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Request for Proposals for Pilot Manager for AgResults Uganda Legume Seeds Pilot Project Date: March 4, 2015 From: AgResults Secretariat To: Vendor Subject: Request for Proposals for Pilot Manager for the AgResults Uganda Legume Seeds Pilot Project Dear Vendor: The Secretariat of the AgResults Initiative (“Secretariat”), through Deloitte Consulting Overseas Projects LLC, invites your organization to submit a proposal (“Proposal”) to provide Pilot Manager Services for the AgResults Uganda Legume Seeds Pilot Project (“Pilot”). The Secretariat is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) to invite Proposals from qualified organizations to serve as a Pilot Manager for the AgResults Uganda Legume Seeds Pilot Project , a results- driven pilot project that is part of the AgResults initiative financed by the governments of Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The AgResults Initiative is administered by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD, “the World Bank”), which serves as the AgResults Trustee. For more information, please see Attachment 2 and www.AgResults.org . The Uganda Legume Seeds Pilot Project will incentivize seed companies via a pull mechanism performance-based grant to increase their sales of certified legume seed varieties in Uganda. Under the Pilot Project, participating seed companies will be incentivized to increase their sales of legume seeds for the pilot period of five years. Pilot Manager tasks are anticipated Pilot Manager RFP - AgResults Uganda Legume Seeds Pilot Project Page 1 of 39

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Request for Proposal

Request for Proposals for Pilot Manager for

AgResults Uganda Legume Seeds Pilot Project

Date:March 4, 2015

From: AgResults Secretariat

To: Vendor

Subject:Request for Proposals for Pilot Manager for the AgResults Uganda Legume Seeds Pilot Project

Dear Vendor:

The Secretariat of the AgResults Initiative (Secretariat), through Deloitte Consulting Overseas Projects LLC, invites your organization to submit a proposal (Proposal) to provide Pilot Manager Services for the AgResults Uganda Legume Seeds Pilot Project (Pilot).

The Secretariat is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) to invite Proposals from qualified organizations to serve as a Pilot Manager for the AgResults Uganda Legume Seeds Pilot Project, a results-driven pilot project that is part of the AgResults initiative financed by the governments of Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The AgResults Initiative is administered by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD, the World Bank), which serves as the AgResults Trustee. For more information, please see Attachment 2 and www.AgResults.org. The Uganda Legume Seeds Pilot Project will incentivize seed companies via a pull mechanism performance-based grant to increase their sales of certified legume seed varieties in Uganda.

Under the Pilot Project, participating seed companies will be incentivized to increase their sales of legume seeds for the pilot period of five years. Pilot Manager tasks are anticipated to run five and a half to six years. However, because of the period of performance of Deloitte Consultings AgResults Secretariat contract with the World Bank, the Pilot Manager will be contracted for a Base Period of three (3) years with an Option Extension Period to extend the contract.

Base Period: The Base Period will be June 1, 2015 to May 31, 2018.

Option Extension Period: Three months before the completion of the Base Period, the Secretariat will submit to the Pilot Manager the scope of work and period of performance for the Option Period. The Pilot Manager will have 30 days to submit a price proposal for the Option Period for the Secretariats review and approval.

Proposal Procedures and Instructions follow this letter in Attachment 1 and are incorporated herein and are made a part hereof. By submitting a Proposal and the required completed and signed Anticorruption Compliance Certification (Attachment 3), you will have consented to the terms of this Request for Proposal (RFP), including the Proposal Procedures and Instructions.

Please note the following deadlines in responding to this RFP:

1. Deadline for Proposals, with all required signatures, including a completed and signed Anticorruption Compliance Certification, is no later than 1700 Hrs. US Eastern Time (US ET) on April 1, 2015. Proposal documents should be submitted in one email to [email protected]. Please indicate Uganda Pilot Manager in the subject line of the email.

2. Questions concerning the Pilot or this RFP may be submitted by vendors at any time, but no later than 1700 Hrs. US Eastern Time (US ET) on March 18, 2015 to [email protected]. Please indicate Uganda Pilot Manager in the subject line of the email.

3. Answers to timely-received questions will be publically posted on March 20, 2015 on http://agresults.org/en/288/GetInvolved no later than 1700 Hrs. US Eastern Time (US ET).

4. A Phone Conference for interested vendors will be held on March 23, 2015 at 0900 Hrs. US Eastern Time (US ET). Details about how to participate in the phone conference will be publically posted on http://agresults.org/en/288/GetInvolved no later than 1700 Hrs. US Eastern Time (US ET) on March 20, 2015.

5. The Secretariat expects to award the Pilot Managers contract on May 1, 2015 with an expected contract start date of June 1, 2015.

The AgResults Secretariat will review and evaluate Proposal submissions using the Evaluation Criteria specified in Attachment 1 of this RFP and will select the Pilot Manager organization(s) at its sole discretion. The selected organization(s) will be notified in writing. Notwithstanding the notification by the AgResults of the contemplated award, no work shall commence prior to the issuance and signature by the AgResults Secretariat of a Pilot Manager Agreement. AgResults reserves the right to select any number of applying organizations or not to select any organization. The AgResults Secretariat reserves the right to award a contract for all or a portion of the work required, issue more than one contract, or to not award a contract.

We look forward to working with your organization on this opportunity. Should you have any questions or comments please direct them to [email protected]. We appreciate your responsiveness and look forward to a mutually beneficial business relationship.

Sincerely,

/s/

Tobey Pannuty-Staten

Procurement Manager

Attachments:

1. Proposal Procedures and Instructions

2. Terms of Reference

3. Anticorruption Compliance Certification

4. Labor Pricing Template

Attachment 1

Proposal Procedures and Instructions

This section of the RFP provides the general procedures and instructions the Offeror is expected to follow in completing its response and submitting the Proposal.

1.1Proposal Format and Content

Offerors shall submit the following clearly identified two components with numbered and ordered subsections in the Proposal that match those subsections detailed in Section 5 Proposal Response of the Terms of Reference in Attachment 2:

1. Technical Proposal and

2. Price Proposal

Clarity and completeness are of the utmost importance in your Proposal, as your organizations capabilities can only be considered when properly documented within the Proposal.

1.2 RFP Schedule of Events

1. Deadline for Proposals, with all required signatures, including a completed and signed Anticorruption Compliance Certification, is no later than 1700 Hrs. US Eastern Time (US ET) on April 1, 2015. Proposal documents should be submitted in one email to [email protected]. Please indicate Uganda Pilot Manager in the subject line of the email.

2. Questions concerning the Pilot or this RFP may be submitted by vendors at any time, but no later than 1700 Hrs. US Eastern Time (US ET) on March 18, 2015 to [email protected]. Please indicate Uganda Pilot Manager in the subject line of the email.

3. Answers to timely-received questions will be publically posted on http://agresults.org/en/288/GetInvolved no later than 1700 Hrs. US Eastern Time (US ET), March 20, 2015.

4. A Phone Conference for interested vendors will be held on March 23, 2015 at 0900 Hrs. US Eastern Time (US ET). Details about how to participate in the phone conference will be publically posted on http://agresults.org/en/288/GetInvolved no later than 1700 Hrs. US Eastern Time (US ET), March 20, 2015.

5. The Secretariat expects to award the Pilot Managers contract on May 1, 2015 with an expected contract start date of June 1, 2015.

Please be advised that late Proposal submissions may be considered non-responsive and may be excluded from evaluation and award consideration.

1.3Anticipated Contract Type

Pilot Manager tasks are anticipated to run five and a half to six years. However, because of the period of performance of Deloitte Consultings AgResults Secretariat contract with the World Bank, AgResults anticipates awarding a Fixed Price Contract for the three-year Base Period of June 1, 2015 to May 31, 2018, with an Option Extension Period to extend the contract.

Base Period: The Base Period will be June 1, 2015 to May 31, 2018.

Option Extension Period: Three months before the completion of the Base Period, the Secretariat will submit to the Pilot Manager the scope of work and period of performance for the Option Period. The Pilot Manager will have 30 days to submit a price proposal for the Option Period for the Secretariats review and approval.

Payment for the Pilot Managers services under the contract will be made by the AgResults Trustee, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD, The World Bank). The Trustee reserves the right to withhold from payments any taxes or similar fees as may be required by applicable law.

1.4Terms of Reference

See Attachment 2.

1.5Period of Performance

The period of performance of the three year Base Period for the Pilot Manager is as follows:

Year 1: June 1, 2015 to May 31, 2016

Year 2: June 1, 2016 to May 31, 2017

Year 3: June 1, 2017 to May 31, 2018

1.6Proposal Validity Period

The Offerors Proposal must remain valid for one hundred and twenty (120) days after submission and the validity period of 120 days must be noted in the Offerors Proposal cover letter.

