Call for Proposals – Enterprise & Business Development

1. Background & Context

The war in Syria has displaced 5.6 million refugees, with 650,000 registered in Jordan. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic aggravated economic downturn forcing many previously non-poor households into highly vulnerable conditions. By December 2020, the country’s poverty rates had increased by 38 percentage points among Jordanian locals and 18 percentage points for Syrian refugees. According to an ILO survey, at the onset of the crisis as many as 39 percent of vulnerable workers were no longer working, 31 percent of vulnerable Jordanians had been temporarily laid off, and 17 percent permanently laid off. As Jordan’s economy is marked by high levels of informality, the repercussions of the pandemic were more acute among informal workers. Most of these workers are classified as ‘working-poor’ who are not officially registered and are therefore offered no legal or social protection, making them highly vulnerable to exploitation in indecent and precarious working situations. According to the ILO’s statistical databases (2019), 52.5 percent of employed persons in the country work on informal basis. Also, non-Jordanian workers, particularly Syrian refugees, are far less likely to be covered by national social security than Jordanian workers.

This employment crisis is another layer on already low rate of female labour force participation. According to the Department of Statistics (DoS), in 2021, female labour force participation (LFP) reached 14 percent, compared to 54 percent among their male counterparts. When comparing globally, in 2021, the ILO estimated Jordan’s female LFP rate at 13.5 percent (women ages 15 and over), compared to a global average of 46.3 percent that same year. Jordan’s female LFP rate even stands out when compared to other countries within the region, with the Arab world average standing at 19.7 percent. According to the World Bank, in 2020, Jordan’s female LFP rate was the 8th lowest globally (5th lowest for countries that are not at war). Similarly, unemployment among women reached 30.7 percent in 2021; a rate that is far higher than their male counterparts, at 22.4 per cent. The situation is much more pronounced among Syrian women, and young Syrian women who experience a multiplicity of disadvantages with regard to formal labour market access. While exact figures illustrating unemployment among this cohort are currently unavailable, Syrian women suffer disturbingly high unemployment rates, which were almost double those of Jordanian women in 2020.

EIIP programme is anchored in the new UNCF and DWCP and aligns with national priorities also articulated in the Modernization Vision announced recently, the Jordan Economic Growth Plan 2018-2022, and the National Strategy for Human Resource Development 2016-2025 which promote inclusive growth, job creation and decent work. With EIIP’s focus on the agriculture sector, afforestation, and climate-responsive assets the programme also will contribute to the achievement of the National Sustainable Agriculture Plan for Jordan 2022-2025, and is compatible with the draft Green Growth National Action Plan 2021-2025, which itself refers to the Paris Climate Accords, as well as the National Afforestation Project (NAP) which is part of the National Plan for Sustainable Agriculture (NPSA) 2022-25.

The UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Jordan (UNSDCF) is the guiding framework under which the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) operates in Jordan. The program well aligned to the current UNSDCF (2018-2022) as well as the upcoming UNSDCF (2023-27) whose priorities include green and inclusive growth, access to skills and opportunities, and vulnerable populations are empowered to become self-reliant.

2. Assignment Objectives

The overall objective of this assignment is to deliver the Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) program that are already being implemented under another ILO projects to provide entrepreneurs in the vulnerable host communities with business management skills, including financial literacy and planning and enable them to establish and run their own small business.

3. Scope of Work and Methodology

ILO is seeking for a partner (nonprofit entity registered with the government of Jordan) to deliver an Entrepreneurship training programme that will lead to business establishment and self-employment opportunities. The training program that will be used is the SIYB program created by ILO.

The partner will nominate at least 10 trainers to get capacity building in the ‘Generate, Start, Improve and Expand Your Business’ program by ILO accredited master trainer. The trainers will conduct training for 200 Syrian and Jordanian EIIP ex-workers and current workers. The program will aim at developing the entrepreneurial characteristics and skills of beneficiaries, as well as their knowledge on basic business management skills needed to operate their small, micro and/or home-based businesses.

The targeted beneficiaries of these programmes are from the previous and current phases of the EIIP project. The selected workers should be a mix of 50% from Jordanian host community and 50% Syrian Refugees, including at least 30% women and 5% people with disabilities (PWD). The training programmes will be conducted in Amman, Irbid, Zarqa, Mafraq, Jerash and Ajloun governorates.

The Partner will undertake the following tasks for each of the above-mentioned processes:

This intervention will train 200 Syrian and Jordanian from EIIP ex-workers and current workers who have excellent technical skills and have the willingness to establish their businesses on ‘Generate, Start, Improve and Expand Your Business’ training materials. It will provide new 100 entrepreneurs with seed funding through business competition. A detailed description of the main outputs is provided below:

1. In coordination with the ILO team and the ILO accredited master trainer, nominate candidate trainers who have the minimum technical capacities and requirements, to join a TOT process in the ‘Start and Improve Your Business’ program through a selection process that will be coordinated by the ILO.
2. Support the organization of the Generate, Start, Improve and Expand Your Business’ TOT including through the provision of required logistics, procurement, material printing and training venue as well as the pre-training and post-training steps, including coaching.
3. Organize training for 200 Syrian and Jordanian EIIP ex-workers and current workers to be conducted by the candidate trainers as part of their certification process and post-certification activities. The programme will aim at developing the entrepreneurial characteristics and skills of beneficiaries, as well as their knowledge on basic business management skills needed to operate their small, micro and/or home-based businesses. The training activities will include raising awareness among entrepreneurs on identified green opportunities (refer to the economic opportunities assessment the project has done), needed legal requirements and governmental process on how they can register their business and get the needed licenses and about labor rights and OSH, the open sectors in Jordan opened for Syrians.
4. Steering Committee: A steering committee will be formed comprising members from ILO, Partner and external experts to go through the proposals and evaluate them. The same committee will conduct a pitching event to discuss the businesses ideas and choose the best ideas to be funded.
5. 100 Syrian and Jordanian entrepreneurs selected through business competition and supplied with seed funding: Upon completion of the training program, all 200 beneficiaries will be encouraged to submit full proposals and business plans to be reviewed and evaluated by the specialized committee. The committee will comprise members from ILO and implementing partner. Ultimately, 100 business ideas/proposals will be selected to receive seed funds. Services provider shall be responsible to issue the F-WP for Syrians, the amount shall be covering the fees of issuing F-WP and the SSC registration fees for 6 months.
6. Mentoring / coaching Visits Conducted for 100 beneficiaries who received seed funding to ensure the sustainability of the established business. the partner will conduct an average of 3 mentoring visits per business (depending on the need, at least one hour for each visit) to provide them with:

• coaching and technical guidance on business expansion and growth
• referral to new sources of funding
• support in overcoming challenges faced throughout the process
• exchange of knowledge and experience.
• support in developing and implementing business plans
• improving marketing and establishing market linkages
• enhancing products
• Coaching tools to measure the growth of the business and to prove the increase in the beneficiaries’ income
• ensuring that businesses are registered and licensed.
• ensuring that businesses follow the regulations of labor low.
• ensuring that businesses have safe work environment to all workers and accessible for PWD and shall adhere to OSH national standards and shall ensure there are no child labor.

1. Social Media Communication Channels Established: the partner will support the creation of communication channels that allow beneficiaries to stay connected, receive support, seek advice on issues related to their businesses, services, and share their success, challenges and lessons learnt.
2. Graduation Ceremony Conducted: At the end of the project, the partner will conduct a graduation ceremony to showcase the project’s success and celebrate the establishment/expansion of the 100 businesses.
3. One Central Market Linkages/Bazar organized: the partner will organize one central event for new and previous project beneficiaries to showcase their products and allow them to access potential partners and channels to enable their expansion and growth as a business.

Training program

Nationality

Gender

PWD

Location

Innovation

Jor.

Syr.

Male

Female

Generate, Start, Improve and Expand Your Business

100

100

70%

30%

5%

Amman, Irbid, Zarqa, Mafraq, Jerash and Ajloun

• Distributing daily transport and Coffee and snack breaks for Each trainee

* All the above-mentioned activities including trainers’ selection and contracting among the existing pool, interviews with potential beneficiaries, and selection shall be according to Generate, Start, Improve and Expand Your Business criteria

4. Deliverables, Timeframe & Indicative Work Programme

The work is planned to start on Aug 20th 2023 and is expected to be completed no later than 29th Aug 2024. The deadlines in the table below are a suggestion. However, it is preferable to abide by the starting date and finish date of the assignment.

Deliverables

Timeline

(1) Inception report on the planning of the training programmes which includes a detailed workplan and timeline of activities.

Within the first 2 weeks of signing the agreement

Due on 31st of Aug 2023

(2) Capacity building for 10 trainers on the SYB program by ILO master trainer

Due on 15th of Sep 2023

(3) 200 beneficiaries successfully completed the training programs.

