value chains-northern uganda

8/2/2019 Value Chains-Northern Uganda

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Stability Peace and Reconciliation

in Northern Uganda (SPRING) Program

Invitation for Bids:

SPRING Stabilization-Driven Value Chain Assessment

I. Request for ProposalsThe Stability Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Uganda (SPRING) Project, funded by the

United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is seeking proposals fromqualified Ugandan firms or organizations to conduct the technical assignment described inthis solicitation. Under this solicitation,

SPRING is requesting proposals, based on acompetitive selection process, and will award

a fixed price contract with deliverables for avalue of an agreed upon amount.

If organizations decide to submit a proposal,it must be submitted in accordance with the

below solicitation and received no later than

the date and time indicated.

II.BackgroundSPRING is a three-year stabilization project

funded by the United States Agency forInternational Development (USAID) that

began in January of 2008. The goal of the project is to mitigate the causes andconsequences of the conflict in northernUganda. To achieve this goal SPRING isprogramming activities in three core

component areas:

Peace-building and Reconciliation

Economic Security and Social Inclusion

Access to Justice

SPRINGs economic security component will

support the transition from the present

dominance of relief operations to longer termsustainable development through

interventions that catalyze commerciallysustainable activities and relationships in keysub-sectors. The primary mechanism for

SPRING is the $3.6 million STABILITY Grant

Fund. This fund will support activities such ascapacity building for marketing cooperatives, brokering relationships among value-chainactors, facilitating commercial credit and business service opportunities. In order to

As the map illustrates a range of justice and peace

activities will take place across northern Uganda

while more intensive economic activities will be

piloted in the fifteen sub-counties indicated in red,

where the opportunities for effective interventions

in key value chains is greatest. The break-down of

sub-counties by district is as follows:

Amuru: Pabbo, Atiak

Pader: Puranga, Patango, Acholibur

Lira: Okwang, Adwari, Orum

Oyam: Ngai, Minakulu, Otwal

Gulu: Lalogi, Lakwana

Kitgum: Lokung, Agoro


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maximize the impact of SPRING resources and improve overall economic security in thefifteen selected sub-counties in northern Uganda, the project intends to focus on strategic

economic sub-sectors and value chains that provide adequate incomes and diverse marketopportunities for long-term equitable growth and broad participation1.

After recently completing a geographic assessment and selection of specific sub-counties

where economic security interventions will take place; SPRING is currently in the process ofdetermining which economic sub-sectors and value chains it will focus on during year one.In order to maximize the impact of the Stability Fund, SPRING intends to focus on three

primary agricultural value chains in its first year of implementation. While SPRINGinterventions will focus on rural communities in the targeted 15 sub-counties, it intends towork with higher level value chain actors at the regional and national levels.

III.Objectives:1) To assist the SPRING project in selecting three agricultural sub-sectors (from a short-list

of six) capable of providing strong economic security and conflict mitigation andstabilization benefits for large groups of rural households in the short to medium term.

2) To conduct a comprehensive assessment of three pre-selected agricultural sub-sectors

that will accomplish the following: i) provide a general overview of the sub-sector ii)

provide a situational assessment, mapping and quantitative profit-loss analysis of eachmarket channel in respective value chains within each sub-sector, iii) assess the sub-

sectors stabilization and conflict mitigation potential and iv) identify primary value chainconstraints and corresponding program interventions.

IV.Sub-sector Profile Review and EditsThe SPRING project recently held a Sub-sector/Value Chain Selection Workshop on May

29th. The purpose of the meeting was to gather a diverse group of key agriculturestakeholders to assist in the selection of sub-sectors where the SPRING project will work.

After a rapid analysis of 21 sub-sectors, a pre-shortlist of 6 agricultural sub-sectors wereranked among the following seven criteria: stability impact, profitability, end-market

demand, input supply, broad participation, value addition and geographic spread. Theresults of the sub-sector rankings are seen in the below table:

1The selected sub-counties are subject to change as SPRING is currently in negotiations with district officials and

formal MOUs have yet to be signed.

2Because of the long-term time commitment required by the cattle sector and SPRINGs short-term

implementation time line (2 2.5 years) it was decided that sim sim would replace livestock in the pre-short list.

