Request For Proposal: Terms Of Reference For General Business Strategist To Support Portfolio Investees In South Sudan – 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 assignment will focus on building eight (8) companies’ capacities in marketing, financial viability, business modelling management, governance, and fundraising readiness.

The AECF is seeking the services of a consultant(s) to support AECF’s investees in South Sudan to;

• Enhance business model viability for the investees.
• Strengthen organizational management and governance for the investees.
• Ensure robust financial management functions for the investees.

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   Business Model Viability:

• Conduct market research to identify growth opportunities and competitive positioning in South Sudan.
• Review and update the existing business strategy to align with current market trends, customer needs, and business goals.
• Develop a detailed operational plan with clear objectives, tactics, timelines, and responsibilities.
• Develop a business plan that includes market analysis, marketing strategies, financial projections, and operational plans.
• Create a long-term strategic plan to guide sustainable growth and resilience.
• Conduct a comprehensive analysis of current business operations to identify areas for improvement and potential growth.
• Develop a scalable operational framework to manage increased demand and expansion.
• Implement a quality control system to ensure consistency and high standards in products/services.

4.2   Organizational Management and Governance:

• Evaluate current governance practices (including board practices) and suggest areas for improvement.
• Design and deliver training programs on corporate governance
• Provide ongoing support and mentorship to board members and senior management.
• Conduct risk assessments to identify potential threats.
• Develop a comprehensive business continuity plan (BCP).
• Develop a robust recruitment strategy, including job descriptions including a succession plan for key roles in the organization
• Improve job performance and service delivery through targeted training and support.
• Evaluate current environmental and social impacts.
• Develop and implement an ESMS plan, including training of staff, ESMS policies and procedures.
• Develop and implement OHS policy guidelines.
• Develop key performance indicators (KPIs) and monitoring and evaluation framework aligned with goals
• Develop gender-related policies and guidelines and conduct training on gender inclusivity and equality

4.3   Financial Management Functions:

• Develop a comprehensive financial reporting system to provide timely and accurate financial information to stakeholders.
• Develop strategies to maintain or improve operational efficiency during periods of high inflation.
• Assess financial risks, including market, credit, operational, and liquidity risks.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive financial risk management framework.
• Conduct a comprehensive analysis of current operational costs to identify areas for potential savings.
• Analyze current cash flow patterns to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement.
• Develop and implement cost-cutting strategies that do not compromise product or service quality.
• Review and analyze historical financial data to establish accurate budgeting processes.
• Develop an annual budget plan aligned with business goals and market conditions.
• Implement a budget monitoring system to track actual vs. planned expenditures.
• Develop strategic initiatives to enhance profitability through diversification and process optimization.
• Develop and deliver training programs on financial management, budgeting, cash flow management, and financial forecasting.

5.0   Deliverables

• Key Deliverables

The key deliverables for the consultant will include:

• Business Model Viability

• Market analysis report
• Development of Business and strategic plan document
• Updated business strategy document
• Scaling strategy
• Comprehensive operational plan
• Quality control manual
• Training Materials and tools
• Risk management strategy document

• Organizational Management and Governance

• Comprehensive governance and board assessment report with recommendations.
• Board compliance checklists and updated governance guidelines
• Training report on corporate governance.
• Recruitment strategy, job description and success plan strategy
• Risk assessment and Business Continuity plan documents.
• ESMS plan and policy documentation.
• Leadership skills assessment report and Leadership Coaching session reports and development progress.
• Gender policy documents and training reports.

• Financial Management Functions:

• Financial reporting templates with account mapping
• Cash flow analysis report and management strategy document
• Financial risk management framework
• Cost analysis report and reduction strategy document
• Annual budget plan and monitoring framework
• Monthly budget variance reports
• Profitability enhancement strategy
• Training materials and tools

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 and 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 strategic business planning focusing on business operations, business model designs, sales and marketing, specifically in South Sudan.
• Demonstrated experience in organizational management and governance, designing and implementing gender and governance strategies in South Sudan.
• Demonstrated experience in financial and credit management with a focus on agribusiness companies.
• A minimum of ten years’ experience in the provision of strategic advisory support to corporate or development institutions.
• 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 GENERAL BUSINESS STRATEGIST TO SUPPORT PORTFOLIO INVESTEES 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.