Ghana Fisheries Recovery Activity RFI.pdf

Activity Name: Ghana Fisheries Recovery Activity

Date of Issuance: September 8, 2020

Responses Due: September 22, 2020

Email Responses To: rbertholon@usaid.gov with a copy to kcamp@usaid.gov and ragojosiah@usaid.gov

The Economic Growth Office of the U.S. Agency for International Development/Ghana (USAID/Ghana) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) in order to obtain feedback from industry. This is NOT a Request for Proposal (RFP), and is NOT to be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government to issue an RFP, or ultimately an award, or to pay for any information voluntarily submitted as a result of this request.

The issuance of this RFI is an opportunity for USAID/Ghana to obtain responses from industry to the below listed questions. See Attachment 1 - Draft Statement of Objectives (SOO), which serves as the basis for the questions.

Questions for the Request for Information (RFI)

General Procurement Questions:

1) Please confirm whether or not (yes or no or partially) you believe your entity can satisfy the

Agency’s requirements outlined in the SOO, in accordance with FAR 10.001(A).

2) USAID/Ghana is using a Statement of Objectives (SOO) requirements document format in order to provide the maximum flexibility to each offeror to propose an innovative approach via a

Performance Work Statement (PWS), which is a statement of work for performance-based acquisitions that describes the required results in clear, specific, and objective terms with measurable outcomes. As such, it is requested that you share with USAID/Ghana any ambiguity or areas in the SOO that require further amplification or clarification by USAID in order for your organization to respond to a solicitation with a PWS. Note that USAID intends to clarify the required format for the PWS in Section L of the Solicitation.

3) USAID/Ghana intends to request a Small Business Subcontracting Plan as part of the solicitation, in adherence to FAR 19.702. It would be expected that the Prime Contractor submit the

Individual Subcontract Report (ISR), and the Summary Subcontract Report (SSR) using the

Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System (eSRS) (http://www.esrs.gov), per FAR

19.704(a)(10)(iv). Please share any concerns you have with subcontracting to small businesses.

Technical Questions:

4) The overall aim of this program is to recover Ghana’s coastal fisheries, particularly the small pelagic fisheries, to support the livelihoods, food security, and well-being of Ghanaians. Are there any critical objectives missing from the program description that should be addressed to achieve this goal?

5) How can nutrition-sensitive interventions be integrated into this SOO?

mailto:rbertholon@usaid.gov mailto:kcamp@usaid.gov mailto:ragojosiah@usaid.gov

6) How can a behavior-led approach be brought to bear in order to achieve the proposed activity results?

7) Does the SOO ensure that adequate female and youth empowerment and participation will be addressed in proposals? If not, how can this be strengthened in the SOO?

8) Does the SOO clearly articulate USAID’s intention to partner with the fishing industry and other relevant private sector partners to achieve effective co-management of Ghana’s coastal fisheries and improved supply chains for women processors and traders?

9) If the fisheries sector collapses during the life of the activity, how will the activity respond?

10) The COVID-19 pandemic may render it difficult for some of the work envisioned in this SOO to be accomplished, especially if social distancing measures are taken into account. How will the

Contractor address this challenge?

11) Do you see any areas that are beyond the manageable interest of a potential implementing partner?

General Instructions:

USAID welcomes industry to respond to the RFI. All responses (comments, questions, suggestions, and enhancements) to this RFI are due to the email address above by the date listed above. Responders may provide responses through the email message platform, or through attachments to email in Microsoft

Word compatible format or Adobe Acrobat formats. Please number pages consecutively beginning with

Page 1 and limit your submission to no more than three (3) pages (not including cover page) using no less than 12-point font, single-spaced with one inch margins on the electronic equivalent of 8.5 x 11 inch paper.

USAID posts its competitive business opportunities for acquisitions on www.betaSAM.gov, in adherence to FAR Part 10.002(b)(2)(iii). It is the potential Offeror’s responsibility to monitor these sites for announcements of new opportunities. Please note that responding to this RFI will not give any advantage to any organization or individual in any subsequent competition. Responses may be used by USAID without restriction or limitation, therefore proprietary information should not be sent. Responses to this

RFI will not be returned and respondents will not be notified of the result of the review. If an RFP is issued, it will be announced on www.betaSAM.gov at a later date, and all interested parties must respond to that

RFP separately from any response to this RFI. This RFI does not restrict the Government’s approach on a future RFP.

