Individual consultant to capture learning and develop a scaling up strategy and plan in Refractance Window Dryer (RWD) Technology

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation launched at the United Nations in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Working with governments, businesses, and civil society, we aim to transform food systems so that they deliver more nutritious foods for all people, especially the most vulnerable.

Objective

General objective:

• To capture key learning from the RWD technology testing process and develop a comprehensive “Business and Technical Guidance” toolkit to support the development of nutritious food products with RWD technology.

Specific objective

• To document lessons learned from the overall RWD technology prototype development and piloting process, including key activities and insights.
• To identify key successes, outcomes, and challenges related to RWD testing, manufacturing, and piloting. To present key outcomes for the research/ project with actionable recommendations.
• To gather feedback from the project team, partners, and other stakeholders
• To develop a business case for the application of RWD technology to the development and marketing of nutritious foods from fresh fruit and vegetables.
• To document the technical process in detail for all the key activities: collaborating with a local manufacturer of the RWD processing machine; prototype testing and development; product quality testing and analysis; consumer acceptability assessments and feasibility studies; development of standards and guidelines; assessing business viability within processing facilities; and identifying potential product delivery channels.
• To summarize the project learning for a broader audience the process, lessons learned, successes, challenges, opportunities, and including relevant experiences from other countries.

Scope of the assignment

• Prepare a detailed inception report – with input from GAIN – including the proposed set of data and documents to be analysed, the analytical process for using this information to develop the required outputs, and approaches for the activity, a detailed workplan, the structure/outline of the “toolkit”.
• Capture Learnings and Insights: Capture key learnings from the processes at different stages of the project through a review of documents and Key Informant Interviews with GAIN project team, project partners, donors, and other stakeholders. This will include engagements in Addis Ababa, Burayo, papaya-growing areas in Oromia and Sidama, and other locations with potential future consumers.
• Develop a Business and Technical Guidance toolkit: Prepare a relevant learning document to support future investment utilising the learnings from this project. This toolkit should be geared toward a business/private sector audience. Guidance documents should be written and structured as educational materials rather than a narrative report.
• Present and Share Findings: Summarise results for an audience of stakeholders into a Results Summary Report (approximately 5-10 pages) and present the findings to key stakeholders and share the final documents. These materials will serve as the foundation for the project’s scaling-up and strategy plan

Key deliverable schedule

SN	Deliverable	Due period
	A detailed inception report (including methods and approaches for the activity, a detailed work plan, the structure/outline of the “toolkit”)	2nd week of April , 2025
2	Data collection report (Documentation of process for eliciting feedback from the project team, partners, and other stakeholder. Documentation of who was consulted and which documents were reviewed. And description of the analytical process used for identifying lessons.)	4th Week of April , 2025
3	Draft of the Business and Technical Guidance Toolkit and Results Summary Report	2nd week of May , 2025
4	Slide decks (2) developed and presented for validation by project team and stakeholders	4th Week of May, 2025
5	Submit final Business and Technical Guidance Toolkit and Results Summary Report	1st week of June , 2025

Responsibilities of GAIN

• GAIN will assist and facilitate to link with the project team and relevant partners.
• GAIN will make all relevant documents, reports, and other information available.
• Review the documents and provide input and comments to the consultant.
• Facilitate and support to conduct review and share of the documents with potential project partners.

• At least 5 years of experience in developing lessons-learned documents and developing a strategy and scaling up document, particularly related to innovative ideas, research, technologies, manufacturing processes, or similar fields.
• The individual expertise should have strong analytical abilities, excellent communication skills, project management expertise, and experience in the relevant field.
• Experience in other countries in the same thematic area, including international research work, with proof of similar projects undertaken.
• Ability to gather information from multiple sources, analyzing, triangulating and translating it into actionable insights and recommendations.
• The individual consultant should also have experience in facilitating group discussions and documenting findings in alignment with the project’s scope and objectives.
• Proven excellent communication skills in English and local language, with strong verbal and written proficiency.