Request for Proposal: Value Chain Development, Marketing and Technical Support Services

Duration: Approximately 12 months until March 31, 2025, with the possibility to extend

until March 2026 up on satisfactory performance.

A. Summary

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is seeking to contract a service provider to implement and

provide technical support for value chain development and marketing of agricultural and non-

timber forest products in three districts of Zimbabwe as part of the Locally-led Indigenous Nature-

based Solutions for Climate Change Adaptation in Zimbabwe (LINCZ) project. The contracted service

provider will be required to coordinate and collaborate closely with MCC and implementing

partners in each district to carryout contracted services. The service provider will report to MCC as

the lead organization, as well as will be accountable to implementing partners.

B. Background

The Locally-led Indigenous Nature-based Solutions for Climate Change Adaptation in Zimbabwe

(LINCZ) project is implemented by Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) together with local

partners Kulimambobumi Training Centre (KMTC),Brethren in Christ Compassionate Development

Services (BIC CDS) and Score Against Poverty(SAP). The project also is partnering with Canadian

Mennonite University, Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) Zimbabwe hosted at Bindura

University, and the National University of Science and Technology (NUST)in Zimbabwe in

conducting research and providing technical input. Funded through Global Affairs Canada, the

LINCZ project seeks to improve climate change adaptation of vulnerable groups of women, men,

boys and girls, and enhance biodiversity in three districts of Zimbabwe (Gwanda, Mwenezi, and

Binga). All three areas experience significant biodiversity and ecosystem loss, are highly impacted

by climate change, and experience high levels of food insecurity.

The project intends to raise the awareness and capacity of women and men to develop and

implement nature-based solutions1 such as community-managed assisted natural regeneration and

land rehabilitation to restored amaged landscapes. The project will also increase agricultural

production by implementing nature-based agricultural solutions in response to drought, rainfall

unpredictability and environmentally harmful income generation practices, including through a mix

of conservation agriculture and complementary practices such as agroforestry and improved

livestock management. Communities’ and, in particular, women’s capacity to implement sustainable

value chains, market linkages and business development activities will be enhanced for greater

empowerment and decision-making power. This Project will directly benefit an estimated 48,602

individuals (27,153women; 21,449 men), including 1,693 young women and 1,614 young men.

C. Scope and focus of services required

The service provider will be responsible for assisting MCC and implementing partners to achieve

the LINCZ project’s Intermediate Outcome 1200:Enhanced adoption of nature-positive, conflict

sensitive and climate resilient livelihoods based on sustainable use of biodiversity and Indigenous

knowledge systems, particularly by women and girls in targeted districts. This outcome will be

achieved by addressing root causes of poverty while promoting alternative and climate- resilient

livelihoods opportunities, including support for marketing value-added products collected or

transformed by women (non-timber forest products, heritage grains) and support value addition,

creating more high-return products to increase income from raw goods.

MCC is seeking a service provider to support achievement of the following outputs and activities

(additional details provided in section D):

Output 1221: Creation of value-added products and value chains, especially by women –

Support value addition, creating more high-return products to increase income from raw

goods; provide essential tools and resources for value addition.

Output 1222: Market access and linkage opportunities facilitated, especially for women –

Create market linkages; SMS messaging for participants on marketing

Output 1223: Capacity for business development facilitated, especially for women – Train

farmers on how to set prices, supply and demand, profit calculations, market intelligence

and related topics.

The service provider is expected to collaborate closely with the three implementing partners in

Zimbabwe – BIC-CDS in Gwanda, Score Against Poverty in Mwenezi, and KMTC in Binga – to

establish and implement coordinated value chains based on sustainable use of non-timber forest

products (mopane worm, honey) and small-grains/heritage crops from farmers practicing

conservation agriculture.

Key expectations:

• Directly coordinate with all three partners to carryout the activities described in section D.
• Take initiative to provide technical advice and capacity building support to partners related to value chains and marketing, on an ongoing and as needed basis during the contract period.
• Ensure gender equality is integrated into the planning, management, implementation and monitoring of all activities and deliverables. This includes specific approaches and interventions to advance women’s equal participation in decision-making and access to and control over resources and benefits related to value chains. Activities must ensure meaningful participation of women, consider women’s needs and priorities, and help address barriers to equal access, control and decision-making with in the value chain.
• Ongoing monitoring of success and impact of value chain activities, and reporting on completed activities to MCC and partners.
• Assess and inform MCC of new opportunities for improving sustainability of livelihoods
• based on established value chains, including Identifying and potentially linking participant
• groups with financial institutions to improve access to finance to support value addition
• activities.
• Participation throughout duration of contract in partner meetings and gatherings,
• workshops, and working groups, on an as needed basis.

