Background

Purpose

The purpose of the consultancy is to provide professional advisory services to small-scale agricultural producers who are project beneficiaries in the field of greenhouse vegetable production. This will result in strengthening their capacities to generate income through the application of modern production technologies and good agricultural practices.

Objective

The principal objective of this assignment is to support small-scale agricultural producers with advisory assistance in the field of greenhouse vegetable production with a focus on production of tomato, pepper, spinach and other vegetables usually produced in greenhouses in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Consultant is expected to prepare training curricula and training material in PowerPoint that includes examples from current greenhouse agricultural practice and examples/proposals of new approaches and specific measures for flood mitigation and adaptation in agriculture.

Through group classroom-based trainings, individual field trainings and regular monitoring field visits to the agricultural producers during the period from February 2019 to mid-November 2019, the selected Consultant will guide the producers towards sustainable yields and quality products through the usage of modern agriculture techniques and good agricultural practices in the newly established greenhouses.

Background Information

The disaster that struck Bosnia and Herzegovina in May 2014 affected a quarter of the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina and approximately one million people, which is about 27% of the country’s population. Over 50% of local governments in the country were in some form affected by the event, with substantial damages recorded to the housing stock, infrastructure, vital service providers, and the country’s productive assets. The effect of the disaster on the most vulnerable merely exacerbated pre-existing problems and disproportionately impacted their lives.

In the aftermath of the disaster, the international community reacted swiftly, providing emergency and humanitarian assistance, as well as convening a donor conference in July 2014, pledging substantial funds for the rebuilding of the country. The first comprehensive recovery effort to hit the ground was the Flood Recovery Programme financed by the European Union (EU FRP), rolled out in August 2014 and spearheaded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, along with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Despite the intervention’s impressive outreach, with more than 610,000 people assisted, there remains a significant number of the most vulnerable yet to recover; UNDP estimates place that number at around 20,000 households that require further assistance in the form of durable housing solutions or livelihood support. With national and international recovery efforts winding down, the remaining caseload is largely left to its own limited capacities to self-recover.

Against this background and acting on behalf of the European Union as the principle donor, UNDP has been implementing a targeted recovery intervention across Bosnia and Herzegovina aimed at reaching out to the most vulnerable households within the most heavily affected communities. By the end of the Project, the following results are expected to be achieved:

1. Socially and economically vulnerable households, rendered homeless by the 2014 disaster, provided with new homes;
2. Socially and economically vulnerable households, residing in disaster-affected substandard housing, benefit from restored and improved homes;
3. Livelihoods needs identified, enabling tailoring of income generation support for housing assistance beneficiaries;
4. Vulnerable households benefit from a steady and sustainable income stream;

This Terms of Reference (ToR) focuses on the implementation of the forth Project objective and aims to help small scale agricultural producers to generate additional income for their families and develop new skills related to vegetable production in greenhouses.
These skills are the key to successful production process, and they are expected to have motivating effect on the farmers to further increase greenhouse production in the future.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Consultant will work under direct supervision of the Project manager to complete all activities in this Terms of reference.

Scope of work

Selected Consultant will be working closely with the beneficiaries who will receive support from the Project in the form of 100m2 green house with irrigation system, planting material, package of fertilizer and plant protection products and other agricultural inputs/small equipment.

An overview of the project beneficiaries distributed per municipalities is given in the table below:

• Gradiška:2;
• Srbac:8;
• Laktaši:5;
• Prijedor:1;
• Kostajnica:1;
• Doboj:2;
• Maglaj:2;
• Zavidovici:7;
• Zenica:3;
• Kakanj:1;
• Žepce:3;
• Travnik:3

TOTAL:38

The consultancy will consist of the following key tasks:

1. Technical assistance to the Project team;
2. Technical assistance to Project beneficiaries;
3. Reporting.

1.Technical assistance to the Project team:

• Provides a detailed work plan for 2019 planting season, prepared in close coordination with the Project team;
• Prepares training curricula and training material in PowerPoint that include examples from the current agricultural practice and examples of new approaches and specific measures for flood mitigation and adaptation in agriculture. Training should include all topics from soil preparation, planting, conducting all necessary agro-technical measures, to harvesting, past-harvest treatment, producing own seedling, record keeping, etc. While preparing presentation one should have in mind that the most of beneficiaries do not have any experience in this specific type of production and that is why it is important to guide them through whole process providing information on all technical aspects as well as challenges in this business;
• Supervises greenhouse installation that will be conducted by the selected vendor;
• Monitors and supervises the delivery of seedlings and all other agricultural inputs to project beneficiaries in specified localities including inspection of quantities as well as quality of delivered assistance.

