Call for Consultancy: Baseline Study and Market Assessment at SNV Netherlands Development Organisation

Project Background: 

The GIZ/SNV implemented project aims at supporting scalable, innovative business cases using renewable energy services and technologies for irrigation, cooling and drying to improve production and livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the dairy and horticultural value chains in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda. All three East African countries have comparable agroclimatic and socio-economic conditions and they share similar challenges in terms of smallholder development. However, the current status of the Productive use of energy (PUE) markets in the target countries is different. Ethiopia is a focus country and useful “test case” of the project because interventions in this country will have a high impact in terms of persons reached and poverty reduction, and because it faces “typical” challenges for developing economies and climate change resilience. There is a high potential to transfer encouraging experiences with sustainable energy applications for productive use from Kenya and Uganda to Ethiopia.

Job Description

The objective of the Assignment :

During the initial inception phase of the project, the ground will be laid for an informed and targeted support of selected PUE technologies and related business cases for the horticulture and dairy value chains with high impact on smallholder farmers and their livelihoods based on a needs assessment for these value chains. The baseline study and the market assessment (hereafter the assignment)   comprises of two tasks:

• A baseline study, w

hich will provide necessary information to measure impact and results at the end of the project; and

• A market assessment, which will provide market intelligence including gaps for possible interventions in the market.

Scope of Work:

The scope of the assignment is to collect detailed information on the current situation in relation to the main elements of the project amongst the target beneficiaries within the targeted geographic regions in the 3 countries of interest to develop a pilot business case for PUE in the horticulture and dairy value chain. The baseline study will establish the baseline for the project´s key indicators and constitute the basis to measure the project performance, while the market assessment provides the current market situation including gaps where possible business case interventions can be applied. The entire exercise will focus on two specific target groups: (i) smallholder farmers and agri-businesses in the horticulture and dairy value chain, and; (ii) businesses involved in the agri-PUE ecosystem.

should you need the detailed TOR on how to apply and further information please use the below link. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rtjd1-e8JILQjyiHHZJ8Kgm9gYCCxf1w/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rtjd1-e8JILQjyiHHZJ8Kgm9gYCCxf1w/view?usp=sharing

Qualifications

Consulting Team Composition & Qualification

The Assignment will be undertaken by an international consulting firm with sound experience in conducting similar assignments in developing countries, preferably in Africa. Since it is a multi-country assignment the international consulting firm either has to showcase/prove that the firm present on the ground or show proof of collaboration with one or more local firms/ individual consultant in each country who have on the ground presence (MOU or agreements must be annexed in the proposal in the case of a local firm or consultant to be considered).

The Consulting firm for this assignment should possess the following minimum competencies and qualifications:

• The consulting firm should have at least 5 years of proven experience in conducting development research, evaluations, and collecting and compiling data for studies and research
• The consultancy firm and its team members should have extensive and dependable experience, skill, and knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies and participatory research
• Deep understanding of economics and markets with experience in performing market assessments and evaluate business cases
• Experience at country level diagnostic studies focusing on Agricultural economy and/or rural energy is highly desired and testimonials and other supporting documents should be submitted
• Ability to produce high quality (detailed and yet concise) diagnostic study reports
• The team must consist of multidisciplinary international and national consultants with the following qualification and field of expertise of key consultants

International Consultant

Team Leader (30 days)–with a master’s degree in agriculture, engineering, economics, the management, or another relevant field and a minimum of 15 years experience in the development field, including in conducting baseline studies, preferably in Agriculture-Energy Nexus interventions, in the context of international development in developing countries. Effective Operational Proficiency in English (oral and written) is a pre-requisite for this assignment.

National Consultants (Ethiopians/Kenyans/Ugandans)

• Development Programme Expert (60 days) – with a master’s degree in agricultural economics, the management or another relevant field and a minimum of 12 years experience in the development field, including in conducting development studies including baseline study/assessment, program evaluation, and review, in the context of international development in Ethiopia/Kenya/Uganda. English and local language proficiency is a must.
• Rural Energy Expert (60 days) – with a master’s degree in engineering, economics, management, or another relevant field and a minimum of 12 years experience in the development field in Ethiopia/Kenya/Uganda, including in conducting baseline study/assessment, development program evaluation and review, with significant hands-on experience in the
• Rural energy sector in Ethiopia/Kenya/Uganda. English and local language proficiency is a must.
• The rest of the consulting team should also have the required qualification/experience in relation to the survey administration and also experienced enumerators

1.  Allocation of the given person-days for the national consultants among the three countries will be based on the scope of assessment in each country

Additional Information

The following documents must be submitted:                                                              

• Organizational profile;
• Team composition and the roles and responsibilities;
• Updated CVs highlighting the qualifications and experiences; and  
• Proposed detailed work activities and work schedule.

Type of Firm: International Consultant