Brief
Overview of SPARK and the Cooperative Support Programme (CSP)
SPARK Rwanda is
coordinating since May 2013 an extensive Cooperative Support Program (CSP) that
targets agricultural cooperatives and SMEs operating in Beans, Irish Potato,
Maize and Horticulture Value chains with an aim to accelerate agri-business
development thus promoting rural
economic growth and generating jobs in the
agricultural sector, which will altogether contribute to food security and
stability.
Since its inception,
the CSP Program has implemented two interlinked components namely (i)
Supporting agribusiness opportunities in the value chains of the participating
cooperatives, and (ii) Capacity Building of Cooperative Supporters Network
(Agri BDS providers). The program had by October 2015 indirectly reached out
29,350 members of 99 cooperatives compared to initial target of 14,595
beneficiaries. This was achieved through a combination of targeting
cooperatives with higher membership portfolios and by dispatching in relatively
big network of Spark agri BDS coaches who were in charge of providing a blended
support services (ranging from business skills training to market, access to finance
and entrepreneurship skills among others).
According to the Mid
Term Review of CSP conducted in August 2015, the program has successfully
achieved the following results:
- 99
agricultural cooperatives (in planned 100) have been trained and coached,
while 276 staff/members (in planed 500) have been trained and coached in
cooperative management, access to market, agri cops entrepreneurship and - 37
cooperatives (in planned 18) were facilitated to access financial services
from which 8 have accessed commercial loans for the first time - In 4
market analyses conducted, 9 market opportunities have been
In the next 12
months, the Programme will expand its efforts to the component 2 (Capacity
building and coaching of the Cooperative Support Network) while combining the
reinforcement of the achieved level of professionalism and business performance
of the 99 cooperatives with their staged phase out.
Context and
justification of the Cooperative Business Performance Assessment
The results of the
2015 MTR indicates that CSP has started to show yield especially in the
Component 1 where supported cooperatives have increased production, access to
financial services and access to new markets. However, the growth trajectory of
the 99 cooperative is still weakened by the members’ little commitment to the
business goal of cooperatives leading to the orientation of cooperative to
delivery of social services which impact the economic transformation role of
cooperatives to their members. Combined with the relatively new and growing
achievement of the component 2 (Capacity building and coaching of the
Cooperative Supporters Network) of the program, there is little knowledge about
the preliminary business and organizational performance results and there is an
information gap on the business performance growth and sustainability metrics
of the target cooperatives that could inform CSP management on the priority in
the gradual and phase out / wean off support to the cooperatives and the
actions required to bring those cooperative to a sustainable growth path that
could ensure SPARK the performance achieved will remain after the program will
have completely phased them out and closed in upcoming 12 months.
In quest for growth
and sustainability of business performance emerging from the CSP support to
cooperative and in order to ensure a proper plan, budget and monitor the
cooperative support phase out strategy, SPARK and Agri BDS coaches need to
support the Cooperatives to develop growth and sustainability plan informed by
a rigorous assessment of the business performance using sustainability lenses
which could help SPARK group/categorise the 99 cooperatives according to
different growth an sustainability stages that will be referred to during the development
of different learning trajectories and support plans to different categories
throughout the phase out strategy. Ideally, CSP intends to exit the support
while at least 80% of the cooperatives are in the last/maturity stage and this
process will take the form of graduation.
It is in that
context that SPARK is planning to commission a growth and sustainability
assessment of the supported cooperatives (99) in the beginning of its phase out
period to fill the information gap about the level of their business
performances focusing on their growth trends and sustainability which
information would be used to develop a sustainability plan, identify relevant
support with an exit strategy, resources, partnership and time required to
achieve it.
Objective of
the Cooperative Business Performance assessment
The assessment is
intended to capture the sustainability of the actual performance of supported
cooperatives based on measurable sustainability indicators to inform the
process of developing the exit strategy for the cooperatives support.
Expected
Outcome, Results, Deliverables
- Outcome
1: Cooperative growth and sustainability assessment tool is developed and
adapted to the subsectors of interest of SPARK’s CSP - Deliverable:
Assessment tool - Deliverable:
Agri BDS and Assessors trained on Sustainability assessment methodology
and the tool - Outcome
2: Assessment of Cooperative - Deliverable:
Assessment report shows that all 99 cooperatives have been assessed - Deliverable:
All 99 cooperatives have been categorised according to their growth
performance and sustainability levels - Deliverable:
Growth and Sustainability gaps have been identified - Outcome
3: Growth and Sustainability Strategies plans developed - Deliverable:
Growth and Sustainability plans developed for Cooperatives - Deliverable:
The Cooperative Coaching Plans and deliverables revisited for/by all
Agri-BDS coaches - Outcome
4: SPARK CSP Phase Out Plan for Cooperatives is developed Facilitate CSP
level Sustainability Strategy
Key
participants:
12 CSP Agri-BDS Coaches , CSP Programme Management, Agri BDS providers and 99
supported cooperatives
Methodology
The detailed
methodology will be part of the proposal to be submitted by the Consultants.
However, being learning, a baseline and a strategy making process, the
Cooperative Business Performance Assessment will involve interactive and
participatory approaches where SPARK and its partners will be at the center of
the whole process.
Requirements
and Skills
The qualified
assessment firm should have following relevant qualification, skills and
experience:
- Appropriate
team of assessors with at least Second degree in Agricultural Economics/
agribusiness or Strategic management with extensive work experience in
agribusiness development projects; - Proven
experience in agri cooperatives Knowledge management and monitoring
systems; - Proven
experience ( more than 3 years) in designing cooperatives business
performances assessment tools and having at least a track records in using
them in Rwanda or EAC - Understanding
Cooperative working environment in Rwanda; - Background
in consulting/ monitoring and evaluation/ research/business assessment; - Proven
ability to conduct third party assessment and client growth strategy; - Strong
and available team with excellent analytical (both quantitative and
qualitative), communication and information-gathering skills especially in
relevant qualifications; - Strong
writing/reporting and PowerPoint presentation skills; - Past
experience in cooperatives/farmer organizations assessment an advantage.
Under the overall
supervision and quality control from Spark, the consultants/assessors will be
responsible for the technical management of the assignment. SPARK / CSP program
management will approve the assessment tools prior to the data collection.
To apply
The interested
Assessment Firm should submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) not later than
Friday 10th July 2016 in an e-mail addressed to SPARK Country Manager for
Rwanda at csp@spark-online.org with a copy to dmushumba@spark-online.org.
Clarifications requests on the ToRs can be received until 07st July 2016.
Bidders are required
to submit updated CVs and 3 reference of the successfully completed similar
work. The offer/Expression of interest must clearly outline the proposed
actions, methodology, duration of each action, sample of assessment tools used
in the past and cost of the service. The expression of interest should be
tailored at least to the context and scope of the assignment as highlighted in
sections 2, 3 and 4 of the present ToR.
