Seto Gurans Child Development Service Rupandehi (SGCDSR) is a community-driven organization currently implementing Vegetable Value Chain Development Project (VVCDP) in collaboration with Heifer International Nepal and Kanchan Rural Municipality, Rupandehi. The project envisions a cooperative led value addition and subsequent marketing business for vegetable products produced by the members of the cooperative. It also aims to develop the cooperative as a community hub which also acts as a Business Development Services Hub for its fellow members. 

Seto Gurans Child Development Service Rupandehi (SGCDSR) is thus seeking Proposals for a consultancy assignment from qualified individuals or firms for Cooperative business plan formulation workshop under Vegetable Value Chain Development Project (VVCDP) to ensure a strategic and structured approach. The Workshop shall assist stakeholders in defining detailed cooperative description, products and services, market analysis, business strategy and implementation plan, organizational structure, and comprehensive financial projections (cash flow, profit & loss, balance sheet, break-even analysis). Interested professionals/Companies are requested to submit a brief proposal including technical and financial details outlining comprehensive plan to achieve the objectives as stated in the TOR within the given timeline along with required documents.

Qualified candidates may apply for this consultancy service by not later than 4 PM on 3 January 2025 by submitting the proposal along with subject line as “RFP: Facilitation of Cooperative  business plan formulation workshop) to recruitment.humanresource23@gmail.com. Failure to mention the Subject will lead to disqualification. Shortlisted Individuals/firms will be informed for further processing.

For More Information and TOR, visit: https://setoguransrupandehi.org.np/ or, Seto Gurans Child Development Service Rupandehi, Kalikanagar, Butwal.

Phone no: 071-531623

Important notice:

1. The proposal must be expressed in English, and valid for a minimum period of 90 days.
2. Services proposed will be reviewed and evaluated based on completeness and compliance of the RFP. 
3. No price variation due to escalation, inflation, fluctuation in exchange rates, or any other market factors shall be accepted.
4. Please be advised that SGCDSR is not bound to accept any Proposal, nor award a contract or Purchase Order, nor be responsible for any costs associated with the Service Providers preparation and submission of a Proposal, regardless of the outcome or the manner of conducting the selection process.

Terms of Reference (TOR)

Background

Seto Gurans Child Development Service Rupandehi (SGCDSR) is a community-driven organization currently implementing Vegetable Value Chain Development Project (VVCDP) in collaboration with Heifer International Nepal and Kanchan Rural Municipality, Rupandehi. The project envisions a cooperative led value addition and subsequent marketing business for vegetable products produced by the members of the cooperative. It also aims to develop the cooperative as a community hub which also acts as a Business Development Services Hub for its fellow members.  Seto Gurans Child Development Service Rupandehi (SGCDSR) is thus seeking Proposals for consultancy assignment for Cooperative business plan formulation workshop to ensure a strategic and structured approach. The Workshop shall assist stakeholders in defining the business model, target market, operational structure, marketing strategy and financial projections.

Objective

The main objective of this consultancy assignment is to engage a qualified facilitator in designing and developing a comprehensive and practicable Business Plan for a Cooperative formed under Vegetable Value Chain Development Project in alignment with the Goals, Objectives, Activities and Expected Outcomes of the Project. The specific objectives of the assignment include:

1. To facilitate the development of a five-year business plan for the cooperative as a community node and a Business Hub.
2. To help navigate the essential aspects of a cooperative business like Market, Service Delivery Process, Production, Expenditure and Finance, focusing on a collection and processing center as a central business enterprise.
3. To enhance knowledge and skills of social entrepreneurs’ for developing an effective action plan for internalizing the business plan.

