ABOUT PLAN INTERNATIONAL

Plan International is a rights-based development and humanitarian organization working for better lives for all children. We are independent of government and have no political or religious affiliation. Our purpose is to strive for a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 80 years and are now active globally in more than 75 countries.

We work alongside children, young people, our supporters and partners to tackle the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood and enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity as we strive to advance children’s rights and equality for girls all over the world. As We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

Plan International has worked in Zambia since 1996 and currently working in over 46 communities. It has its Country Office in Lusaka and Program Area Offices (PAs) in Central, Luapula and Eastern Provinces

BACKGROUND

The Integrated Project on Empowering Girls and Youths for sustainable Development project wishes to supplement and carry on the project of installing sustainable irrigation kits in sponsored communities in order to ensure that vulnerable and excluded young people, especially young women are resilient and food secure. By implementing these interventions, Zambia can create a more inclusive and resilient workforce that contributes to individual livelihoods as well as broader economic and social development of the country as it works to advance the rights of children and young people, and equality for girls and young women.
In Zambia, the majority of rural communities depend on rain-fed agriculture. However, erratic weather patterns, such as drought, often lead to significant crop damage and livestock losses. Food security remains a pressing issue, with approximately 40% of children under five stunted and 60% of the population living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank. The 2023/2024 rainfall season in Zambia was declared a drought and National Disaster and Emergency by the Republican President, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema on the 29th of February, 2024. This followed significant rainfall deficits recorded across eighty-four (84) districts in Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Lusaka, Northwestern, Southern and Western provinces. These provinces host over 76% of livestock (cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs) population and over 66% of chickens in the country.
The 2023/2024 rainfall season has been the driest agricultural season experienced on record in more than forty years, thereby adversely affecting ground and surface water levels, crop and pasture production for an estimated 6,552,027 people (translating to 1,092,005 farming households) across the country. Late onset and prolonged dry spells associated with the El Nino weather phenomenon have negatively affected crop production. Prolonged dry spells in southern parts of the country coincided with crucial vegetative and flowering stages for staple and economic crops resulting in total crop failure. A total of 982,765 hectares out of an estimated 2,272,931 hectares of maize planted country wide have been destroyed by the drought resulting in total crop failure.
The project intends to work with different stake holders such as the government and the private sector to provide technical assistance on effective crop and livestock management in order to maximise on productivity and avoid risks associated with traditional farming techniques.
During the implementation of the Girls Step up project in FY24, Plan International Central Program Area initiated the drilling of boreholes in the sponsored communities as a way of responding to the drought that affected both agricultural and livestock production in Chisamba and Chibombo district. The project embarked on the installation of Sustainable irrigation kits which are crucial for drought response, especially in water-scarce regions and the most drought affected areas. These kits would significantly improve irrigation efficiency, reduce water waste, and promote eco-friendly practices. By adopting sustainable irrigation kits, communities can effectively respond to droughts, ensuring food security and environmental sustainability.
With reference to the background above, the Integrated Project on Empowering Girls and Youths for sustainable Development project has recognized the need to continue with the installation of solar sustainable irrigation kits in order to allow sponsored communities farm all year around and not depend on rain fed agriculture. This will improve their social economic wellbeing and provide food for the children as well. The project will focus on fully installing solar powered irrigation kits to 12 drilled boreholes under the Girls step Up project. This will intensify the agricultural input support to the sponsorship households. The inputs in form of water access (boreholes), irrigation systems and seeds will be distributed to the sponsorship households in clusters of 12 households as a livelihood recovery plan through all year-round farming/gardening.
The target areas are Chisamba and Chibombo communities with a total household target of 200 households (36 Direct Beneficiaries in Chibombo and 108 in Chisamba )
Overall project goal;
Ensuring that vulnerable and excluded young people, especially young women, are resilient and are actively engaged in decent work of their choosing, be it waged or self-employed. Improve livelihoods resilience of sponsored families especially women and girls through agricultural and livestock empowerment schemes through irrigation and skills development.

OBJECTIVES OF THE WORKS
To Enhance productivity through the adoption of climate smart agriculture practices and promote all year-round farming.

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

• Solar pump system supplied and installed in all the 12 boreholes drilled approximately 100 Meters depth.
• Three (3) hectares per site of fields installed with irrigation system will have access to water for winter cropping using CSA model.
• Training of beneficiary on the basic operation and maintenance of the solar water pumping systems and irrigation Kits. (36 Beneficiaries in Chibombo and 108 in Chisamba)
• Setting up of drip irrigation systems for the 3 hectares field per Borehole in each community.
• Conduct monitoring of the sites after the installations (Technical support for 1 month after installation).
• Submit a certified testing report.

Prospective bidders will be required to conduct site visit to all the locations at their own cost, develop a BOQ with specifications and a site plan. The Solar pumping systems and drip irrigation kits will be set up in the 12 sites in the two (2) districts as summarized in the below:

Chisamba District
1. Chowa community 1
2. Muswishi community 1
3. Lombwa community 1
4. Kampekete community 1
5. Malombe community 1
6. Chikonkonmene 2
7. Chamuka 2

Chibombo District
1. Chibombo central 1
2. Chikobo community 1
3. Mukalashi 1

SITE VISIT

1. Site visits 1- 26th November 2024

Meeting point: Kampekete Primary School 08: 00hrs 
Mukalashi Community
Chikobo Community
Chibombo Central
Kampekete Community
Malombe Community

2. Site visit 2- 27th November 2024

Meeting Point: Kabwe Plan International Office 08: 00hrs
Lombwa
Muswishi
Chowa

3. Site visit 3- 29th November 2024 08: 00hrs

Meeting point: Chisamba Boarding School
Chikonkomene
Chimuka

Note: all prospective bidders must provide own transportation to the sites

HOW TO SUBIMT BIDS

All prospective bidders should provide the following documentations:

•  Quotation/ Tender Offer.
• ZPPA Certificate.
•  Company registration certificate with Form III indicating shareholding structure.
• ZRA registration certificate; valid tax clearance certificate
• At least three raceable references for similar work from reputable organisations.
•  Willingness to enter MOU with PIZ
•  CV’s for the key personnel / technicians to be assigned to these works
•  No pending litigation status that would negatively affect this contract.
• Site visit certificate.

Note:  Retention fee of 15% shall be applied for a period of one month post completion of works.

Please send your bid applications to Planzamtenders@plan-international.org By 7th December 2024, 17:00Hrs local time and any bids received after this time and date will not be accepted or considered.