USAID_RFI_SOL-486-14-000024.pdf

Request for Information (RFI)

Catch Certification and Traceability Systems for Sustainable Fisheries in Asia

Reference Number: SOL-486-14-000024

Release Date: April 18, 2014

Response Due Date: May 7, 2014, 9:00 AM, Bangkok time

The United States Agency for International Development, Regional Development Mission for

Asia (USAID/RDMA) is hereby issuing a Request for Information (RFI) for the anticipated

“Catch Certification and Traceability Systems for Sustainable Fisheries in Asia” activity. The

RFI offers the opportunity for interested individuals and organizations to provide recommendations on approaches for establishing a regional Catch Certification and Traceability

(CCT) system to achieve sustainable fisheries in Asia. The implementation of CCT systems has been identified as a priority by Asian regional fisheries bodies (see Attachment) for combating

Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and promoting the Ecosystems Approach to

Fisheries Management (EAFM). In responding to this RFI, significant emphasis should be placed on discrete and actionable interventions USAID/RDMA could potentially take to support implementation of regional CCT systems to achieve sustainable fisheries in Southeast Asia through private sector engagement and public private partnerships.

Background

The unsustainable harvest of living marine resources in Southeast Asia is leading to declines in abundance, size, biodiversity, and distribution of economically and ecologically important transboundary species such as tuna, sardines, mackerel, sharks, ornamental fish and corals, and the degradation of the habitats on which they rely including coral reefs, seagrass, salt marshes, mangroves, and the open ocean. Overharvesting, including Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated

(IUU) fishing, and the trafficking of threatened and endangered marine species continues to threaten these vulnerable species and their associated ecosystems. As a result, food security, economic value chains, and regional stability are also under threat for millions of people who rely on these resources for their subsistence and livelihoods.

Ocean health and sustainable fisheries are global priorities for the U.S. Government. In an interview conducted on February 25, 2014, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry stated, “Stewardship of our oceans has been a priority for me throughout my career in the U.S. Senate, and I want to emphasize it is a major priority for me today as Secretary of State.” “Another (way to improve the health of our oceans) is to implement more systematic checks on seafood delivered to ports all over the world. In the U.S., we are also exploring policies that would, for example, only allow seafood into American markets if there’s proof that the seafood was captured legally and in a way that is traceable. All of these steps can actually help us to level the playing field for honest fishermen and better protect the entire seafood supply chain.”

USAID/RDMA Request for Information - SOL-486-14-000024

USAID has long supported coral reef conservation, sustainable fisheries, and food security in the

Southeast Asia region. Through support to the Coral Triangle Initiative for Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security, USAID helped establish a regional platform for conservation, policy coordination, and information sharing. USAID continues to promote an EAFM and to combat

IUU fishing in support of more sustainable fisheries.

Moving forward, USAID/RDMA is currently refocusing its strategic engagement, recognizing that traceability and catch certification standards are necessary components for achieving sustainable fisheries. The ability to trace living marine resources to their origin is becoming increasingly important in the United States, in Asia (see Attachment), and globally both for sustainability and food safety reasons. An increasing demand for sustainable, legal, and safe seafood has resulted and is resulting in major policy changes (i.e. E.U. traceability requirements and U.S. House Resolution 1012) which are directly impacting source ecosystems, stocks, biodiversity, and the livelihoods of people who rely on these resources.

USAID is specifically interested in the following information and comments on:

1. What resources and capabilities would be required to develop and establish a regional catch certification and traceability system for Asia? Would a regional standard be accepted by international buyers and consumers? How would a regional standard and certification and traceability system impact the global demand for safe and sustainable seafood?

2. What are or could be the roles of the private sector and public-private partnerships in developing and implementing new scientific discoveries, technologies, and innovations for improving catch certification and traceability? What are or could be the roles of information and communications technology, mobile solutions, biotechnology such as genetics and genomics, food safety science, remote sensing, geographic information systems, and other technologies in improving traceability for living marine resources?