1.7Responsibility for Compliance with Legal Requirements

The Offerors products, services, and facilities must be in full compliance with all applicable laws, regulation, codes, standards, and ordinances, regardless of whether or not they are referred to by the AgResults Secretariat.

1.8Proposal-Related Incurred Costs

The Offeror will be responsible for all costs incurred in preparing or responding to this RFP. All materials and documents submitted in response to this RFP become the property of the AgResults Secretariat and will not be returned. This RFP will in no way obligate the AgResults Secretariat to compensate any Offeror for costs associated with the preparation of its Proposal.

1.9Reservation of Rights

This RFP does not commit the AgResults Secretariat to award a contract, to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a Proposal in response to this request, or to procure or subcontract for services or supplies. The AgResults Secretariat reserves the right to cancel this procurement at any time without prior notice. The AgResults Secretariat may require the Offeror to participate in discussions, solely at the AgResults Secretariats discretion, and to submit such monetary, technical or other revisions of their Proposals that may result from such discussions. Offerors do not have the right to protest or seek a claim based on the AgResults Secretariats exercise of its discretion or judgment in evaluating or awarding a contract arising from or relating to the Proposal. The Offeror expressly waives any and all rights and remedies under any civil action arising from or related to the submittal of a Proposal.

1.10Rejection of Solicitation Response

The AgResults Secretariat reserves the right to reject any or all responses received or any part thereof, on any basis or for any reason to accept any response or any part thereof, or to waive any informalities when deemed to be in the AgResults Secretariats best interest.

1.11Taxes

Any applicable taxes that may be levied in connection with the Services in any jurisdiction will be the responsibility of the selected Pilot Manager and are deemed to be included in the Offerors proposed fixed price or fixed unit prices. The AgResults Secretariat cannot confer any special tax- or duty-free status to the Pilot Manager and the work is not exempt from any taxes or duties.

1.12Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated and ranked by the AgResults Secretariat in order in which they represent, in the Secretariats sole discretion, the best value for the Pilot. Greater weight will be given to the technical services than to price, but price remains an important determinant for selection. Evaluation of the Proposals may include the following criteria (not in any particular order):

1. The ability of the Offeror to perform the specified services.

2. The management team proposed to carry out the scope of work.

3. Past performance in country or the region with similar services.

4. The price of the requested services.

5. Compliance to terms set forth in this RFP.

1.13 Compliance with Anticorruption Laws

The Offeror represents and warrants that, in connection with this solicitation, the Offeror and any person or entity acting on its behalf has complied, and will continue to comply, with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (15 U.S.C. Section 78dd-1, et. seq.) as amended (FCPA), and all other applicable anti-corruption laws, rules and regulations. As a general description, the FCPA prohibits corruptly offering or providing money, gifts or anything of value, to foreign (i.e., non-U.S.) officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business, or to secure an improper advantage. Other applicable anti-corruption laws may also prohibit bribery of foreign officials or commercial counterparties. The Offeror, if awarded the role of Pilot Manager, must notify the AgResults Secretariat immediately of any suspected violation and may report a suspected violation anonymously.

1.14Anticorruption Compliance Certification

The Offeror is required to submit with a Proposal a completed and signed Anticorruption Compliance Certification (see Attachment 3).

1.15Confidential Information

Notwithstanding any agreements, including any separate nondisclosure agreements, already in place between the parties, the AgResults Secretariat assumes no obligation regarding confidentiality of all or any portion of a Proposal or any other material except that the AgResults Secretariat may not disclose any portion, which the Offeror clearly designates as containing proprietary information by affixing the following paragraph on the title page:

This proposal, where explicitly marked, includes data that shall not be disclosed outside of the AgResults Initiative and its respective advisors, consultants and contractors, and shall not be used or disclosedin whole or in partfor any purpose other than to evaluate this proposal. If, however, a contract is awarded to this Offeror as a result ofor in connection withthe submission of this proposal, the AgResults Secretariat shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose the data to the extent provided in the resulting contract. This restriction does not limit the AgResults Secretariats right to use information contained in this data if it is obtained from another source without restriction.

The Offeror will mark each sheet of data it wishes to restrict with the following: Use or disclosure of data contained on this sheet is subject to the restriction on the title page of this proposal.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Offeror agrees that its Proposal, including any portion containing confidential information, may be shared by the AgResults Secretariat with the World Bank (the AgResults Trust Fund Trustee), the AgResults Steering Committee and any or all Contributors to the AgResults Trust Fund. The Offerors Proposal may be also disclosed to third parties if required by order of a court, administrative agency or governmental body, or by any law, rule or regulation, or by subpoena, or any other administrative or legal process, or by applicable regulatory or professional standards; provided, however, that, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the AgResults Secretariat would use reasonable efforts prior to such disclosure to notify the Offeror and allow the Offeror to seek a protective order to restrict or narrow the disclosure in accordance with applicable law.

Attachment 2Terms of Reference

1. AgResults Background

The AgResults initiative (AgResults) is a US$118 million multilateral initiative financed jointly by the governments of Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (each, a Contributor). AgResults seeks to increase private sector investment in food security and agriculture globally. AgResults establishes pull mechanisms - economic incentives, or grants, that are provided to implementing organizations after achieving specific outcomes, where private sector investment is absent or hindered due to market uncertainties. In doing so, AgResults goes beyond traditional aid push mechanisms that provide funding, technical assistance, or other inputs to create development impacts. Instead, AgResults-financed pull mechanisms define a development problem and pay only for development outcomes that are achieved. AgResults is currently implementing pilot projects in Nigeria and Kenya, and launching new pilots in Uganda and Zambia.

Several different bodies are involved in implementing the AgResults Initiative:

A Steering Committee, comprised of donor organization representatives and the Trustee, makes strategic decisions.

The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD, The World Bank) serves as the Financial Trustee of the AgResults initiative, manages donor contributions in a trust fund, makes payments of the grants to the Implementers, and contracts with the AgResults Secretariat and Independent Evaluator.

Deloitte Consulting is the AgResults Secretariat and is responsible for designing new pilot projects as well as overseeing management and coordination of AgResults pilot projects.

A Pilot Manager manages implementation of specific pilot project in-country.

Implementers are organizations that participate in the pilot and receive performance-based grants if the results are achieved and verified. In the Uganda Pilot, AgResults-selected seed companies will be the Implementers.

A Pilot Verifier verifies, determines and certifies whether Implementer participants have achieved the results they report and that are required for the payment of the grants. The Secretariat contracts the Verifier but the Pilot Manager oversees all verification work.

The Steering Committee has also contracted with Abt Associates to serve as an Independent Evaluator of certain AgResults pilots to measure impacts and to compare AgResults pilots to traditional, push mechanism development approaches.

Figure 1: AgResults Key Parties

The relationship among the key parties is illustrated below:

In addition, the Pilot Manager organizes and oversees an Advisory Council of about 10 20 representatives from key stakeholders to provide advisory guidance to the Pilot Manager. The Advisory Council is not a decision-making body, but can provide important advice for Pilot launch and implementation.

2. Pilot Background, Launch and Implementation Activities

2.1 Uganda Pilot Overview, Objective and Background

The Uganda Legume Seeds Pilot Project (Pilot) is designed to incentivize seed companies to increase the production and sales of certified bean, groundnut, and soybean (henceforth collectively referred to as legumes) seed varieties in Uganda. Demand uncertainty, barriers to working capital and other factors have constrained seed companies from producing sufficient quantities of certified legume seeds, thus limiting farmers access to seeds to grow legumes. In order to address these challenges, the Pilot will employ results-driven pull mechanisms to incentivize the Implementer seed companies to find market solutions to challenges in the current value chain and to build a stronger, more competitive legume seed industry in Uganda.

The Pilots pull mechanisms center on the use of a Volume Guarantee (VG) to address the Implementers key challenges of demand uncertainty and limited working capital, and the incentive created by an End-Of-Pilot (EOP) performance-based grant designed to encourage the Implementers to increase sales of the certified legume seeds as much as possible.

The primary objective of the Pilot is to test the VG and EOP Prize pull mechanisms. By stimulating increased production and sales of certified legume seeds, the Pilot is also expected to provide a number of benefits to farmers. These benefits include increased crop yields due to seeds that are more tolerant to diseases and drought; potential increases in net income for farmers resulting from higher yields and diversification of crops; improved soil health; and an increased source of low cost, reliable protein for Ugandans.

In the commercial sector, the legume seed production process is primarily driven by seed breeders and seed companies. Seed companies place orders with seed breeders, who then multiply breeder seed into foundation seed. It typically takes approximately six months for seed breeders to bulk up the breeder seed supply. Seed companies then begin to multiply foundation seed into the certified seed that is sold on the market, a process that takes another six months. Some seed companies are multiplying breeder seed to produce foundation seed themselves and selling to other companies. There are also some farmers co-ops that are starting to do the same.

