Call for Expression of Interest

1               Timeline

Locations

Ukraine, nationwide.

Sector(s) and area(s) of specialization

Economic recovery, micro-, small-, and medium enterprise (MSME) Support, Export, accessing new markets, Business consultancy, adjusting to the impact of war.

Issuing Agency

International organization for Migration (IOM) – Mission in Ukraine

 Project Background

SME Boost: Economic Integration of Internally Displaced People and Business Recovery

Aiming to contribute to economic adaptation and recovery of micro- and small enterprises affected by multiple crises in Ukraine by strengthening their capacity to operate and provide critically needed goods and services for IDPs and host communities, the project supports displaced businesses and enterprises operating in worst-hit areas with grants, consultancy services and trainings geared towards restarting and sustaining business activity, mitigating the economic impact of the war, retaining existing jobs and creating new work opportunities.

The project additionally engages diaspora to support the enterprises through skills development, business support, access to finance, networks and markets.

The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development through KfW Development Bank and runs from November 2021 until May 2024, with the aim of helping over 700 MSMEs with grants and over 600 with trainings and consultancies.

Expected Results

1. Individual business online/phone consultancies on export and accessing new markets are provided to at least 200 MSMEs. The topics could include but not limited to:

• Export logistics;
• Certification and labeling;
• Export promotion;
• Export preparedness;
• Customs requirement;
• Selling through international digital platforms;
• New markets, business ideas and innovation;

2. Individual business online/phone consultancies on adjusting business to the war impact is provided to at least 100MSMEs. The topics could include but not limited to:

• Relocation;
• Access to finance (finding investors, fundraising for business and grant programmes for MSMES, bank loans and innovative financial instruments);
• Specifics of taxation during the wartime;
• Crisis management;
• Digitalization;
• Marketing and sales;
• Human Resources and recruitment of qualified personnel.

Applying organizations could apply for both consultancy streams or only for one, clearly indicating it in Expression of Interest documents.

 Indicative Budget

 N/A

Other Information

The consultancies will be provided in the framework of the SME Boost project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development through KfW Development Bank and implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Economy and Ministry for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine. To implement consultancies component IOM partners with the Export and Entrepreneurship Promotion Office. Visibility of IOM, the donor, and project partners must be ensured by the implementing partner in all communication materials regarding provision of consultancy services.

Selection Criteria

Attachments

For more information on this partnership opportunity, and to apply, please visit

               ukraine.iom.int

The organizations responding to this call need to demonstrate their capacity to implement all listed activities. The organizations can apply for one or both of the below mentioned streams of services:

• Consultancies on export and accessing new markets (to at least 200 MSMEs)
• Consultancies on adjusting business to the war impact (to at least 100 MSMEs)

Only one application is required, the applicants shall clearly indicate which consultancies they could be providing.

IOM reserves the right to cancel/reduce the scope of planned activities or to introduce new/broaden the scope of the existing activities. Selected Implementing partner needs to be ready to develop a detailed budget based on submitted proposal in two weeks upon receiving the notification from IOM.

All applicants will receive written notification, within the two weeks after the deadline for the submission of Concept Note, of the outcome of the selection process. Should an applicant request further clarification, IOM will provide a response explaining the transparency and integrity of the selection process undertaken.

IOM reserves the right to decline disclosure of the specificity of decision derived by the IOM mission due to reasons related to confidentiality.

IOM reserves the right to accept or reject any Expression of Interest, and to annul the selection process and reject all Expression of Interest at any time, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected Implementing Partners.

For more information, please contact SME Boost Team  in writing, sending email to smeboost@iom.int

Expression of Interest submission guidelines

This document contains instructions on the preparation and submission of the Application including Annex A: IP Information.

1. The Application must be submitted through email by 18.00 on 12 October 2022 to the following address: smeboost@iom.int or if the size of file exceeds 5 mb place electronic versions of the documents on an open file exchange service (Dropbox, OneDrive, etc.). Late Application will not be considered. Please, indicate in the subject line of an e-mail the Call for Expression of interest: UA1-2022-3055 SME Boost Consultancies_name of NGO.
2. A detailed description must be provided on how the requirements specified in the Call for Expression of Interest (CEI) issued by IOM will be matched by the capabilities, experience, knowledge and expertise of the Implementing Partners
3. The Application must be submitted in Ukrainian or English language and in the format prescribed by IOM within the CEI. All required information must be provided, responding clearly and concisely to all the points set out. Any application which does not fully and comprehensively address this CEI requirements may be rejected.
4. The Application document should comprise of the following:
   
   1. Cover Letter;
   2. Duly accomplished application documentation as outlined within the CEI signed on all pages by the Implementing Partner’s Authorized Representative; and
   3. Any other relevant documents
5. Applications may be modified or withdrawn in writing, prior to the closing time specified in this Request for EoI. Applications shall not be modified or withdrawn after the deadline.
6. The Implementing partner shall bear all costs associated with the preparation and submission of the Application and IOM will not in any case be responsible and liable for the costs incurred.
7. IOM at no occasion will ask an application fee from Implementing Partners.
8. All information given in writing to or verbally shared with the Implementing Partners in connection with this CEI is to be treated as strictly confidential. The Implementing Partner shall not share or invoke such information to any third party without the prior written approval of IOM. This obligation shall continue after the selection process has been completed whether or not the Implementing Partner application is successful.
9. IOM will treat all information (or that marked proprietary/sensitive/financial) received from Implementing Partners as confidential and any personal data in accordance with its Data Protection Principles.
10. The Implementing Partner by submitting an application gives consent to IOM to share information with those who need to know for the purposes of evaluating and managing the proposal.
11. IOM reserves the right to accept or reject any Application, and to cancel the process and reject all Applications, at any time without thereby incurring any liability to the affected Implementing partner or any obligation to inform the affected Implementing partner of the ground for IOM’s action.