Request For Proposal:Terms Of Reference For Marketing And Market Linkages Support Consultancy – December 2024

1.0   The Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF)

The AECF, LLC (Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund) is a leading non-profit development organisation that supports innovative enterprises in the agribusiness and renewable energy sectors with the aim of reducing rural poverty, promoting climate resilient communities, and creating jobs.

We catalyze the private sector by surfacing and commercializing new ideas, business models and technologies designed to increase agricultural productivity, improve farmer incomes, expand clean energy access, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve resilience to the effects of climate change. We finance high risk businesses that struggle to access commercial funding; we are committed to working in frontier markets, fragile contexts, and high-risk economies where few mainstream financing institutions dare to go.

To date, we have supported over 510 businesses in 26 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, impacted more than 33million lives and created over 35,000 direct jobs.

AECF is headquartered in Kenya and has offices in Côte d’Ivoire, Tanzania, Nigeria, South Sudan, Benin, and Somalia.

2.0   Investing in Women in South Sudan (IIW-SS)

Investing in Women in South Sudan (IIW-SS) programme is a five-year (June 2021 to July 2026) gender equality and economic inclusion programme being implemented by The AECF with funding from Global Affairs Canada (GAC). The programme responds to the poverty, food insecurity, conflict, and climate-change vulnerability of female small-scale farmers in South Sudan who are excluded from the economic opportunities of major agriculture value chains. The outcome of IIW-SS is to economically empower women in the agricultural sector in central and eastern Equatoria states in South Sudan through investing in enterprises that work with women, supporting women’s associations and cooperatives and providing technical assistance to businesses and the communities that they work with.

The programme has three components: Private Sector Business Window (PSAW); this is the primary investment component of the programme that provides grants to eight companies operating in five value chains (sorghum, sesame, groundnut, honey and shea nut). The second component is on Financing to Women Enterprise Associations and Groups (Finance-WAG); this is the secondary investment component of the programme that seeks to provide women groups and cooperatives. The third component is on provision of technical assistance on gender, human rights advocacy, early warning and response systems, climate-smart agriculture training, post-harvest handling and collective marketing and financial literacy.

The programme objectives are to reduce gender-specific barriers to women’s participation in agricultural value chains, increase adoption of gender-sensitive climate-smart agricultural practices and improve employment or livelihoods for women in agriculture and food systems. The Immediate Outcomes of the programme are increased capacity and knowledge provided to farmers to reduce barriers to accessing productive resources e.g., land, information, capital, and access to human rights, improved enabling environment for women including the security of their assets, increased capacity and knowledge to conduct climate-smart agricultural practices that are gender-sensitive, increased production and productivity of crops, and livestock that are grown and kept by women, and farmers reduce their post-harvest losses and increase production, processing and marketing of their surplus produce and products.

3.0   Objective of the Assignment

The objective of this consultancy is to provide comprehensive market development strategies, build marketing research capacity, guide on market linkages, co-develop distribution channel approaches and coach on export trading to 8 AECF investees by addressing their specific needs.

The consultant/firm will be responsible for improving their market presence, facilitating access to export markets, and strengthening their marketing capabilities.

4.0   Scope of Work

The consultant will work with The AECF and the investees’ leadership team to deliver interventions across the functions below:

4.1   Market Research and Analysis

• Conduct detailed market research to understand consumer preferences, market trends, and competitor analysis in local, regional, and international markets.
• Provide export market information, identifying opportunities for agricultural products from South Sudan.
• Analyze market demand and supply trends to support market expansion and distribution strategies.

4.2   Marketing Strategy Development

• Develop marketing strategies for each company, focusing on both local and export markets.
• Create unique value propositions for each company and assist in implementing effective pricing strategies based on market research.
• Design product development and branding strategies, focusing on creating unique blends and packaging that stand out in competitive markets.

4.3   Market Linkages, Distribution Channel Development and Trade Facilitation

• Identify and establish partnerships with buyers, distributors, and trade facilitators in regional and international markets.
• Expand the distribution networks for each company, focusing on external markets.
• Develop strategies for increasing product sales through enhanced distribution and promotional activities.
• Facilitate connections to trade fairs, promotional events, and certification bodies for product showcase and export compliance.
• Provide guidance on seed laws, regulations, and certification requirements for international markets.

4.4   Capacity Building, Financial and Value Chain Services

• Assist in the recruitment and development of marketing teams for each company, ensuring they have the skills to implement marketing strategies effectively.
• Provide support to enhance marketing capabilities, including the development of marketing plans focusing on markets beyond South Sudan.
• Provide guidance on crop value chain development, including access to financial services to support marketing efforts.
• Facilitate access to financial products that can support marketing initiatives and the expansion of operations.

