Consultancy Service: Mapping of Key Small Ruminant Value Chain Actors (Public and Private Sector) at National, Regional and Continental. (FIRMS ONLY)

Programme	EU Support to the Eradication of PPR (Peste des petits ruminants) from Africa
Activity	1.1.3 – Map key small ruminant value chain actors (public and private sector) at national, regional and continental levels
Consultancy Structure	A firm with 1 Team Leader Consultant + 4 REC Support Consultants + online validation process
Implementing Coordination	AU-IBAR / Pan-African PPR Secretariat (PAPS), in close collaboration with RECs and technical partners

1. Context: Programme background and overview

Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious, viral disease affecting sheep and goats, with significant impacts on livestock productivity, household livelihoods, food security, and trade. As a transboundary animal disease, it spreads easily across national borders through livestock movements, trade networks, and pastoral mobility, making coordinated regional and continental responses essential. The disease is present in over 70 countries across Africa, the Middle East and Asia, placing nearly 80% of the global small ruminant population-estimated at close to 2 billion- all at risk.

In recognition of its wide geographic distribution, transboundary nature, severe socio-economic impact, and the availability of an effective vaccine, the international community, led by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), has committed to the global eradication of PPR by 2030 under the Global PPR Eradication Programme.

The Pan-African Strategy for the Control and Eradication of PPR further recognises that PPR eradication contributes to food security, poverty reduction, resilience of livestock-dependent communities and the economic growth of affected countries. It also, serves as an entry point for the coordinated control of other priority small ruminant diseases and the strengthening of veterinary services.

Against this backdrop, the African Union, through AU-IBAR and AU-PANVAC, in collaboration with FAO, WOAH, the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and AU Member States, is implementing the Pan-African PPR Eradication Programme and the Control of Other Priority Small Ruminant Diseases in Africa. Continental coordination is ensured through the Pan-African PPR Secretariat (PAPS), hosted by AU-IBAR in Nairobi. The programme seeks to strengthen continental and regional capacities, improve the coherence of interventions, consolidate vaccination, surveillance and diagnostic strategies, support cross-border coordination and assist Member States in progressing along the eradication pathway.

Within this framework, Activity 1.1.3 provides for the mapping of key small ruminant value chain actors at national, regional and continental levels. Sheep and goat value chains involve a multiplicity of actors operating across production, aggregation, trade, and service delivery systems; however, their engagement in PPR interventions remains uneven and insufficiently coordinated across countries and regions  t Achieving eradication therefore requires not only technical interventions, but also, a clear understanding of the production systems, market structures, and actor networks that drive livestock movement and service delivery. In this context, the mapping exercise will identify key public and private sector actors, define appropriate interlocutors for PPR eradication, document the current status of interventions and progress, and assess coordination mechanisms and gaps s across national, cross-borders and inter-REC levels.

This consultancy is therefore not a simple stakeholder listing exercise. It is a strategic and operational assignment intended to provide AU-IBAR / PAPS with an evidence-based and directly usable mapping of who matters, where, why and how, so that the programme can improve dialogue, coordination, networking, advocacy and implementation support across regions and countries. The outputs will provide a foundation for identifying intervention entry points, improving programme coherence, and supporting the design of efficient and sustainable disease control strategies.

2. Strategic rationale for the consultancy

This consultancy is strategically justified by the recognition that the eradication of PPR is not achieved only through technical tools such as vaccination, surveillance and diagnostics. Its success also depends on whether the programme ability to systematically can identify, understand and effectively engage the right or key actors across the small ruminant value chains, at the right level, and in ways that support ownership, coordination, delivery and sustainability.

The mapping is expected to determine or identify the most appropriate interlocutors for PPR eradication, while clarifying who is already intervening, how far interventions have progressed, and where coordination across borders and inter-RECs is required. This makes the activity directly relevant to the broader governance and coordination agenda of the Pan-African PPR Eradication Programme.

The consultancy is further justified because the programme requires a stronger, more structured engagement of categories of actors that remain insufficiently visible in PPR-related processes.

These include women and youth, community structures, private operators, producer organisations, market actors and, where relevant, wildlife institutions. Without a deliberate and evidence-based mapping, the programme risks missing strategic partners, underestimating coordination gaps, and limiting its capacity to secure inclusive and sustainable eradication outcomes.

