FEED THE FUTURE RWANDA ORORA WIHAZE ACTIVITY

Request for Applications

Individual consultant to provide Business Development Support to meat actors.

Assignment Locations: Rwanda (Kigali and Orora Wihaze target districts; Kayonza, Ngoma, Gakenke,

Burera, Rutsiro, Ngororero, Nyamagabe,)

Assignment Period: August - September 2024

Category: Animal Source Foods (ASF) Actors Training, Coaching and Business Development Services

(BDS)

Type of contract: Individual Fixed Price Contract

I. Introduction

Land O'Lakes Venture37 is a nonprofit organization helping communities around the world build economies by strengthening agriculture from farm-to-fork, helping businesses grow, and linking farmers to markets. Since our start in 1981, we have been leveraging nearly 100 years of expertise in crop inputs, agricultural insights, dairy and animal nutrition from our close affiliate, Land O’Lakes, Inc., a farmer-owned agribusiness committed to fulfilling its purpose of feeding human progress.

Land O’Lakes Venture37 is the lead implementer of The USAID funded Feed the Future Rwanda Orora Wihaze in partnership with Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Market Share Associates (MSA), The Manoff Group (TMG) now John Snow, Inc. (JSI), and Urunana Development Communications operating to deliver an innovative market systems development approach empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises. The goal of Orora Wihaze is to sustainably increase access to, availability and consumption of Animal Source Foods through the development of a profitable market. Implemented under a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) contract. 

II.Background of this call for Applications

As part of the Market Systems Development approach implemented by Orora Wihaze, aimed at enhancing the consumption of safe and quality animal products among Rwandan local communities, Orora Wihaze has identified and signed grant agreements with 17 meat actors and 2 fish producing cooperatives. This initiative seeks to increase the availability of quality livestock products (such as pork, goat meat, fish) in rural Rwandan markets.

A quick assessment revealed that there are gaps related to:

• Limited knowledge on ASF market: Most of the market actors have limited knowledge on target audience, competition and consumer needs. This leads to misidentifying customer needs and failing to satisfy their clients, which leads to business failure.
• Inadequate Revenue Model: The limited innovation knowledge limits the enterprises’ ability to adapt and operate efficiently for sustainable growth.
• Challenges related to funding: Some SMEs in remote areas struggle to secure funding and manage cash flow for sustainable growth. Business owners lack entrepreneurial skills, basic reporting skills, and proper record-keeping practices like maintaining balance sheets and accurately calculating profits and losses.
• Financial Management: The meat actors have limited skills in cashflow management, dealing with irregular income, and accurately predicting expenses to prevent cash shortages.
• Scaling and growth management: The assessment also revealed that Orora Wihaze market actors have limited knowledge in securing additional funding to support business expansion, managing increased costs associated with scaling, and making informed investment decisions without overextending financially.

Objective of the assignment

The purpose of this consultancy is to support, prepare tailored training materials customized to small and medium animal source foods businesses focusing on butcher and slaughterhouse management, relevant record-keeping for profit maximization, and simplified human resource management tools. Additionally, targeted business development services will transfer skills, knowledge and provide business advice to enhance the capabilities of butchers and slaughterhouses across 8 districts targeted by Orora Wihaze. Enabling them to establish, improve, and expand their business operations for increased competitiveness and profitability within the animal source foods market system.

III. Key Activities

The consultant will be required to use mixed strategies including site visits, boot camp and pitching for exposure and learning from one another for more tactical execution of

• Introduction to basic financial management that will cover the importance of financial management and basic financial books for small and medium businesses.
• Bookkeeping and accounting covering basics of bookkeeping: Understanding financial statements (balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement) and recording transactions. The consultant will also ensure covering cash flow, budgeting, and forecasting.
• Expense management: This will include tracking and controlling expenses, and cost-cutting and expense reporting in a friendly reporting tool.
• Customer relationship management: The consultant will inform grantees how and why it is important to build strong customer patronship in any business.
• Tax compliance: Taxation will cover the basics of taxation for small businesses, particularly for meat businesses, record-keeping for tax purposes as well as filing.
• Governance: Governance will cover introduction to business governance, importance of governance in small businesses like an abattoir, and key governance principles as well as the roles and responsibilities for each party in the organizational structure of the business.
• Link market actors to financial institutions for financing. This linkage will enhance interactions between business owners and financial institutions, making it easier for them to secure various agriculture related loans benefiting women and youth.

