African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services

TERMS OF REFERENCE AND CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR PROVISION OF TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICES IN MANAGING A CONTINENTAL HACKATHON

  • BACKGROUND:

 African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS) is a Continental body that brings National Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services (AEAS) providers in Africa under one umbrella. The African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS) has received grant funding from the European Union funded by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) under Grant Number: 2000002981 towards the implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme ex-pillar IV (CAADP XP4) Project under the initiative “Development Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture (DeSIRA)”. For the implementation of project activities, AFAAS will conduct procurements for goods, consulting and non-consulting services, in accordance with the IFAD Procurement Handbook and IFAD Procurement Guidelines.

For the year 2021, in continuation with efforts engaged in 2020, AFAAS will invest more in digitalisation and will build capacities of its members in ICTs. Three key areas are the focus of this digitalisation initiative 1) the management of AEAS actors and activities with beneficiaries 2) database/repository of CSA approaches, techniques and knowledge and 3) meteorological and weather information systems for AEAS.

For long term sustainability and to ensure a wide participation of developers in improving the solutions later, AFAAS will encourage groups of developers to join efforts and start open source projects. The development of solutions for the 3 different categories will be supported by AFAAS through a competitive grant to be discerned to the most promising teams of developers.

 In connection with the foregoing, AFAAS is soliciting services of a firm with qualified and experienced professionals to provide technical support in the management of the hackathon to conduct Hackathon on ICT solutions for the most pressing social challenges with the special focus on AEAS.

  • OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY:

The objective of the service is to manage a continental application hackathon from the design phase to the nomination of the winners and support the launch of the development project.

  • DURATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The assignment will require around 15 days of intervention and shall be for a period of 4 months from May to August, 2021.

  • QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
  1. Firm’s requirements
  2. An officially registered organization (commercial, non-profit, nongovernmental, public)
  3. Proven experience in organizing and implementing start up programs and Hackathons
  4. Proven experience in organizing of Hackathons on a “turnkey” basis (including full support to event design, branding, marketing, organization, implementation and follow up mentoring)
  5. Experience in organizing hackathons that target AEAS actors, farmers
  6. Proven experience in the development and implementation of Hackathons on the specific topics related to AEAS activities systems, (CSA) Knowledge Management systems, Meteorological information systems, Number of the success stories (prototypes built and developed into IT products, start-ups initiated) as the follow up of Hackathon event (at least 3 proven stories).
  7. The firm must have at least one bi-lingual person who will to respond to Francophone and Anglophone part
  8. The firm will preferably have a Team leader and at least one Expert with the following competencies and qualifications.
  9. Team Leader – At least a Master degree in IT, Management, Business or related field; at least 5 years of experience in international event management, coordination of teams, networks of partners, experts’ groups in the field related to start-up programmes development in Africa; fluency in English and French proficiency (working level).
  10. Expert(s):
  11. With at least a Master degree in Computer Science or related area
  12. At least 5 years of experience in organizing and implementation of start-up programs in Africa and or abroad;
  13. Experience in the development of the relevant events’ design and branding
  14. Experience in the Hackathon events’ management, including all the activities on planning, organization and implementation
  15. Expertise in the development and implementation of Hackathons on the specific topics related to AEAS activities systems, (CSA) Knowledge Management systems, Meteorological information systems
  16. Experience in the development and implementation of the successful marketing strategy for the relevant events

Interested firms should send their Technical and Financial Proposals based on the Call for Expression of Interest (via e-mail) in person or electronically via email: secretariat@afaas-africa.org detailing the information and documents below when submitting proposals:

  1. Organization’s profile (date of creation, area of competence, number of staff/consultants, description of key staff/consultants, website, address and contacts)
  2. A list and short summary of previous experience in start-up programmes and Hackathon’s concepts development and implementation
  3. CVs of the intended expert(s) which clearly indicate experience and skills, as well as certification of availability if selected for this assignment; breakdown by the activities implemented by each of the team members in the frame of the deliverables expected
  4. At least 3 references from previous customers regarding implementation of likely tasks.
  5. Financial proposal – containing professional fees and any other direct and reimbursable expenses.

The technical and financial proposal must be delivered to the address below not later than May 7, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. at the address below or electronically on email: secretariat@afaas-africa.org.

The Consultant will be selected based on the “Least Cost Selection Method (LCS)” procurement method in the IFAD Procurement Handbook (approved in September, 2010). Interested firms may obtain detailed information from Andry Raso on email: andriraso@afaas-africa.org from 08:00 – 17:00 (local time) latest April 23, 2021.

Dr. Silim M. Nahdy
Executive Director, AFAAS,
Kigobe Road; House No. 26; Minister’s Village;
P.O BOX 34624 Kampala, Uganda
Telephone: +256-312313400.
Email: secretariat@afaas-africa.org;
Copying pwanzala@afaas-africa.org

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