Summary Information
Department: East and Southern Africa
Location(s): Kenya
Commitment: Approximately- 45 days
Under direction of: Sr. Director for East & Southern Africa
1. 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
2. About the Kenya TEA for change PROGRAM
The tea sector is a leading foreign exchange earner in Kenya. Close to 5 million people in Kenya are directly supported by the tea sector, yet the sector is threatened by low incomes and wages, high costs of production, human rights issues, environmental degradation, and the impacts of climate change.
The Rainforest Alliance is proposing a systemic approach to address issues and threats to the sector through the Tea for Change Program, and is rallying local and international actors from producers, buyers, brands, industry associations, supply chain actors, development partners, national and county governments , state agencies, regulators, research institutions, financial institutions, trade unions, CSOs to transform the tea sector into an engine driving economic, social, and environmental gains in Kenya.
Desired Impact
Improved landscape value (biodiversity, water, soil, forest, carbon sequestration)
Improved tea households’ incomes and profitability of the sector
Enhanced resilience to climate change
Improved human rights for workers, their families and communities
Reduced supply chain-related risks and strong sustainability stories
Program Timeline
3-5 years (5-10 years to scale up)
3. Main Objectives
The overall goal of the consultancy is to support RA and partners to assess the economic viability of producing tea in Kenya including determining the cost of production under different farming systems (small holder and estates), productivity, value chain efficiency, revenues, margins along the supply chain, as well as an assessment of complimentary value chains that support tea farmers. The consultancy will inform development of the tea for change program as well as advise on reforms, policies, programs, practices etc. that would guarantee farm profitability, living income for farmers and ensure long-term sustainability of the sector.
Working in close collaboration with RA, the consultant will take the lead on key aspects of study including developing the research questions, literature review of current practices in the sector and global trend analysis, data collection & analysis, stakeholder consultations, validation, and reporting.
4. Scope of the Assignment
The scope of the assignment will include the following:
1. Literature review with a focus on research questions.
2. Coordinating inputs from RA staff as to program needs and context.
3. Stakeholder engagement, in close collaboration with RA
4. Data collection and analysis
5. Reporting
Study area
The proposed study area will cover East of Rift in Mt Kenya region focusing on Kirinyaga and Embu Counties (urban and rural areas) as well as West of Rift focusing on Kericho, Nandi, and Bomet Counties (both rural and peri urban).
5. Design and Methodology
The consultant will propose an appropriate methodology that is adequate to deliver on the assignment and is relevant to the aspirations of Tea for Change Program. RA proposes the use of a mixed methods approach that will include literature review, focused group discussions (FGDs), key informant interviews (KIIs), farmer sampling, market surveys, Qualitative data analysis and stakeholder consultations including a validation workshop.
6. Deliverables
Specific consultancy deliverables (to be approved by RA) shall include:
1. An inception report including a detailed work plan, final Key Informant Interviews and Focus Group Discussion Tools, and farmer survey as well as Quantitative data Analysis tools guided by preliminary working sessions with RA.
2. Draft consultancy report describing the process, summary of the data, key assumptions and explanations, sources of data, methodology, data analysis. The draft report will also include.
a) Draft summary data report in excel.
b) Consultative Power Point Presentation of findings to Rainforest Alliance and stakeholders for validation
c) Stakeholder engagement report based on validation workshops.
3. Final consultancy report including literature review, stakeholder consultations, data analysis and validation, responses to the research questions and recommendations to enhance viability of the tea sector. The report should also include.
a) Cost benefit analysis of producing tea in Kenya, Farmers breakeven point and return on investment.
b) Living Income benchmarks in tea growing areas to allow an understanding of small holder farmers’ income gaps in different farming systems using the Anker Methodology, as a basis to identify income gaps to aid design of interventions to close and surpass those gaps in the Kenyan Tea sector.
c) Summary description of the process, a summary of the data, key assumptions and explanations, sources of data, methodology, data, and calculations incorporating feedback from validation workshop, and at least ten good photographs taken during field work.
d) Final summary data report incorporating feedback from validation Workshop.
e) Final stakeholder engagement report based on engagement and validation workshop facilitated.
f) Participants lists/ interview notes from qualitative interviews.
g) Final Power point summary.