USAID appreciates any feedback provided. Thank you for your time and interest in USAID’s activities.

Sincerely, Karla Camp

Deputy Director, Regional Acquisition and Assistance Office http://www.fbo.gov/ http://www.fbo.gov/

ATTACHMENTS

ATTACHMENT J.1

STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES - GHANA FISHERIES RECOVERY ACTIVITY

1. PURPOSE

The purpose of the Ghana Fisheries Recovery Activity (GFRA) is to mitigate the near-collapse of the small pelagic fisheries sector in Ghana and establish a durable basis for its recovery.

2. PERFORMANCE PERIOD AND COST

The performance period for GFRA is a base period of five years, at a total estimated cost of

$19.5 million.

3. TARGET AREA AND POPULATION

The target area for GFRA is the USAID Global Food Security Strategy (GFSS) Zone of

Influence (ZOI), principally four coastal regions, which comprise 27 districts, 186 fishing villages, and 302 landing beaches with marine fisheries (see attachment J.2: GFSS Ghana

Country Plan and attachment J.3: USAID’s Sustainable Fisheries Management Project: Report on the Baseline Survey of Small Pelagic Fishing Households along the Ghana Coast).

GFRA’s target populations are fishers, fish processors and traders, members of fishing communities and fishers associations, officials in the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture

Development (MoFAD) and the Fisheries Commission (FC), and university researchers. Among target populations, the welfare of women and youth, aged 15 to 35 years, is especially important.

4. BACKGROUND

4.a PROBLEM STATEMENT

The impending collapse of coastal fisheries, particularly the small pelagic species, poses a risk to nutrition, food security, and livelihoods along the fisheries value chain. Fish provides 60% of animal protein in the diets of coastal and far inland communities. Dried and smoked fish, especially small pelagics, are transported throughout Ghana and exported to neighboring countries. Ghana’s fisheries industry provides direct and indirect employment for 2.5 million people. Over 80 percent of Ghana’s fishers are in the artisanal/small-scale canoe fleet, which catches small pelagic fish and accounts for about 70% of total marine catch. These vital fisheries are in danger of collapse due to overfishing and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing

(IUU).

Annual landings of sardinella declined from 100,000 tonnes in the mid-1990s to 19,000 tonnes in

2017 as the artisanal fleet grew from 8,000 canoes in 1990 to 13,650 canoes in 20171. The fleet grew because the open access nature of artisanal fisheries and fuel subsidies encouraged entry. In

2017, the total biomass of small pelagic species declined to 9.6% of the level needed to maintain long-term sustainable exploitation. Fishing mortality has gradually increased in the past 25 years and since 2004 has exceeded the growth rate of key species needed to stabilize the population.

IUU fishing practices are rampant across industry segments (artisanal, in-shore, and industrial trawler fleets), with artisanal fishers especially hurt as a result. Growing evidence suggests industrial trawlers are illegally targeting small pelagic fish, often with prohibited types of fishing gear. They flash freeze the catch and transfer it at sea to specially designed canoes that bring it ashore to sell. This illegal catch and transshipment, known as saiko, is an unfair fishing practice that threatens artisanal fisheries. It propels illegal practices among artisanal fishers - such as fishing with the assistance of lights to guide the fish to the surface and illegal net mesh sizes that are smaller than allowed - in a race to catch increasingly scarce fish.

Political influence and insufficient resources have led to weak government oversight of fisheries.

With a meager $12 million budget, MoFAD and the regulator are unable to manage input subsidies, interference in fisheries enforcement, and the regulation of Chinese-owned trawlers licensed under Ghanaian shell companies.2 The constituencies for reform are the artisanal fishers, processors, and traders, whose livelihoods have been damaged and whose voices have been diminished (see attachment J.4:Ghana Fisheries Situational Model, attachment J.5:

Advancing Reforms to Promote Sustainable Management of Ghana’s Small Pelagic Fisheries:

An Applied Political Economy Analysis, and attachment J.6: Conference on Fisheries and

Coastal Environment Accra 2019 Communique).

