Striving to help global communities thrive through agriculture. We are focused on long-term, human-centered impact.

Website: https://www.landolakes.org

Request for Proposals

Title: Finance and Administration Consultant

Organization: Land O’Lakes Venture37

Project: USAID Feed the Future Orora Wihaze Activity

Type of Contract: Fixed Price Contract

Contract Period: November 1st, 2024 – February 28, 2025

Work Location: Kigali, Rwanda

Background

Land O’Lakes Venture37 (V37) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to helping communities around the world build economies by strengthening local agriculture, helping agribusinesses create jobs and linking farmers to markets. Since 1981, it has implemented over 315 integrated dairy, livestock and crops development programs in nearly 80 countries — creating lasting impact by linking farmers, businesses, and the public and private sector in local and global contexts. V37’s long-standing affiliation with Land O’Lakes, Inc. sets it apart. Land O’Lakes, Inc. is one of America’s largest farmer-owned cooperatives. It supports V37 project implementation with nearly 100 years of expertise in dairy, animal nutrition, crop inputs and agricultural insights and technologies. This gives Land O’Lakes Venture37 development projects a unique global view of agriculture, food and the power of well-functioning market systems. Land O’Lakes, Inc. supports these efforts as part of its enterprise purpose of Feeding Human Progress at home and around the world.

Land O’Lakes Venture37 Rwanda Projects’ Descriptions:

Feed the Future (FTF) Orora Wihaze (Raise Animal for Self-Sufficiency)

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded the 5-year Feed the Future (FTF) Orora Wihaze (Raise Animal for Self-Sufficiency) Activity that is implemented from October 1, 2019 – March 31st, 2025. This initiative aims to develop an inclusive and profitable market to sustainably increase the availability, access, and consumption of animal-sourced foods (ASF) in Rwanda. The activity targets the districts of Rutsiro, Ngororero, and Nyamasheke in the West Province; Gakenke and Burera in the North Province; Nyamagabe in the South Province; and Kayonza and Ngoma in the East Province of Rwanda.

Cooperative Resilience and Equity activity “CORE”

Venture37 is implementing the USAID–funded 5-year, Cooperative Resilience and Equity activity “CORE” in Rwanda and Zambia. Running from October 2023 through September 2028, CORE aims at fostering vibrant, sustainable cooperative ecosystems in Rwanda and Zambia, in which self-managed cooperatives and all their members flourish economically and socially. Through CORE, Venture37 will take a localized and market-responsive approach, engaging market actors, including women and youth in activity design, implementation, and measurement to tailor activities to their unique needs while strengthening their capacity to create sustainable solutions.

Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Inclusive Food Systems (IFS)

Land O’Lakes Venture37 is implementing the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) Inclusive Food Systems (IFS) in Egypt, Lebanon and Rwanda. The F2F IFS program will increase the productivity and profitability of market actors across local food systems through the provision of targeted, sequenced and layered volunteer technical assistance. F2F IFS will generate sustainable, broad-based economic growth in the agricultural sector. F2F IFS will serve as a valuable program to facilitate people-to-people exchanges that promote connection and understanding in the global community.

Purpose of the Consultancy:

The is a fixed term contract that aim in supporting Finance and Administration department in its operations that to ensure smooth close out of Orora Wihaze Activity in the next 6 remaining months and support administrative tasks for 2 other projects.

Scope of work:

  • Working with Office Administrator by checking / verifying if requests have the supporting documentation and properly authorized and filed into SharePoint.
  • Supporting filing all required tax returns reporting and claims including VAT refunds.
  • Checking and verifying Mobile Money related request documents for payment process.
  • Supporting Office administrator in organizing, implementation of logistics for projects ‘events, meetings and facilitating travel and logistics for staff and consultants to different fields.
  • Supporting the review of required grants documents in SharePoint and follow up to locate and upload the missing documents for 60 grants.
  • Working with IT consultant in combining financial documentations for online filing system (Sharepoint).
  • Review asset registry to ensure its complete for assets at Venture37’s head office in Kigali and 4 sub offices in the districts
  • Share the monthly updates of procurement and grant documents not yet filled on devlink.
  • Day to day collaboration with the Orora Wihaze, CORE and F2F IFS team members for any administrative support.
  • Support in the planning and preparation of the external audit for FY24.
  • Review current Orora Wihaze records to identify missing documents required for the financial and administrative record management plan
  1. Deliverables  

Item 

Deliverables

Due Date

1
  • Workplan for consultancy service day one to last (1 day)
  • Updated list of fixed assets from the fields and office in Kigali. (2 days)
  • Monthly updates of the VAT claimed, total paid by RRA,
  • balance refunded and invoices Rejected by RRA (2 days)
  • Completing online filing of the APVs in the repository ( 3 days)
  • Report on required grant documents that are still missing from Sharepoint (3 days)

November 30, 2024

2
  • Report of the grant’s documents uploaded in SharePoint since contract date of tenure. (5 days)
  • Monthly updates of the VAT claimed, total paid by RRA and balance refund (2 days)
  • Report on non-uploaded financial documents that are required for Orora Wihaze Closeout ( 3 days)

December 31, 2024

3
  • Updated filing system of the APVs in the repository ( 5 days)
  • Monthly updates of the VAT claimed, total paid by RRA and balance refund (2 days)
  • Report of the grant’s documents uploaded in SharePoint since contract date of tenure. (3 days)

January 31, 2025

4
  • Final report of VAT claimed, total paid by RRA, comments on invoices rejected by RRA and balance to refund (2 days)
  • Report on the grants filling system completed and supported procurements demonstrating that all grant files have necessary documents in Sharepoint ( 5 days)
  • Audit report for FY24 completed and submitted to RRA (5 days)

February 28, 2025

Application instructions for qualified candidates

Interested individual consultants are encouraged to send their cover letters, Curriculum Vitae and expected daily rate tax inclusive in local currency to ProcurementROW@landolakes.com not later than 5:00 p.m Kigali time on Friday, October 25, 2024. The title of the email must include “Finance and Administration Consultant” 

Organizationalarrangements

The consultant will be responsible for submitting the required deliverables. All deliverables submitted by the consultant must be reviewed and approved by the Finance and Administration Manager.

Desired experience, skills and Qualifications:

  • A minimum of 2 years’ professional experience in a similar service.
  • A university degree in Accounting, Finance or any other relevant degree in Management.
  • ACCA/CPA qualifications is required.
  • Advanced knowledge of computers required (MS Excel, Word, and PowerPoint).
  • Advanced English and Kinyarwanda communication skills, both oral and written.
  • Must be detail oriented, proactive, flexible and able to solve problems.
  • Previous experience working with U.S. Government grants and agreements is an added advantage.
  • Experience managing multiple deliverables with multiple projects.
  • Experience in supporting procurements is desired.
  • Experience as consultant would be added value.
  • A proven proactive team player, who can also work with minimal supervision.
  • Customer service oriented.

Evaluation criteria

The expert will be assessed based on the following criteria:

  • Required education background -20%
  • Relevant experience and demonstrated capabilities pertinent to the assignment – 40%
  • Proposed cost – 40%

Eligibility

This consultancy is open to individual consultants that are able to legally conduct business in Rwanda. A bidder will be considered ineligible if it has been suspended, debarred, or deemed ineligible, as indicated on (1) the “List of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement and Non-procurement Programs” and/or (2) the “specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List”.