Antecedentes

1 Background & Project Description

In line with its Private Sector and Foundation Strategy, UNDP is becoming increasingly well positioned to support innovative approaches of inclusive market and business development, engaging with the private sector and other stakeholders to improve opportunities for the poor to participate in markets as producers, suppliers, employees, or consumers. Through the support of the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi), the proposed “Empowering West African Women- SMEs in the Rice Value Chains” (hereafter referred to as EWASME) the Program will address: 

•  Financial constraints: The cost of borrowing from commercial banks and microfinance institutions (MFIs) in the countries is high (typically over 20% per annum) and thus prohibitive for most of the women owned/led small and medium enterprises (WSMEs) let alone the women owned/led very small enterprises(WVSEs) to access financing, as well as additional challenges associated with the lack of guarantors and collaterals required by the financial institutions; 
• Non-financial (Business Development Service) constraints: These are related to several factors, most notably women’s low financial and business management skills and ability to develop and manage sustainably profitable agribusinesses, in addition to the cultural and regulatory frameworks that hinder their access to resources and assets and, market access, 
•  Poor links to existing private sector-led value chains that could address constraints on both the input and output markets. 

With these three interlinked challenges driving the Theory of Change (ToC) of the EWASME Program, which underscores the importance of addressing them in order to empower WSMEs and WVSEs through effective engagement in sustainable rice value chains in West Africa.

To this end, the EWASME Program will leverage on the financial and programmatic framework of the Islamic Development Bank’s (IsDB) 5-year Regional Rice Value Chain Program (RRVCP) approved in 2018. The EWASME Program will be implemented in four of the RRVCP countries (Guinea, Niger, Senegal and Sierra Leone), and it will provide targeted support to WSMEs and WVSEs to address the three main constraints they face in increasing their profit revenue, upgrading and diversifying their economic activities within the rice value chain. This way, a synergy is created that will result in a “win-win” for both programs. 

The EWASME Program will target 500 WSMEs and 500 WVSEs across the four countries. EWASME will also utilize the grant transitional matching scheme to address the challenges of lending from the financial institutions to WSMEs and WVSEs. In addition, the Program will help improve the enabling environment of women to engage effectively in entrepreneurial activities. Specifically, it will support the rice value chain development by helping to increase market access and contributing to financial sustainability for the WSMEs and WVSEs in the target countries. This will have both direct and indirect impact on actors of the RRVCP

Deberes y responsabilidades

The total consultancy will require 40 working days over 4-5 months. Summary of key deliverables (expected # of days required):

The expert will be responsible for the following deliverables:

• Develop inception report on implementation of deliverables and required TORs for the project setup phase – 5 days
•  Provide guidance and draft review as needed on the Rice Value Chain Assessment which will be conducted by a consulting firm– 5 days
• Developing a draft detailed regional project document that includes regional and the country windows with budget and timelines (along with all related annexes such as M&E Framework, Results and resource framework, risk log). The assessment will be a key input into the project document – 20 days
•  Prepare and lead Validation workshops and Finalize Project Document with related annexes based on comments and feedback from validation workshops   –10 days.

The project document will be expected to:

• Identify gaps and opportunities for synergetic action among the four West African country projects (Guinea, Niger, Senegal and Sierra Leone);
• Identify opportunities and constraints at country level
•  inspire cross border collaborative efforts to share knowledge; 
• led to outcomes that maximize their individual and collective transformative impacts. 

Given that the project will need to demonstrate unique value proposition, including the need to address the key issues on the women economic empowerment within all the rice value chain activities, special attention should be given to access to market, relevant matching financing, local processing, distribution and logistics solutions. The prospective consultants are expected to share details in their approach to conducting a landscape/situational analysis that leads to them making sound recommendations. Below are some of the key talking points/areas the detailed approach shall address: 

a  Primary and Secondary Data review

There is a need to highlight the data collecting methodology, before the actual data are collected for analysis. Key data to be used will be on current and historical commodity market trends and financial innovations, in terms of the demand and supply; existing localized value addition opportunities; tested and scalable agribusiness models as well as logistical innovative services – in terms of their constraints and opportunities. These analysis may also address supply chains and the value chain supporting function, in terms of regulatory instruments and policies.

b. Identify key players, institutional framework and project support systems/networks

The agribusiness export will identify and document all the key players already functioning within the value chains as well as their respective capacity, roles and experience in the areas of marketing, value chain activity finance, creation of enabling environment and agro-processing on regional and country level. In plus of those active players, the knowledge producers as research centers , and others partners have to be identified so a clear overview of stakeholders matrix can be provided.  The objective is to illustrate how the value chain actors and secondary players are linked and can be linked while ensuring sustainable enviro-socio-economic use of natural resources

c. Recommendations 

This section will outline logical ways through which the expert will rank or score or prioritise emerging interventions. For example, Sustainability, Impact and Ease of Implementation. The resultant implementing plan must incorporate have each of the following components:

• Capacity development support
• Business upgrading and Grants
• Value chain development, including greening and improved market access

Enabling environment

Program management support

2 Institutional arrangement / Reporting Relationships 

• he consultant will report only to the UNDP, primarily to the lead of the RVC Rice Value Chain
•  The consultant will report regularly via email and skype calls to the Task Manager(s) assigned by the RVC Lead
• The Consultant will closely interact with the other consultants hired as part of the program preparation team and UNDP staff members;
• The consultant will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment; 
•  The Consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own working station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, etc.) and must have access to reliable internet connection; 
• Given the global consultations to be undertaken during this assignment, particularly with Government/UNDP, the consultant is expected to be reasonably flexible with his/her availability for such consultations taking into consideration different time zones;
• Payments will be made monthly upon submission of a detailed time sheet (including deliverables and their timely execution) and certification of payment form, and acceptance and confirmation by the supervisor on days worked (with “a day” calculated as 8 hours of work) and outputs delivered.

Competencias

Functional Competencies:

• Project Management: Ability to plan, organize, and control resources, procedures 
•  Planning, Budgeting, Reporting: Create work plans, manage and monitor, analyses and; derive relevant findings and present them in a meaningful manner
• Private sector and value chains:  Understanding of role of private sector in agriculture and inclusive growth, agricultural value chain greening.
•  Knowledge Management: Ability to capture, develop, share and effectively use information and knowledge.

Core Competencies:

• Leadership: Ability to engage the wide array of value chain actors, discuss issues relating to the rice value chain in the context of how they relate to these and have their buy-in.
• Analytical: Ability to measure, identify challenges and improve performance.
• Communication Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform.
• Delivery Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement.
• Coordination Ability

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education and Working Experience

•  Master’s degree in project management, agrobusiness, business, economics, development studies or related field is required.
•  Minimum of eight (8) years of relevant progressive experience in is required.
• Experience in project development and project management in general 
• Experience working with private sector in Africa as well as value chains(in particular, SMEs in financial sector, markets and manufacturing) is desirable. Agricultural value chains is required.
• Hands on work experience in project design, monitoring and reporting in developing countries in general and Africa is desirable.
• Knowledge of gender issues
•  Working experience in an international organization, and knowledge of UNDP policies, procedures and practices are advantageous

Language Requirements

•  Proficiency in the English and French language

Evaluation/Selection Criteria  

Proposals will be selected based on:

• Evidence of the researcher’s in-depth knowledge of the agribusiness sector;
• Skills in project formulation and implementation, negotiation, business and financial modelling, policy analysis, familiar with project log frames, research methodology;
•  Previous studies, assignments and written publications in this or relevant fields;
•  Experience in Africa
• Clarity of analysis and written expression;
•  Fluency in French and English required

Submission of proposals :

With reference to the TOR, the consultancy candidate should submit a proposal containing the following:

The technical proposal to:

• Clearly demonstrate the consultant’s understanding of the assignment and experience supported by verifiable evidence of having undertaken assignments of similar scope (provide a minimum of one sample of similar work done for other organizations in the last three years)
•  Detailed Curriculum Vitae including three references

Required documents :

• CV or P11  especially including your experience on similar assignments and indicating at least 3 (three) references.
• A technical proposal and a financial proposal that indicates the total cost of the mission including all associated expenses. 

a. Technical and Financial proposal

With reference to the TOR, the consultancy candidate should submit a proposal containing the following:

The technical proposal to:

• Clearly demonstrate the consultant’s understanding of the assignment and experience supported by verifiable evidence of having undertaken assignments of similar scope (provide a minimum of one sample of similar work done for other organizations in the last three years)
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae including three references
• The financial proposal to: Be in US Dollars
• the password protected and sent as a separate document from the technical proposal. Password’s will be requested from those who attain the set minimum technical score
•  Include a clear breakdown of all costs as follows:

Consultancy fees, all inclusive, and proposed payment instalment per deliverable.

Evaluation
The evaluation of the bids takes place in two stages. The evaluation of the technical proposals is completed before the opening and comparison of the financial proposals.

The contract will be awarded to the Consultant with the best combined score (70/30 percent price/quality ratio, based on cumulative evaluation).

Technial evaluation 

Proposals will be evaluated as table below:

Consultant work experience relevant to the assignment ( 40 points)

• General experience (15 points): possess a solid experience of at least 4 years in the implementation of (regional) programs and projects related to governance and peacebuilding aspects in West and Central Africa and in the Sahel region with concrete achievements.
•  Specific experience (15 points): proven expertise in the coordination and co-creation of strategic interagency and other partnerships on issues of sustainable development and governance. Good qualifications required in strategic planning, project management and analysis.
• Experience working in the area of governance and peacebuilding with the United Nations System in West and Central Africa and the Sahel region (10 points)

Compliance of the proposed work plan and method with the TOR (30 points)

• Completeness: 5 points
• Relevance of the proposed method: 15 points
•  Coherence of the work plan (deadline and work plan): 10 points

Qualifications and skills required (30points)

•  Diplomas: 15 points
• Additional professional trainings: 5 points
• Specific skills related to the subject area: 05
• Languages (05)

Please send your proposals (technical and financial proposals) duly signed to the e-mail address Rcd.soumissions@undp.org with mention of the reference and title of the file. Your proposal must be received no later than june 26, 2021 at 11 : 30 AM (UTC)