Post-monetization study; USDA-funded Ethiopian REgrow Yirga project

Job Description

Opportunity Title:

Post-monetization study; USDA-funded Ethiopian REgrow Yirga project

Short Description:

The objective of this consultancy is to assess and document the effects of the project monetization and determine whether monetization sales caused any adverse impacts in the markets to which they were sold. The selected consultant or firm will design and conduct an in-depth assessment of the impact of the monetization in the local economies, including both desk-based and in-country studies.

Detailed Description

TechnoServe is seeking proposals from qualified consultants for the following scope of work. For information on timeline, application requirements, and evaluation criteria, please review the full Request for Proposals here. Please submit your proposal for this consultancy to buy+US+P0020290@tns.org by May 18, 2023.

Scope of Work

Consultancy for Post-Monetization Impact Assessment on Regrow Yirga
Expected start date: June 2023
Subject: Request for Proposal to conduct a post-monetization study for the USDA-funded Ethiopian REgrow Yirga project

1 Background

1.1 TechnoServe

TechnoServe is an international nonprofit organization that promotes business solutions to poverty in the developing world. It is headquartered in Rosslyn, VA and operates in 30 countries worldwide. TechnoServe’s mission is to work with enterprising men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. It does this by linking people to information, capital, and markets. With more than 50 years of proven results, TechnoServe believes in the power of private enterprise to transform lives.

1.2 Project background

REgrow Yirga is a five-year, $19.7 million project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the Food for Progress Program (FFPr) that aims to enhance the sustainable competitiveness of the Ethiopian coffee sector through increased productivity, improved supply chain performance, strengthened market linkages, and a more facilitative enabling environment.

In June 2021, Regrow Yirga monetized 38,000 MT of U.S. hard red winter wheat in the East Africa Region; specifically, in Mombasa, Kenya.

2 General Requirements & Scope of Work
The objective of this consultancy is to assess and document the effects of the project monetizations and determine whether monetization sales caused any adverse impacts in the markets to which they were sold. Adverse impacts may include displacing commercial trade and/ or discouraging local food production.

The selected consultant or firm will design and conduct an in-depth assessment of the impact of the monetization in the local economies, including both desk-based and in-country studies. Data should be collected from both primary and secondary sources of information and the assessment should use a mixed-methods approach that applies qualitative and quantitative techniques and triangulates information from different methods to enhance the reliability of the findings. The assessment should seek to address the following key questions. The selected consultant or firm may refine these questions or propose new or alternative questions.

Market Context

• What are the supply and demand trends for the commodity and country? Who are the domestic producers of the commodity and how are they distributed in the country?
• Who are the main buyers and how do they influence the market?
• How is the commodity produced, consumed/processed, traded, regulated, marketed generally in the context of this particular country/region?
• Did the quality of the offered commodity correspond to local market demand?
• Are there any substitute commodities for the selected commodity?

Monetization Process

• How did bidders and potential buyers learn about the tender? What were the most effective outreach methods for bidders/ potential buyers that learned about the tender?
• Did sales occur as intended or was there a lag because of unforeseen conditions in the market?
• Were the timing, volume, and terms of the sale appropriate?
• Are/were there adequate logistics in the country to handle the volume of commodity sold in the number of shipments assessed?
• To what extent was in-country storage utilization affected?
• What were the actual prices and quantities of the commodities sold compared to pre-monetization estimates?
• Did the tender process attract the desired number and quality of offers? If not, why not?
• How many potential buyers have/had the capability to bid and purchase the entire load according to the established conditions in the bid?

Effect on Commodity Prices

• Did the monetization have an effect on commodity prices? If so, at what level (e.g. local, farm-gate, etc.)?
• What happened to local and international prices during this time period? (Sudden change higher or lower that was unusual)? Did local currency fluctuations affect prices?
• Did local price fluctuations follow global/regional patterns?
• Did port conditions affect the sale terms or price offered? If so, how?
• Were there any other market factors that could have impacted prices during that time?

Overall Impact

• To what extent did monetization affect local production and consumption in the short- (few months after monetization), medium-(first marketing year after monetization), and long-term (subsequent marketing year)?
• To what extent did monetization displace commercial trade in the short- medium-, and long-term?
• If there are substitute commodities for the selected commodity, did the monetization of the selected commodity impact production/marketing of substitute commodities?
• Were buying patterns of local and international actors affected? If so, what was the magnitude and length of the change?
• Was the country’s transportation infrastructure affected by the monetization?
• Did the port have the capacity to efficiently handle the shipments?

OUTPUTS/ DELIVERABLES

With inputs from TechnoServe, the Consultant will produce a detailed work plan that includes: a description of the assessment methodology and approach, a timeline for the assessment, and a research plan that includes the list of experts and/or relevant stakeholders in the sector to interview/survey as well as the list of potential sources for secondary research.