D. Details on anticipated value chain activities

. Honey production

Support an estimated 700 farmer households with beekeeping management and honey

production (Gwanda 100 HH x3 beehives , Binga 100 HH x4 beehives, Mwenezi100 HH x5

beehives; final participant figures to be confirmed)

Requirements of service provider

1. Technical support for partners on apiary siting, considering water and vegetation availability, homestead proximity.
2. Training for participants and partner staff on beehives and management of bees
3. Training for participants and partner staff on honey harvesting
4. Technical support for partners on processing of honey
5. Work with partners to carry out market assessment of honey value chain and create plan for development of value chain
6. Training and technical support on applicable quality standards, certification, and regulations related to honey production for marketing
7. Establish market linkages and delivery
8. Develop honey promotional messaging for community radio or other media
9. Monitoring and tracking of value chain effectiveness

Hardware component

Source and supply, depending on specific partner needs:

• Beehives and beekeeping equipment
• Honey packaging materials
• Branding and marketing materials

2. Mopane worms

Support an estimated 8961 farmer households with mopane worm harvesting, processing

and value addition (Gwanda 2361 households through236 lead trainers); Mwenezi 6000

households through 600 lead trainers; final participant figures to be confirmed).

Requirements of service provider

• Training-of-Trainers for lead participants on harvesting and storage of mopane worm

• Training-of-Trainers for lead participants on removal of guts and grading

• Work with partners to carry out market assessment of mopane value chain and create plan for development of value chain

• Train and provide technical support on applicable quality standards, certification and regulations related to marketing mopane worm products

• Establish market linkages and delivery

• Develop mopane worm product promotional

• messaging for community radio or other media

• Monitor and track value chain effectiveness

  Hardware component

  Source and supply, depending on specific partner needs:

  1. Grading, processing supplies

  2. Packaging

  3. Branding materials

  3. Heritage crops(Sorghum, Pearl Millet, Cowpeas, Groundnuts)

Support for an estimated 17,300 households (Mwenezi: 6000 households, Gwanda: 4700 households, Binga: 6600 households; final participant figures to be confirmed)

Requirements of service provider

1. Train partner staff and project participants on value chains for sorghum, pearl millet, cow peas and groundnuts
2. Train partner staff and/or project participants in processing and quality management
3. Work with partners to carry out market assessment of heritage crop value chain and create plan form development of value chain
4. Train and provide technical support on applicable quality standards, certification and regulations related to small grains and heritage crop products and marketing
5. Train and provide technical support on aggregation and storage of heritage crops
6. Establish market linkages and delivery
7. Carry out packaging and branding
8. Provide training on machine use and maintenance
9. Develop heritage crop product promotional messaging for community radio or other media
10. Monitor and track value chain effectiveness

Hardware component

Source and supply, depending on specific partner needs:

• Weighing machines
• Threshing machines
• Shellers
• Peanut butter processing machines
• Other equipment, as necessary

E. Deliverables

The service provider is expected to deliver the following products as part of the consultancy:

1. A work plan and budget, developed in collaboration with MCC and partners, that describes in detail the activities to be completed, activity timeline for the entire duration of the contract, and detailed budget for completing all activities.

2. Monthly updates to MCC and partners on progress of work, for each month of the contract duration.

3. Quarterly written reports, according to a template provided by MCC, and including description of activities completed, Output and Activity data, and detailed financial reporting

   F. Timeframe and Duration

• March 2024: Technical support with sourcing and procuring value chain machinery, equipment and other inputs

• March – April 2024 December 2024: Mopane worm value chain – processing, value addition, packaging, branding and marketing

  January – April 2025 (if contract extended)

  December 2025 (if contract extended

• July – September 2024 : Small grains processing and value addition

  July – September 2025(if contract extended)

  G. Qualifications

• Experience conducting market assessments and developing value chains, including market

linkages. Strong organization and planning skills, and the ability to collaborate and

• coordinate with multiple stakeholders to complete deliverables within tight timeframes.

Technical skills and knowledge related to key project value chains: beekeeping, bee

management, honey collection and processing; mopane worm sustainable harvesting,

processing and value addition; and small grain / heritage crop processing and value

addition.

• Experience and knowledge in environmental protection, climatechange adaptation and

sustainable natural resource use related to sustainable value chains and climate resilient

livelihoods.

• Strong English writing and communication skills, and knowledge of local languages

(Ndebele, Shona and Tonga)

How to apply

Please send expressions of interest to amymartens@mcccanada.ca, quoting “Value Chain Sub-

Contractor” in the subject line. Submissions must be received by March 15, 2024.Expressions of

interest should include a technical and financial proposal with the following information:

• Relevant experience and academic background of organizations’ key staff or experts who

will be involved

• Proposed work plan and timeline based on the scope, anticipated value chain activities and

deliverables outlined in the above Sections C, D, E and F,

• Financial proposal in USD for carrying out service (including VAT, personnel, travel and

other costs)

MCC values diversity and invites all qualified organizations and individuals to apply. Candidates will

be evaluated based on relevantexperience and skills, alignment of work planto identified

requirements and project needs, and cost of completing proposed work.