Scope Of Work

Engagement of an ISO 9001:2015 Certification Body

Transforming the Assessment and Inspection of Food Businesses (TAIB)

Cairo, Egypt

Background: Land O'Lakes’ Venture37 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit helping communities around the world build economies by strengthening agriculture from farm-to-fork, helping businesses grow, and linking farmers to markets. Since our start in 1981, we have been leveraging nearly 100 years of expertise in dairy, animal nutrition, crop inputs and agricultural insights from our close affiliate, Land O’Lakes, Inc., a farmer-owned agribusiness committed to fulfilling its purpose of feeding human progress.

Our team is made up of nearly 350 employees who are committed to market-led approaches, and passionate about collaborating locally to create lasting inclusive economic growth. By unlocking the potential of agriculture for the last 36 years, the lives of more than 3 million people have been transformed through nearly 300 programs in more than 80 countries.

Project Description: The Transforming the Assessment and Inspection of Food Businesses in Egypt (TAIB) project is a seven-year $10M project funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that will expand domestic and international trade of Egyptian food products by supporting the establishment and scale-out of a new government entity, the National Food Safety Authority (NFSA) in Egypt. TAIB will provide technical and financial support to NFSA that is responsive to the evolving needs of the nascent regulatory authority. Assistance will be aimed at harmonizing Egyptian food law and regulations with international standards, implementing robust inspection systems, managing outbreaks, conducting science-based risk assessments, monitoring Egyptian food safety systems, and reducing foodborne illness.

Purpose and Objectives of the Assignment: In-line with TAIB’s mandate to improve the organizational and institutional capacity of the National Food Safety Authority (NFSA) in Egypt, TAIB is supporting NFSA to establish and implement a practical and effective Quality Management System (QMS) in accordance with ISO 9001:2015 standards. This QMS will enhance NFSA's ability to manage and monitor all aspects of its operations, fostering a risk-based approach and ensuring efficiency and consistency in delivering high-quality services. In this regard, TAIB is looking to engage an international qualified and accredited Certification Body (CB) to conduct a comprehensive certification audit of the National Food Safety Authority (NFSA) against the requirements of ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems. The audit will cover the relevant functions and processes of NFSA, aiming to assess their conformity with the international standard and recommend certification upon successful completion.

Main Tasks:

1- Stage 1 Audit – Documents Review: Initial audit to be conducted for the purpose of assessing the sufficiency and adequacy of documented information as required by ISO 9001:2015 standard.

2- Stage 2 Audit – Certification Audit: Certification audit to be conducted for the purpose of validating the compliance of the documented QMS procedures that covers the different processes and operations prepared by NFSA. Included are the following:

a. Preparation and submission of audit report detailing observations, opportunities for improvement or any-non-conformity to ISO 9001:2015 standards or documented procedures and suggestions on addressing the same; and

b. Issuance of ISO 9001:2015 compliance certificate valid for three (3) years.

Certification Body’s Responsibilities: The Certification Body (CB) is committed to conducting the Audit with the highest standards of professional ethics, competence, and integrity.

The CB shall adhere to the following general expectations:

1. Confidentiality: Maintain the strictest confidentiality regarding all information and materials acquired or utilized in relation to this engagement or the NFSA's operations.
2. Audit Planning: Develop a comprehensive audit plan, including a detailed schedule of activities for the entire duration of the engagement, as applicable.
3. Schedule Adherence: Adhere to the agreed-upon audit schedule and appointments. Any requests for changes or cancellations must be communicated with a minimum of one (1) weeks’ notice and are subject to mutual agreement between the CB and NFSA.
4. Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Provide transparent disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest and propose a clear approach for their resolution.
5. Audit Report Submission: Submit a comprehensive audit report following the completion of the certification audit and according to mutually agreed-upon timelines, as applicable.

Qualification and Competencies:

• The Certification Body must be accredited by or a member of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF);
• The CB must have experience of successfully certifying ISO 9001:2015 of at least five (5) Government Owned and Controlled agencies and/or agencies that have similar nature and functions as that of NFSA;
• Audit team should satisfy the following:
  • The lead auditor has a valid ISO9001:2015 lead auditor certification, and have at least five (5) years' experience as a lead auditor of ISO9001:2015 conducted for government agencies;
  • Consists of auditors with actual hands-on experience in QMS who are qualified to conduct audits in the name of the CB;
  • Auditors shall have a minimum of five (5) years’ ISO 9001 QMS auditing experience;
  • Have team members with actual hands-on experience on government agencies; and
  • Replacement of any team member shall require prior written approval from NFSA.
  • The audit team should be able to speak and write Arabic fluently.

Evaluation Criteria: All offers will be evaluated on the following criteria:

Technical Proposal 70%

1. Track record of the Certification Body (60%)

2. Qualification of the Audit Team - Lead Auditor/s (30%), and Audit Member/s (10%)

Financial/Cost Proposal 30%

1. Project Proposal/Quotation Cost

Reporting: to TAIB’s Technical Director.

Period of Performance and Level of Effort: The period of performance will be through September 30, 2025.

Application Instructions: Interested applicants should submit their proposals to Maanibe, Sydney at smaanibe@landolakes.com,and Amina Hassan at aahassan@landolakes.com with the subject line “Engagement of an ISO 9001:2015 Certification Body” by May 15^th , 2025.

The fee should be inclusive of labor only. Any travel costs (international airfare, lodging, per diem) associated with completing the scope of work will be arranged for and paid directly by Land O’Lakes Venture37.Land O'Lakes Venture37 will never ask you for personally identifiable information, and we will never request money or payment during the recruitment or employment process.

Land O’Lakes Venture37 is an equal-opportunity employer and an organization striving to help global communities thrive through agriculture. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status, among other factors. Our culture values a diversity of voices. So, bring us your unique experiences, your workstyle, and your dreams — they’ll only make us stronger.