1. Background
The ILO, with funding from Germany through KfW Development Bank, is implementing the Lebanon Employment Intensive Infrastructure Programme (EIIP) as part of its response to the Syrian refugee crisis to create decent jobs for vulnerable Lebanese host community members and Syrian refugees and ease the strain on local infrastructure. The COVID-19 outbreak in combination with the economic crisis has impacted heavily the critical agro-food supply chain. The proposed intervention will support local farmers to reclaim land that has been unproductive and to increase yields, while at the same time generating short-term job opportunities for vulnerable Lebanese families and Syrian refugees.
2. Objective
ILO will engage an Implementing Partner (hereinafter referred to as “the IP”) to design and supervise agricultural infrastructure activities under the Employment Intensive Infrastructure Programme (EIIP)1 to “generate employment and enhance agriculture productivity through construction and rehabilitation of farm infrastructure” here inafter referred to as the “Project”. The work will be carried out in close collaboration with Green Plan2.
The proposed collaboration between ILO and Green Plan responds to the reduced livelihood and food security levels resulted from the Syrian crisis, the economic downturn and the COVID19 pandemic, and tackles its negative impact on the host communities, through the support to the agriculture infrastructure development in small mountainous exploitations, thus improving the agricultural productivity and the farmer's income in addition to the creation of employment opportunities for both host communities and displaced Syrians. It will secure soil and water conservation where natural resources are subject to overexploitation and degradation.
The project meets with the Strategy of the Ministry of Agriculture priorities through improving food security, rural development, and sustainable natural resource management, and the strategy of the Green Plan to assist poor farmers in deploying agriculture infrastructure.
Objectives
The two immediate Project Objectives are to:
1) Enhance agricultural production and improve the livelihoods of small and medium farmer communities through land reclamation and water shed management.
2) Create job opportunities3 in the agriculture sector.
The project will create new employment and income opportunities at different levels:
Approach
Two types of agriculture infrastructure activities are foreseen under this collaboration
(1) Interventions with single farmers, in one to three clusters in each of the eight regions of the GP, targeting 400 small-scale farms (maximum of 16 clusters). Budget allocated to this activity is USD 2.4 million, with at least 35% earmarked for wages.
(2) Rehabilitation of two watersheds at Bekaa North: Ras Baalbak watershed and Wadi al Al Karm - Wadi al Dabour (Hermel /Assi) by the Installation of hafeers, stone check dams, and gabions to reduce the flash flood. Budget allocated to this activity is USD 1.5 million, with at least 35% earmarked for wages.
Beneficiary farmers clusters under (1) will be identified by Green Plan database based on criteria developed by the ILO in consultation with Green Plan.
The IP will develop project designs both for individual farmers and for the proposed work on the two watersheds, in coordination with ILO and Green Plan. ILO will procure contractors for the actual works through competitive tendering process. The IP will supervise the works under the overall guidance of the ILO and in coordination with Green Plan regional staff. The work process and timeline is included in Annex 1 to this MoU.
3. Scope of work for the IP
The IP will have to cooperate with Green Plan in the implementation of the Project and adopt the ILO EIIP approach, with the aim to generate employment opportunities and improve livelihoods for farmers through development of sustainable farm infrastructure using cost effective local resource based technology and principles of decent work.
Activities for the IP include:
The IP will propose an engagement mechanism for the collaboration with Green Plan, which will utilize Green Plan capacity to the maximum extent possible, including coordination at central level and technical support at regional level. See also Annex 1.
The IP will physically visit and verify each applicant and collect further socio-economic data to confirm they meet the criteria and the final scope of work. The visit will reconfirm activities that can be included for each farmer. Each identified farmer will be entitled to an investment of up to a maximum of USD 6,000 (all costs included).
The IP will in coordination with Green Plan identify scope of works within the two watersheds that can be undertaken through the project.
The IP will be responsible for technical design, specifications and BoQ’s for identified works (for private farms and watershed management works). This will be done in coordination with Green Plan where necessary.
For farms (400): Designs would be rather simple and standardized for the farm infrastructure including small concrete water tanks, retaining walls and irrigation channels, etc.
For watersheds (2): Interventions would be relatively simple and labour intensive, including contour stone walls, check dams, vegetation barriers, and potentially small earth dams etc. The main principle of flood risk management is to lower the peak flow rate of runoff water in the watershed. (Design should be done in coordination with Green Plan who have studied the watersheds and can provide technical input to the design, and facilitate any necessary licences).
The IP will recommend to the ILO implementation and engagement modality for the work on private farms, e.g. through private contractors or local NGOs etc. (work on the two watersheds will be contracted to private contractors trained by the ILO).
ILO will based on this recommendation and technical input prepared by the IP prepare tender documents for the works. ILO will tender and award works to contractors or NGOs trained in labour-based technology (tenders will be packaged by District for the farm works and additional tenders for the watershed management activities)
The IP will coordinate with Green Plan any necessary inter-ministerial coordination and will ensure all necessary licenses have been obtained ahead of works.
The IP will be responsible for works supervision, in coordination with Green Plan and under the overall guidance of the ILO. (see 5 below).
4. IP Works Supervisory Tasks
5. Proposed Input Activity Estimated no of days
Activity: Visit all 400 farmers to confirm scope of work and prepare reports to ILO incl. proposed intervention by farm and standard designs: 8 field staff
Estimated no of days: 8 field staff x 1 month = 8 w/m
Activity: Design of intervention for two watersheds
Estimated no of days: 2 tech staff x 1 month = 2 w/m
Activity: Supervision: 8 supervisors for farm works and 2 supervisors for watersheds
Estimated no of days: 10 field staff x 12 months = 120 w/m
Activity: Operations and overhead
Estimated no of days: 15-20%
6. Main Deliverables (to be detailed in the budget)
Collaboration or coordination mechanism with Green Plan
Confirmed selection of farmers (based on lists from Green Plan and criteria provided by ILO)
Design, specifications and quantities for farm infrastructure (400 farmers) and recommended implementation strategy
Design, specifications and quantities for watersheds (2 watersheds)
Input during procurement process (pre-bid meetings)
Monthly supervision monitoring reports
M&E and Project Completion reports
7. Reporting, Coordination and timeline
The IP will work under the overall supervision of the EIIP CTA and shall coordinate closely with the EIIP focal point that will be assigned to support the work. An upstart meeting will be organised with ILO and Green Plan upon signature of the Implementation Agreement and again with Construction companies/NGOs once they are on-board.
The planning and design work will start immediately after signing the contract with the ILO (expected May 2021). The assignment shall span for a maximum of 18 months, see Annex 1.
8. IP Payment Schedule
The IP will propose payment plan. However, the following is a tentative plan:
All payment requests must be accompanied by signed progress reports and forecasts, including the expenditure report (ILO Template)
9. Quotation Submission & Qualification
The proposal shall include:
Quality of proposal, proposed input and cost and relevance of previous experience will be considered in selection of IP. Specific evaluation criteria are included in Annex 2. Outcome of preliminary discussions and negotiations with Green Plan will be taken into consideration. Contract will be negotiated with the most suitable bidder.
Bid Submission and Request for clarifications:
All requests for clarifications must be submitted by email through [email protected] [1] on or before 23 April 2021.
The Deadline for bid submission is 6 May 2021 before 15:30...
روابط
[1] mailto:[email protected]
[2] https://daleel-madani.org/sites/default/files/calls_documents/210415_eiip_agricultural_infrastructure_call_for_proposal.pdf