Request for Proposal (RFP)
Baseline Study for the "Making Markets Work for the Last Mile (M4L) Project - Phase II", Jamalpur

1. Background and Rationale

1.1 About PARI Development Trust:

PARI (Participatory Action for Rural Innovation), is headquartered in Mymensingh and in 2000, a trustee board was formed with the participation of different professionals such as lawyer, health expertise, educationist, business person and those with development expertise to oversee fully and legally all operations of the PARI program. PARI Development Trust obtained registration as a local NGO from the NGO Affairs Bureau in February 18, 2003. PARI Development Trust started its journey in the name of SWOSHIKA (swonirborata O shikhya karjokram) in 1986 in Jamalpur (180 Kilometers from capital city Dhaka) as a project of CRWRC (Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, Bangladesh, presently Known as World Renew- Bangladesh. This SWOSHIKA took on a new name “Participatory Action for Rural Innovation” (PARI) and in the same year it expanded its activities in another district Netrokona. In bangla language PARI means “I can”, “We can” or “We are able to” which indicates the positive attitudes and self-confidence of those people involved with the organization. From its beginning, PARI as an organization began its journey and simultaneous with self-help education initiatives to build community confidence and collective strength. It then expands into leadership development, DRR, health, and livelihood support to strengthen resilience and wellbeing. Next, income generation and integrated community development become central to improving living conditions. The focus later shifts toward market systems development and value chain strengthening for sustainable impact. Finally, the organization adopts blended approaches combining value chain and enterprise development for long-term growth.

1.2 M4L Phase -2 Background:

Transform Aid International (TAI),  Australia & Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Australia  realized the need to target the pockets of poverty and social safeguard, M4L Phase 1 has become successful in finding out sustaining solutions to the social and economic barriers or challenges of developing win-win eco-system in markets include high risks and transaction costs of accessing products and services for private businesses and best uses of resources of the last mile participants M4L applied varied coordination models with private and public sector to bring about this  positive changes in communities. M4L interventions integrated disaster risk reduction (DRR), Environment betterment, as well as women’s & PwDs economic and social empowerment. In Phase I, M4L covered over 28 last mile villages (only 30% of the villages in the 4 unions of Jamalpur sadar reaching around last mile 9,000 households (about one third of the households of the intervention area and one twelve of total households in the same Upazilla that has 15 unions in total. The portfolio of the project included vegetable and goat sectors plus suitable financial services as cross-cutting interventions, aiming for an overall systemic change for the Last mile community.

However, considering locations’ population and geographic coverage there is still huge scope and need for M4L to expand and deepen its impact. M4L’s sustaining coordination with key market and non-market private and public sector actors in the current phase have created a momentum of realizing larger opportunities that can be further fostered with M4L support.

M4L Project (Phase -2) will adopt a two-pronged approach that integrates the Last Mile Markets for the Poor (LM4P) framework with Lift and Reach strategies, and is further reinforced through the promotion of inclusive Social Enterprise models.

1.3 M4L Phase 2 Approach:

The project will continue working with existing vegetable and goat farmers, collection points (CPs) and market actors in the same Upazilas. Existing farmers & new farmers, CPMC Collection Point Management committees, retailers and service providers will lead planning, implementation and monitoring. New sectors for example maize, mustard, and services (transport, processing, ) will be added based on assessment. Phase-2 coverage will prioritize 6 unions of Jamalpur Sadar, with scope to expand gradually. The project follows the LM4P (Last Mile Markets for the Poor) approach with Lift and Reach strategies. Farmers will be “lifted” through training, market linkages and awareness. Public and private actors will be encouraged to “reach” communities with products, technology’s, services and investments. Social enterprises will be promoted across crop and livestock (Goat) value chains. New business hubs beyond traditional CPs will be identified and developed. Inclusive enterprises will engage youth, women and persons with disabilities (PWDs). Participant groups will be formed to build leadership and enterprise capacity. Youth will be integrated into all activities for sustainability. Government departments and private sector actors will provide training, policy support and coordination. Financial institutes, NGOs especially MFIs will support financing and enterprise development. Private entrepreneurs will contribute to value-added processing and marketing. CT and start-up firms will introduce digital solutions, traceability and advisory services. Digital innovations will be refined in Year-1 based on sector assessment. Overall, the approach builds an inclusive, market-driven and sustainable ecosystem.