There are numerous challenges and complications in the seed production and sales process. The following are illustrative of issues for which Implementer seed companies of this Pilot will need to find solutions when producing increased amounts of legume seed.

Seed companies have difficulty forecasting the demand for legume seeds. Legume seed production is relatively costly, so companies are hesitant to over-produce and incur losses.

Seed companies often use outgrower farmers to produce certified seed. Once the seed is produced, the seed company must pay the farmers to buy-back the seed.

Financing can be a challenge: interest rates on loans are high, and the timing of harvests and related cash flow is an issue, specifically with regards to buying seeds back from outgrower farmers. Financial institutions can be hesitant to lend to seed companies, though some do provide loans.

Legume seeds have higher storage costs and stricter storage requirements than some other seeds.

Counterfeit seeds are prevalent in Uganda, and there are various opportunities along the value chain for seed companies, agro-dealers, and other distributors to counterfeit seed. There are numerous forms of counterfeiting, including mixing seed with grain, mixing seed with other varieties, manipulating seed appearance to appear as another variety or as grain, and mixing stones with seed to add to the weight and volume.

2.2 Pilot Launch Activities

The Pilot Manager is responsible for launching the Pilot project. The following is a description of activities necessary for launching the pilot with explanation of the role the Pilot Manager will have with each.

A. Form and Convene Advisory Council

In the initial months of the Pilot, the Pilot Manager will manage the formation of an Advisory Council that will meet quarterly. During the launch phase, the Advisory Council will serve to provide input related to the development of Implementer selection criteria, the Implementer application process and the selection of Implementers, among other things. The Advisory Council is not a decision-making body, but rather serves as a group to provide key advice. It also serves as a means for the Pilot Manager to keep key stakeholders updated and apprised on Pilot progress as well as to collect information about other ongoing related projects.

The Pilot Manager will submit to the Secretariat a proposed list of organizations and approximately 10 20 persons to serve on the Advisory Council. Upon approval from the Secretariat, the Pilot Manager will proceed to invite the proposed members to serve on the Advisory Council. Upon their written acceptance, the Pilot Manager will establish an appropriate governance structure for the council, which will be subject to the Secretariats review and input. The Pilot Manager will convene an initial introductory meeting for the Advisory Council and then shortly thereafter will convene the first official Advisory Council Quarterly Meeting to seek input from the Council members on the development of the Implementer application, selection and verification processes.

B. Develop the Verification Process

A key role for the Pilot Manager is the oversight and monitoring of the verification process throughout the pilot and the identification of any issues that may arise, including any potential collusion between Implementer(s) and Verifier(s), with immediate reporting of issues to the Secretariat. The Pilot Manager will be responsible for close liaising with and overseeing the work plan(s) of the contracted Verifier(s); performing spot checks of verification tasks; analyzing data collected during verification; and ultimately, for assessing the annual VG and EOP Payment calculations.

The primary objective of verification for the Pilot is to validate the accuracy of and determine any issues, suspicious activity or fraud in both 1) what Implementer seed companies report as its Pilot seed sales for calculation of the EOP Payments, and 2) what Implementers report as unsold seed for calculation of the annual VG. Counterfeiting of seed in Uganda is widespread. For this reason, verification plays a critical role in the Pilot and oversight by the Pilot Manager is just as critical to prevent collusion between the Implementer seed companies and the verifier organization(s).

The Secretariat will contract the organization(s) to perform Pilot verification. However, the Pilot Manager will play a significant role in the development of the verification process, and later in the close monitoring of the Verifier(s) verification work. At this time, verification is anticipated to be a combination of regular audits of the Implementer seed companies reported sales, as well as amounts of unsold seed (for the VG), combined with spot checks of samples performed in a laboratory to determine seed quality prior to sale to ensure counterfeiting to falsify sales is not occurring. The following are likely activities to be performed by the verifier organization(s):

Anticipated Verifier Organization(s) Roles and Responsibilities:

Conduct sales audits to verify records of seed sold and unsold. This may include audits of numerous documents provided by the Implementers, checking Planting Records filed at NARO, visiting outgrower fields, and possibly reviews of phases of the seed production process to ensure that sales claims are accurate, and that information presented about quantities and qualities of seeds sold was not falsified or exaggerated in any way.

Having seed testing lab(s) conduct tests on samples of seeds to ensure that claims of varieties of seeds sold or unsold are accurate.

Assessing and responding to new and potential methods that Implementers may use at any time during the Pilot to falsify sales records, sell counterfeit or impure seeds, or otherwise cheat.

For the purposes of the Pilot, verification will focus on the phases during which the seed is with the Implementer seed company (i.e. production, preparation for sale, treatment, and packaging) to the moment at which the seed would leave the Implementer seed companies and/or companies distributors to go to the market or purchaser. Seed purchases will not be tracked to the retail shop or end-user farmer level as part of verification for the Pilot.

Note: The Pilot Manager will not be responsible for any costs related to verification activities carried out by the verifier organization(s). The Pilot Manager will only be responsible for costs of overseeing verification work.

For more detail on the Pilot Managers role in verification, see section 2.3.

C. Develop the Dispute Resolution Process

Following finalization of a verification process, the Pilot Manager will work closely with the Secretariat and Pilot Verifier(s) to develop a Dispute Resolution Process, subject to Secretariat approval. The process will be used disputes arise in connection with the Pilot between or among any of the Implementer(s), or Verifier(s), or the Pilot Manager, or if any misconduct is suspected by the Implementer or Verifier that could be resolved without involving dispute resolution based on the contracts between the Secretariat and the Implementer or Verifier, respectively, or other actor. The role of the Pilot Manager (in the case of a dispute that the Pilot Manager is not a party to) would be to serve as an intermediary and to facilitate the communication, information sharing, and resolution of the dispute between or among the Implementer(s) and/or Verifier(s). If upon further analysis, resolution cannot be reached, the dispute would escalate to the Secretariat, which is ultimately responsible for resolving disputes. The Secretariat will provide the legal language, terms and conditions and examples of Dispute Resolution Processes used in other AgResults Pilots. Note: Development of the Dispute Resolution Process does not represent a significant level of effort (LOE) and should be developed within a week of the finalization of the verification process.

D. Assist the Secretariats Procurement of Verifier Organization(s)

Upon finalization of the verification and dispute resolution processes, the Pilot Manager will assist the Secretariat in the process of procuring the Verifier(s) needed to conduct verification and then will monitor all verification work. Verification may require one or more organizations, all of which will be contracted by the Secretariat. The Pilot Manager will play an important role in liaising with relevant organizations in Uganda that may perform verification tasks, assessing cost factors, and drafting the verification scope(s) of work.

E. Finalize Volume Guarantee Model

During the Pilot Launch, the Pilot Manager will assist in finalizing the details of the Volume Guarantee (VG) model. Under the VG, on an annual basis, the AgResults Secretariat will agree to purchase a predetermined quantity of the Implementers unsold legume seed at a proportion of the seeds wholesale market price. The VG will be part of the AgResults agreement signed between the Secretariat and the Implementer seed companies.

The Volume Guarantee is for the purchase of a volume of unsold seed equal to a certain percentage of the seed companys sales from the prior year. Each year, the VG percentage includes any unused portion of the VG from previous years, thus allowing the guarantee to grow cumulatively from year to year. The current proposal is to set a VG of 10% at a buy-back price of 50% of market price. During the launch phase the Pilot Manager will assess factors that may influence the VG. Factors the Pilot Manager should examine include, but are not limited to, market prices for grain and seed, and seed companies plans to increase seed production. The Pilot Manager will also evaluate the appropriate buy-back price model, and present any recommended changes to the Secretariat. The Secretariat will provide the Pilot Manager with the Pilot Business Plan with the original VG design, analysis and assumptions used to calculate the VG at its current proposal

F. Develop Implementer Application Process and Oversee Selection of Implementers

While Implementer seed companies selected to participate will sign an agreement with the Secretariat regarding the terms of their participation, the Pilot Manager will have the primary role, in collaboration with the Secretariat and subject to its review and approvals, in developing and managing the Implementer selection process. This will include development of the technical portion of a Pilot Implementer Request for Applications (RFA) document, development of evaluation criteria for Implementers responses to the RFA, and management of the Implementer application process. Once the VG structure is finalized based on the Pilot Managers recommendations and input, and once the Implementers participation criteria have been defined by the Pilot Manager and approved by the Secretariat, the Pilot Manager, in collaboration with the Secretariat, will develop and submit to the Secretariat an Implementer Request for Applications (RFA). The RFA will likely include, among other things, an overview of the Pilot and all its terms and conditions; requests for historical and projected legume seed sales data with evidence of previous sales; requests for data and Planting Records from the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO); and additional data and documentation to demonstrate good business practices. The Secretariat will provide the Pilot Manager with example RFAs from other AgResults pilots to assist the Pilot Manager in preparing the Implementer RFA.

