RFP: Technical assistant to provide business development services (BDS)

Synopsis of the Request for Proposal (Consulting Firm)

TERMS OF REFERENCE

TECHNICAL ASSISTANT TO PROVIDE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES (BDS)

Background

The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) seeks to catalyze inclusive and sustainable Agriculture Transformation, creating an environment where smallholder agriculture is highly productive, efficient, competitive, and sustainable. AGRA’s vision to catalyze inclusive agricultural transformation in Africa by contributing to the reduction of poverty and increasing food security for 30 million smallholder households in Africa and supporting countries on a pathway to attain and sustain agricultural transformation.

AGRA has been working in Tanzania since 2006 supporting the government, private sector, and farmers to transform the agricultural sector from its subsistence form into market-oriented farming enterprise. In this process, Small and Medium-Sized enterprises (SMEs) have been instrumental in delivering productivity-enhancing technologies to smallholder farmers.

The Government of Tanzania, through President’s Office- Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG) is committed in strengthening agri-food SMEs   as part of the effort to stimulate agro-industries at the local level.   In this regard, PO-RALG created a US$25 million facility to enhance SMEs’ access to finance for various socio-economic endeavors.   However, to effectively utilize the available funds and develop economically viable businesses, SMEs need access to Business Development Services

Objectives

The overall objectives of this assignment are: (1) to build a strong pipeline of agri-food SMEs that have bankable business plans, (2) develop a framework for the government’s continuous support to agri-food SMEs.

Scope

The consultant will be expected to support PO-RALG Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Trade and Industries in the following strategic areas:

1. Designing and developing financial products that are appropriate for agricultural SMEs;
2. Designing guidelines on how to select beneficiaries of the local government funds for agriculture transformation interventions in relation to food systems;
3. Development of the selection criteria for the beneficiaries and putting in place mechanisms to support selected beneficiaries to succeed;
4. Building the business capacity of SMEs to be able to develop fundable business plans to be funded through the facility and other financial facilities;
5. Development of an M&E mechanism for tracking progress of this activity;
6. Development of sustainable scale-out models for government to sustain this innovation over subsequent budget cycles.
7. Providing coaching to assist selected SMEs to acquire skills on the procedures and requirements to access funds; and
8. Provide recommendations to the Ministry of responsible for local government systems on the approach for disbursing funding to beneficiaries;

Essential Requirements

Consulting firms submitting applications in response to this call must determine whether they meet the following requirements to be eligible for this assignment:

1. Minimum of 5-7 years of demonstrable organization working experience in similar assignments
2. Experience in working with government systems in three or more similar projects in the last five years
3. At least 5 years of work experience in the BDS field for small scale enterprises and financial service providers; in the agricultural sector or related sectors;
4. Experience working with SMEs in Developing countries. Experience in Tanzania will be an added advantage, preferably in evaluating business plans and developing performance improvement plans
5. Sound knowledge about enterprise development interventions and market system development approach;
6. Good analytical, negotiation, problem solving and decision-making skills;
7. Proven track record in developing business development strategy;
8. Working experience with managerial level of SMEs is an asset;
9. Experience in designing co-finance approach-based business models; and
10. Expertise on multi-stakeholder engagement.

Deliverables

1. Inception Report
2. Reports:
   • At least 2 new or adapted financial products for SMEs in agri-food systems
   • At least 184 SMEs with bankable business plans
   • At least 30 SMEs funded by PO-RALG facility or other financial institutions
   • At least 30 SMEs benefited from capacity building support including coaching to enable them acquire skills on the procedures and requirements to access funds
   • A set of selection criteria for Agri-SMEs to access the funding facility
   • SMEs development model approved and adopted by PO-RALG, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Trade and Industries
   • M&E framework to assess the graduation of agri-food SMEs
3. Final Report

Duration

The consultancy is estimated be completed within 60 consultancies days within 3 months

Evaluation Criteria

The selected consultancy firm to undertake this assignment will be evaluated using the following technical and financial criteria:

1. Organization profile and Organizational capacity – 10%
2. Technical Approach/ Methodology-20%
   • Brief description of the understanding of the assignment (3-5pages)-15%
   • Assignment Workplan- 5%
3. Relevant Experience in carrying out similar assignments – 30%
4. Key personnel (40%)
   • Team Leader-20%
   • Other Key Personnel-20%

Proposed payment terms

Below is the summary proposed payment plan for the assignment

Application submission requirements

The proposal should include:

1. Organization Capacity/ Firms Profile
2. Technical Proposal 3-5 pages
3. Detailed Workplan for the assignment
4. Detailed Curriculum Vitae of the key personnel (Team Lead and Other Experts)
5. Detailed reference list indicating the scope and magnitude of similar assignments carried out
6. Demonstrate possession of qualification and experience required

9.2 Financial Proposal

1. The firm shall provide a financial proposal as per the template provided.
2. The firm may also propose additional pricing options or modalities for consideration.
3. Price must be quoted in US Dollars (USD)
4. The Financial proposals shall include all applicable withholding taxes. If taxes are not mentioned in the financial proposal, AGRA shall consider them as included in the prices provided.
5. Neither technical nor financial proposals should exceed 10MB.
6. The financial proposal MUST be password protected
7. Reimbursable costs if applicable shall be quoted separately.
8. The financial proposal shall be submitted separately from the technical proposal and should be password protected.

Only the firm meeting the minimum technical score (75% and above) shall be requested for the password to their financial proposal.

Guidelines for preparations and submission of proposals

1. The proposals SHALL be submitted to procurement@agra.org by deadline indicated in the synopsis
2. The proposal and ALL Attachments submitted via email SHALL NOT exceed 10MB
3. VALIDITY of the proposal shall be for a period of 90 days from the date of bid closure.
4. Financial proposal shall be sent as a separate attachment and MUST be password protected.
5. Proposal must be provided in English Language

Download full RFP:
https://agra.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/RFP-149-PID-2021.docx