This project plans to hire a third-party institution to carry out research and application on new technologiesfor safe agricultural production of lychees under sunlight.

REOI

Country: The People's Republic of China
Project Name: IBRD Guangdong Agricultural Product Quality Safety Improvement (Demonstration) Project

Loan No.: 9213-CN

Assignment Name: Research and Application of AI-Based Digital Standardized Cultivation for Lychee

Contract No.: GDCS-018

Bidding No.0733-26083764

The Government of the People's Republic of China has received a loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to improve food safety management at the national and sub-national levels and to reduce food safety risks in selected value chains. The project is being implemented by the State Administration for Market Regulation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Province, and Shandong Province (Yantai City).

As part of this project, Guangdong Province plans to deepen the development of its agricultural product quality supervision system and leverage modern information technologies to achieve a smart management model for agricultural product quality and safety. Taking the characteristic lychee industry as a breakthrough, the province will carry out research on and application of new technologies for lychee agricultural safety. By utilizing cutting-edge information technologies such as drones, artificial intelligence, and big data, the project will collect, integrate, and analyze data on lychee growth and quality safety. This will enable precise identification of growth conditions, timely risk early warnings, and automated dispatch of agricultural practices throughout the entire lychee cultivation cycle. Ultimately, this initiative aims to make the production process transparent and quality supervision smart, providing comprehensive protection for lychee quality and safety. Furthermore, it will contribute to the realization of the "Healthy China" initiative and the Rural Revitalization Strategy, and help advance the modernization of China's system and capacity for governance.

This Contract utilizes World Bank loan funds to engage a consulting firm/consultant (hereinafter referred to as the "Consultant") for the research and application of AI-based digital standardized cultivation for lychee, with the aim of conducting research on the construction of an ecological planting system for key lychee varieties under targeted governance in Guangdong Province. Relying on new quality productive forces represented by cutting-edge technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence, this initiative aims to acquire precise agricultural information on a large scale and at low cost, thereby providing comprehensive protection for the quality and safety of key lychee varieties under targeted governance.

The implementation period of this Contract is 12 months, with an estimated total input of 36 person-months. The anticipated start date for the assignment is September 2026. Please refer to the Attachment for the detailed Terms of Reference.

Guangdong Provincial Center of Agro-product Safety and Quality (Guangdong Green Food Development Center) hereby invites qualified and interested Consultants to submit proposals for consulting services. Please refer to the Terms of Reference for the main scope of work.

Selection Criteria for the Consultants' Shortlist:

1.Capability to independently bear civil liability (Must provide a copy of the Business License or the Certificate of Legal Person for Public Institutions);

2.Sound financial accounting system (Must provide audited financial reports for the past 3 years);

3.Possession of the equipment and professional technical capabilities necessary for the fulfillment of the contract (A letter of commitment providing the supporting inspection drones and essential testing equipment must be submitted);

4.Good record of tax and social security payment in accordance with the law (Must provide proof of tax payment and social security contribution for the past 3 months);

5.Good business credit and sound business performance (Must provide a statement certifying no major illegal or irregular business activities in the past 3 years, and that the applicant is not listed on the "Credit China" website as a "person subject to enforcement for dishonesty," "major tax violation entity," or "entity with serious illegal acts in government procurement").

6.Track Record: Since January 1, 2021, and up to the deadline for the submission of the Letter of Intent for this project (determined by the contract signing date), the Consultant shall have signed at least one (1) similar performance contract. Similar performance contracts refer to technical consulting service contracts involving the application of drones, remote sensing, imagery, or AI intelligent recognition in agricultural research, or service contracts for research on intelligent and standardized lychee production technologies. (The Consultant must provide copies of relevant supporting documents, including key pages of the contract that clearly indicate the contract name, scope of services, date of execution, and the signatures and official seals of both contracting parties.).

Please note that the Consultant must provide all the supporting materials stipulated in the above "Selection Criteria for the Consultants' Shortlist," along with detailed contact information (including contact person, address, telephone number, email address, etc.). The Consultant shall solely bear the relevant responsibilities and consequences for any issues arising from incomplete submission or failure to meet the requirements.

Interested Consultants are advised to refer to the provisions regarding Conflict of Interest policy in Sections 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17, and the provisions regarding Eligibility in Sections 3.21, 3.22, 3.23, and 3.24 of the "World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers" (November 2020).

Consulting firms may form an association with other firms, but it must be clearly indicated whether the arrangement is in the form of a Joint Venture or Subcontracting. If the Joint Venture form is chosen, each member of the Joint Venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire Contract. Please note that every member of the Joint Venture must meet the requirements of the above "Selection Criteria for the Consultants' Shortlist".

The Consultant will be selected through the Consultant Qualification Selection (CQS) method as specified in the Procurement Regulations.

This Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) is published on the "World Bank Section of China Tendering and Bidding Public Service Platform" (https://bulletin.cebpubservice.com/bank/index.html) and "China Tendering and Bidding Network" (https://www.chinabidding.cn/).

For further information, please contact the Procurement Agent during working hours from September 2nd, 2026, to September 17th, 2026, between 9:00-11:30 AM and 1:00-5:00 PM (Beijing Time).

The number of hard copies of the Expression of Interest (including: specified supporting materials, a brief introduction of the company's basic information and business scope, and any other materials the Consultant deems necessary) shall be: one original and four copies in Chinese. Each copy must be perfect bound. In addition, the Consultant shall submit an electronic version separately on a USB flash drive at the same time as the submission of the Expression of Interest. The USB flash drive must be labeled with the Contract Number and the full name of the Consultant. The USB flash drive shall be sealed together with the original Expression of Interest.

Deadline and Address for Submission of Expressions of Interest:

Deadline for submission: 10:00 AM (Beijing Time) on September 18th, 2026;

Address: Bid Opening Room, 6th Floor, Guangren Building, No. 1 Guangren Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province.

Client: Guangdong Provincial Center of Agro-product Safety and Quality (Guangdong Green Food Development Center)
Contact Person: Ms. Wu
Address: No. 135, Xianlie East Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province
Postal Code: 510230

Tel: +86-20-87590235
E-mail: mailto:nynct_ncpzx_zhangsh@gd.gov.cn

Procurement Agent: CITIC International Tendering Co., Ltd.
Contact Person: Ms. Guo, Mr. Zhang
Address: Room 1811, 18/F, Tower 59, No. 59 Dongsanhuan Middle Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Postal Code: 100022
Tel: +86-10-87945198-503/504
E-mail: mailto:guoying@ck.citic.com; mailto:zhangfan@ck.citic.com

Attachment: TOR for the Consulting Services on the Research and Application of AI-Based Digital Standardized Cultivation for Lychee (Contract No.: GDCS-018) under the IBRD Guangdong Agricultural Product Quality Safety Improvement (Demonstration) Project

TOR for the Consulting Services on the Research and Application of AI-Based Digital Standardized Cultivation for Lychee (Contract No.: GDCS-018) under the IBRD Guangdong Agricultural Product Quality Safety Improvement (Demonstration) Project

To promote the organization and implementation of the agricultural product quality and safety research under the IBRD Guangdong Agricultural Product Quality Safety Improvement (Demonstration) Project (hereinafter referred to as the "World Bank Loan Project"), and to ensure the successful completion of the project in accordance with its objectives and schedule, the Guangdong Center for Agricultural Product Quality and Safety (Guangdong Green Food Development Center) intends to engage a consultant to conduct the research and application of AI-based digital standardized cultivation for lychee.

I.Background

In recent years, the domestic planting area and yield of lychee have continued to grow. However, as a major fruit crop, lychee has occasionally suffered from flower and fruit drop, yield losses, and even phytotoxicity incidents due to inadequate pest and disease control measures and improper pesticide application.

The primary challenges to the quality and safety of lychee production in Guangdong Province include climate variability and pest and disease outbreaks. First, climate variability has a significant impact on lychee production. Frequent weather fluctuations during the growth cycle, particularly heavy rainfall and low temperatures, can adversely affect critical growth stages such as flowering, fruit set, and fruit enlargement. Second, pests and diseases pose another major challenge. During the growth process, lychee is highly susceptible to pests and diseases such as lychee stink bugs and downy mildew. This often leads growers to apply higher amounts of pesticides for control, thereby increasing the risk of pesticide residues.

This project aims to leverage modern information technologies to achieve smart management of agricultural product quality and safety. In recent years, Guangdong Province has actively responded to national initiatives and achieved remarkable results in establishing agricultural safety credit systems, building credit databases, and developing credit evaluation mechanisms.

To further advance the digitalization of agricultural product quality and safety management, it is necessary to continuously strengthen the supervision and regulation of the production process. However, traditional production monitoring methods still face challenges, such as incomplete information collection and difficulties in providing timely risk early warnings. Against this backdrop, exploring the application of modern information technologies—including AI large models, big data, the Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud computing—to continuously improve the agricultural product quality and safety regulatory system has become a critical issue in this field.

II.Objectives and Tasks

(I) Objectives

1.Guided by the objective of improving the quality and safety management of agricultural products, this project will introduce advanced productive forces such as low-altitude drones and artificial intelligence to innovate agricultural production monitoring models. This will break through the limitations in the scope and timeliness of agricultural information collection, effectively enhancing the efficiency of high-quality agricultural development.

