Request for Quotation for the Provision Catering Services to Aims Research and Innovation Centre, Rwanda

The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS RIC) Research and Innovation Centre (AIMS RIC) would like to invite potential Caterers who are interested in providing Catering services to submit bid proposals. The successful bidder shall be contracted for a period of one-year renewable following a successful evaluation: 

1. Service

Provision of catering services for AIMS RIC staff, Students, Researchers or any other stakeholder on a need basis. 

2. Scope of work

The catering vendor shall provide Weekly lunches (Monday – Friday) as per the attached menu (Annex 1) for 50 people (this number is subject to change upon request) at AIMS RIC office 

A. Equipment Requirements

All cooking will be done offsite, and meals will be delivered only when ready for consumption. The service provider shall provide all labor including an onsite employee for the set-up and any other assistance needed from 12h30-14h00; equipment, materials such as bowls, plates, cutleries, etc. 

B. Location

AIMS RIC is located at KN 3Rd Kicukiro district, Kigali, Rwanda 

C. Delivery Schedule

The service to be delivered to the specified location as per the below schedule: 

All meals will be served from 12h30-1400hrs at the specified address. 

D. Liquidated Damages 

The services after the agreed delivery schedule will be subject to a deduction from the invoice of 0.1 % per day up to maximum 0.6 % of the total value of the contract. 

E. Payment 

The payment will be made within 30 days of the date of handover of all supporting documents in good order including proforma and EBM invoices to a designated AIMS RIC administrative team member. The vendor shall accept payment in accordance with the payment procedures of Rwanda 

3. Submission of proposal to offer services 

This will include. 

a) Required documents and Certificates 

• Business registration certificate from RDB 
• A valid tax registration certificate 
• A valid VAT clearance 
• A valid RSSB certificate 
• RSB certificate 
• Health certificates of each staff 

b) Technical requirement.

• Proof of previous experience providing similar service (At least 3 recommendation letters with contact numbers and email addresses) 
• Provide a company profile with at least three top management personnel. 
• Having worked with AIMS previously is an added advantage. 

6. Financial proposal.

A clear breakdown of the financial proposal including: 

• Proforma invoice showing a sub- total without VAT and With VAT and then grand total per person, per week presented on your company letter head. 
• Discounts where applicable 
• Financial offer form- signed and stamped quotation include cost per unit and all applicable charges in local currency (RWF). 

7. Duration

The duration of the contract is anticipated to run for a period of one year which can be extended if the annual review is satisfactory. 

8. Bid submission.

The application files (bids) will include the following:

Technical and financial proposals and rerequired documents and certificates 

9. Modification and withdrawal of tenders 

The tenderer may modify or withdraw its tender after the tender’s submission, provided that written notice of the modification, including substitution or withdrawal of the tender’s is received by the AIMS RIC prior to the deadline prescribed for the submission of tenders. No tender may be modified after the deadline for submission of tenders. AIMS RIC may at any time terminate procurement proceedings before contract award and shall not be liable to any person for the termination. 

10.Evaluation and comparison of tenders 

AIMS RIC will evaluate and compare the tenders which have been determined to be substantially responsive, the comparison shall be of the price including all costs as well as duties and taxes payable on all the materials to be used in the provision of the services. The technical evaluation will be conducted (Operational plan) 

11.Award Criteria and Notification of award 

AIMS RIC will award the contract to the successful tenderer whose tender has been determined to be substantially responsive and has been determined to be the lowest evaluated tender, provided further that the tenderer is determined to be qualified to perform the contract satisfactorily.

AIMS RIC reserves the right to accept or reject any tender and to annul the tendering process and reject all tenders at  

any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability or obligation to inform the affected tenderer or tenderers of the grounds for AIMS RIC’s action. 

Prior to the expiration of the period of tender validity, AIMS RIC will notify the successful tenderer in writing that its tender has been accepted. The notification of award will signify the formation of the Contract subject to the signing of the contract between the tenderer and AIMS RIC Simultaneously the other tenderers shall be notified that their tenders have not been successful. 

