Mobile Solar Kiosk Consultant

STTA Terms of Reference

Mobile Solar Kiosk Consultant

Introduction
The Livelihoods and Food Security Programme (LFSP) is a DFID-funded initiative which seeks to improve rural household incomes and their food and nutrition security. The program is implemented in Zimbabwe in ten districts drawn from three provinces, Mashonaland Central, Manicaland and Midlands.

Purpose and Statement of Work
LFSP MD develops and supports innovative local level business models that provide services to farmers throughout the ten operational districts.

The models are categorised into input, output and mechanisation services:
* Input models include indigenous egg incubation, local feed formulation and goat breeding
* Output models include aggregation and value addition models such as maputi production
* Mechanisation models include maize and groundnut shelling and tractor-based services.

After developing the business models, the programme co-creates business proposals with local market actors (LMAs) and cost-shares in the procurement of necessary technologies where required. LMAs are then further supported with technical and business assistance. LMAs provide services to smallholder farmers at a fee. Benefits of access to local level services include labour savings, increased farming efficiency, viability and profitability.

Not all rural communities are connected to electricity grid. Where connected, load shedding is usually prevalent limiting capacity of farmers to adequately charge their phones to enable communication with input, output and mechanisation service providers. In some instances, farmers must travel long distances to nearest business centres where electricity is available. Solar powered charging facilities would have potential to reduce this challenge.

Pursuant to addressing these challenges, LFSP MD seeks to engage a consultant who will design and fabricate a Mobile Solar Kiosk to provide a cocktail of services at a fee to rural communities such as phone charging, agent banking, airtime, printing and photocopying. The local market actor will move from one business center or rural community to the next providing these services.

MD proposes that the Mobile Solar Kiosk has the following features, but will also be guided by expert consultant advice:
* Either mechanically motorised (Without using fuel as a priority) OR a paddled tricycle. Consultant to provide designs and costing for both models to facilitate selection.
* Robust wheels able to withstand dirt/gravel roads pressures
* Phone charging ports/unit to provide;
a. High speed charging
b. Able to charge 30-40 phones at the same time
c. Lockable unit for security of phones and equipment
* Complete unit must be light and small enough for e asy of movement from one place to the next. In some cases, LMAs may have to travel as far as 5 km to a business centre daily
* Housing must be waterproof
* Provide enough space to store a desk printer/photocopier in addition to the phone charging ports.
* Solar system must be able to also power a desk printer/photocopier
* Paddled/driven from the front and not the back
* Consider a folding solar panel mechanism for ease of travelling

Specific activities include:
* Design the Mobile Solar Kiosk and provide a quote and design sketch. The below next step will proceed after an agreement is reached on cost and a contract is signed.
* Fabricate a complete Mobile Solar Kiosk. The single unit will be used as a demo and field tested over two weeks providing an opportunity for consultant to make structural changes based on performance. Results of the demo unit will i nform production of 5 additional units that the project seeks to roll out.
* Provide recommendations for improvements to the business model.

Consultancy deliverables:

The deliverables of this assignment are:
* Inception presentation and report providing critique on this TOR, recommending changes that need to be considered. Detailed quotation and design sketch indicating all the stated design specifications. The quote to state the number of days it will take to produce a complete unit. The programme will share pictures of some of the mobile solar kiosks being implemented in other countries.
* Produce one complete unit that will be used as a pilot for two weeks. The consultant will effect all required structural changes within the testing period
* Draft narrative report presented to the LFSP team for comments with the following structure
A. Cover page
B. Table of con tents
C. Acronyms
D. Executive Summary
E. Introduction
F. Objectives & ToRs
G. Methodology
H. Results, findings and analysis
I. Conclusions & Recommendations
J. PowerPoint presentation
K. Final narrative report which includes responses to comments.
* Produce 5 additional units

Assignment Timeline

The assignment is expected to take 44 days as detailed below:
* Preliminary Meeting with LFSP team to understand the scope of work and ToRs (0.5 days)
* Report and presentation on design, sketch, recommendations, bill of quantity and quotation (1.5 days)
* Production of 1st Mobile solar kiosk unit (5 days)
* Field Testing of 1st unit (5 days)
* Draft report & presentation for comments from LFSP team (1 day )
* Final Report (1 day)
* Production of additional 5 units (Will depend on pilot results) (20 days)

Skills, Experience and Qualifications
* A qualified institution, company or individual
* At least 5 years direct experience in designing, manufacturing and piloting of similar technologies
* Relevant Engineering Degree
* Strong analytical and critical thinking skills
* Excellent communication and facilitation skills
* Willingness to work with other engineering firms or institutions
* Willingness and capacity to travel to pilot site
* Management
* During the implementation of this assignment – the Consultant will be managed by the Markets Innovation Advisor with support from National Markets Coordinator and Provincial Market Leads.
* All the outputs from this assignment will have to be approved by the LFSP MD Team Leader.

Application URL: https://www.aplitrak.com/?adid=TG9yZW5jZS5HcmF0cml4LjUzNjgzLjM4MzBAcGFsbGFkaXVtLmFwbGl0cmFrLmNvbQ