Sustainable Coconut Secretariat
Since April 2021, signatories of the Sustainable Coconut Charter (SCC) are engaged in developing a formalized organization to grow membership and facilitate member-driven activities, such as the Sustainable Coconut Roundtable. A Sustainable Coconut Steering Committee (SCSC) consisting of five signatory members is currently working towards setting-up a Secretariat to help organize an industry- led legal/formal entity (to be referred in this document as the “organization”). Currently, GIZ and USAID Green Invest Asia (GIA) are supporting the activities and projects under SCC such as membership requests, Roundtable event and formalizing SCSC steering committee. GIZ and GIA are keen to facilitate the transition of the Secretariat roles and functions to a new entity.
For this purpose, interested parties or organizations are encouraged to apply as the Sustainable Coconut Secretariat that will take over SCSC in formalizing the “organization” and in developing its operations.
If you have any questions please sent your question to info@greeninvestasia.com
Your questions answered
Q&A 1
Is the Interested Party able to apply as its own legally registered operating company (Criteria 6) and it must register a new organization as a separate entity?
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As a general eligibility criteria for this Call for Proposal, the applicant should be a legally registered organization in compliance with specific statutes of national or international laws in the country where it operates. Applicants may propose the coconut implementing structure or organization as part of the applicant’s existing legally registered organization or can propose a separate approach to independently register the organization.
Q&A 2
What is the size of the Secretariat team expected?
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The applicant should propose a secretariat size based on its proposed business model and plan of action.
Q&A 3
What is the budget range expected of the Secretariat?
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The applicant should base their proposed budget on the business model and plan of action they put forward.
Q&A 4
Is there a term?
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At the end of one year, the organization should already be formalized based on the key elements outlined in expected tasks.
Q&A 5
Request for high resolution theory of change
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Please see below
Q&A 6
Can we get the LOI form as well as the proposal and financing form?
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We do not have a prescribed template for the LOI but, these are the key elements that needs to be articulated in the LOI:
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The LOI should demonstrate the candidate’s willingness and ability to take on the challenge of building the organization from the ground.
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It should also lay out the motivation and track record of the applicant in working with the coconut sector.
Q&A 7
We have a question regarding the budget format for the proposal. There is no indication in the RFP of the format for the budget.
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The guidelines provided in the Call for Proposal was designed to provide the applicants to be creative in the way they present the business model of the organization. We ask that applicants use whatever format best fits their proposal.
Q&A 8
Does the budget need to be integrated into the technical proposal (8 pages) or can it be a standalone annex?
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The budget can be an annex and will not be counted against the technical proposal page limit
Q&A 9
Is there currently a financial commitment by members/signatories, such as an annual membership fee, and if not, is it envisioned that this could form part of the funding model?
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Yes, the signatories have committed to establish and sustain an industry-led organization using membership fees as one of the funding strategies. However, other funding strategies may be required and should be proposed as relevant.
Q&A 10
Does the roundtable currently have a formal board structure and Chairperson?
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The signatories of the Sustainable Coconut Charter recently elected from amongst themselves 5 company representatives that comprised the interim governance structure which they call Steering Committee. It is envisioned that the Secretariat will directly report to the committee until a formalized structure is established and a Board of Directors (or similar function) can be selected.