REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
(CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT SELECTION)

Belize Climate Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture Project (CRESAP)
Loan No.: 9347-BE
Project ID No.: P172592
Assignment Title: Technical Assistance Services to Support Potential Beneficiary Farmers to
Prepare Climate Smart Agriculture Investment Applications
Reference No. (as per Procurement Plan): CS 16

The Government of Belize (GOB), with financing from the World Bank (WB), has embarked on a five-year project titled ‘Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture Project (CRESAP)’ which aims to increase agricultural productivity and the adoption of climate-smart agricultural approaches among
project beneficiaries and respond effectively to an Eligible Crisis or Emergency event.

The GOB has appointed the Belize Social Investment Fund (BSIF) as the implementing agency for the Project, while the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise (MAFSE) will have overall responsibility for the Project. BSIF will sign an agreement with Participating Financial
Institutions (PFIs) to implement the promotion of CSA technologies and practices via matching grants and leveraging of private capital to potential beneficiaries. Potential beneficiaries will include smallholder farmers, medium and large commercial farmers, and farmer organizations from the
Corozal, Orange Walk, Belize, and Cayo districts for all eligible sub-sectors (climate-smart production of sugarcane, citrus, grains, legumes, root crops, vegetables, livestock, fruit trees, and aquaculture), and banana and citrus producers nationally. Each potential beneficiary is required to prepare a sound
acceptable CSA Investment Application that is commensurate with the size of the investment, demonstrates the technical and financial viability of the proposed economic activity, identifies market outlet, and shows satisfactory cash flows and loan repayment capacity (if the potential beneficiary requires a credit). Potential beneficiaries would have the option to select their TA providers from among a pool of pre-qualified service providers (individual consultants, firms, or commodity associations). PFIs will review the potential beneficiaries’ CSA Investment Applications in accordance with their policies and procedures as indicated in the CRESAP Matching Grant Operations Manual and the PFIs’ Agreement with the BSIF.

BSIF is therefore seeking to hire a pool of Technical Assistance (TA) service providers (individual consultants, firms, or commodity associations) to support potential Window 1 beneficiaries in preparing their CSA Investment Applications/business plans.

The TA service providers will be expected to work closely with the relevant PFIs and be supervised by the Environmental and Social Specialist of the BSIF PIU.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be obtained by submitting a request in writing via e-mail to: procurement.cresap@sifbelize.org.

The Belize Social Investment Fund now invites eligible individuals (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services (such as a cover letter, Curriculum Vitae, etc.).

Minimum Mandatory Requirements *(Required)
Qualifications

• Associate degree in business, development studies, social science, environmental science,
  agriculture, rural development, natural resource management, or any other field related to
  the assignment.

General Experience

• At least five (5) years of relevant professional experience in the agriculture sector, and experience in technical assistance services, including the development of investment proposals and business plans. (max 20 points)

*If these minimum requirements are not met, candidates will not be considered for the process*

Additional Requirements (Desirable)

Specific Experience

• Experience in designing business plans and proposals. (max 30 points)
• Experience in providing technical assistance services in agriculture development projects. (max
  30 points)
• Knowledge and experience working with World Bank procurement processes, or with similar
  from other multilateral development institutions. (max 15 points)
• Experience working with internationally funded projects (World Bank, IDB, EU, etc.) (max 5
  points)

The minimum total points required to be considered for the assignment is 75 points.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” July 2016 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Selection of Individual Consultant method set out in the Procurement Regulations.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours, i.e. 0800 to 1600 hours Belize Time.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, by mail, or by e-mail) by June 28, 2024, at 16:00 hours Belize Time.

Belize Social Investment Fund
Attn: Ian Ramirez, Procurement Officer
P.O. Box 459, 1902 Constitution Drive (3rd Floor), Belmopan, Belize
Telephone +501-822-0239
Email: procurement.cresap@sifbelize.org