Consultancy: End of INCREASE Project Assessment

SNV Netherlands Development Organisation

Company Description
SNV is a global development partner, deeply rooted in the countries where we operate including Zambia. We are driven by a vision of a better world: A world where across every society all people live with dignity and have equitable opportunities to thrive sustainably.

To make this vision a reality, we need transformations in vital agri-food, energy, and water systems. SNV contributes by strengthening capacities and catalysing partnerships in these sectors. We help strengthen institutions and effective governance, reduce gender inequalities and barriers to social inclusion, and enable adaptation and mitigation to the climate and biodiversity crises.

The global objective is to reduce poverty and improve livelihoods through innovative solutions that address food & nutrition security, sustainable markets, climate and water smart agriculture, and equality of opportunity for women and youth in employment and business.

Building on 60 years of experience we support our partners with our technical and process expertise and methodological rigour. By being adaptable and tailoring our approaches to these different contexts, we can contribute to impact at scale, resulting in more equitable lives for all.

For more information on our operations in Zambia visit our website: www.snv.org/zambia

Background:

SNV’s Zambia Energy and Agrifood sectors focuses on enhancing market systems of agriculture products through stimulating commercialization of smallholder farming that is market informed, employs good agriculture practices, observes climate smart and environmentally friendly practices. Projects in the agrifood aim to improve access to market through improved products quality, increase yield and enhanced food security while energy interventions are aimed at reducing household energy costs, increase clean cooking, reduced labor/time burden on women and increased access and use of biofertilizers from the biogas bio slurry.

With funding from the Swedish International Development Agency in Zambia, the Increasing Climate Resilience in Energy and Agricultural Systems and Entrepreneurship (INCREASE) has been in operation since January 1, 2020. The project is implemented by SNV-Zambia in conjunction with partner organizations that included ZARI, Mulungushi University, Zambia Bioenergy Association, Alliance Ginneries and Impuls Africa. The project goal is to contribute towards increased social, economic, and environmental resilience and equity in agricultural and energy systems for 11,300 smallholder farmers under three key outcomes, namely:

Improvement of income, food and energy security for men, women, and youth farmers.
Increased business performance of the cotton, dairy, and horticulture value chains through Climate Smart (CS) investments in agriculture, water, and renewable energy (RE) and
Improved performance of the enabling environment for identifying, developing, and scaling of markets for Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA), water and RE practices (including opportunities for youth employment (OYE).

The INCREASE monitoring and evaluation process:

Since 2020, INCREASE has implemented a monitoring and evaluation process along generally accepted practice in development project management. In compliance with the project’s commitments and schedule of key tasks, the INCREASE project wishes to carry out an end-term performance assessment. The end-term assessment process is designed to follow the general principles of the OECD without necessarily going deep as would be the case of an in-depth evaluation. This document constitutes the terms of reference (TOR) which will guide the procurement of services of suitable independent consultants to carry out the independent end-term project assessment, and the general expectations of the expected final report. The ToR first provides a brief profile of SNV and background to the INCREASE project. It then introduces the objectives of the end-term assessment and presents basic guidelines for developing the necessary approaches and methods. Finally, the scope of the assessment is provided along with the expected deliverables and timelines.

Objectives of the End of Project Assessment

This appraisal process will be guided by the OECD five evaluation criteria, but this will be done as an assessment process seeking to appraise the performance of the project. The aim is to assess the relevance and fulfillment of objectives, development efficiency, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability, by reviewing the investments made by the project in terms of capacities, trainings, structures, and equipment and how these have contributed to the overall goals of the project which is reducing smallholder poverty through increased farm productivity and increased income. Therefore, SNV intends to commission this assessment managed and implemented by an external consultant preferably with reference to the following characteristics:

–  Criteria: Relevance, Effectiveness, Efficiency, Impact and Sustainability of implementation

–   Inclusion of cross-cutting issues: such gender, participation, and responsibility to and from stakeholders

–  Intervention logic: an analysis of the INCREASE log frame with respect to outputs, outcomes and where applicable, outcomes.

–  Appraisal of capacities and increased knowledge for the target groups and how this has contributed to the overall goal of the project.

– Appraisal of the various climate smart practices rolled out by the project and how these have been embraced and adopted by the target farmer communities.

Essentially, this assessment will appraise the reasons why certain aspects of the project have or have not been implemented as planned specifically with respect to the reported results. The major objectives of the exercise therefore are as follows:

1.    Relevance: Determine the extent to which the objectives of INCREASE were consistent with beneficiaries’ requirements, District Agriculture Coordinator Office priorities, partner’ and the policies/development objectives of the donor (Sida) as capture in the project document (proposal).

2.    Effectiveness: assess the extent to which INCREASE intervention’s objectives were achieved or are expected to be achieved.

3.    Coordination and efficiency: INCREASE is a 7.299 million Euro investment implemented over a 4-year period. This objective will determine the measure of how economically resources/ inputs (funds, expertise, time, etc.) were converted to results.

4.    Impact: ascertain results (output, outcome, impact) through a targeted analysis of stakeholders (including farmers) in the increase target command area, assess and where possible, determine overt and hidden positive and negative, primary, and secondary long-term effects produced by INCREASE, directly or indirectly, intended, or unintended.

5.    Sustainability: whilst recognizing the limits of the project’s investment, time, and scope, determine the degree to which INCREASE’ interventions shall continue after the close of the project, the probability of long-term benefits and risk, if any of project activities to key stakeholders.