4.b RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER ACTIVITIES

Strategic Alignment between Ghana and USAID Strategies

The GFRA aligns with Ghana’s 2018-2021 Medium-term National Development Policy framework objectives of reduced coastal erosion and conservation of marine areas, and with

Ghana’s 2015-2019 National Fisheries Management Plan (NFMP). It contributes to President

Nana Akufo-Addo’s vision to move “Ghana Beyond Aid,” of building a self-reliant economy with women and youth at the forefront. The “Ghana Beyond Aid” compact broadly aligns with

1 2018 report on status of small pelagic fish stock in Ghana 2 “https://maritime-executive.com/features/report-in-ghana-chinese-trawlers-strip-fisheries-using-local…”

USAID’s strategy of the Journey to Self-Reliance (see attachment J.7: Ghana Journey to Self-

Reliance Country Roadmap). USAID defines self-reliance as the capacity to plan, finance, and implement solutions to local development challenges, and the commitment to see these solutions through effectively, inclusively, and with accountability. The USAID GFSS Ghana Country

Plan (see attachment J.2) provides background for the Feed the Future portfolio in Ghana, including information on the country’s food security and nutrition context. Without a viable fisheries sector, Ghana’s opportunity to advance along the Journey to Self-Reliance would be severely compromised.

USAID/Ghana Activities

USAID/Ghana’s approved Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) incorporates a behavior change approach. With this approach, USAID/Ghana will enable stakeholders in priority sectors to use available resources and achieve rapid results. The Contractor must implement the GFRA in partnership with local stakeholders and must integrate behavioral changes to spur adoption of new practices and strengthen systems to enable these changes.

In the approved CDCS results framework, GFRA will contribute to Development Objective 2, “Quality services delivered with accountability,” and to sub-intermediate result 2.1.3, “Government implements evidence-based policies to improve health, education, agriculture, energy, and fishery sectors.”

GFRA must align with the USAID GFSS Ghana Country Plan (see attachment J.2) and the

USAID Biodiversity Policy and Code (see attachment J.8: USAID Biodiversity Policy).

GFRA builds upon these USAID investments:

Sustainable Fisheries Management (SFMP) Project (2014-2021): SFMP helped the Government of Ghana to implement its first fishing closed season, which reduced fishing efforts significantly and tested the conditions for future efforts to more closely align a closed season with the peak spawning period. USAID/Ghana helped to achieve the closed season by encouraging fisher-to-fisher dialogue (a platform to engage fishers and regulators to discuss sector issues); and collaboration with academia, civil society organizations, and industry to develop scientific evidence for MoFAD’s decision-making. SFMP contributed to the National Fisheries Co-management Policy, introduced a canoe registry and identification cards, and piloted post-harvest value chain technologies to improve the hygienic processing and trading of fish.

University of Cape Coast (UCC) Fisheries and Coastal Management Capacity Building Support

(FCMCBS) Project (2014-2020): FCMCBS supported the research of 36 graduates (16 PhD and

20 Masters degree students), and 300 fishing practitioners and professionals to improve scientific https://www.feedthefuture.gov/resource/global-food-security-strategy-gfss-ghana-country-plan/ https://www.feedthefuture.gov/resource/global-food-security-strategy-gfss-ghana-country-plan/ and technical capacity in fisheries and coastal management, in the process establishing an

International Fisheries Center of Excellence. FCMCBS conducted research on fisheries stock assessment, marine fisheries governance, finfish and shellfish of commercial value, value chains of fish trade, and biodiversity and health of coastal ecosystems, contributing science and applied research to inform decision making and law enforcement.

Other USG and Donor Coordination

The Contractor must implement GFRA in coordination with other development partners. The

European Union has three programs - Far Ban Bo (Protecting Fisheries Livelihoods), Far

Dwuma Nkodo (Securing Sustainable Fisheries), and PESCAO (Improved Regional Fisheries

Governance in West Africa) - combating IUU fishing through partnerships with Ghanaian and international civil society organizations, complemented by auditing of compliance with regulations to maintain access to European export markets. The Government of Norway’s Fish for Development initiative capitalizes on Norwegian expertise to strengthen research for fisheries management, commercial activities based on sustainable practices (mainly aquaculture), and resource management and legislation. The World Bank West Africa Regional Fisheries Program targeted industrial fisheries across the region, but disengaged from Ghana in 2019. The U.K.