The bidder will develop simplified (translated in Kinyarwanda) business management tools that include:

• Budgeting tools
• Spreadsheets g., Excel used for creating and tracking budgets.

Financial reporting tools

• Balance sheets: Provide a hint on the company's financial position at a specific point in time, showing assets, liabilities, and equity (where applicable).
• Income statements: Show the company’s revenue, expenses, and profit over a period.
• Cash flow statements: Track the inflows and outflows of cash, highlighting the companies.
• Simple tax management tool: Provides tax preparation, banking, and advisory services.
• Inventory management tools: Provide comprehensive tools facilitating the partners to conduct inventory of the equipment and business in general.

IV. Key deliverables

Deliverables under these consultancies could include, but are not limited to:

• An inception report that includes assessment report summarizing detailed methodology, work plan, timelines for the assignment and a concept note entailing key activities that will be conducted during the boot camp.
• A MSMEs/butcher/slaughterhouse needs assessment report with clear recommendations, a proposed capacity building plan including boot camp, hands-on and zonal coaching.
• Capacity building plan and tailored training/coaching materials appropriate for business management and access to finance.
• Technical fundamental documents related to simplified business plans and budgeting, such as marketing, basic financial management tools: record keeping, forecasting, investment plans.
• Final consultancy report of the assignment, recommendations for butchers and slaughterhouses, next steps, and lessons learned.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR QUALIFIED CANDIDATES

Interested individual consultants are encouraged to send their applications to ProcurementROW@landolakes.com not later than August 15^th,2024 Kigali time. The title of the email must include “Consultancy to provide business development support to meat actors”.

The application email should attach a comprehensive 2-section technical proposal as one (1) document in pdf format:

• A Proposal with (i) brief description of why the individual considers themself as the most suitable for the assignment, (ii) a detailed clear methodology on how they will approach and complete the assignment, and (iii) a duly completed Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using consultant’s self-created template or a project-specific template where applicable.
• The Proposal should also contain (iv) personal CV indicating education background/professional qualifications, all relevant experience, consultant contact details, (3) professional references and (v) a financial proposal.

6.1 Organizational arrangements

Orora Wihaze will contract an individual consultant who will undertake the assignment as described in this ToR. The consultant will report to: Intervention Portfolio Manager and Orora Wihaze Deputy Chief of Party with acquisition plus related remuneration handled by procurement department. The Consultant will spearhead the assignment and will be responsible for the submission of the deliverables as requested. All deliverables submitted by the consultants should be reviewed by the Intervention Portfolio Manager and approved by the Deputy Chief of Party.

6.2 Duty Station

The work's duty station will be Kigali and travels to the target Districts for continuous assistance and coaching.

6.3 Required Expertise and Qualifications

• A degree, or equivalent in business management, financial management, agribusiness and agriculture economics
• Demonstrated knowledge of general business management and retail marketing, particularly for MSMEs in the livestock sector
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Kinyarwanda
• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in providing BDS (submission of at least 5 relevant certificates of completion)
• Proven experience in conducting training for capacity building both theoretical and practical.
• Good understanding and working knowledge in the Agro-processing sector.
• Have a good understanding and working knowledge of best practices in small livestock supply chain in Rwanda.
• Excellent communication skills in English and Kinyarwanda, both oral and written.
• Individual Consultants and Firms must be registered in Rwanda.

6.4 Payment Modalities

The consultant shall be paid the consultancy fee in accordance with Orora Wihaze’s procurement procedures upon completion of the following milestones:

25% Submission of inception report detailing the consultant’s plan of action and timeline for conducting the following a quick scan of business-related challenges faced by the grantees across Orora Wihaze Districts. ü 35%. After completion, submission, and acceptance of tools and training materials including:

• Business management technical assistance to meat actors
• Developed training manuals for the butchers, slaughterhouses and fish producing cooperatives.
• Training and coaching report for the 22 grantees delivered.
• Facilitate in the process of business registration in collaboration with Orora Wihaze field staff.

ü 40%. After completion of the training and coaching of grantees, proof for grantees registration process and after the approval of the final report by Orora Wihaze technical team.

V. EVALUATION CRITERIA

The expert will be evaluated against the following criteria:

• Quality of Proposal (25%)
• Experience and proven capabilities (25%)
• Consultant’s relevant knowledge, qualifications, and skills (30%)
• Cost (20%)

Annex 1: List of Market Actors and District locations

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