Finally, the proposed consultancy arrangement combining one Lead Consultant, four REC Support Consultants, and an online validation process is technically appropriate because it balances regional contextual depth, continental methodological coherence, comparability of outputs, and institutional validation and ownership.

3. Relevant stakeholders

1. AU-IBAR, as the lead continental coordination institution and host of PAPS
2. AU-PANVAC, in relation to animal health, diagnostics, vaccines and technical support functions
3. FAO and WOAH, as technical partners linked to the global eradication architecture and regional / national implementation support
4. The Regional Economic Communities (ECCAS, ECOWAS, IGAD and SADC), as regional coordination and harmonisation actors
5. AU Member States, especially veterinary services, livestock authorities and national PPR coordination structures
6. Regional and national laboratory systems, surveillance actors and animal health institutions
7. Producer organisations, pastoralist networks, cooperatives and associations of small ruminant keepers
8. Private sector actors, including traders, market operators, processors, transporters, service providers and other value chain enterprises
9. Community-based organisations, NGOs, faith-based actors and local influencers
10. Women’s and youth structures involved in small ruminant production, processing, trade or community mobilisation
11. Wildlife conservation and management institutions, where relevant
12. Research, training and knowledge institutions relevant to value chain, disease control or coordination dynamics.

Category	Stakeholder	Roles/ Relevance to the Programme
Global and Continental Actors	AU-IBAR, AU-PANVAC, FAO, WOAH	Policy guidance, technical support, continental coordination, global alignment
Regional Coordination Bodies RECS	ECCAS, ECOWAS, IGAD, SADC	Regional harmonisation, cross-border coordination, programme implementation support
National Institutions	Veterinary services, livestock authorities, national PPR coordination structures	Field implementation, surveillance, vaccination coordination
Technical Systems	Laboratory networks, surveillance systems, animal health institutions	Diagnostics, data generation, reporting
Value chain actors	Traders, market operators, processors, transporters, service providers	Animal movement, market dynamics, disease spread pathways
Community and Inclusion Actors	NGOs, community-based organisations, women and youth groups	Community mobilisation, awareness, uptake of interventions
Knowledge and Research Institution	Universities, research institutions, training centres	Evidence generation, training, technical support

4. Proposed Consultancy

4.1 Description of the Assignment

The proposed consultancy is intended to generate a structured, harmonised and operational mapping of stakeholders and interventions across four RECs covered under the Pan-African PPR Eradication Programme, and with consolidation of these findings at continental level.

The assignment must go beyond a simple list of actors. It should identify key stakeholders, their geographic areas of operation, their current and potential roles, ongoing interventions, and the level of progress achieved.  It should also highlight critical coordination gaps and needs, particularly across borders and between RECs spaces.

Furthermore, it should qualify the value chain in terms of primary production, secondary processing and market access as well as the flow of costs and income. More specifically, the consultancy should provide a estimation of the economic benefits that will be realized at national and regional levels through the eradication of PPR.

The outputs are intended to be directly used by AU-IBAR / PAPS as a basis for strengthened stakeholder engagement, consultative dialogue, awareness creation, advocacy, network strengthening and implementation support.

4.2 Overall objective

To support AU-IBAR / PAPS in undertaking a comprehensive, harmonised and operational mapping of key small ruminant value chain actors at national, regional and continental levels, and to use this mapping as a foundation for establishing a practical stakeholder network that stimulates interaction, dialogue and collaboration across the PPR value chain, while strengthening sustainable public-private relationships in support of PPR eradication and the control of other priority small ruminant diseases in Africa.