Department for International Development supported the creation of the Western Region Coastal

Foundation to improve relationships among oil and gas companies, government agencies, and coastal communities by providing a multi-stakeholder dialogue platform and promoted economic development by building up local value chains related to the sector. USAID has ongoing cooperation with the State Department’s Regional Environment Office (REO), the U.S. Office of

Security Cooperation, and the Security and Governance Initiative by exchanging data and coordinating planning.

5. CONTRACT OBJECTIVES

The current state of fisheries in Ghana is the result of longstanding economic, social, cultural, and political factors. In proposing its approach, the Contractor must demonstrate how it has accounted for the interactions among these factors and the overlap among objectives to achieve the GFRA’s purpose.

5.a DESCRIPTION OF OBJECTIVES

Objective 1: Increase livelihood opportunities for fishing households

Coastal communities and artisanal fisheries households can no longer sustain livelihoods from fishing alone. Similarly, fish stocks and marine biodiversity cannot recover with an estimated

60% of fisheries households dependent solely on fishing. Small pelagic fisheries can sustain an estimated fleet size of 9,000 canoes, compared to the current fleet of 14,000 vessels. Moving from open access to controlled access will contribute to aligning fishing capacity and ecological carrying capacity, but this must be complemented with supplementary livelihoods for those employed in fisheries and alternative livelihoods for youth in fisheries households. Marine fisheries are not a promising future for many youth and finding diversified, viable livelihoods for them is central to reducing pressure on fish stocks and reducing vulnerability of fishing households to shocks. The Contractor must engage youth (aged 15-35 years) to develop diversified livelihood opportunities, especially those outside of the fisheries sector, and integrate reforms to reduce child labor and child trafficking.

Objective 2: Increase value of artisanal fishers’ products and increase their integration to markets

Artisanal fishers process fish in rudimentary facilities, producing low-quality and low-priced products, which limit their earnings. Women are the principal financiers of fishing expeditions and the principal processors of artisanal fish. They cannot easily access credit to purchase equipment to produce certified, healthy, and hygienic fisheries products that would bring a higher value. Smoked and dried fish markets are fragmented. Sellers and buyers operate individually and without product standards. Increasing product value and earnings entails producer and consumer behavior change and the introduction of recognized standards that they trust. The Contractor must involve regulators, fishers, processors, sellers, and consumers to improve the certification and standards of fish products, and increase product value and integration into national and regional markets.

Objective 3: Strengthen government practices in fisheries policy making, regulation, and enforcement

Weak and selective law enforcement results in low public confidence and widespread noncompliance with fisheries management laws. The Ghana Fisheries Act has not been revised since 2002. In supporting the process of updating the Ghana Fisheries Act, the Ghana Fisheries

Management Plan and related regulations, the Contractor must facilitate dialogue among government, industry, and fisheries associations to promote appropriate fishing practices. The

Contractor must support improvements in enforcement practices and technologies to increase transparency and accountability.

Objective 4: Improve use of science and research for policy and management decisions

MoFAD/FC conducts annual assessments of fish stocks and fish production, but data collection, analysis, and reporting is delayed and data quality is inadequate for sound management decision making. The Contractor must strengthen the UCC Center for Coastal Management and Africa

Center of Excellence in Coastal Resilience to provide consistent fisheries science to MoFAD/FC for management and policy decisions to improve the management of coastal fisheries. The

Contractor must engage MoFAD/FC decision makers in the process of identifying and gathering data and of systematically integrating data into its work processes. This data will be used to determine the duration and timing of a closed season, the appropriate number of canoes, the measures to manage fishing effort and capacity, the extent of saiko practices, and other purposes.

