Deadline: 9-Apr-23
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is launching Call for Proposals to help the government implement its national nutrition priorities, GAIN, in partnership with key stakeholders, will support the development of the Scaling Up Nutrition Business Network (SBN) in Benin.
The creation of SBN Benin will build on the government’s commitment to the Scaling Up Nutrition movement, which it joined in 2011. The SBN will complement existing SUN networks, such as the SUN Civil Society Network, and collaborate with these.
Objectives and results of this council
GAIN is seeking to engage a short-term consultant to carry out the following activities, which are crucial for the launch of SBN Benin:
- In line with relevant national nutrition priorities, consult with relevant national stakeholders, including the Government of Benin, to develop the Benin SBN Strategy (2024-2030).
- Develop a 3-year implementation plan (2024 – 2026) that accompanies the operationalization of the SBN Benin strategy and also includes an action plan that defines how the SBN can engage women and youth.
- Validate the draft SBN Benin strategy and implementation plan with the government, potential SBN members, SUN networks and other stakeholders.
- Based on the strategic pillars of the SBN Benin strategy, create a database of potential SBN members.
Scope of Work
With input from the SBN Global Secretariat and relevant national stakeholders, lead the development of a multi-year high-level network strategy (2024-2030) and three-year high-level implementation for SBN in Benin (2024 -2026). The following core activities will be carried out through stakeholder interviews and desk research:
- Policy Alignment and Strategy Development
- Assess existing national SBN strategies in the region to identify the best ones practices and guidelines for the establishment of SBN in Benin.
- Establish priorities in strategic documents, action plans and policies of the government where the private sector could play a key role in strengthening the implementation of existing policies through its core business activities.
- Identify key business and system enabling environment challenges that prevent or could prevent private sector companies from investing in products and services that advance nutrition. This requires prioritizing key sectors or industries with high potential for largescale impact on nutrition outcomes and identifying existing interventions that can be scaled up.
- Identify nutrition-focused actions currently being undertaken by the private sector in priority areas and those that have the potential to be scaled up to significantly expand their reach.
- Determine the priority areas of the strategy (e.g. food fortification, food consumer awareness, demand creation, etc.) while addressing pressing issues of climate change adaptation, resilience of agribusinesses and economic empowerment of women and youth.
- Planning and Implementation
- Describe how the membership platform would be established and the potential workflows that could be implemented to support the SBN strategy.
- Propose the most effective means for the SBN to dialogue and work in coordination with businesses, networks and donor-supported programs identified in the mapping exercise that are achieving good nutrition outcomes.
- Based on SBN’s comprehensive youth and women’s empowerment strategy, define an action plan for the economic emancipation of young people and women through the creation of SBN Benin.
- Identify potential SBN partners and their priorities, including key donors and foundations working in Benin.
- Propose how the SBN could engage businesses in sectors/industries that have been identified as having high potential for impact in improving nutrition.
- Develop a database of potential SBN members (SMEs and FSPs) with name, location, national coverage, services offered of each of them, as well as the link with the implementation of relevant government policies/priorities.
- Define the types of nutrition commitments that potential member companies can take on the basis of the strategic pillars and the local context, and describe the support that the network can provide to help them meet these commitments.
- Propose priority options for the review of resource requirements and long-term viability of the network.
- Drawing on the national results framework of the SBN, formulate a monitoring plan for the activities of the network.
Activities
SBN Benin will be established to raise awareness among private sector actors of the role they have to play in the fight against malnutrition, with the objective of increasing the availability and affordability of healthy and nutritious food in Benin, through the following key activities:
- Meeting and organization of companies to support the implementation of policies related to the nutrition.
- Assessing the challenges and opportunities companies face in scaling up their actions and investments in the field of nutrition.
- Facilitation of partnerships at the national and global level to help national companies overcome obstacles such as political constraints and access to finance and markets.
- Advocate for a more conducive environment for business action in the field of nutrition.
Once operational, the SBN will include a diverse set of businesses supporting nutritious food value chains, including Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Private Service Providers (PSPs) that are currently contracted or eligible. to provide services to the government.
Deliverables
The organization under contract will have to carry out and present the following services in accordance with the indicative timetable. A detailed program of deadlines and payments will be agreed with the consultant before signing the contract.
- Inception report describing the action plan and timeline for the completion of the consultancy assignment: April 30, 2023
- Present a draft strategy and implementation plan for the SBN: July 15, 2023
- Organize a workshop to present the draft SBN strategy (2024-2030) and the threeyear implementation plan (2024-2026) to key stakeholders: August 31, 2023
- Present the final SBN strategy (2024-2030) and three-year implementation plan (2024-2026) which also includes an action plan outlining how the SBN can engage women and youth: September 15, 2023
- Present a database of potential SBN members, including SMEs and PSPs. The database should include the names of potential members, their location, country coverage, services offered and link to relevant government policy/priority: September 15, 2023
All deliverables must be presented in English and French.
Eligibility Criteria
- GAIN invites organizations with the following experience and skills to respond to this Call for Proposals (RFP):
- Demonstrated ability to conduct policy evaluations related to nutrition and development private sector in the context of Benin’s food systems.
- Good knowledge of legislation on nutrition, food systems and the private sector in the Benin, including relevant global documentation.
- Thorough understanding of the local Benin context, with a good understanding of the sector private sector, particularly within the food system.
- Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
- Have authorization to work in Benin.
- Excellent writing and analytical skills as well as oral communication in English and French.
- Team Leader
- The team leader should hold a master’s degree in development studies, public policy, economics or a related field, and have at least 10 years of experience in managing similar assignments. He/she must have completed at least two high quality exercises during this period. The team leader must be fluent in French and have a good level of English.
- Global Team
- The team must be multidisciplinary, composed of experts in regulations and public policies, as well as experts in public policies related to the private sector and food systems, food production value chains, nutrition / public health, to the agrarian sector, and with proven experience in conducting similar assessments.
- Each member must have at least 5 to 7 years of experience in their respective field (CV required).
- Excellent interpersonal skills required for high-level engagement with government departments and other actors.
- Excellent analytical, report writing and communication skills in English and French.
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills.
- Proven ability to work to tight deadlines in the preparation of proven quality documents.
For more information, visit GAIN.