TERMS OF REFERENCE

Armenian Caritas Benevolent NGO in the framework of  “CoNaKa: Covid-19 resilience in Armenia and Georgia and Nagorno-Karabakh conflict response” project

Call for the selection of a company to provide full cycle of entrepreneurial skills and business support to the project target groups

Project title CoNaKa: Covid-19 resilience in Armenia and Georgia and Nagorno-Karabakh conflict response
Place of implementation Republic of Armenia
Deadline for the applications 31.03.2022
Start date April 2022
Kind of contract Service contract
Duration of service delivery April 2022 – June 2024
E-mail for applications l.stepanyan@caritas.am, info@caritas.am

 

1. Background

CoNaKa – “Covid-19 resilience in Armenia and Georgia and Nagorno-Karabakh conflict response” is a consortium project of the Austrian Red Cross (AutRC), Caritas Austria (CA) and Hilfswerk International (HWI) funded by the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC) and implemented together with Armenian Red Cross Society (ARCS), Georgian Red Cross Society (GRCS), Armenian Caritas (AC) and IDP Women Association “Consent”. The 40-month project (1 May 2021 – 31 August 2024) aims at increasing resilience of Covid-19 affected persons in Armenia and Georgia and of those displaced from the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Zone after the escalation of the armed conflict on 27 September 2020 and of the host population in Armenia. Its core activities focus on humanitarian assistance, gender-sensitive psychosocial support services, economic empowerment and access to health care services.

Armenia and Georgia are heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Especially those already living in poverty and most vulnerable women and men need short-term assistance to address immediate health, shelter and nutrition needs and long-term support to secure their livelihood and become Covid-19 resilient. Armenia is doubly hit by the Covid-19 crisis and the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. Many women and men lost their sources of income and families are on the move looking for safe shelter in Armenia. There is no official number of displaced people from the government of Armenia but the number must be thousands of displaced people looking for short- and longer-term assistance to recover from the effects of the recent conflict.

Children, older people and host communities need disaster relief and free of charge medicine, economic empowerment initiatives and health support including mental health and psychosocial support services to tackle social isolation and war trauma. CoNaKa combines urgently needed disaster relief with targeted and sustainable development activities in Armenia and Georgia.

Within the economic empowerment component CoNaKa project aims at contributing to the smooth and sustainable economic integration of displaced and local population of Armenia affected by NK conflict through supporting their business initiatives. For this, in the framework of CoNaKa project Armenian Caritas seeks a service provider (company, NGO, other) to provide full cycle of entrepreneurial skills and business support to the project target groups.

Overall objective of the project

To contribute to mitigate the impacts of Covid-19 on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Armenia and Georgia.

Specific objective

Increased resilience of Covid-19 affected women, girls, men and boys in Armenia and Georgia and of those displaced from the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Zone after the escalation of the armed conflict since 27 September 2020 and of host population in Armenia.

Result 3: 3245 Covid-19 and NK conflict affected people (1.880 female and 1.365 male) strengthened their ability to participate in the labor market (employability), found jobs and created businesses in Armenia and Georgia.

1. Scope of the action/services to be delivered

Entrepreneurial skills and Business support activities shall be implemented during the period of April 2022 – June 2024. The geographic focus of the action is Armenia. In the initial phase a study shall be conducted based on the results of which business support model shall be elaborated and used to provide services to the project target groups.

  1. Objectives and methodology of the action
    • Overall objective

The overall objective of the entrepreneurial skills and business support component is to enhance the economic integration of displaced people from NK and local population of Armenia affected by the war into the traditional SME sector.

The action will be conducted for the following stakeholders:

  • Displaced people from NK
  • Local population of Armenia affected by the war in NK
  • Armenian Caritas
  • Caritas Austria
  • Austrian Red Cross
  • Austrian Development Cooperation
  • Armenian Government

2.2. Specific objectives:

  •  to conduct a study on the business environment of Armenia including best practices in the field, needs of the target groups for establishing/running sustainable and successful businesses in terms of the development of entrepreneurial skills, gaps in knowledge, funding, networking
  • to elaborate and implement an innovative and comprehensive business support model
  • to develop entrepreneurial knowledge and skills among the project target groups
  • to support in the development and implementation of bussines plans
  • to enhance access to finance for the project participants
  • to have well established and running businesses at the end of the project economic integration component

2.3 Suggested methodological approach:

The methodological approach for the full cycle business support should include the following elements:

  • study of international and local experience of innovative and successful mechanisms for economic integration
  • briefing from the Armenian Caritas project manager and team
  • carrying out at least two focus group meetings with the project target groups to identify their needs
  • interviews with stakeholders (Representatives of the Project Consortium partners, state and non-state agencies)
  • conducting trainings
  • group discussions
  • networking events
  • individual counseling/coaching/mentorship

3. Responsibilities, main results of the action:

  • At least 200 applications received
  • at least 125 business ideas – generated in group discussions/events
  • at least 120 people participated in the training courses and benefitted from coaching
  • at least 70 business plans submitted to the Jury
  • at least 50 promoted businesses among the participants
  • at least 25 financed businesses
  • at least 23 businesses sustained by the end of the project

4. Reporting / Deliverables

The service provider is expected to deliver:

  • Inception report with focus on methodological part, timeline, including interviews / focus group model, guidelines, etc. in English
  • A report on the study results in Armenian with a summary of at least 5 pages in English
  • Presentation of the study
  • Business support model
  • Trainings’ modules
  • Reports on each phase of the project
  • Business plans developed during the project
  • Quarterly reports
  • Final report of implementation including:
    • Lists of participants
    • Main issues raised by the participants during the project
    • Main findings (statement of facts), conclusions and recommendations.

5. Costs and Financing

The contract will be on a fixed price basis.

The payment will be made as follows:

  • 1st instalment – 45% (after signing the agreement)
  • 2nd instalment – 45% (after the 1st year of implementation)
  • Final instalment – 10% (after submission of final deliverables).

6.The profile of the business support service provider

The best offer will be selected by the Jury: price and quality of the proposal will be scored and weightened 50 % price and 50 % quality. The quality of the proposal will be scored according to the below mentioned conditions giving preference to the organisation having professional qualification and working experience with the target groups of the project.

  • educational background of the team (Master’s degree or equivalent in economics, business management or another relevant fields)
  • availability of the organisation’s relevant experience (at least 2 years of experience)
  • deep knowledge on the Armenian business environment, key role players in the field as well as issues of displaced people from NK and the current situation
  • excellent analytical and research skills
  • availability of at least 6 qualified trainers and coaches
  • experience in implementing business support services (at least 3 implemented projects) and the work experience with displaced people, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups
  • own premises for the trainings and other relevant activitites will be an asset

7. Application Procedure

Armenian Caritas invites interested and qualified business support professional companies to participate in a call for proposals in March 2022.

Interested organisations are required to send their signed/stamped applications composed of the below mentioned documents before 31st of March, 2022 to l.stepanyan@caritas.am, info@caritas.am.

  • Copy of the state registration certificate of the applicant organisation
  • Proposal description in English according to the attached template
  • Detailed budget in English according to the attached template
  • Diplomas, qualification Certificates of at least 6 trainers which will be involved to provide training/consultancy/guidance services

 

Please note: Only applications submitted according to the attached templates will be considered. Only shortlisted applicants will be invited for the interview by the “Armenian Caritas” Benevolent NGO.