Objective 5: Strengthen constituencies to promote sustainable fisheries management

Insufficient and skewed enforcement of regulations has hindered efforts to reverse the collapse of small pelagics. The principal constituencies for reform are artisanal fishers and processors, fisheries associations, civil society organizations, and the media. Fisher associations, including women’s groups, are a growing force for advocacy and reform. They are bolstered by diverse elements of civil society, such as traditional authorities, universities, think tanks, and the media.

The Contractor must improve the organizational capacity of these constituencies, especially fisheries associations, journalists associations, and women’s processors and traders associations, to advocate for accountability for fisheries management reform and enforcement. The

Contractor must harness fishers’ abilities to effect change by working with them to address and mitigate gender inequalities and promote gender-based reforms in fishing communities to reduce gender-based violence (GBV) and child labor and trafficking in persons.

5.b RESULTS AND INDICATORS

The Contractor must measure and track indicators for each objective. The Contractor must track and report on standard indicators in the Standard Foreign Assistance economic growth indicator reference sheets and the Feed the Future Indicator Handbook. The Contractor may develop custom indicators and review indicators included in reports of previous USAID fisheries activities found on the Development Experience Clearinghouse. The Contractor must develop final baselines and targets in consultation with USAID and must indicate proposed baselines and targets, where available or appropriate.

5.c GRANTS UNDER CONTRACTS

Grants may be included in the Performance Work Statement and considered under this contract. However, no grants can be issued until the Head of the Contracting Activity (HCA) at

USAID/Ghana approves grants as stipulated in ADS 302.3.4.13. In addition, all requirements of

ADS 302.3.5.6, including the usage of agency policy and requirements, the ability of USAID to terminate grant activities, and USAID involvement in establishing selection criteria and the selection of recipients, must be followed.

[END OF STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES]

https://usaidlearninglab.org/library/standard-foreign-assistance-indicators https://www.agrilinks.org/post/feed-future-indicator-handbook https://dec.usaid.gov/dec/content/search.aspx

Questions for the Request for Information (RFI)

Overall Questions:

Questions for the Request for Information (RFI)

General Procurement Questions:

1. Please confirm whether or not (yes or no or partially) you believe your entity can satisfy the Agency’s requirements outlined in the SOO, in accordance with FAR 10.001(A).

2. USAID/Ghana is using a Statement of Objectives (SOO) requirements document format in order to provide the maximum flexibility to each offeror to propose an innovative approach via a Performance Work Statement (PWS), which is a statement of work for performance-based acquisitions that describes the required results in clear, specific, and objective terms with measurable outcomes. As such, it is requested that you share with

USAID/Ghana any ambiguity or areas in the SOO that require further amplification or clarification by USAID in order for your organization to respond to a solicitation with a

PWS. Note that USAID intends to clarify the required format for the PWS in Section L of the Solicitation.

3. USAID/Ghana intends to request a Small Business Subcontracting Plan as part of the solicitation, in adherence to FAR 19.702. It would be expected that the Prime Contractor submit the Individual Subcontract Report (ISR), and the Summary Subcontract Report

(SSR) using the Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System (eSRS)

(http://www.esrs.gov), per FAR 19.704(a)(10)(iv). Please share any concerns you have with subcontracting to small businesses.

Technical Questions:

1. The overall aim of this program is to recover Ghana’s coastal fisheries, particularly the small pelagic fisheries, to support the livelihoods, food security, and well-being of

Ghanaians. Are there any critical objectives missing from the program description that should be addressed to achieve this goal?

2. How can nutrition-sensitive interventions be integrated into this SOO?

3. How can a behavior-led approach be brought to bear in order to achieve the proposed activity results?

4. Does the SOO ensure that adequate female and youth empowerment and participation will be addressed in proposals? If not, how can this be strengthened in the SOO?

5. Does the SOO clearly articulate USAID’s intention to partner with the fishing industry and other relevant private sector partners to achieve effective co-management of Ghana’s coastal fisheries and improved supply chains for women processors and traders?

6. If the fisheries sector collapses during the life of the activity, how will the activity respond?

7. The COVID-19 pandemic may render it difficult for some of the work envisioned in this

SOO to be accomplished, especially if social distancing measures are taken into account.

How will the Contractor address this challenge?

8. Do you see any areas that are beyond the manageable interest of a potential implementing partner?