TIF - Agro-food Processing Sector Expert

The USAID-funded Trade and Investment Facilitation (TIF) project purpose is to facilitate export of Lebanese goods and services to generate foreign exchange through investments that simultaneously promote job creation, income generation, and improved livelihoods throughout the country.

TIF has three objectives:

1) increased exports of Lebanese goods and services,

2) investment facilitation leading to increased domestic investment, and

3) improved business and investment enabling environment.

The TIF conducted sector analysis, which resulted into identifying TIF priority sectors and each sector’s main challenges, opportunities and potential areas of interventions related to the growth of each one of them.

In March 2021, TIF launched its Call for Partnership Annual Program Statement (APS), which was broadly published across Lebanon to submit development plans.  Additionally, key stakeholders in each of TIF priority sectors were invited to sector webinars and introducing them to TIF’s APS.

As a next step leading to acheive TIF’s objectives, the workshops and co-creation activities for approved development plans have started, in partnerships with the private sector. These activities will result into a sector strategy supporting TIF’s priority sectors.

Tasks

The tasks of this assignment is to engage technical experts to support the TIF’s team, in each of the following sector related activities:

1. Co-creation activities

Estimated session times for each co-creation: 2 - 6 Days/ development plan, based on the support required (30 days in total).

1. To technically assist in the validation of the proposed development plans
2. To  provide technical guidance on implementation and sequence during the co-creation phase following the devised methodology by the TIF team, taking into consideration any of the following objectives:

• To diversify and expand market access for both existing, and new products and services.
• Improve the potential capacity to expand locally, regionally and internationally while diversifying their offerings.  
• To strengthen the agro-food processing sector access to markets through trade support institutions, focusing on the short, medium and long term growth.

1. Workshop discussions

Estimated work for each workshop: 4 days (16 days for 4 workshops)

1. Assist in organizing, finalizing an agenda,and identifying and selecting stakeholders from TIF’s sector analysis and an analysis of TIF APS submissions.
2. Moderate discussions with key stakeholders identified to generate a strategic list of selected policy reforms.
3. Secure stakeholders endorsement and advocacy on each of the selected sector priorities policy reforms, eventually leading to a potential national strategy and a road map for each of the sectors.
4. Write a final report on the process and outcomes of each workshop.

1. TIF will develop a sector strategy or selected subsector strategy based on the outcomes of the sector workshops and analysis of TIF APS submissions focusing on needed awareness activities.

Estimated days: 15

1. 1. Strategy for each sector or subsector selected based on creating competitivness, sustainability  and exports.
   2. Implementation methodologies.
   3. Provide the MEL team with assistance to establish the baseline value of TIF selected sectors.

Location of Assignment

       The location of this assignment is across Lebanon.

Level of Effort and Period of Performance

       Estimated 61 days from May 2021 until September 2022

Deliverables

1. Task 1: the co-creation activities

Written recommendations for each development plan, reviewed.

1. Task 2: Workshop dicussions

A final report per workshop including the process and outcomes.

1. Task 3: Develop Sector Strategy if requested by stakeholders

A final sector strategy validated by the key stakeholders

Reporting and Supervision

The consultant will take direction from TIF DCOP and in collaboration with TIF Business Development Lead and Legal and Regulatory Policy Manager to develop and organize the implementation of each task.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in management, business, finance, or other relevant field.
• At least 12 years of professional experience in the tourism and hospitality sector or related field.
• Demonstrated professional experience creating, reviewing, analyzing business plans. 
• Demonstrated business acumen and strategizing.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and ability to liaise with diverse stakeholder groups.
• Strong communication skills - both written and oral – in English and Arabic.