AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR MT KENYA SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE AND LIVELIHOOD PROGRAM
About the Rainforest Alliance
As the Rainforest Alliance (RA), we are building an alliance to create a better future for people and nature by making responsible business the new normal. To advance our mission, we focus on amplifying our impact on the ground through systemic transformation: change across the entire supply chain, change in the relationship between people and nature, and change within our own organization. We achieve this transformation by working in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders to create a stronger Alliance. Together, we amplify the voices of farmers and forest communities, improve livelihoods, protect biodiversity, and help people adapt to climate change in bold and effective ways. We embrace transparency because we believe that the best way to build trust across our alliance is through openness about our tactics, our impact, and partners on the ground. Together, we can achieve our vision of a world where people and nature thrive in harmony.
For more information, please visit http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/about.
1. About the program
Rainforest Alliance is implementing a five-year program, Mount Kenya Sustainable Landscape and Livelihoods Program in counties and communities within Mt. Kenya landscape. The objective of the Program is to support an improved landscape in which all stakeholders - smallholder producers, women and youth groups, forest dependent communities, public and private sector, jointly plan and take collective actions to improve the management of the landscape, sustainably manage and conserve natural resources and thereby improving people’s livelihoods. The Program focuses on two (Embu & Kirinyaga) of the six counties around Mount Kenya where we work directly with 50,000 smallholder tea and coffee small holder farmers and 1000 forest dependent communities and Water Resource Users Associations as project beneficiaries.
.
One of the program’s desired outcomes is to deliver improved landscape value through the conservation of forest and biodiversity, improved fertility of soils, efficient management of water resources, and restoration of degraded ecosystems and their services. In addition, rural livelihoods within the landscape are improved, through capacity improvement on establishment of a successful, scalable green business/enterprise models responsible economic development and resilience at the household level and communities.
2. Purpose of the Assignment
RA would like to engage the services of an agribusiness consultant to identify and/or design and model green enterprises targeting women, men and youth geared towards economic development and resilience at household and community level within the Kirinyaga County and Embu Counties. The consultant is also expected to develop an agribusiness training curriculum and tool kit using the Trainer of Trainers (TOT model, train TOTs and offer post training support to the identified entrepreneurs to ensure sustainability of the enterprises developed.
3. The Assignment
The consultant will identify and carry out a detailed analysis of existing or novel potential green enterprises opportunities relevant to the target beneficiaries in the target counties. From this, the consultant is expected to model and successful implement at least 30 viable green enterprises within the two counties among the target beneficiaries.
Specific Objectives:
Identify and carry out a detailed analysis of existing or novel potential green enterprises opportunities relevant to the target beneficiaries in the target counties.
Model and successful implement at least 30 validated green enterprises within the two counties among the target beneficiaries These can be existing and/or novel green enterprises that meet the following parameters:
Viable with potential for scale up and replication within other areas in the landscape.
Does not require vast spaces/land to implement.
Are not capital intensive to implement.
Enterprises that do not conflict environmental development efforts.
Create market linkages and security for the validated business enterprises.
Design value and supply chains for the validated ventures (for novel ventures) and support addressing value and supply chains gaps in existing enterprises that might hinder uptake of the identified enterprises.
Roll out and Implement at least 30 of the validated businesses ventures to create at least 600 jobs by end of the consultancy period.
Support with the permit security and registration of the established enterprises with the relevant bodies
Develop an agribusiness training curriculum and tool kit and using the TOT model, support trainings of target beneficiaries.
Mentoring at least of 30 entrepreneurs to be centers of excellence in the two counties (3 per sub county)
Detailed Activities and Deliverables
The consultant is expected to undertake the following tasks:
Regular update meeting will be required during the consultancy period. At the conclusion of each phase, and upon consensus, RA will authorize roll out of the next phase.
Geographical Coverage: Kirinyaga County and Embu County
Potential Markets for the commodities to be explored: Local, national, regional, and global markets.
General terms and conditions for this request for proposal
Proposals and/or any additional information received after the submission time and date are subject to rejection by RA. Incomplete proposals may be rejected by RA at its discretion.
RA reserves the right to request additional information at any time during the procurement process.
RA is at liberty to make multiple or no selections as part of the proposal process. RA also reserves the right to cancel the procurement.
All proposal costs shall be borne by the applicant and will not be reimbursed by RA.
Copyright
All materials and documents arising out of this consultancy work shall remain the property of Rainforest Alliance. More details will be outlined in the official RA contract.
Selection Criteria and Qualifications:
The Consultant or Consultant Firm should have the following qualifications and credentials:
An advanced degree in enterprise development, community development or other related fields.
Demonstrated technical knowledge and experience in conducting similar enterprise development work. Samples of similar work done, preferably in similar context attachments will be required.
Specialized skills in data collection, analytical skills and report writing.
Understanding of business and investments in landscape contexts preferably in integrated landscape management approaches.
The primary bidder can engage or subcontract other service providers for specific activities but will be responsible for the set deliverables. Terms and requirements for subcontracting will be firmed with successful bidders.
Selection of consultant is based on the following criteria:
Technical Proposal 70%
Financial proposal 30%
Proposal process and format
Interested individuals or firms should send their proposal to dwario@ra.org with cc: to skinyua@ra.org with the subject line “Agribusiness consultancy for Mt Kenya Sustainable Landscape and Livelihood Program” before COB June 5th, 2023.
Consultancy duration: 1st July 2023 to 31st December 2023
List of expected documents when submitting the proposal:
a. Letter of Interest (Expression of Interest)
b. Technical proposal detailing:
Company/individual profile
A clear demonstration of understanding of the terms of reference.
The approach and outline of methodology to be applied.
A workplan - Gantt chart specifying the activities and deliverables within a given timeframe.
Team composition (profiles and CVs no longer than 3 pages per member) with Proof of required competencies (relevant references)
c. Financial proposal in USD including all taxes and duties detailing:
o Daily consultancy fee for the team-leader.
o Fees for field assistants and other staff
o Logistical arrangements.
o Other costs other than the ones mentioned above.
o Net working days (i.e., does not include the days required by RA to review and validate deliverables)
d. Statutory Requirements
Upon request, the consultant should supply all required legal documents as may be required by RA e.g. KRA PIN and tax compliance certificate etc.
Thank you for your interest in working with The Rainforest Alliance