Call for Consultancy -- Seed & Grain Storage Assessment
Background
The To'os Ba Moris Di'ak Program (TOMAK) is a multi-year agricultural livelihoods program funded by the Australian Government in Timor-Leste. Its goal is to ensure rural households live more prosperous and sustainable lives. TOMAK works in partnership with government and non-government organizations, including Catholic Relief Services (CRS), to implement parallel and linked interventions that aim to: (1) establish a foundation of food security and good nutrition for targeted rural communities; and (2) build capacity so these communities can confidently and ably engage in profitable agricultural markets.
Assessment and Rationale
Farmers in Timor-Leste face high post-harvest losses, owing to poor post-harvest handling and ineffective storage practices. Despite a long history of government and development partner interventions focused on seed and grain storage, multiple challenges to sustained practice of improved storage methods remain. CRS Timor-Leste proposes to undertake a mixed methods seed and grain storage assessment of factors contributing to sustained use of improved storage methods and barriers to practice.
Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
CRS is an international non-profit organization headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States of America that focuses on alleviating human suffering, advancing full human development, and fostering justice around the world. Active in Timor-Leste for more than 40 years, CRS has a diverse portfolio of emergency response, gender-based violence prevention, disaster risk reduction, agriculture, health, and nutrition, which it implements through a variety of local partners.
Assessment Objectives and Key Research Questions
The main objective of the assessment is to gain an in-depth understanding of current seed and grain storage practices in Timor-Leste and potential for driving adoption of improved practices. Specifically, the assessment intends to:
· Identify various storage technologies currently available in Timor-Leste, including information on price and the supply chain for storage technologies;
· Consolidate the various types of technologies used by Timorese households, including their rate of use, and the advantages and disadvantages of these methods;
· Analyze community willingness to pay for improved storage technologies;
· Explore the sustainability of improved storage technology over time, especially among farmers in areas of previous projects; and
· Consolidate lessons learned around the different models for disseminating seed and grain storage technologies in Timor-Leste.
The assessment methodology will be finalized in collaboration with TOMAK upon completion of a thorough review of literature related to past and present seed and grain storage projects in Timor-Leste, and should include both quantitative and qualitative methods, in addition to the literature review.
Roles and responsibilities
· The consultant will serve as the team leader for the evaluation, and will be responsible for the successful execution of data collection activities and for producing all deliverables (listed below).
· CRS Timor-Leste will ensure that an appropriate data collection team is made available for the assessment, and will provide appropriate logistical and coordination support for the execution of data collection activities.
Deliverables
The consultant will be responsible for producing the following deliverables:
· Updated TOR, including a PowerPoint presentation version, in Tetun and English for Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF);
· A report of the literature review, including a summary in a PowerPoint presentation
· Training curriculum and relevant data collection training materials;
· Soft copies of all qualitative and quantitative data collection tools for assessment;
· Data collection guide for data collectors;
· Completed copies of questionnaires, consent forms, and qualitative notes;
· Soft copy of qualitative matrices;
· Datasets of all quantitative data;
· Survey implementation report: summary of issues encountered and solutions during the fielding of the questionnaire, data entry, and data analysis. The purpose is to: 1) document the issues that might affect the analysis; and 2) highlight lessons learned to improve similar studies in the future;
· Draft reports for the assessment following the outline and page limits defined in the report template section below;
· CRS- and TOMAK-approved final report following the outline and pages limits, including an Executive Summary report and PowerPoint presentations in Tetun and English;
· Soft copies of presentations developed and delivered during dissemination events.
Qualifications
The Lead Evaluator will have the following qualifications and experience:
· Master's degree required, PhD in a relevant field (e.g., research methods, agriculture) is preferred;
· Strong quantitative and qualitative research methods background;
· Minimum of 10 years of experience in international development evaluation, preferably of agriculture-related programs;
· Experience leading similar evaluations;
· Familiarity working with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and their project and performance management frameworks;
· Strong management, communication and administrative skills;
· Demonstrated exceptional report writing skills that emphasize logical flow and objective analyses;
· Demonstrated ability to achieve results and meet deadlines in a demanding environment;
· Previous work experience in Timor-Leste and/or proficiency in Tetum language, preferred.
Period of Performance
The period of performance for the consultancy is 44 days, between January 28, 2022 and June 2, 2022. The period of performance for the assessment may be adjusted based on the mutual consent of TOMAK, CRS and the consultant.
Place of Performance
Due to COVID-19 related travel restrictions, CRS Timor-Leste expects the consultant will lead the assessment remotely if not currently present in Timor-Leste, or, if present in Timor-Leste, will lead assessment activities via an appropriate combination of remote and in-person work.
Application Requirements
Interested applicants should submit the following:
· CV
· Sample of similar work undertaken as a lead consultant
· Daily rate
Applicants should be submitted via email to jason.endaya@crs.org. The email subject line should read: "Consultant for Seed & Grain Storage Assessment."
Applications must be submitted by close of business January 14, 2022.
Interested applicants can request the terms of reference (TOR) for the assessment via the email address listed above.
Clarifications
Questions must be submitted via e-mail to the email listed above no later than close of business January 7, 2022.
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