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Pre-Qualification of Research Firms

with Branch of Cowater International Inc.
Invitation for Bids

BTDC-ID: 35872
Closing Date:

Bid Components

Pre-Qualification of Research Firms

Announcement Description

1. Background

The Cambodia Australia Partnership for Resilient Economic Development (CAPRED) is Australia’s flagship bilateral economic development program in Cambodia, focusing on economic recovery and resilience over the next four years, with a possible three-year extension.

The Facility supports Cambodia in implementing a range of necessary economic interventions and reforms to maintain the country’s economic transition. These interventions and reforms are primarily aimed at encouraging more productive and inclusive public and private investment, which promotes a resilient, inclusive and sustainable economy (RISE).

CAPRED interventions fall under three technical components including: Agriculture; Trade, Investment and Enterprise Development and Infrastructure; and one Cross-Cutting component comprising: Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI); Climate Resilient initiatives, and policy support. GEDSI is at the heart of all that CAPRED does.

MERL plays a central role in guiding program adaptation, tracking performance, and generating evidence and learning to inform decision-making across all technical and cross-cutting areas.

Bid Components

Pre-Qualification of Research Firms

  • Career Category: Consultancy, Research / Development, Monitoring & Evaluation
  • Location: Phnom Penh

EOI Number: EOI-051

Project Name: Pre-Qualification of Research Firms

Unit Name: Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL)

Assignment Duration: September 2025 – March 2027

2. Purpose

CAPRED seeks to establish a roster of pre-qualified research firms to support its Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) Unit. These firms will be engaged on an "as-needed" basis for research assignments aligned with CAPRED’s portfolio areas. Assignments may include:

  • Household surveys
  • Market analysis and sentiment studies
  • Policy and institutional reviews
  • Baseline or endline studies

For each assignment, a separate Terms of Reference (ToR) will be issued to pre-qualified firms for quotation and staffing. The duration, scope, and methodology will vary per assignment.

3. Scope of Work

Theselected research firms, in close consultation with the CAPRED MERL team, will be expected to:

  • Design comprehensive research plans, including clearly defined methodologies, sampling frameworks, timelines, and resource requirements.
  • Conduct high-quality field research by recruiting and deploying qualified field teams; oversee all logistics, ensure data integrity, and troubleshoot any challenges encountered during data collection and entry.
  • Digitise and program data collection tools using platforms such as KoboToolBox or other mutually agreed software, ensuring functionality and user-friendliness.
  • Provide regular updates to CAPRED, including progress summaries, field reports, and any emerging issues or risks requiring mitigation.
  • Perform data cleaning and analysis; submit raw and cleaned datasets, along with comprehensive analytical outputs including preliminary findings and a final research report.

4. Key Deliverables

Each study may include the following deliverables or a selection of:

Please click Attachment below for more information.

Bidder Eligibility

  • 5. Required Qualifications
  • Research firms with a proven track record of delivering high-quality, policy-relevant research in Cambodia or similar contexts should demonstrate the following:
  • Organisational Capability:
  • Experience delivering mixed-methods research (qualitative and quantitative), including large-scale surveys, market studies, and evaluation assignments.
  • Demonstrated ability to mobilise skilled field teams and manage end-to-end research logistics across varied geographies.
  • Strong data management systems, including secure collection, storage, and cleaning processes.
  • Technical Expertise:
  • Proven knowledge of one or more CAPRED portfolio areas (e.g. agriculture, agro-processing, trade, investment, rural infrastructure).
  • Experience integrating cross-cutting issues into research, particularly gender equality, social inclusion, and climate resilience.
  • Ability to design robust research methodologies and tools tailored to policy, market, and programmatic contexts.
  • Strong analytical and reporting capacity, including clear data visualisation and actionable recommendations.
  • Team Composition:
  • Firms must demonstrate access to personnel with relevant sectoral knowledge, research qualifications, and local context expertise.
  • Other Compliance:
  • Comply with DFAT, Cowater and CAPRED policies on gender, disability, fraud and anticorruption, child protection, and the environment.
  • Maintain high standards of conduct, particularly in child protection and prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment.
  • Proactively identify and report risks and manage risks within your level of accountability.

Submission Requirements

7. How to Apply

The expression of interest including the Technical Response Form must be submitted no later than 5:00 PM (Phnom Penh time), 8 August 2025 to email provided in the contact details with “EOI25-051- Pre-Qualification of Research Firms ”

CAPRED is available to answer questions or provide more details on the scope of work. Please send to email with “EOI25-051- Pre-Qualification of Research Firms – Enquiry” in the subject line.

The submission must be in English and include the following:

A completed Response Form outlining the following:

  • Proposed daily or unit rates, inclusive of all applicable costs.
  • Cost estimates based on geographic zones or provinces.
  • Cost estimates for different respondent types (e.g. farmers, MSMEs, government officials, CSOs).
  • Any key assumptions, terms, or conditions.
  • Answers to all questions in the Response Form.

Important note for applicants:

  • Late submissions will not be considered. Inclusion in the panel does not guarantee future assignments.
  • Firms may be invited to clarify their submissions or participate in a briefing or interview session prior to final selection.
  • CAPRED upholds rigorous standards for research quality, ethics, and methodological integrity, and does not encourage the use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT to complete application responses. Submissions should reflect the firm’s own experience, technical understanding, and contextual insight. Responses that appear generic, templated, or misaligned with CAPRED’s expectations may be disqualified.
 
Attachment
 

Contact Details

Contact Name
  • Branch of Cowater International Inc.
 
Email