2.Establish a large-scale risk early warning mechanism for lychee cultivation. By analyzing the coupling relationship between topography and meteorological data, developing a meteorological data downscaling model, and conducting historical data mining and analysis, the project will achieve risk early warnings for lychee cultivation based on meteorological factors.

3.Promote green, ecological, and digital standardized lychee cultivation. By integrating crop phenotypes with meteorological information, the system will automatically trigger agricultural practices that result in low pesticide residues, and establish a model for remote expert guidance to achieve precise pest and disease control, thereby ensuring the sustainable development of agricultural production management.

(II) Specific Tasks

Against the backdrop of the continuous advancement in the digitalization of agricultural product quality and safety management in Guangdong Province, the research and application of AI-based digital standardized cultivation for lychee has become a crucial area of exploration, aiming to comprehensively enhance lychee cultivation management and quality safety assurance. The specific tasks include:

1.SWOT Analysis 

Summarize the current application status and existing challenges of new technologies, including satellite remote sensing, UAV remote sensing, ground-based sensors, and AI, in lychee production. Based on the actual conditions of domestic lychee-producing regions, and taking into account multiple factors such as policy, economy, society, and technology, identify specific points that require investigation and evaluation (e.g., cost-benefit analysis, user acceptance surveys, and technical reliability testing). Furthermore, ensure that this analysis provides a solid foundation for subsequent strategy formulation.

2.Develop Monitoring Specifications for Lychee Growth Status Based on Low-Altitude Sensing

Utilizing high-resolution phenotypic data of leaves, flowers, and fruits collected by UAVs throughout the lychee growth cycle, establish AI-driven phenotypic recognition algorithms. These algorithms will accurately identify the phenological progression, growth trends, and pest/disease conditions of the fruit trees. Furthermore, an adaptive data collection mechanism based on the recognition results will be developed to address the current challenges regarding the scope and timeliness of agricultural information collection, ultimately achieving real-time and dynamic monitoring of lychee growth status.

3. Integrate "Phenotype-Meteorology-AI" to Develop Digital Lychee Cultivation Protocols

Based on on-demand automated UAV flights that capture high-definition close-up images of crops, the agricultural phenotypic AI large model will automatically identify crop growth trends and pest/disease traces. Combined with meteorological information, the model will predict future pest and disease development trends and automatically trigger standardized, ecological pest control and agricultural practices that result in low pesticide residues. Concurrently, a remote expert guidance model will be established. High-frequency phenotypic images from intensive UAV flights will be transmitted to experts, who will remotely oversee the critical timing and dosage of agricultural operations. This will enable early warning and precise pest control, enhance the scientific nature and standardization of lychee cultivation, and facilitate the high-quality development of the lychee industry.

4.Exploration of New Technologies (Satellite Remote Sensing, UAV Remote Sensing, Ground-based Sensors, and AI) in Lychee Cultivation and Quality Safety

Focusing on the specific characteristics of the lychee industry, this task will conduct research on the adaptability of cutting-edge technologies. A multi-source remote sensing collaborative monitoring system will be developed to integrate satellite remote sensing (for large-scale growth assessment), UAV remote sensing (for high-precision localized monitoring), and ground-based sensor data (for soil moisture and microclimate), thereby constructing an "integrated space-air-ground" monitoring network.

Centered around the management requirements of the entire lychee cultivation cycle, quantitative indicators will be established across dimensions such as technological maturity, cost controllability, and scenario compatibility. Through this evaluation, technology portfolios that are highly adapted to the actual geographical and climatic environments of lychee-producing areas will be selected.

5.Develop a Technology Integration Scheme of "Data-Driven Decision-Making and Closed-Loop Execution"

Hardware Layer: Utilize a multi-UAV collaborative operation system. Low-altitude UAVs capture canopy data, which is combined with satellite remote sensing data for information inference. This system will dynamically allocate key areas for flight inspections, achieving layered, "unmanned" data collection in lychee orchards.

Algorithm Layer: Through a multi-modal data fusion and analysis engine, integrate phenotypic recognition models, meteorological risk prediction models, and agricultural knowledge graphs to output decision-making recommendations, such as pest and disease control priorities and optimal timing for agricultural practices.

Application Layer: Via mobile mini-programs or apps, provide functions including visualized early warning maps, agricultural calendar reminders, online expert Q&A, and integration with agricultural input e-commerce platforms.

Mechanism Design: Formulate the Operational Specifications for Digital Lychee Cultivation (covering data collection frequency, thresholds for agricultural operations, etc.), and establish a dual-tier decision-making mechanism of "preliminary AI diagnosis + expert review and confirmation" to balance automation with manual experience.

6. Effectiveness Evaluation and Economic Cost Analysis

(1) Multi-dimensional Effectiveness Evaluation

Production Benefits Dimension: Evaluate the timeliness of pest and disease early warnings, and compare key indicators between the experimental plots and traditional planting areas, including the incidence rate of pests and diseases, the proportion of premium-quality fruits, and the per-mu cost of agricultural inputs.

