Frequently asked questions
The questions we are most often asked before a purchase, in four groups.
Purchase and contracts
Do you respond to UN tenders?
Yes. SUCRECUBE Japon is a registered vendor on the UNGM (United Nations Global Marketplace). We respond to invitations to bid (ITB) and requests for quotation (RFQ) in English and French. The 147 units for UNICEF in The Gambia were won through this procedure.
Can grants or public funding be used?
We examine the options according to the project and the requirements of each scheme. Drawing on our experience with pilot programmes and contracts, we check which schemes apply and their application conditions. SUCRECUBE Japon has carried out deployments under pilot programmes and contracts of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and JICA. Selection is decided by each scheme’s own review.
What are the payment terms?
They are discussed case by case, because the procedures differ between international organisations, governments and companies.
Do you offer OEM?
Yes. We consider OEM requests for the TUMIQUI Smart Kit. Please tell us the intended use and the number of units.
Delivery
What is the lead time?
It depends on the project: the number of units, the configuration, the destination country and the customs procedure. A delivery schedule is provided at the enquiry stage.
How are shipping and customs handled?
For Senegal, the subsidiary in Sandiara receives the equipment and arranges customs clearance and inland transport. For other countries, the division of tasks is agreed at the enquiry stage, according to the customs rules of the destination country.
Is training included?
Yes. At delivery, the users are trained: teachers in schools, nurses in health posts, the group running a cold storage site. For fixed installations, training continues until the local team can carry out the operating and hygiene procedures on its own.
Warranty and maintenance
What is the warranty?
The TUMIQUI Smart Kit carries a one-year warranty from purchase. For cold storage containers and processing equipment, whose configuration varies, the scope and length of the warranty are set in each contract.
Who carries out maintenance?
In Senegal, the technicians of our wholly owned subsidiary TUMIQUI JAPON SASU, on site. In neighbouring countries, a local partner and our field missions. We do not do maintenance from across the sea.
Does the equipment work in African conditions?
Yes. The TUMIQUI Smart Kit has been in use in West Africa for more than five years, in heat, humidity and dust. The two cold storage sites in Sandiara run 24 hours a day on solar panels and batteries alone. Many products are not designed for these conditions. We deliver configurations that have been improved in the field.
Visits and languages
Can we visit a site?
Yes. The solar cold storage site and the kiosk in Sandiara, Senegal, can be visited by appointment. Visits to equipped schools and health posts are arranged with the agreement of the institution.
Which languages do you work in?
English, French and Japanese, for proposals, contracts, training and maintenance follow-up.