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I. ABOUT THE SEPHIS FOUNDATION

The SEPHIS Foundation is an organization committed to promoting inclusive and sustainable entrepreneurship in West Africa. Its work focuses on strengthening the capacities of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with particular emphasis on the economic empowerment of women and youth.

Through its programs, SEPHIS supports local economic actors by facilitating access to finance, providing training tailored to local realities, and contributing to the development of sustainable value chains, particularly in the agricultural and agro-industrial sectors.

Since its establishment, the Foundation has supported more than 5,000 women entrepreneurs. Over 15 years of operations, SEPHIS has established itself as a leading actor in supporting the growth of women-led SMEs in Sub-Saharan Africa. Through an integrated approach combining access to markets and finance, it actively contributes to sustainable value creation across the continent.

Operating in Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, and Togo, SEPHIS has supported over 5,000 SMEs and mobilized nearly €10 million, enabling more than 1,000 women-led businesses to access structured financing.

As part of the Nature-based Climate Adaptation in the Guinean Forests of West Africa project (NbS Guinean Forests), SEPHIS is responsible for the operational management of the “Business Grant” component, thereby contributing to strengthening the viability and growth of beneficiary local enterprises.

II. CONTEXT

The Nature-based Climate Adaptation in the Guinean Forests of West Africa project (NbS Guinean Forests) aims to strengthen local and regional capacities of communities living in the Guinean forest zone in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Guinea in implementing nature-based climate adaptation solutions, while promoting transformational leadership among women.

The project is implemented by a consortium composed of World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and the Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI), in partnership with national and international organizations. It is funded by Global Affairs Canada under the Climate Partnership Program and pursues three main objectives:

• Strengthen women’s leadership in climate adaptation planning processes;
• Increase restoration of degraded forests and key habitats with biodiversity benefits;
• Promote inclusive and gender-responsive investments generating sustainable income for women.

III. EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI)

As part of the implementation of the “Business Grant” component of the NbS Guinean Forests project, the SEPHIS Foundation is launching this Expression of Interest (EOI) to establish a database of qualified suppliers for the provision of equipment and materials suited to the needs of small and medium artisan enterprises, particularly in the agricultural and agro-industrial sectors.

This call is open to companies, distributors, manufacturers, and other commercial entities capable of supplying quality equipment, in sufficient quantities and within reasonable timeframes, in Ghana, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire, or in at least one of these countries.

Selected applicants will be included in the SEPHIS supplier database. This registration is a prerequisite for participation in future restricted tenders related to equipment procurement under the Business Grant component.

It is important to note that selection under this EOI does not constitute a contract award. It is solely intended to prequalify suppliers that meet the technical, administrative, and operational requirements of the project.

Interested suppliers are invited to express their interest in providing small equipment, including but not limited to the following categories:

IV. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must submit a complete application file including the following elements. Incomplete applications may be rejected.

1. General company information

• Full legal name of the company
• Company profile (history, areas of operation, organization, key activities, markets)
• Maximum 5 pages (including brochures)

2. Administrative and legal documents

• Company registration certificate or equivalent
• Valid tax identification certificate
• Tax compliance certificate or equivalent

3. Contact details and geographic presence

• Full physical address
• GPS coordinates (if available)
• Offices/representations in relevant countries
• Valid phone number and email

4. Experience and technical capacity

• Description of experience in similar equipment supply
• At least 3 years of relevant experience
• Proof of delivery capacity (contracts, invoices, references, etc.)
• Description of logistics capacity (storage, transport, after-sales service)

5. Professional references

• At least 3 recommendation letters or client references
• For multi-country applications: 3 references per country
• Verifiable contact details required

6. Compliance and integrity

• Declaration of legal and tax compliance
• Declaration of absence of fraud, corruption, or conflicts of interest
• List of disputes in the past 5 years

7. Additional information (if applicable)

• Certifications (quality, technical standards, approvals, etc.)
• Any relevant supporting information

Notes:

• Documents must be in French, English, or officially translated
• SEPHIS may request additional information
• Information may be verified

V. EVALUATION CRITERIA

Applications will be assessed based on a structured and transparent process:

1. Administrative compliance (eliminatory)

2. Experience and references

3. Technical and operational capacity

4. Financial capacity

5. Geographic coverage

6. Ethical compliance and integrity

Evaluation methodology:

• Pass/fail for administrative criteria
• Technical criteria for prequalification
• Only qualified suppliers will be shortlisted
• Final selection via competitive tenders

VI. GENERAL CONDITIONS AND DISCLAIMER

• This EOI is for prequalification only and does not constitute a contract
• SEPHIS may verify all information
• False information leads to disqualification
• Database inclusion does not guarantee contracts
• Confidentiality is ensured
• Fraud or corruption leads to exclusion
• Applicants bear all submission costs

VII. SUBMISSION PROCEDURES

1. Submission method

Send applications by email only to:
alan.akpa@fondationsephis.org

2. Email subject

“Expression of Interest – Supply of Agricultural Equipment – NbS Business Grant Program”

3. Application content

• All required documents
• Preferably in a single PDF file

4. Format

• PDF only
• Clear, readable, no password protection

5. Deadline

May 20, 2026
Late submissions will not be considered.

VIII. RECOMMENDED EMAIL FORMAT

Subject:
Expression of Interest – Supply of Agricultural Equipment – NbS Business Grant Program

Email body:

• Company name
• Country
• Contact person (name, role, phone, email)
• Short statement of interest (2–3 lines)

Attachments:

1. Company_Profile.pdf
2. Tax_Registration.pdf
3. Business_Registration.pdf
4. Client_References.pdf
5. Project_Experience.pdf
6. Litigation_Declaration.pdf (if applicable)
7. Consolidated_File.pdf

IX. FINAL SUBMISSION CHECKLIST

1. Administrative documents
   • Company profile
   • Registration certificate
   • Tax certificate
   • Tax compliance certificate
2. Operational information
   • Address
   • GPS (if available)
   • Contact details
   • Geographic coverage
3. Experience and capacity
   • ≥3 years experience
   • Proof of similar contracts
   • Logistics description
4. References
   • Minimum 3 references
   • Verifiable contacts
5. Compliance
   • Litigation declaration
   • Integrity declaration
   • Legal compliance commitment

X. IMPORTANT NOTES

• Incomplete applications may be rejected
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
• SEPHIS reserves the right to request additional information at any time