Call for proposal: Implementing partner to facilitate self-employment for skilled persons with disabilities in Kebrebeyah and Koloji, Somali region, E

Background Ethiopia is the third-largest refugee-hosting country in Africa, sheltering over 933,000 refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from South Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea. Among them, Somali refugees constitute one of the largest and most protracted groups, having fled decades of conflict, insecurity, and climate-related crises. Many have sought safety and integration within Ethiopian host communities, particularly in the Somali Region. Forcibly displaced people and vulnerable host communities face persistent barriers in accessing essential services, especially in skills development, employment, and sustainable livelihoods. These challenges are even more acute for people with disabilities (PWDs), who often experience multiple layers of exclusion, social isolation, lack of access to assistive devices, inclusive education, accessible infrastructure, and tailored livelihood opportunities. In response, the Government of Ethiopia has committed to a more inclusive and development-oriented approach to refugee assistance, as outlined in the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) and Refugee Proclamation No. 1110/2019. These frameworks promote inclusive access to education, employment opportunities, work permits, and local integration. Meaningful inclusion requires a multi-sectoral strategy that integrates policy implementation, capacity building of service providers, accessible infrastructure, and active involvement of OPDs and refugee-led organizations. The Partnership for Improving Prospects for Forcibly Displaced Persons and Host Communities (PROSPECTS), funded by the Government of the Netherlands, brings together the International Labour Organization (ILO), International Finance Corporation (IFC), UNHCR, UNICEF, and the World Bank. It aims to foster economic inclusion and improve education and protection outcomes for forcibly displaced populations and host communities. ILO-PROSPECTS has been operating in the Somali Region to promote access to and improve the quality of inclusive Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). The programme has also introduced disability rights awareness-raising initiatives and fostered collaboration with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) to enhance access and participation of refugees and host community members with disabilities. In 2022, the ILO, in partnership with the Ethiopian Center for Disability and Development (ECDD), conducted a rapid assessment on the livelihoods of persons with disabilities among refugees, IDPs, and host communities in Kebribeyah and Qoloji. The study identified major barriers such as lack of financial access, inadequate skills and knowledge, absence of inclusive employment opportunities, and unfavorable employer attitudes and workplace environments. To address these challenges, the ILO and ECDD implemented a two-year project to provide skill training to PWD in koloji and Kebrebeyah. During the period, 178 people with disabilities completed short-term skills training and became ready for employment. In addition, disability inclusion training and technical support were provided to a range of local stakeholders to strengthen the inclusive delivery service. In its second phase, the ILO’s PROSPECTS Programme will continue to focus on enhancing socio-economic conditions for people with disabilities in the forced displacement context of the Somali and Amhara regions. Key interventions include expanding inclusive access to quality skills training and certification, business development and financial services, and strengthening the capacity of the government system to support enterprise creation and income-generating activities in and around refugee settlements. To this end, the ILO will collaborate with selected non-governmental organizations working with PWDs to enhance livelihood opportunities for PWDs in the Somali Region, specifically in Kebrebeyah and Koloji woredas. The initiative will also focus on building the capacity of PROSPECTS’s governmental and social partners to design and implement inclusive programs that address the specific needs of people with disabilities. The ILO is seeking an implementation partner to support the linkage of skilled PWD in Kebrebeyah and Koloji to self-employment and capacity building of the partners in Amhra, Somali, and Addis Ababa on disability inclusion. 2. Objectives The major objective of the assignment is to improve the livelihoods of persons with disabilities among internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees, and host communities in Kebribeyah and Qoloji by supporting their transition into employment and facilitating linkages to financial institutions and self-employment opportunities. The project will be implemented in close collaboration with regional and local government structures, OPDs, CSOs, Jigjiga Polytechnic College, community-based trainers (CBTs), and other relevant stakeholders. In addition, the assignment will provide capacity-building training for PROSPECTS implementing partners and government stakeholders, focusing on the practical handbook for partnering with PWD in host communities, refugees, and forcibly displaced people to promote decent work. 3 . Tasks associated with this assignment The implementing partner is expected to support the employment linkages of 178 PWD who have previously been trained by ILO to self-employment. Secondly the implementation partner will conduct capacity building of the government organizations and other PROSPECT implementing partners on the above-mentioned handbook and integration of PwDs. The following tasks are associated with this: Assess the situation of ILO Prospect PwDS beneficiaries in