Brief Summary of Organization:
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is powered by the belief that a better world is possible. To do this, we know our teams do their best work when they are diverse, and every team member feels that they belong. We welcome diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be stronger and have a long-term impact.
The Program/Department/Team
The Informal Livelihoods Advancement Activity (Iqlaa) is a five-year activity that aims to put Jordanian micro and small enterprises (MSEs) , operating in the formal and informal sectors, on a path to recovery after the extraordinary crisis that the businesses have faced, help them access the safety net measures in Jordan, and, most importantly, regain productivity and growth.
The approach adopted by Mercy Corps Jordan (MCJ) to Iqlaa integrates direct assistance with Market Systems Development (MSD) interventions to support MSEs along the full journey from recovery to growth and resilience. Grounded in evidence-based, adaptive, and inclusive support, Jordan’s MSEs can emerge from the COVID-19 crisis stronger and more resilient, transformed through new ways of doing business and improved access to finance, markets, and services. Understanding that women, youth, and people living with disabilities (PLWD) face unique constraints to starting up and leading resilient MSEs, Iqlaa’s design will infuse a Gender, Youth, and Social Inclusion (GYSI) lens throughout all interventions. Mercy Corps’ approach is committed to supporting MSEs build back, formalize, and grow, emphasizing systems-level change, equitable opportunities, and a dignified work environment for all women, men, youth, and PLWDs in Jordan.
Tender description:
Iqlaa is looking for a company (hereafter referred to as ‘the Consultant’) to carry over the outlined scope below, with the objective of creating several micro aggregators to help other micro and small enterprises and possibly HBBs expand their markets domestically and internationally. In line with this, Iqlaa will develop the second and third, and fourth and fifth micro-aggregator initiative/cohort by attracting existing MSEs that are owned or managed by women and youth and are in a more mature stage in their business to take on this role. Accordingly, we are seeking to identify and build the capacity of interested eligible micro and small enterprises who will take on the roles, functions, and responsibilities of acting as market micro-aggregators.
Micro Aggregator definition: The market micro-aggregators will be able to identify local, national, regional, and international businesses/marketing opportunities and link them to local HBB/MSE producers or service providers, to facilitate access to expanded markets and meet market requirements (including export certification if applicable, packaging and labeling requirements, etc.). Through the micro-aggregator, HBBs and MSEs can sell nationally, regionally, and internationally.
Through this Scope of Work, Iqlaa will assist in creating sales growth and increased market reach for women and youth-owned MSEs across Jordan, in addition to increasing business linkages between HBBs and micro-aggregators, while promoting inclusion within the MSE sector and offer women and youth value-added economic opportunities along the supply chain.
The SOW covers selection, training, supporting participants on pitching (for potential grants by Iqlaa solely for cohorts 2 and 3), and on-going coaching. Only a shortlisted number of participants will be selected to pitch for potential grants by Iqlaa, and to receive coaching (beyond the pitching). However, everyone would receive coaching on pitching. Additionally, the awarded Consultant will provide a list of recommended follow-on services and potential referrals for all participants (such as further capacity building programs, incubation, acceleration, etc.), based on the needs and types of the businesses selected to participate in the program. The recommendations should also identify which of the trained micro-aggregators can become trainers for other entrepreneurs and MSE owners to scale and sustain this model in the future.
The Consultant, through an array of consultants/mentors, will support the shortlisted participants to develop business plans to receive funds from Iqlaa (noting that Iqlaa can only support formalized MSEs with grants).
Note: Both the second and third cohorts will work on preparing more mature businesses, and formalized or will formalize businesses to become micro aggregators, accordingly HBBs will not be part of these cohorts as micro aggregators unless they are mature enough and ready to formalize, and ready to become micro enterprises.
Iqlaa expects the project/consultancy to be conducted primarily in person, with the ability of providing online sessions as per the participants’ stated needs.
The tender package which will include the detailed requirements will be shared within one week after the closing date of the tender announcement ONLY with those who complied with the restrictions mentioned in the instructions document while submitting the signed and stamped ITB (Intent to Bid) and SIF (Supplier Information Form) before the deadline which is on Thursday, February 1, 2024, at 3:00 pm.
How to apply
Mercy Corps is a non-religious, non-profit and non-governmental international humanitarian organization.
Mercy Corps is seeking a contractor For Business Development/ Micro Aggregation Consultancy.
If you are interested in submitting a bid, you will need to complete an Intent to bid Form and Supplier information form and submit it according to the guidelines below:
- The suppliers can download the Intent to Bid Form using this link [https://Jordan.mercycorps.org/tenders] or [https://goo.gl/bqrs7D] or [https://www.mercycorps.org/tenders].
- Downloadable documents at the mentioned link are:
- ITB – Intent to Bid (Attachment 1)
- SIF – Supplier Information Form (Attachment 2)
- Tender Description (Attachment 3)
- Tender Notice (This document)
Please note the following important information:
- The potential bidder won’t receive the tender package if any of the documents (ITBs or SIFs) were missing.
- Tender announcement is aimed only to receive your express of interest in participating in this tender. Please note that you are NOT REQUIRED to submit your offer at this stage. If any offers (whether technical of financial) were submitted along with the ITB documents, the bidder/company will be directly disqualified and will not receive the package and the rest of the documents for this tender.
- Completed Intent to Bid and Supplier Information Forms must be submitted to Mercy Corps by 1st February 2024 at 3:00 pm Amman time in one of the below methods:
- By Email to jo-itb@mercycorps.org with the Tender Reference number in the email subject line. Any documents sent to any other email address might be disregarded.
- Mercy Corps reserves the right to accept or reject any late submissions.
Within one week after the closing date of this Tender Notice, the Request for Proposal and the other tender documents will be sent onlyto the suppliers who submitted Intent to Bid and Supplier Information Forms. The Request for Proposal will be sent according to the preference you have mentioned in the Intent to Bid Form.