Consultancy services to support the implementation of the governance and management model for Integrated Crafts Production Centres (ICPCs)
Cosoft : 83414393
Introduction
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a federally owned international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations. GIZ has worked in Rwanda for over 30 years. The primary objectives between the Government of Rwanda and the Federal Republic of Germany are poverty reduction and promotion of sustainable development. To achieve these objectives, GIZ Rwanda is active in the sectors of Decentralization and Good Governance, Economic Development and Employment Promotion, Energy, and ICT (Information and Communications Technology).

General Context of Eco-Emploi 2020– 2022
Rwanda aspires to improve standards of living for all its citizens in the Vision of 2050. The Vision will be affected through a series of seven-year National Strategies for Transformation (NST1), underpinned by detailed sectoral strategies that are aimed toward achievement of the SDGs. The NST1 followed the implementation of two, five-year Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategies-EDPRS (2008-12) and EDPRS-2 (2013-18), under which Rwanda experienced robust economic and social performances. The growth rate averaged 7.5% over the decade to 2018 while the growth domestic product (GDP) per capita grew at 5% annually.
However, underemployment is still a prominent factor. With strategies like the NST 1 and the Private Sector Development and Youth Employment Strategy (PSDYES), the Government of Rwanda is promoting skills development and the creation of off-farm jobs. The bilateral Economy and Employment Promotion program (Eco-Emploi) as part of the priority area “Sustainable Economic Development” of the Rwandan-German Development Cooperation is supporting these efforts.

Eco-Emploi, implemented by GIZ, incorporates an integrated approach of technical and vocational education and training, labour market interventions and private sector development and will be implemented between January 2020 and December 2022. The program aims at employment-intensive growth in selected economic sectors, namely wood industry, tourism & hospitality, industry and film industry, with a special focus on digitalisation. The economic empowerment of women, youth and persons with disabilities are a crosscutting effort in all activities of the program. Eco-Emploi works towards achieving SDG 1 "No poverty", SDG 4 "High-quality education", SDG 5 "Gender equality" and SDG 8 "Decent work and economic growth”.
Eco-Emploi’s success is mainly defined by the number of jobs that are created through the program’s activities.
For more information, please visit Eco-Emploi’s homepage: http://ecoemploi.org/
Background of the assignment
In 2012, the Government of Rwanda initiated the establishment of Integrated Crafts Production Centers (ICPCs) in each District to increase and improve employment of local artisans. The ICPCs were created to serve as standardized and modern business centres that accommodate carpenters, tailors, and other artisans in one place for production and marketing of their products. Before the creation of ICPCs, artisans operated in scattered makeshift structures within residential areas. The establishment of ICPCs was also essential in facilitating technology transfer and technical skills development among the different operators within the ICPCs. Established centers contribute to the implementation of government’s National policies and strategies such as the National Skills Development and Employment Promotion Strategy (NSDEPS), Decent and productive jobs creation (NST) and made in Rwanda Policy (MiR).
Soon after their establishment, the different ICPCs started to report challenges with regards to the ICPCs management. ICPCs in each district was set up, however, without clear governance structure and a management model to strengthen them. Operators did not manage to organize efficiently the centers; moreover, essential skills were lacking as well as outdated technologies and equipment used in the centers. These challenges affected the competitiveness and reputation of ICPCs. The need to set up the management structure of ICPCs became clear.

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Together with the Partners (MINICOM, MINALOC and RDB), GIZ supported the development of the ICPC management model and since July 2019 they started its implementation as a pilot in six selected ICPCs: Kayonza, Karongi, Muhanga, Bugesera, Rubavu and Rusizi. Later this pilot was extended to three more districts, namely Gisagara, Nyamagabe and Kirehe.
GIZ /Eco-Emploi Program provided the technical support in piloted ICPCs by assigning qualified managers responsible for operationalization of the centers, businesses’ development, and capacity building of operators in ICPCs.

Whereas another GIZ program focusing on the economic inclusion of refugees and host communities (ECOREF), supported ICPCs in capacity building and entrepreneurship development to ICPCs operators and graduates from vocational training institutions in Gisagara, Nyamagabe, Huye and Kirehe districts.
To ensure sustainability of the ICPC management model project, a national ICPC task force composed by MINICOM, MINALOC, RDB, BDF, GIZ and chaired by MINICOM suggested a continuation and replication of interventions and support in supported ICPCs and roll it out in all remaining ICPCs countrywide.
To further achieve this, GIZ Eco Emploi Program would like to hire a qualified consultancy firm /company that will mobilize, equip, coach, mentor, assist and facilitate seven qualified managers allocated in ICPCS and ensure their work effectiveness and result oriented daily business. The consultancy firm as well, will monitor and evaluate the performance of the ICPCs Managers and ensure the provision of trainings for the cooperatives operating in ICPCs.

