EOI: Panel Arrangements for Consultants

Official Title

Expression of Interest: Aus4Equality/GREAT Vietnam, Panel Arrangements for Consultants (Multiple)

Introduction

Cowater International is seeking to establish standing offer arrangements (or “Panels”) in multiple service categories for consultants who possess a wide range of skills, capabilities, and areas of expertise.

Background

With more than 35 years of experience, Cowater International is Canada’s global leader in management consulting services specialising in international development. We have managed the implementation of over 800 projects in more than 80 countries around the globe for clients such as DFID, DFAT Australia, the World Bank and Global Affairs Canada. We work with governments, partner organisations, communities and civil society to design and implement sustainable solutions that generate lasting social, economic and environmental impacts. Our adaptive approach to management has led to our award-winning work and recognition as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies in 2017 and 2018.

The Aus4Equality|Gender Responsive Equitable Agriculture and Tourism (GREAT) Program is a flagship initiative of the Australian Development Cooperation program in Vietnam – it commenced in November 2017 and will run for five years (to December 2021. The Program is promoting women’s economic empowerment (WEE) in the ethnically diverse north-west region of Vietnam. The primary beneficiaries are women living in the provinces of Son La and Lao Cai with a focus on economic inclusion of women from ethnic minority communities. The Program is partnering with approximately 50 organisations to deliver results, including private sector actors, governmental and non-governmental organisations, and research institutions.

The objectives of the Aus4Equality|GREAT Program are:

• Objective 1 – Empowering local women: Women living in local communities have increased capacity, space and choices to beneficially engage with agriculture and tourism businesses.
• Objective 2 – Inclusive businesses partnerships: Selected private sector actors within the agriculture and tourism sectors innovate to profitably and sustainably trade with more women entrepreneurs and operate in gender sensitive ways.
• Objective 3 – Improving sector governance and policy: Government agencies reinforce policies, and enact plans, regulations and services that enable more inclusive socio-economic development.

To support the ongoing implementation of the GREAT Program, Cowater is seeking to establish standing offer arrangements (or “Panels”) in multiple service categories for consultants who possess a wide range of skills, capabilities, and areas of expertise. Cowater will use the established Panels as its preferred sourcing method to support delivery of the GREAT Program through until December 2021. There are three categories of service.

Category A: Capacity Development within the Tourism and Agriculture Sectors (Individual Consultants) 

Through ongoing Program monitoring and reflect and refocus workshops, GREAT has identified a number of areas where the Program will provide centralised support to partners to strengthen individual project implementation and to help ensure the objectives of GREAT are realised.  These areas include:

• Cooperative and farmer group strengthening
• Leadership training for women/group leaders
• Supply chain management
• ToT/adult leaning training skills
• Meeting and workshop facilitation
• Public and private policy dialogue facilitation
• Inclusive business/market systems development
• Gender equality training/business case development
• Business management skills coaching
• Project management coaching and support
• Destination marketing (including online)
• Policy advocacy.

GREAT is seeking support across ongoing operational functions including finance and monitoring and evaluation to provide support at both an overall Program level and to individual projects. 

Finance and M&E areas include:

• Financial analyst (value for money/ cost efficiency)
• Accounting and business finance management
• Grants/revolving fund management
• Business administration            
• Training on performance story construction                   
• Partner performance appraisal              
• Support for implementation of knowledge management plan
• Periodic data quality assessment (DQA)            
• Data visualisation training                     
• Thematic reviews on women’s economic empowerment   and market systems     
• Training on results-based management
• Facilitators for Reflect/Refocus workshops and evidence-based learning events                           

Category C: Communications (Individual Consultants or Companies) 

GREAT has a range of communications activities to promote women’s economic empowerment and to communicate Program insights and achievements.

Communications areas include:

• Strategic Communications Experts
• Copy Writers                
• Public Relations & Media Handling
• Social Media/Digital Strategist   
• Events Coordinators and Organizers
• Graphic Designer                     
• Video producer            
• Photographer                           
• Professional Printers/Printing Company
• Website Developer       

General Selection Criteria

• Demonstrated experience and expertise in the selected service category
• Relevant tertiary qualifications
• Experience working on DFAT or other donor-funded programs and an understanding of women’s economic empowerment is considered an asset
• Strong oral and written communication skills in both English and Vietnamese is required in most instances 

To Apply:

Cowater invites individual consultants for Category A and B and either individual consultants or companies for Category C to express interest in one or more of the above service categories by completing the application form.

Expressions of interest will be evaluated on an 80/20 (technical/financial) basis. Please send all applications to aus4equalityrecruitment@gmail.com by 5 pm (Hanoi time) Monday, 8 June 2020 specifying the position you are applying for in the email title, eg. “Panels – Category X” .  Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Cowater is an equal opportunity employer and women, those from ethnic minorities and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

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