Management Of The National Demand Survey For Laboratory Testing Services And Procurement Of Laboratory Equipment For The Chamber Of Commerce, Industry And Agriculture In Sidon, Zahle & Tripoli
Background:
ACDI/VOCA, a US-based NGO funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), is implementing the five-year DHAIM project in Lebanon to advance high-value horticulture by introducing hydroponic production technology and other technical upgrades to improve traditional soil-based production methods. The project was designed to improve lives and livelihoods for rural Lebanese producers.
DHAIM works in partnership with three Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (CCIA’s) in Tripoli, Saida and Zahle-Bekaa and four NGOs (Arcenciel, the Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Human Development, the Rene Moawad Foundation and the Safadi Foundation) to strengthen the horticulture value chain in Lebanon.
The three CCIAs located in Zahle, Sidon and Tripoli are considering expansion of their aboratory testing services to better respond to producer and food industry needs. Investment in additional laboratory equipment will expand their testing services to better serve agricultural farmers and processors throughout the country as well as generate additional income to ensure the sustainability of the facilities on the long-run.
DHAIM is recruiting a short term consultant to:
Oversee third-partydesign of a national demand survey to determine the gaps between the actual needs of producers and processors for lab services and the existing availability of these services in Lebanon according to geographical distribution.
Oversee implementation and analysis of the national demand survey.
Coordinate “key informant” interviews with CCIA laboratory managers, QuaLeb (Ministry of Economy and Trade), and other technical experts to determine the laboratory testing needs of farmers, food processors and international food safety norms.
Coordinate and lead a CCIA Roundtable to discuss the demand survey results, agree on equipment needs and priorities – and agree on geographic placement of any new equipment investments.
Draft the Bill of Quantity (BOQs) for identified equipment, develop a short-list of suppliers (source list); oversee the bid and procurement process.
During this assignment, the consultant will collaborate with the DHAIM program technical experts, managers and field staff, on developing the survey, training the staff members and implementing it.
Objective of the Assignment:
The primary objective of this assignment is to conduct a national demand survey to provide objective information to enable the CCIAs to prioritize investment decisions based on geographically unmet identified demand for laboratory testing services, then lead the CCIAs in a process to reach agreements amongst themselves and oversee the procurement process.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Attend an orientation meeting at DHAIM Office with the COP, staff and technical team to obtain an overview concerning the current status of the project
2. Oversee and coordinate the third-party design of the survey and questionnaire, the assignment of staff and their training for the implementation of the survey including the following steps:
Review previous and existing assessments and reports that were done for similar purposes under DHAIM program and other programs
Meet with key informants - mainly the CCIA lab managers
Identify the universe of survey targets
Oversee third-party design of the survey tool with methodology that provides statistically sound results
Oversee third-party preparation of a questionnaire (survey tool) to gather all relevant information
Train assigned staff from the CCIAs who will implement the survey
Perform or oversee data entry
Oversee third-party analysis of quantitative results using a statistical package such as SPSS, SAS, or STATA; analyze all qualitative results
Submit a final report that will include all gathered data, their analysis along with final recommendations
3. Supervise key informants interviews including CCIAs lab managers and other relevant stakeholders
4. Meet with DHAIM technical team to determine the needed tests for agricultural products especially to comply with export markets and the requirements of the global gap
5. Facilitate a meeting between the three CCIA lab representatives; explore additional needs in each facility to comply with food safety and quality requirements, taking into account compliance with the ISO 17025 standard that is being applied at the three CCIA quality centers;
6. Coordinate with DHAIM team to survey existing laboratories (other than the CCIAs) that offer similar services, in terms of capacity, services, fees and client profiles
7. Contribute to the development of the facility-specific action plans and the procurement list in close coordination with the CCIA lab managers
8. Match selected items in the list to budget allocations and limitations
9. Supervise the drafting of the technical specifications for the selected individual pieces of equipment
10.Oversee the procurement process (short-list suppliers, bids)
11. Submit a regular reports keeping DHAIM management informed and updated
Assignment Dates:
December 2012 till April 2013
Estimated LOE:
Up to 50 working days
NOTE:
Daleel Madani, the civil society network, serves as a platform for organisations to post their professional opportunities, but is not involved in the recruitment process. The hiring organisation is solely responsible for the job and candidate selection.