Objective of the assignment
The main objectives of this assignment are to:
• Support the selected ICPCs to gradually acquire financial autonomy through effective management for their sustainability; thus, providing services that are substantial for increased competitiveness and economic growth of occupants (cooperatives & individual businesses).
• Support implementation of the proposed” Intervention exit strategy” in piloted ICPCs and meanwhile support the preparation of the roll-out of the intervention in other ICPCs.

Process and methodology
The service provider will facilitate and assist seven ICPCs managers to perform well and will monitor and report on cumulative progress of time activities matrix and performance of managers to National Task Force and GIZ. The service provider will also perform the recruitment services of ICPC Managers where the replacement is deemed necessary.
This assignment will take place in seven districts’ ICPCs: Kayonza, Karongi, Muhanga, Bugesera, Rubavu, Rusizi and Gisagara. The service provider will assign the seven qualified Managers, one per ICPC.
In addition, the service provider will support four ICPCs Kirehe, Nyamagabe, Gisagara and Huye through capacity building/training package on cooperative management to ensure good governance and sustainable growth.

Task and responsibilities of the consultant(s)
Ensure an effective placement and capacity development of ICPCs managers:
The consultant will:
• Consult the client and MINICOM to oversee the competitive selection of managers to assign and conduct a strategic placement of Managers to their respective districts.
• Ensure managers’ capacity building through onboarding sessions or trainings and coaching sessions.
• Propose the monthly remuneration and incentives and process of their payments in compliance with national labor and employment law.
• Facilitate the daily work of Managers by providing the necessary support to perform well their work (e.g.: logistics, communication, and transportation facilities).
• Organize the meetings and backstopping sessions, that are needed to upgrade skills for ICPCs Managers.
• Ensure adherence to legal and company policies and procedures and undertake disciplinary actions if the need arises.
• Monitor Managers ‘performance and provide constructive feedback and coaching.

Ensure a good communication with stakeholders:
The consultant will:
• Ensure effective communication flow of information from ICPC National Task Force to Managers and vice versa.
• Support the ICPCs to strengthen the collaboration between the centers and TVET schools.

Ensure effective scale up of model and roll out of trainings in other districts
The consultant will:
• Link ICPCs Managers with the refugees’ and host communities’ saving and loan groups as well as so-called Business Counselling and Exchange (BCE) groups initiated by ECOREF for a regular advisory and coaching to ensure success and sustainability of this financial model in camps.
• Ensure the conjunction with existing Business Development Advisors (BDAs) that work with ECOREF to get more bankable business plans from ICPCs’ operators in their various forms of business as well as their suppliers and vendors.
• Create a learning platform for ICPCs Managers and other ICPCs representatives to support exchanges regarding the experiences, business ethics, management practices etc...
• Train, Mentor and Prepare ICPCs Managers to become the certified coaches capable to rollout the support to other ICPCs.
• Rollout of provided training workshops to the cooperatives operating in ICPCs Nyamagabe, Gisagara, Kirehe and Huye by training cooperative leaders and staff on cooperative financial management, governance, and internal control.
• Initiate the participants of cooperatives’ trainings in business management using relevant tools such as Microbusiness simulations games and savings game simulations.
• To create conducive working environment between cooperatives under targeted ICPCs and stakeholders.
• To increase the awareness of ICPC strategic approach through cooperative members

Provide technical support to improve working environment in centers:
The consultant will:
• Support the implementation of proposed new designs and set measures for improving wood workshops in ICPCs.

The consultancy firm will accompany, coach and mentor ICPCs Managers to achieve the following tasks:
• To support the Local experts in Carpentry in the implementation of developed proposals/designs for ICPCs’ wood workshops. At the end of this contract, the wood workshops in supported ICPCs shall be looking as recommended by the experts.
• To support the implemenation of the proposed measures to comply with OHS/EHS rules and guidelines in supported ICPCs.
• Strengthen the partnership between the neigbouring TVET schools with ICPC by sealing mutual agreements and performing bilateral interventions to build the capacity of ICPCs operators and help the TVET students conducting the internships into the centers to develop their practical skills.
• Support the program of advisory, mentorship and training of refugees’ saving groups in the camps found in the targeted districts.
• To collaborate with Monitoring and Evaluation team of the client to establish an effective data collection approaches/method in the supported ICPCs.
• To continue the implementation of the ICPC annual action plan retrieved from the business plans approved at the district and develop the next year’s action plan.
• To collaborate with Districts and advocate for adoption and integration of the developed ICPC business plans, OHS/EHS measures and managerial plans in their action plans and budget.
• To support the speedy implementation of the adopted “intervention exit strategy” by putting in place the appropriate approaches to boost the financial growth of ICPC towards its self-reliance and sustainability.
• To plan and implement interventions related to the compliance of OHS/EHS based on the challenges highlighted in the ICPC OHS audit.
• To continually ensure the growth of profitability for ICPC Operators and the increase of economical flow towards the Center self-financing according to the qualitative and quantitative objectives as defined by GIZ and the National Taskforce.
• To strengthen a close business-oriented networking and peer-to-peer capacity building with cooperatives, companies, and other formal businesses from the ICPCs’ value chains.
• To Improve technical and managerial capacities of SMEs and Cooperatives in ICPCs.
• A detailed plan of the sustainability of the ICPC under different segments.
• To create safe, modern, standardized, and well-organized Centers.
• To support ICPCs members selected within Incubation and Acceleration Program of NIRDA to continue accessing and implementing acceleration services provided by this Wood Sector Facility.
• To collaborate with district and ICPC operators to facilitate ICPC products get access to National and local tenders and further put in place marketing strategy for products produced in the ICPC.
In addition, the consultancy firm will monitor the implementation of the adopted “intervention exit strategy” in each district and present a compiled progress report two months before end of contract to track/analyze an evolution towards self-reliance and sustainability of this model in the piloted ICPCs after the subsidized phase. The firm through the proposed exit strategy will support MINICOM and RDB to establish joint interventions aiming to timely avail and allocate the necessary budget to cover the ICPCs general management costs after the end of the assignment.

