ten-year guarantee.

Item

V

Shade net – 4m × 50m, 90 GSM shade net canopy with fixing clips.

Pcs

W

Shade net – 4m × 50m, 70 GSM shade net canopy with fixing clips.

Pcs

Provisional sum – Transportation cost for cedar poles and selected materials.

Sum

Subtotal Carried to Collection

SUMMARY

16% VAT.

Grand Total