Request for Proposal (RFP) at the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)

The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is an African-led, African-based, not-for-profit organization. It works with African governments, development partners, civil society, private sector, and African farmers for an inclusive agricultural transformation (IAT) to increase incomes and improve food and nutrition security of at least 30 million smallholder farming households.

Applications are invited for:

Title: Request for Proposal (RFP) - Consultancy for Reviewing and Designing Tools and Systems for Performance Management (Procurement, Planning and Budgeting, and M&E) for Deployment / Customization by Countries

Reference No: RFP-003-SC-2022

Background
AGRA appreciates the critical role that governments play in agricultural transformation. They set the vision for the sector, which influences the speed and direction of an inclusive agricultural transformation (IAT). Further, governments establish rules and regulations which facilitate IAT through enabling environment for the private sector and even the smallholder farmers to flourish. It is also the governments that have the legitimacy and authority to bring the agriculture sector stakeholders together to support IAT for effective alignment and delivery of agricultural programs.

However, governments across the AGRA focus countries face various challenges which limit delivery of an IAT. Literature (e.g., institutional capacity assessments, country biennial review reports, agriculture sector joint sector review reports, performance reports of ministries of agriculture and others) shows a wide range of challenges in the agriculture sector in the AGRA countries. Although the challenges vary across countries, some challenges are common. The following are the key state capability related challenges documented in the AGRA countries:

• Limited individual skills: Government officials have several capacity challenges at the individual level such as:
  • Inadequacy of technical skills and experience among technical officers (in areas such as evidence-based policy analysis, M&E, data management, and analysis, technical writing, communication, planning and prioritization, resource mobilization, planning, procurement, budgeting and coordination).
  • Unmet needs for strengthening leadership and managerial skills among the managers and leaders.
  • Limited skills in managing multi-stakeholder partnerships (e.g., expertise to rally the stakeholder behind common sector transformation objectives and/or to leverage additional funding for the sector); and
  • Lack skills and experience to secure buy-in of partners for alignment of resources with priority programs.
• Limited capacity of some key agriculture sector institutions: Several government organizations have institutional capacity gaps which need to be addressed. They need:
  • Strengthening of the organizational structure.
  • Enhancement of human and financial capabilities to facilitate delivery on their mandate.
  • Support to acquire appropriate equipment, tools and technologies for work to enhance capacity to efficiently manage and monitor the programs and/or projects.
  • Resources to carry out evidence-based and consultative design and/or review of sector policies, strategies, and plans, and to design priority  programmes for faster transformation.
• Inadequately designed systems for delivery at the sector level: Such as input and extension delivery systems and to facilitate access to markets.

In the strategy that just ended, AGRA and partners worked with governments to bridge the above capacity gaps based on demand from countries. One of the recent interventions has been on supporting countries to acquire appropriate equipment, tools, and technologies for work to enhance capacity to efficiently design, manage, and monitor the programs and/or projects.

AGRA’s interventions have taken the form of financial grants to governments and/or technical partners; technical support (e.g., technical backstopping by AGRA staff, secondment of Technical Assistants (TAs), and procurement of consultants); and provision of tools (software and hardware). For example, in Burkina Faso AGRA’s support began in early 2019, following the discovery that an initial program budget software was inoperable due to constant bugs. Additionally, the software had not been properly adapted for ease of use and was not mobile-responsive, amongst other issues. Following AGRA’s investment, the software was overhauled and first deployed in the 2019-2020 budgeting process with tremendous success. According to Fidèle Salou, the Director General of the Coordination of Projects, and Programs, upgrading the software was critical for the optimal operationalization of his ministry’s program budget. “The results-based programming has improved the quality and efficiency of public spending,” he said.  

In Ethiopia AGRA supported the Ministry of agriculture (MoA) to develop and deploy Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools and techniques in Monitoring and Evaluation. This intervention rapidly increased efficiency of M&E functions. Mr Zena Habtewold, Director of Planning, M&E at MoA said in a recent interview that the support by AGRA enabled the ministry transform from manual / paper-based documentation to electronic data and information management (digitization in agriculture), this has enhanced timelines in M&E reporting. In the Bridge Fund period, AGRA, through its SCU, plans to change its mode of operation in provision of tools and systems for procurement, planning, and budgeting, and M&E. This is a consultancy for an activity to generate standard tools and systems which may be adapted for use in different AGRA countries building on lessons learnt from AGRA and non-AGRA supported tools.

Objectives of the Assignment
This consultancy is expected to develop generic tools and systems for procurement, planning and budgeting, and M&E in the for the agricultural sector. These tools are expected to be applied and /or customized across all AGRA countries based on country contexts.

Specifically, the consultancy will focus on responding to the following issues:

• The growing demand for performance management tools.
• This will be an opportunity for AGRA to develop and deploy these performance management tools whenever need arises.
• By developing these tools AGRA will enhance its institutional capacity for effective delivery of its mandate.

