RFP : Uzbekistan FY26 ICR RFP Nov 2025

February 11, 2026

I.PROJECT OBJECTIVE

The In-Country Representative (ICR) will play a crucial role in bolstering WISHH market development efforts in Uzbekistan and the wider Trans-Caspian region. The future activities will be funded by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) market development programs and may include organizing professional conferences; scheduling appointments for technical consultant visits; recruiting trade team members; managing animal feeding trials; providing trade servicing to importers, buyers and soy processors; helping with proposal development; and assisting with ASA/WISHH staff travel. The ICR will be serving as the primary relationship builder in Uzbekistan and the 'face of U.S. soy' in the marketplace. WISHH's target audiences are leading animal feed millers, grain traders, livestock and fish producers, and associated industry and government stakeholders, as well as industry influencers in Uzbekistan. This is a part-time role of approximately 70 days for the calendar year 2026.

II.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 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 animal feed, aquaculture and human food technologies, business development, nutrition services, and program and proposal development.

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 generate further opportunities for trade. WISHH builds opportunities for long-term trade by improving agricultural value chains, human and animal nutrition, and farmer net incomes. 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.

WISHH has food and feed sector value chain building expertise accumulated from decades of international program implementation. Principal approaches include market and economic assessments, technical assistance and capacity building, human food and animal feed industry consulting, implementing feeding trials and demonstrations, organizing farmer field days, and market linkages.

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., industry, trade associations: Qualified State Soybean Boards 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 WISHH consultants with technical expertise in agricultural, international, and commercial development. The Program takes pride in its growing portfolio of successes with U.S. government-funded projects, including USDA Food for Progress, McGovern-Dole, Foreign Market Development, Market Access Program, Emerging Markets Program, Regional Agricultural Promotion Program and Quality Samples Program funding in both prime and sub-recipient capacities. 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 soy and higher economic returns to U.S. soybean producers.

III.SCOPE OF WORK

The selected contractor is required to be based in Uzbekistan. Working with ASA/WISHH St. Louis headquarters staff, the selected contractor would implement USDA and soy check-off funded activities. ASA/WISHH would allocate a certain number of days to implement each activity. Activities will be determined by funding levels. Experience working with Uzbek livestock and poultry producers, feed millers, oilseed processors, importers, buyers and trade associations is preferred.

Among other responsibilities, the In-Country Representative will:
Build effective professional relationships with key partners to identify and address their unique challenges and opportunities for adopting U.S. soy proteins
Ensure that each key partner receives the guidance and technical services necessary to successfully integrate soy proteins into their products and leverage the benefits of U.S. soy.
Help connect prospective buyers to U.S. soy suppliers and distributors
Assist with the trade lead process by reviewing the draft, then submitting the completed trade leads to WISHH for a final review and distribution
Identify trade barriers, offer potential solutions and create market readiness opportunities for stakeholders and partners
In collaboration with WISHH headquarters, coordinate every aspect of trade team missions technical trainings and workshops, from team participant recruitment to post-trip follow-ups.
Coordinate technical assistance sessions between key partners and technical experts.
Work with WISHH technical experts in poultry, dairy and aquaculture to ensure a cohesive strategy and address technical assistance requests in a timely manner
Collect feedback and help evaluate the activity's impact, summarizing the results achieved in quarterly reports.
Grow the reputation of WISHH among influencers in the Uzbekistan
Liaise a variety of stakeholders including the public and private sectors to seek out partners that expand the WISHH network and programming in Uzbekistan.

You will be responsible for working within the approved budget and being familiar with the WISHH mission statement; WISHH's role in the U.S. soy export family; and able to effectively represent WISHH to partners in Uzbekistan. You will participate in periodic phone/virtual meetings with the WISHH Asia headquarters team.

Additional Qualifications
Proposal submitter must have excellent business acumen as well as communications and organizational skills; a deep and practical knowledge of the country's agricultural industry; a solid track record of commodity promotion experience; significant marketing experience in the country; an established and robust agribusiness network within the country and the ability to further develop it; and the following technological competencies - utilizing online platforms, various communications apps such as WhatsApp, and business software such as MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

IV. TIMING

The contract start date will be March 15, 2026, and end date is September 30, 2026.

RFP postedFebruary 11, 2026
Questions due to WISHH February 16, 2026
Questions & Answers posted to WISHH WebsiteFebruary 19, 2026
Proposals due to WISHH February 25, 2026
Contract awarded March 3, 2026

V. SELECTION CRITERIA AND CRITERIA WEIGHTS

Proposals submitted will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

Comprehensiveness40%
Consultant skills/experience35%
Cost20%
Timing5%
TOTAL100%

VI. 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. Daily professional rate in U.S. dollars
3. A proposal that includes the following sections (10 pages maximum):
Proposal executive summary
Key staff professional experiences and background, along with their work location
Experience implementing USDA funding or similar grant funding (USAID, UN, etc)
Project implementation plan - how will you implement the proposed activities
Event management (farmer field days, seminars or conferences) capabilities
Description of project management services with previous clients and organizations
Experience working and connections in the Uzbek animal feed, poultry, livestock and aquaculture sectors

4. Checklist of additional items that must be submitted:
Attachment A Technical Proposal Authorization Cover Page Completed and Signed
100-word executive summary of the proposal

Proposals should be submitted no later than 4:00 PM CST February 25, 2026. To be considered for award, proposals must be submitted by e-mail to the following: Alan F. Poock at apoock@soy.org or Tate Jeffries at tjeffries@soy.org. Mr. Poock or Mr. Jeffries 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 may not be considered and may be rejected.

Submission of Questions: All questions regarding the preparation of proposals must be submitted in writing (by e-mail) to Alan F. Poock at apoock@soy.org and Tate Jeffries at tjeffries@soy.org no later than 4pm CST on February 16, 2026. All questions and responses will be available on the WISHH website on or around February 19, 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 complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. WISHH is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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

Award: This RFP does not commit the 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 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 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 WISHH. No contractual relationship will exist except pursuant to a written contract document signed by the authorized procurement official of the 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