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Associations & cooperatives Development Consultant
About Shelter for Life International
SFL is an international non-governmental organization, with its headquarters in Minnetonka, Minnesota, United States of America, and has been working in developing countries around the world since 1979. SFL works in more than fifteen countries around the world, guided by its philosophy of “restoring life by rebuilding communities”. SFL provides emergency services in case of disaster or conflict, undertakes infrastructure reconstruction activities after such events, and provides micro finance products to support economic growth. SFL has helped millions of people by building or rehabilitating infrastructure as varied as temporary shelters, production roads, irrigation systems, schools, market infrastructure, etc. The NGO has also provided significant funding through thousands of micro-loans to help ease access to finance urgent needed funds to grow smallholders’ production and business activities. SFL seeks an experienced professional for the position of Associations and Cooperatives Development Consultant, to be based in Ziguinchor.
Under USDA/FAS Food For Progress (FFPr) program, Shelter For Life (SFL) is implementing a six-year project called “Linking Infrastructure, Finance and Farms to Cashew” (LIFFT-Cashew) in Senegal, the Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau (SeGaBi) with the goal to develop and upgrade value chain linkages necessary to support an integrated, regional trade network for the cashew value chain.
The LIFFT-Cashew Project aims to achieve three main objectives:
- Increase or maintain the quality of Raw Cashew Nuts (RCN)
- Increase the processing of RCN within the SeGaBi region
- Promote the collective sales of RCN
CMA (Cashew Marketing Associations) approach
The CMA (Cashew Marketing Associations) department as part of Market Access component of the LIFFT-Cashew program will lead activities to understand producers and their challenges, guide them through the process of establishing and growing a viable CMA, and coordinate their access to training and resources needed for growth and stability. USDA and other donors have invested in improving the productivity of the land as well as the establishment of producer groups in the region. But working with small, individual producer organizations to secure reliable sources of RCN is still difficult and time consuming for processors and other buyers. To provide a sufficient supply of RCN to meet demand, allow processing plants to function at full capacity, and also strengthen bargaining power for producers, SFL will take the further step of organizing existing producer groups into CMAs. It is closely tied to a number of other activities, including Infrastructure, Access to Finance, Trade Promotion, Policy, as well as Agriculture and LIFFT-Up.
Scope of work
In order to achieve the objectives of the assignment, consultant will:
1. Desk Research
Project will provide all documents related to assignment including main project documents, developed plans and manuals, SCOPE-Insight assessment of Assosiations/Cooperatives, results of the past years. It is expected that consultant will:
- Assess the current situation of Assosiations/Cooperatives,
- Identify existing obstacles and challenges for development
- Map the existing Assosiations/Cooperatives in SeGaBi region.
- Analyze existing rules and regulations regarding Assosiations/Cooperatives.
- Analyze needs and gap for the development of Assosiations/Cooperatives.
2. Interview of project staff
Consultant will conduct interview with project staff (Cashew Marketing Associations, Trade Promotion, Agriculture, Access to Finance, Policy, LIFFT-Up platform officers and Assosiations/Cooperatives coaches) about activities in the field and will identify challenges and opportunities. May ask from Assosiations/Cooperatives and their members, Government agencies, partners and other stakeholders additional information about Assosiations/Cooperative development and movement in the country. Interview will be based on questionnaire which will be developed and shared with project management in advance. If required, project can organize online meetings with other actors of the value chain (Assosiations/Cooperatives, processors, Government agencies).
3. Preparation of first draft strategy
Based on the collected information and conducted interviews, Consultant will develop draft strategy and share with project. Project in consultation with Consultant can share this draft to cashew sector stakeholders for review and discussion.
4. Mission to SeGaBi
Prior to visit to Senegal, Gambia and Guinea-Bissau, Consultant will develop a list of stakeholders to visit and agree with project. Project will organize all logistics and arrange all meetings. During the visit, Consultant will meet with stakeholders to discuss draft strategy to confirm priorities and action plan during the next 3 years.
