Consultancy: Promoting standards for SME competitiveness in Nigeria

Reference: PX/NGA/0453

Location: Nigeria
Duration: 75 person days

Closing Date: 3 May 2011

A. Background

The Commonwealth Secretariat through the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation is providing technical assistance to the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to promote the use of Standards by Nigerian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as a strategic business tool.

B. Programme Objective

For background purposes we advise that the Commonwealth Secretariat Strategic Plan be consulted. The Plan is available online and the SME work is part of the Economic Development Programme (Programme 6). This Programme will assist member states to take advantage of opportunities for economic growth and improve their ability to manage economic development in an equitable and sustainable manner. It specifically aims to strengthen policies and systems that support inclusive and sustainable economic growth in member states. This will allow Member states to attract capital flows and manage increased levels of investment, including for private sector development; and create the environment for Member countries to promote viable competitive enterprises that generate employment, income and reduce poverty.

The Secretariat’s capacity to provide cost-effective technical assistance and its role as a ’trusted partner’ and ‘honest broker’ in delivering policy analysis and advice are highly valued. Indicators particularly relevant to this project include (1) the quality of policy advice and support for creating an enabling environment for growth and stability; (2) higher survival rates of MSMEs and an increase in the contribution of MSME businesses to GDP; and (3) increased numbers of successful women in enterprise and greater and more equitable market access for women producers and entrepreneurs.

C. Project Information

SON is the sole statutory body vested with the responsibility of standardising and regulating the quality of all products in Nigeria. The Act establishing the body was amended in 1976, 1984 and in 1990. SON has an SME Unit through which it aims to influence the adoption and use of appropriate standards by SMEs. It has a working relationship with a range of business support organisations, including formal state agencies, business representative organisations and NGOs. This intervention will allow SON and its partners to construct a strategy to accomplish this; and put in place the first major programmes of a dedicated SME action plan. It is anticipated that these pilot programmes will be sustained by SON and its partners once the project activities are completed.

This project will attempt to deliver a general education component to convey an awareness of the benefits of standards; and an action component to support SMEs to find and obtain appropriate standards and take the first steps to implementing it. SON has indicated that has the ability to assess SMEs and issue certification for ISO management standards.

It is important to understand that the measure of success for this project is not how many SMEs take up standards, but how SON and its partners build the systems and capabilities for sustained support for projects and programmes to help SMEs on the standards and quality journey throughout their existence. Specifically, the outputs for this project are:

• Strategy for SON and partners to enhance SME success through the adoption and use of standards,
• Communications Strategy to raise awareness of the benefits of standards as a strategic business tool, and
• Trained SMEs able to adopt standards through participating in SON accredited 1-day introductory training courses for ISO 9001 and ISO 22000.

Additional Information

Information available to the successful Consultant will include internal project files containing the Project Appraisal, Logical Framework and Budgets. The Consultant will also work closely with the Adviser responsible for the project.

D. Consultancy

Technical Assistance is being provided to SON to develop a strategy for a national SME Standards Programme; build their capability to deliver a long term awareness campaign; and implement the first stage of a SME standards programme. Specific issues which need to be factored into the assignment and which are elements of the overall deliverables are noted below.

• An inception mission report should be provided not later than 3 weeks after mobilisation. Issues to be addressed include, (1) timetable for implementation of project activities and the endorsement and validation activities to be undertaken; (2) coherence strategy which will report on steps to ensure that the strategy is coherent and aligned to other related policy and strategy actions, and (3) Draft outline structure for the strategy, highlighting some of the key issues and questions to be addressed.
• In developing the strategy, the consultants need to review the current activities of SON and selected partners, identify success cases for replication, identify major barriers preventing uptake of standards and generate a range of options for consideration. The review is likely to include SON actions in Lagos, Kaduna and Aba.
• Ensure that SON has the required competencies to assess and certify SMEs in ISO management standards.
• Provide support to the ComSec Adviser for hosting the Strategy Workshop with SON and partners; and conduct the SME Awareness Workshops and 1-Day Introductory Courses. The project plan calls for the Consultant to be involve in five 1-day events (strategy workshop, 2 SME awareness workshops and 2 ISO training workshops).
• Consult with SMEs through their relevant business Associations to ensure that their views are accommodated and acted on.
• Consult with Women’s Empowerment Groups and Institutions to ensure that gender issues are adequately dealt with and specific challenges of woman owned enterprises are incorporated in all outputs.

Deliverables

• SMEs and Standards in Nigeria: Strategy and Action Plan for SON and partners
• Guidelines, and where relevant, Training Course Materials for (a) SME Awareness Training Workshops and (b) 1-Day ISO Introductory Courses for ISO 9001 and 22000
• Report on the SME Awareness Workshops and 1-Day ISO Introductory Courses
• Final Project Report

E. Qualifications for Consultancy

The Commonwealth Secretariat is inviting bids from companies, consortia and/or Standards Organisations who are registered in a Commonwealth Member Country. The Statement of Capability should indicate the institutions experience in supporting businesses to adopt and use Standards. This is a non-negotiable condition of this assignment.

The evaluation criteria are based on the following:

• Formal evidence of capability to consult on Standards,
• Evidence of developing strategies for the adoption and use of Standards, preferably, but not essentially, for SMEs,
• Ability to advise businesses on the ISO system, specifically ISO 9001 and 22000, and
• Demonstrated evidence of developing and delivering Standards training courses.

The Company may wish to engage the services of a Local Consultant but would be entirely responsible for the identification, recruitment and remuneration of such Local Consultant(s), although the selection would need to be cleared beforehand by ComSec.

F. Level of Effort, Reporting and Payment Terms

• The Level of Effort (LOE) of this consultancy is estimated at 75 person days (15 weeks), commencing June 2011 to March 2012[1].
• Up to 49 days of this LoE is estimated to be in Nigeria.
• The indicative all inclusive fee for this assignment is £41,000[2], while consultancy related expenditure, such as workshops and training expenses, will be provided by ComSec. 

G. Proposal

The proposal should comprise of the following:

• A Statement of Capability,
• Resumes of the key staff allocated to the project,
• A document detailing the methodology, work programme and milestones (this will be finalised with the Commonwealth Secretariat prior to commencement)
• A financial plan for the execution of the project.

The proposal needs to be received by 3 May 2011 and the Company must be in a position to deploy during June 2011.

H. Contact Information

Closing Date for Submission of Proposals: 3 May 2011

Submission of Proposals

Proposals should be submitted to Mr Arif Baig via email / post / fax at:

Mr Arif Baig HR (CFTC)Commonwealth SecretariatPall MallLondon UKSW1Y 5HXEmail – a.baig@commonwealth.int
Fax: + 44 20 7747 6520

[1] Comsec will not liable for delays occurring due to unforeseen circumstances like natural disasters.[2] Comsec bears no liability to pay any taxes, including VAT, on this contract.

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