Scope of Work

An experienced consultant is required for the preparation of five-years business plan for the cooperative. The consultant shall play a key role in interacting with the project staff, project stakeholders, supporting partners, cooperative members and value chain actors, collecting necessary information, analyzing data and facilitating the development of the business plan. The implementation of the assignment can be explained through the following:  

1. Location: The Business Plan shall be prepared with Kanchan Rural Municipality, Rupandehi as the primary location for operating the business including the immediate, secondary and Tertiary Markets Spanning over Gaidahawa, Butwal, Tilottama, Bhairahawa, Palpa, Pokhara, Chitwan and Kathmandu, with possibility of exporting to exotic locations.
2. Data and Documentation Use: The Consultant shall review the Business plans prepared for the similar cooperatives, partnered with heifer international Nepal (if provided by the project team) or present the learnings from his/her past consultation works and prepare the business plans incorporating the learnings, suited to the circumstances for the cooperative. The consultant is required to collect/compile the preliminary information required for preparation of the business plan.
3. Collaboration: The consultant shall work closely with Kanchan RM’s Technical Team, SGCDSR’s team and collaborate with Heifer International Nepal to get acquainted with the project objective, geographical area and gather the necessary data and information to ensure the soundness of the Business Plan thus Prepared. The Consultant shall design the workshop schedule with detailed content, defined template and guidelines to prepare/ facilitate the business planning, prepare checklist for the basic information, documents, evidence required, and incorporate the input/feedback from the project team.
4. Co-Creation Workshop: The Consultant Shall Facilitate a Two-Day co-creation workshop Event organized by the project team to collect further information and compile them to prepare the Business Plan. The Workshop shall cover topics like Organizational Background, Situation Analysis, Formulation of Organization’s Goal, Mission, Aim and Objectives, Social and Organizational Planning (Governance, Human Resources Management, Financial Management), Member Services and Business Activities, Community and Stakeholder Engagement, Business Management, Values Orientation, Business Services Promotion and Development etc. The consultant shall further document the discussions points, plans and strategies to meet the targets set.
5. Drafting the Business Plan:

Business Plan shall fully comply with Heifer International’s ETM-03 indicator requirements and include, at minimum: executive summary, detailed cooperative description, products and services, market analysis, business strategy and implementation plan, organizational structure, and comprehensive financial projections (cash flow, profit & loss, balance sheet, break-even analysis). The plan shall include an explicit provision for annual review and updating to ensure continued relevance and actualization.

Business Plan shall include a dedicated Governance aligned with Heifer International’s ETM-04 indicator, covering:

• Legal status and compliance of the cooperative
• Review and strengthening of bylaws and internal policies
• Organizational structure and management roles (organizational chart)
• Oversight, accountability, and reporting mechanisms
• Committee structure (if applicable)
• Talent development, leadership capacity, and performance management systems

Business Plan shall include a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) framework aligned with Heifer International’s Performance Indicator Reference Sheets (PIRS), particularly ETM-03. The framework shall define indicators, data sources, review frequency, responsible persons, and reporting mechanisms to support Heifer project reporting and adaptive management.

The Consultant Shall document the discussion points, plans and strategies to meet the set targets and prepare a draft of the business plan covering headings like Member Services (Input/Service Facilitation, Aggregation and collective marketing services, processing center operations) and Business Activities Plans (Seeds, Fertilizers, advisory services, basic processing/value addition options suited to the area and volumes Including a minimum viable product), Market and Marketing Plan, Organizational and Management Plan, Economic and Financial Analysis and projected cash flow (5 years), SWOT Analysis, Sensitivity Analysis, Competitors analysis, Business Plan Implementation Timeline and Action Plan, Business Plan Progress Monitoring and Evaluation Plan and Framework etc. 

1. Validation Workshop: The consultant shall present the draft of the business plan in a Half-Day Validation Workshop Event for validation and feedback, Organized by the Project Team. 
2. Incorporating Feedback: The Consultant Shall incorporate the Feedback Before preparing the Final Draft of the Business Plan.
3. Final Submission: The Consultant shall submit the final draft of the Business Plan to the Project Office and before the Cooperative Board for Approval.

