Consulting Firm for Verification

Terms of Reference (ToR)
Consulting firm for verification
Project: Market Acceleration of Advanced Clean Cookstove in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region

SNV Netherlands Development Organisation is a not-for-profit international development organization. Founded in the Netherlands nearly 50 years ago, we have built a long-term, local presence in 38 of the poorest countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Our global team of local and international advisors work with local partners to equip communities, businesses and organizations with the tools, knowledge and connections they need to increase their incomes and gain access to basic services – empowering them to break the cycle of poverty and guide their own development.

SNV has been working in Vietnam since 1995. Using market based approaches, SNV is committed to reducing poverty by catalysing environmentally sustainable solutions for the poor in agriculture, energy, water & sanitation, and REDD+.

1.    Project context:

Many rural households in Vietnam still rely on solid biomass for the majority of their daily cooking needs. Burning of solid biomass results in harmful emissions that have a strong negative health impact. On an annual basis still 45.000 people die prematurely in Vietnam due to the negative health impacts related to cooking on solid biomass. Besides the negative health impact related to indoor air pollution the inefficiency of the typical stoves that are used in Vietnam result in a high usage of solid biomass. In case of collection of biomass the collection is time consuming, in case it is purchased it will reduce their available income.

Based on the assessment of high demanding to cleaner cookstoves and the supply capacity from its partners, the project: “Market Acceleration of Advanced Clean Cookstoves for the Greater Mekong Sub-regions” will increase the availability of advanced clean cookstoves that require considerably less fuel and strongly reduce the amount of hazardous emissions related to burning solid biomass. Using the advanced clean cookstoves contributes to the cleaner environment and fuel saving, of which the expected saving income can use for another purposes for household economic development.

This project makes part of a global energy access programme called Energizing Development programme, managed by GIZ. https://endev.info

2. Purpose of the consultancy:

The consulting firm will establish a fixed team of verifiers (from 03 to 05 members). The team will take charge of verification activities by telephone check and by physical check for the sales data of advanced clean cookstove. The results of verification will be used in making decisions of incentive payments by SNV to for producers participating in the project. Preferably, the consulting firm will have prior experience working in social research and/or audit sector. Experience in cookstove sector or environment and climate change sector is an advantage.

3.    Main Responsibilities for independent verification team

Independent Verification Team (IVA) will take charge of implementing the tasks in terms of:

• Phone check: based on a sample provided by SNV the IVA will call and assess whether the cookstove has been sold and used. Data from the questionnaire will be put in an online data system by mobile app.
• Physical check: SNV provide a sample of households to IVA for physical check. The IVA completes the digital questionnaire by a mobile app and submits the inspection report to SNV. The province to visit depends on monthly distribution patterns.

The IVA will ensure proper communication with the local authorities and households.

4.    Terms and Condition

• The consulting firm will be paid a daily rate proportionate with the requirements in the sample.
• The estimated total budget until December 2017 for this assignment is USD 7,000.
• The estimated number of households for phone check is 1.500 and field survey is 800.
• Total days for team leader: 50 days.
• Total days for team members: 137 days.

5.    General Qualifications:

• The consulting firm has a minimum of 02 years of experience working in social research and/or audit sector.
• The members of independent verification team have knowledge and experience in social research, interviewing and or auditing. Preferably in the cookstove sector, agricultural, environment and climate change or other related fields.
• Team leader has excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills both in English as well as Vietnamese.
• Team members has excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skill in Vietnamese.
• Consulting firm provides Android-based device.

6.    Duration of Assignment: The duration is a period of 3 months (October to December 2017) with possible 1 year extension.

7.    Desired start date: As soon as possible.

How to apply:  Please send a motivation letter with salary requirements (maximum 2 pages), relevant background information of the firm (maximum 4 pages) and the CV of all team members (maximum 2 page per person), to [email protected] by 6th October 2017. Successful applicant is expected to start in October.

Applications will be reviewed and interviews conducted on a rolling basis to identify appropriate candidates as soon as possible. Only shortlisted candidate will be contacted.

For more information on SNV, please refer to our website: www.snv.org