Upon the Secretariats approval of the RFA, the Pilot Manager will release the RFA in Uganda for seed companies to apply. To register a sufficient number of seed companies, the Pilot Manager will need to promote the Pilot to potential Implementers in an open and transparent manner. Implementers should be easily identifiable and reachable given their number. There are currently approximately 24 registered seed companies in Uganda.

The Pilot Manager will likely work with the Ugandan Seed Trade Association (USTA), which maintains strong ties with both the established and emerging seed companies that comprise its membership. USTA should be a highly useful resource for both advertising the Pilot to potential Implementers and identifying potential candidates.

The Pilot Manager will review applications, verify that seed company applicants meet the RFA requirements, and submit the applications and a Pilot Managers written review of the application with appropriate recommendation(s) to the Secretariat for approval. The Pilot Manager may also seek input on the applicant seed companies from the Advisory Council, as well as from other external references.

Once the Secretariat and Pilot Manager agree on seed company selection (with the Secretariat having a veto right), the Pilot Manager will inform the seed company of its selection for the Pilot participation subject to signing an agreement between the Secretariat and the Implementer, which will include the terms of the VG and the EOP Payment, an overview of expectations, requirements and standards, reporting procedures, the verification process, and other terms and conditions.

G. Launch Year 1 Sales Period

The Year 1 sales period will start after all Implementers have signed participation agreements with the Secretariat. Additional seed companies may also be able to join the Pilot at later dates with such process to be recommended by the Pilot Manager and approved by the Secretariat.

2.3 Ongoing Pilot Implementation Activities

Once the Pilot Year 1 sales period is launched, the Pilot Manager will manage and oversee all implementation activities, including all verification activities, of the Pilot over the five-year sales period.

A. Oversee All Verification Activities and Monitor Verifier Organization(s)

The Pilot Manager will be responsible for oversight of all verification activities and monitoring of the verifier organization(s) contracted by the Secretariat to verify Implementer companies reports of sold and unsold seed. As described in 2.2B, the Pilot Manager will help develop and finalize the verification process, and assist the Secretariat in procurement of the verifier organization(s). Once the organization(s) are contracted, the Pilot Manager will serve as the primary liaison and oversee all verification work.

The Pilot Manager will work closely with the verifier organization(s) to provide input for their regular work planning and to share important pilot information that will aide the verifier teams in their work (for example, Implementer seed companies production and sales plans, agreements with the Secretariat, and orders placed with seed breeders). The Pilot Manager will be an important liaison between the verifier teams and Implementers and monitoring of this relationship is important in order to prevent and/or identify collusion.

B. Manage Annual Volume Guarantee

The Pilot Manager will be responsible for managing the Volume Guarantee and overseeing and monitoring all VG-related work performed by the verifier organization(s). The Volume Guarantee is intended to be a tool to lower the risks associated with seed companies efforts to increase production in the event that the companies cannot sell all of the additional seeds they produced. During Pilot implementation, the Pilot Manager will track quantities of unsold seeds as reported by the seed companies and as verified by the verifier organization(s). The Pilot Manager will use this data to determine the annual Volume Guarantee payout for each Implementer as well as the percentage of the VG that is unused and will thus carry over to the next year.

The VG buyback price will be set below the market price of the seed so that companies cannot make profit from the VG. Implementers that are successful in growing their legume seed portfolios with minimal or no losses will therefore profit more from the market than the pull mechanism, and will not use the VG.

The scope of the Pilot Managers services in relation to the VG will include, but will not be limited to, the following activities and responsibilities, in order of anticipated level of effort:

Regular Interaction with Seed Breeders: The Pilot Manager will need to communicate with seed breeders and Implementers about the timing of seed companies orders for breeder and foundation seed. The seed breeders typically need to receive orders from seed companies six months in advance to be able to meet increased requests. Ideally, the VG agreement will incent Implementers to forecast demand and obtain funding for increased production in time to place orders far enough in advance.

The Pilot Manager will need to liaise regularly with seed breeders, understand their concerns and constraints, and communicate about these issues as necessary with the Implementer seed companies. In addition, the Pilot Manager will need to gather information (at least twice per year) from breeders about the amount of seed available for each legume variety, and include this in discussions with seed companies about the Volume Guarantee and next years planned sales.

Liaising with Financial Institutions: While the Pilot Manager shall not negotiate directly with any financial institutions on behalf of any Implementer, the Pilot Manager may play a facilitation role with the Implementer seed companies seeking funding in connection with the Pilot implementation. This may include convening banks and seed companies to share information and discuss timing of loan applications and awards. It could also include communicating about the Pilot and the VG with the local financial institutions who may be providing loans to the Implementers and, if appropriate, providing a letter to the financial institutions from the Secretariat explaining the VG to serve as support for any Implementer seeking a loan in connection with the Pilot.

Buying Back and Disposing of Unsold Seed: At the start of the Pilot, the Pilot Manager will finalize the VG model, including the processes related to seed buy-back. Upon approval from the Secretariat of the final VG model, the Pilot Manager will manage the VG process throughout the Pilot and will troubleshoot as needed if complications arise, always keeping the Secretariat apprised. This may involve coordination with FAO, WFP, or other entities in order to donate seed, or options to require companies to provide documentation of destroyed or disposed of unsold, expired seed.

C. Track and Monitor Sales For the End-of-Pilot Performance-Based Grant

The Pilot Manager will work closely with the verifier organization(s) to track and monitor sales counted toward the End-of-Pilot (EOP) Performance-Based Grant. The intention of the EOP Grant is to motivate the Implementers to find solutions to the barriers they have faced regarding legume seed production, and to overcome those market challenges during the five year sales period of the Pilot.

The EOP Grant payment will be based on each Implementer seed companys sales of seeds over the life of the Pilot. It will be calculated based on a percentage of the Implementers previous years cumulative increase in sales of certified legume seeds over a minimum threshold pre-determined by AgResults (the current proposal is an 8% minimum threshold). All EOP Payments will be contingent upon verification of sales by the Pilot Verifier organization(s) and as confirmed by the Pilot Manager and approved by the Secretariat.

Figure 2 illustrates the EOP Payment model based on a potential high growth scenario.

Figure 2: Illustrative End-of-Pilot Performance-Based Grant High Growth Scenario[footnoteRef:2] [2: Minimum threshold and payment percentage may change]

Uganda Pilot: Potential End of Pilot Performance Grant Payment: High-Growth Scenario

Baseline

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Total

(Years 1-5)

Actual Sales

(20% annual growth)

100

120

144

173

207

249

893 MT

Minimum Threshold

(8% annual growth)

100

108

117

126

136

147

-634 MT

Cumulative Sales over Threshold

259 MT

Payment

(20% of Cumulative Sales over Threshold)

259MT $1,575 [footnoteRef:3]per MT 20% = $81,585 [3: Rate to be determined later.]

D. Share Information with Implementers

As part of the developing the annual agreement between AgResults and each Implementer, including the VG-setting process, the Implementer seed companies will need to articulate their plans to increase growth. The Pilot Manager should not provide technical assistance to the Implementers, but will serve as a facilitator to share appropriate information equally with all the Implementer seed companies. The Pilot Manager, for example, may distribute information in writing to all the Implementers regarding financing opportunities, marketing and sales strategies, predicting demand, minimizing losses, or lessons learned regarding the sector.

E. Convene Quarterly Advisory Council Meetings

Throughout the Pilot, the Pilot Manager will convene the Advisory Council on a quarterly basis to keep them apprised of the Pilot. Implementer sales particulars will remain confidential but the Pilot Manager may update the Advisory Council general overall progress.

F. Conduct Annual Lessons Learned Events

The Pilot Manager will also organize one annual lessons learned event (following the sales period launch) with all the Implementer seed companies to discuss strategies, share information about challenges and opportunities, and to document issues/lessons learned in a report for the Secretariat. Issues to discuss and for the Implementers seed companies to consider enacting in order to improve their production and sales strategies may include: techniques to gauge demand; programs to demonstrate new varieties and educate farmers about proper planting; packaging best practices; and minimizing losses, among others.

G. Identify Fraud Modalities

The Pilot Manager plays a neutral role in interactions with the Implementers and monitors the work of the Pilot Verifier. It will be important for the Pilot Manager to be continuously assessing ways Implementers may seek to game the VG model through inappropriate, unethical, or fraudulent practices; liaising closely with the Verifier organization(s) to ensure these practices would be identified during verification; monitoring the verification work to prevent collusion with Implementers; and keeping the Secretariat informed. AgResults and the Secretariat do not condone any unethical or fraudulent practices in connection with the Pilot. Implementers involved in any such practices will be subject to sanctions, including termination from the Pilot.

