ATTACHMENT 1_Statement of Work for Cacao Consultant_1232SA26Q1351.pdf
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- Attached to
- Cacao Consultant for the Stabilization and Technical Oversight Federal contract opportunity
- Solicitation number
- 1232SA26Q1351
About this file
This is a Statement of Work for a cacao consultant to be engaged by the USDA-ARS-SHRS facility located at 13601 Old Cutler Road, Miami, FL 33158. The facility operates a Theobroma cacao unit with a genomics laboratory, greenhouse, and field trials that require urgent rehabilitation and stabilization following severe cold stress damage and greenhouse overcrowding issues.
The engagement consists of a 90-day consultation period requiring 8 hours per week of on-site and remote work. Phase 1 involves collection assessment and triage to evaluate plant health status in both greenhouse and field environments, examining cold damage impacts, pests, disease pressure, and nutritional deficiencies. The consultant must deliver a Health Assessment Report categorizing each plant's status (critical, declining, or stable) and provide an immediate triage action plan addressing nutritional corrections, pest and disease management, and greenhouse environmental adjustments. Phase 2 focuses on stabilization oversight, during which the consultant provides weekly technical direction, assists with hands-on interventions, implements recovery protocols for high-value selections, and delivers monthly reports plus a recovery tracking dashboard. The consultant may transport plants requiring intensive care to their own nursery for rehabilitation before returning them to the field. Additionally, the consultant must provide preservation strategy recommendations and standard operating procedures for nutrition, pest management, and plant monitoring. Minimum qualifications require a Master's degree or higher in horticultural sciences, agribusiness, or a related field; 10 or more years of cacao cultivation experience; expert-level proficiency in cacao grafting; and demonstrated leadership and management skills.
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| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Solicitation Package_1232SA26Q1351.pdf |
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Text version
Statement of Work for Cacao Consultant
Introduction: The USDA-ARS-SHRS located at 13601 Old Cutler Road, Miami, FL 33158, is a research station focused on the study of subtropical plants. There is a Theobroma cacao unit at this location that has a genomics laboratory as well as a greenhouse and field trials for cacao. The cacao in the greenhouse needs rehabilitation. Many have outgrown their pots and have become rootbound. The cacao in the field has undergone severe cold stress and needs to be stabilized to prevent the collection from dying. A recent cold event caused leaf burn, defoliation, dieback, and broad physiological stress in cacao plants across multiple environments, creating a real risk of delayed mortality and loss of irreplaceable germplasm.
Scope of the proposed work (90-day phase)
Phase 1: Collection Assessment and Triage- The plants will be evaluated to determine their health status in the greenhouse and in the field to determine selections at immediate risk for loss. The impact of cold damage, pests, disease pressure, nutritional deficiencies will all be examined at this time. There will be a review and the current irrigation and fertilization practices. A Health Assessment Report will be generated determining the status of each plant: critical, declining, stable and an immediate triage action plan will be developed, correcting nutritional issues and deciding how to handle pests and disease.
There will also be a recommendation for an environmental adjustment in the greenhouse better suited to plant health.
Phase 2: Stabilization Oversight- Corrective measures will be guided by the consultant and weekly oversight and technical direction will be provided. The consultant will be expected to assist with critical hands-on interventions. Recovery protocols for high-value selections will be implemented, and propagation and preservation recommendations will be given.
The consultant will provide monthly reports and a recovery tracking dashboard.
Preservation strategy recommendations and SOPs for nutrition, pest management and monitoring will be provided. Greenhouse plants that cannot be stabilized at SHRS will be transported to the consultant’s nursery for intensive care and rehabilitation. Once stabilized, the plants will be returned to SHRS to be planted in the field.
Period of Service- 3 months of cacao consultation with a time commitment of 8 hours per week on-site and remote review.
Minimum qualifications- Master’s degree or higher in horticultural sciences, agribusiness or another related field, 10 years of more experience with cacao cultivation, expert level of proficiency in cacao grafting, and must be able to demonstrate past leadership and management skills.
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .