Cultivating New Frontiers In Agriculture (CNFA)- Expression Of Interest For Organizational Performance Improvement (OPI) Intervention

DEADLINE: 20TH JANUARY, 2022
CULTIVATING NEW FRONTIERS IN AGRICULTURE (CNFA)
ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT (OPI) INTERVENTION – (513)
JOB TITLE: ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT (OPI) INTERVENTION – (513)
LOCATION: NG (PRIMARY)
CATEGORY: PROCUREMENT

JOB DESCRIPTION

(1) About CNFA:
Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA), an international development organization, specializes in designing sustainable, market led agricultural initiatives. We build strong local and global partnerships, incorporate innovative approaches into our programs, and foster inclusive development to offer enhanced opportunities to under-served groups. Since 1985, CNFA has managed more than $600 million in donor funded agriculture development programs and has worked in 46 countries across the world in Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

(1) About Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity:
The Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity (hereafter referred to as the ‘Activity’) is a USAID program implemented by CNFA in Nigeria. The goal of the Activity 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 Micro, Small, and Medium-Enterprises (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 agribusiness sector.

(1) About the Organizational Performance Improvement (OPI) intervention:
The Activity established an Organizational Performance Improvement (OPI) intervention, under the fourth component. The overall purpose of this intervention is to enhance the capacity of the participating organizations (agribusiness Small and Medium Scale enterprises – SMEs, farmer groups and producer/commodity associations) in all functionality domains including governance, administration and personnel management, financial management, business operations and management, and sustainability. The OPI intervention is executed in four (4) phases:

(a) Selection of participating organizations – based on interaction with organizations that responded to an EOI call.

(b) Needs Assessment (OPINA) – to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of each organization in various performance areas and domains.

Mutual determination of priority performance improvement intervention areas based on identified gaps and organization’s strategic growth priorities.

(c) Performance Improvement Intervention Execution (Post-OPINA) – execution of the agreed performance improvement interventions led by the organizations and supported by specialist consultants (experts in the provision of Business Development Services and Good Manufacturing Practice trainings) engaged by the Activity.

(d) Repeat Assessment (OPIRA) – to check if measurable performance improvement has occurred based on the interventions executed in Step 3.

Specific Benefits: The OPI intervention provides the following benefits to participants:

(a) Prepares organizations to qualify for access to finance by helping them put together most of the documentary requirements sought by most financiers and investors alike.

(b) Positions organizations to secure requisite certifications for their products by relevant bodies including NAFDAC and SON.

(c) Helps organizations develop and refine their vision, mission, and long-term strategic plans

(d) Improves human resources and administrative management, financial management, business process optimization, and sustainability of organizations by providing relevant staff training and supporting the development of relevant policy frameworks, manuals, guidelines, SOPs for various processes and functions.

(e) Enhances business growth, profitability, and sustainability by providing needed business advisories services including operational and financial advisory.

Disclaimer: The Activity does not give monetary support to organizations. This intervention does not also include direct support towards access to finance. However, this intervention will help organizations looking to access finance to put together most of the documentary requirements sought by most financiers and investors alike.

(1) EOI Summary:
Pursuant to Step 1 above, the purpose of this EOI is to identify 30 organizations (agribusiness SMEs, farmer groups and producer/commodity associations) who are willing to participate in the OPI intervention.

Method of Submission and Instructions: Interested organizations should fill and submit the EOI form online using this link – EOI Form. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their expression of interest is received by CNFA in accordance with the instructions, terms, and conditions described in this EOI. Failure to adhere with instructions described in this EOI may lead to disqualification from the pre-qualified competition stage.

Deadline: Complete EOI forms must be received not later than 5:00PM, WAT on 20 January, 2022. Expressions of interest received after the specified time and date will be considered only at the discretion of CNFA.

Questions: Questions regarding the technical or administrative requirements of this EOI may be submitted not later than 12:00PM, WAT on 12 January, 2022 by email to 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 EOI recipients who have indicated an interest in this EOI. Only the written answers issued by CNFA will be considered official and carry weight in the EOI process. 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 EOI.

Selection Criteria and Procedure: After a preliminary review of the submitted EOI forms, shortlisted applicants will be visited by the Activity State Agribusiness managers for follow-on interaction and evaluation. Each organization will be evaluated against the following factors:

(a) Value chain of operation of the organization (at least one of maize, rice, cowpea, soybean, and aquaculture)

(b) State of operation of the organization (at least one in Kaduna, Niger, Ebonyi, Cross River, Benue, Delta, and Kebbi)

(c) Functionality (and scale of operation) of the organization.

(d) Availability of the owner and senior management team to participate actively in all the stages of the OPI intervention as indicated in section 3 above (up to 15 days interface with the assessment and intervention teams over a period of 4 months – January to May 2022).

(e) Willingness and ability of the organization to allocate resources towards the implementation of mutually agreed performance improvement interventions.

Feedback to all successful and unsuccessful applicants will be provided after the completion of the evaluation process.

Award: Issuance of this EOI does not constitute an award or commitment on the part of CNFA or USAID in any way, nor does it commit to pay for costs incurred in preparation and submission of an application. CNFA reserves the right to accept or reject any or all expressions of interest received. CNFA will identify a pre-qualified pool following evaluation of expressions of interest and issue an MOU to selected firms thereafter. CNFA will not select any individual or firm debarred, suspended, or considered ineligible by the US Government.

Application Submission
Method of Submission and Instructions: 
Interested organizations should fill and submit the EOI form online using this link – EOI Form. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their expression of interest is received by CNFA in accordance with the instructions, terms, and conditions described in this EOI. Failure to adhere with instructions described in this EOI may lead to disqualification from the pre-qualified competition stage.