REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR OUTCOME IMPACT SURVEY FOR FISHERIES AND AGRICULTURAL DIVERSIFICATION PROGRAMME

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Fisheries and Agricultural Diversification Programme (FADiP) was approved by IFAD in April 2008, to be part-financed from IFAD loan 726-MV, and became effective on 15 September 2009. The scheduled date for the Mid-term Review (MTR) was September 2012, the completion date and loan closing dates for the Programme are 30^th September 2017 and 31^st March 2018 respectively. FADiP received the first program extension in September 2014 and the second extension on 20^th October 2015.

The FADiP goal is to contribute to a reduction in the vulnerability of those who make their livelihoods from smallholder agriculture and fish processing. This is to be achieved by sustainably improving food and income security, thereby helping to further reduce rural poverty.

The Programme objective is to develop smallholder agriculture value chains and fish processing value chains that would improve and sustain the incomes of the two primary target groups (small-scale agricultural producers and fish processors).

These objectives are to be achieved through three components:

• Value chain development (establishing value-chain companies [VCCs] and small-scale value-chain cooperatives [VCCOs] in both the agricultural and fish processing sectors);
• Financial services (provision of credit through a lending institution); and
• Programme management (a Programme Implementation Unit [PIU], operated under the purview of Planning & Programme Coordination Section of the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture (MoFA), 

Within the value chain development component, the Programme seeks to build the capacity of VCCOs, to assist them with the implementation of business plans and agreements signed with MoFA which provide for provision of programme funds in grant form for value-adding equipment, and to ensure successful market linkages with end markets.

The Outcome and Impact Assessment Survey should be carried out in the following eight islands where the program has its activities. The VCCOs are as follows, with the first 6 focusing on agricultural activities and 2 on fisheries related activities:

• Addu Meedhoo Cooperative Society (CS) (AMCS) in S. Meedhoo
• Faafu Magoodhoo CS (FMCS) in F. Magoodhoo
• Vaadhoo Farmers CS (VFCS) in Gdh. Vaadhoo
• Funaad Development CS (FDCS) in Gn. Fuvahmulah
• Laamu Farmers Development CS (LFDCS) in L. Fonadhoo
• Bizville Maldives CS (BMCS) in Ha. Hoarafushi
• GA Gemanafushi CS (GAGSC) in Ga. Gemanafushi
• Naifaru CS (NCS) in Lh.Naifaru

RATIONALE AND USE

The outcome survey tracked the results of all three components of the project, namely value chained development component, financial service components, programme management components. The survey captured the progress and main achievements at the outcome level (against each of the indicators mentioned in the project’s logical framework).

OBJECTIVE OF ASSIGNMENT

The main objective of the assignment was to assess the outcome and the impact of the Programme. The two types of indicators that are included in the programme log frame will form the basis of the assessment. 

The programme has already done a baseline survey covering goal and objective level indicators. During this study the same indicators needs to be covered and also make comparisons of the baseline information of these indicators and the current ones in order to compare the changes in the indicator value of the indicators. This comparison will help to identify possible attribution of outcome and impact to the programme.

The consultant needs to use the baseline questionnaire and the report, as a guide to develop the survey tools (sample questionnaire and the PRA tools if any) and guideline of secondary data collection and also prepare an outcome survey questionnaire based on the programme outcome indicators for the impact assessment.  In order to capture unintended and negative changes as well as lessons the consultant needs to use a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To be eligible, the bidding firms are required to meet the following criteria:

• Post graduate degree, bachelor’s degree or higher in economics, development studies, statistical data base management or other relevant field.
• 5 years’ experience in survey methodology and good knowledge of available secondary data from Government of Maldives data sources
• Experience working in Maldives (priority will be given to those with similar experience working with Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture)
• Knowledge of data collection tools and methods of analysis of qualitative and quantitative data
• Familiar with project log frame
• Knowledge on report writing and English language

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposals of successful firms/ consultant will be evaluated on the following criterion based on Quality and Cost Based Selection method;           

Quality and Cost Based Selection will be used in awarding the project. Hence, the quality of the proposal and the cost of the services will be given a high consideration in the selection of the successful firm. The selection of the firm shall be based foremost on its technical qualifications, because its expertise and skill will to a large extent determine the satisfactory completion of the project.                                                                                                                                    

Details of the Marks allocation for each category are mentioned below.                                          

            1.Experience in Survey Methodology:  Full Marks (20 Marks) will be given if the Firm has involved in FIVE or more similar related works. Half of the total marks (10 Marks) will be given for the firms involved in THREE or More similar related works.                    

            2.Experience in working with island communities at a grass root level in Maldives (Priority given to Fisheries and Agriculture Sector): Full Marks (10 Marks) will be given if the Firm has involved in FIVE or more similar related works. Half of the total marks (5 Marks) will be given for the firms involved in THREE or More similar related works.              

            3.Knowledge of data collection tools and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data (Practical Field Experience): Full Marks (15 Marks) will be given if the Firm has involved in FIVE or more similar related works. Half of the total marks (7.5 Marks) will be given for the firms involved in THREE or More similar related works.           

            4.Knowledge in report writing in English: Full Marks (5 Marks) will be given if the Firm has involved in TEN or more similar related works. Half of the total marks (2.5 Marks) will be given for the firms involved in FIVE or More similar related works.                    

            5. Academic Background: Project teams with 4 experts (Specialized in Development Studies, Economics, Statistics, and Social Science) will get full marks (5 Marks) and project teams with less than 4 experts gets half marks (2.5 Marks).             

            6.Duration: Full Marks (20 Marks) will be given to the teams who propose to complete the work within 30 days                      

            7. Cost: The project team submitting the lowest cost gets the Full Marks (25 Marks). 25% of the lowest price will be taken to give marks to other firms.                                                         

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

Interested parties are invited to submit hard copies of EOI on or before 1400hrs of 25^th April 2017 to;

Project Director

Project Implementation Unit (PIU)

Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture

Moonlight Higun Male’, Maldives

The application should contain the following:

• Curriculum vitae and a completed personal history profile

• Letter expressing interest and clearly identifying how the candidate meets each of the criteria/skills listed above

• Examples / Reference List of relevant work, including examples of reports

Closing date: 25 April 2017

Approximate duration of assignment: 30 days

Tentative contract starting date: 2^nd May 2017

Survey Locations:

• S. Meedhoo
• F. Magoodhoo
• Gdh. Vaadhoo
• Gn. Fuvahmulah
• L. Fonadhoo
• Ha. Hoarafushi
• Ga. Gemanafushi
• Lh.Naifaru