| Overview : BACKGROUND / RATIONALE Markets play an instrumental role in the day to day lives of all citizens including the poor. They and the private sector companies and entrepreneurs involved in them, are the engine of growth, generate jobs and incomes and provide goods, services and solutions for poor women and men, and thereby have the potential to increase choices and opportunities. In most countries, markets are also central in determining whether growth occurs and whether it is inclusive or not. However, as evidenced in many countries in Africa, markets do not always provide access and benefits for the poor and vulnerable. The challenge is to ensure that markets are properly governed and regulated to work in such ways that generate the widest benefits for society, including for the poor and vulnerable. This requires close interaction between the state, the private sector and wider civil society where each plays defined roles, and having sufficient capacities to overcome existing limitations due to inadequate policy, legal and regulatory frameworks and the absence of fora to support inclusive policy dialogues and formulation including implementing capacity involving all stakeholders including youth and women. . . . OBJECTIVES & EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THE AIMEC Overall Objective of the AIMEC It is proposed here that in in order to promote regional economic integration through transformative regional value chains starting with the food industry, leading to job creation, income generation and poverty reduction, the establishment of an African Inclusive Markets Excellence Center (AIMEC) is imperative. The AIMEC is aimed to become the premier pan-African think and do platform on Inclusive Markets in strategic job-rich and livelihood enhancing sectors. The AIMEC will provide products and services to the AU and its organs, the RECs and Member States to support them in regional value chain development, inclusive markets and business development, i.e. to include the poor and vulnerable (including women and youth) as producers, employees and consumers in continental and regional economic development policies and programmes and in the markets of the member states. It will also provide expert advice, tools and methodologies as well as benchmarks to fast-track inclusive growth in Africa with active engagement of the private sector. The Center will work at the continental level (Africa level) and/or regional level (Regional Economic Communities level) and ensure that aspects related to South- South and Triangular Collaboration are fully taken into account and promoted. The Center will be set-up as an independent entity in a highly motivated Member State with capacity to support its development. The Member state and exact location for the Center will be informed by the financial and technical assessments and will be decided after the assignment. Expected Outcome for the Work of the AIMEC The expected Outcome for the work of the AIMEC is to contribute towards: Regional economic integration promoted through transformative regional value chains, and inclusive markets and business development. Indicators for this Outcome may include: - Number of policy papers and tools on policies conducive to regional value chains and inclusive markets and business development adopted by AUC, RECs and/or member states
- Number of regional value chains upgraded in partnership with Regional Economic Communities and the private sector
- Number of national rolling-out the African Agribusiness Supplier Development program and Supplier Development programs in other service and manufacturing sectors
- Number of national rolling-out the CAADP Investment Facilitation Programme
- Benchmarks and best practices that assess the inclusiveness process at the member, regional and continental levels
In order to achieve the above expected outcomes, AIMEC will build the capacity of the AU and its organs including the RECs, and the AU Members States in fostering more inclusive markets and businesses in Africa. To do so, it will build on existing frameworks and initiatives of the AU, as outlined in Concept Note attached, as well as on the tried and tested products and services of the UNDP African Facility for Inclusive Markets (AFIM) in the areas of knowledge exchange and training, policy advice, advocacy, and catalytic actions in the agri-food sector. . . . EXPECTED OUTPUTS / DELIVERABLES The deliverables to be achieved by the Consultancy firm/Consultant(s) for the successful completion of the assignment include the following: Two weeks after a briefing meeting - Deliverable 1: Inception report including the implementation plan to be submitted to UNDP/AUC
Two months after the beginning of the assignment - Deliverable 2: A draft report feasibility study and business plan for the AIMEC
Internal validation to take place between mid-August and beginning of September Two weeks after internal validation meeting - Deliverable 3: Updated draft of the feasibility study and business plan to be validated externally
Two weeks after the external validation meeting: All documents are to be considered and discussed during a validation workshop planned for end of September 2015 and upon which, having taken cognizance of the outcomes and feedback from the validation exercise, the Consultants should submit the following: - Deliverable 4: Revised and final feasibility study and business plan. This should have taken into consideration comments of the validation workshop.
BID SUBMISSION INSTRUCTION: - Strictly follow the instructions indicated in the RFP Standard Bid Document (SBD) uploaded hereto
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED: The following proposals must be prepared as per the prescribed standard format indicated in the respective RFP Bid Document. The Proposals shall be submitted before application deadline June 7, 2015 via UNDP Ethiopia Secured mail address: procurement.et@undp.org - Technical Proposal in pdf
- Financial Proposal in pdf
Please note that these proposals shall be submitted to the designated secured email into two files but in one email unless both Files are Greater than 9MB EMAIL SUBJECT LINE WHILE SUBMITTING PROPOSAL: | 
