1. The Interelos Institute
O INTERELOS INSTITUTE It is a non-profit civil society organization dedicated to the development of socio-environmental businesses and value chains, focusing on productive inclusion, job and income generation with environmental respect, education, and community strengthening. It operates with a holistic and integrated approach, combining technical assistance, management, training, studies, and governance strengthening in Amazonian and urban territories through partnerships with cooperatives, associations, and training institutions.
2. PURPOSE OF THE TERMS OF REFERENCE
Hire a professional to prepare a technical and operational feasibility analysis for the installation of a community açaí processing plant in the Verde Para Sempre Extractive Reserve, with complete recommendations for future implementation.
3. SCOPE OF WORK
- To determine the production process and daily capacity.
- Specify equipment, utilities, and infrastructure.
- Estimate Capex and Opex.
- Map suppliers and deadlines.
- Define food quality and safety requirements.
- Specify the necessary licenses and adaptations.
- Propose a plan for implementation, maintenance, and operation.
Technical scope of the analysis to be performed.
The analysis should address, at a minimum, the following items:
- Equipment and utilities required: specifications, capacities, component list, electrical and hydraulic requirements, suppliers, deadlines, warranties, and training needed for operation.
- Layout and engineering: floor plan and flowchart; area sizing (receiving, washing, pulping, filling, storage, supplies, cleaning); ergonomics and segregation of clean and dirty areas.
- Process and capacity: steps, yields, cycle times, bottlenecks, and daily production capacity.
- To dimension and specify the unit's utilities, presenting calculation reports, diagrams, and bills of materials:
- Energy
- Load balance (motors, pumps, lighting, cold rooms/freezers) with simultaneity factor, installed demand and projected demand.
- Primary solution (local grid or generator) and backup solution (generator and/or photovoltaic with batteries), with power in kVA, battery bank and hours of autonomy.
- Contingency plan for power outages (procedures, shutdown priorities, automatic generator start-up).
- Protections, grounding, and single-line diagram in accordance with best practices and NR-10.[1].
- Water
- Source and estimates of consumption per stage (process, cleaning, hygiene), including minimum reserve for continuous operation.
- Guarantee of potability: proposed treatment line (pre-filtration, filtration and disinfection), monitoring points and parameters to be controlled (free chlorine, pH).
- Hygiene procedures and map of consumption points.
- Wastewater
- Separation of lines (process x sanitary) and estimation of flow rates/loads.
- Simplified wastewater treatment plant: stages, basic sizing and operation.
- Sludge disposal and sampling points, with reference to applicable legal requirements.
- Cold chain
- Thermal design of cold rooms and freezers: thermal load (product, infiltration, people, motors), target temperatures, cooling/freezing time and estimated consumption.
- Equipment specification (capacity, insulation, doors) and verification of thermal autonomy in case of power failure.
- Refrigerated transport: required capacity, thermal boxes/recyclable ice packs, door-to-door delivery time, and temperature control procedures.
- Energy
- Food quality and safety: Good Manufacturing Practices and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), sanitary barriers for açaí (heat treatment; time/temperature control), batch traceability, analysis plan and minimum instruments.
- Packaging, labeling and storage: products, necessary cold chain, shelf life and controls.
- Licenses and compliance: sanitary, environmental, electrical and fire safety; adherence to the Management Plan and agreement with ICMBio/local association.
- Works and installations: earthworks, flooring, drainage, electrical, lighting, grounding, ventilation, fire protection and Wastewater Treatment Plant.
- Personnel, training and OHS (Occupational Health and Safety): team sizing, competency matrix, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) by function, and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).
- Maintenance and spare parts: preventive plan, critical parts and service level agreement (SLA).
- Technical modeling: Required investment in equipment (Capex) and necessary operating costs (Opex)
- Risk analysis and mitigation for energy, food security, maintenance, and personnel.
- Implementation Plan: detailed schedule by phases, milestones (installation, commissioning, assisted start-up), responsibilities, necessary resources, list of prerequisites, risks and contingencies, testing and validation plan, and initial training plan to put the mixer into operation.
Methodology and method of execution
- Collection of secondary data and reference analysis.
- Field planning and information gathering protocols.
- Technical diagnostic visit (measurements, photographic records, collection of water samples when applicable).
- Interviews with local leaders, producers, and potential operators.
- Contacting suppliers, obtaining technical specifications and quotes.
- Sizing and calculation reports (process, utilities, cold chain, wastewater treatment plant).
- Preparation of SOPs and quality plan (GMP/HACCP).
- Technical-economic modeling (Capex and Opex).
- Workshop for local validation of results and final adjustments.
- Consolidation of the technical report.
Required qualifications
Training and registration (mandatory)
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering (preferably Food Engineering; acceptable degrees in Production, Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical, or Sanitary/Environmental Engineering with proven experience in food processing).
- Active registration with CREA and availability to issue ART (Technical Responsibility Certificate).
Minimum experience (required)
- At least 5 years of experience in food processing plant projects, focusing on pulps, beverages, or similar products.
- Proven experience in specifying equipment, utilities (energy, water, effluents), cold chain, and plant layout.
- Preparation of Capex/Opex, calculation reports and process flowcharts.
- Implementation of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) in small or medium-scale operations.
Technical knowledge (required)
- Basic electrical sizing and best practices according to NR-10.
- Basic concepts of NR-12 applied to machinery and equipment.
- Water treatment and ensuring potability; simplified wastewater treatment plant concepts.
- Packaging, labeling, traceability, and health surveillance requirements.
Field skills (required)
- Ability to conduct measurements, interviews, and technical workshops with the community.
- Experience in Amazonian logistics (river transport) and working in remote areas.
Availability (required)
- Travel and fieldwork as per work plan.
- Direct contact with suppliers for quotes and technical validations.
Desirable differentiators
- Residence in municipalities near the Verde Para Sempre Extractive Reserve.
- Prior experience with açaí or Amazonian fruit pulps.
- Portfolio showcasing similar projects delivered.
Those interested should send an expression of interest and resume by November 14, 2025, via email to wagner.donofrio@interelos.org.br
[1] Regulatory Standard “Safety in Electrical Installations and Services”