Koloji and Kebrebeyah who took skill training in the occupations of tailoring, metal, furniture making, and beauty salon in coordination with, Refugee and Returnee Service (RRS), the representative of people with disabilities in Koloji and Kebrebeyah. Support in setting up the local steering committee. Conduct refresher training in furniture making and beauty salon trades through a community-based training center (CBT) and organize a one-month on-the-job mentoring by craftsperson for the 178 PWD (depending on interest and availability) who are starting their business with skilled craftspeople. Support 178 trained people with disabilities in Kebribeyah and Qoloji through Business Development Services (BDS), startup facilitation, facilitate access to startup capital and secure work premises, and provide continuous mentorship. Deliver a 10-day BDS training course to 178 skilled people with disabilities ((depending on interest and availability), provide individual coaching, mentorship, and access to financial institutions. Collaborate with the financial services providers located in Koloj to develop a more sustainable financial model for PwDS skilled graduates, including a mix of loans and grants utilized as individual guarantees for financial institutions to provide larger loans. Conduct Disability Inclusion Scorecard (DISC) assessments for PROSPECTS implementing partners and deliver a five-day training for 150 participants from PROSPECTS implementing and government partners in Addis Ababa, Amhara, and Somali regions. The training will focus on the practical handbook for partnering with host communities, refugees, and forcibly displaced people to promote decent work. Conduct regular monitoring and monitoring of the selected and trained PwDs in line with ILO beneficiary M&E requirements tracking training completion, and employment status 3 months after the intervention. 4. Deliverables and Timeline The timeline for this assignment is twelve months, starting from the date of contract signing and extending through the full implementation, monitoring, and reporting phases. Deliverable 1: Inception Report: Detailing the proposed approach and work plan including the assessment of the current situation of the 178 PwDS previously trained and capacity training methodology :2 weeks after the signing of the contract Deliverable 2 : Mobilize and deliver a 10-day business development training for 178 PWD who have trained in tailoring, furniture making, metal, and beauty salon:3 months after the signing of the contract Deliverable 3 : Conduct Disability Inclusion Scorecard (DISC) assessments for selected partners and provide detailed report. Deliver training to 150 staff of PROSPECTS Partner and other governmental partners on the practical handbook for partnering with PwD’s in host communities, refugees, and forcibly displaced people to promote decent work and provide a report on the workshops conducted:4 months after the contract agreement Deliverable 4: In partnership with financial institutions and government partners in Kebrebeyah and Koloji, secure a working space and facilitate access to grants or microloans :6 months after the signing of the contract Deliverable 5: Toolkit Distribution: Print and distribute disability-inclusive policy toolkit and develop a dissemination strategy :7 months after the signing of the agreement Deliverable 6: Overall report incorporating all the project activities, achievements, challenges and lessons learned:8 months after the signing of the contract. Deliverable 7: M&E report on tracking training completion and employment status of the selected and trained PwDs, in line with ILO beneficiary monitoring and evaluation requirements, 3 months after the intervention:10 months after the signing of the contract 5. Payment modality The ILO will issue the payments in three phases as described below: 30 % up on the submission of the inception report with detailed workplan, methodology, approach to conduct the assignment, incorporating ILO’s comments. 30 % upon submitting the 2nd report (technical and financial) on deliverables 2 and 3 30% upon submitting the 3rd report (technical and financial) on deliverables 4 and 5 5% upon submitting the 4th report (technical and financial) on deliverable 6 and 7 6. Qualifications and Specialized Experience The below-specified qualifications represent the requirements to reach the maximum number. The NGO must be legally registered and authorized to operate in Ethiopia as an organization working for People with disabilities Demonstrated knowledge and experience in working with disability. Must have a dedicated team of technical experts, experienced and qualified to carry out the assignment: Technical experts (at least 3, one of them will be the project coordinator, for the project coordinator, in addition to the above, s/he should demonstrate an experience in coordinating and managing project in skill development for PWD, working with Organization for People with disability Postgraduate degree in project planning and management, curriculum and teachers’ development, economics, social science, public management, and any other relevant fields At least 10 years of experience in coordinating projects related to the improvement of the livelihood of people with disabilities, development programs labor market assessment, socio-economic studies, and the like Experience working in Ethiopian regions, specifically in the Somali region Technical skill and experience in the disability guidelines, toolkits, skill development, and employment linkage Expertise regarding refugee or displaced populations and ideally direct experience in expanding services to refugee populations would be a plus. 7. Evaluation criteria 7.1 Technical Evaluation (70%): The Technical proposal will be evaluated as per the following criteria: 1. Application depth and quality of response