Afghanistan Women Entrepreneurship Growth Project

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Harakat-Afghanistan Investment Climate Facility
(HARAKAT-AICFO)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)
AFGHAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP GROWTH PROJECT
RE-ADVERTISED

Date of Issue: 12:00 P.M Local Time, 09, July, 2011
Submission Deadline: 12:00 P.M Local Time, 09, Aug , 2011
Submission Place: Harakat-Afghanistan Investment Climate Facility Organisation (Harakat-AICFO), Main Road Kart-e-Char, before Police Station Three, House # 26, Kabul, Afghanistan

Contact Person: Mr. Chance Zilinga
Head of Finance and Procurement Unit
Email: chance.zilinga@harakat.af 
Office: +93 (0) +93 (0) 752044000
Cell phone: +93 (0) 796 037 752

(Sealed proposals shall be clearly marked and received prior to the time and date specified above. Proposals received after said time and date will not be accepted or considered.)

1. INTRODUCTION

Harakat-AICFO is an independent, not-for-profit, Afghan managed organization that provides grant funds to the private sector, government and civil society to implement projects that reduce or remove institutional and regulatory barriers to doing business in Afghanistan. Harakat-AICFO aims to improve Afghanistan’s business environment by removing obstacles to private investment.
Harakat does not implement or manage investment projects; it funds the activities of others, supporting the reform role of the Government and complementing the vision of the Private Sector. Harakat is an initiative of the UK’s Government’s Department of International Development (DFID) which provided the initial seed funding. Other multilateral, bilateral and private sector funders will augment this seed funding to support practical, result-oriented projects that promote the following 8 priority areas:
1. Financial markets that provide greater access to finance and affordable credit to all sizes of business, especially SME’s;
2. Streamlined and more effective regulations and creation of regulatory impact assessment systems;
3. Increased private sector investment in infrastructure, especially energy, water and transportation;
4. More equitable and efficient taxation and customs systems;
5. Strengthened property rights and more effective contract enforcement;
6. Higher workforce productivity and mobility and improved labour market regulation;
7. Strengthened competition policy that reduces anti-competitive practices; and
8. Improved capacity of government and institutions to tackle corruption.
 

Our aim is to make a tangible difference to how people do business within the next 7 years. Given the targeted time period, we function along private sector lines.

Harakat’s aim is not to replace the government, or civil society’s important work in reducing barriers to sustainable business. We support the positive initiatives already happening in various sectors, work in partnerships with existing and emerging key players, and provide funding so that more of these become reality. Harakat will use the available funds to identify and fund practical projects that will increase the attractiveness and ease of investing in Afghanistan.

The following definitions apply throughout the RFP:
Applicant: The entity that needs technical assistance for the purpose of implementing the project, hereafter, the Afghan Women Business Federation is called the Applicant in this RFP.
Donor: Harakat-Afghanistan Investment Climate Facility Organization (Harakat-AICFO), hereafter, Harakat-Afghanistan Investment Climate Facility Organization called the Donor in this RFP.
Grant: The total amount of money provided by Harakat-AICFO for the purpose of implementing the Project.
Project: Afghan Women Entrepreneurship Growth Project
Offerors: The entities interested to provide the technical assistance for the Applicant and participate in the bidding process for the Project.

Background
The National Action Plan for Women of Afghanistan developed on the basis of extensive consultation, recognizes that gender equality is not just a human rights issue, but also a prerequisite for sustainable development and rapid economic growth. While rightly identifying three core strategies for achieving the objective of the National Action Plan for Women of Afghanistan, namely, security, human rights and mainstreaming of gender concerns at all levels, legislative reforms to guarantee gender justice and economic reforms for enhanced productivity, little has been done in terms of concrete actions. Since the gender dimension of the investment climate, to date, has been inadequately addressed; therefore, the policy framework or some of the laws developed have not created an environment in which women are able to contribute their economically productive potentials to the nation on an equal footing with men, and reap the same rewards from that contribution as their men folk. This is despite the pronounced recognition and need that a more substantive economic contribution from women, as well as men, is essential for a sustained private sector led growth within the context of Afghanistan’s public-private partnership.

Therefore, Afghan Women Business Federation (AWBF) with financial support of Harakat –AICFO would like to address some of these issues that impede the growth of women owned enterprises by undertaking the Afghan Women Entrepreneurship Growth Project. This project will have two main components: To identify the legal, administrative and institutional barriers for women owned business and as well as existing opportunities for women entrepreneurs in the country, and to provide capacity building programs for AWBF and respective BMOs to advocate for business environment reforms.
 

Objectives
The main objective of the Project is:
1.1. A: To carry out a quantitative and qualitative survey in Kabul, Herat, Mazar and Jalalabd to identify legal, administrative and institutional barriers and existing market opportunities for Afghan women entrepreneurs; and
B: To identify women BMOs (Business Member Organisations) for capacity development and to train them on advocacy methods and techniques in order for them to advocate on behalf of women entrepreneurs for business environment reform.

