TERMS OF REFERENCE - Technical studies: Skill Up! project

TERMS OF REFERENCE 

Technical studies: Skill Up! project

Study topic 1: In-country green business scoping/ mapping 

Study topic 2: Intra and inter-country green market access and promotion strategies

BACKGROUND 

The project titled “Green college for advocacy and promotion of inclusive green economy” (GREEN) is being implemented in Nepal by Welthungerhilfe Nepal in partnership with the local NGO and other stakeholders. The project aims to accelerate inclusive economic development activities to two least developed Provinces 6 and 7 (to ensure economic growth (prosperity), environmental protection (planet) and inclusion of most vulnerable and marginalized population groups (people) in the economic development process.

The project is being implemented in province 6 and 7 (in Salyan, Surkhet and Kanchanpur districts)with at least one Green College to be established in each Province. This will ensure the inter-province learning, sharing and exchange. Youth is the primary target group of the project: first priority is the age group between 16-25 years and second priority is 25 – 40 years. The groups will be gender-balanced and include minority groups. and at least 2,994 (50% women) individuals will directly be benefitted from the skill transfer activities, including in-house courses (478 youths) and extension-based training approach/ farmer field schools (2,516 farmers). The project will target the marginalized population groups such as women, Dalit and tribal communities. The project also targets to establish at least 15 Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). 

Project Summary:

1.1.   Project Summary

Project outcome:

Living conditions and diversified farming system have improved by applying Skill Up! and green college approach, and with effective advocacy efforts, skill transfer, business incubation and enterprise development

Project outputs: 

• Green vocational service providers and entrepreneurs are constantly getting technical, institutional, managerial, information access and incubation services with the establishment of Inclusive Business Incubator (Impact at Scale Center)
•  Green vocational skills provision and enterprise development have been strengthened with the establishment of Green Colleges
• Multi-sectoral coordination and policy advocacy towards Skill Up! approach¹  strengthened at all levels (micro-meso-macro)

Project indicator/ targets:

• 60% HHs net annual income increased by 20% at target area by end of the project (EoP)
• At least, 6 economically-viable SMEs (life cycle approach – 4 Rs; recycle, reuse, reduce, refuse) on green sector for employment and revenue generation have been established 
• 60% targeted farmer field school households produce at least 5 food groups (cereals, pulses, vegetables, oilseeds, egg)

Study objectives and scope

The study will be participatory including both experts and project teams of WHH and partner and the target group. It will scope and map the current green economy policies etc. It will conduct in-depth research that may feed back into the project activities to ensure further inclusion, synergy and sustainability of the project. This study will identify further opportunities for improvement and synergy opportunities with other stakeholders and on-going initiatives. The study will be conducted in close coordination and synergy with project and partners.

Study topic 1: In-country green business scoping/ mapping study that list out the current green economy scenario/ status in the target area and in the country. The scope of the study includes the mapping of existing associate policies, institutes and organization practicing/ promoting circular economic development, types of green business practices/ interventions. It will identify for each factor of the challenges and possibilities and will carry out the SWOT analysis. 

Study topic 2: Intra and inter-country green market access and promotion strategies study will carry out in-depth research and recommend the green products and services that have to be prioritized by the project (by Nepal as well). The study will also recommend the potential markets at national and global level and ways/ strategies to be connected with those buyers. The study not only finds out the types of products and services, but also develop the business strategies/ plans targeting certain marketplaces.

Some other scope/ objectives of the studies are: 

• Study has to reveal the benchmark data both qualitative and quantitative 
• Explore the stakeholders and power mapping including resources and offer strategy to manage the stakeholders.
• Generate separate policy advocacy issues to three tiers of government and their linkage to recognition and upscaling of Skill Up! approach. 
• Highlight the importance and social marketing and health benefits i.e nutritional value of Green/ sustainable entrepreneurship. 
• Mapping out areas of non-formal TVET sector and value addition to Green College and recommend strategy to run these business in emergency like pandemic situation.

The specific scope of the assignment is to collect data, to consult stakeholder while carrying out these two technical studies with synergy to each other and develop the reports: two separate reports of each study topic (note – if we select one Consultant for both studies, single report can also be produced capturing the objectives of both studies) The study methodology and others preparatory works will jointly be decided by the selected Consultant (firm) and the project team. The consultant will work closely with the target groups and the partner team/WHH that form part of the consultancy team. The consultant will do the SWOT analysis together with project/partner team.

¹ Skill Up! approach is Welthungerhilfe’s signatory approach to enhance the skills for poverty reduction. The approaches follows ten quality standards (principles).

Delivery

The Consultant/ firm has to submit the study reports to Welthungerhilfe as the final delivery of the assignment. The project team will review the draft report and the Consultant has to incorporate the inputs in the draft report. The assignment will be complete when the report is accepted by the Welthungerhilfe.

Timeline:

The study has to be completed and the first draft report has to be submitted within two months of sign of the contract. The final report needs to be submitted within fifteen days of inputs received in the draft report. 

To Apply

Interested private firms and individuals, who meet the above requirements, should apply by submitting their Expression of Interest (EoI) with brief study concept note comprising methodology and financial proposal (not more than three pages) as well as at least two samples of similar work/ reports. The firm’s profile (if application is sent via an agency) and CVs of Consultants to be included as Annexes in the EoI. The application should be sent to the following email address recruitment.nepal@welthungerhilfe.de by 30 October 2020, with “Skill Up!: technical studies” as subject line.