Deliverables
In close coordination with the GIZ/Eco-Emploi and MINICOM focal points for this assignment, the service provider is expected to perform and deliver the following tasks:
General Deliverables of the assignment
• Recruitment report (Where necessary)
• Periodic monthly progress reports on the progress of activities in piloted ICPCs, including monthly reports for each ICPC, elements for the evaluation of the performance of ICPCs Managers in implementation of activities and clear recommendations for adjustments wherever needed.
• Compiled documents and other deliverables tasked to the ICPCs General Managers.
• Quarterly consolidated reports including presentations of results to the National task force.
• Quarterly consolidated Progress reports on the implementation of “Intervention Exit strategy” and its evolution in each ICPC.
• Training’s plan and methodology, tools and materials to be used in training workshops.
• Special reports on the performed activities within the refugees’ camps.
• Special reports on performed activities between TVET and ICPCs vis a vis capacity building of ICPCs operators and TVET students.
• Monthly report on the performance of managers
• Trainings reports including the list of certified participants.
• Assignment final report including a final presentation of results and way forwards.

Deliverables from the ICPCs general managers
• Next year’s detailed action plan to transform an ICPC into a self-managed and self-financed center and to promote the economic growth of all ICPC’s operators.
• Monthly updated economic data related to ICPC’s operators including business relationships with suppliers and vendors of their products. Inputs and outputs related to refugees shall be marked separately.
• A plan to ensure the conformity of the ICPC infrastructure with the OHS/EHS regulatory frameworks, keeping in consideration all GAPs identified in the ad hoc audit already executed.
• Monthly reports on activities performed to support the economic growth of ICPCs Operators, including key parameters for the evaluation of their performance (including not limited to monthly/annual turnovers and rate of profit),
• ICPC internal and external communication and Marketing strategies.
• Copies of signed MoUs and contracts between ICPC ‘s operators and TVET schools or other service providers.
• Progressive weekly reports and monthly, quarterly, and final cumulative reports on ICPCs activity.
• Specific reports on the activities performed in regards with Businesses networking, exposure, and linkages to sources of financing.

Reporting and cooperation
The service provider (firm of consultancy) will have a seat in Districts ICPC’s Governance board meetings and report to both the special National ICPC’ s Task Force headed by MINICOM and to the Head of Wood Sector Component Manager of GIZ/Eco-Emploi Program and SI Refugees Program. The service provider will work in close cooperation with the seven piloted districts (especially with the District ICPC governance Board and District Business Development and Employment Units) and with the piloted ICPCs members’ representatives, and other relevant stakeholders at the district level to ensure proper execution of the activities outlined in the contract.
At the end of this assignment, the full right on the documentation file is reserved to MINICOM and RDB. (Documentation file includes all the developed documents related to this assignment such as reports, managerial and business plans and guidelines, etc.) In case of any arising issues regarding the deliverables after the assignment is completed, the contracted company will be responsible and available for required support.