1.4 Major Intervention Strategies:
Major intervention strategies include:

  1. Continue supporting & formation of producer groups, Collection Points, Social Enterprise development on the last mile community etc. depending on the specific last mile context to establish the required knowledge, skills, trust, social and economic relationship between last mile community and relevant service providers and market actors;
  2. Coordinating with lead firms (local/national) and government departments to create win-win eco-system with respect to addressing wider systemic constraints relevant for last mile participants in the selected sectors including DRR, Climate Changes & GEDSI.
  3. Community members (especially the youth and female) trained and supported on business and job development

1.5 Rational: Phase II's strategic shift moves from an aid-driven to an investment driven model, centering on the transformation of Collection Points (CPs) into financially viable, replicable Social Enterprises. The project will expand its reach to 5,000 households (3,000 existing and 2,000 new) across 6 Unions, with an intensified focus on inclusion (women, youth, Persons with Disabilities - PwDs), climate resilience, and digital integration.

A robust baseline study is essential to establish a reliable benchmark against which the project's progress and impact can be measured. This study will quantify the starting points for all indicators in the project's Logical Framework and provide a deep, qualitative understanding of the current context, particularly regarding the potential for Social Enterprise development.

2. Objectives of the Baseline Study

The primary objective is to establish a quantitative and qualitative benchmark for all outcome and output level indicators in the M4L Phase II Logical Framework.

Specific objectives include:

  1. To measure baseline values for all outcome and output indicators related to agricultural income, production, access to services, inclusion, and climate resilience.
  2. To profile the socio-economic status of the 5,000 target households (including the 3,000 from Phase I and the 2,000 new households), disaggregated by gender, youth, and PwD status.
  3. To evaluate project participants’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP).
  4. To measure in production cost, sales/revenue, profit, and income of project participants current or baseline status.
  5. To assess the current state and readiness of Collection Points (CPs) for transformation into Social Enterprises, including their governance, financial management, business diversification potential, financial literacy and business maturity and leadership inclusivity.
  6. To evaluate the current access and use of financial services (credit, insurance), business development services, digital market information, and climate-resilient practices among the target communities.
  7. To analyze the initial levels of empowerment, inclusion, and leadership of women, youth, and PwDs in household decision-making, community structures, and market systems.
  8. To provide actionable recommendations to inform the detailed implementation planning of Phase II, ensuring strategies are evidence-based and contextually appropriate.

3. Scope of Work

The consultant/consulting firm will be responsible for the following:

  • Desk Review: Comprehensive review of key project documents and secondary data, including:
    • M4L Phase II Proposal and Rationale
    • M4L Phase II Logical Framework (Provided)
    • Review and validation of the Logical Framework, including recommendations for updated or additional indicators where required.
    • M4L Phase I Endline Evaluation Report
    • Relevant national policies on agriculture, crop-specific national production standards, social enterprise, financial records of CP, GEDSI, climate change and DRR.
  • Questionnaire & Tool Development: Design and finalize a structured household survey (for quantitative data), Key Informant Interview (KII) guides, In-Depth Interview (IDI) guieds, and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) guides (for qualitative data) including issue(s)/thematic areas (for example, enterprise-readiness assessment tool for CPs, new business demand like goat meat value chain, organic compost, food processing etc.). All tools must be translated into Bengali and pre-tested.
  • Data Collection:
    • Conduct a household survey with a statistically significant sample of the 5,000 target households, ensuring representation from existing beneficiaries, new beneficiaries, women-headed households, youth, and PwDs.
    • Conduct FGDs separately with male and female farmers, youth, Collection Point Management Committee (CPMC) and PwDs to explore qualitative themes like empowerment, social norms, and perceived barriers.
    • Conduct KIIs with key stakeholders, including:
      • Collection Point (CP) management committee members
      • PARI M4L project staff
      • Local Government Representatives (Union Parishad)
      • Private sector actors (input retailers, traders, agro-processors, MFIs, Livestock Service Providers (LSP)) and other relevant value chain service providers
      • Officials from Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and Department of Livestock Services (DLS).
  • Data Analysis: Perform both quantitative (using statistical software like SPSS/Stata/R) and qualitative (thematic analysis) data analysis. All data must be rigorously disaggregated by gender, age, disability, and beneficiary status (existing vs. new) and comparative analysis of baseline between phase-1 and phase-2 (where applicable).
  • Reporting: Produce a comprehensive baseline report and a summary presentation.

 So, individual consultant/s is/are requested to submit a technical proposal and a financial proposal with other necessary documents by 07th March 2026 to pdtrecruitment62@gmail.com the subject line: “Baseline Study for the ‘Making Markets Works for Last Mile (M4L) Phase-II, Jamalpur.”

Starting and Ending Time: March 15, 2026 to May 03, 2026.

Click here to download the ToR.