Scope of Work
The consultancy firm will be expected to carry out the following categories of work:

• Task 1: Taking into account individual country contexts and policy frameworks, undertake a review of existing tools for procurement, planning, budgeting, and M&E .
  • Identify and document the existing tools and systems for performance management (focusing on planning, budgeting, procurement, and M&E)
  • Conduct interviews with key sector stakeholders who are currently using those tools and frameworks to identify benefits each tool, system and framework presents
  • Determine the value addition each tool/system and framework present in the pathway to an inclusive agriculture transformation  
• Task 2: Documentation of gaps, best practices, and lessons to inform design of robust tools for deployment in AGRA countries
  • Assess/ review the existing tools, frameworks, and systems and identify gaps that each present
  • Provide best practice through case study that demonstrate the value of each tool/system/framework indicated above
  • Draw out key lessons for each of the system/tool/framework
  • Draft sections of the technical report with information on gaps, best practices lessons and experiences (both positive, negative and unintended outcomes) on the tools/systems/frameworks used for performance management in the public service in the agriculture sector within the African landscape, for the purpose of informing the design of new tools where they do not exist or strengthening the existing ones
• Task 3: Development of tools/systems for procurement, planning, budgeting, and M&E
  • Develop new tools and systems to strengthen procurement, planning and budgeting, and M&E in agriculture sector building on the outcomes of activities in task 1 and 2
  • Test the tools and systems developed in sampled AGRA countries.
  • Organize validation workshops for the various tools and systems developed and receive feedback from the stakeholders.
  • Use feedback from the stakeholders to finalize the tools and systems developed or reviewed.
• Task 4: Build Capacity of AGRA to operationalize the tools and systems designed under task 3
  • Develop practical recommendations to AGRA on what should the organization consider while supporting countries with tools and systems for performance management (with specific recommendations on the areas of: procurement planning, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation
  • Build capacity of AGRA staff (at the HQ and in AGRA country offices) in use of the tools and systems developed.

Key Qualifications and Experience Required
The firm shall:

• Have extensive experience in knowledge management, procurement, policy planning and development, monitoring and evaluation of development projects, strategic planning, systems analysis, designing and implementing ICT/ digital solutions.
• Experience in carrying out similar assignments in AGRA countries; Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
• Given the broad nature of the assignment, the firm is expected to provide experts/ expertise with hands on experience in both the technical content in relation to procurement, planning and budgeting and M&E. This should include but not limited to:
  • Lead Consultant/Team Leader:
    • An Advanced degree in Knowledge Management and Communication, Policy Development, Strategic Planning, Management Information System, Business Administration, Business Information Technology, Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation or any other related degree.
    • Certification in systems or business development, and software development.
    • Well-developed analytical and research skills.
    • Minimum 10 years of experience in knowledge management, procurement, policy planning and development, monitoring and evaluation of development projects, strategic planning, systems analysis, designing and implementing ICT/digital solutions.
    • Relevant experience in information systems design and modelling.
    • Knowledge of collaborative technologies.
    • Advanced ICT skills: including advanced knowledge of web services, proven experience in e-Government related IT services.
    • Experience in conducting knowledge audits.
    • Proven experience in developing policy level documents.
    • Experience in capacity building for large and multicultural development organizations.
    • Good interpersonal relations and communication.
    • Experience in planning and/ or evaluation of agricultural projects and knowledge of AGRA activities an asset
    • Knowledge about multilateral technical cooperation, international development priorities and frameworks
    • Working experience in developing countries.
  • Associate Consultant (s):
    • A bachelor’s degree in Knowledge Management and Communication, Policy Development, Strategic Planning, Management Information System, Business Administration, Business Information Technology, Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation or any other related degree.
    • Certification in systems or business development, and software development.
    • Well-developed analytical and research skills.
    • Minimum 6 years of experience in knowledge management, policy development, monitoring and evaluation of development projects, strategic planning, systems analysis, designing and implementing ICT solutions.
    • Relevant experience in information systems design and modelling.
    • Knowledge of collaborative technologies.
    • Advanced ICT skills: including advanced knowledge of web services, proven experience in e-Government related IT services.
    • Experience in conducting knowledge audits.
    • Proven experience in developing policy level documents.
    • Experience in capacity building for large and multicultural development organizations.
    • Good interpersonal relations and communication.
    • Experience in planning and/ or evaluation of agricultural projects and knowledge of AGRA activities will be an asset
    • Knowledge about multilateral technical cooperation, international development priorities and frameworks
    • Working experience in developing countries.

N/B: Based on the diversity of skill set for this assignment, bidders are allowed to form a consortium and co-bid.

Application Closing Date
5:00pm (East African Time), 10th May, 2022.

Submission of Documents
Proposals SHALL be submitted via email to: procurement@agra.org Please include the subject line "RFP-003-SC-2022" of the email.

Please note the following:

• The Proposals shall be prepared in English Language.
• The technical proposal shall not exceed 20 pages.
• The proposal and ALL Attachments submitted via email SHALL NOT exceed 10MB.
• VALIDITY of the proposal shall be for a period of 90 days from the date of bid closure.
• Financial proposal shall be sent as a separate attachment and MUST be password protected. The password shall be requested from the firm that meets the best technical score above 75%.

Click Here (Ms Word) for a detailed description of the RFP.