Call for Expression of Interest - Consultancy for Research and Data Lead for a Feasibility Study on Rice Residue Aggregation and Supply for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in Vietnam

About SNV

SNV is a global development partner, deeply rooted in the countries where we operate. We are driven by a vision of a better world: A world where across every society all people live with dignity and have equitable opportunities to thrive sustainably.

To make this vision a reality, we need transformations in vital agri-food, energy, and water systems. SNV contributes by strengthening capacities and catalysing partnerships in these sectors. We help strengthen institutions and effective governance, reduce gender inequalities and barriers to social inclusion, and enable adaptation and mitigation to the climate and biodiversity crises.

Building on 60 years of experience, we support our partners with our technical and process expertise and methodological rigor. We do this in more than 20 countries in Africa and Asia with a team of approximately 1,600 colleagues. By being adaptable and tailoring our approaches to these different contexts, we can contribute to impact at scale, resulting in more equitable lives for all.

SNV has been working in Vietnam since 1995 and currently has over 70 national and international experts. SNV Vietnam implements projects in more than 30 provinces across the country, including the poorest and most remote areas.

About the Study

The aviation sector faces an acute decarbonisation challenge. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is widely recognised as the most viable near-term pathway to reducing aviation emissions at scale, yet its global scale-up is constrained by the availability of reliable, cost-competitive, and sustainably sourced feedstocks. Rice residue (straw and husks left after harvest) produced in vast quantities across the Mekong Delta of Vietnam represents one of the most promising and underexplored feedstock opportunities in Southeast Asia.

SNV Vietnam is undertaking a Comprehensive Rice-to-SAF Value Chain Feasibility Study to assess the technical, economic, environmental, and operational feasibility of mobilising rice residues at scale in Vietnam for use as SAF feedstock. The study covers 3–4 Mekong Delta provinces (including An Giang, Đồng Tháp, and Long An) and addresses five core research questions:

• RQ1: Current Use & Value Mapping – how rice straw and husks are currently used and the financial/agronomic incentives required to redirect them into the SAF supply chain.
• RQ2: Aggregation Bottleneck Assessment – localised logistical, financial, and infrastructure constraints to large-scale residue extraction.
• RQ3: Pricing & High-Integrity Benchmarks – delivered price ranges along the supply chain, benchmarked against ICAO/CORSIA standards.
• RQ4: Environmental Risk Analysis – soil health, safe extraction thresholds, and GHG modelling vs. the open-burning baseline (ICAO/CORSIA aligned).
• RQ5: Offtake Feasibility & Supply Modelling – Monte Carlo simulations of supply reliability, regulatory framework review, and contract precedent analysis.

The study will draw on a substantial body of existing data and evidence alongside additional primary data collection determined necessary during the study design phase. It will also convene a formal Advisory Group (international and national members) and incorporate structured government engagement. Final outputs include a comprehensive study report, executive summary, statistical analyses, data visualisations, and Advisory Group outputs, delivered by March 2027.

SNV Vietnam is now seeking a consultant to serve as the Research and Data Lead, acting as the principal technical counterpart to the Study Manager, providing methodological leadership on survey design, enumerator training, data collection quality assurance, and statistical analysis — including the Monte Carlo supply reliability modelling that anchors the study’s investment-grade evidence base.

Objectives and Scope of Work

The Research and Data Lead will serve as the principal technical counterpart to the Study Manager and the lead in-country methodological resource for the Comprehensive Rice-to-SAF Value Chain Feasibility Study. The Research and Data Lead focuses on the technical and analytical rigour of the study, ensuring survey instruments, sampling frameworks, enumerator preparation, data quality protocols, and statistical analyses all meet the standards required for a study of this ambition.

The Research and Data Lead will work closely with the Team Lead, the SNV Global MEL Advisor, the Study Manager, other Study team members, contracted survey firms, and academic partners to carry out the following activities:

• Survey design and instrument development: With guidance from the Team Leader, design and iterative refinement of all quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments — including farm household surveys, aggregator/SME questionnaires, key informant interview (KII) guides, and focus group discussion (FGD) protocols. Ensure instruments are methodologically rigorous, aligned to the study’s five research questions, calibrated to Vietnamese context, and structured to enable robust downstream statistical analysis (including Monte Carlo modelling).
• Sampling framework design: In partnership with the Team Lead and Global MEL Advisor, design the multi-stage stratified sampling framework for the study, including power calculations, stratification logic, and province-level allocation targets across the 3–4 target Mekong Delta provinces. Document all sampling assumptions and provide the analytical basis for scaling or adjusting samples during fieldwork.
• Enumerator training and technical preparation: Design and co-deliver the technical components of enumerator training — including instrument familiarisation, survey programming/scripting, use of digital data collection platforms (e.g., ODK, KoBoToolbox, SurveyCTO), interview technique, data quality checks. Work alongside the Study Manager for selecting and contracting the survey firm and managing the logistical relationship with the contracted survey firm, to ensure enumerators are technically prepared to deliver the study to specification.
• Data quality assurance during fieldwork: Serve as the principal technical monitor of data quality across the fieldwork period. Design and operate real-time data quality dashboards, review incoming data for logic errors, anomalies, and enumerator drift, flag issues for resolution with the contracted survey firm, and resolve issues with the contracted survey firm in a timely manner. Conduct spot-check field visits as required to verify data collection integrity.
• Statistical analysis and modelling: Lead the statistical analysis of all primary and secondary data, including descriptive analysis, cross-tabulations, price and cost curve modelling, and inferential analysis where appropriate. Design and execute the Monte Carlo simulation of supply reliability under climate, seasonal, and offtake scenarios (RQ5), calibrating input distributions against primary survey data (farm-level yields, seasonal variations, competing uses, and aggregator capacity).
• Data harmonisation and visualisation: Lead data cleaning, harmonisation across sources (primary survey data, secondary datasets, GIS layers), and the production of analytical visualisations for the study report, executive summary, and Advisory Group outputs. Ensure all analytical outputs are transparent, reproducible, and clearly documented.
• Technical inputs to reporting: Contribute technical inputs to the inception report, preliminary analysis memo, comprehensive study report, and executive summary — with particular responsibility for the methodological, sampling, statistical, and Monte Carlo modelling sections. Ensure that analytical claims are appropriately caveated and that confidence ranges are transparently presented.
• MEL framework support: Working under the direction of the Team Lead and Global MEL Advisor, contribute to the design and quality assurance of the overall MEL framework for the study, including analysis plans, data management protocols, and quality assurance procedures.

