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Request for quotation (RFQ) Baseline Survey Consultants for Programme Interventions

Background 

A. Programme Background

Propcom+ is a new, eight-year (2023-2030) rural and agricultural market development programme supporting climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture and forestry that benefits people, climate and nature. The programme, implemented by The Palladium Group, aims to transform Nigeria’s rural economy by addressing environmental, social, and economic challenges in the country’s food and land-use system. It will do this by (i) increasing productivity, improving nutrition and food security, (ii) enhancing climate resilience, pursuing lower emissions, and protecting and restoring nature, and (iii) helping tackle some of Nigeria’s underlying drivers of conflict and insecurity.

The programme seeks to stimulate sustainable pro-poor climate-resilient growth in selected rural markets.  It does this by working as a ‘market facilitator’, identifying constraints in market systems and facilitating changes to enable rural markets to work better for the benefit of poor and climate-vulnerable smallholder farmers and rural small-scale entrepreneurs. 

Propcom+ aims to increase the incomes and climate resilience of 3.79 million poor and vulnerable men and women in Nigeria, 50% of whom will be women, through a “3Ps” approach of interlinked components:

• P1: Scaling up a focused basket of Proven climate-smart interventions around agricultural and primary processing/storage practices and models to get these adopted by millions of poor and vulnerable smallholder farmers and small-scale entrepreneurs.
• P2: Building markets by developing and Piloting new business models that improve productivity, enhance resilience to climate change, reduce emissions, and improve nutrition outcomes.
• P3: Enabling Policies that support a strengthened enabling environment for sustainable food and land-use system.

B. Purpose

Propcom+ is seeking the services of firms or individual consultants to conduct baseline surveys for the various programme interventions (see table below). The baseline surveys will be conducted at the portfolio level – addressing each specific component intervention. Most of these interventions are still under design, and a few have just started full implementation.

C. Key focus areas and indicators

The survey will aim to establish the status of intervention-specific outcome-level indicators and results. Key areas of focus include:

Smallholder Farmers:

1. Socio-economic characteristics of the farmers, including a disability classification using the WGSS questionnaire.
2. Poverty level classification of the farmers – using the Poverty Probability Index (PPI).
3. Nature and scope of agricultural activities undertaken by the farmers in the past two cycles – including climate mitigation and adaption activities/practices adopted.
4. Gross income from agricultural activities – from at least two production cycles.
5. GESI-related barriers and constraints that affect actors, especially female smallholder farmers.

Entrepreneurs providing services to the farmers:

6. Socio-economic profiles, including a disability classification and other agribusiness/non-agribusiness economic activities.
7. Gross income from the services provided to smallholder farmers.
8. Challenges and constraints, including market and GESI-related constraints.

Core Market Actors – Private sector companies:

9. Firm characteristics – structure, size, scale, competitiveness.
10. Activities and investments made in the target sector.
11. Profitability – limited to targeted activities.
12. Market and policy-related challenges and constraints

C. Scope

The consultant is expected to carry out the following tasks:

1. Review programme information, including intervention decks and implementation updates.
2. Review related MERL information – intervention results chains, indicators, and indicator reference guidelines.
3. Prepare an inception report which includes:

• Methodology – research design (quasi-experimental design using Difference-in-Difference technique), method, sampling strategy, survey work plan.
• Survey questionnaire (soft copy MS Excel file – coded for KoboToolbox and KII/FGD question guide/checklists)
• Data analysis plan for each outcome indicator.
• Survey reporting template.

1. Recruit and train a team of experienced data collectors.
2. Carryout data collection and analysis
3. Develop and submit the baseline survey report for programme review.
4. Update and re-submit the baseline report, addressing all the review feedback received

D. DESIGN AND SAMPLE SIZE CONSIDERATIONS

 The survey will mostly follow a quasi-experimental design (Difference-in-Difference) featuring comparison groups. Qualitative approaches (Key Informant Interviews and Focus Group Discussions) will also be included to provide more depth and context to the quantitative results. For respondents, assume a total sample size (including the comparison groups) of 1,200 smallholder farmers (300 per state: Jigawa, Kano, Gombe, Adamawa; maximum coverage of 3 LGAs per state).

