REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

1. Notice Inviting Tender / Quotation

Sealed/Digital Quotations are invited under Two-Bid System (Technical & Financial Bids) from eligible Farmers’ Producer Organisations (FPOs), Agri-Entrepreneurs, Seed Producers, Authorized Dealers, Organic Farming Agencies, and Service Providers for the establishment and operation of an Organic Seed Production Cluster for Lady Finger, Bottle Gourd, Spinach, Radish and Cauliflower.

PPHF intends to implement a CSR–Government convergence project for organic seed production, capacity building of farmers, and market linkage. The selected agency will undertake land preparation, organic cultivation, seed production, training, packaging, branding and buy-back of certified organic seed.

2. Background, Purpose & Objectives

2.1 Background

Access to quality organic seed remains a critical gap for small and marginal farmers practising organic agriculture. PPHF intends to establish an Organic Seed Production Cluster to produce high-quality organic seed of five key vegetable crops – Lady Finger (Okra), Bottle Gourd, Spinach, Radish and Cauliflower – while simultaneously building farmer capacity and creating a sustainable market linkage through buy-back arrangements.

2.2 Purpose

The assignment aims to establish a functional organic seed production cluster on 2 acres, Purchasing Organic Seed for Production 110 kg of organic seed(All five crops – 110 kg total, i.e. 22 kg per crop as the target) of the five target crops, train 20 farmers, supply organic inputs, undertake sorting, packaging and branding, and ensure buy-back cost of 1 kg of seed for further distribution/marketing.

2.3 Objectives

• Establish a 2-acre organic seed production plot with proper land preparation and water infrastructure.
• Supply Organic Seed for Production-110 kg of high-quality organic seed of Lady Finger, Bottle Gourd, Spinach, Radish and Cauliflower (All five crops – 110 kg total, i.e. 22 kg per crop as the target)
• Supply and apply organic manure (vermicompost) and bio-pesticides / bio-insecticides / bio-fungicides.
• Conduct exposure-cum-cultivation training for 20 farmers/persons at institution that help them to learn end to end process of this intervention
• Undertake labour for sorting, grading and packaging of seed.
• Provide marketing support through branded pouches (5,000 nos.) and install branding board at production plot
• Facilitate buy-back of produced organic seed.
• Submit complete production, training and financial reports.

3. Scope of Work & Detailed Technical Specifications

The selected vendor/agency will be responsible for the end-to-end establishment and operation of the Organic Seed Production Cluster as detailed below:

A. Land Preparation & Infrastructure

• Land preparation on 2 acres: Ploughing, chilling, sickling, forking and hand picking.
• Installation of water connection from source – Sprinkler system and pipes suitable for hilly terrain covering 2 acres.
• Erection of one Branding Board at the cluster site.

B. Organic Seed Production

• Purchasing Organic Seed for Production: Lady Finger, Bottle Gourd, Spinach, Radish and Cauliflower targeting a total of 110 kg certified organic seed.( All five crops – 110 kg total, i.e. 22 kg per crop as the target.)
• Application of Organic Manure – Vermicompost (10 MT).
• Application of Biofit pesticides (40 Ltr), Biofit insecticides (40 Ltr) and Biofit fungicides (40 Ltr – note: quantity as per EOI).
• Strict adherence to organic production protocols (no synthetic chemicals).

C. Capacity Building & Training

• Conduct Exposure-cum-Cultivation Training for 20 persons covering organic seed production techniques, post-harvest handling and quality standards.
• Submit Training Completion Report with attendance and photographs.

D. Post-Harvest, Packaging & Marketing Support

• Labour for sorting, grading and packaging of seed (40 person-days).
• Procurement and use of 5,000 branded pouches for seed packaging.
• Facilitation of Buy-Back of organic seed at pre-agreed rates.

E. Deliverables

• Inception Report & Work Plan
• Land Preparation & Infrastructure Completion Report
• Organic Input Application Log & Photographs
• Seed Production Register (crop-wise quantity & quality)
• Training Completion Report (with participant list & photos)
• Packaging & Branding Report
• Buy-Back Documentation & Proof of Payment/Receipt
• Final Project Completion Report with Financial Statement

F. Indicative Component Quantities (from EOI)

4. Timeline

The entire assignment shall be completed within 5 months from the date of the Work Order or handing over of the land / site, whichever is later. A detailed month-wise implementation schedule shall be submitted with the Technical Proposal.

5. Applicable Indian Compliance & Statutory Acts

Bidders must ensure all cultivation, seed production, data handling, documentation and process workflows strictly comply with the following statutory requirements:

• National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) / Participatory Guarantee System (PGS-India) guidelines issued by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare / APEDA.
• Seed Act, 1966 and Seed Rules, 1968 (as applicable to organic seed).
• Data Protection & Privacy norms applicable to farmer-level personal data collection.
• GST & Tax Regulations: Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) and State Goods and Services Tax (SGST) compliance with valid GSTIN.
• MSMED Act, 2006: Benefits applicable to registered Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) per Govt. of India directives.
• Labour & Safety Laws: Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and applicable provisions for personnel involved during field operations and training.

6. Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for evaluation, a Bidder must satisfy all the following minimum eligibility conditions and furnish documentary proof in the Technical Bid:

A. The Bidder shall be a legally constituted entity (proprietorship, partnership, LLP, company, registered society, FPO, FPC or registered contractor) operating in India.

