Call for Expression of Interest

SNV is a mission-driven global development partner, rooted in the contexts and societies where we work. Inspired by the transformational principles and objectives set out by the SDGs, we are committed to building resilient agri-food systems that deliver food security and adequate nutrition; increasing the reliability and availability of water and sanitation at an acceptable quantity and quality; and to improving access to affordable and sustainable energy for all. In doing so, we aim to strengthen institutions, markets and effective governance within and across the agri-food, energy, and water sectors, reducing gender inequalities and barriers to social inclusion, and enabling adaptation and mitigation to the climate and biodiversity crises.

We are one team of over 1,600 people, the vast majority of whom come from the contexts where we work, in more than 20 countries in Africa and Asia. In Uganda, SNV operates through a decentralised approach with a country office in Kampala and regional offices in Fort Portal, Lira, Jinja and Mbarara. SNV implements donor-funded activities across more than 100 districts in Uganda, ensuring a broad and diverse impact.

Our core values of people-centeredness and respect, equity and equality, and diversity and inclusion, are fundamental to who we are, and what we do. This is reflected in our vision, mission, and strategy, which sets out our aspirations and commitments as our compass towards 2030. For more information on our operations in Uganda and SNV visit our website: www.snv.org.

Project Information:

The Inclusive Livestock Development for Smallholders (INCLUDE) Project

The INCLUDE project is a five-year initiative that began in April 2024, aiming to enhance the resilience of smallholder farmers’ (SHFs) livestock-based livelihoods across 21 districts and two city councils in four regions of Uganda. The targeted regions and areas include:

• Rwenzori sub-region (5) districts and 1 city council
• Greater Ankole sub-region (4) districts
• Kigezi sub-region (6) districts
• Busoga sub-region (5) districts
• Kampala Metropolitan Area and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA)

The INCLUDE project aims at reaching 75,000 smallholder farmers (SHFs) across the Rwenzori, Greater Ankole, Kigezi, and Busoga sub-regions. It adopted a farming systems approach that integrates both crops and livestock, using livestock (cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, and pigs) as the main entry point.

The project is SHF-led and market-oriented, focusing on strengthening SHF linkages to input and output markets, as well as access to financial services. Additionally, INCLUDE will enhance SHF voices in development processes, support policy reviews in livestock farming, and strengthen or establish cooperatives and SACCOs to support farmer resilience and inclusivity.

The INCLUDE Approach:

The Participatory Integrated Planning (PIP) approach.

Underpinning the INCLUDE intervention is the Participatory Integrated planning (PIP) which is an innovative way of transforming small scale subsistence farmer households into a more productive and sustainable units/farms through generating household plans that visualizes the current situation of the farm and the desired future situation. This is then accompanied by an action plan agreed by the family (entire Household) to achieve the desired end. This PIP is implemented at SHF communities within a Farming Systems approach.

The PIP Foundation Principles:

These are motivation (which is an intrinsic inspiration to act and triggers an action to be undertaken); stewardship (which refers to responsibility of a community to manage and protect land resources and its natural heritage and resilience (which is the ability of a system to return to its initial state after a shock or perturbation)The foundation principles of PIP are guided by three principles that support sustainability, including: -

Empowerment: concerns a process in which people gain control over their lives, develop a sense of self determination, and eventually believe in their capability to change their own realities.

Integration: where stakeholders see a farm or village as a system where everything is connected where farmers during their work are stimulated to learn more and experiment with new activities and practices. This simulates cohesion.

Collaboration: Is the basic tool in achieving a sustainable change, when people carry out actions together e.g. at slope level, working together to implement soil and water conservation practices, at community level, building a village knowledge centre or storage facility, Collaboration enhances trust and social relations among people.  

Purpose of this call

The purpose of this Call for Proposals/Expression of Interest is to establish a grant agreement with a reputable and qualified local organization to implement INCLUDE project activities in the regions of Kigezi and Rwenzori. The districts of implementation shall be Kanungu & Rubanda for Kigezi subregion and Kamwenge & Kyenjojo for Rwenzori Subregion.

SNV is seeking qualified local organizations, companies, or cooperatives to partner with under the INCLUDE program. Under this assignment, the selected partner (Local service provider-LSP) shall implement activities that will drive the three pathways under INCLUDE.

SNV shall, together with the local partner, engage one or more PIP field officers who shall be based with the local partner and shall be provided with a motorcycle and Fuel.  

The PIP field officer shall be required to have a wide knowledge and/or expertise in the following area: SHF community development, crop and/or livestock production, land/soil management or environmental sciences. The PIP field officer will be responsible for training selected communities and SHFs in PIP and after the outcome of the community and individual household visioning, to support them to achieve their vision.

The assignments shall be based on periodically agreed tasks (quarterly, half-year or annually), backed by an approved workplan and a financial proposal. 

Eligibility:

Locally registered organizations, companies, and cooperatives under the legally recognized categories, i.e. Registrar of Companies Act 2012, the Non-Governmental Organizations Act 2016, and the Cooperative Societies Act 1991 (appropriate registration certificate).

Selection Criteria:

Organization legal status and compliance:

Registration status:

Is the organization registered under the legally recognized categories, i.e., Registrar of Companies Act 2012, Non-Governmental Organizations Act 2016, and Cooperative Societies Act 1991 (appropriate registration certificate).

Tax compliance:

The organization, company or cooperative society must comply with tax laws and regulations of Uganda by paying taxes timely and accurately (Tax compliance certificate).

Organization capacity:

Capacity and capability:

The applying organization, company or cooperative must demonstrate its capability to work with many communities and SHFs and ability to manage substantial budgets. This includes, but may not be limited to Human resource capacity, financial capacity, and logistics/material.

How many projects has your organisation implemented over the last three years? Please list ongoing and completed projects over the last three years.

Experience:

The organization must sufficiently demonstrate previous experience in implementing related or similar assignments in the area applied for by presenting a strong profile of previous assignments. Specific experience in implementing the PIP approach shall be an added advantage.

Geographical mandate:

Does the organization have a regional/sub regional or national mandate? Which regions/sub regions is the organization authorized to work projects?

Local presence and Geographic reach:

Which areas have you previously operated/delivered services? Organization, Company or the applying cooperative must demonstrate local presence in the programme area applied for through existence of office and/or ongoing assignment.

Human resources:

Stable Staff Structure: How many full time and part time staff does the organization employ?

Gender Balance:  What proportion of the professional level staff are female, male and PWDs?

Scope of Work

The LSP will implement INCLUDE activities in any of the 2 project regions/sub regions indicated below.

Subregion; Kigezi in Rubanda and Kanungu districts.

Subregion: Rwenzori in Kyenjojo and Kamwenge districts.

In SNV terminology an implementing partner is referred to as a Local Service Provider-LSP

Pathway 1: Sustainable production; 2: Inclusive livestock markets; 3: School milk programme; 4: Smallholder farmer voice, inclusive and responsible policies.

Please note that local partners are required only for these two sub-regions.

Eligible organizations must be based in either Kigezi or Rwenzori and actively engaged in delivering hands-on training and advisory services in the agriculture sector or involved in community development and/or livelihood improvement of smallholder farmers (SHFs).

Additional information

The Budget:

SNV shall disburse money to the LSP/Implementing partner periodically based on an approved workplan and financial proposal. The payment shall be made after the LSP has submitted and attained approval on agreed deliverables.

NOTE: At this stage, applicants are not expected to attach any financial proposals related to this call.

How to apply

SNV prefers to hire an organization which is interested and has the capacity to implement activities in Rwenzori and Kigezi regions. The main focus of implementation is in Kanungu and Rubanda districts of Kigezi Region and Kamwenge and Kyenjojo districts of Rwenzori subregion.

Interested organizations shall be required to submit a Cover letter and a capability statement that provides clear and concise information under each of the following attributes that shall comprise the selection criteria:

• Company name; physical/postal and email addresses. Including reliable contact details of the contact person.
• Company overview; mission and vision

• Company registration status indicating geographical mandate of the organization (attach registration certificate) and TIN registration number.
• Uganda Revenue Authority tax clearance certificate/report (where applicable).

• Current method of work, strategies and approaches/Innovative approaches/Previous experience implementing using the PIP approach.
• An outline of personnel that can potentially be deployed under INCLUDE.
• Previous project experiences and contacts (Attach company profile)
• Experience and capacity to undertake the assignment (remember to provide references)
• Local Knowledge

Submission

Interested service providers are requested to submit expression of interest to ugandatenders@snv.org  before 5 pm Friday 9th May 2025 with the subject line “Expression of interest to implement INCLUDE project activities in Rwenzori and Kigezi region”.