Recruitment for Baseline Study Consultant at Ogun State Government

Company Description:

The Ogun State Government is requesting assistance from the World Bank to fund the Ogun State Economic Transformation Program (OGSTEP) through an Investment Project Financing instrument, The funds will support the Ogun State Development Plan (SDP) (2018-2030) with a focus on business environment, skills development and public sector governance.

The ministry of budget and planning has the responsibility for project implementation and ensuring that the project development objectives are met and coordinated by the Project Implementation Unit (PIU).

Below is a critical role / activities that are needed to be filled or carried out for the preparation and implementation of the program:

Job Title: Baseline Study Consultant

Reference No.: OG/CS/PPA/26/2020
Location: Abeokuta, Ogun State
Project Title: Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP)
Reports to: Project Manager, Agriculture - OGSTEP & Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture
Duration of Employment / Engagement: Six (6) Months

Project Development Objective

• The Project Development Objective is to increase agricultural production and stimulate private sector participation in the agricultural, industrial and skills sectors of the Ogun State economy.

The project consists of two main components. The project components include:

• Component I: Increasing Agricultural Production and Industrialization
• Sub-Component 1.1: increasing Agricultural Production
• Sub-Component 1.2: Improving Business Environment.
• Sub-Component 1.3 Developing Skills.

Component 2: Technical Assistance to Strengthen Capacity to Implement the Program

• Component 2.1 Agriculture
• Component 2.2 Business Environment
• Component 2.3 Skills
• Component 2.4 Public Sector Reform and PFM
• Component 2.5 Project Implementation support

Background Information

• The Ogun State Government through the Federal Government of Nigeria is applying for a USD 250 million credit from the International Development Association (hereinafter referred to as IDA)/ World Bank towards the financing of the OGUN STATE ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION PROJECT (OGSTEP). The Project Coordinating Office of OGSTEP intends to apply part of the proceeds of this credit to payments under contracts for the Consultancy Services.
• The OGSTEP is in line with the Ogun State Development Plan 2017-2030 (SDP) reform agenda to accelerate strategic reforms and foster public investment to enable greater private sector participation in the State’s economy which is organised around five cardinal programs covering agriculture production and industrialization, infrastructure and rural development, education, health, and affordable housing and urban renewal.
• Agriculture plays a major economic role in Ogun state, providing income and employment for about 70 percent of the labour force, while contributing 30 percent of the State GDP over the 2013-2017 period. Significant potential exists in the State to increase productivity and improve competitiveness to meet the growing demand of the agri-food industry. In order to grow the sector, multiple consultations with the private sector have confirmed the private sector’s high interest in investing in the agri-food sector.
• In conjunction with World Bank financed projects in Nigeria, OGSTEP Agriculture component seeks to help address the key constraints to increased private sector participation in Agriculture working closely with Ogun farmers. The Agriculture component will support three types of activities: First, support the development and implementation of the international best practice Framework for Responsible and Inclusive Land-Intensive Agricultural Investments (FRILIA) in Ogun State; Second, foster the engagement of Value Chain Development Firms (VCDF), and finally, develop critical infrastructure to strengthen market linkages to production areas where value chain development alliances are being promoted.
• The idea is to support smallholder farmers at farming communities in Ogun State to participate in production effort in the following priority value chains: 1. Food crops ; 2. Horticulture and; 3. Livestock ; 4. Fiber
• OGSTEP intends to apply part of the proceeds of this credit to payments under contracts for the Consultancy Services of a Baseline Study Consultant to conduct a baseline study in line with the project development objective and outcome indicators. This survey will identify the current state of affairs of the beneficiaries. Moreover, project impact will be evaluated with reference to the baseline study.
• This Terms of Reference (TOR) therefore intends to set the minimum requirements and the scope of the study.

