SCOPE OF WORK
Period of Performance: July-December 2017
Level of Effort: 60 days – 3 Trips
I. Program Background:
The USAID Jordan Local Enterprise Support Project (USAID LENS) encourage the long-term economic growth and development potential of underserved Jordanian communities. The project supports the vitality and competitiveness of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) that are often at the heart of individual, family and community livelihood within vulnerable populations and will help empower local communities to design and implement collaborative local economic development (LED) initiatives.
USAID LENS works primarily in the sectors of food-processing, tourism, transportation and ICT as an enabler. However, in its work to advance the role of women in economic development at the community level, we have identified an opportunity to support women in non-traditional sectors to establish and grow their business. This consultancy relates to this effort.
II. Objective of Consultancy
USAID LENS has identified a market opportunity to support Women in Non-Traditional Sectors in establishing and growing a business. This has been primarily focused on women in the building and construction trades, particularly plumbing, but is expanding to include women establishing in other sectors such as technology and home appliance repair. Women are highly underrepresented in these sectors, but have a unique market opportunity to be able to provide services to homes during the working day, when male family members may not be present, as well as to institutions that are primarily occupied by women and girls.
USAID LENS has undertaken an intervention specific to certified female plumbers in the governorate of Zarqa, who have completed an extensive business startup training program. These plumbers are also now eligible for grants support from USAID LENS for specific equipment needs. This activity will be replicated with women working in the trades in the governorates of Mafraq and Irbid. Based on market demand and skills availability, USAID LENS will seek to develop institutions such as cooperatives or associations able represent women in the trades and market their sectors. The project is also considering developing a nationwide awareness campaign that promotes these women-led businesses and increases social acceptance of women in non-traditional sectors.
As such, USAID LENS seeks a consultant to develop a strategy to develop and promote women in the trades and to support implementation of this strategy over a six-month period. The consultant must be fluent in Arabic and English and should ideally have experience directly working with women business start-ups, marketing women businesses, and/or institutional capacity support. The consultancy will require at least two and possibly three extended trips to Jordan. The first in July-August to develop the strategy to include assessing the market, overall environment, training centers and other stakeholders capacity, which will result in the strategy development. This will be followed by at an additional trip in September-October to support implementation of the strategy including preparing key solicitation documents, RFPs, RFAs or other solicitation mechanisms to implement the strategy using local service providers. A third trip is envisioned to build capacity of local stakeholders in managing the program going forward.
USAID LENS envisions that this activity will require mapping of women in the trades by location and skill, an assessment of the training service providers available to train and certify these women, developing a training program action plan, assessing the capacity and willingness of existing cooperatives/associations/organizations to ensure women’s fair inclusion and opportunity, determining the need for and/or opportunities to develop institutions dedicated to organizing and representing these women-led businesses and developing an overall marketing campaign to increase awareness of these service providers in the market. The specific tasks are outlined below.
III. Tasks
Illustrative tasks are listed below. Under the direction of USAID LENS Gender Advisor Amy Henderson,
(a) Review USAID LENS content and approach on past relevant activities and meet with stakeholders internal and external to the project
(b) Map women in the trades in Jordan. This will require a spreadsheet document of women in specific service trades by geographic location, the level of their formalization, their level of certification, the source of certification, their experience level, their market linkages, level of income and the existence of associations or cooperatives active in the area. USAID LENS has some of this information and is working to gather more, but the consultant will be expected to expand on this information and present it in a clear format. Deliverable: Spreadsheet with individuals by trade and geography along with a report of no more than 5 pages on women’s presence in the sector, likely market demand and opportunity.
(c) Assess the capacity and existence of training service providers in the trades. USAID LENS has worked with individual consultants to provide business training to women plumbers in Zarqa and is now seeking to upgrade and expand their technical skill set through the provision of training in electrical maintenance, HVAC, solar panel installation and maintenance, etc. To undertake this activity on a national level, LENS requires a better understanding of the institutions, organizations and companies able to provide vocational trainings and certifications to individuals in other areas and in accordance with Jordanian law. The consultant needs to assess the criteria for participating in the program and outline the qualifications of participating women as well as the qualifications of the service providers who can train. Deliverable: Report of no more than 5 pages that outlines a proposed concept of how USAID LENS can structure a training program for women in the trades either using a voucher, subcontract or grant system to provide this training to capable women. The report must include an Annex that identifies the service providers in Jordan capable of delivering this program(s) and contact information.
