Consultant specialized in Entrepreneurship and Digital Innovation

Contract

This is a National Consultant contract. More about National Consultant contracts.

Background

The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) facilitates access to public and private capital for the poorest populations in the world's 46 least developed countries (LDCs). As part of its mandate to provide capital and investment instruments, UNCDF offers "last mile" financing models to unlock public and private resources, including at the national level, to reduce poverty and encourage local economic development. UNCDF's financing models operate through three axes, namely: 1) inclusive digital economies, which connect individuals, households and small businesses to financial ecosystems that catalyze participation in the local economy and provide tools to overcome poverty and manage their financial lives; 2) financing for local development, which enables municipalities to boost local economic expansion and sustainable development through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal financing and structured project finance; and 3) investment finance, which provides catalytic financial structuring, risk reduction and deployment of investments to foster the impact of the SDGs and resource mobilization at the national level.

UNCDF's digital strategy aims to leave no one out of the digital age. UNCDF supports the promotion of inclusive digital economies at national and regional levels, in close coordination with governments, regulators, the private sector and academia. Particular attention is paid to the development of appropriate services to bridge the digital divide and empower key customer segments (youth, women, migrants, refugees, and micro-small and medium-sized enterprises). The approach is organized into four areas: policies and regulations, open digital payment ecosystem, inclusive innovation and customer empowerment: https://www.uncdf.org/article/4931/global-strategy-leaving-no-one-behind-in-the-digital-era .

UNCDF is implementing its inclusive digital economy strategy that leaves no one out of Burkina Faso. UNCDF supports Burkina Faso in the implementation of its development priorities through several projects. As part of the reinforcement of these interventions UNCDF has established a partnership with the Ministry of Digital Economy, Posts and Digital Transformation to support the implementation of the National Strategy for the Development of the Digital Economy (SN@DEN) 2018 – 2027. Support covers several activities, including capacity building in connection with Program 5 entitled "Capacity to build human capital, support innovation and capitalize on national expertise". Thus, to contribute to achieving the results of this component, series of trainings will be conducted with the support of the consultants who will be selected.

The overall objective of this activity is to train future entrepreneurs (young people, women, professionals in the sector) capable of carrying out and developing projects with a digital and technological dimension to support the development process of the inclusive digital economy in Burkina Faso.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the responsibility of the Country Manager, UNCDF's technical specialist in Burkina Faso, the Consultant specialized in Entrepreneurship and Digital Innovation will complete the following outputs and deliverables

Preparation of tools for training on digital entrepreneurship

• identify training needs in digital entrepreneurship;
• training themes related to needs;
• offer training modules on digital entrepreneurship;
• design training manuals according to the modules offered;
• develop a training plan and an indicative timetable;
• offer a training catalogue.

Administration of digital entrepreneurship training

• Prepare workshops and practical work for training;
• Former five hundred (500) future entrepreneurs (youth, women, professionals in the sector) including two (200) women in three (3) regions (Ouagadougou, Bobo Dioulasso and Koudougou) of Burkina Faso;
• Prepare a detailed report of the trainings for each locality.

Expected deliverables

1. Tools for digital entrepreneurship training are available Timeline: Week 4
2. Five hundred (500) future entrepreneurs (youth, women, professionals in the sector) including two (200) women are trained in digital entrepreneurship in three (03) regions (Ouagadougou, Bobo Dioulasso and Koudougou) of Burkina Faso Timeline: Week 8

Competencies

Competencies related to the function:

• Ability to establish strong working relationships with institutions and administrators of various stakeholders.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and be aware of political sensitivities.
• Ability to think and act strategically.
• Be able to listen and collaborate with a wide range of actors.
• Be able to work independently and proactively.

Time management:

• Ability to work on multiple opportunities across different sectors while meeting deadlines and managing time efficiently.

Partnership and Networking:

• Ability to build relationships and develop a network of relevant external contacts, as well as internally within different teams.

Change Management:

• Ability to support innovative business ideas or projects, to identify future entrepreneurs of change.