Sub-sector Selection

Workshop Rankings

1) Groundnuts

2) Rice

3) Cattle* (to be replaced

by sim sim)2

4) Maize

5) Sunflower


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In order to gain more in depth analysis of the pre-shortlistedsub-sectors, SPRING economic security staff are currently

developing sub-sector profiles (3-5 pages each) providing analysis of world and domestic

market information, an overview of the value chains within each sub-sector and conflictmitigation and SWOT analyses. To ensure sub-sector profiles are as accurate as possible,the contractor will be expected to review and edit drafts of all six sub-sectors. The final

three sub-sectors will be chosen upon completion and review of the profiles.

Schedule

Ideally, SPRING would like the profile review to take place on the week of July 7 th.Applicants should state in their proposals how closely they can fit within this timing.

V. Sub-sector AssessmentsAfter selection of the final three sub-sectors, the contractor will work closely with SPRING

staff to complete a comprehensive stabilization-driven assessment of each of the three sub-sectors and their respective value chains. The assessment reports will build on the sub-

sector profiles by mapping and characterizing value chain market channels, providing

quantitative cost-break downs and profit margin analyses and assessing primary value chainconstraints and corresponding program interventions while integrating the conflict risks andmitigation potentials throughout the assessment.

Illustrative Sub-sector Key Personnel

Team Member Responsibility Preferred Background

Assessment Team

Leader

Lead sub-sector planning andassessment design

Coordination of Assessment

Activities and Reporting

Lead technical writer on one sub-sector assessment

Previous Value Chain

Assessment Work

Specialist (marketing orproduction) in one or

more SPRING Sub-

sectors

Experience withAgribusiness in N.

Uganda

Skilled report writer.

Sub-sector Team

Leaders (2)

Conduct secondary research

Design primary field researchtools (surveys and database)

Analysis of research findings

Production of final report

Facilitation of StakeholderVetting Workshop

Specialist (marketing or

production) in one ormore SPRING sub-

sectors

Skilled report writer.

Conflict Mitigation

Consultant

Integration of conflict mitigationand stabilization content into

field research design and final

Experience conductingconflict assessments.

Integration of conflict

6) Honey

Activity Week LOE Team Member

Review Six Sub-sector Summary Profiles Week 1 6 daysSub-Sector

Specialists


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reporting.

Facilitation of Stakeholder

Vetting Workshop

mainstreaming across

diverse programming.

In-depth knowledge ofconflict environment in

N. Uganda.

The contractor is welcome to propose additional changes to the above staffing matrix. If

needed, SPRING will recruit several Gulu University students to act as research assistants

responsible for note taking, data entry and logistics. SPRING will consider proposals fromcontractors which argue for providing internal assessment support staff, however, it is

SPRINGs preference to build local professional capacity as well as retain cost savings wherepossible.

Field Research Teams

SPRING envisions deploying 2-3 research teams during the assessment. All field researchteams will consist of an 1) Economic Security Facilitator 2) Conflict Mitigation Facilitator and

a 3) Note Taker.

SPRING Assessment Team

Team Member Responsibility

Hayden Aaronson & Florence

Ringe, Economic Security

Advisors (ESA)

Provide oversight and guidance

Review field research tools.

Attend all field visits when possible.

Provide feedback on final draft

Assist with Stakeholder Vetting Workshop

Mathew Waterfield, Conflict

Mitigation Advisor (CMA)

Review assessment design & field research tools

Review of final draft.

Assist with Stakeholder Vetting Workshop

Francesca Olivia, EconomicSecurity Advisor (ESA -Kitgum)

Assist with planning and logistics for field visits Participate in field visits in Kitgum and Pader.

Review field research tools and final draft.

Participate in Stakeholder Vetting Workshop

Illustrative Sub-Sector/Value Chain Assessment Schedule

Activity Week Team Members

Additional Secondary Research (if needed) Week 1 Sub-Sector Consultants

Develop Action Plan and Schedule Week 1Sub-sector Consultants, ES &

CM Team Leaders

Design Field Research Tools & ScheduleMeetings

Week 1Consultant, ES & CMA Team

Leaders

Informational Interviews in Kampala andNimule/Juba

Weeks 2Consultant, ES & CMA Team

Leaders

Travel to Gulu and Write-up of KampalaInterviews

Week 2Consultant, ES & CMA Team

Leaders

Field Visits to Sub-Counties in Gulu-Oyam Week 3 Field Survey Teams

Field Visits to Sub-Counties in Lira-Pader Week 3 Field Survey Teams


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Ideally, SPRING would like the assessment to commence on the week of July 14 th.