4.3 Specific objectives

1. Ensure that gender and social inclusion dimensions, particularly the role of women and youth, are explicitly reflected in the mapping framework, stakeholder analysis and outputs.
2. Identify and categorise relevant public, private, community and non-state actors operating across small ruminant value chains within the four target RECs.
3. Assess their current and potential roles in PPR eradication and in the control of other priority small ruminant diseases.
4. Document the status of relevant interventions, the level of progress and major coordination needs at national and regional levels.
5. Identify cross-border stakeholder linkages and inter-REC coordination requirements.
6. Generate a practical, directly usable and dynamic mapping of key small ruminant value chain actors and stakeholders that AU-IBAR / PAPS can use in dialogue, networking, advocacy and implementation follow-up, while also laying the foundation for a functional stakeholder network or digital engagement mechanism to stimulate interactions, experience-sharing and collaboration across the PPR value chain.
7. Ensure that gender and social inclusion dimensions, particularly the role of women and youth, are explicitly reflected in the mapping framework and the outputs, while strengthening the basis for more effective public-private engagement and improved dissemination of lessons learned and best practices.

4.4 Requested services, including suggested methodology

The firm is expected to apply a practical, harmonised and implementation-oriented methodology that combines:

1. Desk review of relevant strategic, technical and programme documents. 
2. Stakeholder identification, categorisation and profiling across the small ruminant value chain. 
3. Structured consultations with REC, national, cross-border and selected local-level actors. 
4. Assessment of stakeholder roles, influence, interactions and operational relevance to PPR eradication and the control of other priority small ruminant diseases. 
5. Documentation of the status of interventions, the level of progress achieved, and the major coordination needs at national, regional, cross-border and inter-REC levels.
6. Value chain analysis covering primary production, aggregation, animal health service delivery, trade, transport, processing and market access. 
7. Indicative analysis of value creation, constraints, costs, benefits and opportunities linked to stronger coordination and eventual eradication of PPR. 
8. Development of a practical stakeholder engagement and networking approach, including the basis for a functional stakeholder network or digital stakeholder engagement mechanism. 
9. Identification of practical options for improving dialogue, experience-sharing, public-private collaboration, and the dissemination of lessons learned and best practices across the PPR value chain. 
10. Consolidation of REC-level findings into a continental stakeholder and value chain picture.

Whilst the desk review will provide the conceptual and strategic foundation, the assignment shall also require targeted information gathering and validation directly with stakeholders. 

The methodology should therefore include:

1. A clear sampling frame for site and stakeholder selection.
2. Practical tools for key informant interviews and focus group discussions.
3. An analytical framework for assessing stakeholder relationships, coordination dynamics and networking opportunities.
4. A validation process that ensures that findings are technically robust, operationally relevant and usable by AU-IBAR / PAPS. 

The methodology should be guided by a common analytical framework developed at the outset and should allow for a sufficiently differentiated reading of national, regional and transboundary contexts.

4.5 Tasks

4.5.1 Common tasks across the assignment

The consulting office/firm and the full consultancy team shall:

1. Apply a harmonised and agreed stakeholder and small ruminant value chain mapping approach across the four target RECs.
2. Ensure that the assignment consistently documents the status of interventions, the level of progress achieved, and the major coordination needs at national, regional, cross-border and inter-REC levels.
3. Ensure that gender and social inclusion dimensions, particularly the role of women and youth, are integrated throughout the assignment and reflected in the outputs.
4. Contribute to the identification and prioritisation of the most relevant interlocutors for PPR eradication and the coordinated control of other priority small ruminant diseases.
5. Contribute to the analysis of coordination gaps, stakeholder interactions, and opportunities for stronger collaboration across the PPR value chain.
6. Support the validation process and incorporation of stakeholder feedback into the final outputs.
7. Formulate practical recommendations and follow-up actions for AU-IBAR / PAPS.

4.5.2 Tasks of the Team Leader Consultant

The Team Leader Consultant shall:

1. Review all relevant project, strategic and background documents related to PPR eradication, stakeholder engagement and small ruminant value chain analysis.
2. Develop the harmonised analytical and methodological framework for the assignment.
3. Prepare standardised tools and templates for data collection, stakeholder classification, reporting and analysis.
4. Develop the common sampling approach and guidance for site and stakeholder selection.
5. Develop the core questionnaires and interview / focus group discussion guides to be used across all RECs.
6. Provide methodological orientation and technical guidance to the REC Support Consultants to ensure consistency in scope, definitions, data collection and reporting.
7. Define the analytical structure for documenting stakeholder roles, linkages, current interventions, progress, coordination needs and public-private engagement.
8. Identify continental-level stakeholder categories, inter-REC interfaces and strategic coordination issues.
9. Guide the harmonised qualification of the value chain, including indicative analysis of value creation, constraints, costs, benefits and opportunities linked to PPR eradication.
10. Consolidate the four REC reports into one continental stakeholder and value chain mapping report.
11. Ensure quality assurance and comparability of all regional outputs before consolidation
12. Formulate strategic recommendations for AU-IBAR / PAPS, including options for stakeholder engagement, networking, dialogue and follow-up action.
13. Lead the preparation of the validation presentation and coordinate the integration of comments into the final outputs.