7. Management and Quality Control
RA’s Sr. Director for East & Southern Africa, and the Kenya Country Director, supported by RA Tea for Change in Kenya Program Team will oversee the implementation of this Consultancy.
8. Payment Schedule
Payment will be made in 3 instalments and will be linked to the submission and approval by RA of the following deliverables:
1. Inception report
2. Draft Consultancy Report
3. Final Consultancy Report including recommendations for action and key areas of intervention to improve the economic viability of tea farming in Kenya.
9. General terms and conditions for Request for Proposal
Proposals and/or any additional information received after the submission time and date are subject to rejection by The Rainforest Alliance. Incomplete proposals may be rejected by RA at its discretion.
The Rainforest Alliance 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 development costs shall be borne by the applicant and will not be reimbursed by RA.
RA will cover the cost for the validation workshop.
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.
10. Selection Criteria and Qualifications
The consultant or consultant firm will be selected based on proven experience, qualifications, and ability to deliver a quality product in a prompt and efficient manner.
Minimum qualifications and experience of the consultant will include:
At least 10 years of experience in similar assignments in international development.
Knowledge of tea sector in Kenya, including, production, trade, finance and tea stakeholders and landscapes.
Knowledge of the donor and private sector landscape in relation to funding agriculture sector, in Kenya and Africa.
Experience in working with technical experts and integrating large volumes of complex information into well-structured technical responses.
Excellent communication skills, able to write effective, concise, and compelling content while under pressure.
Ability to work effectively with diverse teams to get exact, high-quality information from stakeholders to produce quality bid documents.
Evaluation Criteria
The proposals shall be evaluated against the following criteria:
1) Academic and professional qualifications (20%).
2) Experience in similar assignments, proposal development, experience with institutional donors (bilateral, multilateral) as well as philanthropic foundations and private sector (20 %).
3) Consultant's proposal, understanding and interpretation of the assignment's scope, approach and deliverables and reporting (40%)
4) Value for Money (20%).
11. Application and selection process
Interested consultants and consultant firms should send their proposal which should address the following:
A) Statutory Requirements
Upon request, the consultant should supply all required legal documents as may be required by RA and or Kenyan law, e.g. bank details, KRA PIN and tax compliance certificate etc.
B) Technical Proposal Requirements
1) A detailed profile of the individual or firm, proving academic qualification and relevant experience in undertaking similar assignments.
2) Details of previous and similar or related assignments, with links to at least two samples of similar work.
3) A description of the proposed approach and methodology including the firm understanding of the objectives of the assignment and the technical approach and methodology to be undertaken to deliver the services including quality assurance.
4) The proposed work plan which includes the main activities of the assignment, their content and duration, milestones, and deliverable dates.
5) Provide any requirements or special asks that RA needs to put in place to support the delivery of the assignment.
C) Financial Proposal Requirements
1) A detailed breakdown of both professional fees and Logistics costs and any other cost required for successful completion of this assignment.
2) All the prices should reflect the diverse types and use of resources as envisaged by the firm.
3) Professional fees should include the applicable withholding tax.
4) The financial proposal should ensure prices are inclusive of all applicable taxes, including VAT.
D) Qualifications and Experience of the Individual Consultant or firm
1) Technical capacity of the individual consultant(s).
2) Experience in supporting large international organizations.
12. Submission of Proposals
Qualified consultants/firms are requested to submit their proposal (Technical and Financial) to Julius Ng'ang'a, RA’s Sr. Director for East & Southern Africa via email Jnganga@ra.org with a copy to anene@ra.org not later than 10th November 2023.
RA will make a shortlist of qualified consultants and invite shortlisted applicants for interview. Selection will be done competitively.
Thank you for your interest in working with the Rainforest Alliance