Knowledge Management and Training:

• Excellent entrepreneurial skills, technological innovations and coaching of future entrepreneurs;

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• A Master's degree (BAC+5) in Management Sciences, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Digital Economy, or a related field is mandatory.

Experience

• A minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in the field of entrepreneurship; mandatory.
• Experience in the design of training modules; mandatory
• Experience in adult education; mandatory
• Experience working in a business incubator.
• Knowledge in the field of digital entrepreneurship; mandatory
• Relevant previous professional experience in supporting entrepreneurs and future entrepreneurs is considered a distinct advantage.

Languages

Have a good command of written and spoken French and knowledge of English Language.

Duration of Assignment and Travel

The mission will have a duration of two (2) months, or sixty (60) days.

Travel

The consultant will have to provide a lump sum budget in the financial proposal to cover the cost of travel during the training sessions outside Ouagadougou and the travel costs are at his/her expense.

Progress Controls & Payments

Payment shall be made only upon satisfactory completion and UNCDF’s written acceptance of each deliverable. dully approved by the Country Lead and authorization of payment by the Financial Manager. The disbursement of the final payment will require an evaluation of the consultant's performance.

Specific deliverables will include:

Deliverables

Target

Due Dates

Approximate % of Payment

Deliverable 1: The digital entrepreneurship training tools validated

Week 4

30%

Deliverable 2: The digital entrepreneurship training report including the list of five hundred (500) future entrepreneurs (youth, women, professionals in the sector) including two hundred (200) women trained in the three (03) regions (Ouagadougou, Bobo Dioulasso and Koudougou) of Burkina Faso

Week 8

70 %

Application Procedure

Interested persons must submit the documents mentioned below in the form of proposals to demonstrate their qualifications (Editor's note: the system does not allow multiple downloads of documents. Applicants must ensure that they upload all documents in a single PDF file):

• A letter of introduction with a summary of competencies for these terms of reference and a CV.
• Date of availability at the earliest.
• Completed and signed P11 Personal History Form including the names and contacts of 3 reference persons (available via http://sas.undp.org/documents/p11_personal_history_form.doc ).
• Technical and financial proposal signed for the entire mission (available at http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=29916 ).

Evaluation

Step I: Long list

Applications will be screened and only applicants who meet the following mandatory criteria will progress to the pool for shortlisting

• A Master's degree (BAC+5) in Management Sciences, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Digital Economy, or a related field is required
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in the field of entrepreneurship; required.
• Experience in designing training modules; mandatory
• Experience in adult education; mandatory
• Knowledge in the field of digital entrepreneurship; mandatory
• Have a good command of written and spoken French and knowledge of English Language.

Step II: Shortlist (70 of technical assessment points)

The evaluation panel shall meet to establish a shortlist based on the following criteriawith the corresponding points (100 points):

• A Master's degree (BAC+5) in management sciences, entrepreneurship and innovation, digital economy, or a related field (20 points)
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in the field of entrepreneurship (20 points)
• Experience in the design of training modules (10 points)
• Experience in adult education (10 points)
• Work experience in a business incubator (1 5points)
• Knowledge in the field of digital entrepreneurship (15 points)
• Relevant previous professional experience in supporting entrepreneurs and future entrepreneurs is considered a distinct advantage (5 points)
• Have a good command of written and spoken French and knowledge of English Language (5 points)

Step III: Financial Evaluation

Only candidates who have obtained scores above 70% of the technical assessment will be considered technically qualified and will be subject to further examination for a financial assessment.

The following formula will be used to evaluate the financial proposal: lowest proposal/price of the evaluated proposal x 30%.

Award criteria

The contract is awarded to the best candidate whose bid has been evaluated and determined as: Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and having received the highest combined weight (technical scores) 70% + financial 30%= 100%.

Individual consultants and persons employed by a company or institution are invited to apply.

Anyone employed by a company or institution who would like to submit an offer in response to a supply notice for IC must do so on an individual basis (provide a CV so that their qualifications can be judged accordingly). Female-owned applicants or businesses are strongly encouraged to apply.