Organization: Sight and Life Rwanda

Assignment: Consultancy Service of Specialized Training in Aspect of Food Safety

Assignment Location: Kigali-Rwanda Assignment Period: One month contract 

1.     BACKGROUND 

Sight and Life Rwanda has entered an MoU with Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (RFDA) to foster partnership in the areas of food fortification, food safety and labeling. The partnership entails training of Rwanda FDA staffs on various aspects of their regulatory mandate. 

It is against this background that Sight and life Rwanda together with Rwanda FDA are seeking experienced and reputable qualified firm to provide specialized training in Aspects of Food Safety, as listed in the training scope section 4.  

The trainings are divided into two lots, the timeline for the trainings is from 27^th November 2023 to 15^th December 2023 in Kigali and the total number of staffs to be trained is 27. 

2.     OBJECTIVES 

Trainings in the above mentioned areas are aimed at enabling Rwanda FDA staffs involved in Food Safety functions to: 

1. Be equipped with adequate skills and knowledge the indicated specialized aspects for improved performance in food safety operations;
2. Understand the best practices and adequate controls necessary in along processed food chain;
3. Better plan, implement, operate, maintain and update food safety related operations; with aim to ensure the products are safe for the consumers according to their relevant standards and/or intended consumers;

3.     OUTPUTS 

The training firm(s) shall: 

1. Develop training materials in the form of modular courses tailored to each training component, and validate them with the Authority;
2. Administer Pre- and Post-training evaluation;
3. Elaborate and implement the training program including industrial visits (for food fortification and industrial processes) to two local food processing facilities in Kigali selected by the Authority;
4. Share the training materials copies to participants and other training activities records to the authority;
5. Issue training Certificates to the participants; individual Certificate for each component is preferable.

4.     TRAINING SCOPE  

As mentioned in the introduction, the trainings are divided into 2 lots; with different deliverable packages in each lot: 

4.1.  LOT 1

• Deliverable package 1: HACCP current level and FSSC 22000 version 6
• Deliverable package 2: Risk assessment in food products
• Deliverable package 3: Risk assessment and evaluation in infant formula and food supplements.
• Deliverable package 4: Intentional food adulteration and food labelling.

Expertise and Experience of Trainers required for lot 1 

Deliverable package 1: HACCP current level and FSSC 22000 version 6

• At least a Master’s degree in food science, food safety and quality or related fields
• Extensive expertise, knowledge and experience in the field of food safety systems
• Proven experience in providing food safety trainings such as HACCP current level and FSSC 22000 version 6
• Have established track record of similar work, preferably training food regulatory personnel
• Excellent analytical and report writing skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills including ability to facilitate and work in a multi-disciplinary team
• Excellent writing and presentation skills in English.

Deliverable package 2: Risk assessment in food products

• At least a Master’s degree in food science, food quality and safety or related fields
• Extensive expertise, knowledge and hands on experience in the field of risk assessment including the ability to identify and assess potential food safety hazards (biological, chemical, physical), allergens and quality defects at all links in the food supply chain; the ability to assess the effectiveness of methodologies for controlling food safety hazards and quality defects; the ability to apply the current principles and practices of HACCP current level to the current edition of the Codex Alimentarius Commission Guidelines, prerequisite programs, industry codes of practice, legal requirements, industry guidelines and standards
• Ability to develop and/or evaluate an effective food defense plan to minimize the risk of intentional adulteration of a food product
• Having conducted research related to risk assessment and publications in reputable scientific journals is an added advantage
• Experience in training at international level is an added advantage
• Excellent level of knowledge and understanding relating to TACCP (Threat Assessment and Critical Control Point) and VACCP (Vulnerability Assessment and Critical Control Point) in a food environment is an added advantage
• Have established track record of similar work, preferably training food regulatory personnel
• Excellent analytical and report writing skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills including ability to facilitate and work in a multi-disciplinary team
• Excellent writing and presentation skills in English.

Deliverable package 3: Risk assessment and evaluation in infant formula and food supplements.

