COLEAD/AO/260459

Support to COLEAD and its partner-beneficiaries for strengthening the competitiveness of the agri-food sector in national, regional and international markets – with a particular emphasis on the horticultural sector– through market intelligence services

Ref: COLEAD/AO/260459

Interventions may require travel to partner-countries. Depending on the nature of the assignment, experts may also be requested to carry out activities at COLEAD’s offices (including Brussels, Rungis, Nairobi, Lomé, or other locations).

Agri-food sectors

COLEAD

3, Avenue du Viaduc – Bât B3A
CP 90761
94550 Chevilly Larue
France

Internet address of the contracting authority:
https://www.colead.link

The publication of this Contract Notice launches the first phase of the procedure and is intended to allow candidates to express their interest in bidding. An initial evaluation based on an analysis of the expressions of interest will result in the establishment of a shortlist of candidates deemed suitable to submit tenders.

Stages of the procedure:

Phase 1

1. Publication of the Contract Notice and submission by candidates of their expression of interest
2. Establishment of the longlist
3. Pre-selection based on the application file
4. Establishment of the short list

Phase 2

1. Launching of the call for tenders (sending of tender documents to short-listed candidates)
2. Selection based on the files provided by those tendering
3. Establishment of framework contract with the selected tenderer

The service providers selected following the consultation will be offered a framework contract, specifying a maximum daily remuneration rate per proposed expert. This rate of remuneration may differ from the financial proposal made by the tenderer.

In general, the services of the successful tenderer may start from the day of the signature of the framework contract. The interventions of the successful tenderers may extend until the full consumption of the budget allocated.

The Contracting Authority reserves the right not to award any contract, not to allocate all available funds, and to suspend, cancel or terminate the tender procedure at any stage, in whole or in part, without compensation and without incurring any liability.

COLEAD

COLEAD is a French-incorporated interprofessional association governed by the French Law of 1st July 1901. Its purpose is to contribute to the sustainable transformation of food value chains, notably in the horticultural sector, particularly in countries and regions where development needs are greatest, by strengthening their economic viability, resilience, and positive social and environmental impact.

From an operational perspective, COLEAD is organised into several departments corresponding to COLEAD's internal areas of expertise: Technical Assistance, Training, Research and Innovation Brokerage, Market Insights, Information and Communication, Regulation and Standards, Access to Finance, and Networking and Alliances.

This call for tenders is part of the activities of the COLEAD Market Insights Department.

COLEAD programmes and projects

COLEAD implements its activities through global (multi-country) and local programmes (at the level of a country or an individual company). The overall objective of all these programmes and projects is to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals through actions in the agri-food sector. In addition, the implementation of each of them supports the fulfilment of COLEAD’s mission and aligns with the agendas of their respective donors. This call for tenders aims to select service providers who can collaborate with COLEAD within the framework of global or local projects or programmes.

FFM Africa 2030 Programme

Fit For Market Africa 2030: Strengthening the competitiveness, sustainability and investment attractiveness of Sub-Saharan African horticultural and agri-food value chains

FFM Africa 2030 is a five-year grant programme entrusted to COLEAD by the European Commission's Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) under the NDICI-Global Europe instrument, with a total budget of EUR 50 million. The programme builds on over two decades of COLEAD experience in the ACP horticultural sector, notably through the FFM, FFM SPS and FFM Plus programmes.

The overall objective of FFM Africa is to contribute to poverty reduction, improved food security and nutrition, and inclusive economic growth, by supporting the sustainable transformation of horticultural and food value chains across Sub-Saharan Africa. The programme is structured around two complementary components. The first specific objective, delivered through a Continental Facility, is to strengthen the compliance capacities, technical knowledge, training ecosystems, research and innovation uptake, market intelligence, and investment readiness of horticultural and food value chain actors across Sub-Saharan Africa. The second specific objective, delivered through a Country and Value Chain Facility, is to generate deep, systemic transformation in a restricted number of countries and value chain combinations, through comprehensive diagnostics, national action plans, targeted technical assistance, commercial linkage development and structured investment facilitation. Together, the two components form an integrated delivery architecture designed to combine continental reach with country-level depth, leveraging COLEAD's full range of technical departments and methodological frameworks in support of a sustainable, investment-attractive and market-integrated SSA horticultural sector.

PRCC Phase 2

PRCC Phase 2: Strengthening trade capacities for a sustainable horticultural sector in Sub-Saharan Africa

In 2024, COLEAD and the French Development Agency (AFD) signed a €2 million grant agreement for the implementation of the second phase of the Programme to Strengthen Commercial Capacities (PRCC Phase 2). The three-year programme aims to enhance the sustainability, competitiveness and resilience of fruit and vegetable value chains in Madagascar, Senegal, Tanzania, Malawi, Togo, Benin and Guinea.

