Consultancy for Providing Tailored Technical Assistance on Market Access and Export Readiness

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 I.               PURPOSE OF THIS CONTRACT

This consultancy aims to provide tailored technical assistance (TA) to two mature Cambodian cashew enterprises to strengthen their market competitiveness, export readiness, and business performance. The assignment will focus on three key components: 1) needs assessment, 2) delivery of enterprise-specific TA, and 3) market linkage facilitation. It will support selected enterprises to identify and address key operational, technical, commercial, and compliance gaps that limit their ability to access higher-value domestic and international markets. Rather than providing generic business development training, the consultancy will deliver enterprise specific TA tailored to the needs and growth objectives of each enterprise. Examples of TA areas are provided in Section III.  The consultancy is expected to facilitate concrete market opportunities and linkages between the selected enterprises and potential domestic and international buyers, while enhancing their readiness to participate in higher-value markets and export opportunities. The assignment will be implemented between July and December 2026, with a maximum duration of six months.

II.               BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Cambodia has emerged as the world's second-largest producer of raw cashew nuts (RCN), producing approximately 840,000 tonnes annually. Despite this achievement, more than 97% of Cambodia's cashew production is exported as raw nuts, primarily to neighboring countries, resulting in limited domestic value addition and reduced economic benefits for farmers and local enterprises.

To address these challenges, Oxfam is implementing the Fostering and Developing the Cashew Nut Sector in Cambodia (FOCASH) Project in partnership with Samson Mlup Prey (SMP) and Nature Life Cambodia (NLC). The project is implemented in Kampong Thom and Lumphat, Ratanakiri provinces. The FOCASH project aims to strengthen Cambodia's cashew value chain by improving production quality, enhancing market access, and increasing domestic processing and value addition. The project works with farmers, agricultural cooperatives, processors, and market actors to create stronger and more inclusive business relationships while promoting sustainable and climate-resilient practices. Strengthening market linkages between agricultural cooperatives, processors, and market actors is a key priority of the FOCASH project. Improved business relationships are essential to increase domestic value addition, improve market access for cooperatives, and create more sustainable and inclusive commercial opportunities across the cashew value chain.

A key challenge identified within the Cambodian cashew sector is the limited capacity of local enterprises to meet buyer requirements, comply with market standards, secure certifications, establish effective internal management systems, and access higher-value domestic and export markets. At the same time, significant opportunities exist for enterprises to diversify products, improve competitiveness, and develop circular economy solutions that generate additional value from cashew by-products and waste.

Through this consultancy, Oxfam seeks to support two promising cashew enterprises to strengthen their market readiness, export potential, and long-term business sustainability.

III.              PROFILE REQUIREMENTS

The ideal consultant (consulting firm or team of experts) shall possess the following qualifications and experiences as below:

Experience and Technical Skills:

• Minimum 5 years of experience supporting agribusinesses, SMEs, processors, or exporters
• Proven experience providing tailored technical assistance to enterprises in Cambodia
• Demonstrated expertise in market access, export readiness, business competitiveness, and enterprise development
• Strong understanding of the Cambodian cashew sector and value chain
• Experience working with cashew enterprises, processors, exporters, or similar agricultural value chains is strongly preferred
• Demonstrated ability to provide or mobilize specialized expertise in areas such as certification, auditing, accounting systems, quality management, packaging, branding, production improvement, food safety, or export compliance, as required by the selected enterprises;
• Experience facilitating business-to-business market linkages, buyer engagement, and commercial partnerships;
• Experience supporting circular economy innovation, waste utilization, or sustainable business practices is an asset;
• Strong coaching, mentoring, advisory, and facilitation skills.

Additional Assets:

• • Existing network within the Cambodia’s cashew ecosystem
  • Existing working relationships with proposed enterprises
  • Strong network of domestic and international buyers and market actors
  • Experience working with development organizations, NGOs, donor-funded projects, or impact investment initiatives
  • Experience working with women-led enterprises and inclusive business models
  • Ability to communicate effectively with enterprises in Khmer, and ability to prepare high-quality reports and deliverables in English

Institutional Capacity:

• Ability to mobilize immediately following contract award
• Capacity to conduct fieldwork in Kampong Thom, and Ratanakiri
• Ability to deliver all assignments within the six-month timeframe
• Excellent English report-writing skills

Follow the link for a full TOR: https://oxfam.box.com/s/b7l0stlhyoj1bkz57m0a6hxe7y7fe5oi