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Job Opportunity at IMA World Health-TOR – Strengthening Capacity of AMCOS – Mbeya

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR STRENGTHENING CAPACITY OF AMCOS IN MBEYA REGION 

PROJECT : PARETO NI PESA PROJECT

LOCATION: MBEYA REGION

DATE: MAY TO JUNE 2021

I. Background 

Job Opportunity at IMA World Health-TOR – Strengthening Capacity of AMCOS – Mbeya Since 1945, Lutheran World Relief (LWR) has worked with vulnerable communities to end poverty, injustice and human suffering. LWR supports agriculture, climate change, and emergency response programming in 28 countries each year. LWR works in Tanzania with an emphasis on capacity strengthening of farmer organizations and long-term food security. Lutheran World Relief is implementing a project entitled “Pareto ni Pesa” (“Pyrethrum for money”) from January to September 2020. The project is designed strengthen market linkages and business relationships between smallholder pyrethrum farmers in Iringa Region (Kilolo, Mufindi and Iringa Rural Districts) focusing on crop production and post-harvest processing at the producer level and selling/buying at the processor level of the value chain. The overall goal of the project is to improve livelihood (increased income) of smallholder farmers from pyrethrum activities. This objective will be achieved through the following two outcomes:

Outcome 1: Men and women pyrethrum farmers improve productivity and quality of pyrethrum through strong business partnership with PCT

Output 1.1: Targeted farmers collaborate in solidarity groups.

Output 1.2: Targeted farmers use best pyrethrum production and harvesting practices.

Output 1.3: Targeted farmers access labor-saving and cost saving technology.

Output 1.4: Targeted farmers apply proper method of drying pyrethrum flowers

Output 1.5: Targeted farmers access high quality seeds

Output 1.6: Targeted youth gain expertise in pyrethrum value chain

Outcome 2: Targeted men and women pyrethrum farmers increase their income earned through partnership with PCT.

Output 2.1: Targeted farmers collectively market high quality flowers in batches traceable to small groups.

Output 2.2: Targeted farmers receive payments (mobile money) that reflect the pyrethrin content of their flowers’ quality within the bulked sale.

Outcome 3: Targeted farmer organization provides sustainable services that benefit its members.

Output 3.1: Stronger farmer organizations

LWR Tanzania is seeking highly skilled and professional consultant to strengthening capacity of 3 AMCOS in Mbeya Region.

LWR seeks to engage a knowledgeable and experienced firm to develop a web-based system for academic program and administrative activities. The firm must demonstrate capacity for integrating their solutions with other government systems (NACTE, NECTA and GePG) for exchange and validation of information.

II. Objective

Purpose of assignment is to support the AMCOS to review its constitution to ensure that the functions of the organization and rights of members among others are stipulated in the constitution to enable the association to fulfill its mandate and be accountable to the owners. In addition, the capacity of the leaders to understand and fulfill their roles and responsibilities to the association and the members will be enhanced through training, couching and mentoring. The members’ capacity will be enhanced in order to understand their rights and obligations to AMCOS, not only to patronize their organization but to also hold their leaders accountable.

III. SCOPE OF WORK

1. Conduct consultative study to inform the constitutional review process for 3 AMCOS.

Conduct a consultative study to collect information on members’ perceptions on the functions of their organization against their real needs within the pyrethrum value chain. The consultation will be aimed at identifying gaps that need to be filled to enable the association to remain relevant and facilitate patronage of members.

2. Constitutional review for 3 AMCOS

The findings from the study will be used to revise the constitution by the consultant. The draft constitution will be reviewed by the Sr. PM and AMCOS leadership to ensure that the gaps identified during consultation of the members have been addressed before the latter is adopted in a Special General Assembly. The board will convene a Special General Meeting for a day that will review and endorse the revised constitution.

3. Submission of revised constitution to relevant authorities for 3 AMCOS

After approval of Special General Meeting, the constitutional will be submitted to relevant authorities for approval and stamping.

4. Conduct awareness meetings for members on their constitutional rights and their roles to hold leaders accountable.

To facilitate members’ active participation in their organization, they will be sensitized on their roles and responsibilities to their organization. Such roles include among others patronage of their organization, as well as electing and holding their leaders accountable. Simple handout of the rights and responsibilities of members to the association will be developed to be used during farmer training.

5. Strengthening capacity of the leaders to understand and fulfill their roles and responsibilities for 3 AMCOS.

Consultant will assess the competencies of the leadership and the organization to carry out the functions stipulated in the revised constitution. Based on the capacity gaps identified, consultant will develop a capacity enhancement plan with input from the leadership that will be implemented over the course of the project to enable the organization to fulfill its mandate. The capacity enhancement plan will contain among other things capacity building activities such as training and mentorship of leaders in their roles and responsibilities and development of key policy documents and procedures that will help them actualize the functions of the association as well as facilitate democratic processes that encourage member’s active participation.

