Request for application – to identify local service providers to implement shoat out grower scheme for creating market linkage of shoat value chains intervention

Poverty Reduced Sustainably in an Environment of Resilient and Vibrant Economy (PReSERVE)

Title:  Request for application (RFA) to identify local service providers to implement shoat out grower scheme for creating market linkage of shoat value chains intervention

Location:  Amhara Region, South Gondar Zone of Lay Gayint, Tach Gayint and Simada woreda

 

REQUEST FOR APPLICATION (RFA)

RTI-PReSERVE

 

Activity Title:	Identify local service providers/LSPs/ for shoat value chains
Type of award:	Grant/Award from RTI international
Term of grant:	March 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026
This grant/Award supports:	Establish shoat out grower scheme to improve shoat marketing system and enhance market-oriented shoat husbandry.
Term of Subgrant:	1 year
Award Range:	60,000 USD
Match Contribution	No match
Submit Proposal to:	mseffefe@rti.org
Date of Issue of RFA and end date	January 3, 2025, to February 2, 2025
Date Questions from Applicants Due:	January 15, 2025
Date Proposal Due:	January 31, 2025
Approximate Date for grant issued to successful Applicant (s):	February 28, 2025
Request for Application Number:	RTI-PReSERVE-G-RFA-2024-006

 

Program Description

Poverty Reduced Sustainably in an Environment of Resilient and Vibrant Economy (PReSERVE) Ethiopia is the 5-year USAID-funded project which aimed at an integrated interventions to improve food security of vulnerable households in targeted Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) communities in the Amhara Region of South Gondar, Wag Himra and Central Gondar Zones and contribute to a sustained reduction in rural poverty. PReSERVE project has been implementing by the partnership of eight consortium organizations (4 international NGO and 4 Local NGO). RTI International (RTI) is amongst the INGOs consortium member which has been implementing the agricultural value chains and market systems development component of the PReSERVE project. The market systems development component of PReSERVE expected to bring sustainable and effective market access and income growth for the value chains participants vulnerable target communities in the livelihoods deepening three woredas (Lay Gayint, Tach Gayint and Simada).

Sheep and Goat (Shoat) rearing is the major livelihood source of the community in the Lay Gayint, Tach Gayint and Simada districts, South Gondar Zone.  shoat value chain analysis study findings in the woredas indicated that the community rear shoat traditionally as low input and low output subsistence farm business. Again, the study identified the major constraints faced shoat value chain to improve smallholder’s farmers shoat production, resilience, and overall livelihood improvement are low shoat productivity because of animal feed shortage; poor shoat husbandry practices /housing, record keeping, etc./; prevalence of animal diseases and limited/ no market linkage due to illegal trade, limited access to sustainable market,

To address these constraints, the PRSERVE project planned to sustainably link target shoat VCs participants by shoat out-grower scheme with Local Service Provider (LSPs) and abattoirs to facilitate the improvement of shoat production and marketing system. That is, to sustainably enhance the knowledge; skills, market linkage and income of target households on shoat production business by emplacing shoat out grower’s model, execute market-oriented shoat husbandry practices, execute traceable shoat rearing, provide training, veterinary services tailor to the scheme, and establish shoat collection pen in the districts.  Working through LSPs, PReSERVE intends to support and build sustainable market linkage between small holder farmers shoat out-grower scheme and the private business firm/shoat exporter/Abattoir that will stay beyond the life of the project.

 

Objective

The overall objective of this RFA:

• To identify local service provider(s) that support and execute shoat out-grower model business and create sustainable shoat market linkage for at least 3,319 shoat value chain targeted households in three districts of1796 in Lay Gayint; 861 in Tach Gayint and 662 in Simada.

 

Intended Results/Expected out puts

The local service providers success will be measured in terms of the outputs listed below.

