Consultancy Services for a Lead Facilitator for the Business Development Services Conference

The Business Development Services (BDS) Donor Coordination Group (BDCG) was founded in the early 2000s to maximize the effectiveness and impact of donor-led activities in BDS market development and value chain intervention through active coordination and information sharing. The founder members of the group include MESPT, USAID-Kenya, ACDI/VOCA, Kenya Markets Trust, OXFAM, UNDP, SNV, Deloitte, Techno Serve, CARDNO Emerging Markets, Aga Khan Foundation, IFDC, Land O’ Lakes, Heifer-Kenya, HIVOS, GIZ, SIDA, KAM, KCDF, Christian Aid, Equity Group Foundation, Self Help Africa and East Africa Market Development Associates, among others.

Micro Enterprises Support Program Trust (MESPT) acts as the secretariat of the BDCG and therefore, coordinates all the activities for the members. Quarterly meetings are convened by the members to: (a) Synergize activities in BDS and value-chain development facilitation, to avoid duplication of interventions, and to maximize on donor resources; (b) Share opportunities, lessons, and constraints in market facilitation, for value-added input and advice from committee members; (c) Serve as a forum for future donor programs to vet value-chain development and BDS related activities; (d) Explore synergies in program design, implementation, monitoring evaluation adaptation & learning; and (e) Enhance BDS market development and value chain facilitation through the sharing of practical field experiences.

The BDS Donor Coordination Group (BDCG) in Kenya, therefore, seeks the services of a lead facilitator and two co-facilitators to support a three-day training on Market systems and follow up two-day conference. The lead facilitator is also expected to submit name(s) of qualified personnel to fill the positions of co facilitators as described in section 19.0.

Purpose

The BDS workshop and conference aims at building Africa’s capacity in active full-scale, sector-wide Value Chain and Enterprise Development & Market Systems Development for current practitioners. This enhancement of skills targets facilitators, program managers, trainers, and Project Officers in development practice, government, NGO’s, CBO’s, consultancies, and business service providers and is geared towards embedding market-oriented interventions in the agricultural value chain development. Consequently, the participants are expected to play an active and leading role in systemic market development in their daily work and through building of the value chain actors across the continent.

The three-day training workshop will cover the principles of market system development a transition of M4P to a journey to self-reliance and is intended to enhance the in-country sustainability of market approaches. The forum should ensure clear understanding of existing M4P approaches by participants, designing market systems for sustainability and scale, rethinking markets in the wake of COVID-19 and its effects on food systems, market – fundamentals and analysis, agriculture policy and market stabilization and greening agricultural value chains towards powering agriculture in the 21st Century. The training workshop needs to be practically focused, with lots of opportunities to build skills and test understanding of key concepts in market systems. Materials for the training should be developed based on the experiences of using the market systems approach and should include interesting case studies from learning, lesson sharing and implementing various programs within the African context and beyond.

Objective

To plan, organize for relevant training resources, and take lead in facilitation of a three-day training subsequently, followed by two-day BDS conference. The training should be standard and above par and should borrow from the learnings of previous years BDS workshops and available BDS conference evaluation reports. This includes novel approaches and models in Market Systems Development in the wake of COVID -19. Both the training and the conference should be complementary with conference proceedings providing a platform for experienced value chain development and market systems practitioners to share knowledge and experiences.

The consultant will be responsible for:

• Develop training content for the three-day training in conjunction with the BDCG Secretariat.
• Developing the content befitting the conference theme in conjunction with BDCG Secretariat
• Developing a training program which should be submitted within the month of signing the contract to the BDCG members.
• Identifying and confirming resource persons/speakers to run different sessions during the training/conference.
• Fully briefing all resource persons/ contributors/speakers to the training/conference sessions prior to the event.
• Facilitate three-day training for approximately 70 participants.
• Facilitate a two-day conference for about 130 participants.
• Work closely with MESPT to strategize and execute exhibition of merchandise for 50 pax.
• Collect session materials, write up session plans, and collate them into a complete ‘training pack’ for submission to the Business Donor Coordination Group (BDCG) Secretariat for ratification at least 14 days before the workshop.
• Prepare and submit the relevant training report to BDCG secretariat.
• Outline and specify a set of ‘practical outputs’ from the workshop and how these will be developed.
• In liaison with the secretariat, develop a high-level concept note that will be adopted for marketing and resource mobilization.

