2025-26 Emerging Markets Assessments: Brazil and Colombia

Request for Proposals

Situation: The Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) has received USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Emerging Markets Program (EMP) grants to perform Market Assessments for Wild Alaska Pollock products in Brazil and Colombia. GAPP has identified several constraints facing the U.S. Alaska pollock industry in the Brazilian and Colombian markets, including the shape and dimensions of Wild Alaska Pollock products cut from fillet blocks, and plans to overcome these by demonstrating the superiority of U.S.-caught Alaska Pollock over other whitefish alternatives.

Project Objective: Assess the current and potential market for Wild Alaska Pollock products in Brazil and Colombia to determine opportunities and recommend steps to overcome any barriers/challenges to increased Wild Alaska Pollock product consumption.

Program Specifications: The proposed market assessment should provide information on the following:

  • The size of the current whitefish block/fillet portion in Brazil and Colombia from a consumption standpoint;
  • The competitive whitefish landscape and the opportunity for Wild Alaska Pollock to disrupt the whitefish markets in Brazil and Colombia;
  • Perceive barriers to Wild Alaska Pollock consumption in Brazil and Colombia including the shape and dimensions of products made from fillet blocks;
  • The availability of further processing facilities in Brazil and Colombia that could conduct cutting, breading, battering or coating operations for Wild Alaska Pollock fillet blocks;
  • The opportunities for Wild Alaska Pollock products in the foodservice sector, specifically quick-service restaurants in Brazil and Colombia ; and
  • Opportunities to promote Wild Alaska Pollock products in Brazil and Colombia and ideas for promotional efforts that would be particularly meaningful to Brazilian and Colombian consumers including messaging around the quality, healthfulness and sustainability of Wild Alaska Pollock.

The market assessment should at a minimum include the following:

  • Executive Summary: An overview of key findings that will provide GAPP and its members with the market landscape, major insights and strategic recommendations;
  • Market Trend Analysis: A review of key market trends that are likely to affect whitefish and thereby Wild Alaska Pollock consumption in Brazil and Colombia to understand how consumer behavior and macroeconomic factors are impacting that consumption now and in the future;
  • Survey of industry: Conduct a survey of seafood industry supply chain members that will identify the following:
    • The respondents’ whitefish footprint including species and product forms sold;
    • Respondents’ familiarity with Wild Alaska Pollock including product forms sold;
    • The factors that drive respondents’ purchases of whitefish;
    • Respondents’ perceptions of consumers’ and customers’ perceptions of Wild Alaska Pollock versus other whitefish species, including respondents’ views on portions cut from Wild Alaska Pollock fillet block; and
    • Respondents’ suggestions on messaging around Wild Alaska Pollock that would be meaningful to consumers and customers in Brazil and Colombia.
  • Strategic Recommendations: A presentation of clear and actionable steps GAPP and its members can take to optimize market entry and growth in Brazil and Colombia which includes suggestions for ways to overcome any current challenges.

Contractor should also present to a designated group of GAPP members at the conclusion of the market assessment or during a pre-arranged event like the GAPP Annual Meeting.

 In-Market Timing of Work: 2026 Calendar Year

Proposal Review Timeline: The timeline for this next round of funding is as follows.

  • Proposals due: 5:00 pm PDT, Friday, January 30, 2026
  • Award announcements: Week of February 9, 2026

Project Requirements:  Geographic Scope: Global with specific emphasis given to markets the following markets: U.K., Spain, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and the U.S.

Funding Level: The total submitted budget for the Market Assessments must not exceed $68,000 U.S. dollars.

Proposal Submission: Proposals should be submitted to Ron Rogness at [email protected].

Proposal Submission Guidelines: All applicants must submit a proposal at or under the proposed budget by the due date and provide the names and qualifications of those that will be performing the market assessment.

Other Notices and Requirements: The Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers abides by all Federal laws related to Equal Employment Opportunity. GAPP also requires the following of its contractors:

  • GAPP contractors must also abide by all Federal laws related to Equal Employment Opportunity;
  • GAPP contractors are subject to and must cooperate with periodic audits by GAPP or agencies of the U.S. government;
  • Any and all costs incurred by contractor in the preparation of a proposal are the bidder’s sole responsibility and should not be included in the budget quotation or in subsequent billings to GAPP;
  • The award of the contract does not constitute authority to incur costs related to activities and such authority will only exist after a contract has been signed by both parties; and
  • No payments authorized under said contract will be made until the contract has been approved in writing by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

 For More Information

Ron Rogness, [email protected]

Director, Industry Relations, Partnerships & Fishery Analysis

Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers