Consultancy for Development Agents(DAS) Tracking study

Source: World Bank — Ethiopia Promoting Basic Services Program Phase III Project

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICE –FIRMS SELECTION)

     Country:    FEDERAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ETHIOPIA

      NAME OF PROJECT:  PROTECTION OF BASIC SERVICE –PHASE III

      Credit NO.P128891 Grant Number 51620

       Assignment Title:  Consultancy for development Agents (DAS) Tracking study

         Reference Number RFP/PBS III/2014/01

                              The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has received financing from the World Bank towards the cost of the protection of basic service –phase III and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

                              The consulting services ("the services") include:

•         Assess the socio economic conditions of smallholder farmers and development agents; in 6regions, 18Zones, 50 woredas, and 150kebeles.

•         Identify causes for turnover of development agents and the mode in which situations are managed and retention strategies practiced.

•         The regulatory framework in place to manage linkages between development agents, smallholder farmers and regional agricultural bureau;

•         Examining the existing structural problems within the agricultural sector in relation to the management of development agents and smallholder farmers.

•         Recommend suitable extension methods, approaches, and tools that would lead to advanced success.

The Ministry of Agriculture now invites eligible consulting firms ("consultants") to indicate their interests in providing the services. Interested consultants should provide information demonstrated that they havethe required qualification and relevant experience to perform the services.

            The Consultant firm should have adequate background and proven track record in prior experience on agriculture sector program survey study, monitoring and evaluations. The composition of the expertise for this particular assignment should include a programmer/dataentry format designer. The short listing criteria

➢ Firms  prior  Experiences in undertaking  similar  tasks(data collection with similar scope of work to current assignment)  

➢ Core business and number of years in business

➢ Availability of skilled personnel

➢ Firms  Experiences in  working  in similar  conditions/environment assignments

➢  Proven Experience on designing and delivering training on data collection tools and formats

The attention  of  interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.9 of the World Bank's Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants [under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants] by World Bank Borrowers , January 2011 ("Consultant Guidelines"), setting forth the World Bank's policy on conflict of interest.  In addition, please refer to the following specific information on conflict of interest related to this assignment:

Bank policy requires that consultants provide professional, objective, and impartial advice and at all times hold the client's interests paramount, without any consideration for future work, and that in providing advice they avoid conflicts with other assignments and their own corporate interests. Consultants shall notbe hired for any assignment that would be in conflict with their prior or current obligations to other clients, or that may place them in aposition of being unable to carry out the assignment in the best interest of the Borrower. Without limitation on the generality of the foregoing, consultants shall not be hired under the circumstances set forth below:

1.            Conflict between consulting activities and procurement of goods, works or non-consulting services (i.e., services other than consulting services covered by these Guidelines[1][1]):A firm that has been engaged by the Borrower to provide goods, works,or non-consulting services for a project, or any affiliate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that firm, shall be disqualified from providing consulting services resulting from or directly related to those goods, works or non-consulting services. Conversely, a firm hired to provide consulting services for the preparation (before Loan effectiveness) or implementation of a project, or any affiliate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that firm, shall be disqualified from subsequently providing goods, works or services (other than consulting services covered by these Guidelines) resulting from or directly related to the consulting services for such preparation or implementation. This provision does not apply to the various firms (consultants, contractors, or suppliers) which together are performing the contractor's obligations under a turnkey or design and build contract.

➢  2.            Conflict among consulting assignments: Neither consultants (including their personnel and sub-consultants), nor any affiliate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that firm, shall be hired for any assignment that, by its nature, may be in conflict with another assignment of the consultants. As an example, consultants assisting a client in the privatization of public assets shall neither purchase, nor advise purchasers of, such assets. Similarly, consultants hired to prepare Terms of Reference (TOR) for an assignment shall not be hired for the assignment in question.

➢  3.            Relationship with Borrower's staff: Consultants (including their experts and other personnel, and sub-consultants) that have a close business or familyrelationship with a professional staff of the Borrower(or of the project implementing agency, or of a recipient of a part of the loan) who are directly or indirectly involved in any part of: (i) the preparation of the TOR for the assignment, (ii) the selection process for the contract, or (iii) the supervision of such contract may not be awarded acontract, unless the conflict stemming from this relationship has been resolved in a manner acceptable to the Bank throughout the selectionprocess and the execution of the contract.

➢  4.            Consultant shall submitonly one proposal, either individually or as a joint venture partner in another proposal. If a consultant, including a joint venture partner, submits or participates in more than one proposal, all such proposals shall be disqualified. This does not, however, preclude a consulting firm to participate as a sub-consultant, or an individual to participate as a team member, in more than one proposal when circumstances justify and if permitted by theRFP.

 Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture or a sub consultancy to enhance their qualifications.

A Consultant willbe selected in accordance with the QCBS (Quality and Cost Based Selection) method set out in the            Consultant Guidelines.

     Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture or a sub consultancy to enhance their qualifications.

 A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the QCBS (Quality and Cost Based Selection) method set out in the Consultant Guidelines.

 Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 8:30 A.M to 5:30 P.M.

             Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below in person before or on 17 April /2014

                    Attention: Ato . Degayehu Desso or Ato Melaku Melesse

                   Ministry of Agriculture procurement case Team (Coordinator)                   

                    Street Address L Bole kifle ketema , woreda 6 Megenaga to CMC road bihined

                   Floor Number   Block –B 1' st floor 01, office number 1&2.

                   City: Addis Ababa.

                   Country: Ethiopia

                   Telephone: +2510116461242