PRCC Phase 2 contributes to building a fairer, safer and more sustainable horticultural sector by supporting smallholders, farmer organisations and MSMEs to maintain and expand market access through compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary standards and the adoption of sustainable practices. It also strengthens the capacities of professional associations, service providers and public institutions to deliver effective support and fosters structured dialogue between public and private actors to address trade barriers and improve the enabling environment for the horticultural sector in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Other projects implemented by COLEAD (at the date of launch of this call for tenders)

As part of its drive to diversify its sources of funding, COLEAD is involved in implementing other national or multinational programs financed by various donors. In addition to the FFM Africa 2023 programme, COLEAD is currently involved in the implementation of several technical assistance programs/projects in line with the association's mission:

The list of other programmes/projects is not exhaustive. Indeed, COLEAD is involved in the implementation of several national, regional and continental technical assistance programmes/projects, in partnership with a range of financial partners supporting inclusive and sustainable agri-food production and trade.

Successful tenderers awarded a framework contract under the present call for tenders may be mobilised, as and when required, to provide services across all programmes and projects implemented by COLEAD, including those currently ongoing as well as future initiatives that may be confirmed during the validity period of the framework contract.

Please refer to the COLEAD programmes page to find out more about its interventions.

COLEAD's Market Insights Department and the development of its activities

Through its Market Insights (MI) Department, COLEAD monitors agrifood production, processing, trade and consumption trends at domestic, regional, and international levels, with a particular focus on the fresh and processed fruit and vegetable sector and the European Union market. The MI Department in collaboration with the COLEAD Regulations and Standards department also follows developments in market access requirements, including evolving regulatory frameworks, private standards, and societal expectations. In addition, sector-specific events and news channels are continuously monitored to ensure timely and relevant market intelligence.

Drawing on the expertise of its network of external specialists, the MI Department transforms this information into actionable knowledge for COLEAD’s partners and beneficiaries. Deliverables include collective resources such as webinars, market studies, bottleneck studies, impact studies, and reports that cover specific regions, sectors, or market opportunities. Tailored support is also provided upon request, for example through market profiles analysing the potential, technical, regulatory requirements, and business planning considerations for specific products and destination markets.

The MI Department also contributes to the design of COLEAD’s upcoming programmes by conducting sector and value chain assessments to identify bottlenecks, define baseline scenarios, and propose strategic interventions with the highest potential for impact.

In line with COLEAD’s continuous adaptation to partner needs, the MI Department is strengthening both its data management capabilities and its innovative dissemination tools to enhance access to and understanding of market information. This evolution is supported by the ongoing digital transformation of COLEAD’s systems and by close collaboration with national professional associations, which act as key relays of information to their members.

As the coordinating entity for this tender, the Market Insights Department will oversee collaboration with the selected service providers, ensuring that all activities are fully aligned with COLEAD’s quality standards and strategic objectives.

Gender equality

As part of COLEAD's mission and commitment to sustainability, interventions in the countries with which we engage are expected to raise awareness of the importance of gender equality in achieving sustainable development. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) places the empowerment of women at the core of its concerns and recognises their contribution as a key driver of progress towards all goals and targets.

Women make a significant contribution to agriculture and the rural economy in all regions of the world. However, despite progress, women continue to face challenges that limit their access to economic opportunities. COLEAD's commitment to promoting women's economic empowerment in the agricultural sector, and horticulture in particular, will hopefully help foster inclusive growth and improve the effectiveness of the assistance it provides.

Type of contract

This call for tenders concerns the provision of support services for the technical implementation of all of COLEAD's current and future projects/programmes.

All successful tenderers will be offered a framework contract, which will specify the names of the selected experts and the maximum daily fee per expert. In certain cases, and following evaluation of the proposed CVs, the fees mentioned in the contract may differ from the fees proposed in the tenderer’s financial offer.

The objective of this call for tenders is to create a pool of experts with the required expertise, as described in the "type of activities", who can be mobilised by COLEAD's technical team if necessary. Services will therefore be required on an as-needed basis and through ordering letters specifying the terms of the assignments.

As a result of the above, it is important to note that in the context of this call for tenders, although the signing of a framework contract is a prerequisite for working with COLEAD, this does not guarantee that all service providers will be invited to carry out assignments.