4.5.3 Tasks of the REC Support Consultants

Each REC Support Consultant shall:

1. Identify and map relevant public, private, community and non-state actors within the assigned REC and associated Member States, using the agreed harmonised framework.
2. Apply the agreed sampling approach to select relevant sites, stakeholder groups and consultation targets within the assigned regional context.
3. Conduct data collection and consultations with relevant stakeholders through the agreed tools and methods.
4. Document the status of PPR-related and other relevant small ruminant disease interventions in the assigned REC.
5. Assess the level of progress achieved and the major coordination needs within the REC.
6. Identify cross-border stakeholder linkages, operational interactions and coordination requirements relevant to disease control, trade, mobility and service delivery.
7. Assess the roles and representation of women, youth, private sector actors, community organisations and, where relevant, wildlife-related institutions.
8. Contribute REC-specific analysis of the value chain, including production, aggregation, trade, processing, service delivery and market-related functions, as well as indicative cost-benefit or value-addition considerations where feasible.
9. Prepare a REC-specific stakeholder and value chain mapping report using the agreed common format.
10. Liaise closely with the relevant REC structures and regional coordinator on activities and outputs in the respective region.
11. Cooperate with the Team Leader Consultant to ensure consistency, quality assurance and validation of outputs.
12. Support the regional and overall validation of findings as required.

4.6 Expected outputs

1. A harmonised methodological framework for the stakeholder mapping exercise.
2. Four REC-level stakeholder mapping reports.
3. One consolidated continental stakeholder mapping report.
4. A structured evidence base on the status of interventions, the level of progress achieved, and cross-border / inter-REC coordination needs.
5. A practical identification of the most appropriate interlocutors for PPR eradication and integrated control of other priority small ruminant diseases.
6. A practical and directly usable stakeholder and value chain mapping for AU-IBAR / PAPS to support dialogue, networking, advocacy, coordination and implementation follow-up.
7. A functional stakeholder networking mechanism or digital stakeholder network concept, documenting the roles, functions, interactions and areas of engagement of key actors across the PPR value chain.
8. A practical framework for improving dialogue, collaboration, public-private interaction, experience-sharing and dissemination of lessons learned and best practices among relevant stakeholders.
9. Recommendations and engagement actions for AU-IBAR / PAPS follow-up, including options for strengthening stakeholder participation, coordination and sustainability of programme interventions.
10. A conceptual small ruminant value chain analysis, including indicative cost-benefit or value-addition flows relevant to the efficiency, resilience and economic value of the PPR value chain.

4.7 Expected deliverables

Deliverable	Content	Indicative timing
Deliverable 1	Inception Report including detailed methodology, analytical framework, stakeholder classification framework, sampling frame, data collection tools, work plan and reporting template	Within 5 working days from contract signature
Deliverable 2	Four draft REC-level stakeholder and value chain mapping reports, including analysis of stakeholder roles, interventions, progress, coordination needs and public-private interaction	By Day 20
Deliverable 3	Draft consolidated continental stakeholder and value chain mapping report, including synthesis of REC findings and strategic analysis of cross-border and inter-REC dimensions	By Day 25
Deliverable 4	Draft stakeholder engagement and networking framework, including a proposed digital stakeholder network concept and practical approach for dissemination of lessons learned and best practices	By Day 25
Deliverable 5	Validation presentation and comment integration matrix	By Day 28
Deliverable 6	Final consolidated stakeholder and value chain mapping report, annexes, stakeholder database, and final stakeholder networking / engagement framework	By Day 30

5. Location

The assignment will be implemented remotely, complemented by regional consultations, under AU-IBAR / PAPS coordination. Virtual and physical consultations and exchanges with REC and national stakeholders will be organised as required.

