National consultants for provision of advisory and mentoring services to entrepreneurs of Micro, Small and Medium sized Enterprises

Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the development arm of the United Nations system, with offices in 180 countries. Globally, the organization employs 17,000 people and manages a budget of USD 5 billion each year.

The UNDP office in North Macedonia employs a team of 70 and currently manages a portfolio of projects in environmental protection, good governance, and social inclusion worth USD 15 million per year.

UNDP Project “Creating job opportunities for all-IV”, which is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP) and the Employment Service Agency (ESA), aims at supporting the effective implementation of the National Operational Plan (OP) on Active Employment Programmes and Measures, and Labour Market Services. In this context, the resilience of the businesses is considered to be of paramount importance in mitigating negative effects from different crisis such as the actual COVID19 crisis.

In the post-covid era, businesses will continue to face significant challenges related to employees, customers and ensuring profitable operations, also due to the needs for introduction of more innovative solutions for green transition and digital transformation. Furthermore, the companies around the globe are facing newly entailed standards and norms, mostly related to the greening of their production processes. COP26 summit took place in the middle of the COVID pandemic and set the milestones for the countries around the globe about achieving the climate related targets.

As a joint initiative between the UNDP and the Government of North Macedonia, the Web-platform bizz4all.mk as support ToolKit is designed to help businesses and their employees have access to easy to read – easy to adapt packages of information, recommendations and guidance through this period of unprecedented disruption. Further, the web platform serves as a resource hub with updates, insights and assistance to inform, navigate business risk, but also to present regulations and government support policies, where relevant. The advisory and mentoring support to the companies will be provided by a pool of consultants/mentors with expertise in the areas of business management, human capital development and green and digital transformation.

Therefore, the UNDP intends to establish a solid base of experts in the field of Business and Entrepreneurship, Green Jobs and Processes, and Digital Transformation, and other related fields of expertise, that might be quickly engaged when needed, to deliver advisory support both as a rapid response to market disruptions and changes in situation of crisis, and as guidance in planning and conducting changes for business transformation and growth.

The consultant will work under direct supervision of the Monitoring Officer. He/she will be in regular communication with the supervisor and will provide update on the progress achieved on a regular basis. In course of performing his/her job, the consultant will need to closely collaborate with the Project team members.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective of the Assignment

The main objective of the assignment is to provide expert advice / mentoring support to Micro, Small and Medium sized Enterprises (MSMEs) and/or individuals engaged in business activities to successfully plan and conduct improvements in their business practices and/or implement green transition and digital transformation processes.

The consultants/mentors shall be engaged exclusively upon request by the potential beneficiaries. The web-platform Toolkit is designed in a such way that enables the beneficiary/ies to be matched with the best possible option from the pool of the engaged consultants/mentors in accordance with their needs in a certain business area. The matching process shall be carried out by the designated UNDP Monitoring Officer who will be engaged to overview the functionality of the platform.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Based on the above-described objectives of the assignment, the work of the consultant shall consist of minimum one and maximum two of the following outputs. All communication with and reports prepared for the beneficiaries will need to be prepared in Macedonian or, if applicable, in Albanian language.

List Outputs/Deliverables:

• Business Plan
• Strategic Business Plan
• Marketing Plan
• Sales Plan
• Product Portfolio Plan
• Plan for innovative solutions for new products and product’s portfolio
• Branding/Advertisement Plan
• Design/packaging Plan
• Customer service Plan
• Production/Services Plan
• Implementation of food safety system
• Advisory for certification of food products HR Plan
• Guidelines for new approaches in working practices: organizational practices and practices for HR management (hybrid work, mobility, sustainable digital practices)
• HR plan including aspects of circular management of HR - internal employability and mobility of workforce
• Leadership Diagnostics

• Time Management Plan
• Financial Management Plan
• Investment Plan
• Access to finance (loans, grants, etc.) Plan
• GAP analysis
• Cost-benefit analyses
• Plan Improvement of Digital Skills with Proposal with list of specific training courses and providers
• Plan for implementation of digital solutions (introduction / acceleration of the digital transformation)
• Facilitation of the green transition
• Introduction / improvement of Biowaste and textile waste management
• Introduction / improvement of Energy efficiency and use of renewable energy
• Delivery of other important business-related information

• Plan for energy efficiency of building (energy efficiency)
• Improving energy efficiency in segments of production processes (energy efficiency)
• Plan for application of thermal pumps in production industry (energy efficiency)
• Plan for modernization and integration of system for control and management (energy efficiency)
• Analysis on energy consumption (energy efficiency)
• Plan for urgent interventions for reduction of energy consumption costs (energy efficiency)
• Plan for design and installation of smart building systems (energy efficiency)
• Plan for utilization of solar energy in agriculture - solar drying facilities (energy efficiency)
• Cost benefit analysis for investing in solar technique (energy efficiency)
• Needs assessment analysis for training of staff for work with PVs (energy efficiency)
• Plan for installation of PVs (energy efficiency)
• Plan for circular production and reuse of textile waste and management of textile waste (sustainable textile industry)
• Plan for digitalization of processes for modeling in textile industry (sustainable textile industry)
• BIM Capability Assessment & Requirements Gathering (construction)
• BIM Needs Assessment and BIM Cost-Benefit Ratio analysis (construction)
• BIM Implementation plan and BIM standard (construction)
• Long-term BIM Roadmap and BIM strategy (construction)
• Plan for Organizational BIM structure (construction)
• BIM workflow proposal (construction)
• Investor's consultation on BIM benefits and BIM design requirements (construction)
• Web analytics and analysis for customer experience (digital transformation)
• Plan for implementation of learning management system for professional development of the employees (digital transformation)
• Plan for digitalization of content (digital transformation)
• Plan for business intelligence implementation (digital transformation)
• Plan for HACCP standard implementation (biowaste)
• Plan for ISO standard implementation (biowaste)
• Plan for biowaste management (biowaste)
• Protocols and guidelines for analyses of nutrition value of food (biowaste)
• Learning & Development (L&D) plan for improving employees' existing competencies and skills and developing newer ones to support the organization’s goals

The above list of outputs is not exhaustive and can be further expanded or adjusted in line with the actual needs of the beneficiaries.

Estimated duration for delivering each output is estimated to be up to 5 hours. The overall engagement for delivering two of the above-mentioned outputs is estimated to be up to 10 hours per beneficiary (MSME’s and/or and other individuals engaged in business activities) in which selected mentors shall help the beneficiaries to overcome some of the challenges as a result of the crisis.

The final products will be the property of UNDP which will exclusively hold the copyrights and other proprietary rights.

Duty Station and Travel

The assignment will be home-based, and the consultancy/mentoring support will be delivered on-line and/or by electronic communication.

Institutional Arrangement:

• The initial Framework Agreement would be for one year with an option for renewal in subsequent years dependent on demand for services and satisfactory performance evaluation; UNDP will issue Individual Contracts for a period of twelve (12) months, subject to extension, if a satisfactory results of performance review is achieved and if there is a need for same services.
• Estimated volume of services: Each assignment will consist of up to two deliverable outputs per beneficiary for which the total price will amount 10,000 MKD. The maximum amount of the fee that the individual consultant could be paid under one year contract is up to 10,000.00 USD
• UNDP does not warrant that any quantity of services will be purchased during the term of the Framework Agreement as this will depend on forthcoming needs.
• The Framework Agreements to be signed will be for a fixed all-inclusive fee per output which estimated to correspond up to 5 hours of engagement.
• An Individual Contract (IC) as a Framework Agreement is non-exclusive (i.e. it does not prohibit UNDP from entering into another such framework agreement with another individuals or entities).
• Assignments will be assigned based on availability and specific expertise for the assignment; Thereafter, a Purchase Order will be raised. Financial commitments will only be established each time the services are requested within the scope of the Framework Agreement through the transmitted Purchase Order.
• Payments will be made upon completion of deliverable, a certification of payment form, and acceptance and confirmation by the Supervisor of outputs delivered.

Payment and Payment Schedule:

The payable fee per delivered one output amounts to 5,000 MKD, max two outputs delivered per beneficiary. The payment will be done within 30 days upon 100% submission of report of deliverables and the confirmation of UNDP on the satisfactory completion of the deliverable. The maximum amount of fee that the individual consultant could be paid under one year contract is limited to MKD equivalent to 10.000,00 USD.

If the deliverables are not produced and delivered by the consultant to the satisfaction of UNDP as approved by the responsible Portfolio Manager, no payment will be made even if the consultant has invested man/days to produce and deliver such deliverables.

Competencies

• Excellent communication and facilitation skills
• Excellent analytical skills
• Excellent computer skills, ability to use information technology as a tool and resource
• Proven knowledge of the business sector environment

Required Skills and Experience

• At least Bachelor University Degree in Economy, Business Management, IT Management, Social Sciences or related disciplines; MA and PhD will be considered as an asset.
• At least 3 years of experience in delivery of similar advisory services in the areas of: entrepreneurship, business skills development, start-up businesses, development of business idea/plan and evaluation, delivery of business mentoring services, development of L&D plan in close collaboration with employers. Additional relevant experience is considered as asset.
• At least three assignments in delivery of advisory services to MSMEs in the areas indicated in Section “Objective of the Assignment”. Assignments in additional areas of expertise related to business management and green and digital transformation are eligible as well. Additional assignments are considered as asset.
• Language proficiency in both written and oral Macedonian, and/or Albanian language for the Albanian speaking consultants/mentors are required.

If any of the above listed mandatory requirements is not met, it will lead towards disqualification of the applicant.

Additionally, for the purpose of selecting a best matching option between the beneficiary/ies and the consultant/mentor, UNDP requests from the candidates to select up to 4 business categories in which the consultant claims to have specialized knowledge, from the below mentioned categories, and include it as a separate document during the application process using the template provided in the Annex 2:

• Production/Services Planning
• Sales planning
• Investment planning
• Marketing planning
• Branding/Advertisement
• Design/packaging
• HR/Time management planning and customer service
• Access to finances (loans, grants…etc)
• Financial management
• Cost-benefit analyses
• Development of contingency business plans
• Biowaste and textile waste management
• Energy efficiency and use of renewable energy
• Green transition
• Digital transformation and digital skills development
• Learning & Development (L&D) plan development
• Other / specialized knowledge

Note: Government officials shall not be hired by UNDP under Contract for professional services, unless the Consultant submits along with the application documents: (i) no objection letter in respect of the individual issued from the Government/employer, and; (ii) written confirmation by the Government certifying that the individual is to be on official leave without pay (SLWOP) for the duration of the Contract for professional services.

EVALUATION METHODThe award of the contract shall be made to the offeror whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

- Being responsive/compliant/acceptable where “responsive/compliant/acceptable” can be defined as fully meeting the Terms of References required.

Technical Criteria:

DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED

Interested offerors are invited to submit the following documents/information to be considered:

• Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP including overview of specialized knowledge for business categories and at least three positive references related to the selected business categories in which they claim to have specialized knowledge.
• Most updated CV with focus on required qualification as well as the the contact details of at least three (3) professional references
• Annex A: Evidence of relevant professional experience