Terms of reference: Technical study using public private dialogue mechanisms for UNACOIS to enhance women economic empowerment and participation in the agricultural value chain
• Dakar, Senegal
• Employees can work remotely
• Part-time
• Contract type: Short term consultancy contract

Company Description
SNV is a not-for-profit international development organisation that applies practical knowledge to make a lasting difference in the lives of people living in poverty. We use our extensive and long-term in-country presence to apply and adapt our top-notch expertise in agriculture, energy and WASH to local contexts. The organisation applies its know-how to deliver results worldwide. The projects directly benefit millions of people and at the same time, projects drive systems change, which helps many more people work their way out of poverty.

SNV has annual revenues of over EUR 120 million and 1300 staff working in more than 25 countries across Asia and Africa. SNV is proud to be a not-for-profit organisation that uses project financing to implement their mission.

Job Description

1. Context: ICR Facility and project
The Investment Climate Reform (ICR) (https://www.icr-facility.eu/) Facility is set up to support African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) partner countries and regional institutions in their private sector structured dialogue process to create a more conducive business environment and investment climate. It aims to improve the business environment and investment climate in these countries. The ICR Facility is a programme which is co-funded by the European Union (EU), the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF), together with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the British Council. It is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), the British Council, Expertise France, and Stichting Nederlandse Ontwikkelingsorganisatie (Netherlands Development Organisation, SNV).”

The ICR facility has three components of activities:
1. Technical Assistance for Business Environment and Investment Climate Improvement
2. Strengthening national and sub-regional development financial institutions
3. Compile and mainstream lessons learned and good practices
In the context of its mandate, the ICR Facility seeks to provide technical assistance to UNACOIS (Union Nationale des Commerçants et Industriels du Sénégal) in response to a request submitted by the UNACOIS Executive Board.
UNACOIS employs public-private dialogue to elaborate fiscal, customs, commercial and economic policy proposals likely to boost development. It promotes small and medium enterprises through services for its members.

2. Objective of the request
The structural base of the agricultural sector in Senegal is essentially composed of informal farmers' groups, women's groups (a majority of which are also informal), and a few formal cooperatives with limited activity. There are also institutional structures such as the SAED (Société d'Aménagement et d'encadrement du Delta) and national agencies responsible for providing support and technical assistance to actors in the agricultural sector, with variable impact in the value chain.
Women generally work under difficult conditions and suffer from various constraints such as access to finance and to markets.
The objective of this request is to support through technical studies and public-private dialogue the creation of cooperatives in the retail sector, particularly for women, in the agricultural value chain.
The analysis will focus on women's cooperatives in the trade and agricultural sectors to tackle the issue of women economic empowerment in the agricultural value chain in Senegal. This study could then be the used for a pilot program conducted by Unacois with around 500 women entrepreneurs, as a first experience of women's distribution/retail cooperative.

3. Scope of work: tasks to be performed by the contractor
The ICR Facility will complete a technical study using public private dialogue mechanisms.