Principles of interventions

In continuity with previous programmes, the intervention logic of COLEAD's programmes is based on the expression of requests for support from partner beneficiaries’ including MSMEs or producer groups in partner countries, but also from intermediate support structures - whether public or private - which are actively involved in the process of compliance and the development of value chains concerned (service providers, BMOs, training centres, inspection services, etc.). It also adopts the following modalities and principles of actions that have contributed to their success:

• Local appropriation of the activities to be implemented to meet market expectations.
• No substitution of local stakeholders in their respective roles and responsibilities.
• Investment in local expertise and human resources through in-depth and long-term capacity building.
  • • Demand-driven intervention and participatory approach in the definition and implementation of the individual action plans to allow stakeholders to better balance growth and efficiency of the intervention to their absorption capacity.
    • Cost-sharing principle, allowing for enhanced ownership and involvement in actions by the partner-beneficiaries.
    • South-south cooperation through an existing network of 950+ experts and trainers and extensive network of technical partners.
    • Technical, scientific and financial partnerships to avoid duplication, optimise synergies and upscale impact.
    • Transversal focus on cross-cutting issues, such as climate, youth and gender.

COLEAD will preferentially involve service providers whose consultants are based in targeted-countries, from which the partner-beneficiaries of the programmes are requesting support, in order to ensure that the characteristics of the operators concerned and their environment are considered rapidly and effectively. This concern for the increasing involvement of local expertise is an integral part of COLEAD's intervention logic.

Geographic scope

COLEAD's programmes and projects are implemented in a significant number of countries, with a particular emphasis on low-income and lower-middle-income countries eligible under the OECD DAC list of ODA recipients. The current portfolio is concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa; however, COLEAD's interventions are expanding to other regions, notably Latin America and the Caribbean. Assignments under this framework contract may therefore relate to any of COLEAD's partner countries, current or future, worldwide.

Areas of services covered by the market

The areas of services covered by this call for tenders are the following:

Tenderers must demonstrate sufficient skills and experience in at least one of the subjects covered by this contract to enable them to carry out the tasks that may be assigned to them.

Beneficiaries / target audiences

The beneficiaries and target audiences of this contract are twofold.

On the one hand, the services provided under this framework contract are coordinated and used by COLEAD’s internal departments, whose activities fall within the scope of the present call for tenders, in particular the Market Insights Department, in its role of planning, steering and integrating the services into COLEAD’s projects and programmes.

On the other hand, the services are intended to benefit external stakeholders supported through COLEAD’s projects and programmes, including existing and future partner-beneficiaries operating within agri-food value chains.

These external beneficiaries and target audiences include, in particular, actors along agri-food and horticultural supply chains (such as producers, processors, exporters, importers and retailers), farmers’ organisations and cooperatives, professional and business membership organisations, intermediary support structures, public and private sector actors, and other stakeholders involved in the development of inclusive and sustainable agri-food systems in the European Union, the United Kingdom and COLEAD’s partner countries.

Type of activities

The planned activities will be carried out considering the COLEAD way of working: remotely and in the field as it works with the partner beneficiaries of its programmes and projects. Assignments may therefore be carried out in person, entirely remotely using appropriate digital tools, or through a hybrid approach combining on-site and remote activities.

The actions to be organised under this call for tenders will include the following aspects:

Expertise on agri-food markets and systems

Description:

To provide analytical and technical expertise on agri-food markets and systems, in the European Union, the United Kingdom, and internationally - with particular emphasis on Sub-Saharan Africa. Service providers will support COLEAD in generating high-quality, data-driven and actionable insights into production, trade, consumption, competitiveness, and market access dynamics to inform strategic decisions and sector development initiatives.

Illustrative list of services :

• Conduct detailed analyses of national, regional, and international trade flows in key agricultural commodities and perform competitiveness assessments using the COLEAD database among other sources including UN Comtrade, ITC Trade Map, FAOSTAT, Eurostat and national statistical sources.
• Analyse production volumes and structures by sector, sub-sector, and country.
• Examine consumption patterns and market trends at domestic, regional, and international levels.
• Carry out SWOT analyses, identify structural and operational bottlenecks, and formulate strategic recommendations.
• Analyse regulatory, policy, tariff, and standards-related factors affecting trade and market access.
• Identify and assess promising commodity chains, including analysis of competition, applicable tariff regimes, certification and buyer requirements, and evolving consumer expectations.
  • • Conduct value chain and supply chain analyses to map key actors, flows, and leverage points for improvement.

Expertise on agrifood processing and production options

Description:

To provide technical and investment feasibility expertise for agrifood processing and production options, with a particular focus on the fresh and processed fruit and vegetable sector. Service providers will assess the technical, economic, and regulatory conditions for developing viable and sustainable agrifood ventures. These analyses will inform investment decisions, business planning, and value addition strategies for COLEAD partners and beneficiaries in targeted countries and associated markets.

