Terms of Reference (ToR) : For Consultancy Services on Soil Testing of Agricultural Land

Terms of Reference (ToR)

For Consultancy Services on

Soil Testing of Agricultural Land

Background and Rationale:

Rural Development Centre (RDC) Nepal is a non-political and non-profitable organization established on May 2002 with its head office in Rautahat District, Madhesh Province, Nepal. Since then, RDC Nepal is heavily engaged in humanitarian assistance, community development, conservation of natural resources, and environmental protection mainly in the Terai region of Nepal through the dozens of humanitarian and long-term development projects reaching out to the children, adolescent, youth, women, landless, urban poor and people living with disabilities, HIV & AIDS patients, conflict and disaster survivors from the poor families of historically marginalized Dalits, Muslims, Madhesi and Indigenous communities and other underprivileged groups.

Throughout its journey, RDC Nepal has been recognized by the Government of Nepal, Donor Communities, UN Agencies, many International Relief and Development Agencies for its achievements in transforming the society, for its good governance, inclusive operating structure, result-oriented development interventions and humanitarian assistance, which RDC Nepal considers its greatest strength to take the lead in the social &development sector across the country.

For creating greater impact of its program, RDC Nepal has been working on advocacy & influencing on Climate Change, Disaster Management & another relevant sector. Since April 2025, RDC Nepal has been implementing Oxfam funded “Building Community Resilience to Climate Risks & Vulnerabilities (BCRC) Project” at Chandrapur and Gujara municipalities, Rautahat district, Madhesh Province, Nepal. While implementing the programs, RDC Nepal believes to build climate friendly environment through climate smart works in all the aspects. Climate change poses significant challenges to communities affecting various aspects of life including agriculture, health and livelihood and many more.

To support evidence-based nutrient management and improve vegetable productivity, soil testing is required across vegetable farms. This assignment aims to analyze soil samples from 95 farmers and 1 vermicompost sample to assess their physical and chemical properties.

Objective:

The main objective of this consultancy is to conduct laboratory testing of soil and vermicompost samples to determine key physical and chemical parameters, providing actionable data to inform soil fertility management practices.

Role or Scope of Work: 

The consultant/laboratory will be responsible for: 

• Collecting the transported sample from the destination point delivered by the organization. 
• Conducting laboratory analysis of each of the 95 soil samples and the one vermicompost sample for the parameters listed below: 

Parameters for 95 Soil samples: 

1. Soil pH
2. Soil Nitrogen (Total or Available, specify method)
3. Available Phosphorus
4. Available Potash (Potassium)
5. Soil Texture (Sand, Silt, Clay percentage)
6. Soil Organic Matter (OM)
7. Electrical Conductivity (EC)
8. Calcium (Ca)
9. Magnesium (Mg)
10. Sulphur (S)
11. Boron (B)
12. Zinc (Zn)
13. Iron (Fe)
14. Molybdenum (Mo)
15. Manganese (Mn)

Parameters for 1 vermicompost sample: 

1. pH
2. Moisture 
3. Organic Carbon (C)
4. Total Nitrogen (N)
5. Total Phosphorus (P₂O₅)
6. Total Potas (K₂O)

• Ensuring quality assurance during analysis. 
• Preparing a comprehensive analytical report including raw data, interpretation, and recommendations. 

Deliverables:

1. A clear digital laboratory test reports for each soil sample and vermicompost sample. 

2. A summary report including: 

• Overview of findings 
• Methodologies applied for testing 
• Interpretation of results with reference to standard fertility levels
• Nutrient status classification (Low, Medium, High)
• Recommendations for soil amendments and nutrient management 

Timeline:

The complete set of assignment should be completed by the end of October 2025. Lab reports and summary report should be shared by 28 October 2025. 

Responsibilities of RDC Nepal: 

• Will collect the soil sample from the field. 
• Transport the collected sample to the nearest areas of laboratory via local transport service. 
• Review the lab reports and provide feedback incase required.

Consultant Qualification: 

• Registered and accredited soil testing laboratory 
• Proven experience in agriculture soil analysis
• Trained personnel and modern analytical equipment
• Capacity to deliver within stipulated time

Proposal Review/Scoring criteria

The assessment of the quotations will start with an assessment of the administrative criteria. That means that if these criteria aren’t met in your quotation, this quotation will be put aside, and the award criteria of this quotation will not be assessed.

The quotations that meet the administrative criteria will be assessed against the award criteria. The award criteria are assessed according to the following distribution of points. 

Reporting Line:

The consultant will report to Project Coordinator of BCRC Project, RDC Nepal.

Mode of Payment:

100% payment will be done upon completion of the assignment i.e.,

• Upon sharing the final summary report 
• Upon sharing the laboratory report of samples. 

Application Procedures:

Interested firm/companies/laboratories should submit their application materials in the detail below with statement of subject “Application for Soil Test-BCRC” by 14 October 2025. Hard copies of the application can be submitted to RDC Nepal Office. Application materials should include a copy of the following documents:

1. Company registration certificate with renewal 
2. PAN/VAT registration certificate 
3. Tax clearance certificate for the FY 2081/082
4. CV of the technical personal involve in soil testing
5. A duly filled with signed and stamped Quotation as attached with this ToR. 

Click here: RFQ for Soil Testing

By accepting these terms of reference, the selected firm/companies/laboratories agree to adhere to the objectives, scope of work, and deliverables outlined above. Any deviations or changes must be communicated and agreed upon in writing with Rural Development Centre (RDC) Nepal.

Rural Development Centre (RDC) Nepal 

Chandrapur-4, Rautahat

Contact no: +977 55 540203, 9865411833

Email: procurement@rdcnepal.org