Objective

• In the course of implementation, the baseline survey is a significant requirement to monitor the progress of the Agriculture component of the OGSTEP against the set indicators, and the conduct of a mid-term review and the final evaluation.
• The baseline data collection and analysis will take place early in project life, and will be focused on variables that permit accurate analysis of project outcomes. At the same baseline, attention will be paid to the identification of target groups, understanding the socio-economic parameters and monitoring what happens over the project life. A detailed M&E plan will be in place at project start-up
• The baseline survey is expected to examine the current yield per hectare of farmers in the farming communities for all the value chains in the communities and areas covered by the project, provide information that support the projects agricultural activities, including value chain development and productive infrastructure (e.g. irrigation, feeder roads, warehouses etc) Irrigated and non-irrigated land, access to land ,land ownership and leasing pattern, size of holdings, secure tenure rights, compensation etc. as provided for by the Framework for Responsible and Inclusive Land-Intensive Agricultural Investments (FRILIA) agreements in place in the State. These will be carried out in order to further gain knowledge of the current technical and organisational practices in the farming communities, where present and where not present, among others.

Scope of Work
The consulting firm will provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture, Ogun State through OGSTEP Sector Technical Team. The baseline study will involve sampling among farmers in the likely locations where the project will be implemented or within designated farming communities and locations in Ogun state.

The activities include:

• Desktop Research and Information Gathering
• Sampling design (population and location),
• Development of tools; structured questionnaires, key informant interview and focus group discussions
• Preparation of detail plan of action and timelines, including orientation to enumerators;
• Recruiting and training of enumerators,
• Pre-testing the questionnaires and enumerators, in selected farming communities and incorporate the inputs in final questionnaire and checklist;
• Fieldwork - Actual data collection using the questionnaires and other tools,
• Data entry and Error checking data,
• Analysis of data,
• Development of robust and fully functional tool that will guide and support data and information gathering for tracking and registration of farmers in designated farming communities and locations and across the State
• Report preparation (pre & final)
• Validation and Feedback

The report which will show strong links with the would-be M&E system and process is to be shared with the Agric. Sector-Project Manager, the M & E specialist and Technical Team for consultation before it is finalised.

Institutional and Organization Arrangements:

• The consulting firm will liaise with the Project Manager OGSTEP Agric, work closely with the relevant stakeholders, in particular the technical team composed by the Sector lead, and report to the Project Manager OGSTEP and Honourable Commissioner who is the sector lead.

Report and Schedule Of Deliveries
The consulting firm will work directly with the Technical Team in the Ministry of Agriculture constituted by the sector lead to deliver on the following:

• Inception report to show methodology, Pre-study desktop research and consultation results, to include setting of goals and objectives; guidance on scope of study; nature and source of data; sampling procedure and pre-determined analytical procedure; and other proposed analysis relevant to the various value chains; and also procedure for training of data gathering staff; and data collection, collation, back up support, and on-field support.
• Questionnaires (incl. farmers registration and data capture), plan, checklists and tools for the study, to include pre-testing of study tools and subsequent adjustment and finalization.
• Initial report based on participatory and inclusive training of data gathering staff, showing data and result of analysis of data accompanied by e-copy of raw data;
• Baseline data , analysed in required format using appropriate statistical software - (SPSS and STATA), and
• Consolidated final study report ( 3 hard copies as well as soft copy), to include necessary review and validation

Services to be provided by the Client
The Ogun State Ministry of Agriculture OGSTEP through the Technical Team (STT) is responsible for the:

• Provision of information and other relevant input to finalise designed study instruments;
• Monitoring and provide feedback to ensure the effectiveness of the study;
• Coordination with farmers and other stakeholders to ensure adequate support is provided;
• Giving inputs to draft and final reports; and
• The Ministry upon sign off by the MoA technical team and the Honourable commissioner will ensure release of the budget as per agreed budget disbursement schedule.
• It is the sole responsibility of the consultant to search for and collect all required information.
• The consultant will organize all necessary travel and other resources, subject to reimbursement as stipulated in the contract. Reimbursable expenses must be included in the consultant’s submission.