12. Validity: 

Your offer must remain valid until 31/1/2026 before which a framework agreement, if placed, should be accepted by you. 

13. Alternatives: 

Alternative specifications must be confirmed by AIMS Research and Innovation Centre in writing before the submission deadline. Alternative specifications not confirmed as such will not be considered. 

14. Request for Clarification: 

Bidders are required to submit any request for clarification or any question in respect of this RFQ by e-mail to ricprocurementenquiries@aimsric.org. No bid should be submitted to this address. Bidders are requested to keep all questions concise. 

AIMS Research and Innovation Centre will compile the questions received. AIMS Research and Innovation Centre may, at its discretion, copy any reply to a question to all the other invited bidders at once. 

15. Language: 

All documents should appear in English. 

Distribution of documents and certificates 

• Offers must be submitted in one full set (single PDF file with all pages arranged according to the order listed above).

Currency: 

All costs are to be given in Rwandan Francs (RWF) only. 

Contract Date: 

• A framework contract will be issued before or on 31st January 2026.

The service provider and all individuals assigned by it to perform services under this contract: 

(a) Shall neither seek nor accept instructions from any authority external to AIMS RIC in connection withthe performance of its/their services under this contract. 

(b) Shall refrain from any action which may adversely affect the AIMS RIC and shall fulfil its/their commitments with the fullest regard for the interests of the AIMS RIC. 

(c) Shall assure compliance with all applicable laws of the country where the service provider is registered as well as those in which the activities are performed. 

(d) Assure that all duties are conducted with integrity, free from any taint of dishonesty or corruption and thatall people are respected equally without any distinction or discrimination based on nationality, race, gender, religious beliefs, class, or political opinions. 

(e) Shall not advertise or otherwise utilize to its/their advantage the fact that it is or has been a service providerwith AIMS RIC. 

(f) Shall not, in any manner whatsoever use the name, emblem or official seal of the AIMS RIC or any abbreviation of the name of the AIMS RIC in connection with its business or otherwise, except as requiredfor the fulfilment of its contractual duties hereunder and then only with the express prior written approval of the AIMS RIC-Network President or his/her designate. 

(g) Shall not communicate at any time to any other person (legal or natural), Government or authority externalto the AIMS RIC any information known to it/them by reason of its/their association with the AIMS RIC which has not been made public, except in the course of their duties or by authorization of the AIMS RIC-Network President or his/her designate; nor shall service providers or assigned individuals at any time use such information to its/their private advantage. 

(h) When performing the services on AIMS RIC premises or at any location when representing the AIMS RIC,shall act in a manner consistent with the values of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences and shall abide by the rules of conduct set out in theAIMS RIC’s Code of Conduct (a copy of which has been provided by the AIMS RIC). The service provider acknowledges and accepts that any violation of these rules of conduct by it or any individual assigned by it to perform services on its behalf shall be considered breach of an essential term of this contract. 

(i) The obligations set out in sub-clauses (e), (f) and (g) above shall continue upon expiration or termination of this contract with AIMS RIC. 

• All documents should clearly state "For Academic Use Only" 
• Proposals submitted after the submission deadline shall not be accepted. 
• AIMS RIC reserves the right to reject any or all bid proposals or to cancel the bidding process. AIMS RIC does not guaranteeany contract because of this invitation. 
• IMPORTANT: All inquiries regarding the information on this RFQ must be submitted in writing to ricprocurementenquiries@aimsric.org
• No bid should be submitted to ricprocurementenquiries@aimsric.org

• After this RFQ has been released, contact between a Vendor and AIMS Research and Innovation Centre is prohibited, except for the aforementioned purposes. Violation of this clause may result in the rejection of the bid. 
• This is not a purchase order, and this document should not be construed in any way as an offer to   contract your agency.

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