Expressions of Interest (EoI)

Terms of Reference (ToR) for Conducting a Comprehensive Needs/GAP Assessment in Collaboration with the Department of Agricultural Extension and the District Administration

 Background and Introducing the Project

Cox's Bazar is one of Bangladesh's poorest and most vulnerable districts, with undernutrition and food insecurity at crisis levels, poverty and well above the national average. Cox's Bazar is also home to one of the world's most protracted refugee situations and is home to over 1.5 million Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN) from the Rohingya ethnic minority.

78.5% of Cox’s Bazar is rural, and most communities live in remote areas (World Bank, 11/2016). The district also has poor food security and nutritional status, with most of the population relying on daily wages, while government social safety nets are inadequate (District Development Plan for Cox’s Bazar - Phase 1, 12/2019). Like other coastal districts in Bangladesh, the frequency of natural disasters and the impact of climate change hinders significant development progress.

Agriculture is a major economic driver, and it provides livelihoods for approximately half of the district population. The key challenges include: (1) market linkages remain under-developed and infrastructure connections for transport need repair and or development; (2) limited access to water is a constraint for many farmers; (3) mechanization programs, which can drastically cut losses, have not yet reached many areas of the district; and (4) irregular access to information communication technologies (ICT).

Seasonal disasters (cyclones, storm surges, landslides, etc.) and climate variables are also impacting agricultural production (e.g., salinity intrusion, heavy rainfall, fluctuation of temperatures, water level depletion, lack of water supplies, etc.)

Demographic changes in the region, the Rohingya influx, and sustained COVID-19 restrictions have coincided to depress the incomes of 76 percent of daily wage earners. Besides, the prevalence of poverty and extreme poverty in Cox's Bazar is estimated to be 52% and 33% respectively as compared to the national average of 40% and 25%.  Acute undernutrition in Cox's Bazar is widespread, with the prevalence of global acute malnutrition (GAM) among children aged 6-59 months is estimated to be around 20 per cent (compared to the national average of 16 per cent). In absolute terms, the prevalence of GAM and stunting in Cox's Bazar is above ‘crisis' thresholds. 

Specific background to the assignment

Pre-existing vulnerabilities in this region, compounded by the Rohingya influx, COVID-19, and increasing climate risks, pose significant challenges to agricultural outputs and sustainable food security.

Lack of proper irrigation facilities also hampering the crops production. Due to the uneven terrain of various parts of the district, the water management system is not efficiently functional among the population. Water access and food security for the population need to be prioritized for socioeconomic development.

The importance of infrastructure that supports agricultural activities is well recognized particularly when it comes to raising agricultural productivity (e.g., irrigation channels; feeder/ access roads; bridges; etc.).

WFP intends to improve agricultural infrastructure under Food Assistance for Assets (FFA) programme.

The overall programme goal is to make Cox’s Bazar’s agricultural sector more productive and sustainable, and to contribute to sustainable food security and poverty reduction.

The specific objectives of the project are to enhance productivity, improve farmers’ access to markets, and increase incomes through investments in agriculture infrastructure and their sustainable management by well-mobilized communities.

Objectives of the assignment

The overall objective of the assignment is to conduct a comprehensive need/gap analysis for the district to identify priority/critical agricultural infrastructure opportunities/ need/ gap in farming communities Cox’s Bazar, such as roads, irrigation/drainage systems, and alternative energy solutions, to help sustainably reduce poverty and hunger.

The specific objectives of the assignment are:

• Identify policy and service-related gaps around agricultural infrastructure improvement in consultation with both demand and supply side.
• Assess the competitiveness of the agriculture sector in Cox’s Bazar, necessary conditions need to be identified and collectively adopted including appropriate agriculture infrastructures.
• Assess the existing agriculture infrastructure system of potential/ selected agriculture commodities and identify barriers and opportunities considering market dynamics, seasonality, smallholder participation, and climate change impacts.
• Identify the reality of meaningful participation of people at risks i.e., women, men, transgender, elderly people, and persons with disabilities on agricultural improvement initiatives and their access to relevant services.

Scope of the work:

Local administration and government included DC office, Line Department e.g., DRRO, PIO, DAE, DoF & DLS, LGED, UNO, Upazila and Union Parishad, beneficiaries including farmers and market actors, relevant UN agencies and I/NGOs

Selection Criteria:

The selection committee will evaluate both the technical and financial proposal of the Consulting agencies/ consultant based on set out evaluation criteria as follows. A cumulative weighted scoring method will be applied to evaluate the proposal. The award of the contract will be made to the Consulting firm/ consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as responsive/ compliant/ acceptable with reference to this TOR.

• The following areas will serve as criteria for technical proposal (100 marks) assessment: Previous experience regarding similar work (30 marks) Education background/Team Composition and relevance to project outcomes (20 marks)
• Time-bound rollout plan (20 marks)
• Financial proposal (30 marks)

Expressions of Interest should include:

• Cover letter (maximum one page)
• Technical Proposal (maximum 5 pages)
• Financial Proposal (maximum one page)

How to apply:

Please read the details terms of reference as given below. Interested companies/firms are requested to submit their technical proposal and financial proposal along with TIN certificate/VAT registration (if application), and one sample of previous work related to this assignment on or before November 30, 2021, via email: Bangladesh-jobs@christian-aid.org  with the subject line –  ‘’ Conducting a Comprehensive Needs/GAP Assessment in Collaboration with the Department of Agricultural Extension and the District Administration’’

Please click here for detail Term of Reference