Invitation to Tender and Expression of Interest (EOI) at the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN)

The Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) was established with the statutory mandate of coordinating, supervising and regulating Agricultural Research, Training and Extension Activities National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARIs) and the Federal Colleges of Agriculture (FCAs) under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMA&RD).

Applications are invited for:

Title: Invitation to Tender and Expression of Interest (EOI) for 2022 Capital Projects

Preamble
In compliance with the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 the ARCN wishes to bring to the attention of the public for her intention to carry out the following procurement activities in the council as provided for 2022 approved Capital Budget Appropriation.

In view of the above, bids are hereby invited from interested and reputable contractors with relevant experiences and good track records in respect of the following projects.

Scope of Services / Goods / Works
Category A - Consultancy:

• Lot 1 - Capacity Building Training On Establishment And Minglement Of Fish Farms Plus Startup Fun In Anambra North Senatorial District
• Lot 2 - Empowerment Training Of Women And Youth On Maintenance Of Fishing Equipment In Anambra north Senatorial District
• Lot 3 - Skill Acquisition Training And Provision of Grants For Youths And Women In Anambra North Senatorial District
• Lot 4 - Training Of Women And Youth On Yam and Cassava By Products Processing And Preservation In Anambra North Senatorial District
• Lot 5 - Feasibility Study And Design Of Wawa Zange Grazing Reserve Into Modern And Industrialize Diary And Beef Production In Gombe State
• Lot 6 - Training And Empowerment Of Women And Youth On Agricultural Value Chain
• Lot 7 - Agro Entrepreneurship Training and Capacity Building For Women And Youth In Gwazo/Kabo Federal Constituency, Kano State
• Lot 8 - Capacity Building On agricultural Value Chain and Start-Up Pack For Women And Youth In Grazo/Kabo Federal Constituency Kano State
• Lot 9 - Training Of Green House/Hydroponix Farming In Ahoda West/Ogba Egbema/Ndoni Federal Constituency River State
• Lot 10 - Training On Greenhouse/Hydroponix Farming In Port Harcourt Federal Constituency 1, Rivers State
• Lot 11 - Grant Youth And Women Agri Entrepreneurs In Bodiga/Dang-Eshuni/Tureta Local Government Area Sokoto State
• Lot 12 - V-Teac Skills Acquisition And Development, Empowerment Programs/Items To Bodinga/Dange SSHNI/Tureta Federal Constituency, Sokoto State
• Lot 13 - Grant To Youth And Women Agri Entrepreneurs In Bodinga/Dange Shuni/Tureta Local Government Area Sokoto State
• Lot 14 - Training Of Youth And Women In Snail And Rabbit Farming In Okrika/Ogu-Bolo Federal Constituency, Rivers State
• Lot 15 - Training And Empowerment for Women And Youth In Marte/Monguno/Nganzai, Borno State
• Lot 16 - Provision Of Grant For Farmers In Anambra North Senatorial District
• Lot 17 - Skill Acquisition And Provision Of Seeding Grants For Youths And Market Women in Anambra north Senatorial District
• Lot 18 - Training And Grant For Petty Traders In Ogbaru And Onitsha North Anambra Senatorial District
• Lot 19 - Training And Grant For Cassava farmers In Anambra North Senatorial District
• Lot 20 - Training Of Farmers On Cassava Production In Cross River Central Senatorial District
• Lot 21 - Training Of Artisans Youth Women In Skill Acquisition in Cross River Central Senatorial District
• Lot 22 - Internship Programme For Agricultural Graduates And Other  Related Discipline For Feasible Employment
• Lot 23 - Training Of Farmers Of Modern Farming Techniques Equipment And Inputs Ingwer East /Gwer Federal Constituency Benue State
• Lot 24 - Grant To Farmers For Hybrid Cowpea Production In Gwer-East/Gwer- West Federal Constituency, Benue State
• Lot 25 - ICT Training Centre Enugwu Ukwu Training/Consultancy In Aniocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia Federal Constituency, Anambra State
• Lot 26 - Establishment Of Nigerian Institute For Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) Oil Palm Station In Ugboha Esan North East/Esan South East Federal Constituency Edo State
• Lot 27 - Grant To Support Widows/Unskilled Women In Small Scale Businesses In Port Harcourt Federal Consitituency1,Rivers State
• Lot 28 - Grant To Support Widows/Unskilled Women In Small Scale Businesses In Ahoada-West/Ogba/Egbema/Indoni Federal Constituency, Rivers State