to the TOR (including all required documentation, curriculum vitae of key personnel, expression of interest, and contact details: 30 points 2. Technical compliance with the TOR (Quality of the application, including coherence, clear and feasible strategy for addressing all components of the TOR, realistic and sustainable exit strategy : 40 points 3. The qualifications and experience of proposed key personnel (work on people with disabilities and have experience working with vulnerable groups, including FDPs, work with people with disabilities, knowledge, skills, and experience in organizing similar activities through the government and private/humanitarian system, capacity and experience working in the Somali region, focusing on people with disability: 30 Only proposals that achieve a minimum score of 60 will be considered for evaluation of their Financial Proposals. The technical offer will be weighted 70% the financial offer 30%. 7.2 Financial evaluation (30%) Financial Proposal of offers having passed the technical review will be considered (technical scoring 60 and above). The financial offer will account for 30% of the final score. The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal will be allocated to the lowest-priced proposal. All other price proposals receive pro-rated points according to the following formula: p = y (x/z), where: p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated, y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal x = price of the lowest priced proposal, z = price of the proposal being evaluated. The proposal obtaining the highest score overall, after adding the score of the technical and the financial proposals, is the one that offers the best value for money. The financial proposal should detail each line of envisaged expenditure, in particular: Assessment of the status of target groups Travel costs for local missions, event organization Sub-contracting related to Business development training Support the linkage of beneficiaries to employment, grants, securing of shades, and linkage to the financial institution. Costs related to Disability Inclusion Scorecard (DISC), workshops to deliver the SoP training, toolkit distribution, support to the applicants, and steering committee meetings Administrative costs, including the cost of staff 8. Management of the assignment The implementing partner will work under the overall authority of the Director ILO Country Office for Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, and South Sudan and a Special Representative to the AU and ECA, under the direct supervision of the ILO-PROSPECTS Programme Manager in Ethiopia. The Implementing Partner will get technical guidance from the National Program Officer- ILO CO Addis. There will also be technical support from the skill and employment specialist in Cairo and Gender, Inclusion and Disability inclusion (GEDI) specialist from ILO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The ILO, RRS, Kebrebeyah's Bureau of Labor and Skills will provide the documents and other related literature relevant to this task; assist in coordination with relevant stakeholders; review the progress of the work and provide feedback as necessary. For reporting, bi-weekly Ms team calls with the responsible officers will be organized. Draft deliverables will be submitted by the Implementing Partner in time for review and feedback by the ILO team. Payments will be released upon submission to the satisfaction of the ILO. 9. Format and content of the Proposal 9.1 Technical Proposal The technical proposal should include an introductory note, company profile, list of projects delivered, customer references, project team, CVs of individuals proposed for the assignment, outline of the methodology to be employed and supporting certificates. The submission should include realistic and feasible methods, approaches, and tools corresponding work program, and a staff task matrix showing the nature, the dates, and the place of intervention of each expert. 9.2 Financial Proposal The financial offer should be submitted in ETB and should include all envisaged costs of the delivery and activities under each delivery listed as below. Deliverable 1 : Inception Report: Detailing the proposed approach and work plan Deliverable 2: Mobilize and deliver a 10-day business development training for 178 PWD who have trained in tailoring, furniture making, metal, and beauty salon. Deliverable 3: Conduct Disability Inclusion Scorecard (DISC) assessments and deliver training to 150 staff of PROSPECTS Partner on disability inclusion and SOPs Deliverable 4: In partnership with financial institutions and government partners in Kebrebeyah and Koloji, secure a working space and facilitate access to grants or microloans Deliverable 5: Toolkit Distribution: Print and distribute disability-inclusive policy toolkits. Deliverable 6: Overall report incorporating all the project activities, achievements, challenges, and lessons learned Deliverable 7: M&E report on tracking training completion and employment status of the selected and trained PwDs, in line with ILO beneficiary monitoring and evaluation requirements, 3 months after the intervention

Interested applicants who meet the eligibility requirements should submit their details: - Technical and financial proposals, including CVs of the key personnel to work on this project - CSO registration - Recent audit report of the CSO/partner - Other supportive documentation electronically to ADDIS\[email protected] ILO Country Office for Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, and South Sudan UNECA Compound- Addis Ababa Kindly title your email subject as “Call for proposal – facilitate self-employment for skilled persons with disabilities in Kebrebeyah and Koloji, Somali region, Ethiopia” The deadline for the application will be 31 August 2025, 02:00 pm (EAT).