Scope of Work and Methodology

It is recommended that the consultant will offer a facilitative and participatory approach as a critical consideration hence is expected to develop an appropriate methodology and implementation plan clearly demonstrating how the work will be carried out. The methodology at the very least should include but not limited to practical guidelines backed by illustrations and case studies, PPT presentations, videos/ animations, brainstorming exercises and group assignments along with tailor made hand-outs as part of the training resources.

The main task of the assignment is divided into three parts.

• Preparation
• Implementation (Training and conference delivery)
• Documentation (Report writing)

The selected lead consultant will work as indicated with two local/international experts that he may decide to outsource but fervently competent, under the direct supervision of the chair BDCG and its secretariat (MESPT). The consultant and his team will work hand in hand with the BDCG secretariat during the planning phase and performance will be evaluated against timeliness, responsibility, initiative, communication, and quality of the products delivered.

Deliverables of the assignments include:

• Develop training and Conference agenda/program.
• Develop training package.
• Facilitate three-day training workshop on Market systems.
• Objective setting for the 2-day conference
• Fully participate and document stepwise approach for conference content
• Plan, mobilize and execution of 5 days exhibition with support from the secretariat.
• Develop a final training and conference report. Must contains information on the training course (agenda, participants, and materials) and training evaluation results (both in soft and 3 hard copies).
• Learnings, lessons, practices, models practical for dissemination after the workshop to enhance private sector engagement in development.

Required Skills, Qualifications and Experience

The Consultant will need to demonstrate the following credentials:

The lead facilitator will have the following minimum qualifications:

• University Education (Bachelor/Master) in Agribusiness Management, Development Economics, or their equivalent.
• Particular/Specialized training on Market systems development or Value Chain Development (VCD)
• Proven project management comprehension skills and understanding of sustainable development issues including green growth.
• Practical experience in value chain and market systems development and training for not less than 10 years.
• Verifiable proof of previous engagements in similar activities/assignments. Previous experience in facilitating the BDS Conference or similar regional or international conferences will be an added advantage.
• At least 3 years of management/leadership experience as a team leader
• Experience of working with the private sector.
• Understanding of development / poverty alleviation issues, including issues relating to gender equity, youth, and other marginalized groups
• Excellent communication and reporting skills. Proficiency in English

The co- facilitators will have the following minimum qualifications:

• University qualification (Bachelor/Master) or certification in relevant field
• Practical experience in value chain and market systems development and training for not less than 3 years.
• Verifiable proof of previous engagements in similar activities/assignments.
• Excellent communication and reporting skills. Proficiency in English

Institutional Arrangement

The consultant will work closely with the BDCG through MESPT, with 2 co-facilitators to refine the overall theme and sub-themes of the conference. The facilitator will be responsible for developing a program that outlines how each of these topics that will be covered, and each session is run in consultation with the above mentioned. Various cases will be presented based on the above themes from different projects within the region that demonstrate the importance of the Market systems approach.

Cost and Payment Plan

The Lead Facilitator will quote his/her daily professional fees taking into consideration the applicable tax implications. The total net consultancy fees taking into account the level of effort elaborated above will be determined. In addition to this the contractor will allocate a reimbursable budget to cover air tickets, visa, and airport shuttle to be declared by the consultant but based on actual receipted expenditures. The Contractor will provide full board accommodation for the Lead Facilitator.

The lead facilitator should quote a fee that will cover all costs including transport, accommodation where applicable and other incidentals.

The payment plan will be as follows:

• 20% upon signing the contract.
• 40% on successful execution of the BDS conference
• 40% after the submission of the final report and satisfactory accounting of the actual expenditure from the reimbursable budget.