Category B - Goods:

• Lot 29 - Supply Of Motorcycles To Agricprenuers In Bondiga/Dangeshuni/Tureta  Federal Constituency, Sokoto State.
• Lot 30 - Supply Of Farm Implements, Fertilizer And Other Inputs To Youths And Women In Bodinga/Dange Shuni/Tureta Federal Constituency Sokoto State.
• Lot 31 - Supply Of Agricultural Tillers 13, Occ And 9, OCC HMP To Four Corner Communities At Ikom Boki Federal Constituency Ikom LGA Cross River State.
• Lot 32 - ICT Centre Enugwu Ukwu, Njikoka Local Government Area (1 No 18- Seater Bus And Generator) Anambra State
• Lot 33 - Provision And Installation Of Solar Powered Street Lights For Cooperators Communities In Ikom Local Government Area Cross River State
• Lot 34 - Provision of Solar Powered Street Lights For Selected Farmers Communities In Boluwaduro/Ifedayo/Ila Federal Constituency Osun Central Senatorial District, Osun State
• Lot 35 - Provision Of Solar Streetlights Across Cross River Central Senatorial District.

Category C - Works:

• Lot 36 - Establishment Of Agricultural Outreach Center (Aroc) In Okengwe
• Lot 37 - Rehabilitation Of 14km Agagbe-Abian Rural Road In Gwer-West LGA, Benue State
• Lot 38 - Establishment Of Greenhouse With SQLAR Powered Borehole Water Supply Including Related Training Of Women And Youth In Ikwe, Gwer East LGA, Benue State
• Lot 39 - Establishment Of Greenhouse With SQLAR Powered Borehole Water Supply Including Related Training Of Women And Youth In Mbasambo, Ikwe, Gwer East LGA, Benue State
• Lot 40 - Vegetation (Weeds) Control (Phase 2) At Wuro Sembe-Wuro Musa Road, Jalingo LGA, Taraba State
• Lot 41 - Clearing Of Agricultural Land At Esit Ikot Obori, Akwa Ikot Effanga, Akpabauyo LGA, Cross River State
• Lot 42 - Vegetation Control Along Ogada Junction To Ogada Village Road (4km) Oburra LGA, Cross River State
• Lot 43 - Vegetation 9weed) Control, At Wuro Musa Road (4km) Jalingo LGA, Taraba State
• Lot 44 - Rehabilitation And Upgrading Of Rural Farmers Market In Selected LGA’s In South West Senatorial District In Osun State.

Eligibility Requirements

• Evidence of Certificate of incorporation issued by Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) including forms CAC2 and CAC7 or Business Name is also acceptable;
• Up to date filling of CAC returns
• Evidence of firm Tax Clearance Certificate (or personal Income tax clearance certificates of all the partners in case of Business Name) for the last three (3) years valid till 31st December 2022.
• Evidence of Pension Clearance Certificate valid till 31st December 2021 (applicable where a number of staff is at least 15);
• Evidence of Industrial Training Funds (ITF) Compliance Certificate valid till 31st December
• Evidence of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) Clearance Certificate valid till 31st December 2021
• Evidence of registration on the national Database of Federal Contractors, Consultants and Service providers by submission of interim Registration Report (IRR) expiring on 31/12/2021 or valid Certificate issued by BPP;
• Sworn affidavit disclosing whether or not any officer of the relevant committees of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria or the Bureau of Public Procurement is a former or present Director, shareholders or has any financial interest in the bidder and to confirm that all information presented in its bid are true and correct in all particulars;
• Company’s Audited Accounts for the last three (3) years- 2019, 2020, 2021 duly acknowledged by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS);
• Reference letter from a reputable commercial bank in Nigeria, indicating a willingness to provide credit facility for the execution of the project when needed;
• Company’s profile with the curriculum vitae of key staffs to be deployed for the project, including copies of their Academic/Professional qualifications such as COREN, QSRBN, ARCON, CORBON etc
• Verifiable documentary evidence of at least three (3) similar jobs executed in the last five (5) years, including letters of Awards, valuation Certificates, Job Completion certificates and Photographs of the projects;
• Works: List of plant/Equipment with proof of ownership/lease;
• For Training programmes: Evidence of Firm’s Accreditation by the Centre of Management Development (CMD);
• For Supply of Equipment: Letter of Authorization as representative of the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs);
• Electricity Jobs: Evidence of current Licence issued by Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA)
• All documents for submission must be transmitted with a Coverage /Forwarding letter under the Company/Firm’s Letter Head paper bearing amongst others, the Registration Number (RC) as issued by the Corporate Affair’s Commission (CAC), contact address, telephone number (preferably GSM No.) and email address. The letterhead paper must bear the Names and Nationalities of the Directors of the Company at the bottom of the page, duly signed by the authorized officer of the firm.

