Call for tenders CFT-2026-1 Provision of remote-sensing based datasets for project “STAR-FARM”

IRD is a French public scientific and technological institution under the dual supervision of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. For 75 years, its research, expertise, and training activities have aimed to contribute to the economic, social and cultural development of developing countries.

STAR-FARM is a 4-year project funded by the European Commission under the DeSIRA initiative. Its general objective is to facilitate Smart Agro-ecological Transformation of Agri-food Farming Systems (STAS) of the Vietnam Mekong Delta (VMD) and strengthen resilience to climate change, environmental degradation and other external shocks. A multi-stakeholder consortium including FAO, French institutions (CIRAD and IRD) and Vietnamese institutions (ISPAE, VAAS and CTU), under the leadership of the Government (MAE) represented by MAE’s International Cooperation Department (ICD), implements the project. STAR-FARM is expected to improve performance at the production system level, value chain level and territorial level. Throughout the development and implementation of the project, the driving processes will aim at reshaping the current agro-ecosystems by considering the focus at the landscape level, and by promoting gender-sensitive, sustainable agro-ecological value chains (AEVC), including agro-ecological farming system, which can mitigate the causes of climate change and environment degradation and improve the livelihoods of rural communities.

The objective of the hired team will be to provide remote-sensing based datasets that will be used to carry out a vulnerability assessment of the Vietnam Mekong Delta and to measure some of the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) that are defined in the project to assess the sustainability performance of agri-food systems.

The following activities are required from the successful bidder:

● Sentinel-1 data processing using a relevant and efficient processing chain. New Sentinel-1C and -1D data, recently launched by the European Space Agency, will be analyzed and compared to Sentinel-1A data for the sake of consistency.

● Using the new Sentinel-1 time series (Sentinel-1A, 1C, 1D) to perform rice monitoring over the Mekong delta. In particular, the bidder will map rice areas, rice cropping intensity (number of crops per year) and mapping of rice age, from 2017 to 2026.

● Extracting the mapping results over the provinces and districts of interest in Dong Thap, An Giang (formerly Kien Giang), and Vinh Long (formerly Tra Vinh) provinces.

● Proposing an accuracy assessment framework based on in situ data collected by local team. The bidder will then achieve the accuracy assessment.

● Processing of L-band ALOS2-PALSAR2 data provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) using a relevant and efficient processing chain.

● Processing of images from L-band NISAR (NASA/ISRO) launched in June 2025 using a relevant and efficient processing chain.

● Extraction of relevant backscatter and polarimetric indices from L-band SAR data to derive relevant indicators and build on and update existing detection method of continuously irrigated versus alternate wetting and drying (AWD) rice fields.

● Accuracy assessment of the detection method of continuously irrigated versus AWD rice fields using in situ data collected by local team.

● Monthly mapping results of pixel-based rice area.

● Monthly mapping results of pixel-based rice age.

● Yearly mapping results of rice crop intensity.

● Seasonal mapping results of continuously irrigated versus AWD rice fields.

● Validation methods and results.

● Delivery of mapping results: first results in July 2026 and updates until the end of the project in April 2027

● Final report (methods description and accuracy assessment) in April 2027

● Experience in SAR data processing.

● Experience in the use of SAR data time series to develop applications.

● Experience in rice mapping using remote sensing data is not mandatory but welcome.

● Experience in managing large volume of data.

● Working experience with multidisciplinary teams (in situ data collection teams, researchers, users)

● Proven reliability, responsiveness, rigorous organization.

● Creative team, offering original and rich content.

Only offers that meet the above requirements will be considered for evaluation.

The evaluation criteria are related to:

● the understanding of the requested mission (30%)

● the detailed description of the technical and methodological approach (50%)

● the proposed budget (20%)

The award will be made to the most technically, creatively and financially advantageous offer based on the weights mentioned above.

Applications must include detailed CVs of the team members, a detailed methodological proposal, a provisional timetable, and a price offer (flat fee).

Activities will begin in June 2026 and continue throughout the end of the project in April 2027.

The maximum envelope for this activity is 59 999 € (fifty-nine thousand and nine hundred and ninety-nine euros).

An advance payment of 50% of the total amount will be executed upon delivery of the first mapping products (July 2026) and the remaining 50% will be paid at the end of the project upon delivery of the final report (April 2027).

We will consider applications including a proposal with the following elements:

● Your understanding of the requested mission

● A proposal regarding the development of the activities listed above

● A presentation of the team involved

● A budget breakdown

● A provisional timetable based on elements provided

● Examples of previous projects on related topics

Applications should be sent in English, by email to alexandre.bouvet@ird.fr, as a PDF file entitled “STARFARM_CFT_2026_1_ApplicantName.pdf”.

Bidders can refer to the General purchasing conditions applicable to supply and service contracts awarded by the IRD: https://ent.ird.fr/share/s/irb8JFmUSRS-mv3hbUKQCA. In case of inconsistency, the present Terms of Reference will prevail over these General purchasing conditions.

The deadline for applications is May 15th, 2026; selected proposals will be invited for an interview during the second half of May 2026, with the final answer provided by end of May 2026.