Biotechnology Policy Advocacy

Conduct three workshops at a selected venue and three site visits to an agricultural biotechnology research center or a feed/food plant, led by international and domestic experts holding relevant academic credentials in biotechnology, agricultural sciences, biological sciences, or a closely related field. These activities will advocate against proposed anti-biotechnology legislation and policies in Colombia and encourage wider understanding, acceptance, and adoption of biotechnology among key stakeholder groups. Since 2022, Colombia has remained open to the adoption of genetically engineered (GE)-derived commodities and other innovative technologies and has implemented various regulations facilitating GE cultivation and acceptance. Nevertheless, anti-biotechnology influences risk undoing decades of progress in this space and threaten U.S. market access of key GE commodities to the Colombian market. While technical-level government officials favor biotechnology adoption, various activist groups have successfully lobbied certain legislators to reject the science and the concept of biotechnology in general. Over six consecutive legislative years beginning in July 2020, bills aimed at establishing “transgenic-free” municipalities, protecting farmers’ rights to save, reuse, and commercialize their seeds, and a GE seed ban have all been introduced in Congress. On November 2, 2023, Colombia’s Constitutional Court upheld a 2022 law mandating that the government take actions to protect indigenous land and native seeds and avoid risks derived from the release of living modified organisms from biotechnology processes. In June 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development published its legal review of the Court’s ruling and stated that Colombia will need to integrate new cultural impact assessments into the GE approval process. To address these challenges, this activity aims to: dissuade Colombian officials from adopting trade-restrictive policies or enacting laws that would hinder biotechnology development and prevent the adoption of new technologies, by presenting scientific evidence, facilitating access to updated technical and regulatory information, and highlighting the economic, social, and environmental benefits of biotechnology; facilitate Colombian academia's access to science-based information; and stimulate educator and student acceptance of biotechnology to facilitate knowledge transfer to Colombian communities and reduce, if not eliminate, anti-biotechnology perceptions. Please be aware that open Solicitations will officially published at SAM https://sam.gov/ and the U.S. Embassy Bogotá at https://co.usembassy.gov/es/contratacion/ The Government intends to award a Purchase Order resulting from this solicitation to the lowest priced technically acceptable list of prices. The Government may award the contract based on the initial offer without discussion. All contractors must be registered in the SAM (System for Award Management) Database https://www.sam.gov prior to contract award pursuant to FAR provision 52.204-7. Therefore, prospective offerors are encouraged to register prior to the submittal of quotations/proposals. The guidelines for registration in SAM are also available at: https://co.usembassy.gov/registrese-como-proveedor-de-la-embajada-de-los-estados-unidos-en-colombia/ Electronic Submission/Responses: Please e-mail your quote to the contracting office listed in this notice prior to the response date and time at BogotaGSOCompras@state.gov.