Request for Proposal For Formulating Provincial Agriculture Development Strategy (PADS)

Winrock International KISAN II Project

Details / requirements:

Request for Proposal 

For

Formulating Provincial Agriculture Development Strategy (PADS)

in Lumbini and Sudurpaschim Provinces

KISAN II Project Overview

The USAID-funded Feed the Future Knowledge-based Integrated Sustainable Agriculture in Nepal (KISAN) II project operates in 25 districts within four provinces. By focusing on five commodities namely: vegetables, rice, maize, lentil, and goats, KISAN II is working to increase the resilience, inclusiveness, and sustainability of income growth through agriculture development. Through a private sector-led facilitative approach, KISAN II identifies and addresses constraints within key market systems to strengthen and improve agriculture markets, improve value chain efficiency, and manage unexpected shocks. The project contributes to the objectives of the Government of Nepal’s Agriculture Development Strategy (ADS) and the US Government’s Feed the Future Initiative. The KISAN II project has five specific components: 

I.  Improved productivity of selected agricultural market systems, 

II.   Strengthened competitiveness, resilience, and inclusiveness, of selected agricultural market systems, 

III.   Strengthened enabling environment of selected agricultural market systems, 

IV.   Increased ability of vulnerable communities to act on business opportunities within selected market systems, and 

V.    Collaboration, learning and adaptation (CLA) applied to market systems development. 

KISAN II works in the following Zone of Influence (ZOI) comprising 4 provinces and 25 districts as stated  below:

  • Bagmati Province: Makawanpur, Kavrepalanchowk, Sindhupalchowk, Nuwakot
  • Lumbini Province: Kapilbastu, Palpa, Arghakhanchi, Gulmi, Dang, Banke, Bardiya, Pyuthan, Rolpa and Rukum (eastern part)
  • Karnali Province: Dailekh, Surkhet, Jajarkot, Salyan, Rukum (western part)
  • Sudur Paschim Province: Doti, Accham, Kailali, Kanchanpur, Dadeldhura, Baitadi

1.  Introduction

Agriculture Development Strategy (ADS), formulated in 2015, is the key policy guidelines envisaged to drive broad-based economic growth. It aims to contribute to improved livelihoods and food and nutrition security through a self-reliant, sustainable, competitive, and inclusive agriculture sector growth. Politically, Nepal has opted for a federal structure as provisioned in the new Constitution of Nepal (CON) 2015, divided into seven provinces with defined responsibilities and authorities. The provinces are distinct in terms of economic, demographic, geographic, climatic, and associated agriculture set ups. In line with the decentralized agriculture functions envisaged in the Constitution (Schedule 6), provinces are mandated to formulate their own policies within the framework of the federal policies based on their distinct potential resource domains. ADS clearly envisions that the provinces can customize ADS in their respective contexts, and has therefore recommended reviewing the ADS in 5 years' intervals. This sets the ground for the provinces to formulate Provincial Agriculture Development Strategy (PADS) adapted to their respective socio-political and economic contexts for agriculture sector development.

Towards this, KISAN II commissioned a policy study in July 2019 through a senior consultant, exclusively in the context of Nepal's federalization. The purpose of the study was to assess the current status of three-tiers linkages in agriculture – defined to include crops, livestock, and agribusinesses – and suggested strategies and action plan for enhancing agriculture program in collaboration between and among the national (federal) and sub-national (provincial and municipal) units of government in Nepal. This study clearly recognizes the need of formulating sub-national policies that would complement the federal ones creating a balanced and harmonized delivery of agricultural services between the three tiers of the government.  

