Job Description
SPECIAL AGRO – PROCESSING ZONES
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (REOI)
CONSULTANCY FIRMS
COUNTRY: FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
NAME OF ASSIGNMENT: ENGAGEMENT OF SHORT –TERM CONSULTANT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE FOR SPECIAL AGRO-INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING ZONE (SAPZ) PROGRAM
REF No: NCD/CONS/CQS/001/2023
The Federal Government of Nigeria has received financing from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) towards the cost of the Special Agro-Processing Zones Program (SAPZ), program and intends to apply part of the proceeds for the recruitment of consulting services for the development of accounting software for the SAPZ program.
The use of any IFAD financing shall be subject to IFAD’s approval, pursuant to the terms and conditions of the financing agreement, as well as IFAD’s rules, policies and procedures. IFAD and its officials, agents and employees shall be held harmless from and against all suits, proceedings, claims, demands, losses and liability of any kind or nature brought by any party In connection with Special Agro-Processing Zones Program.
The consulting services (“the services”) include developing an accounting software that is user friendly and will enable the program at all levels achieve good financial management system in accounting data capturing, efficient and effective processing and timely provision of internationally accepted financial reports for the program. In addition, the software should be able to enable the program meet the requirement for the withdrawal of the funds from the donors.
The scope of service for the assignment are but not limited to developing a software with the under listed functionalities.
a. Upload the approval annual work plan and budget and link same to the accounting system for proper monitoring and reporting on eligible project expenditures.
b. Extract and structure the chart of accounts in line with relevant project documents in such a way that will enable the preparation of financial reports in line with IPSAS Cash basis of accounting that is acceptable to donors and Federal Government of Nigeria.
c. In addition to providing acceptable financial reports, structure the software to generate appropriate Interim Financial Reports for the withdrawal of funds from the donor.
d. Generate appropriate schedules like the fixed assets register, cash advances, bank reconciliation statements.
e. Have a software that possess appropriate procedures for accounting controls and checks in a computerize environment.
f. Ensure adequate recording of funds flow through efficient recording and reporting on loan drawdown by categories and component of expenditures, counterpart financing and thereby ensures proper monitoring of the application and utilization of funds.
g. Provide proper structure and level of users’ vis-à-vis the overall management and operation of the software.
h. Produce consolidated financial reports from all participating states and National office.
i. Possibility of capturing data from remote locations in the six states where the projects will operate in a timely and efficient manner.
The detailed specification and other relevant information are in the terms of reference that can be obtained at the address below between the hours of 10am – pm local time on working days or downloaded from the website: www.fmard.gov.ng
The consultancy services shall be for a period of one (1) year and the maintenance contract will be renewed on annual bases based on satisfactory performance.
This request for expressions of interest (REOI) follow the General procurement Notice that appeared on the IFAD website on 17th April, 2023 on UNDB on 17th April, 2023 and on Daily trust and Thursday Newspapers on 17th April, 2023.
The National Program Coordination Office (“the client”) 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. Interested firms should fill the hours of 10am – 4pm local time on working days or downloaded from the website; www.fmard.gov.ng
The attention of interested consultants is drawn to IFAD’s Anti-Money laundering and Countering the financing of Terrorism Policy and the revised IFAD policy on preventing fraud and corruption its activities and operations. The latter sets forth IFAD’s provisions on prohibited practices. IFAD further strives to ensure a safe working environment free of harassment, including sexual harassment, and free of sexual exploitation and Abuse.
The consultant shall not have any actual, potential or reasonably perceived conflict of interest. A consultant with actual, potential or reasonably perceived conflict or interest shall be disqualified unless otherwise explicitly approved by the fund. A consultant including their respective personnel and affiliates are considered to have a conflict of interest if they
a. Have a relationship that provides them with undue or undisclosed information about or influence over the selection process and the execution of the contract.
b. Participate in more than one EOI under this procurement action.
c. Have a business or family relationship with a member of the purchaser’s board of directors or its personnel, the fund or its personnel, or any other individual that was, has been or might reasonably be directly or indirectly involved in any part of (i) the preparation of this REOI, (ii) the shortlisting or selection process for this procurement, or (iii) execution of the contract. The consultant has an ongoing obligation to disclose any situation of actual, potential or reasonably perceived conflict of interest during preparation of the EOI, the selection process or the contract execution. Failure to the termination of the contract and any other as appropriate under the IFAD policy on preventing Fraud and Corruption in its projects and operations.
A consultant will be selected in accordance with the Consultant Qualification Selection Method (CQS) set out in IFAD project procurement handbook that can be accessed via the IFAD website at www.ifad.org/project-procurement
The shortlisting criteria are:
All interested firms are to submit well detailed company profile showing
1. Firm’s general experiences/expertise and qualification on the developments and installation of financial accounting software in the last 10 years with evidence of registration with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) or its equivalent.
2. Firm’s specific experience in the development and installation of financial accounting software in the last 5 years under any multilateral donor Agency like the IFAD, World Bank, ISDB, AfDB etc.
3. Availability of qualified key personnel relevant to the assignment.
4. Firm’s financial/account information with evidence of Tax Clearance (TCC) and Audited account for 2021, 2022 & 2023.
5. Firms regional work experience in similar fields (within Nigeria and/or sub-Saharan Africa)
Consultants may associate with the other firms in the form of a joint venture or a sub-consultancy to enhance their qualifications. For Joint ventures, Memorandum of Understanding must be attached.
Any request for clarification on this REOI should be sent via e-mail to the address below no later than 12 Noon local time on 25th September, 2023. The client will provide responses to all clarification requests by 12 Noon local time on 27th September, 2023.
Expressions of interest must be delivered in written form using the forms provided for this purpose. EOIs shall be submitted to the address below no later than 4:00pm local time on the 29th September, 2023. Late submissions will NOT be accepted. The client is not bound to short-list any consultant.
Dr. Kabir Yusuf
National Program Coordinator, SAPZ
National Program Co-ordination Office (NPCO)
Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development,
FADAMA House, No. 1 Eldoret Close, Off Aminu Kano Crescent,
Wuse II, Abuja,
admin@sapz.gov.ng ; fmard.gov.ng, +234 8168088308, +2348035949354