SOW_Produce_Marketing_and_Handling.docx

USDA Request for Expressions of Interest 2015 Cochran Fellowship Program- Asia and Latin America Caribbean Regions

U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service

Statement of Work Cochran Fellowship Program on Produce Marketing and Handling (Philippines, Jamaica and Dominican Republic) (Asia and Latin America and Caribbean Regions)

BACKGROUND

Since 1984, the U.S. Congress has made funds available to the Cochran Fellowship Program for training agriculturalists from middle-income countries, emerging markets, and emerging democracies. Training opportunities are for senior and mid-level specialists and administrators working in agricultural trade and policy, agribusiness development, management, animal, plant, and food sciences, extension services, agricultural marketing, and many other areas. Individuals selected for Cochran trainings come from both the public and private sectors. All training occurs in the United States. Training programs are designed and organized in conjunction with U.S. universities, USDA and other government agencies, agribusinesses, and consultants. The Cochran Fellowship Program is part of the United States Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service. Since its start in 1984, the Cochran Fellowship Program has provided U.S.-based training for over 16,300 international participants from 123 countries worldwide.

SCOPE OF WORK

Design and delivery of a two week training program on Produce Marketing and Handling for 12 fruit and vegetable importers, exports, and government officials: Six (6) Filipinos, five (5) Jamaicans, and one (1) Dominican. The training should provide fresh fruit and vegetable importers, exporters, and government officials with the understanding of the variety of U.S. fruit and vegetable production and fruit and vegetable quality standards and market reliability. The program should also focus on proper storage, handling, and display techniques and import and export requirements for U.S. produce. The team should visit major fruit and vegetable growing/packing regions in the United States (preferably California and the Pacific Northwest) to see the quality and food safety standards and regulations under which U.S. fruits and vegetables are grown and packed for export. These visits should educate visitors on growers’ regulatory compliance with respect to approved pesticides, as well as grades and standards required by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), which ensure U.S. fruits and vegetables are a safe, wholesome, and consistent choices for consumers. In addition, the program should provide tours of major retailers/grocers to show current U.S. marketing and display trends and techniques to increase sales, as well as demonstrate proper cold-storage and handling techniques. The program should be scheduled to include participation in the Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) Fresh Summit Convention & Expo on October 23-25, 2015 in Atlanta Georgia.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The contractor will ensure that Fellows develop competencies in the following areas. In your proposal, please clearly identify which learning objective(s) is addressed in each of your proposed activities.

1. Understanding of U.S. fruit and vegetable variety, production, quality, and safety.

a. Blueberries, Raspberries, apples, grapes, yams, potatoes, cabbage, oranges, carrots, tomatoes, and ginger

2. Understanding of U.S. fruit and vegetable quality standards, food safety regualtions and market reliability

a. Food Safety Modernization Act

3. Understanding of proper storage, handling, and display techniques to ensure quality and reduce loss

a. Supply Chain Management

b. Cold Chain

4. Understanding of U.S. produce import and export requirements

a. Labeling

b. Inspection

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

This consecutive 2 week training program should be provided during the last 2 weeks in October 2015. The program should include visits to the Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) Fresh Summit Convention & Expo on October 23-25, 2015 in Atlanta Georgia.

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

· The host institution shall propose the place(s) of performance in their Technical Proposal.

· The host institution will be reimbursed for travel and subsistence expenses based on GSA’s Joint Travel Regulation.

DELIVERABLES:

· Provide a thumb drive of the training highlights to each Fellow and the Cochran Fellowship Program;

· Ensure that each Fellow completes the Cochran Training Program Evaluation; and

· Development of an Action Plan by each Fellow, in accordance with the Action Plan template. The Action Plan identifies goals and outlines specific steps or activities which each Fellow will perform upon return to Jamaica and the Philippines. An Action Plan generally includes steps, milestones, measures of progress, responsibilities, assignments, and timeline. The contractor shall provide a copy of each fellow’s Action Plan to the Cochran Fellowship Program.

· A brief final report (format at the discretion of the offeror).

· NEW: A pre-training questionnaire to determine Fellows baseline knowledge of the learning objectives stated above. (Template and examples will be provided)

· NEW: A post-training questionnaire to determine the knowledge gained in each of the learning objectives stated above. (Template and examples will be provided)

· NEW: Analysis of the pre and post training questionnaire. (Template and examples will be provided)

· All deliverables, excluding the six month follow up questionnaire, are due four weeks after the completion of the training.

· The six month follow questionnaire is due seven months after the completion of the training program

GOVERNMENT FURNISHED ITEMS:

· The Fellows’ subsistence expenses will be paid by USDA (per diem allowance)

· Emergency Medical Insurance

· Certificates of Eligibility for J-1 visas

· Domestic airline tickets if applicable

HOST INSTITUTION SHALL PROVIDE:

· Secure and guarantee lodging during the entire program (individual rooms must be held on the training providers credit card which is some cases will include incidentals and/or miscellaneous charges) Fellows hotel debit card should only be presented during check out). Under no circumstances should Fellows hotel debit cards be presented during check in.

· Ground transportation in applicable cities, except Washington, DC

· Registration to the Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) Fresh Summit Convention & Expo on October 23-25, 2015 in Atlanta Georgia.