The Government of Republic of Moldova has received financing from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) towards the cost of Talent Retention for Rural Transformation Project (TRTP) and intends to apply part of the proceeds for the recruitment of consulting services provided by 3 individual consultants.
The use of any IFAD financing shall be subject to IFAD’s approval, pursuant to the terms and conditions of the financing agreement, as well as IFAD’s rules, policies and procedures. IFAD and its officials, agents and employees shall be held harmless from and against all suits, proceedings, claims, demands, losses and liability of any kind or nature brought by any party in connection with TRTP.
The consulting services (“the services”) assignment is to contract 3 individual consultants to strengthen technical capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, as following:
- Consultant in Agriculture Economy and Policy (Lot 1);
- Consultant in Agriculture Market Analysis (Lot 2);
- Consultant in Communication (Lot 3);
This request for expressions of interest (REOI) follows the general procurement notice that appeared on the IFAD website on 4 August 2021, on UN Development Business website on 5 August 2021 and on the CPIU IFAD website on 16 June 2021, on MARDE website on 16 June 2021 and on Economic magazine Logos Press no. 25 (1383) from 2 July 2021.
The attention of interested consultants is drawn to IFAD’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Policy[1] and the Revised IFAD Policy on Preventing Fraud and Corruption its Activities and Operations[2]. The latter sets forth IFAD’s provisions on prohibited practices. IFAD further strives to ensure a safe working environment free of harassment, including sexual harassment, and free of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) in its activities and operations as detailed in its IFAD Policy to Preventing and Responding to Sexual Harassment, Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.[3]
Interested consultants shall not have any actual, potential or reasonably perceived conflict of interest. Consultants with an actual, potential or reasonably perceived conflict of interest shall be disqualified unless otherwise explicitly approved by the Fund. Consultants are considered to have a conflict of interest if they a) have a relationship that provides them with undue or undisclosed information about or influence over the selection process and the execution of the contract, or b) have a business or family relationship with a member of the client’s board of directors or its personnel, the Fund or its personnel, or any other individual that was, has been or might reasonably be directly or indirectly involved in any part of (i) the preparation of the REOI, (ii) the selection process for this procurement, or (iii) execution of the contract. Consultants have an ongoing obligation to disclose any situation of actual, potential or reasonably perceived conflict of interest during preparation of the EOI, the selection process or the contract execution. Failure to properly disclose any of said situations may lead to appropriate actions, including the disqualification of the consultant, the termination of the contract and any other as appropriate under the IFAD Policy on Preventing Fraud and Corruption in its Projects and Operations.
The Consolidated IFAD Programme Implementation Unit (CPIU IFAD) now invites eligible Individual consultants (“consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the services in the form of a curriculum vitae (CV), a Cover Letter (CL), Self-certification form (IFAD template) and 2-3 professional references from the previous employers. A consultant will be selected in accordance with the individual consultant selection (ICS) method set out in IFAD’ Project Procurement Handbook that can be accessed via the IFAD website at www.ifad.org/project-procurement. Interviews will be conducted as part of the selection process.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND SHORTLISTING CRITERIA OF THE CONSULTANTS:
LOT 1 – CONSULTANT IN AGRICULTURE ECONOMY AND POLICY
Consultant in Agriculture Economy and Policy will support the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry in the following main activities, but not limited to these:
- conducting economic analysis of agriculture subsector on main macroeconomic indicators, including statistical data related to the agricultural sector;
- identifying administrative and commercial trade barriers and suggesting a road map on how to overcome them and to raise competitiveness of the Moldovan agricultural producers on both external and local markets.
- identifying policy gaps that compromise the competitiveness of the local agricultural producers and suggesting a road map on how to eliminate those gaps;
- developing recommendations on macro level on how to improve competitiveness of the Moldovan producers;
- developing and/or assisting the Beneficiary in relevant developing policy papers and consulting the Beneficiary on budgetary policy issues;
- delivering trainings/consulting to representatives of local state institutions and authorities;
The key criteria for shortlisting of Consultant in Agriculture Economy and Policy are the following:
| Criterion | Weight |
| 1. General qualifications: | |
| · A minimum of a bachelor degree in economics, finance, agriculture or a related field | 10 |
| · Participation in specialized international training courses on policy analysis and development with respect to agriculture is an advantage | 5 |
|
2. Specific previous experience in the field for vacant position: |
|
| · At least 5 years of hands-on experience in economic and policy analysis in agricultural sector | 25 |
| · At least 3 years of hands-on experience in policy paper development, preferably in agricultural sector | 10 |
| · At least one project experience in interacting with national and local stakeholders concerned with agriculture and preferably including government and administration, private sector, civil society and international development partner agencies; | 10 |
| 3. Language skills: Fluency in Romanian and English; good in Russian | 5 |
| 4. Computer management skills especially office productivity tools | 5 |
|
5. Competencies (through Interview for candidates that score at least 49 points on the above criteria): |
|
| · Highest standards of professionalism and integrity | 10 |
| · Excellent problem solving and analytical skills using creativity and innovation | 10 |
| · Excellent communication (especially written communications; group facilitation skills), networking and coordination skills with various stakeholders | 5 |
| · Excellent planning and organizational abilities and attention to detail | 5 |
| TOTAL | 100 |
LOT 2 – CONSULTANT IN AGRICULTURE MARKET ANALYSIS
Consultant in Agriculture Market Analysis will support the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry in the following main activities, but not limited to these:
- identifying markets with high potential for Moldovan agricultural products;
- identifying key characteristics of the target markets, including market volumes, price points, distribution system, market trends, consumer preferences and habits.
