RFP : Ghana Poultry Representative

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FROM THE WORLD INITIATIVE FOR SOY IN HUMAN HEALTH (WISHH)

I. DATE

Please note that the deadline to submit proposals has been extended to May 11, 2026. The original date was March 18, 2026.

II. PROJECT OBJECTIVE & BACKGROUND

The World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH), a program of the American Soybean Association, requests proposals for a contractor to assist and facilitate the management of programming in Ghana.

This project aims to address several key challenges that have limited the adoption and affordability of commercial feeds in Ghana by hiring an individual to provide private extension services to poultry farmers in the major domestic poultry production regions of Brong Ahafo and Ashanti. Government provided extension services to the agriculture sector in Ghana are poorly funded and often performed by agents that receive minimal training and few, if any diagnostic resources or transfer of academic research to producers. The Contractor will be responsible for making on-site visits to farms and providing technical guidance, including feed mixing, storage, and utilization; financial training and record keeping; best management practices in layer and broiler production along with other advice as needed. The Contractor will make regular visits throughout the region and will be expected to spend approximately 50% of their time travelling, ensuring that they can meet the varied needs of poultry farmers and other industry stakeholders. The Contractor will also be asked to help organize training programs and when appropriate, act as a facilitator or trainer. The Contractor will address the issues that are most impacting the poultry value chain and limiting the adoption of commercial soy-based poultry feeds and while promoting the use of U.S. soy.

III. ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND

The American Soybean Association (ASA) was founded in 1920 by soybean farmers and extension workers to promote soy for high protein applications in developmental settings. Overseas activities initiated in the mid-1950s, and to date ASA has worked in over 80 countries. The World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) was founded in 2000 to expand the work of the American Soybean Association (ASA) in developing and emerging markets to improve health, nutrition and food security, building the groundwork for future markets of soy. WISHH provides services in food technology, business development, nutrition services, and program and proposal development. WISHH expertise extends its network into additional areas, such as aquaculture and animal feed.

ASA/WISHH connects trade and development to strengthen agricultural value chains in emerging markets, creating trade and long-term demand for U.S. soy. Trade can improve lives worldwide for both farmers and consumers. U.S. soy trade in emerging markets is pivotal to improve accessibility, affordability, and acceptability of high-quality plant and animal-sourced proteins in developing economies. Rising incomes in emerging economies generates further opportunities for trade. ASA/WISHH builds opportunity for long-term trade by improving agricultural value chains, human and animal nutrition, and farmer net incomes. ASA/WISHH initiatives broadly fit in two arenas: (1) trade-building long-term, early-stage market development, and (2) trade-building international agriculture and economic development. The St. Louis-based Program operates in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Central America.

ASA/WISHH offers proven feed sector capacity and decades of accumulated knowledge from ASA programs. Principal approaches include market and economic assessments, technical assistance and capacity building, food and feed trials and demonstrations, farmer field days, youth mentorship programs, food and feed value chain development, and market linkages.

ASA/WISHH achieves its mission by working in close partnership with: (1) the public sector (e.g., USDA, U.S. land grant universities, and host country governments), (2) the private sector (e.g., trade associations: Qualified State Soybean Boards, United Soybean Board and U.S. Soybean Export Council), and (3) private voluntary organizations. The Program draws upon the resources and experience of these partners and the services of a cadre of ASA/WISHH consultants with technical expertise in agricultural, international, and commercial development spheres. ASA/WISHH relies on decades of experience in food commercial development and agricultural development programming. The Program takes pride in its growing portfolio of success with U.S. government-funded projects, including USDA (Food for Progress, Foreign Market Development, Market Access Program, Emerging Markets Program, Regional Agricultural Promotion Program, America First Trade Promotion Program, and Quality Samples Program) funding in both prime and sub-recipient capacities. ASA/WISHH has also attracted both private sector and other complementary funding sources from various donors to build on and leverage core funding from Qualified State Soybean Boards.

WISHH's objective is to increase the international consumption of soy protein in the human, livestock, and aquaculture sectors in new markets and thereby create new opportunities for soybeans and providing higher economic returns to U.S. soybean producers.

IV. SCOPE OF WORK
Activities include:

Technical Support

1. Poultry farming: Support local partners by providing technical advice and assistance in person and electronically. This requires a person who has experience with Ghanaian poultry and feed management, has multiple contacts with the farmers and feed mills and who understands the mission of ASA/WISHH. The Contractor is expected to share knowledge on health, disease prevention, and vaccination protocols. The contracted individual will be responsible for the following duties:

2. Feed production: Increase technical knowledge of soy use among targeted feed processors and improve the technical capacity of targeted poultry producers using electronic and in-person communications. Discuss the benefits of using quality feed ingredients, and when appropriate recommend the use of U.S. soy.

3. Technical assistance support: Assist with the identification of businesses to receive technical assistance. Prepare for and organize technical visits. Plan various seminars and technical visits by conducting outreach to targeted companies, scheduling consultant visits, providing support to consultants when on the ground, and working with the consultant to confirm that follow-up commitments have been completed. This will include arranging all logistics, escorting and providing interpretation for technical consultants (when required) on their missions.

Project management

1. Monitoring and evaluation: Assist with data collection including the use of surveys to track the progress of farmers and help WISHH measure impact.

