Request for Proposal (RFP) at Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA)

Posted by Future on Thu 24th Mar, 2022 - nigeriantenders.com


Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) invites qualified and interested consultants with relevant experience and qualifications to submit RFP documents for the following works:




Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) is a non-profit international development organization based in Washington, DC. CNFA's mission is to increase and sustain rural incomes in less developed areas of the world by assisting farmers and rural entrepreneurs.

Applications are invited for:

Title: Request for Proposal (RFP) - Niger Investment Guide

Reference No:
RFP_2022_03.001_Niger Investment Guide

Preamble

The five-year USAID Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity [The Activity], implemented by Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) aims to strengthen the enabling environment for agribusiness finance and investment. To achieve this goal, the Activity focuses on four interrelated components: (i) improving the enabling environment for agricultural sector growth; (ii) broadening access to finance by mitigating the credit risks of agribusinesses; (iii) promoting and facilitating investment opportunities for agribusinesses to expand and scale up operations; and (iv) sustainably enhancing the performance of agribusiness micro, small and medium size enterprises (MSMEs). In line with the U.S. and Nigerian governments’ commitment to growing the non-oil-based economy, these efforts will increase the depth, breadth, dynamism, and competitiveness of Nigeria’s agribusiness sector. The Activity operates in seven states of Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Niger and Kebbi along soybean, maize, aquaculture, rice, and cowpea value chains.

Niger State was part of the defunct Northwestern Nigeria and located in the North central geo-political zone. The State shares its borders with the republic of Benin (West), Zamfara State (North), Kebbi (Northwest), Kogi (South), Kwara (Southwest), Kaduna (North-East) and the FCT (South-East. The State is home to two of Nigeria’s largest hydropower plants; Kainji Dam and Shiroro Dam. Niger State is one of the states that attracts tourists from both inside and outside Nigeria to tourist attractions like Guarara Falls, Kainji National Park (the largest national park in Nigeria), Kainji Lake, Zugurma Reserve and Borgu Reserve. The state has the largest landmass in Nigeria, with about 70% arable and cultivable land with huge potential in aquaculture due to the large concentration of water bodies. It is among the first five highest producers of maize in Nigeria due to its large land mass with high fertility status which favors the cultivation of maize on an annual basis. Soybean is also widely grown in the state and like maize, several feed mills are available within and outside the state to off take the produce.

Despite the state’s huge investment potentials, most of its investment potentials remained locked and untapped with the resultant low rate of economic growth. The state has not attracted significant private sector investment to achieve its ambitious investment targets, especially for the agribusiness sector. The Kiara Rice Mill, the Fish and Rabbit Feed mill and Hatchery and the Niger State Dairy Project are some of the new initiatives of the state government to attract private sector investment through public-private sector partnership. Hence, the state is putting in place some policies and reform measures to address he local institutional, regulatory and policy environment to stimulate economic growth. The Niger State Government and the Activity realized that potential investors need additional sector specific information on available investment incentives and the regulatory framework, presented in one harmonized and concise document. Such document is expected to define the state’s value proposition to investors and serve as a guide for investors in making investment decisions to invest in Niger State.

Against this background, the Activity signed an MOU with the Niger State Ministry of Investment and Commerce and the Niger State Investment Promotion Agency to support the development of an investment guide that will attract more investment to the state.

The broad objective of this assignment is to engage a short-term technical assistance (STTA) consultant to support the Niger State Government to develop an Agribusiness Investment Guide (investment guide). The investment guide should clearly identify the agricultural potential of the state, the state’s specific comparative advantages, as well as highlight specific data-backed viable sectors and opportunities that the investment community (local and foreign) can use to make investment decisions.

Offerors are responsible for ensuring that their offers are received by CNFA in accordance with the instructions, terms, and conditions described in this RFP. Failure to adhere with instructions described in this RFP may lead to disqualification of an offer from consideration.

CNFA will consider proposals in response to this RFP from eligible local Independent Consultants and Firms. International firms/individuals are not eligible to apply this assignment.

Scope of Work
  • The Activity will require the successful offeror to thoroughly review the existing legal and regulatory frameworks in Niger state relevant to the development and publishing of a new Agribusiness Investment Guide that will highlight and promote investment in specific sectors, value chains and opportunities in Niger State, in a format that is compelling and usable by the investment community.
  • Thus, the consultant will clarify the goals, objectives, and desired outcomes of introducing new administrative guidelines and related regulations for investment guide.
Tasks
The successful local consultant/consulting firm among several duties, will perform the following specific duties:
  • Review any existing investment promotion guides or compendiums available for Niger state, identify any gaps, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and reflect the insight from those in developing a new investment guide for the state.
  • In collaboration with the relevant committee or assignees of the state, research (desk and field research, including various stakeholder engagements) and compile the most viable agribusiness investment opportunities in Niger State as related to the target value chains (rice, maize, soy, aquaculture, and cowpeas), based on comparative advantages, barriers to entry, cost and scale of investments required, risks and return on investments.
  • Identify potential idle or moribund public agribusiness assets that are viable for private sector interventions and investment with compelling reasons why the investment community should consider them
  • Highlight the economic, legal, regulatory, and business environment of Niger State, compared to its neighbors, and Niger State’s specific advantages in the Northwest region of Nigeria, for the purpose of the investment community making rational investment decisions.
  • Advise on the best format to publish/host the information guide, for the most impact and distribution amongst the investment community
Eligible Offerors Qualifications
  • University graduate with a degree in finance, economics, agribusiness, agricultural extension or policy, law, economic development, trade, strategic partnerships, business administration, or a related field (Masters preferred and can replace 2 years of experience requirement).
  • 10+ years of relevant experience working in finance and investment promotion or policy development, ideally including expertise in value chain analysis, financial instrument development, agribusiness contracts, agribusiness strategic partnerships; investment and technology management skills and experience working in Northern Nigeria.
  • Experience in conducting research for USAID- and/or other donor-funded programs is strongly preferred.
  • Experience working collaboratively with institutional and private‐sector partners (foreign and domestic investors, lead firms, big corporate) and other stakeholders in the Nigerian economic sector. Experience working in Niger State preferred.
  • Demonstrable capacity to work well in diverse teams but also productive working independently with minimum supervision.
  • Well organized, strong analytical skills, creative thinker, innovative, demonstrated personal initiative, stress tolerance, integrity, and ethics.
  • Sound knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
  • Excellent written and oral communications skills in English.
  • Ability to produce various informational products under tight deadlines.
  • Legally able to work in Nigeria.
  • Ability to produce various informational products under tight deadlines.
Application Closing Date
5:00pm (WAT), 1st April, 2022.

Submission of Documents

Offers must be submitted by email to: operations@ag-invest.org

Note
  • Please reference the RFP number in any response to this RFP.
  • Offers received after the specified time and date will be considered late and will be considered only at the discretion of CNFA.
  • Offerors must strictly follow the provided deadlines to be considered for award.
  • CNFA reserves the right to conduct any of the following:
    • CNFA may conduct negotiations with and/or request clarifications from any offeror prior to award.
    • While preference will be given to offerors who can address the full technical requirements of this RFP, CNFA may issue a partial award or split the award among various suppliers, if in the best interest of the Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Activity Project;
    • CNFA may cancel this RFP at any time.
Click Here (Ms Word) for a detailed description of the RFP.
Industry

;
Category

;
State

;