REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION)

Republic of North Macedonia

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND WATER ECONOMY

AGRICULTURE MODERNIZATION PROJECT

Loan No.: 9037 - MK

Assignment Title: Consulting Services for targeted training for the potential beneficiaries of the Collecting and Conditioning Centers in Resen and Strumica and the Agri-food Platform in Skopje

Reference No. AMP-CS-CQS-SC1.1

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy of the Republic of North Macedonia (MAFWE) has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Agriculture Modernization Project (AMP) and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

The Project aims to improve competitiveness in targeted agricultural sub-sectors and strengthen agricultural public sector readiness for EU accession.

The objective of this assignment is to provide training to targeted producers of fruits in the Prespa region and vegetables in the South-East Region. The aim is to provide training for the potential cooperants of the CCCs in Resen and Strumica which are supported under the AMP initially designed as follows:

Training Module 1: Training for targeted vegetable producers in the South-East Region.

The Consultant will be responsible for performing the following tasks for the duration of the contract:

1. Design the training program according to the Training topics for vegetable producers.
2. Develop crop-specific and general cultivation practices handbooks as well as OECD standards for the vegetables grown in the region.
3. Deliver training to a target number of at least 1,000 vegetable registered producers selected based on proposed methodology by the Consultant and divided into groups no larger than 25 participants.

Training Module 2: Training for targeted fruit producers in the Prespa Region.

The Consultant will be responsible for performing the following tasks for the duration of the contract:

4. Design the training program according to the Training topics for fruit growers.
5. Develop specific and general fruit production practices (with a focus on apple production) handbooks as well as UN and OECD standards for the fruits grown in the region.
6. Deliver training to a target number of at least 700 registered fruit growers selected based on proposed methodology by the Consultant and divided in groups no larger than 25 participants.

More details can be obtained in the detailed Terms of Reference for the above referenced consulting services as posted on the MAFWE’s web site at the following: Link .

MAFWE now invites eligible consulting firms (“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.

In order to determinate the capability and experience of the consultants seeking to be short listed, the information submitted shall include the following:

• The Consultant should be experienced and well-established organization, with at least 7 (seven) years of proven experience in developing curricula and implementing training programs;
• Provide evidence for at least 3 contracts similar in size and complexity to the assignment, that would demonstrate Consultant’s previous experience;
• Experience in conducting training for producers of fruits and vegetables shall be considered as an advantage.
• Relevant experience on implementation of similar assignments in the region shall be considered as an advantage.

The credibility of mentioned experience shall be presented in a list of at least 3 (three) similar project references within last 7 (seven) years with description of services provided (including information on contract value, contracting entity/client, project location/country, duration, assignment budget, percentage carried out by consultant in case of association of firms or subcontracting and main activities) and accompanied by certificates of orderly fulfilment of the contracts verified by other party from such contracts. Similar nature and scope of the assignments are those that had similar activities and goals, while similar value are the assignments that were of the similar contractual size, not necessarily of the identical scope and nature.

(i) A proof that the Consultant’s key personnel will include at least the following key experts available for the full duration of the assignment:

1. Team Leader and Curriculum Design Specialist
2. Plant Breeding Specialist
3. Vegetable Specialist
4. Greenhouse Production Specialist
5. Post-harvest Specialist/vegetables
6. Post-harvest Specialist/fruits
7. Fruit Production Specialist
8. Sustainable Farm Management Specialist
9. Value Chain and EU Market Specialist
10. Environmental Specialist

Note: In addition to the required key experts, the Consultants should also consider inclusion of others (if any) “non-key experts” required in accordance with their proposed approach and methodology.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 3.14 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for Investment Project Financing (IPF) Borrowers – Procurement in IPF of Goods, Works, Non‐Consulting and Consulting Services, issued in July 2016, revised November 2017 and August 2018 (“Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture or a sub-consultancy to enhance their qualifications. The “association” may take the form of a Joint Venture or a sub consultancy. In case of a Joint Venture (JV), all members of the JV will be evaluated jointly for the purpose of short listing and shall be jointly and severally liable for the assignment and shall sign the contract in case of award is made to that JV group. Interested consultants should clearly indicate the structure of their “association” and the duties of the partners and sub consultants in their application. Unclear expression of interests in terms of “in association with” and/or “in affiliation with” and etc. may not be considered for short listing. Keeping one expression of interest per firm as principle, a consultant firm may decide whether it wishes to participate as a sub consultant or as an individual consultant or as a partner in a joint venture. Please note that a firm shall submit only one expression of interests. No firm can be a sub consultant while submitting an expression of interests individually or as a partner of a joint venture in the same selection process. A firm, if acting in the capacity of sub consultant in any consultant or JV, may participate in more than one consultant, but only in the capacity of a sub consultant.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Selection Based in Consultants’ Qualifications method set out in the Procurement Regulations for Investment Project Financing (IPF) Borrowers – Procurement in IPF of Goods, Works, Non‐Consulting and Consulting Services, (Regulations) issued in July 2016, revised November 2017 and August 2018.

Further information can be obtained at the e-mail address below during office hours 10:00 to 15:00 hours.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the both addresses stated below (in person, by mail or by e-mail) by Monday, July 17^th, 2023, no later than 16.00 CET (GMT+1).

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy

Attn.: Mr. Trajan Dimkovski

Str. Aminta Treti, no.2

1000 Skopje

Republic of North Macedonia

e-mail: procurement@amp.mk