Republic of Moldova

Team of national consultants for the development of the Entrepreneurship Program for the Network of Career Advisory Centers Project of UNDP Moldova

Vacancy Number: Pr16/01234

Location:	Chisinau, Moldova
Application Deadline:	11 Mar 2016, 10:59 (GMT+2:00)
Type of Contract:	Individual Contract
Starting date:	14 Mar 2016
Reference to the project:	Innovative Entrepreneurship Phase II
Expected Duration of Assignment:	March - May 2016, up to 50 w/d per specific LOT
Submission Instructions: Proposals should be submitted by by pressing the "Apply Now" button no later than March 08, 2016. Requests for clarification only must be sent by standard electronic communication to the following e-mail: dumitru.vasilescu@undp.org. UNDP will respond by standard electronic mail and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all applicants.
Supporting Documents: Terms of Reference Individual Consultant Procurement Notice Personal History Form (P11) UNDP General Conditions of Individual Contract

Contacts:

Mr. Dumitru Vasilescu.

Background

The Network of Career Advisory Centers in the Republic of Moldova Project aims at promoting relevant employment and self-employment in Moldova through the development of soft skills of unemployed to develop and executive substantive individual job search and employment plans, as well as entrepreneurial skills of highly motivated beneficiaries to start-up new businesses at local level. In doing so, the Project is implementing two distinct but inter-linked component, i.e. employability and entrepreneurship.

As it regards the employment component, the SYSLAB methodology is applied. It includes trainings, coaching, simulation and other tools to develop the soft skills of skilled unemployed to search and get relevant employment, making best use of their skills, knowledge, academic background, previous work experiences, competencies and interests. It nevertheless includes a specific training module on generic business planning (BPS), that is stimulating creative thinking towards potential self-employment pathway.

As it regards the entrepreneurship component, the Project is implementing a tailored methodology that includes trainings and coaching for motivated beneficiaries. Such component is open towards potential beneficiaries with or without specific business ideas, with different levels of understanding of entrepreneurship and different skills. It aims to provide a company-style enabling environment for individual and group work that starts with theoretical trainings, combined with practical business and financial planning exercises, and coaching. It further permits access, on a competitive basis, to a seed-fund for matching support towards the initiation of new start-ups.

Both components are under implementation by a network of 5 Career Advisory centers located in Chisinau, Rezina, Balti, Comrat and Cahul, each having a dedicated team.

 

STRATEGY

The Entrepreneurship Program intends to support aspiring entrepreneurs to develop entrepreneurship knowledge and skills and start-up their own micro-enterprise. It also aims at promoting innovative entrepreneurship, whereby the new businesses or start-ups would be based on innovative ideas with considerable market and growth potential, generating jobs and income at local level. The specific objectives of the Program are: (a) Promote entrepreneurship at local level through self-employment of highly motivated clients and (b) Ease access to funding for innovative start-up. In doing so, the Project will ensure the permanent exchange of best practices amongst the advisory centers that are part of the network.

 

The strategic approach of the Project towards the implementation of the two components is twofold. Firstly, the two components shall be distinct but inter-linked. It means that only in specific cases, a client could switch from one component to another. The inter-linkage is due to the fact that the Project intends to provide comprehensive and relevant support to end-clients, depending on their specific preference and changing environment. Secondly, the Project will make best usage of the possible existing or upcoming synergies between the two components, the Project and other interventions, at least of UNDP. In particular, services of other projects in same portfolio will be available in specific cases to clients of the current project.

The Entrepreneurship program is based on principles of transparency, competitiveness and fairness. The implementing team will be guided by such principles in all processes and phases of the program.

The Entrepreneurship program is intended to offer a comprehensive support to client willing to start-up their own micro-enterprise in Moldova. It means that clients will be receiving tailored trainings, coaching and, on a competitive basis, matching financial support from the seed-fund. To achieve its objectives, the program will connect to already existing similar initiatives and projects in Chisinau and outside. In particular, the team of consultants will have access to the lessons learned from the piloting of the self-employment component in Comrat Career Advisory Center. The role of the private sector companies in the success of the program is considered very high. Private sector will be connected in various forms and whenever needed to ensure that program clients have the opportunity to learn and share experience with already established entrepreneurs, investors and similar start-ups. To that end, the program provides for regular company visits and learning events, including with other projects in same portfolio. The UNDP seed-fund intends to co-finance best business ideas on a competitive basis, so that to support aspiring entrepreneurs overcome the high borrowing costs on the local market.

Scope of work

The scope of the assignment is to support the Project in the development of the Entrepreneurship Program to serve as support material for the implementation of the entrepreneurship component, including of the seed-fund for self-employment. The support shall be provided by a team of national consultants coordinated by a team leader.

For detailed information, please refer to Annex 1 – Terms of Reference.

Requirements for experience

1. Education:

• University degree in business administration/economics, communication or similar. Additional training and certification in consulting SMEs in business planning and administration and/or training/coaching for start-ups is a strong advantage.

1. Years of experience:

• At least three (3) years of progressively responsible experience is required at the national or regional levels in developing training materials and training for start-ups; area consultants shall demonstrate such experience under the specific LOT;
• At least three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in consulting or facilitating business start-ups;
• Previous experience in development assistance or related work for a donor organization, governmental institutions, NGO/think-tank or private sector / business consulting firm is a strong advantage;

Competencies

• Excellent communication and teamwork skills;
• Demonstrated interpersonal and diplomatic skills;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Office and similar).
• Proven commitment to the core values of the United Nations, in particular, respecting differences of culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, nationality, language, age, HIV status, disability, and sexual orientation, or other status.

Language requirements

• Fluency in both oral and written Romanian and Russian is a must. Knowledge of English is a strong advantage.

UNDP Moldova is committed to workforce diversity. Women, persons with disabilities, Roma and other ethnic or religious minorities, persons living with HIV, as well as refugees and other non-citizens legally entitled to work in the Republic of Moldova, are particularly encouraged to apply.

Documents to be included

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

1. Proposal: explaining why they are the most suitable for this position;
2. Financial proposal: in (USD, specifying a total lump sum amount and the number of anticipated working days).
3. Personal CV including past experience in similar projects and the contact details of at least 3 reference persons;

Financial proposal

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals the financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including fee, taxes, travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).

Travel

All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

 

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