Technical Consultant – National Agricultural Research Institution (NARI) Laboratory ISO Accreditation in The Gambia 163 views

Scaling-Up Organic Fertilizers in The Gambia, Advancing Nutrition, Innovation and Circular Economy (S-Organic) Project

Background

Agriculture employs 80% of The Gambia’s population, but intensive vegetable farming by women and youth on small communal plots has severely depleted soil fertility. This degradation forced a heavy reliance on costly chemical fertilizers, which further damaged the soil, escalated production costs post-COVID-19 and currently, the war on Ukraine and triggered widespread crop failures like onion bulb rot.

The EU-funded S-organic project, led by WasteAid following the closure of United Purpose in December 2025, promotes organic fertilizer and compost across The Gambia’s six agricultural regions. The initiative aims to reduce expensive chemical fertilizer dependency by 30% using low-cost, accessible organic alternatives favoured by local vegetable growers.

The Gambia currently lacks an accreditation scheme for organic fertilizer testing, prompting WasteAid to partner with NARI and the Gambia Standards Bureau (TGSB) to establish quality baselines. While TGSB develops official standards and NARI deploys a new high-tech testing machine, the project focuses on training laboratory technicians on standard operating procedures to help NARI—the country’s sole agricultural laboratory—achieve formal ISO accreditation.

This Terms of Reference (ToR) details the scope for a consultant tasked with guiding NARI toward formal ISO accreditation. Achieving this status ensures that all locally produced organic fertilizers and compost undergo standardized testing to accurately measure moisture, heavy metal safety limits, and primary nutrient compositions (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium).

Objectives      

The objective of this consultancy is to guide NARI through the process of meeting ISO /IEC 17025:2017 accreditation. This allows our laboratory to accurately test organic fertilizer quality (e.g., Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium levels) and ensure it meets safety and global standards

Scope of Work and Specific Objectives

The consultant will perform the following tasks:

• Gap Analysis: Review our current lab setup and compare it to ISO requirements.
• Documentation: Write the required quality manuals, testing procedures, and safety protocols.
• Staff Training: Train lab employees on how to operate equipment, handle samples, and record data accurately.
• Internal Audits: Conduct a mock audit to find mistakes before the official ISO auditor arrives.
• Accreditation Support: Help our team schedule and pass the final official ISO audit.

Accreditation Scope:

The consultant should state the laboratory location and the initial testing scope, including:

• Matrices: organic fertiliser, compost, soil, or other
• Analytes: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, moisture and heavy
• Test methods or standards to be
• Whether sampling is
• Method validation/verification, measurement uncertainty and quality-control requirements.
• Equipment calibration and metrological
• Reference materials and proficiency testing/inter-laboratory
• Staff competence assessments and

Deliverables and Timelines 

In summary, the consultant should be responsible for preparing NARI, implementing the system, submitting the application, supporting the external assessment, and helping close findings.

The Consultant should provide:

• An Inception Report
• A comprehensive initial Gap Analysis Report with a checklist to fix any missing steps.
• A complete Quality Management System (QMS) manual tailored to organic fertilizer testing.
• Training Certificates for all
• Final Audit Reports confirming

The consultancy is expected to be completed within a period of 4 months.

https://gamjobs.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/f1.png

https://gamjobs.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/f1.png

Reporting Requirement

The consultant will produce the following reports:

• An inception Report: The consultant will produce a draft inception report within a period of 1 week and submit to WA & NARI program team for review. The turnaround time for the review is 3 days, and the consultant is expected to submit the final document by the end of the 2nd week.
• Initial Gap Analysis Report: The consultant will submit a comprehensive report on GAP analysis conducted to assess the suitability of NARI Laboratory management system for the attainment of ISO accreditation in Organic Fertilizer production and sales in The Gambia.
• NARI Lab System Management Manual: The consultant will submit a draft Operational Guidelines and Lab system management manual to relevant stakeholders for review by the end of week 5 and the turnaround time for this review will be 1
• A final Manual will be submitted by the end of week 7 after the destitution workshop (to be conducted in week 6).
• Staff Training Certificate: The consultant will provide capacity building trainings for NARI staff on the Standard Operating Procedures for organic fertilizer and compost accreditation in The Staff will receive a training certificate by the end of the training/consultancy.
• ISO Accreditation: Conduct a Mock Audit to ensure all mistakes are corrected prior to the main ISO accreditation audit and submit an audit report to WasteAid and NARI for review and

• Exit Meeting: Conduct an exit meeting with the staff of the 2 organizations and submit a final report on NARI Lab ISO accreditation by the end of the assignment.

Duration of Work

This consultancy will be conducted within a period of 4 months.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Consultant

• The consultant shall submit a Programmatic and Financial Proposal
• The consultants shall provide a detail activity framework
• The consult shall provide all the necessary costings for the pilot including cost of tools, equipment and material needed to operationalize the pilot.
• The consultant shall adhere to reporting timelines

Application Guidelines:

1. Both institutions and individual consultants can apply for this consultancy. However, we encourage individual consultants to apply.
2. All applicants should submit a C.V, covering note, technical and financial proposal document.
3. Where a group/an institution applies, the lead consultant should submit a CV, covering note, technical and financial proposal document on behalf of the team. And provide credentials for all team members.
4. Deadline for application is Friday, the 28th of August 2026 at 13:00hrs,
5. All submissions shall be done online via  the following link: procurement@wasteaid.org .

6. No late application will be

Institutional Arrangement     

• The consultant will report directly to Project& Consortium Manager,
• The client shall provide a Financial Proposals which must include all consulting, travel, and material costs
• The consultant will conduct and inception meeting and an exit meeting with WasteAid management

Institutional Arrangement      

• The consultant will report directly to Project& Consortium Manager,
• The client shall provide a Financial Proposals which must include all consulting, travel, and material costs
• The consultant will conduct and inception meeting and an exit meeting with WasteAid management.

Required Qualifications and Experience  

• At least 5 years of experience in implementing ISO laboratory
• Deep knowledge of fertilizer testing methods or agricultural
• Proven track record of guiding organizations to receive ISO accreditation

Terms of Payment     

• Payment shall be done by 1st disbursement will be 20%, 2nd disbursement will be 30% and the 3rd/final disbursement will be 30%, 10% will be held for a period of 1 month during which an accreditation body will provide NARI the required certificate for recognition and there will be 10% withholding tax.
• 1st instalment payment shall be done within 5 working days upon signing of the contract by both parties and submission of a signed invoice to WasteAid.
• 2nd disbursement shall be made within 5 working days upon receipt of the Initial Gap Analysis Report and a signed invoice
• 3rd/final disbursement of funds shall be made within 5 working days upon receipt of an accepted final report, handover dossier and agreed finding-closure support report and a signed invoice.
• The consultant shall provide WasteAid with signed receipts within 5 days upon receipt of funds/cheque.
• WasteAid shall deduct a withholding tax of 10% of the total contractual amount. WasteAid shall submit this amount to The Gambia Revenue Authority (RGA) for tax compliance purposes.
• WasteAid shall provide the consultant with all the necessary documentations which shall be presented to GRA by the consultant for tax clearance purposes.