TERMS OF REFERENCE (ToR)
Consultancy to Develop a Strategic Plan for NOCAD
1. Background
The National Organization for Agriculture Development in Communities （NOCAD） is a local NGO based in Monze District with programmes in Monze and Gwembe districts of Southern Province. Our vision is to see a Zambia in which people’s rights to economic, social and cultural rights are up-held and respected. In response to evolving organizational, sectoral, and stakeholder needs, NOCAD seeks to develop a comprehensive Strategic Plan to guide its operations over the next 5 year phase starting 2026.
The Strategic Plan will provide a clear vision, mission, strategic objectives, and an actionable roadmap to enhance organizational effectiveness, sustainability, and impact.
2. Objectives of the Assignment
The overall objective of this consultancy is to facilitate the development of a practical, results‑oriented, and implementable five‑year Strategic Plan (2026–2030) for NOCAD that reflects its current size, operational context, and resource realities.
Specific Objectives
The specific objectives of the assignment are to:
- Review and refine NOCAD’s existing draft Strategic Plan, ensuring clarity, coherence, and strategic focus.
- Clearly define NOCAD’s strategic direction, including its vision, mission, core values, strategic goals, and priority intervention areas.
- Align NOCAD’s strategic priorities with:
· National development priorities, including Zambia’s development frameworks,
· Relevant sectoral policies, and
· Realistic organizational capacities and resources.
· Global priority areas
- Strengthen institutional effectiveness and sustainability by:
· Clarifying strategic choices,
· Integrating monitoring, learning, and accountability mechanisms, and
· Guiding institutional resource mobilization.
- Produce a Strategic Plan that can be readily used by staff, management, and the Board as a practical decision‑making and implementation tool.
3. Scope of Work
The consultant will be responsible for facilitating and technically supporting the full strategic planning process. The scope of work will include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following components:
3.1 Desk Review and Situational Analysis
The consultant will:
· Review relevant internal documents, including:
· The draft Strategic Plan,
· Programme reports,
· Organizational policies and tools,
· Financial and donor-related information.
· Conduct a light but focused situational analysis, appropriate for a small local NGO, covering:
· Organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT),
· External factors affecting NOCAD’s work. This can incldue policy, funding environment, partnerships.
· Map and analyse key stakeholders, including:
· Staff and management,
· Board members,
· Community representatives and beneficiaries,
· Key partners and donors.
3.2 Stakeholder Consultations
The consultant will design and facilitate a participatory and inclusive consultation process, which may include:
· Key informant interviews (KIIs) with:
· Management and programme staff,
· Selected partners and donors,
· Community or beneficiary representatives.
· One or more internal strategic planning workshops with NOCAD staff and management.
· Ensure that consultations are:
· Appropriate to NOCAD’s scale and operational context,
· Gender- and inclusion-sensitive,
· Focused on practical realities rather than overly theoretical models.
3.3 Strategic Framework Development
Based on the analysis and consultations, the consultant will support NOCAD to:
· Review and/or refine its:
· Vision, mission, and core values,
· Strategic goals and objectives.
· Define clear Key Result Areas (KRAs) and strategic priorities.
· Develop:
· Outcome- and output-level indicators,
· Realistic targets aligned with NOCAD’s capacity.
· Ensure the strategic framework is internally consistent and easy to understand.
3.4 Implementation and Monitoring Framework
The consultant will develop a practical implementation framework, including:
· A multi‑year implementation matrix outlining:
· Strategic objectives,
· Key strategic interventions,
· Timeframes,
· Responsible persons or units.
· A simple but robust Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) framework that:
· Fits the capacity of a small organization,
· Defines monitoring indicators, data sources, and reporting frequency.
· Clear guidance on how the Strategic Plan links to:
· Annual work plans,
· Budgets and resource allocation.
3.5 Resource Mobilization and Sustainability
The consultant will:
· Analyse funding risks and sustainability challenges.
· Provide practical and realistic recommendations for:
· Diversifying funding sources,
· Strengthening partnerships,
· Gradually improving financial sustainability.
· Ensure that proposed strategies match NOCAD’s size and operational reach.
3.6 Validation and Finalization of the Strategic Plan
The consultant will:
· Facilitate a validation workshop to present the draft Strategic Plan.
· Collect and incorporate feedback from management, staff, and key stakeholders.
· Finalize and submit a high-quality Strategic Plan document ready for adoption and implementation.
4. Methodology
The consultant is expected to propose a participatory, inclusive, and context‑appropriate methodology, tailored to a small local NGO. The methodology should emphasize learning, ownership, and practical outcomes rather than complex theoretical models.
The methodology may include, but is not limited to:
· Desk review of relevant organizational and contextual documents.
· Key informant interviews (KIIs) with selected stakeholders.
· Facilitated participatory workshops with NOCAD staff and management.
· Use of simple analytical tools such as SWOT and stakeholder analysis.
· Iterative feedback and validation processes to ensure ownership of the final Strategic Plan.
The consultant should clearly outline:
· The proposed approach and sequencing of activities,
· Roles and responsibilities of NOCAD and the consultant,
· Data collection tools and facilitation methods,
· Measures to ensure inclusiveness and participation,
· Quality assurance mechanisms.
5. Deliverables
The consultant will deliver:
- Inception Report (methodology, work plan, tools)
- Draft Strategic Plan
- Validation Workshop Report
- Final Strategic Plan Document
- Presentation to Management
6. Duration of the Assignment
The assignment is expected to take approximately 30–40 working days over a period of two months, starting from June 2026..
7. Required Qualifications and Experience
The consultant (or consulting firm) should have:
-Advanced degree in Strategic Management, Organisational culture & Behaviour, Development Studies, Project Management, Business Administration, or related field.
-Proven experience in developing strategic plans for NGOs, public institutions, or similar organizations.
-Strong facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills.
-Experience in Monitoring & Evaluation frameworks.
-Excellent report writing and communication skills.
8. Reporting and Coordination
The consultant will report to the Executive Director, NOCAD
9. Payment Schedule
Payments will be tied to deliverables, for example:
20% upon approval of Inception Report
30% upon submission of Draft Strategic Plan
50% upon submission and approval of Final Strategic Plan
10. Application Requirements
Interested consultants should submit:
i) Technical proposal (methodology and work plan)
ii) Financial proposal (budget breakdown)
iii) CV(s) of key personnel
iii) At least one example of similar previous work
11. Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on:
Criteria Weight(%)
-Relevant experience and qualifications 25
-Quality of methodology and work plan 20
-Understanding of the assignment 20
-Cost-effectiveness /Finacial Proposal 35
12. Confidentiality
All information obtained during the assignment shall remain confidential and be used solely for the purpose of this consultancy.
13.Submission Details.
Interested consultants/firms should submit their applications electronically or physically to:
Nocad.monze1998@gmail.com or deliver to
Plot 3193 Maiza Chona-Monze and ask for
Mr. Busiku Clement
National Organization for Agriculture Development in Communities (NOCAD)
Applications should clearly indicate:
“Consultancy for Development of NOCAD Strategic Plan 2026–2030”
Late submissions shall not be considered.