Notes:

1. The methodology and tools developed must align with the programme indicator measurement guidelines and the key focus areas of the study.
2. The MERL Director’s approval is needed before the commencement of field data collection. The following process is needed:

• Post-enumerator training, each enumerator should be asked to complete five full interviews.
• The consultant should analyse the data generated and present it to the programme for validation and approval. The consultant is expected to update each deliverable using comments from the programme team and the donor. Reviews on draft and final reports will be in 2 stages – first from the programme team and next from the client. The consultant is expected to implement the changes flagged by the programme team first before the report is sent to the client. All comments from the client must be implemented satisfactorily and within the required timeline (hence, early submission is encouraged) before the final report is approved. Payments will be made after each deliverable is approved.

E. Location, Timing and Duration of Assignment

Location will be determined by the specific intervention assigned. The consultancy will be for four to six weeks and is expected to start in August 2024 and end in September 2024..

F. Management Arrangements

The consultant will report to the MERL Director, who will be closely supported by the MERL Manager and Specialists. Close collaboration is expected with the Strategy Director and the Technical Team.

G. Expected Qualifications, Competencies and Experience

• Advanced degree in social sciences and related fields
• Demonstrate strong research, analytical and technical writing skills:
  • Evidence of at least one completed baseline survey in agricultural settings in Northern Nigeria.
  • Evidence of at least two other socio-economic or livelihood surveys in agricultural settings in Northern Nigeria.

H. Submission Requirements

Interested individuals and firms can respond to this call by submitting the following:

1. Capacity statement, which includes:

• Details of previous agricultural project baseline surveys (and other similar studies) conducted. Annex the reports where possible.
• References (contact phone numbers and emails) for each of the previous surveys.
• CVs of the specific individuals that will lead on the assignment.

2. Technical proposal containing the following:

• Proposed methodology – research design (quasi-experimental design using Difference-in-Difference), method, sampling strategy, and complementary qualitative approaches.
  1. Assume a sample size of 1200 farmers (300 per state: Jigawa, Kano, Gombe, Adamawa; maximum coverage of 3 LGAs per state)
• Questionnaire for measuring rice farmers’ costs and returns.
• Proposed survey work plan indicating the detailed activities and the overall timeline.

3. Financial proposal (in Microsoft Excel, amounts in Nigerian Naira), noting the following:

• The budget should align with the work plan provided. Each work plan item should have the LoE (in days).
  1. Again, assume a sample size of 1200 farmers (300 per state: Jigawa, Kano, Gombe, Adamawa; maximum coverage of 3 LGAs per state)
• Both the number of days for the assignment and the consultant’s daily rate should be specified.
• The consultant is expected to execute the assignment completely; hence, all related costs must be included and aligned with the work plan.
• Include narrative explanations for each budget item.
• Each budget item should indicate the unit cost and total costs.

Please send your response to info.propcomplus@thepalladiumgroup.com on 15 July 2024 by 5pm with the subject “Quotation for Baseline Survey”. The quotation should be sent with a cover letter addressed to:

The Programme Officer

FCDO Propcom+ Programme

20 Port Harcourt Crescent, off Gimbiya Street, Area 11, Abuja

I. EVALUATION CRITERIA

 The overall rating of each submission will be based on the available score of 1-100 marks, using the assessment criteria below. Specifically, each criterion is to be rated against the weight assigned to it.

The overall rating shall be as follows: 0 – 40 (unsatisfactory); 41 – 50 (satisfactory); 51 – 60 (average); 61 – 80 (above average) and 81 – 100 (exceptional)

J. POST EVALUATION

Successful consultants will be invited to update their proposals to align with the assigned portfolio and intervention. Only a revised budget, work plan and list of team members will be requested.

If your quote is successful, you will be required to enter into the Company’s standard contract for the types of goods or services being provided. In the provision of the Goods and Services, you will be required to comply with the Company’s policies, including (without limitation) its Business Partner Code of Conduct and any relevant Project Manual. Potential suppliers must also comply with the Company’s Business Partner Code of Conduct in the submission of any quotes pursuant to this RFQ.

If you are bidding as part of a joint venture, partnership or similar, please make this clear in your submission. Likewise, if you propose to subcontract any part of the goods or services provision, then disclose this fact within your submission. The Company may require additional information from you and approval for subcontracting will not be automatic as subcontractors will be subject to Palladium’s Due Diligence process.