Due on 31st of Nov 2023

(4) Pre/post training programmes evaluation reports and satisfaction survey results are submitted.

At the beginning/end of each training program

Pre/post training evaluation reports: due on 15th of Feb 2024

(5) 200 beneficiaries submitted their business plans

Due on 15th Dec 2023

(6) 1st round of evaluation of business plans for 200 beneficiaries by the steering committee

Due on 30th of Dec 2023

(7) 2nd round of evaluation by pitching for the business ideas by the steering committee

Due on 15th Jan 2023

(8) Final selection for 50% of the beneficiaries to get benefited from seed funds and informing selected beneficiaries

Due on 31st Jan 2023

(9) Coaching and follow up for 100 beneficiaries for 6 months to establish their business

Due on 1st Jul 2024

(10) Monitor the growth of the businesses in the first 6 months of the business establishment using financial and management tools

Due on 1st Jul 2024

(11) Conduct a minimum of 3 field visits for each business to ensure the procurement, employment, business establishment and the implementation of establishment plan.

Due on 1st Jul 2024

(12) Final report includes the outcomes of the training programmes, lessons learned, and stakeholders’ views on the implemented Enterprise Programmes.

Due on 29th of Aug 2024

5. Partner’s profile

The Partner will have the following required expertise:

• The partner must be a registered and licenced not-for-profit entity with the legal capacity to provide the required services in Jordan whether individually or through a consortium
• The implementing partner is an organization carrying out non-profit oriented work, including: non-governmental organizations (NGOs), foundations, research institutions, statistical institutions, educational institutions (including universities), intergovernmental organizations created by an act of international law, and any other entities of a similar nature to those listed in this subparagraph.
• In case the applicant has prior experience working with the United Nations organisations or the ILO, it has never failed to meet its obligations or been involved in proscribed practices or prohibited conduct involving the ILO or any other entities of the United Nations System or multilateral development finance institutions
• It has never been the subject of any sanctions nor been identified as ineligible by any government, supranational organization (e.g., European Union), another entity of the United Nations System or multilateral development finance institution
• Proven skills in beneficiaries’ outreach
• Proven experience in managing and implementing Business development training.
• Proven experience in setting selection criteria and selecting the beneficiaries.
• Proven competencies (human resources and skills) and experience in providing training, coaching and mentorship services.
• A good understanding of the labour market and the business environment in Jordan.
• Have practical experience in and the capacity to address gender issues/dimensions in training and employment. The partner must provide separate bathrooms and washing facilities for men and women.
• Capacity to reach the target group in a timely manner for both enrolment to business development training and business establishment.
• Proven experience to address people with disability in training and employment:
• Partner facilities should be accessible for PWD (considering deferent types of disabilities)
• The Partner must be able to provide different means of communication and training materials that are appropriate to the needs of persons with disabilities (e.g., mute, deaf, visual impairment) and for Illiterate people.
• The Partner must be able to provide bathrooms and washing facilities for men and women, and it should be accessible for PWD.
• Proven experience in business coaching and monitoring
• Proven excellent reporting, communication, and documentation in both Arabic and English language.

6. SELECTION CRITERIA

The technical proposal is expected to be submitted by the bidders to include the following main components:

• • Non-for-profit including civil society organizations
    – Organisation’s capacities: the applicant organization is required to submit its profile demonstrating required capacity, why they are the most suitable for the work, and local presence/activities in Amman, Irbid, Zarqa, Mafraq, Jerash, and Ajloun governorates.
    Organization’s profile demonstrating required capacity to provide business coaching and mentorship for business owners.
    – If the bidder is a consortium, one leading organisation will be submitting the tender with a profile for all members of the consortium.
    – Detailed description of relevant past works and assignments related to business development programmes, with particular focus on that targeted refugees and host community in Amman, Irbid, Zarqa, Mafraq, Jarash and Ajloun, governorates.
    – Interpretation of the TORs objectives, in addition to the proposed methodology on how they will approach and conduct the work.

Confirmation of attachment of supporting documents:

No.

Document Title

Attached (Yes/No)

1

Signed and stamped copy of the TOR acknowledging the adherence to the minimum requirements.

2

Company Profile

3

Technical & Financial proposals

4

Detailed work plan with a timeline related to the different activities in addition to implementation methods: coordination of partners, cooperation mechanisms, result oriented, and M&E.

