Issue date: 28.02.2022.

Closing date: 14.03.2022.

Call for offers

Donau Soja Moldova is seeking a service provider for

Performing of nitrogen fertilization and inoculation trial 2022

The Donau Soja Organisation hereby invites tenderers (the service provider/ consultants/ experts) with expertise in the area of Agriculture in particular in field of fertilization and inoculation.

The selected tenderer will implement fertilization and inoculation trial in accordance with Donau Soja Best Practice Manual and defined protocol.

1. Background

1.1 The Donau Soja Organisation

The Donau Soja Organisation is an independent, international, non-profit, multi-stakeholder organization aiming to effectively meet protein market demand and to provide a baseline for the development of high-quality soy cultivation in the Danube region (www.donausoja.org). The Organization seat is in Vienna, Austria with regional offices in Novi Sad Serbia, Kiev Ukraine and Chisinau Moldova.

1.2 Strategic Partnership Programme

At the beginning of 2017, Donau Soja and Austrian Development Agency (ADA) started the Strategic Partnership Programme in Moldova, Ukraine, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina planned to be implemented until August 2023.

The overall objective of the program is to build sustainable, inclusive and well-functioning value chains (local, regional and international) for Non-GM soya and organic soya in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine.

The Program proposes measures in nine areas (components: Production and processing, Value chain development, Awareness raising and sensitisation, Certification and labelling, Business environment and policy framework, International market development, Knowledge and technology management and transfer, Project development and Technical assistance, General administration and programme management) planned to be implement by Donau Soja through numerous measures and activities. All Program activities are to be implemented according to General Contract Conditions (Allgemeine Vertragsbedingungen), guidelines and requirements described in Guidelines for Visibility, considering DS and standards in international development, with special emphasis of DECD Standard (http://www.enterprise-development.org/dced-guidance/).

1.3 Donau Soja nitrogen fertilisation and inoculation trial 

Nitrogen fertilization in spring (before sowing) is very common practice in soybean production, but results and theory teach us those practice is not justified. The challenge in our region is to advice and show to farmers that overuse of Nitrogen fertilizers is not efficient practice. With this trial farmer will meet relevant technology in sustainable soybean production considering inoculation as measure of soil improvement as well as yield potential. With this research trial will be

performed to proof efficacy of inoculant in the supply of nitrogen against nitrogen fertilizer with direct effect on improvement of soil, reducing of costs for farmers and the environment is preserved.

2. The work of the expert/service provider

Service provider will be contracted to provide expertise in establishment of the fertilisation and inoculation research trial, nodulation assessments and manual harvesting with providing all necessary agro technical measures in a timely manner in accordance with trial protocol. Service provider will report results of nodulation and yield assessments and will conducted chemical analysis.

2.1 Tasks

The service provider will contribute with their professional services providing expertise of nitrogen fertilisation and inoculation trial in accordance with defined protocol. This particular expertise is needed to support in implementation of all necessary and timely defined activities, which will be conducted in following order:  

• Preparing seed for the sowing (in accordance with protocol) and seed treatment application
• Soil sampling, marking and manual sowing
• Nodulation assessment at V2 and R3-5. Extract plants (5) from each repetition of each treatment and check for nodules
• Manual harvest from each repetition and each treatment
• Protein (%) and Oil (%) of the seed from each rep and each treatment.
• Proposed soil analysis for N balance calculation
• Report and interpretation of analysis

For detailed trail protocol please see Appendix 1.

2.2 Expected outputs

The service provider will perform a nitrogen fertilization and inoculation trial during one vegetation year from March to October 2022. Expected outputs will be conducted, trial and laboratory analysis done.

2.3. Logistic and timing

The provisional start is March 2022 and the period of implementation of the contract will be up to 9 months from this date.

3.   Reporting

The service provider will report directly to the responsible Donau Soja Moldova Director. All defined results with photo collection as proof of evidence will be reported by service provider. Report and interpretation of trial results will be obligatory.

4. The requirements

The following selection criteria will be applied to the tenderers: 

• Excellent experience in working with soil and fertiliser trials

• At least 10 years of professional experience in crop production and very good knowledge and in soybean production technologies

• The service includes analysis from accredited soil laboratory. The service of accredited soil laboratory can be inhouse or outsourced. The costs have to be included in lump sum.

5. Selection criteria

The evaluation will be based on price-quality ration taking in consideration following criteria:

• Price
• Fulfilment of the formal requirements defined in the ToR (see requirements)
• Reputation of service provider/references

The contractor might decide to award one or more service providers depending of offers and internal planning.

6. Documents to be provided

Tenders are to be sent by email to moldova@donausoja.org by 14.03.2022, indicating “Tender documentation: Performing of nitrogen fertilization and inoculation trial 2022” in the subject, with the following documents:

Please, see the entire  ToR field trials 

• Financial offer including budget overview
• Link to the references from requirements (see point 4)

For Financial offer please use following Table 1: