Readvertised: Enterprise Innovation Challenge for Jobs Creation for Refugees and Host Communities in Kenya

Join the ILO in Kenya as a consultant for the Enterprise Innovation Challenge, aimed at creating jobs for refugees and host communities.

• Administering the grants for winning organizations of the Enterprise Innovation Challenge:
• The implementing partner will be responsible for disbursing the grants to the winners of the Enterprise Innovation Challenge.
• They will award grants to 10 to 20 impact creating enterprises across selected sectors to be determined at the call for applications. The exact distribution of grants will be determined at a later stage by the ILO in consultation with the implementing partner.
• Before transferring the grant to the winners, the implementing partner will conduct a due diligence process and develop a grant agreement contract between the implementing partner and the grantees.
• Capacity Building and Training: offer capacity building and training programs to enhance the winners' technical skills. This may include workshops, webinars, and mentorship programs focused on areas such as project management, financial management, monitoring and evaluation, and digital marketing. Capacity building will also focus on increasing productivity and supporting growth of the selected businesses. Use of ILO Business Development Tools will be required.
• Access to Expertise and Mentors: connect the winning organizations with subject matter experts and experienced mentors from their sector. These experts will provide guidance, share insights, and offer advice on the strategic direction, business development, and operational challenges faced by the enterprises.
• Networking and Partnerships: facilitate networking opportunities among the selected enterprises, allowing them to share experiences, learn from each other, and collaborate on projects.
• Financial Management Support: the implementing partner will provide guidance on financial management, including budgeting, financial reporting, and financial sustainability planning. This support will help the winning organizations to effectively manage their financial resources and ensure the long-term sustainability of their interventions.
• Market linkages and Visibility: help the selected enterprises develop and implement marketing strategies that effectively communicate the value of their initiatives to potential users, partners, and other stakeholders. This may include support in branding, public relations, and social media management.
• Application depth and quality of response to the TOR (10 points)
• Does the application pack included all required documentation (supporting documents including, technical and financial proposals, curriculum vitae of key personnel, expression of interest and contact details)
• Understanding and detailed response to the objectives
• Are the major outputs for the project stipulated in the TOR included in the proposal as well as strategies to attain them.
• Does the applicant demonstrate an understanding of the target group (Forcibly Displaced Persons (FDPs) and host communities) issues
• Technical compliance with the Terms of Reference (30 points)
• Quality of the application including coherence, logical framework, linkages with current government and development partners intervention, M&E and sustainability
• Does the applicant propose a clear and feasible project management framework including selection of beneficiaries (FDPs and hosts), geographies (Turkana and Garissa refugee and host communities), and delivery of interventions including financial and non-financial BDS.
• Does the proposal provide a clear and feasible strategy for address all components of the TOR (selection of target SMEs, formation of steering committee and partnerships, capacity building of local actors, designating of challenge events, linkages with other component of the ILO interventions, marketing the ideas of the EIC, communication strategy to ensure maximum visibility of the project).
• Demonstration of physical presence in the target areas/ regular enterprise engagement strategy
• Does the applicant specify opportunities for leverage to scale up or deepen the intervention.
• Does the service proposed provide a realistic and sustainable exit strategy.
• The qualifications and experience of proposed key personnel (15 points)
• Does the institution and/or the team members have experience working with vulnerable groups including FDPs and undertaking similar services/assignments including BDS provision, training on entrepreneurship, financial education and business management including familiarity with ILO tools?
• Does the organization have knowledge, skills and experience in organizing similar activities through the government and private/humanitarian system?
• Does the applicant demonstrate having capacity and experience working in the refugee hosting areas, and relevant local networks to reach SMEs?
• The proposed implementation, management plan and sustainability (15 points)
• Is the proposed implementation and management plan feasible and within the identified timeline?
• Does the proposed human and operational resource + structure cover the project target areas?
• Does the organization provide innovative project intervention models that can better support the implementation and sustainability of the planned activities/interventions
• The financial proposal should detail each line of envisaged expenditure, in particular but not limited to:
• Project set up costs
• Award fees for each category
• Travel costs for local missions
• Costs related with SMEs capacity building and trainings
• Follow up support after the training and awards including BDS services
• Costs related with communication, support to the applicants, evaluation so the applications, interviews for the shortlisted applicants, steering committee meetings
• Administrative costs

• The target partner for the EIC includes business development implementing partners and training institutions that aim to support enterprise growth, for instance – but not limited to - organizations such as innovation hubs, business incubators, and NGOs focused on training for economic empowerment, among others.
• Eligible applicants must demonstrate their commitment and track record in supporting enterprise growth for refugees and host communities in Kenya and have a focus on business incubation and job creation.
• Applicants should be legally recognized non-profit organization with contractual and registered capacity that has been in existence for at least three calendar years prior to the call deadline and that is registered in Kenya. This may include government agencies, social enterprises, education and training and business support institutions (incl. incubators), NGOs and civil society organizations and other research and educational institutions.
• Demonstration of experience and capacity to use ILO BDS tools (Generate Your Business, Start Improve Your Business, Financial Education) will be an added advantage.