Applicants should state in their proposals how closely they can fit within this timing.

Summary of Sub-sector Assessment Activities

Additional Desk Study/Secondary Research If additional secondary research isneeded after the sub-sector profiles the sub-sector team leaders will review and compile all

remaining SPRING meeting notes, government statistics, donor reports and production

census data.

Develop Action Plan and Schedule

After completion of the desk study the sub-sectorteam leaders will determine where informational gaps or outdated information exists andfrom which sources it can be collected. In consultation with the Economic Security Team,Conflict Mitigation Consultant and Conflict Mitigation Advisor, the SOW will be further

developed into a detailed action plan. This meeting will either take place in Gulu or in

Kampala, depending on where the consultant is based.

Design Field Research Tools & Schedule Meetings The sub-sector team leaders and

conflict mitigation consultant will then design field research tools tailored to the variousvalue-chain actors targeted for field interviews such as interview questionnaires, data

coding and database design. Scheduling of meetings for the first week of field interviews inKampala and Southern Sudan will also take place.

Informational Interviews in Kampala

Sub-sector Team Leaders and the EconomicSecurity and Conflict Mitigation Advisor will hold four days of meetings in Kampala during

the second week of the assessment with relevant end-market actors such as exporters,domestic wholesalers, and processors as well as industry trade associations and relevant

government and NGO officials. The fifth day of the second week will be used for writing upmeeting notes and for traveling to Gulu to begin field research activities in SPRINGs six

sub-counties.

Southern Sudan Market Research While meetings are being held in Kampala, one of

the three sub-sector consultants and the Conflict Mitigation Consultant will travel to Nimuleand Juba to do a rapid market and conflict mitigation assessment by conducting meetings

with traders and other relevant stakeholders.

Field Visits to SPRING Sub-Counties The assessment team and SRPING staff willconduct field interviews during the third and fourth weeks of the assessment with selectvalue-chain actors such as input suppliers, farmer groups, traders, processors, as well as

financial and sector specific providers such as commercial banks, MFIs, NGOs and district

agricultural production officers. As SPRING has adequate information on the constraintsfaced by many farmer groups, the majority of interviews will be held with other value chainactors. The assessment will likely deploy two to three field research teams comprised of an

economic security facilitator, conflict mitigation facilitator and note-taker to cover more

ground during the field research stage.

Field Visits to Sub-Counties in Amuru-Kitgum Week 4 Field Survey Teams

Writing & Submission of Final Draft ReportWeeks

4&5Sub-sector Consultants

Stakeholder Vetting Workshop Week 6Consultant, ES & CMA Team

Leaders, USAID

Integration of SPRING and Stakeholder

Vetting Comments into the Final Report Week 6 Sub-sector Consultants


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Writing and Submission of Final Draft The sub-sector team leaders will be given 7days to synthesize all findings into a final draft report covering each of the three selected

sub-sectors. The sub-sector assessments will follow closely the outline from the original

scope of work.

Stakeholder Vetting Workshop Once the final draft has been approved, the sub-sector

team leaders will work with SPRING staff to facilitate and conduct a sub-sector stakeholdervetting workshop where a summarized version of the assessment of the three sub-sectorswill be presented to key value chain actors and USAID for feedback in order to test the

validity and fine tune the major findings of the report.

Integration of SPRING and Stakeholder Vetting Comments into the Final Report The sub-sector consultants will work to integrate any remaining adjustments to the final

report as well as write-up major findings from the vetting workshop.

Note: The above is only an illustrative assessment schedule and description of activities.

SPRING will welcome changes that add value or cost savings in the contractors finalproposals.

VI.Deliverables1) Review of Six Sub-sector Summary Profiles2) Assessment Action Plan and Schedule

3) Field Research Tools

4) Final Assessment Report for 3 Sub-sectors5) Stakeholder Vetting Workshop Presentation and Facilitation

value chains-northern uganda

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