2. Technical assistance to Project beneficiaries:

• Conducts classroom-based trainings in each municipality with 4 and more beneficiaries (three classroom-based trainings are expected to be held in Srbac, Laktasi and Zavidovici for 20 beneficiaries); in municipalities with less than 4 beneficiaries (Gradiska, Prijedor, Kostajnica, Doboj, Maglaj, Kakanj, Zepce, Zenica and Travnik) trainings will be conducted on-the-spot for 18 beneficiaries. All project beneficiaries should receive print outs of all training materials. Consultant is expected to deliver five training modules to project beneficiaries in line with prepared training curricula and topics.
• Inspects agricultural plots prior to the planting activities;
• Conducts field monitoring of all beneficiaries (minimum five visits per each beneficiary where the frequency of field visits will be defined together with the Consultant in the annual work plan);
• Provides technical advice to farmers in implementation of individual farm investment plans;
• Inspects usage and give technical advice regarding of all input supplies (greenhouses, seedlings, irrigation systems, plant protection and fertilizers);
• Practically demonstrates implementation of all agrotechnical measures required for successful and sustainable greenhouse vegetable production;
• Prepares proper documentation of all undertaken actions;
• Prepares proper documentation of issues that arise during the implementation of the sub-activities;
• In addition to the records that will be kept by the agronomist, it is also necessary for the beneficiary to keep records of the measures taken. Agronomist will prepare simple forms for keeping these records and regularly check if they are filled properly and in timely manner.

3.Reporting:

• Monthly interim reports for each beneficiary. These will be very concise reports detailing the activities, identified issues (if any), photos, records on field visits conducted and other relevant documents;
• Final report which includes projection of income generation from the agricultural activities in 2019 for each project beneficiary, value chain integration potential, recommendations and lessons learnt.

Deliverables/outputs:

• UNDP Project team will closely oversee the service provision of the Consultant.
• Expected timeframe for the service is February 2019 – mid-November 2019.

The Consultant is responsible for the following deliverables:

Task 1: Technical assistance to the Project team - 18 working days, 26%:

• Detailed work plan (2 days) - Delivery of the work plan including all activities that should be taken with the regards to the key tasks (timetable with the planned activities, the proposed means to achieve envisioned results, etc).
• Development of training curricula and training material (3 days);
• Monitoring of greenhouse installation, seedlings distribution and other inputs for project beneficiaries (13 days).

Deliverables:

• Accepted work plan - by 20 February 2019;
• Submitted and approved curricula and training materials - by 15 March 2019;
• Submitted progress report on greenhouse installation and seedling distribution for all beneficiaries - by 30 April 2019.

Task 2: Technical assistance to project beneficiaries - 50 working days, 71%:

• Delivery of group or on-the-spot trainings (20 days);
• Field visits (at least 5 to each beneficiary) and technical assistance to beneficiaries (30 days);

Deliverables:

• Submitted progress reports on training delivery after each training (including attendance lists, photos) - by 30 August 2019;
• Submitted monitoring reports for each beneficiary following each field visit - by 30 October 2019.

Task 3: Reporting (2 days) - by 15 November 2019, 3%:

• Final report (2 days) - Report on the delivered services together with lessons learnt.

Deliverables:

• Submitted final report- 2 working days- by 15 November 2019;

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by upholding the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UN;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, national and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

?Functional competencies:

• Knowledge in agribusiness and state of art agricultural techniques and practices;
• Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office and in the field;
• Ability to assist in implementation, monitoring and evaluation of agriculture projects;
• Good communication skills, both orally and in writing, in a clear and persuasive style tailored to match different audiences;
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and perform well under pressure.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education:

• University degree in Agriculture.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience;
• Minimum 3 years of proven experience in greenhouse vegetable production;
• Practical experience in providing trainings and transferring knowledge including the provision of technical assistance to farmers;
• Previous experience with an international public and/or private sector Organization would be considered as an additional asset;
• Readiness for intensive field work.

Languages Requirements:

• Excellent use of B/C/S. English language proficiency will be considered an asset.

Technical criteria (only those with minimum 70% of total technical evaluation score will be further considered for financial evaluation):

• Rating based on Qualifications - Maximum points: 20;
• Interview: Demonstrated practical experience in greenhouse vegetable production (50 points); Knowledge in agribusiness and state of art agricultural techniques and practices; Demonstrated practical experience in provision of trainings and development of training materials and brochures in the relevant area - (20 points); Demonstrated experience in providing similar services to international public and/or private sector organizations (10 points) - Maximum points: 80;

Long/Shortlisting Criteria:

• Relevant Education - max 15 points (10 points allocated for university degree + up to 5 points for master’s degree).
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience - points: 20;
• Minimum 3 years of proven experience in greenhouse vegetable production - points: 30;
• Practical experience in providing trainings and transferring knowledge including the provision of technical assistance to farmers - points: 25;
• Previous experience with an international public and/or private sector Organization would be considered as an additional asset - points:10;

EVALUATION

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis

When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
b) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

• * Technical Criteria weight-70%
• * Financial Criteria weight- 30%

Applicants are required to submit an application including:

1. Completed and signed the Offeror’s template Confirming Interest and Availability (please follow the link: https://popp.undp.org/_layouts/15/WopiFrame.aspx?sourcedoc=/UNDP_POPP_DOCUMENT_LIBRARY/Public/PSU_%20Individual%20Contract_Offerors%20Letter%20to%20UNDP%20Confirming%20Interest%20and%20Availability.docx&action=default);
2. Latest personal CV, including past experience from similar projects, and email, telephone and any other contact details for references;
3. Financial proposal proposal with lumpsum costs for required services (please indicate breakdown of costs including consultancy fee, travel and all other associated costs;

Please scan all above mentioned documents and upload as one attachment only online through this website.

Note:

• For an assignment requiring travel, consultants of 65 years or more require full medical examination and statement of fitness to work to engage in the consultancy.
• Due to large number of potential applicants, only competitively selected candidates will be contacted for remaining steps of the service procurement process.