Consultancy to develop a scaling up & sustainability business strategy for a national “Beep4Weather” service

Consultancy to develop a scaling up & sustainability business strategy for a national “Beep4Weather” service for Farm Radio International under the Climate and Weather Information Service Project (CWIP II) Project in Tanzania

1.Background

Farm Radio International (FRI) is implementing an initiative known as ‘Scaling and Sustaining Delivery of Climate Information Services’ (CWIP II) in Tanzania under the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS) with support from the World Food Program (WFP) in Tanzania. This initiative is based on the successful implementation of the previous initiative in 2019 known as the Climate and Weather Information Service Project (CWIP).

The CWIP II project has two major objectives, which are:

1. To provide effective and valued gender equal and listener-responsive, downscaled climate & weather information services through interactive radio and mobile services to smallholder farmers and pastoralists in the three (3) districts of Kondoa, Kiteto and Longido.
2. To explore and develop a “scaling up & sustainability” strategy to grow and sustain climate & weather information services through the ‘Beep4Weather’ mobile platform at national level.

In order to achieve the first objective, FRI is working closely with the Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA), three radio stations, and district and local extension workers in the three districts to produce and air climate and weather information radio series for 20 weeks linked to the Beep4Weather platform.

The Beep4Weather platform is an advisory service developed by FRI that provides local weather forecasts paired with practical farming advice developed by local agricultural extension workers. This paired information is broadcast on a radio station that farmers trust, at a reliable day and time each week. It is also available “on demand” to farmers with access to cellphones. Farmers who miss the broadcast or who want to hear the weather forecasts and agricultural advice again, can call a number advertised on the radio station. They hang up before the call is answered (so that the call itself will not cost them anything). The service then calls them back with a recording of the meteorological and agricultural information package.

Under the second objective, FRI intends to develop a ‘scaling up & sustainable’ strategy to grow and sustain climate & weather information services through the “Beep4weather” platform at national level. FRI will engage private sector players and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to develop synergistic Beep4Weather services as part of mobile bundled services. Opportunities will be explored with MNOs to adapt and modify configurations of the existing Beep4Weather platform in readiness for scale at national level.

In order to do this, FRI would like to invite expressions of interest from individuals and/or consulting firms to develop a scaling up & sustainability business strategy. In the process, FRI expects the consultant to conduct a series of consultations, checking diverse sources of content for weather information, and exploration of different business models including seeking synergies with other already existing platforms. This study will inform the basis of engagement with various stakeholders including Mobile Network Operators and other private sector players. It will also inform how FRI can take the Beep4Weather services to scale in a sustainable manner.The assignment

2.The assignment

The study will be conducted mainly through a desk review and virtual consultation meetings and key informant interviews with stakeholders in Tanzania. The following are the key objectives of the study:

• To explore pathways for scaling up the Beep4Weather platform at national level including seeking synergies with other already existing platforms
• To propose a low cost inclusive business model for mobile powered weather informations services in Tanzania
• To recommend strategies for sustaining mobile powered weather information services in Tanzania at national level

3.Timeline

The study will be conducted in ten (10) working days from 4-15 October. The consultant will share the findings and prepare a final report by Wednesday 20 October 2021.

4. Proposed considerations in the study

• The research will be done remotely through mobile, email, or virtual meetings and desk research.
• The scope of the study will be limited to Tanzania as such knowledge of the local stakeholders is mandatory for smooth undertaking of this assignment.
• All the data and results generated through the evaluation are the exclusive properties of FRI. The consultant is expected to sign a separate agreement in acceptance of the intellectual property as well as data ownership of FRI.

5.Deliverables

The Consultant will be expected to achieve the following deliverables:

• Raw data (synthesis matrix, audio records, transcriptions, minutes, etc)
• Draft report
• Final report (with revisions)
• Required Qualifications

The competing individual for this particular assignment should possess the following competency and qualifications:

• The individual should have similar experience to the assigned task.
• The individual should have at least a masters’ degree in finance, business administration, economics, social science, ICT or related fields
• The individual should have extensive and dependable experience, skill and knowledge of qualitative and participatory methodologies, and data analysis methods.
• Demonstrated knowledge of communication for development and ICT4D in the context of agricultural development.
• Ability to produce high quality reports
• Demonstrated capacity to deliver high quality outputs within the proposed time frame.
• Individuals interested in the advertised assignment should submit a technical and financial proposal, CV and work plan.
• Bidders should send these documents through email.
• The deadline for submission of proposal is September 28, 2021 **