Illustrative list of services :

• Conduct technical feasibility studies for new or upgraded processing and production units, including infrastructure, equipment, and input requirements.
• Assess minimum viable production or processing volumes, operational capacities, and scalability potential.
• Develop indicative investment and business models, including cost structures, operating margins, and risk factors.
• Analyse value addition opportunities, such as by-product valorisation, circular bioeconomy approaches, and sustainable resource use.
• Review relevant regulatory and compliance requirements, including food safety, quality, certification, and environmental standards.
• Identify market entry and positioning opportunities for processed products, in alignment with consumer and buyer expectations.
  • • Provide implementation scenarios, economic scenarios, and presentation materials for dissemination to stakeholders or potential investors.

Knowledge dissemination and communication

Description:

To transform analytical outputs and market intelligence into actionable, accessible, and engaging resources for COLEAD partners and stakeholders. Service providers will support the production and dissemination of knowledge materials that enhance understanding, visibility, and uptake of insights generated by the Market Insights Department. The focus will be on clarity, accessibility, and adaptation to diverse audiences across targeted countries and EU contexts.

Illustrative list of services :

• Draft market studies (large studies covering a whole product range such as fresh fruit and vegetables trade and a broad region such as Sub-Saharan Africa), sector studies (studies containing various stand-alone chapters covering e.g. all processing options for a certain fruit including both market insights and technical considerations) and market profiles (concise studies focusing on one specific product and origin) in clear and visually appealing formats.
• Develop inputs for webinars based on delivered studies, help to facilitate workshops to share research outcomes or co-organize online information sessions to disseminate findings.
• Produce infographics, fact sheets, and communication materials summarizing key messages and data highlights.
  • • Contribute to interactive dashboards, data visualisations and digital knowledge products supporting COLEAD's market intelligence platforms.
    • Participate in COLEAD webinars or in a forum such as Agrinnovators.org on their area of expertise

The maximum value of this Contract Notice is € 1,000,000.

This amount constitutes an overall maximum ceiling for the procedure and does not represent a commitment by the Contracting Authority to award contracts or assignments up to this amount, nor does it confer any entitlement to a specific volume of services on any successful tenderer.

Date of publication of this Contract Notice: 07/09/2026

Deadline for receipt of applications (expressions of interest): 07/10/2026

Deadline for publication of the shortlist: 22/10/2026

Expected date for sending invitations to tenders: 22/10/2026

Deadline for submission of tenders: 25/11/2026

Date of notification to the successful bidders: 15/02/2027

Expected start date of the contract: from the date of signature by the 2 contracting parties.

The final schedule will be included in the tender documents during the next phase.

Participation is open, under equal conditions, to all natural persons and legal entities (participating individually or in a consortium of bidders) who are nationals of the ACP and EU States and/or listed here. A consortium may be a permanent group with legal status, or an informal group created for the purpose of a specific call for tenders. All the members of a consortium (i.e. the lead partner and all other partners) are jointly and severally liable to the contracting authority.

A check will be carried out to ensure that none of the candidate bidders appears on any of the Financial Sanctions Lists (lists designating persons, groups or entities subject to financial sanctions by the United Nations, the EU and France).

The participation of an ineligible natural person or legal entity will result in the automatic exclusion of the application concerned. If this ineligible person is part of a consortium, the application of the entire consortium will be excluded.

Any tenders received from tenderers allied with firms other than those mentioned in the shortlisted application forms will be excluded from the tender procedure. Shortlisted candidates may neither associate nor conclude mutual subcontracting agreements in the context of the contract in question. No more associations will be allowed after the shortlist has been established.

Selection criteria relating to the technical and professional capacity of the bidder will be applied to candidates. In the case of an application submitted by a consortium, these criteria will apply to the whole consortium.

These criteria ensure that the candidate (or the consortium as a whole) has sufficient skills and experience to perform the contract.

The correct observance of the instructions for sending the application file will also be considered in the evaluation.

The bidder should indicate an interest in participating in the call for tenders by applying. If the candidate is pre-selected, the name of the structure indicated on the application file will be used in the shortlist. No further changes (legal entity, consortium or other) will be allowed.

The form is available in French and English and must be completed in one of these languages.

It includes the following data:

1. General information on the applicant
2. The application file:
   • • 1 detailed description of one or more recent assignments (within the previous 3 years) related to the type of activities, illustrating your competence in one or more of the areas of expertise described in the terms of reference. Highlight how the experience acquired in the context of this project demonstrates your skills in one or more of the areas covered by the terms of reference (4000 characters maximum, spaces included);
     • The names of up to 3 experts who technically meet the expertise requirements and a brief description of their respective skills and experience. In the case of an application made on behalf of an independent consultant, no other expert may be proposed.
     • At least one professional reference with an email address.

The application must be received by COLEAD no later than Wednesday, October 07th, 2026.

If you have any questions regarding this Contract Notice or your application, please email expert@colead.link

Be sure to include Contract Notice reference COLEAD/AO/260459 in the title of your email when communicating with COLEAD.