(d) Identify stakeholders such as cooperatives and associations that are already involved in this area, assess their capacity to manage the program going forward or serve as a focal point for a specific geography or trade. Identify other women and/or informal organizations who would be interested and/or capable of establishing an institution to represent such women, either on a geographic or trade specialization basis, or both; i.e., the Irbid Women’s Building Trades Cooperative or Jordan Women’s Home Maintenance Services Association. Develop a plan for the establishment and/or support to at least 3 such associations who would then be eligible for grants support. Deliverable: Report of no more than 5 pages on existing associations/cooperatives or informal organizations and individual women that can manage the program or serve as a focal point going forward. This would be a sustainability plan that also would outline the types of support needed by these organizations and a proposed budget.
(e) Develop a separate Strategy Document that incorporates the first three deliverables above into a coherent action plan and approach going forward. This can be a combination of the above documents, or a summary and will be further defined by USAID LENS. Deliverable: Strategy document not to exceed 15 pages along with a Gantt chart and budget for the proposed interventions.
(f) Draft the solicitation documents for the implementation of the training program. This will include RFP/s or similar documents for training providers that could be structured to specific geographies and trades or could be one for a national level program depending on availability of providers. Also draft the application documents for women to apply for specific training program, including a solicitation document explaining the program, criteria, and an accompanying application form. Deliverable: RFPs or similar document to solicit the services of training providers as outlined in the strategy. Development of the documents for women to apply to participate in the program, including a program description, defined criteria and an application form.
IV. Deliverables
The Consultant shall be responsible for preparing and submitting the following deliverables:
1) A database (Excel) of women engaged in the trades, by trade and geography, along with other topline data required by USAID LENS.
2) A report (maximum 8 pages) describing the broad contours of women’s presence in the sector and the likely market demand and opportunity.
3) A concept paper (maximum 5 pages) outlining the structure of a training program for women in the trades, using a voucher, subcontract or grant mechanism to provide this training to capable women. The report must include an annex that identifies the service providers in Jordan capable of delivering this program and their contact information.
4) A report (maximum 5 pages) on existing formal or informal organizations and/or individual women capable of managing this program or of serving as a focal point going forward, recommendations on a sustainability plan and the support required by such organizations, along with a proposed budget.
5) A strategy document (maximum 15 pages), along with a Gantt chart and budget for the proposed interventions.
6) Solicitation documents (mechanisms TBD in accordance with findings from above deliverables) to procure the services of training providers as outlined in the strategy.
7) Documents for participation in the program, such as application forms, program description and defined criteria.
V. Technical Direction: USAID LENS Strategic Advisor Amy Henderson
Performance under this Work Order shall be subject to the technical direction of the above named FHI 360 employee. Only those individuals named in the Work Order may issue technical directions.
VI. QUALIFICATIONS
Candidates for this consultancy must:
· Be fluent in Arabic and English, and possess excellent writing skills in English and Arabic.
· Possess a bachelor’s degree or higher.
· Possess a minimum of 3 years’ relevant experience, such as:
o Experience in capacity building with women businesses and/or women start-ups in the Middle East
o Experience in consulting services to support women in establishing and expanding businesses in the Middle East
o Experience in developing cooperatives/associations and supporting their capacity building
· Demonstrate strong writing and oral presentation skills.
· Ability to draft solicitation documents including RFPs and/or grant application documents, preferably for a donor
· Experience in International Development or business in the Middle East
VII. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
The applicant should provide:
1. Resume/CV, not exceeding two pages, containing, but not limited to:
· Previous experience with similar activities.
· List of three references with contact email and phone numbers who can independently verify past work.
· Confirmation of availability to perform the work during the anticipated period of performance indicated above.
2. Cover letter with a statement describing the applicant's capability to complete the assignment and proposed daily rate (1 page maximum)
3. A proposed methodology and approach (2-page maximum)
4. A proposed schedule of delivery of each deliverable within the timeframe allotted.
4. FHI 360 signed biodata form containing the justification for applicant's proposed daily rate in USD and JOD (see attachment).
5. Three (3) references, including contact information (names, company or organization, phone number and email).
Applicants are responsible for review of the terms and conditions provided in the attachments and listed below. Applicants must provide full, accurate and complete information as required by this solicitation and its attachments. Please submit all materials to: , with the subject line titled: Non-Traditional Sectors.