Request for Expression of Interest for Selection of Transaction Advisor for the Establishment of Agriculture Value

The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has some Agriculture Value Chain Infrastructures and intends to concession them to allow for greater participation of farmers and the public In the Agricultural Transformation Programme. In this connection, the FGN is desirous to assess the strategic fit, achievability, value for money and affordability for the procurement of concessionaires to finance, maintain and operate its Agriculture Value Chain Infrastructures across the country.

The procurement of all concessions in Nigeria follows the National Policy on Public Private Partnership (N4P) published by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
The FMA&RD now seeks Transaction Advisors to provide a broad scope of advisory services to assist in the procurement of the concessionaires and accordingly invites qualified Transaction Advisors to express Interest in providing such services.

The Value Chain projects across the country are as follows;

Lot 1: 18Nes. Agro-Industrial Estates Located as follows: Ukanafun (Akwa-Ibom), Mgbakwu A/North (Anambara), Ani-Nri (Enugu). Odo-Oba (Oyo), Iporo-Oju (Ogun), Iludu Oro (Kwara), Lamorde (Adamawa). Ukum LGA (Benue), Abobori-Ogbia LGA (Bayelsa), Afuze (Edo), Misau (Bauchi), Olori Obodo (Abia), Kalambaina (Sokoto), Katsina (Katsina)(Borno), Minna (Niger), Ilerin/Ilesha (Osun) and Karniya, Dutse LGA(Jigawa).

Let 2: 8Nos. Agro-processing centers alongside silo complexes located as follows: Gombe (Gombe), Minna (Niger), Ilorin (Kwara), Jahun (Jigawa), Makurdi (Benue), Ibadan (Oyo), Ogoja (Cross River) and Akure (Ondo).

Lot 3: 9Nos. Farmers Market located as follows: Gin (FCT), Kura (Kano), Sangare Yola (Adamawa), Bida (Niger), Epe (Lagos), Akinyele (Oyo), Hoipang B/Ladi (Plateau). Agbor (Delta) and Agbogugu (Enugu).

Scope of Work
The services to be provided include but not limited to the following;

• Upgrade feasibility studies and any other reports to outline business case (OBC) standards in line with the National Policy on PPP (N4P)
• Completion of project preparation, including PPP transaction structuring;
• Market sounding to confirm decisions on scope, structuring and timing of transaction;
• Financial analysis and modelling;
• Environmental and Social impact assessment
• Assistance in designing and managing the procurement and evaluation process and support to FMA&RO Project Delivery Team (POT) during that process;
• Analysis of enabling legal framework for completeness;
• Preparation of information memorandum and tender documentation (including concession contract etc); Support in marketing:
• Organisation and preparation, where necessary of supporting documentation to be made available to bidders (including technical analysis);
• Assistance in negotiation with one or more parties prior to contract award:
• Management of other advisory inputs and overall management of the advisory team to ensure a successful transaction;
• Full business case (FBC) preparation, including preparing draft concession agreements etc. for FBC approval by FEC; and
• Facilitate commencement of Concession Agreement (CA) including following up of achievement of all CA condition precedent and financial close by the concessionaire.

Transaction Advisers may consist of a single firm or a consortium of firms with the financial, legal, technical, PPP, and other specialist expertise required to successfully bring the transaction to financial close. In the case of a consortium, the consortium members must jointly submit the required information and must also clearly identify one of the firms comprising the consortium as the lead Transaction Adviser. The lead Transaction Adviser will have primary responsibility for liaising with FMA&RD and CRC Project Delivery Team (PDT) and for managing the consortium’s advisory inputs as a whole.

Firms comprising the consortium with specialized expertise in the finance, legal, and technical fields should be identified, respectively, as the Finance Transaction Adviser, Legal Transaction Adviser, and Technical Transaction Adviser. International Consultants are encouraged to form partnerships with reputable and accredited Nigerian consulting firms.

Submission of Expressions of Interest (EOI)
Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from prospective Advisors should specify the following information as the basis for pre-qualification;

• Full name and nationality (country of registration of the company).
• Profile of firm/consortium including ownership structure and role of each corporate entity with full contact details including email of lead firms.
• Detail of direct experience advising government in the structuring of PPP transactions;
• Track record of successful closing of PPP concessions, particularly in the Agricultural Sector;
• Description of roles played in at least five (5) Agricultural transactions closed in emerging markets during the past seven (7) years (at least one which should be in the past (3) years);
• Relevant experience in the Agricultural sector (including technical competence);
• Experience working in Nigeria and/ or sub-Saharan Africa;
• Financial Capacity Profile of the firm and Evidence of Tax Clearance Certificate for 2010, 2011, 2012 for Nigerian Firms
• Submission of three (3) years Audited Accounts with an annual turnover of over N13 million in each of the last 3 years.
• Evidence of payment of Training Contributions to Industrial Training Fund (ITF); for Nigerian Firms
• Evidence of compliance with the Employees’ Compensation Act which requires that all Employers of Labour must remit 1% of the total annual emolument of their workers to the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (as applicable).
• Advisor will be selected In accordance with the procedures set out in the BPP Standard Request for Proposals (RFP) for the selection of Consultancy firms (Complex Lump Sum) January 2008.

Closing Date
12:00 Noon Nigerian time on Monday 18 March 2013

Further Information
Expressions of Interest must be submitted in separate bids for each Lot, (in case of multiple bids), in six (8) copies (one original & five copies) in a sealed envelope clearly marked “Expression of Interest for Selection of Transaction Advisor for the Establishment of Agriculture Value” clearly stating the lot number, and it should be hand delivered to the address below:

The Secretary,
Ministerial Tenders Board;
Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
1st Floor, Room 213,
FCDA Secretariat, Area 11,
Garki - Abuja.

Opening of EOI
All EOIs will be opened at 1:00pm on Monday, 18 March 2013 at the Conference Room B, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Area 11, FCDA Secretariat, Garki Abuja in the presence of all the interested firms in attendance.

Please note that:

• Only shortlisted firms will be invited for further consideration.
• Late submission will be rejected.
• This advertisement shall not be construed as a commitment on the part of FMA&RD to appoint any consultant nor shall it entitle any consultant submitting documents to claim any indemnity from
• FMA&RO/ICRC
• Interested applicants may obtain further information at the address above from 8.00 am to 4.00 pm, Monday through Friday (except public holidays).
• Expression of Interest through email or fax will not be entertained.

Signed:
Ibukun Odusoto (Mrs)
Permanent Secretary