Application Closing Date (EOI)
12:00 noon Monday, 9th May, 2022.

Application Closing Date (Goods & Works)
12.00 noon Monday, 16th May, 2022.

Opening of EOI Documents and Technical Bids
The EOI and Technical bids will be opened immediately after the deadline for submission at 12:00 noon on Monday, 9th May, 2022 and 12:00 noon on Monday, 16th May, 2022 respectively, at the Mallam Adamu Bello Auditorium 1st floor Agricultural Research House Mabushi, Abuja. ARCN will not be held liable for misplaced or wrongly submitted bids. For further enquiries, please contact: office of the Head of Procurement, ARCN.

Collection of Tender Documents (Goods and Works)
Interested companies are to collect the Standard Bidding Document (SBD) from the office of the Head of Procurement, 9 floor Room 313, on evidence of payment of a non-refundable tender fee N10, 000.00 per Lot, paid into the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria’s Remita account in a reputable commercial bank in Nigeria

Submission of Expression of Interest (EOI)
Interested Firms are to submit two (2) bound of Expression of Interest (Eol) documents separated dividers and arranged as indicated above, and clearly marked with (the name of the project and number) Furthermore, the reverse of each sealed envelope should bear the name and address of the bidder drop in the designated tender box not later than the specified closing date.

Submission of Tender Documents (Goods & Works)
Original and two (2) copies of the Technical and Financial bid are to be submitted in two (2) separate envelopes. Envelopes for the Technical and Financial Bids shall be duly marked "Technical" and "Financial Bid" respectively. The two (2) envelopes shall then be enclosed in one single envelope and forwarded in sealed envelopes, marked on the top left-hand corner boldly "Project name and lot number". The inner and other envelopes shall:

• Bear the name and address of the contractor, (inner envelopes):
• Be addressed to the client at the address specified (inner and outer envelopes);
• Bear the name of the project (inner and outer envelopes). And
• Bear a statement “Do not open with the technical bid” (inner financial envelope).

The documents are to be dropped in tender box in the office of the:
Head of Procurement,
Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN),
2nd floor Rooms 313,
Plot 223, Cadastral Zone B6 Madushi,
F.C.T - Abuja.

General Information

• Bids must be in English language and signed by an official authorized by the bidder,
• The Council will not be responsible for any costs or expenses incurred by any interested party in connection with any response to this invitation and/or preparation or submission in response to an enquiry.
• This advertisement is specifically for projects under the 2022 appropriation and shall not be construed as a commitment on the part of the Council to award any or all the above listed projects.
• Late submission shall be returned un-opened;
• Bidders should not bid for more than one (1) in each category and not more than two (2) Lots in total violation is automatic disqualification;
• Bids for different Lots should be submitted differently. Lump submission will be returned.
• Sworn Affidavit must be original, sworn for the purpose of this Advert and must be as stated above,
• Original letters or other reference collected from third party for the purpose of this advertisement should be addressed to the Executive Secretary.
• Company representatives other than Directors signing or representing the company in this process including during tender opening must first be introduced in a letter addressed to the ARCN Tenders Board duly signed by registered Director of the Company.
• Presence of bidders/representatives and members of the public shall not be required during the bid opening ceremony in compliance with coviD-19 Guidelines. The Bids Opening will be covered by video recording (invitation link will be sent to bidders to join the bid opening online) with the physical presence of two (2) representatives of private sector professional bodies and civil society organization in the areas of Anti- corruption/Transparency;
• Bids documents can also be collected in soft copies and bidders can submit through Post (Courier Services);
• Goods & Works: Only pre-qualified bidders at technical evaluation will be invited at later date for virtual financial bids opening, while the financial bids of un-successful bidders will be returned un-opened;
• Services: only shortlisted firms will be contacted at a later date for collection of Request for proposals (RFP)
• The ARCN is not bound to shortlist any bidder and reserves the right to annul the procurement process at any time without incurring any liabilities in accordance with section 28 of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.