With this backdrop, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MOALD) has requested USAID's FTF KISAN II to support Lumbini and Sudurpaschim provinces in formulating Provincial Agriculture Development Strategy (PADS) as a collaborative action among MOALD, Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOLMAC), EU's Technical Cooperation Facility (TCF) to ADS, and other stakeholders. Meanwhile, during a joint visit along with subsequent meetings of USAID and KISAN II with MOLMAC in Lumbini and Sudurpaschim Provinces, MOLMACs expressed their need to formulate provincial policies and seek support. With subsequent meetings/interactions between MOALD, MOLMACs, USAID, and KISAN II on the requirement and importance of PADS for agriculture sector development, USAID's FTF KISAN II agreed and announced this RFP. The PADS will be prepared in both Nepali and English versions. The PADS would be a live document and would be reviewed and revised frequently (every 5 years' interval or as deemed necessary by the provincial government) to respond to the ongoing changes in terms of the priorities and resources in the sector. The PADS will contribute to achieving the targeted national level indicators of the ADS and SDGs adopted at sub-national level which will in turn guide to formulate respective Municipality Agriculture Development Strategy at the local level. The present Scope of Work (SoW) is designed to meet this request of the GON/MOALD.

1Agriculture includes all agriculture sub-sectors such as crops, horticulture, livestock, poultry, fisheries, agroforestry, etc.

2.  Objectives of the Assignment

The main objective of this assignment is to support in formulating Provincial Agriculture Development Strategy (PADS) in Lumbini and Sudurpaschim Provinces envisioning for 2035 with base year 2020, which will contribute to achieving the ADS vision. The specific objectives are:

  • Review and assess provincial sector and subsector situations and priorities, their comparative and competitive advantages to support achieving the national goal of broad-based economic growth, food security, and poverty reduction matching to goals set forth in the Periodic Plans, ADS, SDGs, and zero-hunger strategy.
  • Analyze the strength, weakness, opportunities, and threats/challenges across the priority value chains in market systems.
  • Review the status of input and output supply chains and identify systemic constraints in their operations and the possibilities of value-addition to the provincial agricultural products for import substitution and export promotion. 
  • Map out the institutions and resources (financial, human and natural) in the provinces for broad-based agriculture sector development.
  • Prepare the sectoral vision, missions, objectives, outcomes, policies, targets, key milestones, and priority programs along with estimated annual resource requirements.

3.  Scope of Work(SOW) for PADS

The scope of work (but not limited to) are as follows:

I.   Literature review and policy alignment - major policies and plans of federal, provincial, and local governments, including provincial plans/policies/ guidelines, Constitution of Nepal, Agriculture Development Strategy, and global goals (for example, SDGs). 

II.   Situation analysis - supply chain of agricultural inputs (land, labor, fertilizers, chemicals, irrigation, farm machines, agriculture road), and outputs, research, science and technology, resources, production trends, tax, subsidy, agriculture insurance, market and prices, post-harvest, value addition and processing, value chains and trade of key commodities such as - cereals, fruits, vegetables, cash crops, livestock and fisheries, etc. 

III.   Analyze the strength, weakness, opportunities, and threats/challenges (SWOT) across the priority value chains in the given market systems. Identify major thrusts for competitive and sustainable agriculture system,

IV.   Examine crosscuttings of agriculture with water resources, forestry, land resources and land use, agro-industry, gender, climate change and disaster management, natural resource management, economy, food and nutrition security, poverty, etc. to make the subsector's contribution complementary to overall agriculture development strategy. The governance part of provincial and local government and its action models, stability and cooperation framework, institution linkage, competitive governance system at provincial and local (input, resources, output, impact and price regulation model).

V.   Analyze inter- provincial dependency for supply and demand of specific commodities and sustainability of agriculture systems. 

VI.   Assess provincial sector and subsector priorities and potentials, their comparative and competitive advantages to support achieving the national goal of broad-based economic growth, food security, and poverty reduction matching to goals set forth in the ADS, SDGs, and zero-hunger strategy.

VII.   Prepare the sectoral vision, missions, objectives, outcomes, policies, targets and priority programs along with annual resource requirements to achieve the targeted outcomes.

VIII.   Identify coordination and collaboration mechanism among different agencies operating at  three tires of governments, Development Partners (DPs), cooperatives, farmers' association, NGOs/INGOs, private sectors, commodity associations, etc.

IX.  Recommend institutional arrangements to support and coordinate for effective implementation of PADS, monitor the progress and provide feedback.

