Cultivating New Frontiers In Agriculture (CNFA)- Request For Proposal For Organizational Performance Improvement Repeat Assessment (OPIRA)

DEADLINE: 28TH JUNE, 2021
CULTIVATING NEW FRONTIERS IN AGRICULTURE (CNFA)
RFP: ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT REPEAT ASSESSMENT (OPIRA)
LOCATION: NG (PRIMARY)
CATEGORY: PROCUREMENT

Job Description

Introduction, Technical Background and Scope of Work

(1.1) Introduction:
The Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity is a USAID program implemented by CNFA in Nigeria. The goal of the Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity project is to strengthen the enabling environment for agribusiness finance and investment. To achieve this goal, the activity focuses on four interrelated components:

(1) improving the agribusiness enabling environment;

(2) broadening access to finance by mitigating the credit risks of agribusinesses;

(3) facilitating investment opportunities for agribusinesses to expand and scale up operations; and

(4) enhancing the performance of agribusiness Medium Small and Micro-Enterprise (MSMEs). In line with the U.S. and Nigerian Government’s commitment to growing the non-oil-based economy, these efforts will increase the quality, quantity, market access, and diversification of Nigeria’s economy.

Under the fourth component, the Activity intends to re-assess 15 organizations that had undergone the full phase of the Organizational Performance Improvement (OPI) intervention. These organizations (firms and associations) underwent an initial needs assessment from which series of performance improvement actions were recommended. Following the need assessment, specialist consultants (experts in the provision of Business Development Service and Good Manufacturing Practice trainings) were deployed to the beneficiaries to help them execute the recommendations from the need assessment. Now, the Activity is seeking one or more business development services specialists, herein referred to as an Organizational Performance Improvement Repeat Assessment (OPIRA) Consultant, to conduct a repeat assessment of the partner agribusiness firms and farmer groups.

The overall objective of this assignment is to ascertain if the beneficiary firms have achieved measurable organizational performance improvement arising from the implementation of the performance improvement recommendations mutually agreed upon during the initial need assessment. Specific objectives include to:

• Ascertain each organization’s progress towards set performance improvement goals – determine the aspects of the organizations’ performance and capacity that may have improved, and possible gaps that still exist.
• Obtain qualitative feedback from the firms and associations on the perceived usefulness of the OPI intervention, specific outcomes and benefits accruing to the firm operations and growth, to support and explain the quantitative assessment results.

Offerors are responsible for ensuring that their offers are received by CNFA in accordance with the instructions, terms, and conditions described in this RFP. Failure to adhere with instructions described in this RFP may lead to disqualification of an offer from consideration.

CNFA will consider proposals in response to this RFP from eligible Independent Consultants and Firms.

(1.2) Scope of Work: 
The Activity will require the successful bidder to conduct detailed repeat/follow-on organizational performance assessments for up to 15 select agribusiness partners using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The assessment will cover key domains of effectiveness, efficiency, competitiveness, and sustainability. Using appropriate tools, the OPIRA Consultant is also expected to look at the organizations’ internal management systems (including financial monitoring and controls), management systems, business operations, supply chain, target market(s), decision making and planning processes, external risks and enablers. In specifics, the OPIRA consultant is expected to execute the following activities:

• Study both the initial OPINA and Post-OPINA summary and individual reports for each SME and association.
• Review the previous assessment tools used in the initial assignment and make improvement recommendations.
• Develop an assessment methodology including an implementation work plan, and qualitative assessment tools.
• Present and discuss the methodology and work plan with the Activity’s MEL and Agribusiness teams and refine as needed based on input received.
• Finalize the plan and conduct a detailed repeat assessment for the 15 selected agribusiness organizations in line with the objectives above.
• Write and submit assessment reports per partner, and a summary report for all partners assessed.

Please see the full RFP for qualifications and response requirements.

Application Submission

Section 2: Instructions to Offerors
2.1 Offer Deadline and Protocol:
Offers must be received no later than 5:00PM, WAT on Jun 28, 2021. Offers must be submitted by email to operations@ag-invest.org.

Please reference the RFP number in any response to this RFP. Offers received after the specified time and date will be considered late and will be considered only at the discretion of CNFA. The cover page of this solicitation summarizes the important dates of the solicitation process. Offerors must strictly follow the provided deadlines to be considered for award.

2.2 Questions:
Questions regarding the technical or administrative requirements of this RFP may be submitted no later than 5:00PM WAT on June 24, 2021 by email to Asabi Anthony at aasabi@ag-invest.org . Questions must be submitted in writing; phone calls will not be accepted. Questions and requests for clarification—and the responses thereto—that CNFA believes may be of interest to other offerors will be circulated to all RFP recipients who have indicated an interest in bidding.

Only the written answers issued by CNFA will be considered official and carry weight in the RFP process and subsequent evaluation. Any verbal information received from employees of CNFA or any other entity should not be considered as an official response to any questions regarding this RFP.

2.3 Evaluation and Award:
The award will be made to a responsible offeror whose offer follows the RFP instructions, meets the eligibility requirements, and is determined via a trade-off analysis to be the best value based on application of the below evaluation criteria. Best value determination will consider both technical and financial proposals, i.e., the best approach and anticipated results in combination with a reasonable cost. Proposed costs must reflect and clearly match the degree of sophistication of the technical approach.

ATTACHMENT
RFP: Organizational Performance Improvement Repeat Assessment