5.0   Deliverables

The key deliverables for the consultant will include:

5.1   Market Research Report

• For each investee, a detailed analysis of consumer preferences, market trends, competitor analysis, and export opportunities.
• Documentation of potential export markets and their requirements.

5.2   Marketing Strategy Document

• Marketing strategies for each investee, including value propositions, pricing strategies, and distribution plans.
• Product development and branding guidelines, focusing on differentiation and market positioning.

5.3   Market Linkages Report and Distribution Channel Expansion Report

• List of potential buyers, trade facilitators, and export opportunities in regional and international markets.
• Documentation of linkages or subscriptions to trade fairs, promotional events, and export certification processes.
• Strategies and implementation plans for expanding distribution channels and increasing product sales.
• Documentation on partnerships with distributors and logistics providers.

5.4   Capacity Building Plan and Value Chain Financial Services Report

• A report on the recruitment and training of marketing teams.
• Report including workshops and training materials provided to enhance marketing capabilities.
• Recommendations on crop value chain financial services and their integration into the companies’ marketing strategies.
• Documentation of financial service providers engaged to support marketing and market expansion efforts.

Additionally, the consultant will provide an insights report from the technical assistance provided.

6.0   Duration of Service

The assignment will be conducted over six (6) months in South Sudan. The assignment is expected to commence in January 2025.

7.0   Reporting

The Consultant will report to the Senior Advisory Specialist at the AECF.

8.0   Eligible Experience

• Consultant/Firm to be based in South Sudan
• Demonstrated experience in agricultural marketing, export market development, and market linkages, specifically in South-Sudan.
• Demonstrated experience in organizational management and governance, designing and implementing gender and governance strategies in South-Sudan.
• Strong knowledge of trade facilitation, market access, and certification processes in international markets.
• A minimum of ten years in the provision of marketing research and marketing strategy development to medium service companies.
• Good understanding of the agribusiness sector in South Sudan or similar environments.
• An in-depth knowledge of agricultural value chain and market systems approaches.

9.0   Evaluation Criteria

An evaluation committee will be formed by the AECF. All members will be bound by the same standards of confidentiality. The consultant should ensure that they fully respond to all criteria to be comprehensively evaluated.

The AECF may request and receive clarification from any consultant when evaluating a proposal. The evaluation committee may invite some or all the consultants to appear before the committee to clarify their proposals. In such an event, the evaluation committee may consider such clarifications in evaluating the proposals.

In deciding the final selection of a qualified bidder, the technical proposal will be given a weighting of 70% based on the evaluation criteria. Only the financial proposal of those bidders who qualify technically will be opened. The financial proposal will be allocated a weighting of 30% and the proposals will be ranked according to the total points scored.

The mandatory and desirable criteria against which proposals will be evaluated are identified in the table below.

10. Proposal submission

The qualified consultant/Firm is invited to submit a Proposal that includes the following:

Technical

1. Approach and methodology to undertake this assignment by demonstration of value for money.
2. Curriculum Vitae (CVs) and demonstration of experience eligibility. Track record in executing similar projects to the Assignment. The consultant may include its employees’ cumulative experience where relevant

Financial

1. A detailed financial budget (in US$).

Technical and Financial proposals will need to be submitted as separate documents. Financial proposals will not be opened until the conclusion of the technical evaluation and then only for those proposals that are deemed qualified and responsive.

11. Pricing

The AECF is obliged by the Kenyan tax authorities to withhold taxes on service contract fees as well as ensure that VAT, is charged where applicable. Applicants are advised to ensure that they have a clear understanding of their tax position with regards to provisions of Kenya tax legislation when developing their proposals.

12. Application Details

The AECF is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The AECF considers all interested candidates based on merit without regard to race, gender, colour, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

• Interested consultancy are requested to submit their technical and financial proposal to aecfprocurement@aecfafrica.org by 17^th January 2025, 5pm EAT
• All questions should be directed to the procurement email by 9^th January 2025, 5pm EAT.
• The subject of the email should be ‘’CONSULTANCY FOR MARKETING AND MARKET LINKAGES SUPPORT IN SOUTH SUDAN”. The AECF shall not be liable for not opening proposals that are submitted with a different subject or responding to questions that did not meet the deadline as indicated.

13. Disclaimer

AECF reserves the right to determine the structure of the process, number of short-listed participants, the right to withdraw from the proposal process, the right to change this timetable at any time without notice and reserves the right to withdraw this tender at any time, without prior notice and without liability to compensate and/or reimburse any party.

The AECF does not charge an application fee for participation in the tendering process and has not appointed any agents or intermediaries to facilitate applications. Applicants are advised to reach out directly to the AECF Procurement Department.