Investment in Quality (LINQ) Business Capacity Assessment Tender, Lebanon - 30640419

Procurement Summary

Country : Lebanon

Summary : Investment in Quality (LINQ) Business Capacity Assessment

Deadline : 20 Feb 2019

Other Information

Notice Type : Tender

TOT Ref.No.: 30640419

Document Ref. No. : 19-LNQ-PROC-0022

Competition : ICB

Financier : United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Purchaser Ownership : -

Tender Value : Refer Document

Purchaser's Detail

Purchaser : LAND O-LAKES INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Tel: +96170896909 / 76-690022 El Plaza Center, 9th Floor, Zalka, Amaret Chalhoub, Metn.
Lebanon
Email :admin.linq@landolakes.org / rprince@landolakes.org
URL :https://www.landolakes.org/

Tender Details

Request for proposals are invited for Land O-Lakes Lebanon Investment in Quality (LINQ) Business Capacity Assessment.

Land O-Lakes International Development invites applications from qualified consultants and firms to conduct business capacity assessments (BCAs) for shortlisted prospective LINQ grantee businesses in Lebanon working in agriculture and food-processing sectors. These BCAs will provide businesses with an in-depth external review of their operations, highlighting areas of strength, weakness and opportunity. In doing so, the BCAs will support businesses in prioritizing their growth goals. The BCAs will also validate information obtained through concept notes submitted by prospective grantees, and help ensure that LINQ funds businesses that will be able to make progress towards their goals. As part of assessing these businesses, contracted firms and individuals will also work with the businesses on updating their business plans, and will conduct and submit a due diligence report.Land O-Lakes anticipates selecting one or more service providers to provide work as preferred providers.

Background

Land O-Lakes International Development (https://www.landolakes.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit helping communities around the world build economies by strengthening agriculture from farm-to-fork, helping businesses grow, and linking farmers to markets. Since 1981, we have been leveraging nearly 100 years of expertise in dairy, animal nutrition, crop inputs and agricultural insights from our affiliate, Land O-Lakes, Inc., a farmer-owned agribusiness with a purpose of feeding human progress. Our worldwide team is committed to market -led approaches, and passionate about collaborating locally to create lasting inclusive economic growth.

Land O-Lakes is implementing a USAID-funded agribusiness competitiveness project in Lebanon: Lebanon Investment in Quality (LINQ). LINQ will partner with high-potential agribusinesses, processors and growers of fresh produce (destined for further processing) to improve productivity, product safety and quality, and product innovation, as well as build appropriate market linkages.

Scope Of Work

The objective of this assignment is for the Contractor to work with projectidentified businesses to conduct a business capacity assessment (BCA) that objectively analyzes the business partner-s market, financial, operational, and human resource practices and projections. This BCA will be used to both understand the business and their prospects for further project partnership and to assist the business in setting and/or refining their growth goals.The BCA is a standardized evaluative tool used by several implementers of enterprise development and acceleration programs to assess a business- capacity to thrive. The Contractor is expected to use this tool to verify, triangulate and expand upon information provided in concept notes previously provided by the short -listed businesses.

The work requires that the Contractor, in addition to assessing business capacity, review or update business plans and complete a basic due diligence review of concept notes submitted by Lebanese businesses to the LINQ program.

• Review the business concept notes received from applicants for LINQ investment grants including valuation reports, quotations for plant and machinery, business registration/s and licenses to operate. If necessary, identify need and requirements for industrial expertise.

• Analyze marketing, operations and human resource practices and plans and financial projections submitted by grant applicants to ascertain if they are comprehensive and realistic, and compute key financial indicators including return of investment and return on capital employed ratios.

• Conduct one-on-one meetings with investors and visit business-s operations sites to review and verify business plans and obtain an in-depth understanding of the market, and investment parameters.

• Verify and assess business documents and investor commitments such as land ownership, ability to secure funding to meet applicant-s investment obligations, contracts with external investors.

• Review and assess management structures and capacity of managers and workforce to operate the proposed business activities. Identify capacity gaps and recommend measures to address such gaps. • Subject to the results of the assessment and due diligence review, recommend investment partnership budget and parameters for implementing the business expansion. Discuss key outcomes from the assessment and recommendations with LINQ Chief of Party and key technical staff.

Deliverables

Contractor will complete a minimum of one (1) assessment up to a maximum of five (5) assessments. LINQ will assign the businesses to be assessed once the RFA evaluation panel completes its reviews and determines the short -listed businesses. The number of assessments ordered may be increased by Amendment.

Technical Direction:
Technical direction will be provided to the Contractor by the LINQ Sr. Marketing
and Business Development Manager.
Travel, Transportation, and Logistics
Subject to prior approval by LINQ, the Contractor can itemize and bill for other
travel expenses incurred, such as staff per diem while on assignment. Submit
receipts or invoices to support the expense claim. All expenses claimed must follow
LINQ project travel policy.
Application Submission Requirements
All interested candidates are invited to submit their proposal organised as follows:
1. Technical proposal (not exceeding 8-10 pages): The technical proposal should
reflect how the organization or individual will undertake all the tasks in the
Scope of Work as well as list similar assignments performed and any relevant
results from such assignments. Provide a detailed plan of specific activities and
timetable for carrying out the assignment.
2. Samples of deliverables from recent similar work, including business plans and
assessment reports.
3. 2-3 references from similar previous recent assignments
4. Financial Budget: The organization shall propose a realistic cost estimate for
the work, including a breakdown of the budget and justification of expenses.
The budget shall include only costs that can be directly attributed to the
activities proposed (with explanation of line items). Taxes shall be listed as a
separate line item.
5. Cost evaluation will be based upon the basis of cost realism and value.
6. Personnel: The organization shall list and briefly describe the names and
qualifications of the personnel proposed to work on the assignment. (CVs of
proposed personnel to be included in an annex).
Criteria for Evaluation:
Proposals will be evaluated according to the following
1. Proposed personnel - ability to address all components of the assignment
(20%)
2. Relevance of the organization or individual-s core capability/skills, experience
and capacity to implement and manage the assignment (20%)
3. Past experience conducting business capacity assessments and due diligence
based on documentation (work product samples) 40%
4. Budget justification and cost realism (20%)
Submission Date:

All proposals must be submitted to Land O-Lakes Lebanon by February 20th, 2019.
Please submit electronic proposals to admin.linq@landolakes.org with a copy to
rprince@landolakes.org, with RFP - BCA referenced in the subject line. Late
proposals will not be accepted.
Finalists will be asked to make a presentation to Land O-Lakes the week of
Febraury 25th, 2019.
Proposal Costs
The costs associated with submitting a proposal in response to this RFP are to the
account of the bidder. Land O-Lakes will not reimburse any costs associated with
the preparation of this bid.
Right to Cancel
Land O-Lakes reserves the right to accept any or none of the proposals submitted.
Land O-Lakes reserves the right to cancel or reissue this RFP without assigning any
reason.
For more information, please contact:
Land O-Lakes Lebanon
Office address:
El Plaza Center
Bloc B, 9th Floor
Zalka, Amaret Chalhoub, Metn
Lebanon
Tel: 76-690022
E-Mail: rprince@landolakes.org
admin.linq@landolakes.org

Documents

 Tender Notice