2.4 Draft Launch and Implementation Plan

While the schedule dates may shift, for preliminary planning purposes, an illustrative draft launch and implementation plan for the Pilot is as follows:

Figure 3: Uganda Pilot - Draft Launch and Implementation Plan

AgResults Uganda Pilot: Draft Launch and Implementation Plan

June 2015

Pilot Manager (PM) mobilizes and develops work plan in coordination with Secretariat

June August 2015

PM develops verification processes and assists Secretariat in development of procurement documents for verifier organization(s)

June August 2015

PM finalizes Volume Guarantee model

July August 2015

PM forms Advisory Council and holds an orientation session

July August 2015

PM conducts two outreach / Q&A sessions with seed companies

July August 2015

PM develops Implementer selection criteria and process, and Request for Applications (RFA) and submits to Secretariat for approval

August 2015

PM holds public Pilot Announcement Event for all stakeholders

August 2015

PM convenes first official quarterly Advisory Council meeting to discuss Implementer selection criteria and application process; subsequent Advisory Council meetings to be convened regularly every quarter

Sept Oct 2015

Secretariat procures verifier organization(s)

October 2015

PM posts Implementer RFA publicly

November 2015

Verifier organization(s) start

Nov Dec 2015

PM receives and reviews applications from seed companies, and selects Implementers, in coordination with the Secretariat

January 2016

PM holds orientation meetings with selected seed companies, and meets individually with them to agree on sales growth plans, and to establish and sign Volume Guarantee and other agreements

January 2016

PM conducts Pilot Sales Launch Event

Feb 2016 Jan 2017

Year 1 Pilot Sales Period

Feb 2016 Jan 2017

PM collects from Implementers and shares with the verifier organization(s) data on Implementer legume seed sales twice yearly, after every harvest (exact dates will vary with seed seasons)

Feb 2016 Jan 2017

PM and verifier organization(s) determine amount of unsold seed after every harvest (twice yearly)

Feb 2016 Jan 2017

PM convenes two (2) roundtable sessions with seed breeders to share information about inventory, order needs, and other related issues

Feb 2016 Jan 2017

Convene Quarterly Advisory Council Meetings

February 2017

PM determines and awards Year 1 Volume Guarantee funds

February 2017

PM meets with Implementers to update & renew agreements

March 2017

First Annual Lessons Learned Event

Feb 2017 Jan 2018

Year 2 Pilot Sales Period[footnoteRef:4] [4: General Activities for the Year 2 Pilot Sales Period will be the same as those of Year 1.]

3. Pilot Manager Period of Performance

Under the Pilot Project, participating seed companies will sell seeds for a period of five years. Pilot Manager tasks are anticipated to run five and a half to six years. However, because of the period of performance of Deloitte Consultings AgResults Secretariat contract with the World Bank, the Pilot Manager will be contracted for a Base Period of three years with an Option Period to extend the contract.

Base Period of Performance: The Base Period will be June 1, 2015 to May 31, 2018. Offerors should present pricing for only the base period. For a contracting timeline for the price proposal for this RFP, assume this schedule:

Year 1: June 1, 2015 to May 31, 2016

Year 2: June 1, 2016 to May 31, 2017

Year 3: June 1, 2017 to May 31, 2018

Option Extension Period: Three months before the completion of the Base Period, the Secretariat will submit to the Pilot Manager the scope of work and period of performance for the Option Period. The Pilot Manager will have 30 days to submit a price proposal for the Option Period for the Secretariats review and approval.

4. Pilot Manager Personnel and Scope of Work

4.1 AgResults Pilot Manager TeamGeneral Role Description

The Pilot Manager Team will manage the Pilot and collaborate closely with the Secretariat as required or appropriate. The Pilot Manager team will be responsible for management and implementation of the AgResults Uganda Legume Seeds Pilot Project and will be accountable and report to the Secretariat. The Pilot Manager plays a neutral, facilitative and coordination role and manages and oversees all Pilot activities in country to conclusion.

The Pilot Managers activities and responsibilities, also described in Section 2 of the Terms of Reference, will include the following.

* Tasks that the Secretariat believes will represent a significant level of effort (LOE) during the Pilot Launch Phase (prior to the beginning of the first sales period) are indicated with one asterisk: *

**Tasks that the Secretariat believes will represent a significant LOE throughout the duration of the Pilot are indicated with two asterisks: **

1. Annual Work Plan development and submission to the Secretariat for review and approval, plus quarterly review and updates as needed.

2. Regular reporting to the Secretariat including, but not limited to,

a. Monthly All Team Meetings (composed of the full Secretariat and Pilot Manger Team members)

b. Weekly (or less frequently as needed) updates of an MS Excel work tracker,

c. Weekly or biweekly calls between the Team Leader and Secretariat Field Coordinator,

d. Biweekly high level updates to the online Secretariat Work Plan Program Management Center (PMC) system,

e. Minutes of All Team and Advisory Council meetings

f. Quarterly reports,

g. A final report at the end of the Pilot,

h. and any other information piece of urgent or important nature.

3. * Assisting the Secretariat by finalizing the design of the verification processes.

4. *Identifying, screening and recommending for selection potential seed companies as Implementers.

5. **Managing the Implementer selection process, Implementer Request for Applications, and other Pilot launch responsibilities as needed, as described in the TOR.

6. Overseeing the annual Implementer agreement process

7. **Overseeing all Verification activities. This includes close liaising and overseeing the work plan(s) of the contracted verifier organization(s); performing spot checks of verification tasks, for analyzing the data, and ultimately for assessing the annual Volume Guarantee and End-of-Pilot Payment calculations.

8. **With data from the Verifier, managing the data analysis and prepare determination and supporting data for the Secretariats review concerning annual Volume Guarantee buy-backs and the EOP Payment calculations and funds allocations.

9. Coordinating the formation and convening quarterly meetings of the Advisory Council.

10. Conducting ongoing analysis to identify problems, opportunities and lessons learned, and making recommendations to the Secretariat for solutions and steps forward.

11. Developing and proposing for the Secretariats review a Dispute Resolution Process as described in TOR and upon Secretariats approval, managing such disputes in accordance with the Dispute Resolution Process.

12. Overseeing the Pilot activities to identify and report to the Secretariat any potential inappropriate, unethical or fraudulent behavior or activities by the Pilot Implementers, verifier, and/or any other party in connection with the Pilot.

13. Managing Pilot outreach and communications. (See below for details)

14. **Liaising with relevant government entities, donor representatives, seed breeders, seed companies, and other sector-related stakeholders on a systemic and regular basis as needed in connection with the Pilot activities.

15. Tracking related projects in Uganda, and in the region if relevant, carried out by donors and other actors in the seed sector, and noting participation and support received by Pilot Implementers in other related projects and activities.

16. Gathering information from seed breeders, Implementers, the Verifier organization(s), and other stakeholders, and analyzing, and acting on information related to Pilot activities.

17. Periodically providing photos or written contributions for the AgResults website, blog, and/or social media, as applicable.

18. Maintaining an unbiased, facilitation role with regard to the Implementer seed companies. In order to ensure the integrity of the Pilot and the pull mechanism, it is important that the entire Pilot Manager team remains neutral and that Implementers and other stakeholders perceive them as such.

19. As determined by the Secretariat and/or the Steering Committee, performing any other role which would be useful for the Pilot Manager to perform, depending on the nature of the Pilot, provisions for implementing the Pilot and consistent with the agreed upon Scope of Work.

4.2 AgResults Pilot Manager TeamKey Personnel Roles and Responsibilities

The following are the roles and responsibilities of the three key personnel positions for the Pilot Manager Team. The key personnel are essential to the successful performance of the Pilot. All staff filling these key personnel positions are subject to approval by the AgResults Secretariat and may not be changed without the Secretariats prior written approval.

1. Team Leader

The Team Leader will be responsible for management of day-to-day Pilot activities and the quality delivery of the all the Pilot Manager Teams work. The Team Leader will ensure that all tasks and activities are performed timely, professionally, subject to appropriate review and approvals by the Secretariat, and that deliverables and other work products related to the Pilot will be clear, well thought out, complete and thoroughly checked for quality control.