5. Finalize Assosiations/Cooperatives development strategy
After visit to the field, upon return to home, Consultant will include all recommendations and results of the discussion with various stakeholders and submit final strategy for approval of the project.
Deliverables
All written documentation is to be submitted in English using Microsoft Word. The main body of all reports should be written in simple, non-technical language, with any technical material being presented in annexes. All primary data collected and analysis conducted for the purpose of the study will remain the property of SFL and must be submitted electronically and in a clear and comprehensible.
For this assignment Consultant will be responsible for the following deliverables:
| Activity | Deliverables | Estimated timeframe | Payment |
| Signing contract |
| 20% after the signing contract | |
|
| 3 days | 30% after the submission of the first draft |
|
| 2 days | |
|
| 3 days | |
|
| 10 days | 30% after the submission of the field mission report |
|
| 2 days | 20% after the submission of final strategy |
Managament and implementation Responsabilities
LIFFT-Cashew Project will provide:
- Guidance and technical support as required throughout the assignment;
- Copies of all relevant background information (main project documents, SCOPE-Insight assessments of participating producer organizations, draft training curriculum, draft Assosiations/Cooperative development roadmap and strategy)
- A list of Assosiations/Cooperatives and associations engaged with project;
- Conduction of all data collection according to request of consultant
- Transport to/from Senegal and any living/accommodation expenses incurred.
The consultant will be responsible for:
- Developing a detailed methodology of research;
- Developing a detailed Work plan with mentioning the activity and timeline.
- Finalizing all the data collection tools (questionnaires, survey forms);
- Data analysis and reporting in a clear and accessible format after submission from field;
- Providing comments on training plan, capacity building strategy, project strategy
- Regular progress reporting to the Market Access manager, including responding to any comments or technical inputs wherever reasonable;
- Production of deliverables within the agreed timeline and in accordance with quality requirements;
Expected timeline for this assignment is August-September 2021 and duration of assignment is not more than 20 days.
The contractor will be directly supervised and evaluated by the SFL Market Access Manager and DCOP/COP.
Qualification Criteria
The following qualifications are preferred in the evaluator(s):
- Expertise/Experience in Agriculture, Rural Development, and Agribusiness Supply Chains
- Expertise/Experience in Assosiations/Cooperative development with at least 2 similar assignments performed in the last 5 years on strategy development, policy improvement and Assosiations/Cooperative strengthening;
- Proposed methodology and work plan basing on the terms of references
- Knowledge of USDA Food for Progress (FFPr) programs
- Ability and experience to lead multi-disciplinary and national teams, and deliver quality reports within the given time;
- Familiarity with Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Gambia or other countries in West Africa is an asset; and
- Excellent in human relations, coordination, planning and team work
- Fluency in English, and work knowledge of French, and Portuguese (knowledge of local languages would be an advantage).
- Excellent report writing abilities.
- Evidence of qualifications. CV with latest achievements should be submitted.
Technical Evaluation Criteria (60%) and Financial 40%
| No. | Criteria | Weight score |
| 1 | Experience/expertise of the consultants(s) specifically related to the assignment | 40 |
| 2 | Adequacy of the methodology and the proposed work plan in responding to the ToRs | 30 |
| 3. | Qualifications and competence of the key staff related to the assignment | 30 |
SFL reserves the right to select any or none of the applications submitted. Expression of interest, draft working plan and budget must be submitted by Friday, July 30, 2021 at 17:00 Dakar time to lifftcashewinfo@shelter.org and davron@shelter.org.. If SFL does not confirm receipt of your proposal, the applicant may follow up on its status by email. SFL will notify the selected consultant in writing via email. Other applicants will be informed of the decision by email.
If you have questions about this ToR, you may direct them to lifftcashewinfo@shelter.org and davron@shelter.org. Applicants will be notified of selection decision on Friday, August 07, 2021.