Call for Expression of Interest (EOI) - Consultant to assess progress and learning review for agriculture/rice development project (TRVC)

Under the close coordination and supervision of TRVCs Team Leader and MEL Advisor the Consultant will design and conduct the Assessment of the 1st and 2nd crops results and learnings. Crop results include quantitative and qualitative assessment that cover but not limited to farming area with sustainable approaches/practices good agronomic and economic practices and outcomes/profit for SHFs success stories innovations change of behaviour women economic empowerment disability inclusions contract farming and other type of business linkages between SHF/Coops with private sector companies and other opportunities for farmers/coops and their communities.  Lessons learned identify areas that needs improvements from both agronomic and economic practices for the subsequent crops; challenges and barriers that prevent or hinder farmers and the Companies (herein named as Competitors in TRVC) to practice low carbon rice farming; or scaling to other rice areas/Coops/communities; reasons for farmers and or Competitors dropped out from 1st and 2nd crop seasons; and or uncertainties from farmers/Coops/Competitors on the modality of the results-based financing of TRVC.  

Key objectives include:

1. To design conduct and develop an evidence-based assessment of the Summer-Autumn 2024 and Winter Spring 2025 crop seasons in Dong Thap An Giang and Kien Giang provinces with both quantitative and qualitative data sets/evidence from key stakeholders participating in the TRVC project. The assessment report highlights key results good practices innovations and failures to support project learning to inform contextual adjustment/refinement if needed and enhancement of efficacies and values for money.
2. To develop a learning review for the TRVC Project focused on the overall learning questions from the learning framework.

REQUIRED RESEARCH APPROACH

From the findings produce success stories and factsheets to support the capitalization of early successes.

The Consultant is required to apply an inclusive and participatory data collection process in line with gender equality disability and social inclusion (GEDSI) best practice where project participant ownership in the project evolution is encouraged. Consent confidentiality and conformity with research ethics are mandated. Use of AI and secondary data without consent from SNV and reference sources is not acceptable.

DETAILED TASKS

Task 1. Desk study

• Conduct a desk-based review and provide an overview of current development projects/programs on low-emission/sustainable rice that have been implemented in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam.
• Review of TRVC project documents and project data (Theory of Change relevant part of the technical proposal MEL documents Learning Framework) and enrolment data for Crop 1 & 2.
• Perform a desk study on the current status of interventions that farmers have committed to and planned for their fields including the adoption of low-carbon farming practices.
• Conduct a desk-based analysis of companies offering services and support to SHFs/Coops participating in Crop 1.

Task 2. Field study design and execution

Design the field study to collect the required information:

• Design research methodology including sample sizes (for quantitative methods) and instruments
• Conduct data collection (quantitative and qualitative) with selected key stakeholders that include:

- Senior leaders/managers of nine competitors who are enrolling in Crop 1 and operating in An Giang Kien Giang and Dong Thap.

- Sampled cooperative members working with the above companies (with GEDSI inclusive participation).

- Sampled rice farming smallholder farmers participating in the project (with inclusive participation).

The field study should address the below two end-of-program outcomes (EOPO) and overall learning questions from the TRVC learning framework.  

Task 3. Field study data collection and analysis

The consultant proposal should give details of how data collection processes will be implemented managed and quality assured. What resources will be required and how will the data collection process be contextually appropriate and in line with do no harm principles Details of how the consultant will comply with GDPR should be part of the proposal.

The consultant should submit an analysis approach as part of the proposal to ensure that all data collected has a purpose and clear use and will be handled properly.

Task 4. Develop a final report and presentation on key findings to present at the Annual learning workshop event

The consultant presents the assessment findings at the projects annual learning workshop event in a visually stimulating and interactive manner. This also includes the documentation of lessons learned success stories good practices innovations and failures of participating competitors and SHFs enrolled in Crop 1 & 2.

Qualifications :

Submission Requirements: 

Interested consultant teams/ firms should submit the EOIs with following information/ documents via the instructions in this site.

1. Letter of Interest
2. The applicants professional qualifications and CVs which requires:

• The Team Lead and team members should possess advanced degrees (PhD Master respectively) in agriculture agribusiness business administration sustainable development environment value chain or similar fields relevant to the assignment with sound records of similar studies its quality and timeliness.
• Proven capacity and experience in designing and implementing assessment/evaluation of complex agriculture/rice development project. Experience with conducting baseline mid-term and end-line agriculture project assessment is a plus. 
• Experience in conducting similar learning reviews or learning processes for agricultural projects.
• Provide at least 3 references and reports of relevant research thematic/topics.
• Strong skills in designing and conducting both quantitative and qualitative methods.
• Proven ability to manage intuitive processes in a results-based manner with a focus on actionable recommendations.
• Experience in areas related to the rice value chain and climate change adaptation with knowledge of low-carbon farming practices.
• Solid experience working with smallholder farmers and the private sector. 
• Experience in GEDSI analysis.
• Demonstrated written communication skills including the ability to convey complex concepts in plain English and Vietnamese.
• Ability to effectively present findings and recommendations both orally (in a visual and interactive manner) and in written reports.

       3. Due Diligence Declaration Form via       4. Business license of the company (if any)

Deadline for EOI Submissions: EOIs are due 17:00 on June 24th 2025.