https://media.heifer.org/About_Us/inside-heifer/Procurement/HPI-RFP-for-NP3159_SLVC_II.pdf
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1. General Information This Request for Proposal (RFP) is being issued in order to solicit applications from potential consulting firms to conduct the final evaluation of Heifer International’s flagship project ‘Smallholder Livestock Value Chain Phase II (SLVC II) in Nepal. The project has been implemented in 29 districts of Nepal from October 2017 to June 2023. The request for proposal contains brief background information, the desired methodology (including objectives), the timeframe, and a list of deliverables. This document also incorporates information about the kind of expertise that Heifer International seeks for this activity and guidance on how to submit a proposal to conduct the data collection activities. Heifer anticipates awarding a Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) for the study with payments based on the submission and approval of deliverables. The award agreement will include a fixed price payment schedule with specific deliverables.
2. Project Background Heifer International is a global non-profit working to end hunger and poverty and care for the Earth by using sustainable practices and engaging smallholder farmers in agricultural development. Heifer was founded on the simple belief that ending hunger begins with giving people the means to feed themselves, generate income and achieve sustainable livelihoods. Since 1944, Heifer International has helped 20.7 million households – more than 105 million people – in over 125 countries, through community-based training, appropriate technologies and agricultural resources, enabling communities to lift themselves out of poverty and hunger on to a path of selfreliance and economic prosperity. Heifer started work formally in Nepal with its first project in 1993. As of December 2022, Heifer has assisted more than 325,000 families and transformed their livelihoods through a community-led approach with a focus on livestock development programs. Heifer aims to bring project participants from a state of poverty and vulnerability to sustainability and resilience through their engagement in competitive, sustainable, and inclusive goat and dairy value chain enterprises in a holistic system approach for bringing economic growth, improved livelihoods, and food and nutrition security. Heifer is implementing project activities focusing on goat and dairy value chains in 29 districts of Nepal in collaboration with local and provincial governments, civil society organizations, and private sectors.
2.1 Intended Results After the successful completion of Strengthening Smallholder Enterprises of Livestock Value Chain for Poverty Reduction and Economic Growth in Nepal (SLVC I), Heifer Nepal designed the second phase of the project (SLVC II). This project aimed to enhance sustainable living income of project families through strengthening capacity of smallholder farmers organizations, enhance supply chain efficiency, market linkages and engagement of stakeholders with creating enabling environment. The project primarily focuses on meat goat value chain followed by dairy, vegetables, and local chicken as secondary value chains commodities.
2.2 Existing Data Heifer Project International (HPI) and the project team will provide the evaluation team with a package of briefing materials, including: • Baseline and mid-term studies were carried out through external service provider. Global and project specific indicators were assessed during the evaluations. • Project monitoring data: Outputs of the project have recorded and reported through digital reporting system. To assess the performance, project monitoring data can be reviewed and referred during the document review phase. • Annual outcome survey: To assess the global indicators, an annual outcome monitoring survey is carried out on a regular basis. Due to COVID 19 situation, the survey was not carried out in FY2020 and 21. • Periodic reports: Reports prepared and submitted to external stakeholders and donors are available for the reference of the evaluation. This will provide qualitative part of the project like perception of stakeholders, changes of beneficiaries’ livelihood etc. • Project work plans, and management reviews developed as part of routine monitoring. • Project document/proposal, including results framework.
3. Evaluation Objectives The overall purpose of the final evaluation is to assess high level outcomes of the project interventions. The finding of the evaluation will provide the way forward for the future course of action. It will identify and document the achievements, challenges, lessons learned and best practices. It will look for evidence regarding the impact of the project’s activities and sustainability of these results. The final evaluation will focus on qualitative part of the study. Quantitative data can be complemented the study that will be collected through the local vendors separately.
3.1 Evaluation Questions • Is the project intervention and strategy adopted realistic, appropriate, and adequate for the achievement of the results? • Assess to what extent the project contributes to strengthen farmers’ institutions and how are farmers benefitting from these institutions? • How has the project impacts to enhance supply chain efficiency of target value chains and link famers institutions to markets? • To what extent has the economic opportunity of smallholder farmers and institutions increase? How successful has the project been in leveraging resources and facilitating investment towards enhancing MSMEs. • In the spirit of locally led development, how has collaboration with governments and private sectors contributed to leverage resources, opportunities and sustain the results? • From system change perspective, how has the project contributed to wellbeing and growth of smallholder farmers?
3.2 Evaluation Design and Methodology The evaluation study covers qualitative part of the project results and indicators. Complete set of raw data and standard data analysis sheet of global and project specific indicators will be provided for reference of the study as needed. The detailed methodology and field work schedule will be finalized during the inception phase of the study. Major steps will be: • Visit Heifer Nepal office and hold interactions with project core team to get acquainted with project, its activities, and the proposed work. • Prepare detail methodology for qualitative study. • Share final version of evaluation tools, checklist, methodology. • Prepare a detailed plan of action/schedule covering orientation to field surveyors, field work plan of experts, data collection, analysis, interpretation, draft and final report preparation with concerned project staff. • Share draft report and obtain comments/inputs and incorporate the same into final report, • Prepare final report and submit (hard copy and electronic version in word format) to Heifer Nepal Country Office.
About Heifer International
Heifer International is a global non-profit organization on a mission to end hunger and poverty in a sustainable way. Since 1944, Heifer International through its work in 21 countries (in Africa, Asia, and the Americas) has supported more than 39 million people around the world to end hunger and poverty in a sustainable way, and millions more now on a pathway to living incomes. Working with rural communities across Africa for 48 years, Heifer International supports farmers and local food producers to strengthen local economies and build secure livelihoods that provide a living income. Heifer’s foundation was built on the belief that ending hunger begins with giving people the means to feed themselves, generate income and achieve sustainable livelihoods for their households. Heifer’s global vision for 2020 - 2030 is to close the living income gap for additional 10 million families.