• At least a Master’s degree in nutrition, food science, food quality and safety or related fields
• Extensive expertise, knowledge and hands on experience in the field of risk assessment in infant formula and food supplements including the ability to identify and assess potential food safety hazards (biological, chemical, physical), allergens and quality defects at all links in the food supply chain; the ability to assess the effectiveness of methodologies for controlling food safety hazards and quality defects; the ability to apply the current principles and practices of HACCP current level to the current edition of the Codex Alimentarius Commission Guidelines, pre-requisite programs, industry codes of practice, legal requirements, industry guidelines and standards
• Ability to develop and/or evaluate an effective food defense plan to minimize the risk of intentional adulteration of infant formula or food supplements
• Experience in training at international level is an added advantage
• Excellent level of knowledge and understanding relating to TACCP (Threat Assessment and Critical Control Point) and VACCP (Vulnerability Assessment and Critical Control Point) in a food environment is an added advantage
• Having conducted research related to risk assessment and publications in reputable scientific journals is an added advantage
• Have established track record of similar work, preferably training food regulatory personnel
• Excellent analytical and report writing skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills including ability to facilitate and work in a multi-disciplinary team
• Excellent writing and presentation skills in English.

Deliverable package 4: Intentional food adulteration and food labelling

• At least a Master’s degree in nutrition, food science, food quality and safety or related fields
• Extensive expertise, knowledge and hands on experience in the field of risk assessment, control and communication in regards to intentional food adulteration; the ability to identify and assess potential malpractices along the food value chain; the ability to apply the current principles and practices of HACCP current level to the current edition of the Codex Alimentarius Commission Guidelines, pre-requisite programs, industry codes of practice, legal requirements, industry guidelines and standards
• Ability to develop and/or evaluate an effective food defense plan to minimize the risk of intentional adulteration of a food product
• Proven experience in a food regulatory body in a post ensuring the control of food intentional adulteration and labeling is an added advantage
• Experience in training at international level is an added advantage
• Excellent level of knowledge and understanding relating to TACCP (Threat Assessment and Critical Control Point) and VACCP (Vulnerability Assessment and Critical Control Point) in a food environment is an added advantage
• Having conducted research related to food adulterants and publications in reputable scientific journals is an added advantage
• Have established track record of similar work, preferably training food regulatory personnel
• Excellent analytical and report writing skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills including ability to facilitate and work in a multi-disciplinary team
• Excellent writing and presentation skills in English. 

4.2.  LOT 2

• Deliverable Package 1: Food fortification
• Deliverable Package 2: Food industrial processes.

Expertise and Experience of Trainers required for lot 2

Deliverable package 1: Food fortification

• At least a Master’s degree in nutrition, food science, food quality and safety or related fields
• Extensive expertise, knowledge and hands on experience in the field of industrial food fortification
• Proven experience in providing food fortification training and having established track record of similar work, preferably training food regulatory personnel
• Sound knowledge on global and regional nutrition strategies, nutrition Programs, micronutrient intervention strategies and food fortification initiatives
• Excellent analytical and report writing skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills including ability to facilitate and work in a multi-disciplinary team
• Excellent writing and presentation skills in English

Deliverable package 2: Food industrial processes 

• At least a Master’s degree in food science, food quality and safety or related fields
• Extensive expertise, knowledge and hands on experience in the field of food industrial processes including the ability to identify and assess potential food safety hazards

(biological, chemical, physical), allergens and quality defects at all links in the food supply chain; the ability to assess the effectiveness of methodologies for controlling food safety hazards and quality defects; the ability to apply the current principles and practices of

HACCP current level to the current edition of the Codex Alimentarius Commission Guidelines, pre-requisite programs, industry codes of practice, legal requirements, industry guidelines and standards

• Have established track record of similar work, preferably training food regulatory personnel
• Excellent analytical and report writing skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills including ability to facilitate and work in a multi-disciplinary team
• Excellent writing and presentation skills in English. 

5.   COMPETENCE AND EXPERIENCE 

Firm Profile

The firm shall:  

• Have a deep understanding of food safety regulatory landscape, food standards.
• Have demonstrated experience in conducting trainings in all above mentioned food safety aspects at international level with track records, preferably to national food regulatory authorities
• Be internationally recognized as training service provider in the field of food standardization or offering GFSI benchmarked training programs.
• Shall demonstrate the ability to provide a multidisciplinary team of experts which should include the types with specific expertise and experience in each of the aspect of training interest indicated above. One expert may cover more than one aspect of the training scope.

6.   SUBMISSION PROCEDURE

Interested firms are encouraged to send their, technical (lead trainer’s CV) and financial proposal to SAL_Rwanda@sightandlife.org  not later than November 5^th, 2023, at 23:59hrs Kigali time. The title of the email must include: “Consultancy services of specialized training in aspects of food safety.”

Note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.