Terms of Reference (ToR) Irrigation Expert For Sales and Marketing of Barsha Pumps in Nepal November 2015 Practical Action Nepal Office Narayan Gopal Sadak, Panipokhari, Maharajgunj PO Box 15135, Kathmandu, Nepal Telephone: +977-1-4423639 and 4423640 Fax : +977-1-4423632 Email: info@practicalaction.org.np 1
Table of Contents 1. Background... 1 2. Objectives of the assignment... 2 3. Scope of the assignment... 2 4. Responsibilities of the Parties... 2 4.1 External Consultant... 2 4.2 Practical Action Nepal Office... 3 5. Guiding Principle and Values... 3 6. Eligibility/Professional Qualification... 3 7. Deliverables and Schedule... 3 8. Budget and Payment... 4 9. Contact and Communication... 4 10. Evaluation of Proposal... 4 11. Time Duration... 4 12. Request for Letter of Interest (LoI) and Proposal... 4 2
1. Background Practical Action is an International Development organization established in 1966 with the objective of reducing poverty through wider use of appropriate technologies in developing countries. With the Head Office in the UK, Practical Action works through its Country and Regional Offices in Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Peru. Practical Action is working in Nepal since 1979. The current Nepal strategy (2012-17) focuses on four broad program areas namely (1) Access to energy (2) Agriculture, Markets and Food security (3) Urban Water, Sanitation and Waste and (4) Disaster Risk Reduction. In addition to these, Climate Change, Making markets work for the poor and Practical Answers to Poverty are considered as cross cutting sectors. Under Agriculture, Markets and Food Security Programme, Practical Action Nepal Office has been implementing a 3 year project entitled Securing Water for Food: A Grand Challenge for Development Programme (SWFF) in Nepal. The project is being implemented through aqysta BV with financial assistance from USAID, SIDA, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands since October 2014. The Securing Water for Food Grand Challenge for Development is harnessing the forces of science and technology to develop solutions to water scarcity. The project, is therefore, focused on areas in which science and technology can play a key role and is identifying game-changing solutions that will increase water availability and/or promote efficient use of water in agriculture. At the same time the project is harnessing the forces of the market the businesses that can actually implement these solutions to make sure the solutions get to the people. The project is expected to achieve following expected results within the period of 36 months; Promotion and sales of Barsha pumps through engaging with government and other concerned stakeholders Localisation of Barsha pump technologies in Nepal Capture untapped markets, and get water technologies into the hands of people that need them most - thus offering a unique value preposition. The project has been targeting small to mid-sized commercial farms that lift water for irrigation from flowing surface water sources. A three phased growth strategy has been developed to target this segment: 1) demonstration; 2) remote supply; and 3) localization. In the first phase, 5 pumps were demonstrated and got letters of intent for 14 pumps. Now, in the second phase, the project has set target to promote and outreach 33 pumps and obtain 20 letters of intent through the government, individuals and concerned stakeholders. Along with this, the project is looking for ways to scale its innovation in order to be able to realize its targets and to move to the third phase. This concerns strategic options and pathways to optimize sales, production and the distribution of pumps. In this background, the project seeks to hire an expert consultant to facilitate the task of outreaching, linking and coordinating with stakeholders as articulated in above paragraph to meet the overall objective of promoting and selling Barsha pumps in Nepal. 1
2. Objectives of the Assignment The overarching objective of this assignment is to spearhead the promotion and sale of the Barsha pump in Nepal. In addition, it covers the diverse activities necessary to establish and grow the demand of Barsha Pumps in Nepal. It will work to achieve the set targets and milestones for the SWFF project. Specifically, the assignment has following objectives: Promote and sell of Barsha pumps through the government, organizations and individuals Identify main opportunities and constraints to achieve scale Regular follow up with demand side actors Develop the promotion and marketing processes and protocols Develop a pathway / plan to achieve scale (sales, assembly/ production, distribution), including an overview of actors to be involved Provide feedback for improvement of the technology based on promotion/customer feedback Connect to the government and other concerned stakeholders Develop strategic partnerships for promotion and distribution 3. Scope of the Assignment As specified in the objectives, the assignment is to support SWFF project in achieving scale in order to realize its targets for the 2nd phase and to prepare itself for the third phase of localization. The consultant should have enough enthusiasm and pro-activeness to take the initiatives to meet the target set by the SWFF project. The assignment will particularly look into sales, assembly and distribution. To achieve these, the consultants will explore the key stakeholder, build relationship with them and engage them in promoting and selling Barsha pumps. 