Specifically, the Team Leaders responsibilities will include the following:

a. Develop an Annual Work Plan to be submitted to the Secretariat for review and approval consideration within 30 days of the new project year.

b. Monitor and ensure that the Pilot Work Plan is implemented.

c. Track, identify and inform the Secretariat in quarterly reports of all completed activities and propose necessary amendments at the end of each quarter.

d. Identify and proactively report to the Secretariat on potential opportunities or problems that could impact Pilot implementation or the reputation risk of the Pilot, AgResults, the Secretariat or any other AgResults entity. The Team Leader should employ critical thinking to troubleshoot solutions, and recommend appropriate solutions, responses and next steps to the Secretariat before taking action.

e. Coordinate the formation of and subsequent meetings of the Advisory Council.

f. Manage and oversee the Implementer application selection process.

g. Oversee program support and ancillary activities, including but not limited to the production, sales, and verification of certified varieties of legume seeds.

h. Communicate as needed with the verifier organization and testing lab(s), in coordination with the Verification Officer, and report regularly to the Secretariat (and upon approval from the Secretariat, to the Implementers).

i. Coordinate dispute resolution and fraud management processes.

j. Manage annual lessons-learned exercises and submit the summary of these exercises to the Secretariat on a yearly basis.

k. Ensure effective stakeholder engagement, public outreach and communications.

l. Ensure quality verbal and written reporting on Pilot operations as required.

m. Maintain neutrality in all aspects of the facilitation of the Pilot, including impartiality toward the Implementers, and eschew influence by any pre-existing personal or professional relationships that would create and actual or perceived bias or unfair advantage for an Implementer or other stakeholder.

n. Coordinate and provide support as needed to the Independent Evaluator (Abt Associates) to harmonize work plans and facilitate the Independent Evaluators work, in order to meet the objectives of its work along with those of the Pilot.

o. Ensure that Pilot deliverables are met on a timely basis and keep the Secretariat informed of all delays or changes to the timeline.

p. Other duties as assigned.

2. Verification Officer

The Verification Officer will be primarily responsible for overseeing all Pilot Verification activities that will be carried out by an external organization(s) contracted independently by the Secretariat. This is a full time job since verification will be occurring throughout the Pilot for both for regular (likely to be biannual) audits of companies reported seed sales as well as verification of unsold seeds for the determination of the Volume Guarantee.

The Verification Officer should be familiar with the legume seed production and sales process and will need to liaise and oversee very closely all verification tasks to ensure verification objectives are carried out with the utmost integrity. The Verification Officers role differs from that of a traditional monitoring and evaluation (M&E) role in a push development project. In a pull mechanism, all oversight of the Pilot and verification work is focused on verifying results and preventing and identifying fraudulent practices. This is particularly important, given the level of counterfeiting that occurs it the Ugandan seed sector.

Specifically, the Verification Officers responsibilities will include the following:

a. Serve as Acting Team Leader when the Team Leader is absent.

b. Liaise with the Independent Evaluator (Abt) as needed.

c. Collaborate with the Secretariat and Team Leader to assist in the development of a verification process, the Scope of Work for the Verifier, and collecting data on potential costs.

d. Assist the Secretariat and Team Leader with identifying Verifier candidates.

e. Oversee the work done by the organization hired for Pilot Verification services. Responsibilities may include spot checks of the following: fieldwork and data collection, data cleaning, data analysis and reporting. The Verification Officer may also develop, in collaboration with the Verifier, any necessary template for data collected from the Implementers.

f. Liaise with the Pilot Verifier to ensure consistency in work plans and reporting.

g. Support weekly, monthly and quarterly management reporting to the Secretariat.

h. Provide other operational support including administrative tasks, communications & reporting, outreach and research as may be required.

i. In collaboration with the Team Leader, liaise with project stakeholders including Advisory Council members, Implementers, the Pilot Verifier, and government officials.

3. Technical Advisor

The Technical Advisor will work part time alongside the Team Leader and provide technical advice on an as-needed basis for the Uganda Improved Legume Seeds Pilot.

The Technical Advisor will provide guidance on the legume seed production process, including growing and processing of seeds. The Technical Advisor will also help shape Pilot strategy and protocols, as well as technical and operational activities. In addition, the Technical Advisor will be responsible for liaising with specific program stakeholders, such as seed breeders and other projects working within the seed sector, in assessing opportunities and challenges in implementation. The Technical Advisors work, as outlined in the responsibilities below, will be commensurate with the level of effort (LOE) as specified in the budget approved by the Secretariat.

Specifically, the Technical Advisors responsibilities will include:

a. Support the Team Leader, Verification Officer, and the Secretariat to define, implement and adjust strategic, operational and action plans in order to achieve AgResults and Pilot objectives.

b. Participate in meetings as requested.

c. Assist with review of Implementer applications and oversight of seed company activities.

d. Support stakeholder relations in strategic aspects of the Pilot.

e. Provide, as needed, advice and support to the Advisory Council to assist in achieving the advisory service objectives of the Advisory Council on the Pilot, including but not limited to the assessment of potential new Implementer applications, and identification of any possible cheating or fraud by Implementers.

f. Assist in the preparation of annual work plans if needed.

g. Provide any other advisory services as may be requested by the Steering Committee, Secretariat and Pilot Manager team.

4.3. Pilot Manager Team Scope of Work Tasks

The following are the tasks that the Pilot Manager Team will perform on an ongoing basis throughout the Pilot, with the exception of 2) which details the Pilot Launch Responsibilities.

1) Annual Work Plan Development

a. Within 30 days of contract award and then subsequently 30 days before the beginning of every new contract year, the Pilot Manager will submit an annual work plan in MS Project to be implemented on a quarterly basis, for review and approval by the Secretariat.

b. The Work Plan shall be reviewed on a quarterly basis at the time of submission of the quarterly report. The Pilot Manager must include in the Quarterly Report any necessary requests for amendments to the Work Plan to reflect the actual implementation of the Pilot activities. Any adjustments will be discussed and agreed upon by the Secretariat and Pilot Manager, and will be subject to Secretariat approval to become effective. When there is a quarterly Work Plan amendment, it is the intention of the parties not to revise the fixed price and payment schedule associated with the originally agreed-upon applicable Work Plan. The Secretariat will review and process Work Plan amendment requests (indicating approval, rejection or request for modification) within a period of two weeks following receipt of the Quarterly Report with the requested amendment.

c. Should the Scope of Work significantly change, the Pilot Manager and Secretariat will discuss whether a budget and agreement modification is needed. Any budget modification is subject to AgResults Steering Committee approval.

2) Pilot Launch Responsibilities

Immediately following the start date of agreement, the Pilot Manager will have the following responsibilities.

a. The Pilot Manager will organize a public event to publicize the Pilot within 60 days of the start date of the agreement and assemble key program stakeholders to a Pilot Announcement Event.

b. Conduct two (2) outreach sessions with seed companies, following the Pilot Announcement Meeting, to raise awareness and generate interest in the Pilot.

c. Develop verification processes and assist the Secretariat in the procurement of the organization(s) to conduct verification. (See #7 below.)

d. Develop, in collaboration with the Secretariat, a Dispute Resolution Process. (See #6.)

e. Determining details of how to dispose of any seed that results from the seed buyback of the Volume Guarantee.

f. Draft and submit to the Secretariat Implementer selection criteria and an Implementer application process, including the Implementer Request for Applications and accompanying application.

g. Conduct outreach and Q&A meetings with seed companies to inform about the Pilot.

h. Form and convene the Advisory Council for one (1) initial orientation session as well as the first official Quarterly Advisory Council Meeting to solicit input from Council members on the Implementer selection and application processes. (See #4.)

i. Manage the Implementer application process including posting of the RFA, review of applications and solicitation of input from the Advisory Council, in collaboration with the Secretariat.

j. The Secretariat will take the lead on developing the Implementers agreement; however, once Implementers are selected by the Secretariat and Pilot Manager, convene a collective orientation meeting in Kampala for Implementers to go over all details of the Implementers agreement, including the Volume Guarantee and End-of-Pilot Payment, verification process, Dispute Resolution Process and other salient rules of engagement.

k. Hold additional meetings if and when necessary with individual seed companies to answer any additional questions and/or address any confusion or misunderstandings.

l. Conduct a Pilot Sales Launch Event with press, if appropriate, when the Pilot sales period begins.

3) Implementer Selection, Volume Guarantee Assessment and End-of-Pilot Grant Assessment

The Pilot Manager will be substantially involved and will have responsibilities in the Implementer identification, solicitation, selection, application, review, acceptance, and grant disbursement process.

