1. Background:

GAIN was launched at the UN in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. GAIN is a global, Swiss-based foundation that mobilises public-private partnerships and provides financial and technical support to deliver nutritious foods to those people most at risk of malnutrition. GAIN contributes to fighting malnutrition in Ethiopia through innovative and sustainable models that increase access to affordable nutritious foods among communities vulnerable to malnutrition. GAIN Ethiopia collaborates with various stakeholders to address malnutrition and enhance nutrition across the country. GAIN Ethiopia has a particular focus on improving the nutrition of vulnerable populations, including low-income workforces.

Industrial parks in Ethiopia have emerged as vital economic drivers, attracting both domestic and foreign investments. These parks provide significant employment opportunities, contribute to the nation's economic growth, and promote industrialization. The workforce in industrial parks, however, often faces nutritional challenges due to limited access to diverse and nutritious meals.

Considering the importance of workforce well-being and productivity, there is a growing recognition of the need for workforce nutrition interventions in industrial parks in Ethiopia. The workforce nutrition intervention aims to achieve several objectives, including improving the nutritional status of factory workers by technically supporting employers to provide diverse meals, increasing access to nutritious food options that meet the workers' dietary needs and preferences, promoting awareness and education on healthy eating habits and the importance of nutrition for overall well-being and productivity, as well as supporting the local food economy by incorporating local food products and suppliers into the menu offerings. By addressing the nutrition needs of the workforce, these interventions aim to improve their overall health, well-being, and productivity. Enhancing the menu options available to factory workers is a crucial step toward achieving these objectives.

2. Objectives:

The primary objective of this consultancy is to enhance the nutritional value and diversify the menu options available to factory workers in the industrial parks at Hawassa and Adama. The consultant will collaborate with stakeholders to develop a revised menu that aligns with the access (availability and affordability) and cultural and dietary preferences of the workers, that is feasible for the business (in terms of costs and logistics), promoting healthier food choices and incorporating local culinary traditions.

3. Scope of Work:

The consultant will undertake the following tasks to achieve the project objectives:

Perform a thorough evaluation of the existing menu options at one factory located in the industrial park of Hawassa and Adama, analysing their nutritional content and range of choices.

Develop a revised, affordable menu that is more nutritious and incorporates appropriate and diverse options without inflating the existing meal costs.

Develop nutrition information messages along with the menu changes.

Engage in market assessment to identify the nutritional and cultural preferences of the factory workers, as well as emerging food trends.

Train canteen workers on revised menu and food safety protocols.

Conduct acceptability test and develop a comprehensive report of test results.

Collaborate with workers, food vendors, and suppliers to develop a revised menu that improves the nutritional content and incorporates culturally appropriate and diverse food options.

Collaborate with relevant staff within the business (e.g. canteen staff) to ensure that the revised menu is feasible to implement (both in terms of logistics and budget).

Collaborate with relevant staff within the business to develop an implementation plan for the menu changes. Consider introducing small changes at a time and gathering continuous feedback to ensure acceptance of the menu changes.

Present the proposed revised menu to stakeholders for feedback and seek their approval.

Support the business throughout the implementation of the menu changes and support with any challenges they may face in doing so.

The menus must be in accordance with the guidelines set by the workforce nutrition scorecard and the Healthy Food at Work Guidebook. Refer to the link provided.

ohttps://workforcenutrition.org/services/self-assessment-scorecard.

ohttps://workforcenutrition.org/webapi/public/pdf/scorecard_pre_read.pdf.

ohttps://workforcenutrition.org/webapi/public/guidebook_healthy_food_at_work.pdf

4. Deliverables:

The consultant will be responsible for delivering the following:

A comprehensive report detailing the findings of the menu analysis and providing recommendations with multiple options for menu improvement.

A proposed revised menu that addresses the objectives outlined in section 2, incorporating healthier and culturally diverse food options.

A well-prepared presentation of the revised menu, including an explanation of its nutritional value and cultural relevance.

A clear and organized nutrition message for the updated menu, with well-written documentation.

Training resources and programs created for cafeteria staff.

5. Timeline:

The consultancy task is scheduled to commence in April 2024 and will be completed by July 2024. The key milestones and associated deadlines are as follows:

Completion of menu analysis review: April 30, 2024.

Conclusion of market assessment: May 30, 2024.

Submission of the revised menu proposal: June 15, 2024.

Final presentation and approval of the revised menu: June 20, 2024.

Training resources and programs created for cafeteria staff: July 10, 2024

Menu testing and collection of feedback: July 20,2024

A well-prepared documentation of the revised menu, including an explanation of its nutritional value and cultural relevance: July 31,2024

6. Qualifications:

The consultant must possess the following qualifications.

A masters degree in nutrition or a related field.

Proven experience and expertise in menu development, preferably in an industrial context.

In-depth understanding of the local food culture and dietary preferences of the factory workers.

Excellent communication and presentation skills to effectively engage with stakeholders.

7. Budget

The budget or financial plan for this consultancy task is expected to include expenses for professional fees, travel, data collection, meals, and other associated costs.

8. Evaluation and Selection Criteria:

The selection of the translation service providers will be based on the following criteria:

a) Demonstrated experience and expertise on nutrition-related content (30% weight).

b) Qualifications, including academic background, relevant certifications, and years of experience in menu improvement and nutrition (25% weight).

c) Quality of previous work, as demonstrated by samples or references (20% weight).

d) Provision of the revised menu earlier than September 15 (to be shown on the timeline) (15% weight).

e) Cost-effectiveness and economic proposal (10% weight).