SMME CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT(ADDO)

SOUTH AFRICA

“Catalyzing Financing and Capacity for the Biodiversity Economy around Protected Areas”

Loan No./Credit No./ Grant No.: _ P170213__________

Assignment Title: _ Consultant to design an SMME incubation programme, develop tools and offer coaching and mentoring in the key areas of SMME support and supplier development in the greater Addo – Amathole Biodiversity Economy Node.

Reference No. (ZA-SANPARKS-446245-CS-CQS):

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has received financing from the Global Environment Facility (GEF 7, administered by the World Bank) toward the cost of the “Catalyzing Financing and Capacity for the Biodiversity Economy around Protected Areas” project and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

The consulting services (“the Services”) include appointment of a consultant to design an SMME incubation programme, develop coaching and mentoring tools and offer coaching and mentoring in the key areas of SMME support and supplier development in the greater Addo – Amathole Biodiversity Economic Node for a period of 18 months, between April 2024 – October 2025.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment are attached to this request for expressions of interest.

The South African National Parks now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The shortlisting criteria are:

Mandatory evaluation criteria

The service provider will be disqualified if they do not fully comply with all mandatory requirements. No “unanswered” questions will be allowed. If a response to a question has been indicated as comply but not elaborated upon or substantiated it shall be regarded as mandatory non-compliance and the bidder shall be disqualified.

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CRITERIA 2:

Understanding of, and experience in SMME business development & management (start-up & growth phase), business profiling and resource mobilisation.

Examples of relevant projects & references to be provided

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CRITERIA 3:

Understanding of, and experience in the Biodiversity Economy based business & opportunities within the conservation sector

Examples of relevant projects & references to be provided

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CRITERIA 4:

Understanding of, and experience in developing methods and participating in small grants disbursement

Examples of relevant projects & references to be provided

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Key-experts’ CV will not be evaluated at this stage. However, a list of the key experts’ competencies and role in assignment is mandatory.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” November 2020 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. In addition, please refer to the following specific information on conflict of interest related to this assignment: Consultants shall not be hired for any assignment that would be in conflict with their prior or current obligations to other clients, or that may place them in a position of being unable to carry out the assignment in the best interests of the Borrower. Without limitation on the generality of the foregoing, Consultants shall not be hired under the circumstances set forth below:

a. firm that has been engaged by the Borrower to provide Goods, Works, or Non-consulting Services for a project (or an affiliate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or

is under common control with that firm), shall be disqualified from providing Consulting Services resulting from, or directly related to, those Goods, Works, or Non-consulting Services. This provision does not apply to the various firms (Consultants, contractors, or

suppliers), which together are performing the contractor’s obligations under a turnkey or

design and build contract;

b. firm that has been engaged by the Borrower to provide Consulting Services for the preparation or implementation of a project (or an affiliate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that Consulting firm), shall be disqualified from subsequently providing Goods, Works, or Non-consulting Services resulting from, or directly related to those Consulting Services. This provision does not apply to the various firms (Consultants, contractors, or suppliers), which together are performing the contractor’s obligations under a turnkey or design and build contract;

c. neither a Consultant (including personnel and sub-consultants), nor an affiliate (that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that Consultant), shall be hired for any assignment that, by its nature, creates a conflict of interest with another assignment of the Consultant;

d. Consultants (including their experts and other personnel, and sub-consultants), that have a close business or family relationship with a professional staff of the Borrower, or of the project implementing agency, or of a recipient of a part of the Bank’s financing, or any other party representing or acting on behalf of the Borrower, that is directly or indirectly involved in any part of:

i. the preparation of the TOR for the assignment;

ii. the selection process for the contract; or

iii. the supervision of the contract, may not be awarded a contract, unless the conflict

stemming from this relationship has been resolved in a manner acceptable to the

Bank throughout the selection process and the execution of the contract.

Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Quality Cost Based Selection (QCBS) method set out in the Procurement Regulations.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours [08:00 to 16:30 hours].

Kindly respond to call for this Expression of Interest by submitting the following by email:

• The Company Profile;

• Completed Mandatory Evaluation Criteria Table, including examples of relevant projects undertaken with references (see above);

• Summary list of Key Experts competencies and their role in the assignment.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below by e-mail by 15 March 2024.

Park Planning and Development Unit

GEF 7 Project: Great Addo-Amathole Biodiversity Economy Node

Attn: Zimkhitha Zungula, Wildlife Economy Specialist

Addo Elephant National Park

R335 Addo/Paterson Road

Addo

6105

Tel: +27 42 233 8658

E-mail: [email protected]