1.1.     Request for Proposals – Service Notice

Nutrition International (NI), a non-profit agency dedicated to eliminating vitamin and mineral deficiencies worldwide, invites proposals from competent agencies to Hiring a Consultant/Firm to Conduct an Economic Feasibility and Cost Benefit Analysis of Domestic Production of Potassium Iodate and Provide Business Advisory Support (Remote) for setting its Production Facility in Pakistan

1.2.     Background

1.2.1.        Nutrition International (NI) has been working with the Government of Pakistan, the salt industry and other key partners since 2006 to support USI in the country, with the aim to reduce iodine deficiency disorders. Currently, almost 80% of all edible salt produced in the country is adequately iodized. There has been a significant increase in household use of iodized salt, from 17% in 2001 to 80% in 2018. This has resulted in achieving an adequate iodine nutrition status among women of reproductive age, and school-aged children. Every year, around 180 million people in the country are reached with iodized edible salt.

1.2.2.        For the past two decades, Nutrition International (NI) has been supporting the Government of Pakistan in ensuring optimal iodine nutrition through adequately fortified salt, with a particular focus on pregnant and lactating women. Along with WFP, NI supported the establishment of potassium iodate revolving fund in Pakistan in 2012. Since then, NI has been providing financial support to procure potassium iodate and hired services of a third party for the management of the revolving fund. It has been realized that the revolving fund needs to be economically viable to maintain a continuous supply chain of potassium iodate to support salt iodization by small and medium scale salt processors. Currently potassium iodate is not being domestically produced in Pakistan and requires to be imported. Due to currency devaluation, the import price of potassium iodate is often escalated impacting its reserves and ultimately the total amount available for salt processors.

1.2.3.        Accordingly, NI proposes to hire a consultant to conduct an economic feasibility and cost benefit analysis of domestic production of potassium iodate in Pakistan and provide business advisory support (remote online) to premix manufacturers who are interested in setting up a local KIO3 production facility.  

1.2.4.        This Request for Proposals (RFP) and particularly the Guidelines for Preparing Proposals that follow, are designed to help Respondents to produce proposals that are acceptable to the NI, and to ensure that all proposals are given equal consideration. It is essential, therefore, that Respondents provide the complete information that is requested, and in the formats and on the terms specified.