2. Reporting: Adequately complete and submit monthly and quarterly reports using the required report formats. Reports that are not adequately completed (as determined by WISHH HQ) will be returned for revisions.

3. Logistics: When required provide travel support to WISHH team, contractors, trade delegations, and WISHH partners. Potential duties include identifying participants and coordinating transportation, lodging and meals, and setting up meetings with industry leaders. The Contractor should coordinate with the WISHH team to ensure the goals of the mission are achieved.

4. Contacts: Share industry contact information with WISHH team.

Representation

1. Communication: Participate in conference calls and webinars, address electronic communication throughout the year with the WISHH team and current and potential partners (Businesses, PVOs, USDA, etc.) as necessary.

2. Marketing and promotions: Assist with communications materials as needed. This includes submitting photos and updates to be used in publications, presentations, and other communications materials. The Contractor is expected to be able to communicate about the WISHH program to new businesses and identify potential partnership opportunities.

3. Relationship management: Maintain contact and relationships with in-country partners. The Contractor should represent the interests of ASA/WISHH and the US soybean industry and promote the use of US soy when relevant.

4. Project planning: Participate in strategic planning sessions as requested by WISHH and its contractors. The Contractor may be required to collect additional data and information from local stakeholders and provide strategic insights on the regional poultry industry.

V. TIMING

RFP postedMarch 18, 2026 (original RFP)
Questions due to ASA/WISHHApril 2, 2026 (original RFP)
Answers posted to WISHH WebsiteApril 7, 2026 (original RFP)
Proposals due to ASA/WISHHApril 20, 2026 (original RFP)
Deadline for submission extended to May 11, 2026 (updated RFP)
Contract awardedMay 15, 2026 (updated RFP)
Contract signed May 21, 2026 (updated RFP)
Activities beginJune 1, 2026
Final deliverables and invoice dueSeptember 30, 20261
1The contract will be open for renewal based on performance.

VI. SELECTION CRITERIA AND CRITERIA WEIGHTS

Proposals submitted will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
Comprehensiveness40%
Consultant skills/experience35%
Cost120%
Timing5%
TOTAL100%
1Please create a monthly budget

Special consideration will be given to Women or Minority Owned Small Business (WMOSB) entities with SBA certifications (proof of certification must be provided at time of submission).

VII. INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS

Proposals must contain at a minimum the specific criteria requested in the Request for Proposal:

1)A description of the bidder's capabilities and experience (Can be submitted as a CV)
2)A proposal that includes the following sections (10 pages maximum):
a)Proposal executive summary
b)Action plan
c)Proposed budget, including
3)Checklist of additional items that must be submitted:
a)Attachment A Technical Proposal Authorization Cover Page Completed and Signed
b)100-word executive summary of the proposal
c)Full detailed proposal
d)Proposal detailed budget
e)WMOSB Proof of Certification (if applicable)

Proposals should be submitted no later than 5:00 PM CDT on April 20, 2026. To be considered for award, proposals must be submitted by e-mail to the following: Peter James (pjames@soy.org and Chris Slemp (cslemp@soy.org). Mr. James will confirm receipt of each proposal; if receipt has not been confirmed, your proposal has not been received.

If your proposal is not authorized by signature on Attachment A Proposal Authorization Cover Page, it will not be considered and will be rejected.
Submission of Questions: All questions regarding the preparation of proposals must be submitted in writing (by e-mail) to Peter James at pjames@soy.org (cc: cslemp@soy.org) no later than 5pm CST on April 2, 2026. All questions and responses will be available on the WISHH website on or shortly after April 7, 2026. No questions will be answered over the phone or in person; all questions must be in writing and sent via email.

Non-Discrimination Statement: In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaints filing deadlines vary by program or incident. ASA/WISHH is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

The firm or individual selected will be required to sign the ASA/WISHH code of conduct and conflict of interest statement.

Award: This RFP does not commit the ASA/WISHH to award a contract or to pay any costs incurred in the preparations or submission of proposals, or costs incurred in making necessary studies for the preparation thereof or to procure or contract for services or supplies. The ASA/WISHH reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received in response to this RFP and to negotiate with any of the vendors or other firms in any manner deemed to be in the best interest of the ASA/WISHH. The ASA/WISHH reserves the right to negotiate and award only a portion of the requirements; to negotiate and award separate or multiple contracts for the elements covered by this RFP in any combination it may deem appropriate, at its sole discretion to add new considerations, information or requirements at any stage of the procurement process, including during negotiations with vendors; and reject proposal of any vendor that has previously failed to perform properly or in a timely manner contracts of a similar nature, or of a vendor that, in the opinion of the ASA/WISHH, is not in a position, or is not sufficiently qualified, to perform the contract.

This RFP contains no contractual proposal of any kind; any proposal submitted will be regarded as a proposal by the vendor and not as an acceptance by the vendor of any proposal by the ASA/WISHH. No contractual relationship will exist except pursuant to a written contract document signed by the authorized procurement official of the ASA/WISHH and by the successful vendor(s) chosen by the ASA/WISHH.

Offerors submitting proposals must (1) be officially licensed to do such business in the country of their business operation, (2) be able to receive USDA funds, and (3) not have been identified as a terrorist prior to being awarded a contract. In addition, Offeror may be required to provide the following information prior to awarding of the contract:
Documentation to verify licensure (i.e., tax id, registration certificate, etc.)
Code of Conduct
Conflict of Interest
Equal Opportunity