6. Duration

The consultancy shall be implemented over a 30-working-day assignment period, with a cumulative total level of effort of 150 working days for the Consulting Firm.

7. Supervision

The consultants will work under the direct supervision of the Pan-African PPR Secretariat (PAPS) Team Leader / PPR Coordinator, and under the overall supervision of the Director of AU-IBAR.

8. Reporting

All reports shall be submitted in English to AU-IBAR / PAPS for technical review and approval.
The Lead Consultant shall be responsible for submitting the consolidated deliverables, ensuring consistency across regional outputs, and integrating comments into the final report.

The validation step shall include presentation of the main findings, review of the mapping outputs, and agreement on key recommendations and follow-up implications.

9. Responsibilities of AU-IBAR

1. Provide relevant background and reference documents.
2. Facilitate access, where possible, to REC and national coordination mechanisms.
3. Review and comment on draft deliverables.
4. Support validation of findings as appropriate.
5. Ensure that the outputs are linked to subsequent programme activities and coordination needs.
6. Where necessary and subject to prior approval, invite the Team Leader Consultant and/or the REC Support Consultants to participate in selected PAPS, AU-IBAR, REC or partner technical, coordination or validation activities relevant to the assignment. Any related costs shall be covered by AU-IBAR / PAPS in accordance with applicable AU-IBAR rules, procedures and budget availability.

10. Remuneration

The firm will be paid a lump sum amount of USD 30,000.00. These fees will be paid upon satisfactory completion and delivery of the expected outputs. Expenses for missions will be covered separately in accordance with the applicable African Union Commission rules and regulations

The consultancy budget under the project is structured as follows:
•    4 REC Support Consultants members of the consulting Office: 4 consultants;
•    1 Team Leader Consultant: 1 consultant;

11. Requirements

•    One highly qualified Team Leader Consultant able to provide methodological leadership and continental synthesis;
•    Four Support Consultants members of the Consulting Office with sufficient regional familiarity, analytical ability and stakeholder engagement capacity;
•    Strong understanding of PPR eradication and the control of other priority small ruminant diseases;
•    Demonstrated ability to work within a multi-level and multi-stakeholder African institutional environment.

12. Qualifications

12.1 Consulting Firm

The Consulting Firm shall:

1. Be a legally registered firm with proven operational capacity to manage multi-country consultancy assignments.
2. Have at least 5 years of relevant professional experience in veterinary epidemiology, animal health systems, livestock economics, rural development, value chain analysis, stakeholder mapping, regional coordination, or related fields.
3. Demonstrate proven experience in similar assignments in Africa, particularly in stakeholder mapping, livestock or animal health value chain analysis, regional animal health systems, public-private engagement, or transboundary animal disease programmes.
4. Demonstrate experience in coordinating multi-expert consultancy teams across countries or regions.
5. Have familiarity with African institutional environments, including AU institutions, RECs, national veterinary services, development partners, and regional technical bodies.
6. Demonstrate capacity to deliver high-quality, policy-relevant and implementation-oriented outputs within agreed timelines.
7. Prior experience with AU-IBAR, AU-PANVAC, RECs, FAO, WOAH or similar institutions shall be an added advantage.

12.2 Team Leader Consultant

The Team Leader Consultant shall:

1. Hold an advanced university degree in veterinary epidemiology, animal health systems, livestock economics, rural development, value chain analysis, public health, development studies, or another relevant field.
2. Have at least 15 years of progressively relevant professional experience.
3. Demonstrate strong experience in: 
   o    stakeholder mapping, 
   o    livestock or animal health value chain analysis, 
   o    transboundary animal disease programmes, 
   o    regional or continental coordination processes, 
   o    and strategic or operational analysis related to animal health systems;.
4. Have proven experience in leading similar multi-country or regional assignments, including coordination of technical teams and consolidation of outputs.
5. Have strong knowledge of: 
   o    PPR eradication approaches, 
   o    other priority small ruminant diseases, 
   o    veterinary governance systems in Africa, 
   o    and the institutional roles of AU-IBAR, RECs, Member States and technical partners
6. Demonstrate strong analytical, synthesis, coordination and report-writing skills.
7. Be fluent in English, with working knowledge of at least one additional AU official language being a strong asset.
8. Prior experience in public-private engagement, community-based systems, and livestock stakeholder coordination will be an added advantage.