B. The Bidder shall hold a valid Trade Licence and a valid GST Registration Certificate.

C. The Bidder shall hold a valid PAN issued by the Income-tax Department.

D. The Bidder should have satisfactorily executed similar organic farming / seed production / farmer training / agri-input supply / market-linkage assignments during the last three (03) financial years (supported by work orders and completion certificates).

E. The Bidder should have an average annual financial turnover of at least INR 25,00,000 – 35,00,000 over the last three (3) financial years (supported by audited statements / CA certificate).

F. The Bidder shall not be blacklisted, debarred or banned by any Central / State Government department, public sector undertaking, or funding agency as on the date of submission.

G. The Bidder shall submit relevant work orders/purchase orders and completion certificates as evidence of successful execution of similar assignments.

H. Preference may be given to bidders having demonstrated experience of working in hilly / North-Eastern terrain and/or providing end-to-end support including cultivation, training, packaging and buy-back.

I. The Bidder shall have qualified agronomists / seed technologists and a dedicated field team capable of deployment at the project site.

Technical Proposal

The Technical Proposal should include the following:

1. Organisation Profile
2. Understanding of the Assignment
3. Proposed Methodology and Approach (including organic protocols, seed quality standards, data quality)
4. Detailed Work Plan & Six-Month Implementation Schedule
5. Team Composition, CVs of Key Personnel and Roles
6. Organic Cultivation & Seed Production Protocol
7. Training & Capacity Building Plan
8. Post-Harvest, Packaging & Buy-Back Plan
9. Risk Identification and Mitigation Plan
10. Relevant Experience in Similar Assignments (organic farming / seed production / farmer training)
11. Details of Previous/Current Clients and Client References
12. Any Proposed Value-Adds or Innovations

Due Diligence and Documents to be Submitted

PPHF will conduct due diligence on each Bidder before award. The Technical Bid must contain self-attested copies of the following documents. Failure to submit any mandatory document may render the bid liable to rejection.

Bidding Mechanism:

• Cover 1 (Technical Bid): Contains Signed RFP Copy, Methodology, Team CVs, GST/PAN Registration, MSME Certificate (if applicable), Work Orders & Completion Certificates, and Client List.
• Cover 2 (Financial Bid): Itemized BOQ in INR including base cost, applicable GST, travel, accommodation, equipment and all incidental charges.

7. Financial Bid Format (BOQ Template)

Also Included on Financial Proposal

The Financial Proposal should provide a detailed and itemized cost breakdown for the following components:

1. Land Preparation & Site Development
2. Water Infrastructure (Sprinkler + Pipe for Hilly Terrain)
3. Organic Seed Production (all five crops – 10 kg total, i.e. 22 kg per crop as the target)
4. Organic Inputs (Vermicompost + Bio-pesticides / Insecticides / Fungicides)
5. Training & Capacity Building (20 persons)
6. Sorting, Grading, Packaging Labour & Materials (5,000 pouches)
7. Buy-Back of Seed
8. Branding Board
9. Travel, Accommodation and Local Logistics
10. Report Preparation & Soft/Hard Copy Deliverables
11. Any Other Applicable Costs

E-mail Submission with Password Protection

In parallel with the hard copy, the Bidder shall e-mail the complete proposal to procurement@pphfglobal.org on or before the deadline, observing the following protocol:

• The Technical Bid shall be sent as a single PDF.
• The Financial / Price Bid shall be sent as a SEPARATE password-protected (encrypted) PDF. The price file MUST NOT be readable without a password.
• The password to the Financial Bid shall NOT be sent with the bid. It shall be furnished by the Bidder only when called for by PPHF — i.e., at the time of financial-bid opening or on PPHF’s written / telephonic request to the qualified bidders.
• The e-mail subject line shall read: PPHF/5032/26-27/Organic Seed Production Cluster.
• Any price information disclosed in the unprotected Technical Bid or the e-mail body shall render the bid liable to rejection.

8. Evaluation

Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of:

• Technical proposal quality, understanding of assignment, and methodology
• Relevant experience in organic farming / seed production / farmer capacity building / agri-value chain
• Proposed team composition and qualifications
• Preference for firms / FPOs with prior experience in hilly / North-Eastern terrain
• Financial proposal (value for money, completeness, and reasonableness of costs)

9. Payment Terms

Payment shall be linked with approved deliverables and shall be released against submission of invoices and acceptance of corresponding reports by PPHF, after statutory deductions (TDS / GST-TDS) and against valid tax invoices. Indicative milestone-based payment schedule:

• 20% on approval of Inception Report and mobilisation
• 30% on completion of Land Preparation, Water Infrastructure and first season sowing
• 30% on submission of Seed Production Report, Training Completion and Packaging
• 20% on Final Completion Report, Buy-Back documentation and acceptance

10. General Terms and Conditions of Contract

11. Submission Details

Interested agencies shall submit:

• Agency / FPO Profile
• Portfolio and Work Samples
• Team Details
• Technical Proposal
• Financial Proposal (inclusive of all taxes, travel, accommodation and equipment costs)
• GST Registration Certificate
• PAN Card
• Client References (if available)

You are requested to provide your confidential courier (Hard Copy) or soft copy through mail (password protected) at – quote by 17:30 hours on 5th September 2026. Quotations that have been submitted on time or before will be opened at 15:00 Hrs. on 6th September 2026. Late quotes will be rejected.

12. Disclaimer

PPHF reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals without assigning any reason. PPHF may cancel or modify the procurement process at any stage without incurring any liability.