Consultant - Market Systems Assessment South Sudan

Description

Project Location(s): Remote and Physical 5 States: Cen. Equatoria, Lakes, Warrap, N. Bahr el Ghazal, Western Equatoria

BACKGROUND

The EU's development cooperation with South Sudan, outlined in the Multi-annual Indicative Program (MIP) for 2021-2027, is geared towards achieving the overall objective of progressing to a more stable, resilient, and peaceful South Sudan during this period.

In alignment with the EU's development cooperation objectives for South Sudan outlined in the Multi-annual Indicative Program (MIP) for 2021-2027, Mercy Corps is poised to lead a strategic initiative aiming to foster a more stable, resilient, and peaceful South Sudan. This consultancy will conduct a focused and phased Market Systems Assessment (MSA) covering key pillars, including Private Sector Development, Job Creation, Agriculture and Rural Development, Natural Resources and Biodiversity, and Climate Change Adaptation.

PURPOSE

The consultancy aims to conduct a comprehensive phased scoping Rapid Market Assessment (RMA) in South Sudan, covering various sectors and markets. This scoping is to inform the design and implementation of interventions for the anticipated EU Green and Resilient Economy and other funding initiatives in the pipeline. The consultant will work closely with Mercy Corps South Sudan team and liaison with the regional Market Systems Development advisor.

Continuous Iteration for Informed Project Design:

This Market Systems Assessment (MSA)s but rather as a dynamic and iterative. The MSA will extend beyond the final report, evolving into the anticipated project design and implementation.

Recognizing the dynamic nature of market systems and the evolving needs of the communities in South Sudan, the MSA will be subjected to continuous iterations. The findings and insights from the assessment will play a pivotal role in shaping the project's initial design phase.

This iterative process emphasizes a commitment to flexibility, learning, and responsiveness, ultimately contributing to the development of more effective and targeted interventions. As the MSA transitions into the project's initial design phase, the insights gleaned will guide Mercy Corps in tailoring interventions that are not only evidence-based but also contextually relevant, fostering resilience and sustainable development in South Sudan.

ACTIVITIES & DELIVERABLES

1. Desk Review: Conduct a thorough review of existing literature, reports, and relevant data to understand the current market dynamics and challenges in the target pillars and generate a list of sectors and potential interventions relevant to the different target states.

• Conduct a kick-off workshop led by the consultant with the Mercy corps team to set out and agree on methodology, review assessment tools, schedule assessment activities and develop work plan.

• Stakeholder Identification: Identify and map key stakeholders, including government bodies, private sector players, NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations), and community representatives, in each target market.

• Field Visits: Visit each state to conduct field assessments, interviews, and focus group discussions with key informants, businesses, to gather primary data. The focus should be to target business hubs across the target states due to time constraints.

• Data Analysis: Analyze the collected data to identify market trends, key players, and systemic challenges in each sector and state.
• Preliminary Findings Presentation: Present preliminary findings to Mercy corps and relevant stakeholders for initial feedback and validation.

ACTIVITIES, ESTIMATED LOE, TIMELINE 2024, LOCATION, DELIVERABLE(S) FOR 21 DAYS.

Phase 1: Desk Review and Initial Sector scoping LOE 6 days remote starting 3rd through to 8th June

Objective: Gather and analyze secondary data to establish a foundational understanding of the market systems in the target sectors.

The consultant will conduct a thorough review of secondary data materials to identify up to 3 relevant sectors within the South Sudan economy with the highest potential to support resilient incomes and food security, based on the following criteria: (1) Relevance to the context; (2) Opportunities for growth and/or increased food security; (3) Feasibility to achieve scale and, where possible sustainability; and (4) Resilience potential of the sector, both in its adaptability to shocks as well as its ability to support the target groups’ economic opportunities and food security through anticipated shocks and stresses. This process will be based on a desk review of existing literature on a long list of 3 sectors, interviews with a small set of key informants, and consultation with Mercy Corps South Sudan team members. At the end of this phase, there will be a set of 3 sectors selected for further analysis. Deliverables. An Initial Findings Report detailing the current state of the market systems in the selected sectors.

Phase 2: Field Assessments and Stakeholder Engagement. LoE 9 days physical starting 17th through to 25 June.

Objective: Validate the desk review findings and gather primary data through direct interactions with market actors and stakeholders. Deliverables include: A comprehensive dataset of primary market data.

A synthesized report of validated market insights.

Conduct Interviews: Organize and execute interviews with key stakeholders including local businesses, government representatives, and community leaders. Due to the limited time availability, the focus should be to collect data from major business hubs across those five states.

Focus Groups discussions: Facilitate focus group discussions to gather qualitative insights.

Data Synthesis: Compile and synthesize all data gathered from interviews and focus groups.

Phase 3: Market system assessments and analysis of supporting functions. LoE 6 days remote and physical starting 26th through to 31st June 2024.