Timeframe of the assignment
The assignment will be conducted in 5 months period. Thus, it will start on 1st September 2022 and ends on 31 January 2023 (5 months).
A summary table of expected days per expert:
Expert Number of expert days (up to)
Expert 1 – Team Leader 40 days
Expert 2 - Monitoring and Evaluation 43 days
Expert 3 – Supervisor &Trainer 45 days
Total expected days Up to 128 expert days
Key characteristics of the service provider / consultant(s)
The service provider’s team to conduct this assignment shall be composed of multidisciplinary staff of at least three experts with the following qualifications and job-related experience:

Team Leader: Expert in coordination of project's implementation
• The team leader should present at least a university degree at MSc-level in Business Administration, Laws, Project Management, Cooperatives and business management, Human Resources Management, or other related fields.
• 10 years of experience in project management preferably in business administration and management context.
• Having led 5 comparable assignments (having at least 5 years of experience as project team leader or manager), preferably in financial management and implementation of projects.
• The team leader should also have a minimum of 5 years working experience in development cooperation, three of which are specific to evaluation and learning.
• Having conducted any research, study in ICPCs or worked with cooperatives and members of ICPCs in previous 3 years would be an advantage.
• 3 years working experience in Human resources management is also required.
• The expert should be fluent in both English and Kinyarwanda (French is an advantage)

Expert in Monitoring and Evaluation of the project
• M&E expert should have at least a university degree at MSc level in the social sciences with a focus on evaluation and research methods, economics, MBA, and qualifications in monitoring and statistical techniques.
• Minimum of 5 years work experience in Monitoring and evaluation of projects.
• Minimum of 5 years in designing, coordinating, and evaluating the implementation of project's activities preferably in Business context.
• Having conducted any activity, business or study with cooperatives organizations or companies working in ICPCs would be an advantage.
• Having a minimum of 5 years work experience in development cooperation projects three of which are specific to projects with cooperatives organizations.
• Proven knowledge of cross-cutting themes such gender, social inclusion.
• Excellent analytical, communication and writing skills are required.
• The expert should be fluent in both English and Kinyarwanda (French is an advantage)

A Trainer and Expert in supervision and follow up of project’s activities (Supervisor & Trainer)
• University degree at MSc-level in: Business Administration, Project Management, Cooperatives and business management, Human Resources Management, or other related fields.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience as trainer in cooperatives’ organizations and management.
• Minimum of 5 years work experience in supervision of different projects specifically worked in development cooperation projects.
• Having conducted any activity with cooperative organizations members of ICPCs would be an advantage.
• Knowledge of the country especially the piloted districts is mandatory.
• Proven knowledge of cross-cutting themes: gender, social inclusion, organizational management
• Excellent analytical, synthesis, communication and writing skills are required.
• The expert should provide 4 references from previous similar assignments.
• The expert should be fluent in both English and Kinyarwanda (French is an advantage).

Other criteria for the service provider/consultancy firm:
• Being officially registered as a consultancy firm/company as required by the Government of Rwanda.
• Having Physical address in Rwanda.
• The Consultancy firm must have extensive experience of at least 6 years in SMEs or Cooperatives business development and management support.
• The consultancy firm must be accredited to provide trainings.
• Having conducted at least 6 similar assignments in Human resources management and must have trained the cooperatives organizations previously.
• Having experience in dealing with ICPCs organization and management will be a strong asset.
• Previous working experience with the ICPCs or/and ICPCs’ cooperatives members would be an advantage.

Costing requirement
The technical assessment will consist of the technical, methodological and the company’ design (36%) as well as the personnel concept (64%) contributes in total 70% to the overall assessment, the Bidder’s price offer will contribute another 30%. The bidder shall calculate His/her financial bid exactly in line with the quantitative requirements of the specification of inputs as follows:
• Seven ICPC managers paid monthly with an estimated 22 number of days every month. Thus, Seven ICPCs will receive a monthly salary for nine-month period.
• In Company’s Experts, with a cost calculated based on number of days necessary to coordinate and oversee the work of ICPC’s managers, ensure timely delivery and quality of all reports and other deliverables related to this assignment.
• Travel costs considering a reimbursement against evidence complying with GIZ per-diem allowance in Rwanda, overnight allowance in Rwanda and Travel costs (taxi, private car).
• Other Costs related to communications (telephone, internet).

Submission of offer
The Expression of Interest should contain the following:
Technical Proposal:
• A cover letter expressing your interest in this assignment
• Technical proposal with a brief description of why you would be considered as the most suitable for the assignment, relevant expertise, and a detailed, clear methodology, on how will be your approach to complete the assignment.
• The Technical Proposal should also contain the CVs of the experts proposed in accordance with the terms of reference. The CVs shall not exceed 4 pages.
• Company registration certificate (RDB)
• VAT registration certificate
• Latest tax clearance certificate
• Proof of successful completion of related assignments.

Financial Proposal:
Indicates the all-inclusive total contract price, supported by a breakdown of all costs. The costs must be in RWF and VAT excluded.
Please submit electronically your EoI (technical & Financial offer) in 2 separated PDF files to this email: RW_Quotation@giz.de until latest 28thJuly 2022
Please you must write in your email subject this sentence:
EOI number 83414393- submission of technical& financial offer, without this sentence, your offer may not be considered.
Hard copies are not allowed this time
GIZ reserves all rights