Specifically, the Pilot Managers responsibilities will include:

a. Develop a Request for Applications (RFA) document, subject to Secretariat approval, to be shared with potential Implementers. The RFA will include the rules of engagement, including but not limited to acceptance eligibility criteria, application review criteria, dispute resolution process and the Deloitte anti-corruption certification.

b. Develop criteria for Implementer participation, subject to Secretariat approval, and review these requirements in order to adjust as needed throughout the life of the Pilot.

c. Oversee the RFA solicitation process including first review of applications; submission to the Secretariat for review and approval of formal responses; and communication to Implementers on issues of clarification.

d. Recommend to the Secretariat Implementers to be selected.

e. Upon approval from the Secretariat, oversee on behalf of the Secretariat the Implementer acceptance agreement issuance, signing, and annual renewal. (Note: for transparency and to avoid conflicts of interest, Implementers enter into an agreement with the Secretariat, not the Pilot Manager.)

f. Manage communications related to Implementer application acceptance, rejection, or, if needed, termination.

g. Amend or update the RFA, as needed, subject to approval of the Secretariat.

h. Following amendments or updates to the RFA, organize meetings with Implementers to provide updates of any changes in the program should changes occur.

i. Pronounce publicly the names of selected Implementers, if appropriate.

j. Determine payments due to Implementers for the annual Volume Guarantee and End-of-Pilot Payments, based on Verifier findings, and present this information to the Secretariat for approval.

4) Coordinate Formation of the Advisory Council and Convene Quarterly Meetings

The Pilot Manager shall coordinate the formation and subsequent quarterly regular meetings of the Pilot Advisory Council, and shall oversee the Advisory Council throughout the Pilot. The Advisory Council is not a decision-making body, but shall serve to provide input and advice about the progress of the Pilot toward achieving increased legume seed production and sales, on the general trends and practices affecting the seed sector in Uganda, and other implications related to the Pilots objectives.

Specifically, the Pilot Managers responsibilities include:

a. With approval from the Secretariat, identify organizations and persons to serve as part of the Advisory Council and coordinate formation of the Advisory Council, which may include representatives from the donor community, USTA, relevant government bodies, and seed breeders. Members of the Council may not receive any compensation for their services without prior written approval of the Secretariat.

b. Establish an appropriate and effective governance structure for the Advisory Council.

c. Convene quarterly Advisory Council meetings to seek advice from members or to update them on the pilot.

d. Facilitate quarterly Advisory Council meetings to endeavor that the Council provides meaningful input to the Pilot.

e. Solicit input and advice from the Advisory Council related to potential fraud or system gaming, and report all information to the Secretariat.

f. Take thorough minutes of each Advisory Council meeting and submit minutes to the Secretariat within two (2) weeks of each meeting, calling to the Secretariats attention any important points.

g. Ensure that council members sign Deloittes Anticorruption Compliance Certification.

h. Maintain Advisory Council membership over time, and review Advisory Council membership at least annually, in consultation with Secretariat, to replace members who are no longer interested in participating, have a conflict of interest, or may no longer be qualified to serve on the Council.

5) Ongoing Analysis to Identify Problems, Opportunities and Lessons Learned

As needed, the Pilot Manager will research and analyze information to inform decision-making, identify problems and opportunities, document lessons learned, and propose to the Secretariat solutions and ways forward.

Specifically, the Pilot Managers responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

a. Tracking seed sales, monitoring market trends, estimating total payment costs, and other factors that may impact the Pilot implementation, the VG, and/or the End-of-Pilot payments.

b. Identify potential problems and opportunities and to recommend appropriate solutions and responses to the Secretariat before taking action.

c. Conduct one (1) lessons-learned session per year with Implementers, and possibly other stakeholders as identified in advance in collaboration with the Secretariat, reflecting on experiences from the previous sales period, as well as over the lifetime of the Pilot. These sessions may include using data contributed by the Pilot Verifier.

d. Following the exercise, the Pilot Manager will submit a lessons learned report within two (2) weeks to the Secretariat for review.

6) Dispute Resolution and Fraud Management

Within a week of finalization of a verification process design, the Pilot Manager will work closely with the Secretariat and Pilot Verifier to design and administer a Dispute Resolution Process, subject to Secretariat approval, to use when disputes arise or any misconduct is suspected by the Implementer, Verifier, or other actor. The Secretariat will provide examples of Dispute Resolution Processes employed in other AgResults pilots.

Specifically, the Pilot Managers responsibilities include:

a. Develop a Dispute Resolution Process that is subject to review and approval by the Secretariat. The process will identify possible areas of dispute, the process for lodging disputes, limits of dispute and resolution mechanism, and any other aspect necessary. This process will include notification of all issues to the Secretariat and escalation of unresolved issues to the Secretariat for guidance or resolution.

b. Once approved by the Secretariat, communicate the dispute resolution mechanism to the Advisory Council and Implementers.

c. Inform the Secretariat of instances of potential suspected fraud, cheating, counterfeiting, gaming and/or potential or real disputes. The Pilot Manager must be thorough and proactive in identifying these activities, remain impartial with respect to all seed companies and other stakeholders, and fully enforce the rules of the Pilot.

d. The Pilot Manager shall implement workplace integrity policies and practices, as well as rigorous oversight of the Pilot to identify and mitigate all claims of fraud, gaming and/or fraudulent behavior.

7) Procurement Assistance and Oversight of the Pilot Verifier

The Secretariat will contract the Pilot Verifier; however, the Pilot Manager will be responsible for assisting the Secretariat in the procurement process and for oversight of all work done by the organization(s) hired to conduct Pilot Verification services. As described in the Terms of Reference, this is a significant component of the Pilot Managers work.

Specifically, the Pilot Managers responsibilities will include:

a. Assist the Secretariat in researching and developing the methodology for verification.

b. Support Secretariat identification and development of performance indicators.

c. Assist the Secretariat in the procurement of the Verifier, which may include communication with relevant organizations, assisting in developing the Scope of Work and Request for Proposals, and other related tasks.

d. In collaboration with the Verifier organization(s)., develop any necessary templates for data to be collected from the Implementers.

e. Oversight of all work done by the Verifier organization(s). The Verifier organization(s) will likely conduct biannual audits of seed sold and unsold for the purposes of verifying and calculating for the annual VG and for the rolling data collection for the end-of-pilot performance based grants.

Pilot Manager oversight of the Pilot Verifier organization(s) will likely include:

biannual spot checks of field visits conducted by the Verifier with Implementers at their offices, warehouses, and growing sites;

communications with the testing lab(s); and

spot checks of data collection, data cleaning, data analysis and reporting.

f. Maintain an up-to-date communication feedback mechanism with the Verifier and the Secretariat to ensure that problems, challenges, lessons learnt and other key information is reported in a timely fashion.

8) Stakeholder Engagement, Public Outreach and Communications

The Pilot Manager will be the front line organization establishing and maintaining AgResults visibility, stakeholder engagement and public communication; marketing and promoting the Pilot Project to potential Implementer companies; and maintaining a critical neutrality in the facilitation of the Pilot at all times. In accordance with AgResults media standards and policies, the Pilot Manager will serve as Pilot liaison to local media, value chain actors, and other local and international actors, always consulting the Secretariat in advance of public communications and following the AgResults branding guidelines.

With respect to any external communication, unless otherwise specifically authorized in writing by Deloitte Consulting, the Pilot Manager shall not use the name or brand of Deloitte Consulting in any communications. The Pilot Manager shall use AgResults marking and branding in accordance with the guidance that will be provided by the Secretariat upon agreement award and as updated during the term of the Pilot.

The Pilot Manager will have the following responsibilities related to Stakeholder Engagement, Public Outreach and Communications:

8.1 Implementer Engagement

a. Meet annually with each Implementer separately to update and renew Pilot agreements and terms of Volume Guarantee.

b. On a rolling basis, if needed (in the case of low Implementer application numbers), and in consultation with the Secretariat, identify and recommend to the Secretariat promotional activities to engage new Implementers. Publicity of the Pilot (goals, requirements and incentives) and the Implementers RFA should be done in a transparent and open manner, through appropriate advertising, media outreach, and/or through proactive networking in the Ugandan agribusiness community. Emphasis shall be given to women-owned businesses and womens organizations, if possible. Publicity is subject to approval of the Secretariat. The Pilot Manager will always inform the Secretariat in advance of all publicity activities in order to seek Secretariat feedback and approval.

c. Maintain communication with potential Implementers and provide them with all information necessary to determine whether they wish to participate in the Pilot.

d. Refer any and all important communications related to the Implementers to the Secretariat, keeping the Secretariat informed and apprised of important developments so that the Secretariat is able to effectively manage inquiries and reporting from and to the donors on the Steering Committee.

e. Liaise with potential Implementers, and other value chain participants, and create informal networking opportunities for Implementers. Note: the Pilot Manager shall act as a networking resource for Implementers only. Under no circumstance shall the Pilot Manager provide or coordinate technical assistance for Implementers.

8.2 Government Engagement

a. Meet as needed (at least twice a year) and when appropriate with Ugandan government officials who are responsible for issues related to issues AgResults is trying to address through the Pilot or with government-related institutions to maintain good relations and promote awareness and the Government support for the Pilot, always keeping the Secretariat informed in advance of meetings. This may include the Uganda National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry & Fisheries (MAAIF), and others. (These meetings are to be informative for the government no type of lobbying activities are required or permitted.

b. Coordinate with relevant government research entities, specifically including the bean, groundnut, and soybean seed breeders at NaCCRI, NaSSARI, and Makerere University, respectively. The Pilot Manager will share information about the Pilot with the seed breeders, inquire as needed about the availability of breeder seed in anticipation of seed company orders, and facilitate communication between breeders and Implementers.