1. Organized producers and created an awareness on shoat out-grower scheme.

1.1 Conduct sensitization workshop at zonal/woreda level.

1.2 Conduct outreach program to promote 3319 HH participants (on each program kebeles) on out-grower scheme.

1.3 Organize the up to 221 producers in to out-grower groups for market linkage and services delivery based on adjacent villages (15 members/group and in the group up to 50% women)

2, Organized and conducted shoat value chain multistakeholder platform /MSP/

2.1 Establish one multistakeholder platform (MSP) at Zone level for shoat value chain for three woredas.

2.2 Conduct two MSPs meetings.

3. Market linkages and waiting/collection pen for shoat out-grower scheme.

3.1 Establish at least one shoat waiting/collection pen with facilities (feeding and watering troughs) central to the woredas to facilitate the shoat market.

3.2 Sign contractual agreement between out-grower groups and abattoirs/exporters (e.g., shoat price, collection strategy, delivery point and related activities)

3.3 Local service providers resume buying and collection of live animals/shoats/ from producers.

4. Improved target shoat VC participants HHs knowledge and skills on market-oriented shoat production

4.1.  Prepare A5 paper sized/ pocket-sized, waterproof, and colored market-oriented /commercial shoat production training manual (at least 50 copies for each woreda for out-grower groups and kebele livestock experts)

4.2.  Provide training on improved feeding practices, improved housing, improved shoat health, record keeping and shoat marketing 221HHs group’s leaders (120 in Lay Gayint,57 in Tach Gayint and 44 in Simada).

4.3. Provide training on market-oriented /commercial shoat husbandry practices for 221 HHs group leaders (120 in Lay Gayint,57 in Tach Gayint and 44 in Simada).

5. Made access market-oriented shoat production skills and information available and shared across all out-grower groups (for 221 OGGs) in the woredas.

5.1. Organize three farmer field days one per each woreda and conduct five model farmer learning events per out-grower groups per kebele.

5.2. Organize four demonstrations per each woreda on (1) good husbandry practices (2) market requirements of the abattoir (goat specifications), 3) feeding practice and 4) vet. Services

 

Application Information

In addition to discussing the above-named intermediate results, successful applicants will include the following in their application:

• The applicant’s understanding of the “development challenge,” opportunity, or problem including the political, social, economic, and environmental conditions(s) require(s) changing
• • Previous experiences working in the area (working in sheep and goat regional, national and export market linkage) and how they knew what needs to be changed in the context of the RFA
• A needs analysis and any appraisals which may be required to understand what changes and how goat out growers, value chains should be engaged. 

 

Implementation Plan

A standard and actionable Implementation Plan should show how the above anticipated results would be achieved. What activities, processes, or strategies are essential to achieve the results? Why will the planned work lead to the intended results? What is the anticipated timetable for the achievement of the results?

Monitoring and evaluation plan

A standard Monitoring and Evaluation Plan should contain a set of indicators that would permit continuous measurement of progress toward targeted results. For each result, what is the performance indicator? What is the baseline data? What is the performance target? What is the timetable for achieving results? Foreach performance indicator, what is the definition and what is the unit of measurement? What are the plans for reporting and using the performance information?

The framework and scope for monitoring, evaluation and assessment of stated results should demonstrate how implementation of activities will contribute to achieve intermediate outcomes of inclusive use of shoat out grower model for men, women, and youth.

Financial

Each application must contain a detailed line-item budget accompanied by a budget narrative explaining all costs. An acceptable budget will have all costsbroken out by unit costs and clearly. show the number of units used for each line item. The narrative will describe how the grantee arrived ateach unit cost and the number of units for each line item. See the grant application form for instructions on submitting a detailed budget and narrative and their cost sharing plan required to the grant.

Past Performance

All applicants are subject to a past performance reference check. Therefore, they must provide the name, address, and other contact information of atleast three (3) past performance references, as requiredby the grant application form.

Unique Entity Identifier (UEI, or Unique Entity ID)

All grantees that receive award from RTI under PReSERVE project are required to have a UEI before receiving a grant award.See the Grant Application Form for instructions on requesting a UEI.

Evaluation and Award process 

RTI International will provide award/grant to responsible applicants whose proposals conform to the RFA and will be most advantageous to RTI International, price and other factors considered.