4.  Methodology of Formulating PADS 

Following methods will be adopted while formulating PADS:

The total assignment will be carried out into two phases; each phase with distinctly identified specific tasks but linked to each other. The phase I will focus on tasks (i) to (vii) spelled out in the above section 3. The findings of the phase I tasks must essentially be reflected in the annotated strategy document (deliverable 2) as spelt out in section 8. The second phase will be undertaken immediately following the first phase and will elaborately develop the analysis and recommendations as spelled out in point # (vii) to (ix) in section 3. However, the first phase report (deliverable 2) must present the broad outlooks for the tasks mentioned from (vii) to (ix) in section 3 just to elucidate whether the ultimate outputs of the assignment is in track and get clearance from the ministries to move ahead. To achieve the objective of the assignment, following methods will be adopted.

I.   KISAN II will hire four national consultants (a Lead Consultant, an Associated Consultant, and a mid-career professional as Assistant Consultant) in each Province to carry out the entire PADS formulating process in coordination with PADS Formulation Committee (PFC), KISAN II, MOLMAC, and MOALD.  

II.   A PADS Steering Committee (PSC) will be formed under the Chairmanship of Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives. The main role of the PSC is to guide, monitoring, supervision and direction to the PFC, organize periodic meetings and progress review of PADS formulation process, and put forward PADS for approval to the Provincial Cabinet. 

III.  PFC led by the Secretary of MOLMAC will be formed to coordinate and facilitate the entire process of PADS formulation. Since the PADS aims to cover wider spectrum of agriculture sector with its interlinked cross-cutting areas, the process calls for a wider consultation engaging all stakeholders relevant to PADS formulation. The consultation process should identify the areas for vertical and horizontal linkages among the sectors/subsectors which are executed by federal and provincial line ministries, municipalities, university/academia, research, and farmers' association, etc. to ensure that the designed interventions are mutually complimentary.

IV.  Thematic Groups (TGs) will be formed as needed and as decided by the PFC to unleash constraints and opportunities, and recommend appropriate in-depth policy options related to each assigned theme.  

V.   The methodology will involve in-depth  desk works  that include, but not limited to,  literature review  relevant to Agriculture Development Strategy (ADS), the existing policy framework and guidelines to base the Provincial ADS, Formulation Process prepared by MOALD, Provincial periodic plans/policies if any, National Agriculture Policy 2004, Sectoral Policies, National Periodic Plans, and the ongoing policy initiatives taken by the federal, provincial and municipal governments, and private sector organizations. 

VI.  Methodology deployed will involve consultations primarily in virtual mode considering the ongoing COVID pandemic and to limited extent in-person (if pandemic situation becomes permissible). The consultation process will include key tools such as Key Informant Interview (KII), Focused Group Discussion (FGD), workshops, formal and informal consultations, meetings at the national, provincial and local levels, etc. The consultation process must involve  the  concerned stakeholder organizations such as academia, research, extensions, National Peasant Coalition Forum, farmers' association (more relevant at municipal level consultations), commodity associations, Federation of Urban and Rural Municipalities (more relevant at provincial and municipal consultations), provincial line ministries, agri-business companies and their umbrella organizations (FNCCI, CNI), and DPs represented at appropriate levels. 

5.  Consultant's Qualifications

Two highly qualified and experienced national consultants (Lead Consultant and Associate Consultant) supported by one mid-career professional (Assistant Consultant) in each province will be hired through a firm in a competitive process. The capacity of the consultants are:

i)    Lead Consultant

The Lead Consultant should have PhD in agricultural sciences/ agricultural economics or economics, along with 15+ years’ experience at higher level in developing plan/ strategy/ policy with rich publications in related field. S/he should lead and possess profound and holistic experience of the agriculture sector and its inter-linkages with macro and microeconomic sectors.

ii)    Associate Consultant

The Associate Consultant should have at least Master's degree in agricultural economics or agricultural sciences or most relevant areas (a PhD will be preferable), with in-depth sector knowledge, along with 10+ years' experiences in agricultural policies and plans, and evidence of relevant publications. The Associate Consultant must have expertise in growth accounting framework to examine macro-economic indicators and their relevance to the recommendations for agriculture program interventions.

iii)    Assistant Consultant

Assistant Consultant should have at least Bachelor's degree in agriculture or management or business management or statistics or economics, etc. S/he will be the mid-career professional, who will perform the supportive tasks as directed by the Lead/Associate Consultants. The anticipated tasks at their level, but not limited to, are collecting information, documentation, organizing meetings and consultations, data analysis and logistics, 