8.3 Engagement with Donor Representatives and International Organizations

a. Meet as needed (at least twice a year) with international organizations active in related technical areas and in particular with the representatives of AgResults donors, always proposing such meetings and coordinating with the Secretariat in advance of the meetings so that the Secretariat may keep donor representatives on the Steering Committee informed and involved, to the extent the Steering Committee members wish. The purpose of these meetings is to keep the relevant stakeholders informed and updated on the Pilot progress and to maintain a working knowledge of other relevant donor-funded programs. The Pilot Manager shall report to the Secretariat following all meetings.

8.4 Monitoring and Knowledge Management of Programs and Opportunities

a. Maintain a tracker in Excel to identify and track current and future projects in the seed sector, to monitor their potential impact on the AgResults Pilot including but not limited to donor-funded work.

b. Share tracker regularly with the Secretariat.

c. When appropriate, upon discussion with the Secretariat, share equally in a neutral role, with the Implementers, information on resources available through other programs, opportunities, etc. that may assist them in achieving Pilot goals of increased legume seed sales.

8.5 Engagement with Other Stakeholders

a. Maintain active engagement with any other necessary stakeholders including, but not limited to, USAID Feed the Future programs, USTA activities, relevant donor-funded projects, industry associations and interest groups, agro-distributors, farmers groups, other projects working in the seed sector, and any others the Secretariat or Steering Committee members may request in order to identify challenges and opportunities, and to recommend to the Secretariat appropriate solutions and responses.

9) Reporting on Pilot Operations

The Pilot Manager will be in regular communication with the Secretariat on all aspects of the Pilot operations.

Specifically, the Pilot Managers responsibilities include:

a. Report immediately to the Secretariat any urgent issue or reputational risk related to the Pilot.

b. Report to the Secretariat in a timely fashion problems and opportunities identified in the Pilot and make recommendations for solutions and responses.

c. Be available for monthly All Team Meetings by phone with the Pilot Manager team and Secretariat; periodic site visits by the Secretariat, and any additional meetings as determined by the needs of the Pilot.

d. Prepare and submit to the Secretariat for review, within one (1) week, the minutes of All Team Meetings.

e. Maintain and submit to the Secretariat a Work Tracker to be updated on a weekly basis, or as needed and agreed upon with the Secretariat based on the level of activity in any particular phase of Pilot implementation.

f. Update the online AgResults PMC project management system operated by the Secretariat twice a month. This system contains only high-level tasks and is available for donor representatives on the Steering Committee, the Secretariat, and the Pilot Manager to view at any time.

g. Submit photos and brief reports of all events.

h. Submit a quarterly report to the Secretariat on project activities, using a template provided by the Secretariat, to include: Pilot implementation and operations; lessons learned; if available, Implementer activities and seed sales; any updates on Pilot indicators; any requests, with explanation, for needed work plan amendments; and a quarterly payment request using the one-page template provided by the Secretariat.

i. Submit an annual Lessons Learned Report to the Secretariat (see Section 5).

j. Submit a final report at the end of the Pilot after implementation is completed. Submission timing and requirements will be determined in coordination with the Secretariat.

k. As requested by the Secretariat, periodically provide photos or written contributions for the AgResults website, blog, and/or social media.

l. Submit any additional reports or information as may be required by the Secretariat or the Steering Committee.

10) Pilot Evaluator and Results Framework Support

The Pilot Manager will support Pilot Evaluator Abt Associates, as needed, during activities for the impact evaluation of the Pilot.

The Pilot Manager will also track data needed for the Results Framework as outlined by the Secretariat.

Specifically, the Pilot Managers responsibilities will include:

a. Participate in a presentation that the Evaluator will give to the Pilot Manager team during the initial 60 days of the Pilot Managers mobilization to provide further specificity about the impact evaluation and anticipated needs.

b. Liaise, support and collaborate closely with the Independent Evaluator. This will entail coordinating or facilitating meetings for the Pilot Evaluator with stakeholders, both in central locations and in the field. It will also involve sharing important information regarding the Pilot implementation.

c. Invite representatives of the Independent Evaluator to participate in significant events.

d. Coordinate or facilitate meetings for the Independent Evaluator with stakeholders, both in central locations and in the field.

e. Participate in a conference call every other month with the Pilot Evaluation team (or with greater or less frequency as needed) to discuss Pilot findings that may impact Pilot implementation and the Impact Evaluation. This may include: production cycles, harvest timing, Implementer applications, data collected from Implementers, the Pilot timelines, Implementer agreements, etc. Information about external factors that may influence impact and attribution is also particularly important. The Independent Evaluator treats every piece of information with the utmost confidentiality and is bound by agreement to maintain confidentiality of every data sources.

f. Provide important information in a real-time fashion to the Independent Evaluator, copying the Secretariat.

g. Support in the initial six months of the Pilot, and later if needed, identification and development of the indicators for the Pilot Results Framework, in concert with the Secretariat and in collaboration and consultation with the Steering Committee, Independent Evaluator, and Verifier.

h. Track and report to the Secretariat, data collected by the Verifier for the indicators in the Results Framework.

4.4. Pilot Manager Deliverables

The Pilot Manager Team will be responsible for the following deliverables:

a. An Annual Work Plan in MS Project, which will be reviewed and amended quarterly as needed.

b. Biweekly updates to the online AgResults PMC project management system.

c. A detailed Work Tracker submitted weekly or as needed and agreed upon with the Secretariat.

d. Quarterly reports for every year of the agreement with Work Plan amendment requests and justification if needed.

e. Quarterly Advisory Council meeting notes, within two weeks following the meetings.

f. Monthly All Team meeting notes, within one week following the meetings.

g. One Lessons Learned report following each annual lessons learned exercise.

h. One final report at the end of the agreement after implementation is completed.

i. Photos and brief reports of all events

j. Periodic contributions to Secretariat biannual reporting in January and July.

k. Periodic photos or written contributions for the AgResults website, blog, and/or social media.

l. Develop and maintain a data library including but not limited to: maintenance of all project documents and key communication, Implementer application and review documents and process, Implementer sales records, verification results and reports, and Volume Guarantee and End-of-Pilot Payment tracking and management..

5. Proposal Requirements

5.1 Technical Proposal

Offerors are required to address the four components below, to limit their response to fifteen (15) pages, and to provide additional materials, such as CVs, in separate annexes. The separate annexes will not count towards the 15-page limit.

5.1.1 Corporate Capability and Past Experience

A) The Offeror shall provide a statement of corporate capabilities and five (5) examples of current or past performance activities similar or relevant in nature to the efforts identified in the Statement of Work in this RFP either in Uganda or the surrounding region.

Please provide a description of the services, name(s), e-mail addresses, and phone numbers of the client(s)/customer(s) to whom the services were provided, dates and periods during which the indicated services were provided, and the extent and nature of services provided. (The Offeror consents to the AgResults Secretariat contacting and verifying these references at its discretion.)

B) The Offeror shall also provide a list of relevant ongoing and past projects or activities, with budget amounts, duration and total level of effort provided for the past ten (10) years or more if relevant.

C) The Offeror shall provide the location of the organizations current functioning office locations and existing presence throughout Ugandas regions.

D) The Offer shall provide documentation of current permission to operate in Uganda and a list of any existing Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with the Government of Uganda, noting the start and end dates of the MOUs and identifying the countersigned ministry.

5.1.2 Personnel

The Offeror should provide the information indicated below about the proposed staffing and management structure required for executing the Pilot Manager activities. All key personnel should be indicated in the Proposal and their commitment confirmed (future substitution of such personnel will be subject to the Secretariats written approval). The Secretariat or its designee reserves the right to interview the Team Leader and other individuals as part of the selection process.

5.1.2.1 Key Personnel Position Requirements

A) Team Leader

The Offeror must propose a full time Team Leader responsible for delivery of the work indicated in the Scope of Work. The Proposal should include a letter of commitment signed by the proposed Team Leader and a detailed CV as an annex, as well as a summary description and/or substantiation documents in the Proposal of the individuals qualifications as they relate to a) the Statement of Work in this RFP and b) the following requirements, capabilities and characteristics:

1. A minimum of five to seven years of experience managing international donor-funded projects, with experience in Uganda preferred, and experience managing a small team with a high level of cross-cutting responsibilities.

2. A Bachelors degree in agriculture, economics, business, international development, or a related field. Masters degree preferred.

3. Proven agricultural expertise and understanding of the se