- identifying specific market requirements for the product, including quality, packaging and certification requirements;
- identifying the specific product niches where Moldovan agro products can be competitive;
- elaborating the National Program for the support and development of the agro-industrial products export;
- contributing to the concept of the Agri-Food Center (HUB), as well as the development of the horticultural office draft document in order to promote horticultural products on various markets;
- developing recommendations on macro and micro level on how to improve export competitiveness of the Moldovan products;
- developing recommendations on macro and micro level on how to improve the competitiveness of the farmers who compete with the imported products on the local market;
- delivering trainings/consulting to local agricultural producers;
- developing market entry strategy for each targeted particular market and the action plan for the Beneficiary in order to facilitate Moldovan producers to enter those markets.
The key criteria for shortlisting of Consultant in Agriculture Market Analysis are the following:
| Criterion | Weight |
|
1. General qualifications: |
|
| · A minimum of a bachelor degree in economics, finance, agriculture or a related field | 10 |
| · Participation in specialized international training courses on market analysis with respect to agriculture is an advantage | 5 |
| 2. Specific previous experience in the field for vacant position: | |
| · At least 5 years of hands-on experience in market analysis for agriculture products | 25 |
| · At least 3 years of hands-on experience in export market entry facilitation for Moldovan agricultural producers1 | 10 |
| · At least one project experience in interacting with national and local stakeholders concerned with agriculture produce market analysis and/or market entry facilitation, preferably including government and administration, private sector, civil society and international development partner agencies; | 10 |
| 3. Language skills: Fluency in Romanian and English; good in Russian | 5 |
| 4. Computer management skills especially office productivity tools | 5 |
|
5. Competencies (through Interview for candidates that score at least 49 points on the above criteria 1 to 4): |
|
| · Highest standards of professionalism and integrity | 10 |
| · Excellent problem solving and analytical skills using creativity and innovation | 10 |
| · Excellent communication (especially written communications; group facilitation skills), networking and coordination skills with various stakeholders | 5 |
| · Excellent planning and organizational abilities and attention to detail | 5 |
| TOTAL | 100 |
LOT 3 – CONSULTANT IN COMMUNICATION
- Consultant in communication will support the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry in the following main activities, but not limited to these:
- Develop effective communication strategies and communications campaigns to ensure greater visibility and public understanding of the Ministry’s objective and results;
- Manage internal communications (memos, newsletters etc.);
- Create and deliver press releases, media relations content, case studies, white papers, executive bios, corporate newsletter content, social media content, and speaking proposals;
- Copyedit, proofread, and revise communications;
- Writing, editing, and distributing press releases;
- Prepare briefing materials;
- Support in organizing and planning events or press conferences;
- Conduct extensive media outreach;
- Liaise with media and handle requests for interviews, statements etc.;
- Perform damage control in cases of bad publicity;
- Facilitate the resolution of disputes with the public or external partners;
- Coordinate scheduling and logistics of conferences, trade shows, and press interviews;
- Monitoring, maintaining and responding to public media inquiries;
- Tracking, monitoring, measuring and disseminating, both social and traditional, media mentions;
- Manage information.
The key criteria for shortlisting of Consultant in Communication are the following:
| Criterias | Weight |
|
1. General qualifications: |
|
| · A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or equivalent. | 10 |
| · Master’s degree is a strong asset. | 5 |
|
2. Specific previous experience in the field for vacant position: |
|
| · At least 5 years of relevant professional experience performing tasks similar to the required job position/in the field of agricultural journalism; | 25 |
| · 3 years of progressively responsible experience in communications, and public information, or a related field. | 10 |
| · At least one previous experience in liaising and co-operating with media journalists, government officials, NGOs, and the private sector; | 10 |
| 3. Language skills: Fluency in Romanian and Russian, English will be an advantage | 5 |
| 4. Computer management skills especially office productivity tools | 5 |
|
5. Competencies (through Interview for candidates that score at least 49 points on the above criteria 1 to 4): |
|
| · Highest standards of professionalism and integrity | 10 |
| · Excellent problem solving and analytical skills using creativity and innovation | 10 |
| · Excellent communication (especially written communications; group facilitation skills), networking and coordination skills with various stakeholders | 5 |
| · Excellent planning and organizational abilities and attention to detail | 5 |
| TOTAL | 100 |
Any request for clarification on this REOI should be sent via e-mail to the address below procurement@ucipifad.md no later than 6 January 2022. The client will provide responses to all clarification requests by 11 January 2022.
Expressions of interest in the form of curriculum vitae (CV) and Cover Letter must be delivered signed and in a written form to the address below by 11 January 2022, 25.01.2022, 1 Februarie, 2022, at 10 AM (relaunched)
IFAD CONSOLIDATED PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION UNIT (CPIU IFAD)
Attn: Nadejda Russu, Senior Procurement Specialist, of. 1307,
Ștefan cel Mare si Sfînt bd. 162, Chișinău, MD-2004, Republic of Moldova.
Tel: (+373 22) 22 50 46
E-mail: procurement@ucipifad.md
[1] The policy is accessible at https://www.ifad.org/en/document-detail/asset/41942012.
[2] The policy is accessible at www.ifad.org/anticorruption_policy.
[3] The policy is accessible at https://www.ifad.org/en/document-detail/asset/40738506.