UPDATING AND DIGITALIZING THE LIVESTOCK AND AGRICULTURE CREDIT ASSESSMENT TOOL

1. Introduction

The Kayonza Irrigation and Integrated Watershed Management Project (KIIWP 2), implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources in partnership with Cordaid, seeks to enhance financial services for cooperatives and smallholder farmers in targeted value chains. To address the financial institutions’ challenges in assessing agricultural loan requirements, the L/A-CAT tool was introduced to standardize and simplify credit assessments.

L/A-CAT is an Excel-based tool that provides essential livestock and crop-specific information, including inputs, costs, and other relevant data. It offers reference estimates on production costs, cash flow throughout the production cycle, and production forecasts based on factors like livestock/crop type, cultivation methods, and client-specific details. This tool serves as an annex to the loan appraisal process, offering detailed insights for crop-specific loans. Used at the beginning of a loan application, L/A-CAT outlines capital requirements for the production process, helping determine loan amounts, disbursements, and repayment schedules. At the end of the season, actual production data are entered, enabling a comparison between initial estimates and actual outcomes in terms of production and income. This allows both the farmer and the Microfinance Institution (MFI) to build a historical record for more accurate future loan assessments

 The aim of this assignment is to update and digitalize the tool to improve its usability, scalability, and functionality for financial institutions supporting cooperatives and farmers in the following value chains: maize, rice, cassava, horticulture, sweet and Irish potatoes, soybean, and beans.

2. Background

The L/A-CAT tool helps financial institutions estimate the required investments for agricultural loans by calculating production costs, cash flows, and productivity estimates. Despite its utility, the Excel-based format poses challenges in terms of user-friendliness, scalability, and integration with existing financial systems. Therefore, a digital version of L/A-CAT is required to address these limitations and accommodate the needs of KIIWP2’s partner financial institutions.

3. Objective of the Assignment

The objective of this assignment is to update and digitalize the L/A-CAT tool to:

• Improve its functionality and user experience.
• Enable integration with financial institutions' existing systems.
• Provide livestock/crop-specific financial analysis for targeted value chains (maize, rice, cassava, horticulture, sweet and Irish potatoes, soybean, and beans).
• Enhance accessibility for financial institutions, cooperatives, and farmers.

4. Scope of Work

The selected individual or company will:

1. Tool Review and Needs Assessment:
   • Review the current L/A-CAT tool and its functionality.
   • Conduct a needs assessment with financial institutions and cooperatives to identify gaps and additional requirements.
2. Tool Update:
   • Update the tool to incorporate the latest market data, cost parameters, and value chain-specific inputs.
   • Ensure flexibility to adapt to additional value chains in the future

1. Digitalization:

1. • Convert the tool into a web-based or mobile-friendly digital platform.
   • Design a user-friendly interface for financial institutions and end-users.
   • Integrate advanced features such as data storage, dashboards, and reporting capabilities.
   • Ensure compatibility with various microfinance digital systems, allowing seamless integration and data sharing
2. Training and Deployment:
   • Develop training materials and conduct training sessions for financial institutions and cooperatives.
   • Provide technical support during the deployment phase to ensure smooth adoption.
3. Pilot
   • Develop a pilot plan with key monitoring indicators
4. Hosting, Monitoring and Maintenance:
   • Provide a post-deployment support and maintenance plan.
   • Implement mechanisms for feedback collection and continuous improvement.
   • Provide a one-year hosting space for the tool, starting from the official operational launch date.

5. Deliverables

The service provider is expected to deliver:

1. Inception Report – A detailed work plan and methodology for the assignment.
2. Updated L/A-CAT Tool – Revised and improved Excel-based version (if needed for transitioning).
3. Digitalized L/A-CAT Tool – Fully functional web-based or mobile-friendly tool.
4. Training Materials – Comprehensive materials for training financial institutions and cooperatives.
5. Pilot and Deployment Report – Documentation of the deployment process, challenges, and resolutions.
6. Final Report – A summary of the assignment, outcomes, and recommendations.

6. Duration

The assignment will commence upon contract signing and is expected to be completed within five months, with the tool fully digitalized and operational by May 2025.

7. Qualifications and Experience

11.1 The ideal service provider should have:

• Proven experience in software development and digitalization projects, particularly for financial or agricultural tools.
• Expertise in user-centered design for digital platforms.
• Familiarity with agricultural finance and value chain analysis.
• Strong understanding of the Rwandan agricultural and financial sectors.
• Experience in training and capacity building for financial institutions.
• Ability to provide technical support and maintenance.

11.2. Team Composition:

Project Manager

Qualifications:

• At least a master's degree in business administration, Economics or a related field.
• Experience in project management.
• Strong organizational and leadership skills.
• Familiarity with digital tools and technologies.

Software/Technical Developer

Qualifications:

• At least a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science.
• The developer should have expertise in Java, C#, Python, Node, Angular, React, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, NestJs, Django, NET Core, SQL, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Git, Docker, Jenkins, Agile, DevOps, system integration, data analytics, and cybersecurity.
• Experience in developing web and mobile applications.
• Familiarity with databases, APIs, and cloud services.

UX/UI Designer

Qualifications:

• At least a bachelor's degree in design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating experience in user-centered design.
• Expertise in design tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch, Figma).
• Understanding of user research methodologies and usability testing.

Agriculture technician

Qualifications:

• Experience in value chain development, agrifood systems, and rural finance.
• Familiarity with agricultural assessments, particularly market related.
• Familiarity with adult learning principles and instructional design.
• Strong interpersonal skills for building relationships with users.

Quality Assurance Tester

Qualifications:

• At least a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field.
• Experience in software testing and quality assurance practices.
• Familiarity with testing tools and methodologies.
• Attention to detail and strong problem-solving abilities.

8. Payment Modalities

Payments will be made in installments based on deliverables, as follows:

• 20% upon submission and approval of the Inception Report.
• 30% upon completion of the updated L/A-CAT tool.
• 30% upon completion of the digitalized tool and deployment.
• 20% upon submission and approval of the Final Report.

9. Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights

All deliverables, including the updated and digitalized L/A-CAT tool, will become the property of Cordaid and its partners. The service provider must maintain strict confidentiality regarding any proprietary or sensitive information obtained during the assignment.

10. Submission Guidelines

Interested individuals or companies must submit the following:

1. Technical Proposal – Outlining their approach to meeting the assignment objectives.
2. Financial Proposal – Detailing all costs associated with the assignment.
3. Portfolio – Examples of similar projects completed in the past.
4. CVs – Of key personnel who will work on the assignment.

5. RDB certificate, Tax clearance and Data Processor certificate

Applications should be submitted via email to apollinaire.nshimiyimana@cordaid.org and private.dukundimana@cordaid.org by 14^th February 2025.

11. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

• Technical approach and methodology (40%).
• Relevant experience and qualifications (30%).
• Cost-effectiveness (20%).
• Innovation and value-added features (10%).

12. Contact Information

For queries or further information, please contact:

Apollinaire Nshimiyimana (Email: apollinaire.nshimiyimana@cordaid.org)