Terms of Reference to Engage Legal Consultants to Engage in Contract Drafting and Reviewing Assignment. 

Background

Solidaridad is an international civil society organization with over 50 years of experience in developing solutions towards enabling farmers, miners and workers to earn a decent income, shape their own future, and produce in balance with their nature. Our organization is operates envisioning a world where we all can produce, we all can consume, can sustain us while respecting the planet, each other and the generations to come. Solidaridad works in over 40 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. In Europe, North America, China, and Japan, we build relations with donors and corporates, and stimulate the uptake of sustainable products through campaigns, lobby and advocacy. We have eight regional offices and 1,000 staff members.

In Ethiopia Solidaridad was engaged in multiple projects. The Organic Cotton project (2015-2016) was a springboard which later transitioned into the Sustainable Cotton Initiative Ethiopia (2017-2018). Solidaridad later developed Better Mill Initiatives (2017-2020).

Solidaridad Ethiopia is currently implementing initiatives in the dairy, cotton, textile, leather, and coffee commodities in collaboration with the Ethiopian government and private sector partners & stakeholders. The DaSH pilot project financed by SNV-BRIDGE project aims at piloting dairy service hubs in North Shewa Zones of Amhara and Oromia National Region. This pilot project approaches private dairy extension service smallholder dairy farmers through hubs for environmentally sound and efficient dairy value chain. 

BRIDGE [Building Rural Income through inclusive Dairy business Growth in Ethiopia] Project is a five year dairy sector transformation project implemented by the consortium of SNV Ethiopia and WUR and fully funded by the Embassy of Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ethiopia. The project is implemented in partnership with the respective regions BoFED, Livestock & Fisheries Resources Development Bureaus, Cooperative Promotion Agencies and other relevant sector offices. The project builds on the experience of EDGET (SNV) and Dairy BISS (WUR) projects implemented from 2013-2018.

 To this end, Solidaridad wants to invite a legal consultant to draft or review agreements between the various stakeholders in the dairy supply chain system. The binding agreement and the MoU that will be developed should consider the activities in the dairy value chain (Milk Production, Collection, Storage and Processing).   

Objective

The objective of the current assignment is to draft a binding contracts and MoU to be signed among the various stakeholders of the DaSH Project. 

Scope of Work and Expected Output

The scope of work for the current assignment will be: 

• Review existing contracts used by milk cooperatives, milk traders and processors.
• Review proclamations, directives and other legal documents relevant to milk and dairy farm input market regulations
• Draft a template contract to be signed between farmers and the famers’ union.
• Draft a template contract to be signed among farmers, farmers’ union and milk processing companies.
• Draft a template contract to be signed between farm input suppliers and the dairy service hubs. 

Expected deliverables/output;

The selected legal consultant shall;

• Submit the above review documents and draft agreements in soft copies to Solidaridad.
• Answer to any and all questions from Solidaridad regarding the three agreements listed above.
• Respond to comments from Solidaridad concerning the three agreements listed above.
• Prepare the agreements in English, Amharic and Afan Oromo as requested by Solidaridad.
• Ensure the drafted agreements are of high quality and are acceptable in front of any legal institution. 

 Duration of Work

The deliverables under B above shall be completed within four working weeks from the date when Solidaridad announced the winner of the bid to the winner consultant. 

Documents.

The legal consultant shall submit the technical proposal and financial proposal. While submitting the technical proposal, the applicant shall ensure to attach the following; 

•  Profile of the consultant including relevant experience (max 2 page);
• Updated CV;
•  A copy of attorney license; Copy of renewed /recent professional and/or business license
• Copy of Tin and VAT certificate
• Copy of Tax clearance

The applicant shall be able to issue a legal receipt.

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount (including a breakdown of costs for each of the deliverables under B above.

 Payment Schedule

•  30% on signing an engagement letter between the consultant and Solidaridad
• 40% on submitting all the drafted deliverables
• 30% the approval of the deliverables by Solidaridad

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

The evaluation of the consultant will be based on Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications is given 60% weightage and financial offer with be given 40% weightage. Only consultant meeting a minimum of 50 points under technical evaluation would be considered for the financial evaluation. Following specific criteria would be assessed.

Criteria Weight Technical (60%)

Credentials 10%Demonstrated knowledge and skills in areas of contract drafting 30%Experience in reviewing legal documents 20%Financial Proposal40%Total 100%

TIMELINE.

• Submission deadline – November 2, 2021
• Short listed consultants present their technical proposal and interview – November 5 – 6, 2021.
• Best candidate will be notified on or before November 8, 2021
• Best candidate presents inception report and signs contract on or before November 11, 2021
• The practical activity for the agreed assignment will begin on November 11, 2021.
• Draft reports will be presented on November 30, 2021.
• Final report will be submitted on December 5, 2021

Terms of Reference: To invite Legal Consultants to Engage in Contract Drafting and Reviewing Assignment. 

Project title:- DaSH

Organization:- Solidaridad Network

Duration:- Four work weeks

Type of Contract:- Service contract

Job Requirements

Required expertise and minimum qualifications

• An undergraduate degree in Law (LL.B).
• At least 8 years of legal experience.
• Excellent communication skills in Amharic and English
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in drafting agreements
• Excellent skills in Microsoft Word

How to Apply

The submission deadline is 20 October, 2021, 5:00pm (EAT) 

Send your application documents, technical and financial proposals, for consulting firms renewed business license and registration by email to zerihun.desalegn@solidaridadnetwork.org , mechal.tadele@solidaridadnetwork.org, samson.adefris@solidaridadnetwork.org , Binyam.kassa@solidaridadnetwork.org , with the subject as " Application for Legal Consultants Engagement to Engage in Contract Drafting and Reviewing Assignment for Solidaridad - Bridge - Dash Project"

The financial proposal should be submitted to finance department only via: tilahun.mekonnen@solidaridadnetwork.org 

NB: Only successful applicant/firm shall be contacted. If you don’t hear from us within the specified time after the deadline consider yourself unsuccessful. Any form of canvassing will lead to disqualification. The Bidder may modify or withdraw its bid after submission, provided that written notice of the modification, or withdrawal of the bids duly signed by an authorized representative, is received by the consultant prior to the deadline prescribed for submission of bids.