INTRODUCTION

Solidaridad strives to be an organization that understands the signs of modern times, seeking to be a Society Organization (CSO) with its own place and role in society, while simultaneously interacting with Governments and markets. The organization envisions a world in which all we produce, and all we consume can sustain us while respecting the planet, and the next generations. Solidaridad embraces the public-private and people partnerships (PPPP) in order to test innovations, speeding up change and taking success to scale. Globally, Solidaridad works around coffee and other 12 commodities / sectors (http://www.solidaridadnetwork.org).

TO CERTIFICATION AND BEYOND PROJECT

This is a market access focused project that seeks to promote sustainable coffee, horticulture and tea sectors in Tanzania. Funded by the European Union, the project reaches 21,000 farmers in Zanzibar (Horticulture), Mbeya, Njombe (Horticulture and Tea) Ruvuma and Songwe (Coffee). The initiative’s sustainability objectives include poverty reduction, use of natural resources sustainably and protecting ecosystems, opening local and international export markets, lowering potential hurdles to development and averting the costs of sustainability compliance.

The project considers private certifications of one of the key entries to the better markets, but due to costs associated with the certification it has been practical impossibility for producers and exporters to attain such certifications. We also consider Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) key in achieving the sustainability objectives. Public and private initiatives including VSS providers are engaged both at standard-setting and implementation stages which are achieved through the promotion of proactive and strategic dialogue in sensitizing and creating awareness to smallholder farmers on sustainable production of high quality agricultural commodities, food safety, benefits of VSS mechanisms and eventual integration of sustainability practices in their business-as-usual model.

The project outcomes include increased knowledge and compliance on Voluntary Sustainability Standards among producers and value chain actors, cost effective and sustainable models of transitioning to compliance for actors along the value chain, particularly for smallholder farmers, and creating sustainable ways of reducing the cost of certification in Tanzania.

The overall objective for this project is to address issues surrounding effective use of certification schemes and use of voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) to improve and drive market opportunities for Tanzanian “branded” sustainable tea, coffee and horticulture products.

SCOPE OF WORK

To Certification and Beyond Project seeks the services of a qualified firm/consultant to;

1. Provide local independent auditors with training to be able to carry out VSS certification audits.
2. Support accreditation of the auditors to become fully registered in all required registration and accreditation bodies to be able to carry out certification such as but not limited to Rain Forest Alliance, C.A.F.E Practice, Fair Trade, etc

ACTIVITIES

1. Facilitate training sessions for at least 20 local VSS auditors and support them throughout the accreditation process, including linking them with the relevant local and international bodies, ensuring that they attend to all necessary tests among others.

2. Support the auditors’ registration and/or accreditation by all relevant bodies to become eligible for leading and conducting certification audits (external audits)

EXPECTED OUTPUTS/DELIVERABLES

1. At Least 20 local auditors trained and accredited to lead and conduct certification audits in order to be in a position to support farmers through the certification process, conduct audits either for a single or multiple VSS.
2. Report that outline all activities that were carried out and the achievements.

INPUTS

1. Solidaridad shall provide the consultant with background information on the project.
2. Solidaridad shall introduce the consultant to the relevant project team for preparatory planning. It will be the responsibility of the consultant to make contact with any external relevant organization while keeping Solidaridad in correspondence.
3. Solidaridad shall identify officers and auditors (trainees) to participate in the training
4. The consultant shall refer and adhere to all relevant statutory regulations.

QUALIFICATIONS

The applicant must be a registered entity/body which is certified to conduct and accredit private certification auditors (either of Rainforest Alliance, C.A.F.E Practice, Fair Trade or all)

SUPERVISION

The consultant will directly report to Solidaridad East and Central Africa and the Tanzania Country Manager, while working closely with the Project Manager.

PROPOSAL PROFILE

1. Detailed Technical Proposal
2. Detailed comprehensive Financial Proposal (budget) costs.
3. Updated CVs for the consultants and /or the profile of the consulting firm
4. Company Registration and TIN certificates