Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Poverty Reduction Fund
Community Livelihoods Enhancement and Resilience
No.0015/CLEAR
Vientiane Capital, Dated: 16January 2024
Request for Expression of Interest (REOI)
National Individual Consultants
IDA Credit No. 73580-LA and 73590-LA. Project No. P178545
The Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has received financing from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank towards the cost of the Community Livelihoods Enhancement and Resilience (CLEAR) and intends to apply part of the funds to cover eligible payments for hiring the national individual consultants.
The Community Livelihoods Enhancement and Resilience (CLEAR) Project now invites eligible Consultants to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information including Expression of Interest, CV and other supporting documents with description of similar assignment demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The list of required national individual consultants as follows:
1). Engineering Officer (Lao National only)
The minimum qualifications for candidates as follows:
- At least Bachelor’s degree in engineering, with a specialization in agricultural infrastructure, irrigation, road and environment engineering activities;
- A minimum 7 years relevant technical working experience especially in managing/supervising community driven/labour-based projects in rural, remote areas;
- Ability to plan and compare the cost effectiveness of investment in agricultural infrastructure such as access to production area, irrigation for paddy rice and other plantation as well as for animal raising. Experience in participatory community development, organizing technical training and training of trainers.
- Good level of English language skills (speaking, writing and reading) and demonstrate computer literacy in MS Office Package, Access and engineering software such as AutoCAD, Water CAD, Hydrology simulation, GIS, STAAD, sketch up, etc.;
- Ability to work independently, within the framework of the project’s requirements;
- Well-developed organization and task prioritization skills;
- Good practical and problem-solving skills;
- Sensitivity towards gender and ethnic issues found in the rural areas;
- A willingness to travel to and stay in rural areas for extended periods of time;
- Possess strong team building capacity, good communication and social skills and ability to coordinate with local people.
2) Quality Assurance Officer (Lao National only)
The minimum qualifications for candidates as follows:
- At least Bachelor’s degree in engineering (specializing in small scale infrastructure - rural construction, roads, irrigation, bio-engineering);
- A minimum of 7 years’ relevant surveying experience and a minimum of 5 years’ experience in surveying and supervising community driven/labour-based projects in remote areas;
- Experience in participatory community development, technical training and training of trainers;
- Good English language skills, including speaking, reading and writing; Computer literacy in MS Office Package, Access and engineering software such as AutoCAD.
- Ability to work independently, within the framework of the project’s requirements;
- Well-developed organizational and task prioritization skills;
- Good communications and social skills, practical and problem-solving skills;
- Sensitivity towards gender and ethnic issues found in the rural areas;
- Willingness to travel to and work in remote areas for extended periods of time;
- Possess strong team building capacity and ability to coordinate with the local people;
- Ability to speak any ethnic language would be an advantage.
3) National Nutrition Officer (Lao National only)
The minimum qualifications for candidates as follows:
- At least a Bachelor’s degree in health, nutrition, social sciences, rural development, agriculture, development studies, or other related fields;
- At least 5 years of experience implementing or supporting community nutrition activities in Lao PDR in large scale projects, with a strong focus on social behaviour change;
- Experience in agriculture-based nutrition activities, handicrafts, or other micro-enterprises (preferably with a focus on food processing); experience in project activity preparation, design, coordination support and institutional strengthening and monitoring impact; and experience in promoting gender equality and addressing gender stereotypes impacting nutrition outcomes;
- Experience in training project staff for nutrition and community development operations; in particular training of ethnic groups in mountainous and remote areas;
- Excellent computer skills including all MS Office Package, and financial management systems; and
Good level of English skills (speaking, reading and report writing);
- Strong analytical skills for project activity design and for applying best practices and lessons learned;
- Good knowledge of the different stakeholders involved in rural development activities in Lao PDR (government and donor community).
- Good communication and social skills;
- Ability to work independently and within a team;
- Willingness to travel to and within the target districts and villages for extended periods.
4) Agriculture and Livestock Officer (Lao National only)
The minimum qualifications for candidates as follows:
- At least a Bachelor’s degree in agriculture/livestock/agribusiness/business or rural community development / rural development / community development / rural economics / development studies or other related fields;
- Minimum 5 yearsexperience inthe implementation of livelihood projects focusing on Income Generation Activities (IGA) in crops, and livestock through Community Driven Development (CDD) approach like implementation through SHGs, PGs, and other Groups; a minimum 2 years of experience in gender mainstreaming and women empowerment;
- Experience and understanding of climate resilient income generation activities in crops and livestock and off-farm IGAs; and/or solid knowledge on developing marketing linkage, and market dynamics as well as establishing networks betweentarget Groups / PGs to exchange goods (produce) and services at market / prevailing price;
- Good English language skills (speaking, reading, listening, and writing), and good computer skills i.e., Microsoft Office including MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint;
- Sound knowledge of village level planning through the CDD approach, business plan preparation and self-monitoring tools and mechanisms;
- Proven record and experience in working in remote / rural areas with different ethnic minority groups and the poor.
