Background and Purpose:
Pakistan Agricultural Technology Transfer Activity (PATTA) is a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded project designed to increase smallholder farmers’ access to markets, alongside their overall development impact and cost-effectiveness. Smallholders farmers in Pakistan use outdated and less effective technologies, leading to stagnant or dwindling productivity and returns, particularly in the horticulture and livestock sub-sectors. Because improved technologies that are affordable, impactful, and safe have not yet penetrated the vast smallholder market. PATTA will combat these challenges by galvanizing ongoing private-sector investment to commercialize the types of agricultural technologies that enable smallholders to increase their incomes, improve farm productivity, create jobs, and enhance economic growth and stability. These technologies include seeds, fertilizers, water pumps, improved plant and animal breeds, precision agriculture, and integrated soil fertility management, amongst others.
Tasks:
The Procurement Consultant will support the program teams implementation efforts by executing day-to-day procurement and contact administration activities of the project as per the set procedures, manual, template and guidelines. The Procurement Consultant will assist the Deputy Chief of Party in implementing tasks related to procurement of large value goods, works and services. Specified duties include:
- Manage, execute and coordinate tasks related to the procurement of goods and services for the implementation of the Project;
- Plan, schedule and prioritize procurement functions, including plans for the efficient and effective procurement of good and services;
- Assist in preparation of standard bidding documents, procurement operations manual, bid challenge system, procurement processes and reporting templates, procurement plans, procurement implementation plans and procurement performance reports;
- Assist in establishment and implementation of a contract administration system;
- Manage the entire procurement process and execute day-to-day procurement functions such as; analyze market conditions, verify technical specifications or terms of reference, prepare and launch tender documents, arrange and facilitate site visits or bidders’ conferences, respond to written queries or requests for clarifications, facilitate evaluation panels, prepare evaluation reports, carry out price reasonableness analysis, facilitate contract negotiations, prepare and award contracts, notify regarding contract award, and conduct debriefings with bidders;
- Monitor receipts of bids and proposals and ensure their safekeeping until bid opening;
- Acts as an observer to evaluation committees, ensuring that evaluation of bids/ proposals received is done based on criteria stipulated in the bidding documentation and performed in accordance with the procurement procedures set forth in procurement manual;
- Assure that all procurement activities are performed in a fully professional, transparent, and ethical manner, and that they are in line with procurement regulations and conditions of the implementation agreement.
- Provide contract management services including arranging for proper inspection, ensuring compliance with terms and conditions of contracts, addressing delays, troubleshooting problems, assisting in contract amendments, and ensuring completion of works and delivering of goods and services;
- Assist with management and resolution of bid challenges;
- Protect the procurement activity from fraud, waste and abuse;
- Show a willingness to perform other duties as assigned by the Deputy Chief of Party
Deliverables:
- Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual procurement plans in consultation with project team;
- Provide monthly report on PATTA’s Business Service Providers/Demand Side Partners;
- Provide update report of progress made on ongoing procurement of all services and business service contracts in execution;
- Monthly analysis of procurements solicitation documents including RFP issuance and their evaluations, GST exemption updates and contract deliverables follow up;
Qualification and Skills:
- Bachelor’s degree in business, project management or related field. (advanced degree preferred)
- 7-12 years of experience for a large organization in procurement department
- Experience designing end-to-end procurement strategies, preparing RFP documents, evaluation and analysis of bids/proposals and demonstrated aptitude for analysis;
- Experience of working with USAID donor funded projects will be highly preferred
- Proven record of leadership in a work setting and aptitude for training/capacity building within organization
- Ability to work effectively with people at all levels in an organization
- Excellent computer skills (Word Processing, excel spreadsheet and power point)
- Strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skill.