RFP- Design and Feasibility Assessment Solar Cocoa Drying Tech 2026 Tender

About this tender

UNDP Papua New Guinea is seeking a consulting firm to evaluate the technical, operational, economic and environmental performance of cocoa drying technologies currently promoted or used in PNG, and to design investment-ready, climate-efficient alternatives. The stated aims are to improve cocoa quality and market competitiveness, reduce reliance on fuelwood-based drying, cut greenhouse gas emissions, enhance climate resilience, improve cocoa household livelihoods, and support scalable, commercially viable cocoa processing in PNG. The specific tasks are to assess current drying technologies and practices; benchmark existing Cocoa Board-developed drying technologies; assess alternative climate-smart and hybrid drying technologies; quantify environmental, climate, social and economic benefits; develop technically viable and commercially feasible system designs; and prepare detailed engineering designs, technical specifications, Bills of Quantities (BoQs), cost estimates and procurement-ready documentation. The deliverables centre on a centralized hybrid solar-assisted cocoa drying facility, which may combine solar thermal, solar PV, battery storage, biomass backup heating, ventilation, thermal storage or other low-emission technologies. Household-level dryer design is explicitly out of scope. The assessment will be carried out in East New Britain and East Sepik Provinces. Detailed engineering designs, cost estimates and pilot investment recommendations will focus on East New Britain, where pilot implementation under the GEF-7 intervention is planned. The consultant must recommend the facility's capacity, configuration and specifications, taking into account projected cocoa volumes, seasonal production, accessibility, operational requirements, financial viability and future expansion. The consultant must also assess operation and maintenance needs, including maintenance frequency, skills, spare parts, replacement schedules and lifecycle costs. Funding for construction and installation has already been secured. Construction, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance are excluded from this consultancy. Outputs will inform a later procurement for implementation. The expected contract duration is not stated on the page; the Terms of Reference are referenced as an attachment for full details.

Bidder eligibility

The notice specifies a 'Basic' registration level on the UNGM/UNDP supplier portal. Bidders must register or use an existing supplier profile in the UNDP Quantum system (do not create a duplicate profile if one exists). No further legal, technical, reference, experience or financial thresholds are stated on the page; these may appear in the attached Terms of Reference or solicitation document.

How bids are scored

Not disclosed on the page. The evaluation methodology, any price/quality split and weightings are not stated and would need to be checked in the attached RFP / Terms of Reference documents.

Key requirements

• ✓Design of a solar-based cocoa drying system
• ✓Feasibility assessment for deployment in Papua New Guinea
• ✓Consultancy deliverables for UNDP as contracting authority

Procurement contact

The notice names a procurement contact for clarification questions.

Relevant sectors

About this sector

Renewable energy funding covers solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal and bioenergy, from early research to grid-scale deployment. Public money tends to back demonstration, grid connection and access to energy in emerging markets, while procurement notices buy installation, operation and maintenance. Calls often ask for proof of resource assessment, permitting progress and local partners.