12.3 REC Support Consultants

Each REC Support Consultant shall:

1. Hold an advanced university degree in veterinary medicine, animal production, veterinary public health, rural development, livestock economics, sociology, public health, development studies, or another relevant field.
2. Have at least 10 years of relevant professional experience.
3. Demonstrate experience in: 
   o    stakeholder mapping, 
   o    livestock or value chain analysis, 
   o    regional or national animal health programme support, 
   o    institutional coordination, 
   o    or related analytical assignments
4. Have good knowledge of the livestock, small ruminant and animal health institutional context of the assigned REC.
5. Demonstrate understanding of regional dynamics relevant to PPR eradication, including: 
   o    cross-border livestock mobility, 
   o    trade and market systems, 
   o    service delivery constraints, 
   o    and coordination challenges.
6. Have strong stakeholder engagement, consultation and report-writing skills.
7. Demonstrate capacity to work within a harmonised regional methodology while providing context-specific analysis.
8. Be fluent in English or French, depending on the regional context; knowledge of other AU official languages will be an added advantage.

12.4 Team Composition

The proposed team shall demonstrate:

1. Strong technical coverage of PPR eradication, other priority small ruminant diseases, livestock value chains, stakeholder analysis, regional coordination and public-private engagement.Appropriate regional balance across the four target RECs.
2. Adequate linguistic coverage for work across different regional contexts.
3. Ability to integrate gender, social inclusion and youth dimensions into the assignment.
4. Strong capacity to produce practical, implementation-oriented and policy-relevant outputs. 

13. Gender Mainstreaming

The consultancy must remain attentive to the role of women and youth in the small ruminant sector and in programme processes. The project itself underscores the importance of ensuring that these categories are adequately reflected and included in the mapping and explicitly calls for the development of genderised frameworks for stakeholder mapping. Qualified women professionals are strongly encouraged to participate in the consultancy process.

14. Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be evaluated in accordance with the applicable AU-IBAR procurement procedures for consultancy services.

Given that this assignment will be procured through a Consulting Firm, the technical evaluation shall clearly distinguish between:

1.    The institutional capacity and relevant experience of the Firm; 
2.    The quality of the technical proposal and methodology; 
3.    The qualifications and experience of the proposed Team Leader Consultant; and 
4.    The qualifications and experience of the proposed REC Support Consultants.

This evaluation structure is intended to ensure that the selected Firm not only demonstrates adequate institutional and managerial capacity but also proposes a team of high-calibre experts with strong and directly relevant technical experience in stakeholder mapping, value chain analysis, PPR eradication, transboundary animal disease control, regional coordination, and small ruminant systems in Africa

14.1 Technical Evaluation Structure

Evaluation Component	Maximum Score
A. Consulting Office / Firm: institutional and relevant experience	20
B. Technical proposal and methodology	25
C. Team Leader Consultant	30
D. REC Support Consultants	25
Total Technical Score	100

14.2 Detailed Technical Evaluation Grid

A. Consulting Office / Firm: Institutional and Relevant Experience (20 points)
The Firm will be evaluated based on its institutional profile, legal and operational capacity, and demonstrated experience in assignments of similar scope and complexity.

Criteria	Maximum Score
A1. Institutional profile, legal registration and operational capacity of the Firm	5
A2. General institutional experience relevant to the assignment	5
A3. Specific experience in similar assignments, including stakeholder mapping, value chain analysis, animal health systems, livestock systems, regional coordination, or related consultancy work in Africa	10
Subtotal	20

B. Technical Proposal and Methodology (25 points)
The technical proposal will be evaluated on the basis of its understanding of the assignment and the quality, relevance and feasibility of the proposed approach.

Criteria	Maximum Score
B1. Understanding of the assignment, its strategic context and expected results	8
B2. Soundness, clarity and relevance of the proposed methodology and analytical approach	12
B3. Quality and feasibility of the proposed work plan, coordination arrangements, validation approach, and quality assurance measures	5
Subtotal	25

C. Team Leader Consultant (30 points)
The Team Leader Consultant will be evaluated separately based on qualifications, directly relevant experience, and demonstrated ability to lead and consolidate a technically demanding multi-country assignment.

