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Selection of an expert consultant in procurement (expertise in support of ARAA) for the Project to Support Food Security Storage in West Africa

Date de publication :
Friday, 27 October 2023
Submission deadline:

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has obtained financing from the European Union for the implementation of the Food Security Storage Support Project in West Africa. The management of the financing for the first three components has been delegated to the French Development Agency (AFD), and the last component to the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID). The implementation of this project has been entrusted to the ECOWAS Commission through the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (ARAA).

The procurement plan for the Food Security Storage Support Project for the year 2020 provides for about thirty contracts for intellectual services relating to major studies as well as supply and delivery contracts that should contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the Project whose implementation period ends on May 29, 2021.

The proper execution of these various activities depends on the timeliness of procurement procedures and the speed with which contract files are processed. However, the small staff of the procurement team at the ARAA does not allow for the timely processing of the various contracts. Therefore, it is essential to strengthen the procurement team to ensure that all contracts are initiated and completed in a timely manner before the end of the project.

To this end, ARAA wishes to strengthen its procurement team by recruiting an Expert Procurement Consultant dedicated to the Food Security Storage Support Project in West Africa.

The Consultant will be placed under the supervision of the Procurement Officer of ARAA.

 

General objective of the Provider

The general objective of this consultation is to provide support to the procurement activities of the Food Security Storage Support Project in West Africa.

 

Specific Objectives of the Benefit

The specific objectives of the service are as follows:

  • Monitor proper execution and update the procurement plan whenever necessary (subject to AFD or AECID consultation procedures);
  • Ensure compliance of procurement with the Project Procedures Manual for components 1,2,3 and ECOWAS procurement procedures for component 5;
  • Filing and archiving of all contract documents and files;
  • Develop a mechanism for monitoring procurement, including deadlines, so that potential sources of delay can be quickly identified, informed to management and solutions proposed to resolve them;
  • Write Notices of Expression of Interest, and ensure their proper publication on dedicated platforms;
  • Ensure the quality of the technical specifications and terms of reference produced by the technical managers;
  • Prepare tender documents, requests for quotations and requests for proposals ;
  • Ensure the follow-up of the publication of tender notices in the appropriate media (websites, newspapers);
  • Participate in bid openings, bid evaluations, contract awards, in order to be able to provide useful advice to the actors involved in the procurement process;
  • Draft the contracts to be signed between ECOWAS/ARAA and the consultants, suppliers and providers selected ;
  • Follow up on requests for, and opinions obtained from, the Project's funding partners (including any reservations raised) ;
  • Ensure that all decisions related to the award and execution of contracts have complied with the agreed rules ;
  • Produce periodically the situation of the markets
  • Ensure that commitments on contracts are systematically reflected in the information system and communicated to the accountant;
  • Ensure that the results of tenders are published and/or notified in a timely manner following contract award decisions, and that unsuccessful bidders are provided with the necessary information ;
  • To ensure the supervision or possibly the secretariat of the commissions or sub-commissions of analysis;
  • Performs all or part of the function or duties as assigned by management.

 

Expected results of the service

The expected results are :

  • The Request for Proposals, Request for Proposals and Request for Quotations are prepared and submitted to the partners delegated to finance the Project without objection;
  • The minutes of the opening of the bids and the evaluation reports of the various files are drawn up and submitted to the non objection of the partners delegating the financing of the Project;
  • Contracts are drawn up and submitted to the partners delegating the financing of the Project for signature by ECOWAS/ARAA;
  • Ensures that procurement decisions are made in accordance with the agreed agreements ;
  • Support the resolution of any contracting issues that may arise;
  • The deadlines for the various procurement procedures are respected;
  • The files are treated with diligence.

 

Place, Duration and beginning of the service

The Consultant will be based in Lomé, Togo, at the headquarters of the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food. The mission will start within 7 days at the latest following the signature of the contract for the provision of intellectual services and will end no later than May 29, 2021 (end date of the project implementation period).

 

Qualifications/Experiences required of the Consultant

  • A graduate degree in Engineering, Architecture, Administration, Procurement, Law, Finance, Commerce, Economics or related fields (BAC+4) ;
  • Have at least five (5) years of experience in the field of procurement and a good knowledge of the agriculture sector in the West African region.

 

Consultant's Required Skills

  • He/she must have a sound knowledge of procurement in general, and of the rules of procurement procedures of international, public institutions and Technical and Financial Partners (EU, AFD, AECID) ;
  • Knowledge of ECOWAS procurement would be an asset;
  • He/she must have a very good ability to solve problems related to procurement ;
  • He/she must have good communication and teamwork skills;
  • Mastery of procurement software would be an asset;
  • Fluency in one of the three working languages of ECOWAS (English, French, Portuguese) is required. Good linguistic knowledge (written and oral) of a second working language of the Commission is required.

 

Application requirements

  • Enjoy your civil rights and be of good character;
  • A solid work experience in West Africa is necessary;
  • Experience in teamwork is highly recommended.

 

Language

Fluency in one of the three working languages of ECOWAS (English, French, Portuguese) is required. Good linguistic knowledge (written and oral) of a second working language of the Commission would be an asset.

 

Application Form

Interested persons must provide a nomination, in accordance with the attached Request for Proposals, consisting of :

  • The Proposal Submission Letter,
  • The Technical Proposal (including curriculum vitae (CV),
  • The Duty Free Financial Proposal,
  • And the Integrity Declaration duly signed.

 

Submission of applications

Applications are received no later than November 27, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. GMT, by hand delivery or by e-mail to the following addresses:  

  • Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (ARAA), 83, Rue de la Pâture, Lomé, Togo (in a sealed envelope marked: "Selection of an expert procurement consultant (expertise in support of WARDA) for the Project to Support Food Security Storage in West Africa")
  • Email :procurement.consultants@araa.org :
  • Subject: "Selection of an expert consultant in procurement (expertise in support of WARDA) for the Project to Support Food Security Storage in West Africa"

 

NB : Applications that do not bear the above-mentioned mention will not be considered.

 

Selection method

The Individual Consultant will be selected according to the Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) method.

The ARAA reserves the right not to proceed with this expression of interest.