Purpose of assignment:
The purpose of the assignment is to transform 40 grants proposals into 40 business plans with the objective to demonstrate their economic, operational and financial viability, assure compliance with USAID and Mozambican environmental laws, rules and regulations, and possibly awarding of the grants and to provide capacity building and on job training to local business service providers in business planning development including financial analysis and operational, market and economic viability of the proposal.
FTF Premier requests applicants to include in their proposal:
1. The template including all elements of the business plan that the applicant proposes to use,
2. The integration of tools like USAID’s Environmental Review Report and Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plans or similar tools, to assure environmental compliance of the business plan,
3. The approach to develop the business plans,
4. Explain how the business owner/entrepreneurs will be involved in the process and prepared for the presentation,
5. Benchmarks and criteria to determine the feasibility of a business plan,
6. The approach in how to integrate local BDS providers in the process as part of their capacity strengthening process,
7. A cost proposal for the proposal,
8. A planning for the proposal,
9. CVs of and references for the proposed expert/experts,
10. Relevant Past Performance information + references.
Requirements:
5 or more Proven and documented experience in agro-business plan development in a lusophone context grants with business plans up to 500,000 U$ investments
5 or more Proven experience with capacity building, and environmental assessments and mitigation planning.
Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints;
Experience to perform on job training
An articulate individual who possesses excellent communications and personnel management skills and who can relate with a range of backgrounds in the project team;
An energetic, forward-thinking and creative individual with high ethical standards and appropriate professional image;
Verbal and written fluency in Portuguese and English is required.
Training, at a higher level, in financial analysis, business plan development, or similar area
TechnoServe is an international nonprofi t organization that helps people lift themselves out of poverty by harnessing the power of the private sector. Operating in almost 30 countries, we work with hardworking women and men in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. By linking people to information, capital, and markets, we have helped millions to create lasting prosperity for their families and communities.
About the Program;
Feed the Future Mozambique Promoting Innovative and Resilient Agriculture Market Systems (FTF Premier) is a five-year, $25.5 million market systems activity that seeks to seize on opportunities to work with local market actors, increasing the resiliency of the agricultural market system in the Nacala Corridor to absorb, adapt, and respond to external climate, economic, and political shocks; to reduce poverty; and to improve food security. Through its facilitative approach, FTF Premier will facilitate support to primarily private sector actors through three main components, including exploit attractive market opportunities where the Nacala Corridor has a comparative advantage, catalyze and expand local agro-processing industries, and work with and through local third-party service providers as delivery partners.
The ultimate goal of FTF Premier is reach a more competitive, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agriculture market system though increased incomes of the smallholder farmers and profitability of agribusiness firms; strengthen and expand access to markets and trade for farmers and SMEs; increase access to financial services and investments to farmers and agribusiness firms and incentivize a positive youth development and women empowerment. To assure sustainability of FTF Premier’s activities and business development support, the project will invest in strengthening the capacity of Business Development Service providers in the Nacala corridor. Initially, during the coming 12 to 24 months, FTF Premier will invite local BDS providers to participate in a capacity building program. These local BDS providers will gradually take over the services provision to local Agro-businesses that FTF Premier is contracting out to non-local BDS providers through this request for proposals.
To achieve the goals of FTF Premier, the project has a grants facility to co-invest and buy down the investment risk of agro-businesses in the Nacala corridor that want to invest in innovative solutions and upscaling or expanding sustainable inclusive business models. In April 2023 FTF Premier launched requests for proposal for the Private Sector Investment Fund (PSIF): PSIF will engage agribusiness clients in core and supporting market system functions through sub-grants to test, pilot, and scale innovative, inclusive business models. Sub-grants will be segmented by agribusiness size and function and will require an in-kind matching contribution from the grantee. Under this investment fund, FTF Premier will introduce three types of grant windows including for women and youth-led Micro Businesses with a maximum of USD 25,000 grants, requiring matching contribution of 25% from the grantee; for Agricultural Small and Growing Businesses (Agri-SGBs) and transitioning Agri-SGBs maximum of USD 100,000 grants requiring a 50% contribution from the grantee; and for medium and large businesses maximum of USD 250,000 requiring a 100% matching contribution from the grantee.
FTF Premier is seeking the services of senior consultants and/or firms to transform the received and preselected grants proposals into full, realistic, bankable and economically viable and environmentally complaint business plans. The business plan will be used in the final stage of the grants award process to award the grants. Part of the grants process is a presentation of the business plan by the business owner/entrepreneurs to a committee of experts. The business plan development process will also be used to strengthen the capacities of local BDS providers and prepare them for and possibly mentor them during similar assignments in the future.