The Research and Data Lead will provide an estimated level of effort of up to 50 working days over the 7-month assignment period, from September 2026 to 31 March 2027. The role is Vietnam-based, with work taking place primarily in the Mekong Delta provinces (An Giang, Đồng Tháp, Long An) aligned with enumerator training, fieldwork monitoring, and validation activities.

Due Diligence Instructions

Due Diligence (DD) checks apply to individual consultants engaged by SNV for the provision of consultancy services. Conducting these checks supports SNV in managing donor funds responsibly, ethically, and in full compliance with relevant regulations. To apply, download the Microsoft Word Due Diligence and Vetting Form, click https://c.smartrecruiters.com/sr-company-attachments-prod-aws-dc5/58919688e4b0672cc03331a9/aad96d4c-3d4c-478e-8cc0-03bc9ed8e135?r=s3-eu-central-1

Eligibility and Qualifications

The assignment is open to individual Vietnamese national consultants who meet the following criteria:

• Vietnamese national with permanent residence in Vietnam (required).
• Advanced postgraduate degree (Master’s required; PhD desirable) in a discipline relevant to survey research and quantitative analysis, such as statistics, biostatistics, econometrics, applied economics, agricultural / environmental / behavioural economics, quantitative research methods, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years’ senior-level experience in the design and technical delivery of primary data collection and quantitative analysis for feasibility, market, or applied research studies in Vietnam, with substantive experience serving as the principal methodological and analytical lead on multi-source, multi-province studies.
• Demonstrated experience designing survey instruments, sampling frameworks (including power calculations), enumerator training curricula, and data quality assurance protocols for large-scale primary data collection.
• Strong methodological grounding in mixed-methods research design and MEL frameworks, including sampling frameworks, quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments, complex statistical analysis, interpretation, and reporting, and data quality assurance protocols.
• Demonstrated experience conducting advanced statistical analyses, including at least one of: probabilistic modelling (Monte Carlo simulation or equivalent), scenario or sensitivity analysis, econometric modelling, or supply reliability modelling.
• Substantive technical familiarity with at least one of the following areas relevant to the study: rice systems and rice residue / straw management; low-emission agricultural value chains; biomass, bioenergy, or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) feedstocks; agri-food supply chain analysis; or climate finance and carbon markets in Vietnamese agriculture.
• Working familiarity with recognised international sustainability and carbon accounting frameworks relevant to low-emission agriculture and SAF feedstocks (e.g., ICAO/CORSIA, Gold Standard, or comparable standards) is desirable.
• Prior experience in the Mekong Delta is strongly preferred, particularly in An Giang, Đồng Tháp, and Long An provinces.
• Strong analytical, writing, and editorial skills, including the ability to translate technical statistical outputs into decision-ready analytical narratives with clearly caveated claims and transparent confidence ranges (sample analytical products may be required).
• Advanced proficiency in statistical software such as Stata, R, or Python, and in survey platforms (e.g., ODK, KoBoToolbox, SurveyCTO), as well as MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Excellent command of English (written and spoken) is required to work effectively with the International Team Lead and international co-investment partners.

Submission requirements

Interested Individual National Consultants are invited to submit the following documents as per the instructions in this site.

• Letter of Interest
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) highlights relevant qualifications and experience.
• Completed Due Diligence Document: along with all required supporting documents. The form can be downloaded here:  https://c.smartrecruiters.com/sr-company-attachments-prod-aws-dc5/58919688e4b0672cc03331a9/a58278d6-17ea-4031-b318-dc65eefea7a8?r=s3-eu-central-1

Submission Deadline: 5:00 PM on 17 August 2026.

Selection process

SNV reserves the right to exclude any EOIs that do not meet the guidelines. Please note that SNV is unable to provide detailed feedback to those EOIs that are not selected.

Protection of Information

We request that the EOI responses be free of any intellectual property that the applicant wishes to protect. Should offerors wish to include proprietary intellectual property that they believe would be helpful for SNV, please note the proprietary nature of such information.

Issuance of this Call for EOI does not constitute a commitment, award, or engagement on the part of SNV nor does it commit SNV to any future commitment or engagement.