Request for Proposals (RFP): Translation of IRIF Farmer Training Manuals into Amharic, Afan Oromo, Kinyarwanda & Swahili - IRIF/PROC/2026/004

IRIF platform is a climate-resilient, AI-powered agricultural advisory solution being deployed by Birrama Digital Commerce PLC, in partnership with Farm Africa, with funding from WRI/P4G and cost-share contributions. IRIF combines low-cost soil and micro-climate sensor capsules with satellite data and AI-generated advisories, delivered to smallholder farmers via SMS/USSD, to improve irrigation decisions, input use, and yields.

As part of the roll-out, IRIF is producing a set of training manuals in English. This assignment is a distinct, subsequent piece of work: professional translation of the finalized English manuals into four target languages - Amharic, Afan Oromo, Kinyarwanda, and Swahili - to support roll-out in Ethiopia and planned replication in Rwanda and other East African markets.

Manuals to be translated:

• Farmer Training Manual — for smallholder farmer end-users of IRIF
• Development Agent (DA) and Extension Worker Training Manual — for government Development Agents and extension workers supporting farmer adoption
• Other Stakeholders Training Manual — for project staff, partners, and other non-farmer audiences

Applicants may bid to translate all four manuals into all four languages, or may bid for one or more languages individually. Companies and individual consultants are equally eligible, and may apply either for all languages or separately per language.

Deliverables: (1) draft translation submitted for technical review; (2) revised translation incorporating review comments on terminology, technical accuracy, and cultural appropriateness; (3) final proofread, print-ready manuscript mirroring the source layout, delivered in editable (Word) and PDF format. Final page counts will be confirmed once the English source manuals are finalized - pricing is per page rather than a fixed lump sum, so the final contract value is calculated from actual translated page count at handover.

Eligibility:

• An individual consultant, or a legally registered translation company/firm with a valid trade licence and TIN.
• Demonstrated professional experience translating agricultural, extension, rural development, or similarly technical material into the language(s) being bid for.
• At least two (2) references from prior translation assignments of comparable scope, with contact details, and/or a sample of a previous agricultural or technical translation in the relevant language.
• For companies: copy of trade licence, VAT certificate and TIN certificate. For individual consultants: CV and copy of ID.

Proposal must include:

• Firm or individual consultant profile, including years of experience and relevant sector background.
• Summary of similar previous assignments, with the two (2) references above.
• A short writing sample: an excerpt of a previous technical or agricultural translation in at least one of the languages being bid for.
• CV(s) of the translator(s) and reviewer/proofreader assigned, including working language pair(s).
• Proposed timeline and quality-assurance process (e.g., translation, independent back-check, proofreading).
• Financial proposal: a per-page price, in ETB inclusive of all taxes, for each manual and each language being bid for, valid for at least sixty (60) days from the submission deadline.

Proposals will be evaluated in two stages: first for eligibility and completeness; then, among compliant proposals, scored 70% technical / 30% financial. Awards may be made per language - different languages may go to different applicants.

How To Apply

Submit your application by email to bids@irif.world before August 15, 2026. Submissions received after the deadline will not be considered.

• Bidding for a single language: subject line "RFP IRIF/PROC/2026/004 – Translation – [Language]" (e.g. "...– Amharic").
• Bidding for all four languages in one submission: subject line "RFP IRIF/PROC/2026/004 – Translation – All Languages".
• Attach all required documents to the relevant email - incomplete submissions may not be considered.

Questions may be sent to bids@irif.world up to three (3) working days before the deadline.

Questions may be sent to bids@irif.world up to three (3) working days before the deadline.

Please note:

• Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. If you have not heard from us within four (4) weeks of the submission deadline, please consider your application unsuccessful.
• Birrama Digital Commerce PLC reserves the right to cancel, amend, or re-advertise this RFP at any stage, in part or in whole, without prior notice and without liability to applicants.
• Birrama Digital Commerce PLC reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals, in whole or in part, without incurring any obligation to disclose its reasons to affected applicants.
• Submission of a proposal does not obligate Birrama Digital Commerce PLC to award a contract to any applicant, nor to reimburse any cost incurred in preparing or submitting a proposal.