6.  Level of Effort of Consultant and Duration of the Assignment

The proposed level of efforts (LOE) of individual consultants for each assignment is 45 days for Lead Consultant, 30 days for Associate Consultant, 30 days for Assistant Consultant split into two phases, inclusive of approximately 10-15 days of field works (survey, consultation, meetings, etc., if the situation permits) in the both Provinces. The proposed timeline for this consultancy is for 3 months. MOLMAC will provide necessary assistance to the Consultant's team in field data/information collection and discussion activities. 

7.  Selection Criteria and Weightage 

Consultant team will be selected based on the following weightage value of technical and financial criteria.

Criteria
Weightage
Technical (Education, experience, skill, publication, proposal, etc.)
90%
Financial 
10%
Total100%

8.  Deliverables and Timelines

The firm will prepare and submit the following deliverables: 

I.   Submission of inception report consisting of complete work design and methodology including contents, questionnaire/checklist, action plan and milestone setting of the activities, approach and working modality, to KISAN II and MOLMAC for getting feedback and suggestions by three weeks of agreement.

II.   Submission of the annotated strategic report as spelled out in the previous sections for tasks (i) to (vii)  for getting feedback and suggestions to move forward for the phase II tasks as described in the Scope of Work (section 3) by 1 month upon submission of inception report.

III.  Submit draft final report covering all areas of scope of work (section 3) to KISAN II and MOLMAC/MOALD, and give a presentation for getting feedbacks, comments, and suggestions.

IV.   Submit the final report to KISAN II and MOLMAC/MOALD in both Nepali (Unicode Kalimati font) and English versions concurrently(in a given standard guidelines) incorporating the outputs of the entire assignment after incorporating comments and suggestions received in the draft final by three months of agreement. 

9.  Instruction to the Applicants

Subcontract Type
Fixed Price Subcontract
Name of assignment
Formulating Provincial Agriculture Development Strategy (PADS) in Lumbini/Sudurpaschim Provinces (RFP to be submitted separately for each Province)
Submission date and address

No later than June 17, 2021

USAID’s Knowledge-based Integrated

Sustainable Agriculture in Nepal (KISAN) II Project

Kalika Marg, Sanepa-2, Lalitpur, Nepal

Phone: 01-5541961/ 5543961

Submit the proposal electronically at

Eoi.kisan@winrock.org

Proposals must remain valid 60 days after the submission date

Proposal shall be in the following language
English
Currency
Nepalese Rupees
Expected date of contract negotiation
TBD
Expected date of commencement of consulting services
TBD
Proposal length
Proposals should not exceed 10 pages (excluding annex). 
Team composition and task assignments
Please include a table in the proposal with: name of team members; area of expertise; position assigned; task assigned
Curriculum Vitae
Updated CVs required for all proposed team members, and commitment letters from Lead Consultant.
Work schedule 
Required; anticipated workflow should be presented in a Gantt chart and include major tasks, milestones, and deliverables broken down by week.
Financial (Cost) Proposal

Cost estimates should be presented in MS Excel and accompanied by a brief narrative explaining the rationale and assumptions for the major cost categories.

Major Costs: Annex A

Documents that need to be enclosed

   Legal and VAT registration certificate with their renewal for current fiscal year

   Tax clearance/submission/renewal certificate

   Latest Audit Report

(4)  Company profile

Disclaimer
Issuance of this solicitation does not obligate Winrock International to award a Contract, nor will Winrock International pay any costs associated with the preparation or submission of proposals.  Furthermore, Winrock International reserves the right to reject any and all offers, if such action is considered to be in the best interest of Winrock International.  Award of a Contract is subject to availability of funds and other internal Winrock International approvals.  

Please click the below for Annex A: 

https://Annex A: Cost Estimate Format/

Overview

Category Development and Project
Openings 1
Position Type Contract
Experience Please check details below.
Education Please check details below.
Posted Date 07 Jun, 2021
Apply Before 17 Jun, 2021
City Lalitpur