Consultancy Service for Business Development Services (BDS) to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) operating business with distribution systems / s 74 views0 applications

Goal Ethiopia

1. Background

GOAL is an Irish international humanitarian organization founded in 1977 and currently operational in 13 countries, in both protracted crisis and long-term development contexts. GOAL works so that people survive crisis, have resilient health and food security and nutrition and sustainable livelihoods. GOAL works with the permanent players i.e. governments, civil society organizations and communities and the private sector in order to protect and stimulate socio-economic development.

Resilience in Pastoral Areas South (RIPA) is a five-year initiative (2020 – 2024), implemented by PCI, iDE and GOAL, targeting pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in Borena and Guji Zones in Oromia, S. Omo Zone in SNNP,Filtu and Dawa zones in Somali region. The purpose of RIPA is to improve resilience through improved food security and inclusive economic growth, it is supported by USAID in Ethiopia.

A Rapid Assessment of the Impact of COVID 19 on Businesses was undertaken (June & July 2020), with a range of businesses critical to livestock and crop livelihoods for pastoralists and agro-pastoralists. Businesses in Borana, Guji, Filtu, Dawa and S. Omo Zones, as well as at a regional and national level, were interviewed. The range of businesses included veterinary drug suppliers and retailors, hygiene product suppliers and retailors, buyers and transporters of livestock and crops, commercial livestock feed suppliers and seed companies. Key findings of the assessment shows that most businesses are still operational, although affected by COVID 19, none have gone out of business permanently. The assessment also shows that businesses are adapting to the changed environment. However, businesses are more challenged in covering normal business costs such as tax, repayment of loans and rent, and are experiencing shortages of inputs, increased prices, reduced customers and orders, cash flow and transportation challenges. As expected, business workforce has been affected by COVID 19 restrictions. There is demand for Business Development Services (BDS) from SMEs, more specifically on COVID 19 prevention in the workplace, business continuity planning, diversification of product and sale channels, market linkages, financial services and business management.

2. Purpose of the consultancy

The purpose of the consultancy is to provide tailored BDS services to businesses identified by GOAL, using a mentoring approach. The consultant will initially work with the identified SMEs to assess and decide where the focus of business capacity building should focus, this should be led by the identified businesses. Engagement needs to be at the time convenient to the SME and delivered cognizant of the SMEs business demands. The purpose of the BDS consultancy is to support business continuity in the context of COVID 19 so that key SMEs remain in business and can continue to provide goods and services critical to pastoralists and agro-pastoralists livelihoods. It is anticipated that approximately 525 hours of BDS will be procured and delivered to a range of SMEs affected by COVID 19, the BDS support to SMEs could be both in person and remotely.

3. Scope of the BDS Consultancy **

This is to look for a competent and experienced BDS partner who have the capacity and competency to provide tailored BDS services to businesses identified by GOAL, using a mentoring approach and being cognizant of SMEs business demands.

4. Objectives of the BDS consultancy Service **

The BDS consultancy service has the below three important objectives:

I. To identify priority BDS capacity gaps of SMEs in the face of COVID-19 to sustain their business continuity to continue providing productive agricultural inputs and services to pastoral and agro-pastoral areas

II. To offer tailored BDS service to SMEs who operate business or have a business network in RIPA operational areas

III. To strengthen SMEs business capability to withstand the impact of COVID-19 and enhance growth which will result in sustaining business and reduce workforce reduction

IV. To ensure business continuity in the context of COVID 19 so that key SMEs remain in business and can continue to provide goods and services critical to pastoralists and agro-pastoralists livelihoods

5. Key tasks / deliverables

The BDS consultant will provide:

1. A rapid business assessment of each identified SME to identify priority capacity gaps to adapt to the new COVID 19 situations.
2. A realistic and jointly developed (with each SME) 6-9 months workplan for each identified SME
3. An interim report by partner of business assessment and work plan for each SMEs
4. Delivery of business capacity building technical advisory services to identified SME(s) using a mentoring approach
5. A brief monthly narrative report on workplan progress and BDS hours delivered for each identified SME (dates and hours), opportunities and constraints issued monthly to each SME and GOAL
6. Conduct SMEs’ business performance evaluation to understand the changes made as a result of the BDS provided to SMEs by the BDS partner
7. A final narrative report detailing progress on each SMEs workplan, total number of hours delivered, key achievements, constraints, and opportunities.

6. Budget and Resources **

The main categories of targets for BDS support include private suppliers (SMEs) and possibly large enterprises operating business. The budget source for the BDS consultancy is from COVID redirect and all resources required by the BDS partners to offer BDS to SMEs is supposed to be included in the consultancy fee.