Overview
The Government of Jamaica (GOJ) has received financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) – United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund (UKCIF), in an amount equivalent to £16,710,313 towards the cost of the Southern Plains Agricultural Development Project (SPAD) and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this financing to eligible payments under a contract for which this invitation is issued. Payments by CDB will be made only at the request of GOJ and upon approval by CDB, will be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the Financing Agreement. The Financing Agreement prohibits withdrawal from the financing account for the purpose of any payment to persons or entities, or for any import of goods, if such payment or import, to the knowledge of CDB, is prohibited by a decision of the United Nations Security Council taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations. No party other than GOJ shall derive any rights from the Financing Agreement or have any claim to the proceeds of the Financing.
The Project is being implemented by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture & Fisheries (MICAF) through a dedicated Project Execution Unit (PEU), and forms part of the GOJ Infrastructure Development Programme. It seeks to provide enhanced irrigation systems and services to an estimated 795 hectares of land in Parnassus Clarendon, and Bridge Pen/Amity Hall in Saint Catherine.
MICAF, the Executing Agency, now wishes to select an Agri-Business Development Specialist.
The general objective of the consultancy is to stimulate investment in climate smart agriculture within SPAD target communities. The consultant will also, in partnership with other staff of the PEU, assist in the supervision of an assignment to establish a Matching Grant Scheme (MGS). The MGS will support the inclusive and equitable participation of farmers in the target communities in agri-business activities.
The duration of the assignment is expected to be for a period of thirty six (36) months.
MICAF now invites interested eligible individual consultants to submit Expressions of Interest indicating qualifications and experience required to provide these consultancy services.
Eligiblity
Consultants shall be eligible to participate if:
- the persons are citizens or bona fide residents of an eligible country; and
- in all cases, the consultant has no arrangement and undertakes not to make any arrangements, whereby any substantial part of the net profits or other tangible benefits of the contract will accrue or be paid to a person not a citizen or bona fide resident of an eligible country.
- In all cases the consultant is not subjective to any restrictions under European Council Regulation No. 2580/2001 of 27 December 2001 or the Terrorism (United Nations Measures) 2009 of the United Kingdom with a view to combating terrorism.
Eligible countries are member countries of CDB.
The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.9 of CDB’s Guidelines for the Selection and Engagement of Consultants (2011), setting forth CDB’s policy on conflict of interest.
In the assessment of submissions, consideration will be given to qualifications and experience on similar assignments. The Consultant shall possess a minimum of a bachelor’s degree (and ten years’ experience) or a post-graduate degree (and five years’ experience). Relevant degrees shall be in Agriculture and/or Rural Development, Agri-Business Management or Business Administration or similar disciplines degree; (holders of an Advanced Degree) or ) and relevant experience - facilitating the commercialization of smallholder farm operations; conducting studies, seminars, review meetings, annual planning exercises; inclusive community outreach and participatory development practices including, inter alia, interviews, focus groups, site visits, transect walks, experience in networking and building partnerships with agriculture based marketing organizations, corporate buyers, private sector.
All information must be submitted in English. Further information may be obtained from the first address below between 9.00am and 4.00pm hours Monday to Friday.
Instructions
Two hard copies of the Expressions of Interest must be received at the first address below no later than 1600 hours on Friday, July 31, 2020, and one electronic copy must be sent simultaneously to CDB at the second address below. The sealed envelope containing each submission should include the name and address of the applicant and shall be clearly marked “Expression of Interest – Consultancy Services for an Agri- Business Development Specialist”
Following the assessment of submissions, the most technically capable and appropriately experienced applicant will be invited to negotiate a contract to provide the consultancy services. GOJ reserves the right to accept or reject late applications or to cancel the present invitation partially or in its entirety. It will not be bound to assign any reason for not engaging the services of any applicant and will not defray any costs incurred by any applicant in the preparation and submission of Expressions of Interest.
Contact
1. Address one
Human Resources Director
Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries
Hope Gardens
Kingston 8
2. Address two
Procurement Officer
Procurement Policy Unit
Caribbean Development Bank
P O Box 408, Wildey
St. Michael
BARBADOS, W. I.