FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (FMARD)
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF CONSULTANCY SERVICES
IFAD-ASSISTED VALUE CHAIN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (VCCDP)
NATIONAL PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT UNIT (NPMU)
IFAD LOAN NO:868-NG
ISSUED DATE: 14TH AUGUST, 2020
DEADLINE: 14TH SEPTEMBER, 2020
PROCUREMENT OF CONSULTING SERVICES
- PRIVATE SECTOR EXTENSION SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR THE 2020-2021 CROPPING PERIODS IN THE NINE (9) VCDP STATES, REF NO.: VCDP/NPMU/QCBS/02/2020
- FARMER ORGANISATION STRENGTHENING IN THE NINE (9) VCDP STATES
REF NO.: VCDP/NPMU/QCBS/03/2020
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) received a loan from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (FAD) towards the cost of the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), and intends to use part of the proceeds towards carrying out the various consulting services. The VCDP is a programme presently being implemented in nine states of Anambra, Benue, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun and Taraba.
The programme includes the following components: (a) Agricultural Market
Development which includes Support to value addition and market linkages,
Support to market infrastructure): (b)Small Holders Production Enhancement which includes (Support to farmers organisation and Support to small holders production) and (c) Programme Management and Coordination.
Its primary Goal is to reduce poverty and sustainably enhance accelerated
economic growth; whilst the specific Programme Development Objective
(PDO) is to increase incomes and enhance food security for rural poor
households engaged in production; processing and marketing of rice and
cassava in the targeted LGAs of the nine targeted states on a sustainable
basis.
2.0 The Client now invites proposals (“Proposals'”) from legally constituted
consulting firms to provide the following consulting services (hereinafter
called “Consultant Services”):
2.1 PRIVATE SECTOR EXTENSION SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR THE 2020-2021 CROPPING PERIODS IN THE NINE (9) VCDP STATES. REF NO: VCDP/NPMU/QCBS/02/2020
Lot 1-Anambra State
Lot 2-Benue State
Lot 3-Ebonyi State
Lot 4—Niger State
Lot 5-Ogun State
Lot 6-Taraba State
Lot 7–Enugu State
Lot 8-Kogi State
Lot 9–Nasarawa State
Note: A Consultant can submit proposals for one or more lots and more than
one (1) lot shall not be awarded to a consulting firm.
2.1.2 Specific task of this consulting services includes:
a) To liaise with the vCDP to establish a reliable farmers’ data base especially in the additional States and LGAS of the existing States which will form the basis for establishing an out-growers scheme for rice and cassava farmers for the off-takers. This involves sharing the VCDP farmers’ database to avoid repea:ing an activity already implementedearlier.
b) Provide technical support to the farmers to produce premium rice paddy or cassava tubers, increase their farm level productivity, sales and income. This will involve developing efficient and effective result based extension strategies to enable the farmers acquire skill in the use of improved technologies, including better seeds (or cuttings), planting methodology, best use and application of fertilizers and agro-chemicals, efficient farm maintenance, appropriate harvesting, good post-harvest handling, good record keeping, decision making by farmers, among other modern scientific practices.
c)Work with the cluster groups to establish within a State, 20No. on- farm, farmer managed, farmer owned demonstration plots of 0.5ha each for practical extension service delivery, at approximately one demo-farm per 100 farmers. The inputs shall be provided by the parties in line with contributory ratio while farm management will be the responsibility of participating farmers under the supervision of the PSESP-and vCDP-field staff.
d) Work with VCDP to incorporate an exit strategy to sustain on-farm extension efforts that will benefit the farmers beyond the life of programme intervention. The exit strategy will include sharing lessons and experiences in monthly meetings with all parties, working with VCDP Management and off-takers to link farmers to credit, developing champions among farmers whose farms will always incorporate best practices and serve as demo-farms to others, and expansion of the range of use of high yielding varieties.
2.2 FARMER ORGANISATION STRENGTHENING IN THE NINE (9) VCDP
STATES
REF NO:VCDP/NPMU/QCBS/03/2020
Lot 1-Anambra State
Lot 2-Benue State
Lot 3-Ebonyi State
Lot 4-Niger State
Lot 5-Ogun State
Lot 6–Taraba State
Lot 7-Enugu State
Lot 8-Kogi State
Lot 9–Nasarawa State
2.2.1 Objectives of Assignment
The overall objective of the assignment is to engage reputable service
provider(s) (consultants’ firms) to design and implement targeted capacity
building of FOs and their apexes in the Nine VCDP states, based on their
needs, using such approaches as advocacy, sensitization, training, mentoring
and appropriate technical support.
2.2.2 Specifically, the assignment seeks to;
a) Sensitize and strengthen FOs in the new LGAs of the six old states and the three new States, as key VC actors, on the Value Chain approach and the need for them to be structured as entities that provide leadership and services to their members.
b) Facilitate the involvement and participation of mostly women in project activities with capacities to increase their incomes and improve their livelihoods.
c) Promote and coordinate the establishment of sustainable, gender sensitive and democratic Farmers Organizations in the new LGAs.
d) Build the capacity of the cluster and LGA apexes for good governance and using of the platform for the provision of services to their members.
e) Audit and categorize the FOs into emerging, moderate and strong, including proposing a support package that would enable them to move from one category to the next.
f) Package the FOs as enforceable business entities with strengthened leadership, organizational, entrepreneurial skills, financial and management capacities to plan, implement and manage their rice/cassava production, processing and marketing as profitable agribusinesses.
g) Build capacity and mentor the management committees of processing centers.
h) Build the business management capacity of women entrepreneurs for improved quality of products, packaging, record keeping and marketing.
i) Build capacity of women for taking up leadership responsibilities.
j) Provide financial literacy training to beneficiaries and linkages to relevant financial institutions for sustainable access to credit.
k) The service provider would be expected to carry out any other task VCDP deems relevant for institutional strengthening in the course of implementing this assignment.
I) Build the capacity of FOs’ clusters, LGA and State apexes in the old LGAS of the old States to effectively provide services to their members in a sustainable manner.
3. More details on these consultant services are provided in the Terms of Reference-Section VI.
4. A Consultant will be selected under the Quality and Cost Based Selection
(QCBS) procurement method, the evaluation procedure for which is described in sections of the RFP in accordance with the IFAD Procurement Handbook which is provided on the IFAD website https://www.ifad.org. The selection process, as described, may include a reference check, prior to the contract award.
5. Please note that a Pre-Proposal Conference will not be held as described
in the Proposal Data Sheet (“PDS”), Section Il of this RFP.
6. Collection of Proposal Documents:
Interested consulting firms can obtain the proposal document by sending a
mail to the Email address: vcdpnpmu@gmail.com_requesting for the proposal document for the interested consulting services.
7. Proposals must be delivered to the address and in the manner specified
in the PDS ITC 18, no later than 12PM GMT on 14th September, 2020.
Value Chain Development Programme, No 4, Batna Close, Off Agadez
Street, Wuse 2, Abuja. E-mail:vcdpnpmu@gmail.com
8. Please note that electronic Proposals shall not be accepted.