6.    Provide findings, conclusions, and recommendations with respect to the INCREASE project to draw lessons for future design and implementation.

General principles, approach & proposed methodology for the Assessment

Regardless that it will be the preserve of the consultant, it is expected that in the light of the principles above, the assessment will use qualitative methods as well as desk research and field-based assessments. The final assignment methodology will be developed and specified by the consultant(s). It is anticipated that the developed methodology shall cover the following:

–  Desk research: An understanding of the project; literature review of recent and relevant agricultural, energy and irrigation related technology research and reports.

– Stakeholders’ consultations: focusing on the INCREASE project key target groups (smallholder farmers, SMEs, and farmer organizations) as well those institutions that have a direct contribution and/or responsibilities for INCREASE project activities organizations such as ZARI, District Agriculture Offices, Off grid Taskforce, MCCs, Mulungushi University, Impuls Africa and diverse farmer and producer groups. The approach and specific mechanisms for stakeholder consultation should be clearly spelled out.

It is anticipated that the ultimate deliverable, a project assessment report shall keep to the specific objectives indicated above whist paying attention to the sub-topics in the following section.

Specific deliverables

a.    Develop and submit for approval, a work plan/ timeline.

b.    Design the assessment approach and methods:  main assessment questions, tools and methodology – including sampling criteria (if necessary), and analysis of results.

c.    Reports:

i.  Inception report of not more than 5 pages excluding annexes

ii. Final draft assessment report

iii. Final report:

• The reporting format shall be such that the major criteria spelled out above constitute major chapter titles.
• The report shall not exceed 40 pages excluding annexes or to a length that shall be agreed to during the draft assessment report meeting and presentation.
• It is anticipated that two presentations shall be prepared namely, at inception when presenting/defending your proposal and another one during the validation when presenting your findings. All presentations will include well prepared power point documents and or editable adobe pdf.

·       All reports shall be submitted entirely as softcopies in two document formats: Adobe PDF and Word documents (*.docx)

Timeframe

It is anticipated that the project assessment process will be conducted for a period of no more than 25 days including travel during the months of July and August 2024 with a final report submitted on or before August 20, 2024. The successful applicant will provide a detailed Gantt/Work plan including schedule note for the stated number of days.

Documents to be submitted as part of the Consultants application:

1.    Bidder Profile

1.1   Completion of the Bidder Profile document summarizing the bidder’s background, qualifications, and experience. (See attached word Bidder Profile document).

1.2  CV of the individual consultant or CVs of the proposed individuals by the firm to work on the assignment.

2.    Technical Proposal

2.1.   The Technical Proposal should include but not limited to the following (7-11 pages – 11 pages max, 11-point font):

2.1.1.    Summary of the objectives of the assignment from consultant perspective 1- 2 page)

2.1.2.    Proposed methodology for each activity/deliverable (4-5 pages) and how it highlights smallholder farmer climate resilience, climate smart agriculture, renewable energy, youth employment and entrepreneurship, private sector engagement and market systems approaches.

2.1.3.    Approach to enhance inclusion of vulnerable groups (0.5 – 1.5 pages)

2.1.4.    Tentative timeline for the achievement of the activities/deliverables and number of days for each (1-2 pages)

3.    Financial Proposal

3.1 The financial proposal shall indicate total budget estimated in USD for international consultants and ZMW for national consultants, as well as a detailed breakdown of budget items mainly DSA, daily fee rate and travel/transport.

3.2   Payments will be based on outputs, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. (Note that WHT of 5% for national and 15% international will be deducted at source and paid direct to ZRA as per Zambia law).

4.    Past Performance

4.1.  Include three reference projects related to consulting, conceptualization, designing and/or managing projects in the area of climate resilience building, climate smart agriculture, smallholder farmer resilience, youth employment/skills development/ market linkages/Agriculture/ private sector engagement in development projects within the past five years containing the following information (1-2 pages per project max):

4.1.1.    Name of Client/Employer

4.1.2.    Title of the Project, dates, and duration of the project

4.1.3.    Scope of the Project, Requirements of the assignment, Proposed Solutions and Outcome

4.1.4.    Reference/Contact person details for each assignment and contact information.

4.1.5.    Attach evidence of performance for each of the three referenced projects listed in the candidate profile (e.g. reports)

5.    Mandatory Requirements 

5.1 For Zambian national individual consultants: copies of Tax Registration certificate and the most recent tax clearance certificate.

5.2 For a firm registration document: Business license/Certificate of Registration for all, Tax Registration, Current Tax Clearance Certificate and VAT if applicable

Detailed specifications and requirements are well stated in the RFP which can be found on this link.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/11JQl7TTYSBcbZK96gAnBKcABKb_ywMxo/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=103167951601550017484&rtpof=true&sd=true

Detailed TOR which can be found on this link: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WgZfxGjZtBQ9SkWw7gVzdb4Gy_bwS–X/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=103167951601550017484&rtpof=true&sd=true

Terms of submission

Please submit the above listed in five (5) packages of documents to zambiaprocurement@snv.org through one email with the subject line End of Project Assessment Consultancy by 17:00 hours of 9th July 2024.

Failure to provide a full package of documents listed above them will result in disqualification of the whole bid. Only Shortlisted Candidates will be contacted.

Note: SNV Zambia may request for necessary and/or more information during the evaluation. SNV will only contact the successful bidder (s) within the period of 2 weeks from the closing date of submission.