Call for EOI - National Inclusive Value Chain & Markets Consultant to Support on Scoping Study Lower Mekong Landscape Project

Call for Expression of Interest - National Inclusive Value Chain & Markets Consultant to Support on Scoping Study Lower Mekong Landscape Project.

About SNV

SNV Netherlands Development Organization (SNV) is a non-profit, international development organization founded 57 years ago, and now operating in 24 countries in Africa and Asia. Our global team of local and international advisors use their expertise in three sectors – Agri Food, Energy and Water systems as well as the cross-cutting topics of gender, social inclusion climate change and governance to contribute to solving some of the leading problems facing the world today. We work with local partners to equip communities, businesses and organizations with the tools, knowledge, and connections they need to increase and gain access to basic services – empowering them to break the cycle of poverty and guide their own development.

SNV has been working in Vietnam since 1995, and currently has over 40 national and international staff. SNV Vietnam operates from a head office in Hanoi and projects in over 50 provinces in the country, including in the poorest and most remote areas.

For more information on SNV, please refer to our website: www.snv.org

Project Background

Biodiversity Landscape Fund (BLF) – Lower Mekong landscape

The BLF is a UK government programme focussed on protecting biodiversity and promoting its conservation, reducing poverty and tackling climate change across 6 critical landscapes worldwide.

Its general activities are:

• Improving management and linking of protected areas
• Creating alternative sustainable livelihoods for local communities
• Strengthening land rights, stewardship and natural resource governance, as well as supporting improved planning to reduce environmental impacts of infrastructure development
• Tackling illicit activities such as poaching
• Investment in sustainable local businesses and green finance initiatives

One of the program landscapes is the Lower Mekong area, where a consortium will implementinterventions in the areas in 3 countries (Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia). In Vietnam, the programme will focus on three landscapes: Chu Mom Ray National Park and Ngoc Linh Natural Reserve in Central Highland (Kon Tum), and Pu Mat National Park in Northern Central region (Nghe An) of Vietnam. SNV will take lead in the component on agriculture and markets, focusing on interventions to develop, support, and build awareness of sustainable agriculture models to provide indigenous communities with a sustainable source of employment and opportunities to access new markets. Furthermore, SNV also proactively contributes to the component on livelihood models, tenure and illegal trade tocreate alternative sustainable livelihoods for local communities.

Job Description

SNV Vietnam will be conducting a scoping study on the socio-economic situation, sustainable livelihoods and agricultural value chain options for targeted communities in the project areas. The study will identify agriculture and non-timber forest products with high market potential to increase the income of the local communities, whilst contributing to biodiversity conservation and improving climate resilience. The Scoping study aims to assess the current situation, opportunities, and challenges of the livelihood activities, agricultural and NTFP product chains and markets in the project areas and to provide recommendations for the design and implementation of the BLF chain interventions. The consultant will work closely with SNV project team to implement the scoping study for the targeted project areas in Kon Tum that is expected to:

• Gather and review relevant literature and secondary data on the socio-economic situation, status of forest management and agriculture production, notably agricultural and NTFPs markets and value chains at the targeted areas in Kon Tum and Nghe An provinces.
• Study BLF project documents and guides on implementation of the scoping and report development.
• Participate in field visits and facilitate interviews with key stakeholders, including local authorities, community members, traders and processors through key informant interviews and focus group discussions.
• Facilitate screening and selection of key potential agriculture commodities for intervention by project in the targeted landscapes.
• Produce the agriculture section of the scoping reports, including agriculture production situation, market, and value chain analysis of prioritised products with special attention to the analysis of chain weaknesses and strengths on on-farm practices and off-farm sides, commercial viability for potential value chain upgrading. The report is expected to provide with findings and recommendation of initial Market-based solutions (MBSs) for project interventions.
• Participate in meetings with project team provide inputs and contribution for improvement  of whole scoping reports (including agriculture market value chain and other parts) for the 3 sub landscapes (in Kom Tum and Nghe An province). 
• Present the report to the SNV project management team and relevant stakeholders for feedback and validation.

Deliverables

• Field visits conducted to project sites in Kon Tum/Nghe An.
• Scoring of value chain selection matrix of agricultural/NTFP commodities with substantiation (this is part of the report below)
• A complete agriculture section of the scoping report for the 3 sub landscapes (in Kon Tum and Nghe An) including recommendations for project interventions.
• A PPT for the agriculture section of the scoping reports.
• Inputs for improvement of the whole scoping reports for the 3 sub landscapes.

Duration of assignment

The assignment is expected to start as soon as possible (in beginning of Feb 2024) and finish by mid of April 2024.

Total estimated man-day for this assignment is 20 person-days (detail breakdown will be discussed with consultant).

Requirements

The consultant should meet the following requirements:

• Master’s degree in agricultural economics and/or natural resource management related fields.
• At least 10 years’ experience in natural resource management and value-chain development for relevant sectors in upland regions of Viet Nam e.g. coffee, tea, fruits, nuts, timber, Non-timber Forest Products (NTFPs) etc.
• Experience in conducting value-chain and market analysis/assessments and development of agriculture and rural development projects with strong private sector engagement.
• Experience in biodiversity conservation, agro-forestry sustainable production and developing sustainable product value chains associated with biodiversity conservation.

How to apply

Interested consultants should submit the EOI with the following information/ documents via the link https://smrtr.io/hV2gD

• Letter of Interest
• The applicant’s professional qualifications and CVs:
• Documents proving the capacity of individuals demonstrating their ability to deliver the assignment.
• Self-Declaration form via https://smrtr.io/hV2gD

Deadline for submitting Expressions of Interest: January 24, 2024.

Selection Process

SNV will review all Expressions of Interest received in accordance with the guidelines and criteria in this solicitation. SNV reserves the right to exclude any EOIs that do not meet the guidelines. Please note that SNV is unable to provide detailed feedback to those EOIs that are not selected.

• Step 1: SNV will shortlist selected EOIs, and unsuccessful respondents will be notified. Successful applicants will be contacted by SNV.
• Step 2: SNV will release Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for the specific activities and contract with the selected organizations/ consultants.

Protection of Information

We request that Expressions of Interest responses be free of any intellectual property that the applicant wishes to protect. Should offerors wish to include proprietary intellectual property that they believe would be helpful for SNV, please note the proprietary nature of such information. Costing information will be kept confidential and will not be shared beyond SNV.

Issuance of this EOI does not constitute a commitment, award, or engagement on the part of SNV nor does it commit SNV to any future commitment or engagement.

Note: SNV reserves the right to change or cancel this requirement in the EOI/or solicitation process at any time.