Criteria	Maximum Score
C1. Academic qualifications and professional background	5
C2. Specific experience in leading similar multi-country or regional assignments in Africa	10
C3. Demonstrated expertise in stakeholder mapping, value chain analysis, PPR / transboundary animal diseases, and animal health systems	10
C4. Analytical, coordination and high-level report-writing capacity	5
Subtotal	30

D. REC Support Consultants (25 points)
The REC Support Consultants will be evaluated collectively on the basis of their qualifications, regional relevance, complementarity, and technical suitability.

Criteria	Maximum Score
D1. Academic qualifications and professional background of the proposed REC consultants	5
D2. Relevant technical experience in stakeholder mapping, value chain analysis, animal health / livestock systems, and programme support	10
D3. Knowledge of the assigned REC contexts, including regional livestock systems, institutions and coordination dynamics	5
D4. Complementarity, regional balance and linguistic coverage of the REC team	5
Subtotal	25

14.3 Minimum Technical Thresholds

To ensure that the assignment is awarded only to a Firm proposing a technically strong and highly relevant team, the following minimum thresholds shall apply:
•    Overall technical score: minimum 75 points out of 100 
•    Consulting Office / Firm: minimum 12 points out of 20 
•    Technical proposal and methodology: minimum 15 points out of 25 
•    Team Leader Consultant: minimum 20 points out of 30 
•    REC Support Consultants: minimum 16 points out of 25

Failure to achieve the minimum threshold in any one of the above components shall result in disqualification from further evaluation.

14.4 Financial Evaluation

Only Firms that meet the minimum technical thresholds shall proceed to financial evaluation.
The financial proposal shall be evaluated in accordance with the applicable AU-IBAR procurement procedures and the approved budget framework for the assignment.

14.5 Additional Quality Considerations

Preference may be given to applications that demonstrate:

1. Proven experience with high-level assignments in Africa involving AU institutions, RECs, national veterinary services, and regional technical bodies 
2. Strong expertise in PPR eradication, transboundary animal diseases, small ruminant production systems, and public-private coordination 
3. Demonstrated ability to produce practical, implementation-oriented and decision-useful outputs, not only analytical reports
4. Clear capacity to integrate gender, social inclusion, cross-border coordination, and stakeholder networking mechanisms into the assignment
5. Availability of experts with a strong command of relevant AU official languages and experience working across multiple African regions. 

15. Submission of Applications

Applications shall be submitted in accordance with the instructions below.

Interested Consulting Firms shall submit a complete application package including the following:

1. A presentation of the Consulting Firm, including its profile, legal registration, contact details, and relevant institutional experience
2.  The Firm’s main references, including certificates of satisfactory completion / certificates of good end, where available
3. A cover letter signed by the authorised representative of the Firm, demonstrating the Firm’s suitability for the assignment
4. A technical proposal including the proposed methodology, analytical approach, work plan, team organisation, and validation approach
5. Detailed curriculum vitae (CVs) of the proposed Team Leader Consultant and the four REC Support Consultants
6. Copies of relevant academic and professional certificates of the proposed consultants
7. At least one sample or excerpt of a previous assignment related to stakeholder mapping, value chain analysis, institutional analysis, coordination frameworks, or a similar area of work developed by the applicant
8. A copy of a valid identification document of the authorised representative of the Firm
9. Any required declaration forms or administrative documents specified in the call
10. Signed AU Declaration on exclusion criteria (see format attached).

Applications should be submitted through email to: procurement@au-ibar.org with a copy to albert.obier@au-ibar.org and should include the title “Mapping of Key Small Ruminant Value Chain Actors (Public and Private Sector) at National, Regional and Continental” in the subject of the email

Application Deadline

Applications should be submitted to the address given above by 14th August, 2026 at 23:45hrs Nairobi Local Time.

17. Disclaimer / Intellectual Property

All outputs produced under this assignment shall be the property of AU-IBAR. They are intended for use within the framework of the Pan-African PPR Eradication Programme and related programme processes. Reproduction and/or dissemination for commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission from AU-IBAR.