Through in-depth interviews and targeted rapid surveys, the assessment will identify supporting functions, rules and norms that affect target group participation in these sectors. The diagnostic process will prioritize key constraints across these functions, rules, and norms in each sector and dig deeper with the market actors involved with these to understand their underlying causes. To strengthen products, services, and support to improve underperformance and increase participation in and benefits from prioritized sectors. Deliverables include, Final Market Analysis Report, Detailed Pilot Project Proposals, including feasibility and risk assessments and a Final Assessment Report with feedback incorporation.

Synthesize Field Insights: Develop a comprehensive analysis from phases 1 and 2.

Develop indicative interventions vision to support the proposal pillar design: Create detailed list of potential sectors and interventions for the design focusing on the most critical findings.

Final Presentation LoE 1 day remote/phyical starting 31 June 2024.

Objective: Present the comprehensive findings, proposed pilots, and assessments to stakeholders for feedback and final adjustments.

Deliverable: Organize and lead a final stakeholder workshop to present findings and potential interventions and generate additional inputs and discussion to enrich the final product.

Lead Agency and Consortium Collaboration:

Mercy Corps will lead the initiative and will make available resources to facilitate the successful completion of the MSA. The organization will be responsible for overseeing critical aspects of the consultancy process. Key responsibilities include:

1. Review and Approval of Deliverables: Mercy Corps holds the responsibility to review and approve all draft and final deliverables produced during the consultancy. This includes reports, intervention designs, and any other outputs generated throughout the assessment process. The organization's thorough review ensures the quality and alignment of deliverables with the overarching goals and standards set for the market systems assessment.

2. Contracting and Payment for Research Team: To support primary data collection, Mercy Corps will nominate and allocate team members to support this process through to the end. This responsibility underscores the organization's commitment to facilitating a robust and comprehensive data collection process, allowing the assessment team to focus on their expertise while ensuring a well-resourced research team.

Assessment Team:

The assessment team, led by the Consultant, is integral to the success of the market systems assessment. Their roles and collaborative efforts are outlined as follows:

Consultant:

• The Consultant will serve as the lead professional overseeing the entire market systems assessment.
• Responsibilities include conducting the assessment, selection priority market systems and recommending potential intervention approaches, and drafting the final report.
• The Consultant is expected to provide leadership and expertise, ensuring the assessment aligns with the objectives and requirements set forth in the consultancy while the Consultant is executing this duty Mercy corps shall allocate resources including liaison personnel in country to support the consultant during this assignment.

Reports to:

The Consultant will report to Regional Market System Development Advisor.

The Consultant will work closely with:

• The Consultant will report progress, findings, and challenges directly to Mercy Corps who will coordinate with the rest of the consortium team members.
• Regular updates and milestones achieved will be communicated to ensure transparency and alignment with project expectations.

Relevant Experience for Market Systems Assessment Consultant:

1. Market Systems Development (MSD): Demonstrated experience in conducting market systems assessments, utilizing the Market Systems Development (MSD) approach. Proven ability to analyze complex market dynamics, identify key actors, functions, rules, and relationships within target markets.

2. Sectoral Expertise: Extensive knowledge and experience in the sectors outlined, including Private Sector Development (Financial Services, Business Support Services, MSMEs), Job Creation (Formal/Informal Employment, Skills Development), Agriculture and Rural Development (Crop Production, Livestock and Fisheries, Agribusiness), Natural Resources and Biodiversity (Forest Management, Conservation Agriculture), and Climate Change Adaptation (Renewable Energy, Disaster Risk Reduction).

3. Resilience Integration: Previous engagement in embedding resilience approaches across various markets and subsectors. Experience in identifying opportunities and challenges related to resilience within the target regions.

4. Intervention Design: Proven ability to propose and design interventions based on market systems analysis. Experience in developing partnerships and designing program activities aimed at addressing identified barriers and leveraging opportunities within market systems.

5. Report Drafting: Strong report drafting skills, including the capacity to translate complex market assessments into clear, concise, and actionable reports. Experience in drafting and finalizing comprehensive MSA reports.

6. Collaborative Stakeholder Engagement: Demonstrated success in working collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders, including local communities, government agencies, NGOs, and private sector actors. Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

7. Adaptability and Creativity: Ability to work under pressure, independently, and with limited supervision. Proven creative problem-solving skills and excellent time management capacities. Demonstrated adaptability to evolving contexts.

8. Security and Cultural Awareness: Awareness of security, political, and cultural considerations in the South Sudan context. Ability to navigate and work effectively in challenging environments.

9. Humanitarian Commitment: Deep commitment to humanitarian principles and values, ensuring that interventions contribute to the overall objective of progressing towards a more stable, resilient, and peaceful South Sudan.

SUCCESS FACTORS

• Ability to work under pressure, independently and with limited supervision.
• Demonstrated creative problem-solving skills and excellent time management capacities.

• Security, political and cultural awareness

• Highly developed interpersonal communication skills

• Deep commitment to humanitarian principles and values

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our stakeholders and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.