The program is financed by the European Union’s Neighbourhood Investment Facility and allocates support to 1) investment grants and advisory/technical assistance to eligible SMEs; and 2) diagnostic studies of identified value chains.
The EBRD is considering investments in the dairy sector in the bank’s countries of operations, particularly in Jordan and Egypt, and scoping the market for capacity-building and investment needs to enhance supply chain linkages and product safety and quality standards.
The bank said it has extensive experience in supporting the dairy sector in many of its countries of operations. In Armenia, Georgia and Mongolia, the EBRD supported small dairy producers to make improvements in food safety, hygiene, and efficiency standards through audits and trainings.
In addition, the EBRD has engaged in the dairy sectors in Serbia and Ukraine to strengthen dairy producer and processor associations, support private sector involvement in policy reforms, upgrade safety and quality standards, and assist the sector to diversify exports.
In Kazakhstan, the bank has worked to pilot stronger linkages in the dairy value chain to improve milk quality and raw milk collection networks through a value chain analysis of the sector and local capacity building efforts. In Egypt, audits and training were provided to dairy farmers that supply to dairy processing companies that EBRD invested in.
In Jordan, through leveraging the EBRD’s knowledge of the region and the dairy processing industry, and particularly its relationship with the private sector, the bank will work with companies to identify the relevant local farmers, and their challenges, who supply fresh milk.
In the context of the project, the EBRD is looking to engage a consultant to carry out a diagnostic study on improving dairy sector efficiency in Jordan.
The expected outcome of the assignment is to carry out a technical audit of the Jordanian dairy sector and provide recommendations on the content and format of different technical assistance options for market development, including a training program for commercial Jordanian dairy farmers. Ultimately, the assignment will support VCCP objectives to enhance supply chain linkages, technical know-how and, in the longer term, access to finance for local farmers/SMEs in Jordan, to increase their efficiency and support value chain development.
The selected consultant is expected to provide a technical audit of commercial dairy farms in Jordan, and recommendations for a technical assistance package.
Consultant selection
Interested firms or groups of firms are invited to submit a technical and financial proposal. The assignment is expected to start in January 2019 and has an estimated overall duration of six months.
Interested consultants can find more information at https://www.ebrd.com/work-with-us/procurement/pn-80787.html
The deadline for submissions is December 3, 2019.