Quality and Safety Dimension: Monitor data such as the over-limit rate of pesticide residues, the completeness of traceability information, and the number of consumer QR code scans for queries.

(2) Economic Cost Analysis of New Technologies in Lychee Production and Quality Safety. Conduct a comparative analysis between the demonstration plots of smart lychee orchards utilizing these new technologies and adjacent lychee planting plots that do not use the technologies.

7. Promotion and Application

Construction of Core Demonstration Areas: Select more than two (2) demonstration bases for smart lychee orchards in the main lychee-producing areas of Guangzhou and Huizhou to achieve in-depth application. The demonstration application must last for no less than six (6) months. By integrating data collected via UAVs, remote sensing, and sensors with the models and algorithms of the information system, as well as expert guidance, a standardized construction scheme for "digital orchards" will be formulated.

Basic Requirements for Smart Lychee Orchard Demonstration Bases: The planting area must be no less than 250 mu. The bases must legally establish agricultural product quality and safety management systems, produce in accordance with relevant agricultural product quality and safety standards, and maintain digital production records for agricultural products.

III.Qualification Requirements for the Consultant

1.Capability to independently bear civil liability (Must provide a copy of the Business License or the Certificate of Legal Person for Public Institutions);

2.Sound financial accounting system (Must provide audited financial reports for the past 3 years);

3.Possession of the equipment and professional technical capabilities necessary for the fulfillment of the contract (A letter of commitment providing the supporting inspection drones and essential testing equipment must be submitted);

4.Good record of tax and social security payment in accordance with the law (Must provide proof of tax payment and social security contribution for the past 3 months);

5.Good business credit and sound business performance (Must provide a statement certifying no major illegal or irregular business activities in the past 3 years, and that the applicant is not listed on the "Credit China" website as a "person subject to enforcement for dishonesty," "major tax violation entity," or "entity with serious illegal acts in government procurement").

6.Track Record: Since January 1, 2021, and up to the deadline for the submission of the Letter of Intent for this project (determined by the contract signing date), the Consultant shall have signed at least one (1) similar performance contract. Similar performance contracts refer to technical consulting service contracts involving the application of drones, remote sensing, imagery, or AI intelligent recognition in agricultural research, or service contracts for research on intelligent and standardized lychee production technologies. (The Consultant must provide copies of relevant supporting documents, including key pages of the contract that clearly indicate the contract name, scope of services, date of execution, and the signatures and official seals of both contracting parties.).

V.Staffing Requirements

The Consultant shall ensure that the personnel proposed in the Technical Proposal are available to participate in and complete the assigned tasks. Should it be necessary to replace any personnel, the Consultant must submit a written request at least thirty (30) days in advance. Personnel replacement may only be made upon the prior written approval of the Provincial Project Management Office (PPMO). The qualifications of the proposed replacement personnel shall be no less than those of the originally proposed personnel.

V.Deliverables, Timeline, and Management

1. Deliverables:

(1)One (1) copy of the Project SWOT Analysis Report;

(2)One (1) copy of the Standardized Construction Scheme for "Digital Orchards";

(3) One (1) copy of the Digital Lychee Cultivation Protocol. Through the summarization and refinement of research outcomes, a scientific, standardized, and operational protocol for digital lychee cultivation will be formulated to promote the enhancement of lychee quality and safety. The protocol will cover phenotypic information collection, pest and disease control, and quality control;

(4) Application Demonstration: Relevant pilot projects will be carried out in no less than two (2) planting bases to empirically verify the feasibility and effectiveness of new technologies for lychee agricultural safety, thereby providing practical recommendations for subsequent promotion and application.

(5)One (1) copy of the Project Effectiveness Evaluation and Economic Cost Analysis Report.

The research report must be provided in both Chinese and English, with six (6) printed copies of each version. An electronic version must also be submitted. None of the reports shall contain sensitive information.

All data, reports, and their associated intellectual property rights generated from the fulfillment of this consulting assignment shall be the exclusive property of the Guangdong DARA. Other research outcomes (e.g., papers, monographs, patents, software copyrights) must explicitly acknowledge the support of this project.

2.Duration

The estimated implementation period for this consulting assignment is 12 months.

3.Supervision and Management

The consultant shall report to, and be subject to the supervision of, the Provincial Project Management Office (PPMO) and the Provincial Agricultural Safety Center.

VI. Support Provided by the PPMO

1.The PPMO and project implementation units at all levels will work closely with the consultant, designate dedicated liaison personnel, and provide necessary support, including relevant materials;

2.The consultant is expected to collaborate closely with other relevant stakeholders involved in this project.