The Government of the Republic of Moldova has received financing from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) towards the cost of the Talent Retention for Rural Transformation Project and intends to apply part of the proceeds for the recruitment of consulting services.
A major problem faced by young and women farmers who decide to live in rural areas is the lack of systematic access to capacity building programmes, entrepreneurial technical assistance, and mentoring, thus limiting opportunities to identify feasible investment options, access capital on favorable terms, or access suitable sales channels.
Talent Retention for Rural Transformation Project is a transformative project on gender and youth inclusion, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the underlying principle of inclusion: Leaving no one behind, providing equal life chances for all.
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”) include the development and implementation of a mentoring programme for young and women farmers in the framework of the project “Talent Retention for Rural Transformation”.
CPIU IFAD will select a company or consortium of consulting companies (hereafter referred to as the Provider) with experience in providing extension, advisory and entrepreneurial mentoring services to develop and implement a mentoring programme (MP) for youth and women farmers.
The main aim of the activity is to provide a suite of skills, knowledge and tools necessary for women and young people to enter entrepreneurial economic life.
All activities provided in the MP will be conducted in the state language of Republic of Moldova. The Russian language of communication will be used upon request only.
The specific objectives of the educational activities listed above are:
1. empowering women to make more informed choices that are less influenced by societal clichés, to effectively assume leadership positions, to increase their business acumen, etc;
2. guiding mentees in developing result-based leadership behavior and achieving set (realistic) goals;
3. dvising young and women farmers on the best ways to get started in the agricultural sector and identify the right direction(s) for business development;
4. jointly develop strategies to increase resilience and prepare a tailor-made plan of risk management measures;
5. others
This request for expressions of interest (REOI) follows the general procurement notice that appeared on UN Development Business website on 1 February 2022, on the CPIU IFAD website on 31 Jan 2022, on MAFI website on 1 February 2022, on Economic magazine Logos Press no. 5 (1411) from 11 Feb 2022 and on Facebook and Instagram on 31 Jan 2022.
The CPIU IFAD (“the client”) now invites eligible consulting firms (“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. Interested firms should fill the template for expressions of interest (model attached) and send it to the address indicated below.
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]
The consultant shall not have any actual, potential or reasonably perceived conflict of interest. A consultant with an actual, potential or reasonably perceived conflict of interest shall be disqualified unless otherwise explicitly approved by the Fund. A consultant including their respective personnel and affiliates 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, b) participate in more than one EOI under this procurement action, c) have a business or family relationship with a member of the Purchaser’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 this REOI, (ii) the shortlisting or selection process for this procurement, or (iii) execution of the contract. The consultant has 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.
A consultant will be selected in accordance with the QCBS procurement method set out in IFAD’ project procurement handbook which can be accessed via the IFAD website at www.ifad.org/project-procurement.
The Service Provider shall possess the following qualifications as a company:
| No | Qualification criteria | Evaluation criteria | Points awarded |
| 1 | Company or consortium of companies, which have in the past 5 years at least 1 similar project (rural business extension services, business consulting services, etc)
* Experience in implementing mentoring programs will be an advantage |
projects | 40 points |
| 2 | Has a team of experts with proven skills in carrying out mentoring activities in the field of rural business development (minimum 2 years of experience for each expert*):
1) Key staff i) Team leader ii) Mentor team** (at least 3 expert mentors) iii) Business plan development specialist (the Provider will independently identify the number of experts to be involved in accordance with the 66 business plans, required to be developed) 2) non-key staff i) Qualified/certified Trainer responsible for mentoring orientation ii) Trainer for the delivery of entrepreneurial skills training in business planning and development, product development and business competitiveness iii) Certified Coach for personal and entrepreneurial development, in the activities described in point 3.1.2 of this ToR *10 points for each position ** Physical distribution of mentors in the territory will be an advantage |
Years of experience | 60 points |
| Total | 100 points |
Only companies that will be selected in the Short List (passing score is 70%) will be invited to submit the technical offer and the financial offer.
Any request for clarification on this REOI should be sent via e-mail to the address below procurement@ucipifad.md no later than 5 May 2022, 17:00 (Moldova Time). The client will provide responses to all clarification requests by 6 May 2022, 17:00 (Moldova Time).
Expressions of interest must be delivered in written form using the forms provided for this purpose. EOIs shall be submitted to the address below no later than 10 May 2022, 17:00 (Moldova Time).
The contractor will be selected for the period 2022-2027, with an annual performance evaluation.
CPIU IFAD Moldova
Attn: Nadejda Russu, Senior Procurement Specialist
Ștefan cel Mare și Sfînt bd. 162, Chișinău, MD-2004
E-mail: procurement@ucipifad.md
Tel. (022) 22 – 18 – 80
[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.