ToR : Agricultural Consultant

University College of Applied Sciences
Pal Farm: to Build The Capacity of Agriculture Diploma Students Project
Terms of Reference
Agricultural Consultant – Aquaponic Specialist

Introduction:

University College of Applied Sciences (UCAS) has received a grant from the Quality Improvement Fund (QIF) - Education to Work Transition Project - Ministry of Education and Higher Education ,which is funded by the World Bank, for the project entitled: “Pal Farm: to Build the Capacity of Agriculture Diploma Students”. This project aims to build the capacity of Agriculture Diploma (AD) students in the field of agricultural production (plant, animal and fish). Accordingly, UCAS seeks the selection and employment of a highly qualified local consultant to design an Aquaponic Model Farm (AMF) to be developed within the project, and to provide further supervision and training on the system operation.

Assignment Objectives:
This assignment seeks to help UCAS in establishing and operating an AMF. This takes place in order to adopt new and improved farming technologies, the Assignment objectives include:
-Developing a farm model of an intensive, yet sustainable, land use farming technology, for which aquaponic farming technology is chosen.
-Providing support and supervision to UCAS agricultural team to operate the AMF.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities:
The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:
-Developing a process design that should intervene the up-to-date knowledge of aquaponic systems, and lay the foundations for further automation of the system on the short run.
-Developing a structural and mechanical design of AMF including materials and operation specifications.
-Supervision of the installation and testing of AMF components to guarantee that all components is functioning properly.
-Conduct 24 training hours for the academic staff on operating the AMF.
-Supervising the operation process during the 1st production period (3 months).

Deliverables:
The consultant should submit a report, which includes:

Process design: including:
- Model layout and dimensions.
- Aquaponic components specifications (Plants, fry fish, Bacteria).

Structural and mechanical design of the aquaponic system components (rearing tank, settling basin, bio filters and sump, Grow bed fish tank and light) with detailed schematics.

-Operation manual for AMF.
- 24 training hours on operation the AMF for the academic staff.
- The consultant should submit a training report, which includes but not limited to the following:
-Training approach.
-Pre and Post test to measure the levels of trainees before and after training respectively and their results.
-A training material on operating the AMF.

Essential Required Qualifications:

-Bachelor degree in agriculture, environmental engineering, or any related field.
-5 years of work experience in aquaponic systems design related areas.
-Familiar with consultancy services with INGOs and NGOs.
-2 years of training related experience.
-Excellent communication skills.
-Sense of initiative and ability to work effectively within a team and under pressure.
-Good IT skills, Microsoft office.
-Very good written and oral skills in Arabic and in English.

Level of effort and timeline:

The tasks of this assignment is to be delivered within 9 months with a total level of effort from the consultant of about 64 man-days in UCAS, Khanyounis campus in the southern governorates of Gaza Strip. February 2016 is the suggested starting date of the activity, which would give the opportunity to deliver the benefits of the activity to the targeted groups and integrate with other activities of the project resulting in the best results.

Contract Type: Lump Sum Contract

Interested consultants should submit the C.V, Financial and Technical Offer in separate files to both