Deadline: 3-Aug-22
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is requesting for proposals to Support micro and small business with the focus on youth in 2 regions of Armenia (Kotayk and Gegharqunik regions).
UNDP in Armenia, with the support of the Russian Federation, implements “Unleashing Employment and Income Generating Opportunities for the Youth in the Regions of Armenia” Project.
The Project aims at supporting the fulfilment of the youth’s potential and wellbeing in the regions of Armenia through improved education opportunities, facilitated labor market transition and entrepreneurship. The Project is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Science, Education, Culture and Sport and in close cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
Objectives
- The Project pursues the following objectives:
- Increase the employability of the youth in vocational education and training by addressing the mismatch of the labor market demand and supply sides;
- Facilitate transition to work for the youth in the target regions;
- Support economic empowerment of young people in the target regions, especially in rural and remote areas.
- To contribute to the development of entrepreneurship-oriented human capital, the Project plans to contract an implementing partner to ensure access to finance for youth-based MSEs, while creating an inclusive and diverse cohort of innovative and educated young entrepreneurs in the two target regions.
- The main objective of the TORs is to help micro and small businesses in their perfection or and expansion to assure transition to the next phase of development, be it through digital transformation, optimization of business processes, marketing, or any other aspect of business management. In order to assist youth-led regional MSEs, UNDP intends to select an organization, which will be responsible for the following:
- Select the pool of the Project potential beneficiaries-grantees
- Deliver targeted business courses to the potential 30 beneficiaries
- Support in the development of the business plans including justification of a lump sum for the purchase of fixed assets
- Post-grant business support aimed at providing the necessary advice in order to overcome the difficulties arising during the implementation of economic activities, regarding the fulfillment of tax obligations and other state payments, business management and marketing issues
- Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of the project results for further scale up across other two target regions of the Project.
Funding Information
UNDP intends to award small grants (from 2 000 000 AMD up to 3 000 000 AMD (maximum 6,500 USD) in case of 10% co-funding commitment from the successful applicants) to about 20 MSEs in the total amount of 130 000 USD for further improvement/expansion of the existing businesses.
Criteria
- Under overall supervision and the overall guidance of the UNDP Project Coordinator the contractor will be responsible for the following:
- Design and execute outreach campaign combining digital channels and public meetings to ensure as many MSEs are aware of the open grant competition as possible;
- Design and launch open call competition for innovative ideas on business process improvement or expansion for potential applicants
- Jointly with UNDP Project management select local beneficiaries on competitive basis. The selection committee should include at least two 2 representative from UNDP and a business expert.
- Implement needs assessment at the company’s level related to its current gaps for further expansion and development.
- Provide ongoing mentoring and coaching to beneficiaries. Provide ongoing monitoring, including financial and procurement matters of a grant award.
- Conduct the whole process of grant distribution including regular monitoring, assuring all the financial documentation (such as budgets, business plans, invoices, receipts, proof of cofunding) are in place. Monthly consultations with the UNDP Project management are required.
- Prepare monthly reports and other types of communication (success stories, media updates) on the project implementation.
- Conduct M&E field visits to the selected MSEs.
- Prepare financial reports (Interim and Final) on the Project implementation.
- Prepare narrative reports summarizing main achievements and lessons learnt for scaling up further interventions.
- Qualifications required:
- A successful organization should have the following knowledge and experience:
- An applicant must be a local organization operating in the regions of Armenia (preferably in Kotayk and Gegharqunik) or with significant representation in these areas;
- An applicant must have at least 5 years of proven work experience in providing and managing small entrepreneurship grants in the regions of Armenia;
- An applicant must have at least 5 years of work experience in project implementation, donor grants, budget management, monitoring, and public relations management;
- An applicant must demonstrate experience in implementation of business developmentrelated community initiative, proven ability to ensure wide outreach and community mobilization;
- An applicant must be able to work with multiple stakeholders, including people from vulnerable groups of society;
- A successful candidate should be able to communicate issues and facilitate resolutions to them in a timely manner.
- A successful organization should have the following knowledge and experience:
- Key personnel qualification requirements:
- The following key positions should be nominated by an organization to fulfil the whole scope of the assignment:
- Team Lead with the minimum 5 years of management experience of similar by scope and nature projects. Advanced university degree in business, management, economics, or social sciences is required. Excellent knowledge of Armenian and English is required.
- Two Business Trainers for the respective two regions with the minimum 5 years of business training experience on business sustainability and expansion. Advanced university degree in business, management, and economics is required. Excellent knowledge of Armenian is required
- Finance officer with the minimum of 3 years of finance experience in financial management of the similar by scope and nature projects. Advanced university degree in finance, business, or economics is required. Excellent knowledge of accounting and tax system is required. Fluency in English is required.
- Project administrative and PR assistant with the minimum of 3 years of experience in similar by scope and nature projects. University degree is required, PR experience is plus. Excellent knowledge of Armenian and English languages is required. Excellent knowledge of Russian is plus.
- The following key positions should be nominated by an organization to fulfil the whole scope of the assignment:
For more information, visit https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=93586