Avis d’appel d’offre pour le projet de création d’écosystèmes commerciaux inclusifs pour la stabilisation et la transformation de l’Union du fleuve Mano (BI-BEST), Freetown, Sierra Leone

GENERAL PROCUREMENT NOTICE

Name of Recipient : Mano River Union Secretariat

Name of Project : Project to Build Inclusive Business Ecosystems for Stabilization and Transformation in the Mano River Union (BI-BEST)

GENERAL PROCUREMENT NOTICE :

  1. The Mano River Union Secretariat has received a grant from the African Development Fund to implement the project to Build Inclusive Business Ecosystems for Stabilization and Transformation (BI-BEST) in the Mano River Union (MRU), which targets Liberia and Sierra Leone and aims to empower Women Traders (WTs) in cross border Value Chains (VCs) for resilient economic growth and social cohesion. The UA 2,980,000 project will be implemented in three years, from the date of its effectiveness, on 15 February 2022 ;
  1. The principal objective of this project is to: empower women traders in cross border value chains for resilient economic growth and social cohesion in MRU. The project will start with an initial gender responsive, climate friendly and conflict sensitive value chain analysis that will inform the selection of two value chains and highlight the priority actions that need to be taken to increase the benefits women receive from cross border trade. Actions would also include reducing gender barriers such as low business management capacity, limited access to information on trade rules and regulations, markets, and financial products and gender-based violence ; 
  1. The Project includes the following components

Component 1 – GENDER RESPONSIVE, CLIMATE FRIENDLY AND CONFLICT SENSITIVE VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS

Sub-Component 1.1: Gender responsive, climate friendly and conflict sensitive Value Chain Analysis ;

  • Activity 1.1.1 Conduct a Rapid Market Assessment (RMA) to select two value chains conducive for women’s empowerment, climate resilience and cohesion ;
  • Activity 1.1.2 Analyse the two value chains selected ;
  • Activity 1.1.3 Design interventions for inclusive trade ecosystems in MRU.

Sub-Component 1.2: Sustainability and Scalability :

  • Activity 1.2.1 Conduct a gender audit of the MRU secretariat ;
  • Activity 2.2  Develop  a  Green  Climate  Fund’s  (GCF)  concept  note  on  gender responsive climate resilience and low-carbon value chains in MRU

Component 2 – INCLUSIVE AND RESILIENT MARKET DYNAMICS 

Sub-Component 2.1: Facilitation of business linkages in the two selected Value Chains (VCs) 

  • Activity 2.1.1 Hold forums and meetings between national and cross border market actors to build productive networks for the benefit of women CBTs ;
  • Activity 2.1.2 Support the development of accessible and affordable gender responsive financial and business support services ;
  • Activity 2.1.3 Support the development of accessible and affordable gender responsive non-financial business support services ;

Sub-Component 2.2: Formalization of women’s businesses : 

  • Activity 2.2.1 Conduct sensitization for women entrepreneurs to formalize their businesses ;
  • Activity 2.2.2 Facilitate existing business registration services to provide services to women cross-border traders.

Sub-Component 2.3: Addressing non-tariff barriers impacting women in CBT : Activity 2.3.1 Strengthen Gender-Based Violence prevention and response mechanisms in cross border trade

Component 3 – ENABLED WOMEN TRADERS IN CROSS BORDER VALUE CHAINS

Sub-Component1: Access to skills, markets, and capital : 

  • Activity 3.1.1 Develop skills of women through training and mentorship and peer-to-peer support ;
  • Activity 3.1.2 Develop a simplified guide to improve access to information on trade rules and regulation ;
  • Activity 3.1.3 Improve access to finance through market facilitation with Banks and Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs).

Sub-Component 3.2: Access to technology : Activity 3.2.1 Develop digital solutions to facilitate internet inclusion of women cross border traders (trade facilitation and information centres) 

Sub-Component 3.3: Enhanced leadership and negotiation capacity of WCBTs : 

  • Activity 3.3.1 Train Women Cross Border Traders (WCBTs) on cooperative development to strengthen their networks and associations ;
  • Activity 3.3.2 Connect associations of WCBTs with national and regional bodies for their representation in regional trade policy dialogue that advance their participation and benefits from CBT.

Component 4 – PROJECT MANAGEMENT 

Sub-Component 4.1: Project implementation unit 

  • Women’s entrepreneurship development and economic empowerment officer ;
  • Procurement Officer ;
  • Monitoring and Evaluation assistant ;
  • Communication assistant.

Sub-Component 4.2: Running costs : 

  • Furniture ;
  • Office equipment ;
  • Supplies ;
  • Communication assistant.

Sub-Component 4.3: Day-to-Day Coordination 

Sub-Component 4.4: Review and Audits 

  • Independent evaluation ;
  • Audit of accounts.
  1. Procurement of goods and the acquisition of consulting services, financed by the Bank for the Project, will be carried out in accordance with the “Procurement Policy and Methodology for Bank Group Funded Operations”, dated October 2015 and following the provisions stated in the Letter of Agreement ; Bidding documents for the project goods and services are expected to be available beginning of May 2022 ;
  2. Interested bidders may obtain further information, and should confirm their interest, by contacting :

The Mano River Union Secretariat

32s Fudia Terrace, Spur Loop, Wilberforce, Freetown, Sierra Leone

Tel : +232-79-033-111; +232-76-503-112

Email : job@mru.int

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