4. Responsibilities of the Parties 4.1 External Consultant The main task of the consultant is to devise a comprehensive plan of action to promote and outreach the Barsha pumps in various organizations as per its objective. Followings are the specific tasks of the consultant: Attend orientation meeting with Agriculture, Food security and Market programme team to understand the project and objective of the assignment; Devise a clear plan of action listing the relevant organizations for sale of Barsha pumps and receiving letter of intents in stipulated numbers mentioned above; Undertake field visit to the project implementing districts to comprehend the functioning of Barsha pumps; Finalize the plan of action as per the feedback given by Agriculture programme team; Set up links with projects and organisations and mobilise the Practical Action's Interns wherever deemed necessary for acceleration of the promotion and sales action; Constant follow up with different organisations for the promotion of Barsha pumps in their working areas; 2
Develop a comprehensive plan of action in participatory way, with interested organizations, to install pump to their working areas; 4.2 Practical Action The main responsibility of Practical Action South Asia Regional Office, Nepal is to provide all necessary support to the consultant to undertake the task of promotion and marketing as per given plan and time framework. Remaining within the main responsibility, followings are the specific responsibilities: Provide a detail overview of the project and the given assignment; Provide Barsha pump related documents; Arrange field visit for consultant; Facilitate consultant in field to travel; Release budget as per agreed payment schedule 5. Guiding Principle and Values While executing this assignment, the consultant shall follow standard ethics with diligence and high degree of professionalism. In return, Practical Action South Asia Regional Office, Nepal expects (from its consultant) to respect others, confidentiality of information, anonymity of responses, and making information publicly unavailable in a usable format. 6. Eligibility/Professional Qualification Practical Action is ideally looking for an expert consultant who has strong knowledge and skills on irrigation pumps in the nexus of NGOs, the government and private actors. The expert should have at least Master s Degree in Civil Engineering or Water resource and related subjects and a proven track record of at least fifteen years work experience on working in similar field. The following are the desirable skills and attributes: Skills and Attributes: Strong technical background on irrigation technology Strong linkage with government and other concerned stakeholders working in irrigation sector capability to build and capitalize the existing network Excellent communications skills in Nepali, good English is a plus Understands the technology, its working principle, benefits and limitations Works well together with a team as well as independently 7. Deliverables and Schedule The final deliverable of the assignment will be: A concise report of analysis of constraints and opportunities for promotion of Barsha pumps in Nepal Delivery of targets 3
8. Budget and Payment The total maximum budget available for this assignment will commensurate with number of man days required and expertise and experience of consultant in the related field. All applicable taxes will be deducted at source. The payments will be done at different installments depending upon the accomplishments of the tasks which will be spelled out in contract. 9. Contact and Communication The reporting officer for this assignment is the Senior Project Officer, Agriculture, Markets and Food Security Unit of Practical Action South Asia Regional Office, Nepal. The consultant will make sure to include Head of Agriculture, Food security and Market Programme, Head of Policy and Practice Unit and Finance Manager of aqysta BV in the communication loop for soliciting information, cross-check of the information, logistic and secretarial support. 10. Evaluation of CVs All received CVs and LoIs shall be reviewed following different indicators. These will be but not limited to sound understanding of the assignment, competent methodology, consistency, coherence and compliance, experience of the consultant in the related field. 11. Time Duration: The total duration of this assignment will be Thirty days which spreads over 6 months starting from December 2015 - May, 2016 and is expected to promote and outreach of 33 Barsha pumps and get 20 Letters of Intent by 31 May, 2016. 12. Request for Letter of Interest (LoI) and Proposal Practical Action requests interested individual consultant to submit a Letter of Interest including CVs by 22 November 2015, 17:00 hrs. It can either be submitted to HR@practicalaction.org.np (mention Consultant-Irrigation in the subject line) or drop it at the address below: Practical Action South Asia Regional Office Narayan Gopal Sadak, Panipokhari, Maharajgunj PO Box 15135, Kathmandu, Nepal Telephone: +977-1-4423639 and 4423640 Practical Action believes in and follows through a fair and competitive process to recruit the consultant in all of its assignment to ensure quality assurance 4