Request for Proposal - “Geological Consulting Services for Mineral Resource Estimation of Cobalt-rich Ferromanganese Crusts by the marine mineral resources investigation in JFY2025"

Request for Proposal ― “Geological Consulting Services for Mineral Resource Estimation of Cobalt-rich Ferromanganese Crusts by the marine mineral resources investigation in JFY2025” July, 24, 2025 SEKIMOTO Maki Executive Vice President, Metals Environment, Seafloor Mineral Resources & Coal Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) invites proposals for “Geological Consulting Services for Mineral Resource Estimation of Cobalt-rich Ferromanganese Crusts by the marine mineral resources investigation in JFY2025” (hereinafter referred to as “Work”). If you are interested in this request (hereinafter referred to as “Requests”), your proposal must be submitted in accordance with the following instructions. 1. Title of Work Geological Consulting Services for Mineral Resource Estimation of Cobalt-rich Ferromanganese Crusts by the marine mineral resources investigation in JFY2025 *Japanese Fiscal Year starts from April 1 to March 31 of the subsequent year. 2. Scope of Work The Work is part of a project which JOGMEC is entrusted with by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (hereinafter referred to as “METI”), and to conduct analytical work of collected data. Details of the Work will be provided in the Work Specification. Work Specification will be sent to Applicants upon request. 3. Number of the contractors to be selected One contractor. (Consignee) 4. Required Conditions for Applicants Applicants should satisfy the following conditions. (1) Basic requirements (a) An Applicant shall not fall under the paragraph 3 of JOGMEC regulation; “3: Those who 1are not allowed to apply for the tender” of the “Qualification of participation in competition”. (b) An Applicant shall not be currently under an order of suspension from participating in tenders as instructed by the government or any of the national government administrative organization. (c) The Applicant shall have received the Work Specifications. (d) An Applicant shall not disclose or leak to a third party any related technology or technical information acquired through the Work or in the course of the Work. (e) If the applicant is a Japanese entity or individual living in Japan, such applicant shall have the qualification of Supply of Service* rank of “B”, “C” or “D” under Unified Supplier Qualification as of 2025, 2026 and 2027, or those that can obtain such rank prior to the submission of the proposal. If the applicant is a non-Japanese entity, such applicant shall submit documents (e.g. financial statements) that demonstrate its sound financial condition to guarantee the implementation of the Work. *Unified Supplier Qualification | EU-Japan (f) A consignee shall not consign, subcontract, nor outsource (hereinafter “consignment”) material part of its plan, proposal, nor its execution. (This condition shall apply to the consignee, and to all its sub-consignees). (Note: the word consignment is used as general term to consignment of any kind) (g) If any part of this Work is consigned to anyone, an applicant shall not use the reason of being an affiliated group entity as a valid qualification for such consignment. (This condition shall apply to the consignee, and to all its sub-consignees) Definition of affiliated group entity are as follows: • Stock company, etc.: “membership company” defined in article 2.3.22 of the Regulations on Corporate Accounting（Ministry of Justice Order No. 13 of 2006） • Incorporated association, etc.: “subsidiary” defined in article 2.4, and “member” defined in chapter 2 section 2 of the Act on General Incorporated Associations and General Incorporated Foundations. • General incorporated foundations etc.: “subsidiary” defined in article 2.4, and “councilor” defined in chapter 3 section 2 in the Act on General Incorporated Associations and General Incorporated Foundations. (h) If part of the Work is consigned, and the monetary amount of such consignment is more than 50% of the total amount of this contract (including consumption tax and local tax), a reasonable explanation for such consignment should be attached to the proposal. (This condition shall apply to the consignee, and to all its sub-consignees). (i) This Work shall conform to the accounting audit carried out by JOGMEC or by METI, 2from time to time. (j) After the contract has been executed and after the Work has been completed, METI will disclose the information on Work management structure (including but not limited to, name of the contractor, its address, amount of the contract, and scope of Work), on METI Website. A successful applicant is required to agree to such discloser. The degree and extent of such discloser will be determined by consultation between JOGMEC and METI. (2) Technical requirements (a) An Applicant should have an expertise and experience of study and work required to carry out the Work; (b) An Applicant should have experience of implementation and support of exploration / mineral res