TERMS OF REFERENCE –GENDER LENS INVESTING CONSULTANT 283 views1 applications

TERMS OF REFERENCE –GENDER LENS INVESTING CONSULTANT

1.0 The AECF

With the vision to build “A Prosperous and Enterprising Rural Africa”, AECF provides high-risk, small and growing businesses with patient, low-cost financing and advisory support services to pilot, refine and scale their operations and ideas.

The fund has mobilized US$ 310 million to date along with US$ 580 million in matching capital from the private sector, supporting 267 companies across 26 Sub-Saharan African countries, in more than 40 value chains in agribusiness and renewable energy. AECF is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.

In the next three years, we are targeting to achieve a cumulative US$ 1 billion in additional beneficiary income; US$ 1 billion in matching funds attracted; 25 million lives positively impacted annually, 50% being women; and 20,000 jobs directly created by funded investees, 70% being youth.

2.0 Gender Lens Investing

In June 2018, AECF launched its Gender Lens Investing Strategy for Rural Prosperity which seeks to invest in a way that advances gender equality in a sustainable way. It is both a commitment to achieving some headline figures – at least 50% of development impact accruing to women across the investment portfolio, 35% of portfolio companies being women-led and 40% of jobs created in these companies held by women – and to reorient the investment process to find, nurture and grow businesses that are providing innovative solutions to increase gender equality in rural communities at the household, business and market levels.

Businesses have both an opportunity and a role to play in gender inclusion. As interest in growing, and the number of women in leadership and entrepreneurial roles increases, there is a clear opportunity to help SMEs think about how to strategically leverage gender insights in areas such as sales, marketing, market research, customer care and business operations. Despite emerging evidence documenting the business benefits of including women, gender inclusion efforts and evidence at the SME level remain scarce. While many businesses are motivated to adopt an inclusive approach, they often overlook the potential of how a gender inclusive lens can help them enhance their internal operational performance. Other businesses may see the benefits of adopting gender inclusive strategies and may be keen to increase their impact on women, but lack the know-how and the technical support required to put this motivation into action. By investing in gender inclusion, businesses can generate opportunities for women while also furthering their business objectives.

3.0 Objective

The objective is to support selected African Agribusiness Window R1 investees to refine their Gender Action Plans in line with the approved Business Plan and provide funding with key milestones for tracking and reporting during their contract period.

4.0 Scope of Work

The scope will entail:

1) Provide strategic advice and support to individual investees, in refining their gender action plans to support the business in the following:

a. Outlining the business opportunity for the investee to invest with a gender-lens as per the AECF funding; and

b. Defining the barriers faced in conducting their business and how to integrate a gender analysis into investment decisions to support the growth of their business.

2) Provide technical support to the investees in the implementation of their gender action plans.

3) Provide recommendations to AECF on how to assess investment opportunities with a gender-lens to inform future competitions.

5.0 Deliverables

The consultant/firm will provide the following:

a) Inception meeting to review AECF inputs, and discuss timelines and deliverables

b) Project status meetings to occur at least as frequently as every two weeks with the investees to provide technical advice on:

i. Business opportunity for a gender focused approach; and

ii. Integrating gender analysis into on-going and real-time investment decisions to support the growth of their business.

c) An assessment report of each investee with accompanying gender action plan including key deliverables, milestones and timelines

d) Report, which documents findings (draft and final)

6.0 Duration of Service.

The assignment will run between 1^st June 2019 and 31^st August 2019 for 30 working days involve supporting investees in Rwanda, Nigeria and The Gambia subject to funding approval

7.0 Qualifications.

a) Demonstrate at least 3 years of experience in the area of gender with a bias on supporting for–profit entities in capitalizing on gender opportunities

b) Demonstrate capacity to conduct the assignment within the stipulated timeline, highlighting how long it took to conduct similar engagements.

c) Demonstrate good understanding of the Gender Lens Investing

8.0 Proposal submission

Interested and qualified individuals/firms are invited to submit their proposal(s) comprising of the following:

d) Methodology and approach for conducting the assignment

e) Detailed reference list indicating the scope and magnitude of similar assignments.

f) Relevant services undertaken in the past three (3) years.

g) Financial proposal showing clearly the budgeted cost for the work to be conducted for each company (maximum 3 and minimum 2 companies to be selected in the following countries, Nigeria, Rwanda and The Gambia) by the consultant under the scope of work above.

h) Technical and Financial proposals will need to be submitted as separate documents.

9.0 Reporting.

The Consultant will be accountable to AECF Senior Programme Officer – Agribusiness.

10.0 Pricing

AECF is obliged by the Kenyan tax authorities to withhold taxes on service contract fees as well as ensure VAT, at 16%, is charged where applicable. Applicants are advised to ensure that they have a clear understanding of their tax position with regards to provisions of Kenya tax legislation when developing their proposals.

11.0 Evaluation Criteria

An evaluation committee will be formed by the AECF and shall include employees. All members will be bound by the same standards of confidentiality. Bidders should ensure that they fully respond to all criteria in order to be comprehensively evaluated.

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