UNDP Iraq: Call for Proposals from NGO/CSOs

Deadline: 12-Apr-21

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Iraq is inviting proposals from eligible NGO/CSOs for its “Promoting Economic Recovery Through Entrepreneurship and Business Creation in Digital and Green Economy in Muthanna Governorate, Iraq” programme to identify an Organization to implement entrepreneurship skills development and business creation in digital and green economy sectors, targeting Muthanna governorate.

The project aims to provide opportunities for the most vulnerable people, specifically those affected by the COVID-19 economic impact, to establish or restore businesses, with special focus on these two sectors: digital and green economy. The project should give due attention to gender equality with an even distribution (50% men and 50% women) in all activities.

The Organization is expected to carry out community outreach to mobilize the selection of 28 men and women beneficiaries based on a pre-identified eligibility and selection criteria that will be developed based on vulnerability and poverty criteria that will be developed in close consultation with UNDP team. The 28 selected beneficiaries will receive an “Enterprise Support Package for New or Existing Businesses” through a three-pronged approach:

business skills development,
grants/toolkits/asset replacement, and
mentorship and networking support (B2B) to support sustainability and profitability.

Eligibility & Qualification Criteria

The applicant Organization must be non-profit non-governmental organizations (NGOs), with Registration with the Federal Government of Iraq and preferably in the Kurdish Regional Government. Qualified local NGOs are strongly encouraged to apply.
If there is a staff member of UNDP, who has any relationship with the organization, as an owner or relative of the owner or member of the Board of Directors or part of their management team etc., this should be officially notified to UNDP before the start of the selection process.
The applicant must have the following minimum expertise and experience:
- Proven knowledge and understanding of livelihoods and employments issues in Iraq, with an emphasis on entrepreneurship and business creation support.
- Proven expertise and experience in working on conflict sensitivity and gender programming.
- Proven technical expertise and experience in the design, implementation, and management of evidence and needs-based livelihoods and employment creation programmes, which are conflict and gender-sensitive.
- Proven technical expertise and experience in conducting community outreach and beneficiaries selection through applying a conflict-sensitive approach.
- Proven organizational management expertise, including on administration, finance, human resources, procurement and operations.
- Proven experience in monitoring and evaluating livelihoods and employment creation programmes, including entrepreneurship and business creation support.
- A minimum of 3 years of active experience, undertaking similar work in Iraq.
- Operational presence in the targeted governorate of Muthanna will be an advantage.
- Proven financial capacity to deliver large scale projects. Must have implemented at least one livelihood project for a minimum of USD500,000 budget.
- Previous experience of managing projects funded by UN or international organizations.