Expected Deliverables

1. Inception Report with the Guidelines and Processes for Business Plan Development.
2. Facilitation Slides of the Co-creation and Validation Workshop.
3. Initial Draft of Business Plan.
4. Final Business Plan (Detailed in English and Comprehensive in Nepali Version) .
5. Assignment Completion Report including recommendations and next steps (Narrative).

Consultation Team

A minimum of One Qualified Consultant can apply for the Assignment and can represent either a consultancy firm or an Individual Consultant.

Consultant Qualifications

The expected Qualifications and competencies required for the lead consultant include:

• Minimum bachelor’s degree or master’s Degree with knowledge of Agriculture , Economics, Cooperatives, Business, Entrepreneurship Development, Business Development and Cooperative Businesses.
•  At least 3 years of experience in business development, social enterprises, strategic planning, consultancy services, vegetable value chain development and Cold Storages development.
• Experience in facilitating workshops and training sessions
• Knowledge of farm/off farm base enterprises development, skill development, or social enterprises.
• Excellent writing, presentation, and communication skills.
• Good facilitation, proper practical materials available analytical and reporting skills
• Good Experience on Innovative Ideas of Vegetable Processing, Cooperative business development and planning.

Renumeration and Payment Terms

Renumeration and Payment terms will be determined according to the Financial Proposal and in consensus with both the parties.

Consultancy Duration

The effective days for the assignment will be 8 days, starting from 4 th January to 13 th January 2026.

Reporting Line

The Consultant will report to Samir Gnawali, Business Development Officer of SGCDSR, and coordinate closely with Sunil Harijan, Agriculture Technician and other relevant team members.

Termination Clause

SGCDSR reserves the right to terminate the contract if the deliverables are not met within the agreed-upon timeline or do not meet the required quality standards.

Required Documents

• Technical Proposal
• Financial Proposal
• CV
• Citizenship Certificate
• PAN/VAT Certificate

In case of a firm, submit all the legal documents of the firm.

Proposal Requirements

1. Cover Letter
2. RFP Information
3. Basic Information and Profile of the Individual/Firm
4. Examples of Relevant previous assignments and at least one relevant work sample e.g. Business Plan of a Cooperative Enterprise/ Processing Centre (if any)
5. Technical Proposal
   Provide a detailed description of how you propose to execute the above ToR. Please include the following focus at minimum:
   • A detailed implementation schedule (work plan) with key activities and responsible person to deliver the activity
   • A detailed outline of the methodological approaches (strategy, scope, step wise process etc) to be taken making sure that all deliverables can be delivered on time with quality.
   • Outline of the Draft of the Business Plan
   • Identification of any risks or obstacles you may encounter while undertaking this assignment, how they may impact our ability to meet the deliverables, and how you might address these to ensure successful delivery.
6. Human Resources
7. Financial Proposal
   • Cost Breakdown per Deliverables per working day
     The payment will be disbursed after final submission of the plan

Assessment and Evaluation of the Proposal

• Technical Proposal: 70%
  Subject matter expertise of the consulting firm like relevant past experience
• Financial Proposal: 30%
  To be computed as a ratio of the proposal offer to the lowest price among the proposals received by SGCDSR

Evaluation Criteria	Maximum Score
1. Subject Matter Expertise of the Consultant/firm like relevant past experience.	20
2. Approaches, Methodology, its Appropriateness to the Conditions and Timeliness of the Implementation Plan	20
3. Management Structure and Qualification of Key Personnel	10
4. Previous experience of working with and preparing the business Plans of Cooperatives, Processing centers or agriculture service providers.	20
5.  Financial Proposal	30
Total Score	100

Acceptance, acknowledgement, authorized signing, and submission of this RFP document is mandatory for this process. Interested consultancy firms /Individuals are welcome to enclose their own additional details, if necessary. However, failure to complete the details as requested will result in invalidation.