Request for Proposal (RFP) at Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA)

Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) is an international agricultural development organization that specializes in the design and implementation of sustainable, enterprise-based agricultural initiatives. We work with businesses, foundations, governments, and communities to build customized local and global partnerships that meet the world’s growing demand for food. Since our inception in 1985, we have designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity, and improve access to inputs and financing in 47 countries around the world.

Applications are invited for:

Title: Request for Proposals (RFP) - Business Plan Development for AFEX

Preamble
AFEX Established in 2014 as Nigeria’s first licensed private commodities exchange, AFEX's infrastructure and platforms drive capital to build a trust economy in Africa’s commodity markets. AFEX is providing a low risk working capital facility for stakeholders in the Agro sector, in a way that is transparent and has a very high viable investment return.

As a licensed commodities exchange and warehouse receipt system operator, AFEX employ a warehouse receipt system and collateral management infrastructure to increase market confidence for both lenders and borrowers. CNFA in April 2019 signed an MOU with AFEX with the sole objective of efficient and effective collaboration on interested opportunities within Agribusiness space between parties.

Based on partnership request, CNFA will support AFEX and the broad objective of this assignment is to engage a short-term technical assistance (STTA) business development support service provider to develop a business plan that will summarize and outline all operational and financial objectives and be a working document to present to its partner financiers with a comprehensive cash flow to guide credit decision making.

N/B: Offerors are responsible for ensuring that their offers are received by CNFA in accordance with the instructions, terms, and conditions described in this RFP. Failure to adhere with instructions described in this RFP may lead to disqualification of an offer from consideration.

Tasks
The successful local consultant/consulting firm among several duties, will perform the following specific duties:

• Overall business strategy and growth plans, with clear goals and milestones
• Business case, showing profitability of the business
• Business case for small holder scheme or processing showing profitability for the smallholder farmers and processor
• Governance and Management strategy and development
• Marketing plan for the product, highlighting competitiveness, secured markets, and off taker commitments
• Financial requirements and structure (specifying financing mix)
• Aggregated Financial Planning, over a 5-year horizon (complete with profit and loss, cash flow and balance sheet)
• Detailed Financial and Risk Analyses and Mitigation measures
• Sensitivity analysis (variation on interest rates, pricing, supplies, foreign exchange market)
• Identification of gaps in Agri/Food-SME financing landscape
• Strategy on how to pick which segment to play in
• Inclusion of an implementation plan

Deliverables
At the end of the assignment, the offeror is expected to deliver a comprehensive and inclusive business plan and cashflow in favor of AFEX Investment Limited, to enable them successfully to meet the finance application and documentation requirement checklist from their financiers. This final report must be of sufficient quality and coverage to meet the due diligence scrutiny of the financial institutions and equity investors as applicable.

The Offeror is expected to produce a business plan for an agribusiness firm. The developed business plan will cover at a minimum the following:

• Executive Summary
• Proposed Business Plan & Sensitivity Analysis
• Business Case
• Financial Plan
• Overview of Marketing Strategy
• Governance and Management Plan

Qualification Requirements
Eligible offerors qualifications include:

• An international accounting, consulting, tax, legal and financial advisory firm with ability to practice in Nigeria.
• Minimum of 15 years’ experience in providing business development services to agribusiness firms and organizations, particularly developing business plans which led to access to finance.
• Experience working with donor funded programs and working in specified project locations and contexts in Nigeria.
• Well organized, strong analytical skills, creative, innovative team with, stress tolerance, integrity, and ethics.
• The Consulting firm should have previous experience in providing technical advisory services to large firms or MSME business planning and experience in providing financial business advisory to agribusinesses.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and business strategy skills.

Application Closing Date
13th April, 2022.

Submission of Documents
Offers must be submitted by email to operations@ag-invest.org

Click Here (MS WORD) for a detailed description of the RFP.