- Team builder, openness to new / improved ideas, flexible to work in rural and urban areas, and work with ultra-poor and ethnic minority groups/communities;
- Ability to work independently, within the framework of the project’s requirements;
- Practical and problem-solving skills, and sensitivity towards gender and ethnic issues in rural areas;
- Good communication and social skills;
- Willingness to travel to villages, Kumbans, districts and provinces for extended periods.
5) Micro-Finance Officer (Lao National only)
The minimum qualifications for candidates as follows:
- At least a Bachelor's degree in micro-finance, economics, accounting, finance, economic development, or related field;
- Minimum a 5-year experience in rural saving groups, SHGs, PGs and out of which 3-year experience in the management of Self-Help Groups; and experience in developing guidelines and training modules / manuals / IEC materials, audio-visuals for SHGs, VSMCs, PGs, and AEs;
- Experience in loan disbursement or financing SHGs or community groups in agriculture (crops/livestock) or off-farm based activities based on micro-plan or business plan; good understanding of microfinance ecosystem i.e., supply side and demand side approaches and processes; and experience of working in the projects financed by externally aided projects, and mainline Government Departments;
- Excellent computer skills in MicrosoftOffice i.e., word, excel and PowerPoint; and good English language skills (speaking, reading, writing, and listening);
- Understanding of Community Driven Development (CDD) approaches;
- Understanding of gender mainstreaming.
- Good communication and social skills;
- Ability to work in a multicultural setting, ability to work independently and within a team;
- Willingness to travel to and stay in the target districts and villages for extended periods.
6) Management Information Systems Officer (Lao National only)
The minimum qualifications for candidates as follows:
- At least a Bachelor’s degree in computer engineering/software development or Information Management Systems;
- At least 4 years of experience in software design, coding and database modelling, development and management of MIS for institutions/projects, capacity building of implementers on usage of MIS;
- Knowledge in application development (i.e., writing codes for data retrieval); database design and programming including SQL; stored procedures development; ColdFusion; intranet/internet-based programming; HTML; and JavaScript. Prospective developers must have a strong knowledge of Oracle and SQL server DBMS.
- Comprehensive computer skills in particular Kobo toolbox, Power BI, Database software, MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint, including the online application system;
- Working knowledge of project planning and implementation monitoring;
- Fluency in written and spoken English and Lao is essential; familiarity with government and international project operations disciplines is an asset;
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team;
- Willingness to regularly work in rural areas.
7) Evaluation and Management Information Systems Officer (Lao National only)
The minimum qualifications for candidates as follows:
- At least a Bachelor’s degree in project management, rural development, social sciences, economics or related subject;
- At least 3 years of experience in working with development projects for international donors/organizations, experience in data analysis and report writing (in both Lao and English languages), usage of results framework and results chain and overseeing small evaluations;
- Excellent skills in data retrieving in MIS, data auditing, data processing and trend analysis, report writing skills in both Lao and English languages and overseeing small evaluations;
- Good understanding of monitoring and evaluation in the context of livelihood, small infrastructures and nutrition projects;
- Strong analytical and reporting skills.
- Comprehensive computer skills in particular usage of MIS, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Database software, online data analysis skills, Kobo Toolbox, Google Forms, etc.;
- Fluency in written and spoken English and Lao is essential;
- Working knowledge of project planning and implementation;
- Familiarity with government and international project operations disciplines is an asset;
- Good interpersonal skill and ability to work independently and as part of a team;
- Willingness to regularly work in rural areas.
The successful consultant will be selected under Individual method in accordance with the procedures set out and the attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 3.14 to 3.17 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers, dated July 2016, revised November 2017, revised August 2018 and revised November 2020, which can be found at the website: www.worldbank.org/procure.
Further information including Terms of Reference can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 08:00 to 16:00 hours, from Monday to Friday (standard Lao PDR time), or visit http://prflaos.org/vacancy.
Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person or by e-mail) by 16:00 hour no later than 29th February 2024. Only Short-listed candidates will be contacted.
Expressions of interest must be delivered to the address below:
Attention to: Community Livelihoods Enhancement and Resilience (CLEAR)
C/o Prime Minister Council’s Office
Sisavat Village, Nahaidiew Road, Chanthaboury District , Vientiane Municipality, Lao PDR
Phone: 856-21-261479-80, Email: phatnakhone@clearlaos.org and copy to litphachan@clearlaos.org, youthavinh@clearlaos.org