5

CVs of the team leader nominated trainers and staff involved in the project implementation demonstrating their capacity to conduct the assignment.

6

Template of business development mentorship and coaching activities (Contracts, Instalments forms, coaching checklists, dashboards, etc.)

7

Foreseen challenges during the implementation of the project and mitigation methods.

8

List of references including, Description of project, value & contact details.

9

Copy of the documents proving the legal status of the entity

10

Signed Terms and conditions (Annex 1) and certification form (annex 2)

11

Joint Venture Form (Annex 3)

The Technical proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria stated below:

Description of Technical Evaluation Score:

Score

Maximum Possible points

Human Resources proposed for the assignment (qualification and experience) + detailed CVs

Have the requisite qualified competent personnel/staff for both management and technical related works with the infrastructure and administrative and logistical support for undertaking the specific activities in the project.

Pass / fail

Demonstrated financial reliability and accountability, and an established and effective system of accounts/audits.

Based on the financial statements submitted

Pass / fail

Summary report of consultations summarising the outcomes to identify the labour market supply and demand gaps for the respective sectors to deliver demand driven work-based learning, and available job vacancies in the occupations.

Based on the submitted documents

Pass / fail

Previous experience in working with UN agencies

– Previous experience with UN agencies and or INGO (10 points)

– Previous experience with private companies (5 points)

– no experience (0 points)

10

Proven experience in Business Development delivering Business development and entrepreneurship trainings.

Based on the number of trainees of Business Development & entrepreneurship:

>10000 trainees (20 points)

9999 – 5000 trainees (15 points)

4999 – 1000 trainees (10 points)

<1000 trainees (5 points)

20

Strong field presence in Amman, Irbid, Zarqa, Mafraq, Jarash and Ajloun, governorates. (Either branch or access to the area through partners)

Experience in different locations (maximum points 10)

5-6 locations (10 points)

3-4 locations (7 points)

1-2 locations (5 points)

No presence (0 point)

10

Capacity to ensure the establishment of the businesses and their sustainability for a minimum of 6 months after the training

(Capacity to establish business) Based on the previous experience of bidder:

>100 established businesses (15 points)

70 – 99 established businesses (10 points)

50-69 established businesses (7 points)

<50 established businesses (5 points)

(Sustainability) Based on the previous experience of bidder the average duration of businesses sustainability:

>10 years (15 points)

5-9 years(10 points)

3-4 years(7 points)

<2 (5 points)

Higher points will be given to the maximum number of established businesses with the longer sustainability period

30

Total points

70

The minimum passing score is 49 points out of 70. Only bidders who pass the technical evaluation will be shortlisted for the financial evaluations.

The financial proposal should indicate the number of Enterprise programmes to be implemented, the number of targeted beneficiaries, number of businesses to be established, the duration of each training programme, and the cost per beneficiary.

The financial proposal will be evaluated based on price reasonableness, cost per beneficiary, and overall cost. The financial proposal shall demonstrate the following items:

• Activity costs for implementing the Business Development programme per beneficiary.
• Activity costs for evaluation of business ideas (including business plan and pitching)
• Activity costs for business coaching per beneficiary per session.

* The non-submission of the required documentation will be scored as ”0”.

* Only the technical offers compliant to the minimum required scores will be eligible for the financial evaluation.

* The total points allocated for the price component is 30. The maximum number of points will be allotted to the lowest price proposal that is opened and compared among those invited firms/institutions which obtain the threshold points in the evaluation of the technical component. All other price proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price:

Max. Score for price proposal * Price of lowest priced proposal

Score for price proposal X = _______________________________________________________

Price of proposal X

* The award will be made to the bidder whose offer has been evaluated and determined as: (i) responsive / compliant / acceptable, and (ii) having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to this bid.

* Bidders shall note that an acceptable proposal with the lowest price may not be selected if award to the higher-priced proposal affords ILO a greater overall benefit.

* ILO has the right to select more than one organization to cover different areas, achieve the targeted number or cover all services.

* The organization can submit their tender as an individual entity or can form a consortium with other service providers to cover all services or part of the services.

How to apply

Interested organisations may submit a a technical and financial proposal as per the the guidance in the TOR and annexes which can be found in the below link in response to the Call for Proposals. Proposals shall be submitted in line with the provided format.

Link for TOR & Annexes

Request for clarification deadline: 17 July 2023 COB
Deadline for submission of Proposals: 22 July 2023 at 23:59 (Amman time GMT +3)