Background
CARE International is a federation of international non-government organizations implementing its programs for fighting poverty and social injustice in more than 90 countries throughout the world. CARE has been active in the Balkans region since 1993. Over the years, CARE’s program has expanded and developed to meet the changing needs of the region’s vulnerable population. Its aim in the Balkans today is to ensure social, economic and political rights of vulnerable and marginalized groups are recognized and fulfilled, contributing to sustainable peace in the region. CARE’s work in the Balkans revolves around the two programme strategies: social and economic inclusion and gender equality.
„Macedonian Enterprise Development Foundation“ (MEDF) is a non-governmental organization with a vision of decreased poverty, increased employment and established social cohesion. Its mission is to support the development of SMEs and it has 20 years of experience in promoting entrepreneurship, supporting businesses, in project management, capacity building, developing partnerships and providing financial services to SMEs (micro and small loans). Since 1998, through its financial intermediaries, MEDF has distributed 50.7 million EUR to 14,525 clients, most of whom were local farmers.
Together with the MEDF as a partner, CARE is currently implementing the project Support to Development of Agricultural Cooperatives, funded by the European Union and implemented throughout North Macedonia. The project aims at contributing to higher productivity and competitiveness of agriculture sector. Namely, to improve the current situation in the segment of agricultural production of individual farmers, the project works on increasing market competitiveness and cooperation among farmers in the Country, through creating favourable conditions for the development of the existing and creation of new agricultural cooperatives. Project outputs – expected results are:
- Op 1: Legal framework regulating agricultural cooperatives is revised, through a joint work of the project team and associates, MAFWE and a cooperatives’ umbrella organization.
- Op 2: Capacity of a selected umbrella organization of agricultural cooperatives strengthened.
- Op 3.1: Increased awareness on benefits of cooperatives, among farmers, businesses and general public.
- Op 3.2: Data base created with information on existing agricultural cooperatives willing to expand and farmers’ groups willing to establish new cooperatives and receive support for development.
- Op 4: Technical and financial support provided for the development of 8 existing and creation of 12 new cooperatives
Farmers’ organizations are underdeveloped in the North Macedonia, at the same time they are not enthusiastic for engaging themselves into agricultural cooperatives. Fragmentation of agricultural land and small production capacity of individual farmers are the decisive factors for their inferior position in the market, their low representation capacity and general weak economic status. Additionally, farmers have low capacity and knowledge for utilizing various forms of development funding offered by the state and/or external donors, especially in terms of capacity for developing applications for these available opportunities.
The National Extension Agency (NEA), through the system for provision of advisory services on agricultural holdings, has a task to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and information, as well as their implementation among agricultural holdings. NEA’s goal is to improve the quality and quantity of agricultural production through supporting increased economic viability, competitiveness of national markets (in the EU and beyond), sustainable development of agriculture in rural areas, and the development and implementation of agricultural policy. Currently, there is a lack of capacity of NEA’s staff around business plan development, which is a vital element of technical support not just for the agricultural cooperatives, but for all farmers as well.
Aims and objectives of the consultancy
To increase the knowledge of NEA staff and their capacity to support farmers and agricultural holdings, CARE plans to engage one local Short-Term Expert and organize a Training of Trainers (ToT) for Business Plan Development, as two three-days workshops, for the representatives of 30 NEA’s offices from the entire country.
Through the ToT, the core staff of NEA’s offices will be trained in development of business plans and provision of this expertise as service, either to agricultural cooperatives or farmers willing to apply for various sources of funding in future. Additionally, each NEA staff trained by CARE will have the task to transfer the knowledge to their offices, so that the entire Agency is capacitated to offer support services.
The main objective of this consultancy is provision of ToT for around 30 NEA staff from all over the country.
The assignment will have two specific goals:
- Preparation of the training program and training materials.
- Preparation and delivery of six days Training of Trainers for National Extension Agency staff (two sessions, three days each scheduled for July 2021).
- Monitoring of the process of the participants’ transfer of knowledge to other NEA staff (through follow up of their reporting).
- Provision of the Final Consultancy Report.
Consultant’s outputs/tasks
In order to accomplish the requested consultancy, the Consultant will conduct the following tasks:
- In communication with CARE Project Manager, prepare a detailed work plan, training program and materials for the named consultancy, including the model of the business plan that will be used as methodology for the ToT.
- Regularly consult with CARE’s Project Manager during the entire task and agree on the main points of work.
- Prepare the Consultancy Report from the workshop, in English.
- Hand-over to CARE the entire original documentation generated for the purposes of the consultancy, upon the final report acceptance by the CARE Project Manager and prior to the payment.
CARE’s outputs
- Provide to the Consultant the documentation relevant for the consultancy – initial and upon Consultant’s request.
- Coordinate with the Consultant throughout the consultancy period, on the finalisation of the detailed consultancy plan, consultancy implementation and achievements.
- Review the project outputs, including the Final Consultancy Report and coordinate payment terms and undertaking.
Methodology
The consultancy will be done in constant communication with CARE’s Project Manager with support from the project team. The principal methodology of the consultancy will be preparation and delivery of ToT for business plan development to NEA’s staff and post-training monitoring of participants’ transfer of knowledge to their NEA colleagues. The trainings are expected to be done in a participatory manner, with short theoretical parts and practical exercises and with concrete business plans as outputs. The monitoring of post-training knowledge transfer in NEA will be undertaken through online communication with participants and revision of the outputs of their work with colleagues. The Final Consultancy Report should be done in English, up to 10 pages plus annexes and it will be the subject of CARE’s revision.
Schedule and logistics
The Consultant will be engaged during July 2021 for a maximum of 10 working days. Preliminary dates for the training workshops are: 07-09 July in Ohrid and 14-16 July in Berovo. The project team (CARE and MEDF) will provide logistical support to the Consultant for the named consultancy like meals and accommodation.
Payment
The payment for the work will be defined by the Consultancy Contract and will be made upon the work completion and after the Final Consultancy Report has been approved by the CARE’s Project Manager, with all necessary documentation attached, as per CARE’s administrative procedures (the consultants’ time sheets and other required documentation).
Cost
The Consultant shall suggest a total fee for entire consultancy in MKD. The offered price/bid should include all costs including taxes and related costs of the bidder (travel, meetings etc.). The project is financed by the European Union and registered in the Central Donor Assistance Database of Republic of Macedonia (CDAD) with number of confirmation 07/01-18/3764 exempting the project from VAT, and the selected bidder should respect the procedure for the tax exemption.
Management and organization
The Consultant will report to Mr. Dragan Perić, CARE’s Project Manager.
Place of assignment: Republic of North Macedonia
Working language for the workshops: Macedonian
Reporting language: English, highest written standards
The Consultant must comply with the following criteria:
Qualifications and skills
- Relevant University degree and minimum 5 years of experience in business development, agriculture development, social/cooperative business or similar.
- Excellent knowledge of the social, political and economic landscape in North Macedonia, in particular of the sector of agricultural development.
- Particular proven experience in business plans development for agro-businesses.
- Excellent knowledge and previous documented consulting experience in delivering trainings and ToTs on business development.
- Excellent writing and oral skills of Macedonian and English languages.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- References on the related work.
Interested candidates are invited to apply and should submit:
- Current CV in EU format (kindly present only the relevant experience);
- Bid (financial offer) for the daily fee in gross amount.
Via e-mail to care.macedonia@care.org not later than June 21st, 2021, titled:
Application for the position: Short-Term Expert for ToT delivery for business plan development References need to be included in the application, or, in exceptional cases, available upon request. Only candidates with a suitable offer will receive a confirmation of receipt of their application. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