Profile of the Consultancy Firm

Experience:

• The Consulting firm will be required to have Minimum fifteen (15) years relevant, demonstrable and verifiable experience in carrying out large rural household socio-economic and surveys to support M&E of large agricultural development programs

The Consulting firm should have or show:

• Experience in implementing / monitoring rural development projects, using participative approach, local development strategies
• Track record in developing feasibility studies, baseline studies evaluation, monitoring & evaluation (M&E) , proposal writing
• Experience in capacity building and training, on the job coaching and mentoring in the field of data collection
• Commitment to data quality assurance and control;
• Mandatory evidence of successful completion of similar exercise(s) in the past.

Key Consultants / Technical Resource(s) Experience
Lead Consultant / Resource:

• Minimum M.Sc. degree in Economics, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness Management, Rural Development, Development Studies or related fields and minimum 15 years’ (post grad) experience working in related fields.
• The lead consultant / resource person is expected to have:
• Excellent knowledge of Agric economics, value chains, public / private sector development and ability to lead, design and implement programmes and projects in the related fields;
• Demonstrated experience monitoring rural development projects, use of participative approach, local development strategies, development of feasibility studies and proposal, evaluation, monitoring & evaluation etc.
• Experience interfacing with senior project and government staff;
• Compelling (verbal and written) communication skills including ability to prepare reports, formulate and defend sound recommendations and articulate opinions concisely conveying maximum necessary information;
• Proficiency in spoken English and ability to communicate in Yoruba language will be an added advantage.
• Computer Literacy

He / she will be expected to perform the following core responsibilities among others:

• Lead and supervise activities of other consultants / technical resources involved in the baseline survey;
• Review all relevant primary and secondary sources of data and any relevant information to the study.
• Develop all necessary data collection, plans tools and present them for review before use.
• Develop a sample design for the baseline study, including calculating a sample size (project / treatment and controls) that is sufficient to measure expected changes in the project development objectives “PDO indicators”;
• Lead recruitment and training of enumerators / data collectors etc.
• Conduct both quantitative and qualitative data collection using acceptable methodologies.
• Develop the data collection manual to guide enumerators and field supervision manual to guide field supervisors that review questionnaires completed by enumerators”
• Use the project beneficiary and site selection criteria to reasonably identify areas that are likely to receive the project (based on available secondary data) and then use their characteristics to select control areas that are similar to project areas”;
• Vet results and reports for quality and quality assurance.

Other Consultants / Technical Resources:

• Minimum B.Sc. degree in Economics, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness Management, Rural Development, Development Studies or related fields. and a minimum of 5 years’ (post-grad) experience working in related fields.
• Experience monitoring rural development projects, baseline studies, data gathering, analyses, monitoring & evaluation etc.
• Good (verbal and written) communication skills including ability to prepare reports, formulate and defend sound recommendations and articulate opinions concisely conveying maximum necessary information;
• Computer Literacy and ability to use relevant software packages and tools e.g. Excel, SPSS, GIS etc;
• Proficiency in spoken English and ability to communicate in the Yoruba language especially for field staff and enumerators.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English language and ability by critical staff to communicate in Yoruba

Application Closing Date
16th September, 2020.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified Firm / Candidates should submit their Applications with subject "Consultancy for Baseline Study Agric Component for Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP)" via: ogstep@ogunstate.gov.ng
AND
Three (3) Hard Copies, delivered along with soft copy at the address below during office hours 10:00am - 4:00pm (Mondays - Fridays):
The Project Coordinator (PC),
Project Implementation Unit (PIU)
Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP),
C/o Permanent Secretary’s Office,
Ogun State Ministry of Budget & Planning.
State Secretariat, Oke Mosan,
Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria.

Applications should include:

• Brief proposal outlining your methodology, timetable and budget.
• Copies of certificate of registration / incorporation (for firms).
• Company profile with names and contacts of Directors (for firms).
• Curriculum Vitae of project team members and contact details of three referees.
• Profile of previous work done related to this project.
• Certificates of completion of previous work.
• Contact details (office address, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses).

Click Here to Download Term of Reference

Note: Application materials are non-returnable, and we thank you in advance for understanding that only shortlisted candidates (firms) will be contacted for the next step in the application process.