The contractor shall provide the following services:
1. Prepare and facilitate kick-off meeting with key stakeholders : prepare PPT presentation outlining the content of the intervention (milestones, responsibilities and timeline). Liaise with the ICR Facility and Unacois to organize the meeting and invitations. Ensure that relevant stakeholders (validated with ICR Facility and Unacois) are invited and facilitate the meeting.
2. Diagnostic:
a) Study the current state of affairs for the commercial and agricultural production sector for women. Assess and map the different aspects described below, in relation to other existing structures in Senegal (e.g., agricultural or cooperative-like cooperatives) and possibly regionally. Analyze the existing offer.
b) Evaluate and analyze the deficits, constraints, needs and opportunities for improvement. The exercise should be carried out in a participatory manner and in consultation with stakeholders. The aspects to be included in the study are:
o Legal/institutional/governance
o Management and training in these organizations
o Production and processing spaces
o Distribution and marketing market (including storage, distribution, marketing, etc.)
o Access to finance: financial and non-financial service offerings
o Access to technology and digitalization of activities (e.g. for meetings, management, inventory management, banking access and coverage)
3. Propose an organizational model as well as an implementation action plan, initially considering as a first step a pilot experience of a women's distribution cooperative for around 500 women entrepreneurs. The exercise must be carried out in a participatory manner and in consultation with stakeholders. Analysis to be completed following the same aspects evaluated for the Diagnostic:
o Legal/institutional/governance/
o Management, management and training in these organizations
o Production and processing space
o Logistical aspects (such as storage, distribution,...)
o Marketing chain and marketing
o Access to finance
o Access to technology and digitalization
4. Specific technical assistance upon request (to be requested by UNACOIS and approved by ICR) : to be used potentially for the initiation of the pilot (e.g. on aspects of market access and/or financial inclusion).
5. Project completion Report : The consultant writes a report on the activities conducted and their results, following a template provided by the ICR Facilitation. The document includes monitoring and evaluation (M&E) indicators to be defined with the ICR Facility and should describe the main project tasks, potential follow-up actions and lessons learned from the intervention.
Throughout the exercise, the consultants will use public-private dialogue mechanisms, conducting calls, interviews, meetings and workshops with public and private stakeholders.
Throughout the exercise, the consultant will focus on women-owned/led businesses and organizations, as well as youth under the age of 35.
Based on the current status in the country, assess whether specific actions to facilitate women's participation are needed. For example, work on the "agency" of women, that is, their inclination to participate, or if networking sessions among women are necessary to facilitate their participation.
The work could be done in a remote mode. At least one trip to Dakar and relevant areas of Senegal will be necessary.
UNACOIS will establish a focal point for the project who will be in regular coordination with the consultant.
Throughout the assignment, the consultants will liaise and work closely with the ICR Facility, UNACOIS, and one or more of the implementing partners (GIZ, SNV, Expertise France, British Council) in the field as well as the European Union and OACPS.

Qualifications
The position is open to individual consultants or firms with the following credentials:
· Minimum 10 years of experience in development work.
· Extensive knowledge and experience in the development of value chains.
· Knowledge and experience on legal and institutional aspects in Senegal.
· Expertise in aspects of equity and social inclusion ("GESI") of women or other underrepresented groups such as youth.
· Knowledge on access to finance and technology (digitalization).
· One or more of the team members must have the ability to work in Senegal.
· Extensive experience in the field of economic development in ACP countries and Francophone West Africa and Senegal in particular.
· Excellent command of written and spoken French.
· Experience in public private dialogue and providing technical assistance to governments in emerging economies.

Required materials:
· 2 copies of deliverables.
· Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan and materials regarding services provided on behalf of the ICR Facility (i.e., satisfaction questionnaires, photos of meetings, events, workshops that are approved by GDPR, etc… )
· 1 Project Completion Report.

Please note that:
· Applicants could be an individual consultant or a firm
· If the applicant is an individual consultant, the application must include his/her daily rate.
· If the applicant is a firm, the application must include a financial proposal.
The contractor shall implement virtual or face-to-face meetings and workshops as defined above. The contractor shall ensure that he/she has the appropriate software and materials to invite to virtual meetings/videoconferences/webinars. No budget is provided for this.
The consultant will be acting as an independent data controller of personal data being processed in connection with the contract and shall comply with applicable obligations under the data protection legislation including, especially, the European General Data Protection Regulation.



Additional Information
1. Timeline, deliverables and time allocation
Deliverable, Date to complete the deliverable and maximum Level of effort for each deliverable:
1. Kick-off meeting with stakeholders. Within 15 working days after contract signature.
up to 4 expert days.
2. Diagnostic: with 2 interim reports: (a) assessment of current situation et (b) Analysis of needs and opportunities. Within 65 working days after contract signature
up to 35 expert days.
3. Workshop. Within 78 working days after contract signature.
Up to 5 expert days.
4. Organizational model, action plan and strategic implementation plan. Within 108 working days after contract signature.
up to 20 expert days.
5. Workshop. Within 118 working days after contract signature.
up to 5 expert days.
6. Specific technical assistance upon request (to be requested by Unacois and approved by ICR). Within 139 working days after contract signature.
up to 20 expert days
7. Project Completion report. Within 139 working days after contract signature.
1 day
Period of assignment
The project shall last from February 15, 2022 to August 15, 2022.
Travel
The country of assignment will be Senegal. Travel arrangements are to be defined according to need and within Covid-19 restrictions. In the worst-case scenario, all communication may need to be virtual.

Additional information:
Type of contract:
Start date: February 14, 2022
Duty Station: Remote with travel to Senegal.
Project duration: February 14 2022 – August 31 2022
Apply February 3rd, 2022.