Market Value Chain and Gender Assessment | - 2015

Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) is the world’s leading independent international development organization that works through volunteers to fight poverty in developing countries. VSO’s high impact approach involves bringing people together to share skills, build capabilities, promote international understanding and action, and change lives to make the world a fairer place.

VSO is seeking proposals from interested companies and individuals to carry out a market value chain and gender assessment for Tanzania’s Local Enterprise Development project (T-LED).

Background

Delivered by VSO in partnership with CUSO International, the T-LED project will support local SMEs and smallholder farmers to overcome existing barriers, with particular attention paid to the additional challenges faced by female-headed SMEs, in accessing growth markets in the extractive and agribusinesses sectors, while enhancing the quality and coordination of market-driven business development services. The project will be implemented in Tanzania in four regions: Mtwara, Lindi (gas sector), Mwanza (mining sector) and Iringa (agribusiness).

Purpose

The purpose of the market assessment is to identify which market opportunities exist in each region for SMEs, which markets are saturated, and where there are opportunities. The second component of this assessment is to identify the challenges, gaps, limitations and constraints SMEs face in each region in accessing the identified opportunities, with a specific focus to be given to the challenges encountered by women entrepreneurs.

This analysis is expected to a) further inform tailored program regional activities and interventions to support the SME sector and b) to ensure the equitable participation of women in the local economies and target industries.

Eligibility

We are looking to hire 3 consultants, preferably from the same consulting firm, to cover Mtwara, Mwanza and Iringa. Specifically, we require:

• Advanced University degree in relevant field;
• At least 5 years’ relevant experience as a consultant for INGOs with references;
• Excellent reading, writing and speaking skills in English;
• Preferably fluent Swahili speaker;
• Excellent knowledge of SME development in Tanzania;
• Knowledgeable about results based management and Monitoring and Evaluation;
• Knowledge of gender equity issues in Tanzania;
• Excellent IT skills, presentation, coordination and organizational skills; and
• Strong communication and facilitation skills and ability to establish good working relationships.