6. Strengthen capacity of 3 AMCOS on commercial legal knowledge, train leaders and members on legal knowledge so that they can have a fully understanding of their legal obligations, rights, and benefits from their farming business.

7. Developing all key operational documents. These documents include operation manual, invoices, receipt books, membership and store ledgers, store receiving and issuing/delivery books and stocks movement report books.

To achieve these outcomes, the consultant(s) will: 

• • Review relevant secondary literature including, but not limited to existing constitution, registration documents, reports etc. If possible, this should include reviewing and compiling relevant research, evidence from similar interventions, best practices, and lessons learned.
  • Conduct field visits to targeted AMCOSs to consult relevant stakeholders, through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, workshops, and other modes of information gathering as deemed necessary.

• • Meet with LWR, PCT, Government Authorities and Tanzania Agricultural Bank gain information on the AMCOS and critical areas which need support.

• Conduct consultative meetings with members to get understanding about their constitutions
• Conduct problem analysis and validation workshops pertaining constitution (s) with AMCOS leaders, PCT, TADB, District Council and other relevant stakeholders.
• Based on the primary and secondary information gathered, and in accordance with guidance in the TOR, draft a constitution and submit to AMCOs leaders, PCT and LWR for review before Special General Meeting.
• Guide all necessary content contributors as needed, reviewing all content and ensuring that the constitution tell a consistent and clear flow of information.
• Assess the competencies of the leadership and assess the capacity of the organization to carry out the functions stipulated in the revised constitution.
• Train and mentor leaders in their roles and responsibilities and development of key policy documents and procedures that will help them actualize the functions of the association as well as facilitate democratic processes that encourage member’s active participation.

IV. METHODOLOGY

LWR anticipates using a mixed methodology approach that will include reviewing available data sources and designing a methodology to collect both quantitative and qualitative data for this assignment to understand the current situation of AMCOS in relation to provision of sustainable service to members. Consultant may choose to use conventional methods (surveys, key informant interviews, focus group discussions), an ideal methodology will mix those methods with a robust method that invites participatory approach. LWR prefers methods that are rigorous and that allow analysis on the part of the people providing the information. The assessment will be conducted through various meetings with relevant stakeholders such as AMCOS Leaders, members, bank, PCT, government authorities, and others as identified by consultancy. The consultant will work closely with LWR’s Senior Program Manager and AMCOs finalize the methodology, data collection tools and the workplan before fieldwork.

V. DELIVERABLES

• All deliverables must be in English.
• Inception Report (English)
• Approved constitution for 3 AMCOS (Both Swahili and English)
• Simplified templates as per revised constitutions such as contracts, registration forms, etc (Swahili)
• Capacity enhancement plan (Swahili)
• Procedure manual covering areas listed under scope of work.
• Templates for key operational documents which include the annual operational plans, invoices, receipt books, membership and store ledgers, store receiving and issuing/delivery books.
• A training programme for the AMCOs members listed under scope of work.
• Training reports with respect to the approved training programme.
• Final report at the end of the assignment documenting lessons learnt, challenges, and recommendation for improvement.

VI. IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTSARRANGEMENTS 

The timeline for the completion of the proposal is firm. Delay in submission of the deliverables that are not the fault of LWR will result in a reduction in the final payment to the consultant.

VII. EVALUATION TIMEFRAME

The duration of the consultancy will be from May 15th to June 31st, 2021.

VIII. EVALUATOR QUALIFICATIONS AND APPLICATION PROCEDURES 

Qualification of the Consultant

• The required qualifications of consultant(s)
• Registered legal firm.
• A minimum of two years’ experience working with AMCOS.
• Accredited by Tanzania Cooperative Development Commission (TCDC) to build capacity to AMCOS.
• S/he should also be conversant with facilitation skills.
• Extensive experience in providing strategic advice.
• Outstanding communication skills, with excellent command of spoken and written English and Swahili
• Proven ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Legally entitled to work in Tanzania.

Interested consultants should send the information listed below to

1. Expression of interest (up to 3 pages) – outlining the summary of relevant previous experience, the approach in undertaking the assessment and daily consultancy fee (inclusive of all office supplies, equipment, etc. and exclusive of reimbursable field travel expenses as listed above).
2. Latest curriculum vitae (of consultant and any supporting team members)
3. Contact information of three references for similar services was offered.

Application procedure

Complete applications containing elements a) through d) should be submitted as attachments to an email to: [email protected]

The subject line should read: STRENGTHENING CAPACITY OF AMCOS IN MBEYA REGION

Deadline for the submission of bids is on Friday May 7th, 2021 by 5pm Tanzania time

Applicants who do not follow application instructions will be rejected. ONLY short-listed candidates will be contacted.

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