3. For which transboundary region in Asia-Pacific (encompassing two or more countries) might a regional CCT system be most appropriate and successful? How many months would it take to develop and prototype a regional CCT system as a model and template for wider replication potentially across Asia-Pacific?

4. How would a regional catch certification and traceability system be sustained by Asian regional institutions?

Response to this RFI is voluntary. Responders are free to address any or all the above items, as well as provide additional information that they think is relevant to CCT in Asia. Please note

USAID is not seeking technical or cost proposals at this time. Do not submit any proposal at this time. Only the information requested above will be considered. Issuance of this notice does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. Government, nor does it commit the

Government to pay for any costs incurred in the preparation of comments.

http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/consumer_information/f80501_en.htm https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr1012

How To Submit a Response

All comments must be submitted electronically to Agnes Tusjak, Acquisition and Assistance Specialist at atusjak@usaid.gov with a copy to Martha L. Aponte, Regional Contracting Officer at maponte@usaid.gov. Responses to this RFI will be accepted through the date and time indicated above. You will only receive an electronic confirmation acknowledging receipt of your response, but will not receive individualized feedback on any suggestions. No basis for claims against the U.S. Government shall arise as a result of a response to this request for information or from the Government's use of such information. Specific questions about this RFI should be directed only to the email addresses identified above.

The submitted response should include:

Reference Number: SOL-486-14-000024 [Date] Name/Email Affiliation/Organization Address Comment 1 Comment2 Comment3 Comment4

Please identify any other items USAID/RDMA might consider for catch certification and traceability through private sector engagement and public private partnerships in Asia.

Attachments: Please attach any documents that support your comments to the above questions.

Sincerely, Martha L. Aponte Regional Contracting Officer

USAID/RDMA

mailto:atusjak@usaid.gov mailto:maponte@usaid.gov

ATTACHMENT 1

The ASEAN-SEAFDEC Strategic Partnership (ASSP), CTI-CFF, and Regional Plan of Action for IUU Fishing (RPOA-IUU) have identified, as priority items in their regional action plans, living marine resources “catch certification” and “traceability” as priority solutions to achieving sustainable fisheries in Asia:

ASSP Resolution item #19: Support the competitiveness of the ASEAN fish trade through the development of procedures and programmes that would certify, validate or otherwise indicate the origin of fish to reflect the need for traceability, sustainable fishing practices and food safety, in accordance with international and national requirements;

ASSP Plan of Action item #60: Develop traceability systems, with mechanisms as needed to certify or validate the information, for the whole supply chain, and establish regulations and enforcement schemes in line with international standards. Align Member

Countries’ inspection systems and incorporate strengthened port inspections in the process as a means to improve inspection systems;

RPOA-IUU Item #9: Regional market measures - In order to minimize unreported and illegal catches, countries should collaborate to implement regional market measures to identify and to track fish catches at all points in the marketing chain in a consistent way with existing international trade laws. 9.1 As a priority, countries in the region should standardise catch and landing documentation throughout the region and implement catch documentation or trade certification schemes for high value product.

CTI-CFF RPOA Goal #2, Regional Action #1: Efforts to explore and advance standards for certification, eco-labeling and other market-based incentive schemes (such as Marine Stewardship Council certification) that promote improved management standards http://www.asspfisheries.net/ http://www.coraltriangleinitiative.org/ http://www.rpoa.sec.kkp.go.id/index.php http://www.rpoa.sec.kkp.go.id/index.php

ATTACHMENT 2 - STANDARD PROVISIONS

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION OR SOLICITATION FOR PLANNING PURPOSES

(OCT 1997)

(a) The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this solicitation or to otherwise pay for the information solicited except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in subsection 31.205-18, Bid and proposal costs, of the Federal Acquisition

Regulation.

(b) Although “proposal” and “offeror” are used in this Request for Information, your response will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal.

(c) This solicitation is issued for the purpose of: receiving recommendations on approaches for establishing a regional catch certification and traceability system (CCT) to achieve sustainable fisheries in Asia.