Develop the tools required for data collection (surveys, etc.) and present them to TechnoServe for feedback and approval. Using qualitative and quantitative methods which includes econometric and statistical analyses, develop and test hypotheses about the direct and indirect relationships between food aid monetization efforts and local prices for wheats and cereal grains in Kenya and Tanzania. An example of a testable hypothesis is that the monetization activity had no negative impact on wheat prices in Kenya in 2021 – 2022.

Consultant will conduct the assessment, addressing the assessment objectives and responding to the questions in the scope of work, and develop and present a summary of preliminary findings. The document should include a table of content and main preliminary findings. In addition, the document should include – as annexes – relevant charts, analyses or calculations needed to produce/estimate findings. This document will be the main input for the final report.

Following TechnoServe feedback on the preliminary summary of findings, consultant will produce a) a final, detailed assessment report in high-quality English and b) a 2-3-page stand-alone brief describing the evaluation design, key findings and other relevant considerations. The brief will serve to inform any interested stakeholders of the Post Monetization Impact Assessment, and should be written in language easy to understand by non-evaluators and with appropriate graphics and tables.

Final presentation: Consultant will develop a PowerPoint document and will conduct a presentation for TechnoServe’s staff and other stakeholders.

The overall level of effort required to complete these deliverables is estimated at approximately 70-100 days.

3 Required Skills & Experience

For the post-monetization impact assessment, TechnoServe will select a consultant or multidisciplinary team that provides a deep knowledge of the local commodity markets, and understands and makes appropriate use of evaluation best practices in line with international technical standards. The successful bid will demonstrate capabilities in the following areas:

• Consultant or consulting firm should have at least 5 years of experience in conducting similar impact assessments and/or market analyses. Candidates with a minimum of two monetization-related impact assessments and/or development economics assessments would be preferred. Experience in conducting similar impact assessments in East Africa is highly desired.
• Experience as a lead researcher with international work experience in impact evaluations, with a Master’s degree in Applied Economics, Economics or other social sciences, such as anthropology, sociology, or agronomy. Candidates with a PhD in Applied Economics would be preferred.
• Experience with quantitative and qualitative evaluation methodologies; additional training and expertise in applied economics and/or other social sciences relevant to the study (e.g. agronomy, anthropology, economics, statistics, or related area).
• Relevant experience in designing qualitative and quantitative data collection tools and conducting data collection in the field; analytical and research capacity and experience in using statistical software (e.g. SPSS, STATA, etc.) would be preferred.
• Excellent English writing and communication skills, with special attention to research protocols, research documents and descriptive reports for a broad audience.
• Ability to communicate research findings in a clear, succinct and diplomatic manner.
• Ability to communicate with people from different backgrounds and different levels of management and to work independently to meet deadlines.
• Experience conducting evaluations for international donors (e.g. USDA, USAID, and European Union, etc.) and delivering reports in English would be preferred.

4 Period of Performance

The period of performance of any contract resulting from this solicitation is anticipated to begin on or about June 2023 for a duration of approximately three-to-four months. Proposals shall detail the estimated length of time required to accomplish all requirements, with detail on individual activity implementation dates, as referenced in the Scope of Work.

5. Submission Process and Evaluation of Proposals

5.1 Form and Content of Response

Candidates meeting the aforementioned criteria and interested in being considered for this consultancy should submit one Word document (with a maximum of 15 pages) with the following contents:

• A cover letter.
• Outline of the assessment design, methodology and general assessment approach.
• Proposed work plan and timetable.
• Detailed budget in U.S. dollars. It should detail expenditures on professional fees, travel, and any other expenditure required to conduct this evaluation.
• CVs of the evaluator and evaluator team, outlining previous evaluation experience and accomplishments as it relates to demonstrating the skills and knowledge needed to fulfill the requirements of this RFP.
• A detailed CV shall be attached in the case of independent consultants.
• Provide at least three verifiable references of similar services with a description of the product and/or service provided and dates.
• If applicable, organizational chart of implementation unit.

All proposals shall also:

Remain valid for a period of 90 days from submission.

Be in the English language.

Provide requested payment terms and conditions.

Include a contact name, email address, and telephone number to facilitate communication between TechnoServe and the submitting independent consultant/organization.

If applicant is an organization, provide a brief outline of the organization and services offered, including:

• Full legal name, jurisdiction of incorporation and address of the company
• Full legal name and country of citizenry of company’s President and / or Chief Executive Officer
• Year business was established

5.2 Criteria for Selection

The evaluation of each response to this RFP will be based on the criteria set out below. At the sole discretion of TechnoServe, the top proposals may be selected for follow-up questions.

Technical proposal (Assessment Approach/Methodology, including resourcing and deliverables; Quality of Work Plan, including timeline) – 35%
Past performance and relevant experience – 35%
Cost proposal – 30%

We encourage all qualified individuals and organizations who share TechnoServe’s vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply. Candidates based within the region are encouraged to apply.

With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability, and all other protected classes.