Once the survey findings are submitted along with list of recommendations to AWBF, a short-term consultant will be hired to provide capacity development program for AWBF and the identified BMOs.

1.2. Proposals to be Submitted
Technical proposals are solicited from interested and qualified firms. The administrative and technical requirements as detailed throughout the Request for Proposal (RFP) will apply. Financial proposals shall be submitted along with technical proposals. Upon detailed evaluation of the proposal, one firm will be selected for contract negotiation.

1.3. Contract Funded By the Donor
The contract will be funded by the Donor in accordance with the terms and conditions of its grant to the grantee or Applicant.

2. Instruction to Proposers

2.1. Project Title
The project is called “Afghan Women Entrepreneurship Growth Project”.

2.2. Examination of the Documents
Offerors should carefully examine this RFP. It will be assumed that offerors have done such inspection and that through examinations, inquiries and investigations they have become familiarized with local conditions and nature of problems to be solved during the execution of the project.
Offerors shall address all items as specified in this RFP. Failure to adhere to this format may disqualify an Offeror from further consideration.
Submission of a proposal shall constitute evidence that the Offeror has made all the above examinations and investigations, and is free of any uncertainty with respect to conditions that would affect the execution and completion of the project.

2.3. Responsibility for Cost
Offerors shall be fully responsible for all costs incurred in the development and submission of the proposal or any cost incurred by Offeror prior to issuance of an agreement or contract. Neither the Donor nor the Applicant assumes any contractual obligation as a result of the issuance of the proposal request, the preparation or submission of a proposal by an Offeror, the evaluation of proposals, or final selection.

2.4. Confidentiality
The Donor and the Applicant will use its best efforts to preserve the confidentiality of any business proprietary or confidential information submitted by the Offerors, which is clearly designated as such by the Offeror.

2.5. Language of Proposal
All proposal documents shall be prepared and submitted in English.

2.6. Proposal Submission Requirements
The Cover Letter in the proposal must be addressed to:
Mr. Chance Zilinga
Head of Finance and Procurement Department (HFPU)
Harakat- Afghanistan Investment Climate Facility (Harakat-AICFO)
Address: Main Road, Kart-e Char, Before police station three, House # 26
Kabul, Afghanistan
An original and two copies of the proposal must be received at the above address no later than 12 P.M on 09, Aug, 2011.
Proposals may be either sent by mail, overnight courier, or hand-delivered. Upon timely receipt, all proposals become the property of the Donor.

2.7. Packaging
Each proposal must be sealed to ensure confidentiality of the information. The proposals should be individually wrapped and sealed, and labelled for the content including “Original” or “Copy number x”; the original and two copies should be collectively wrapped and sealed, and clearly marked for content. Neither the Donor will nor the Applicant responsible for premature opening of proposals not properly labelled.

2.8. Authorized Signature
The proposal must contain the signature of a duly authorized officer or agent of the Offeror empowered with the right to bind the Offeror.

2.9. Offeror Qualifications
As provided in Section 3, Offeror shall submit evidence that they have relevant past experience and have previously delivered advisory and technical assistance services similar to those required in the TOR.

2.10. Prime Contractor Responsibility
Offerors have the option of subcontracting parts of the services they propose. The Offeror’s proposal must include a description of any anticipated subcontracting arrangements, including the name, address, and qualifications of consultants and subcontractors.

2.11. Award
An award resulting from this RFP shall be made to the best qualified Offeror, taking into consideration the evaluation factors set forth herein; however, the right is reserved to reject any and all proposals received and, in all cases, the Donor and the Applicant will be the judge as whether a proposal has or has not satisfactorily met the requirements of this RFP.

3. Award Criteria
A Selection Committee of representatives from the Applicant and the Donor will initially evaluate individual proposals. The Committee will then conduct a final evaluation and completion of ranking of qualified Offerors, and the Donor shall promptly negotiate a contract with the best-qualified Offeror. If a satisfactory contract cannot be negotiated with the best-qualified Offeror, negotiation will be formally terminated. Negotiations shall then be undertaken with the second most qualified Offeror and so forth.

Key competencies and eligibility criteria:

• Agency must have proven track record in undertaking similar assignments. It must have a multi-disciplinary team, who has significant experience in, and familiarity with socio-economic surveys. Basic understanding of legal issues is necessary.

• Agency should have its own infrastructure (computer systems, soft-wares etc.) and manpower to be deployed to complete the assignment in time-bound manner.

• Good documentation, analytical and communication skills in Dari/Pashto and English. Fluency in Dari and Pashto for team members operating at the field level is required.

• Sufficient capacity and networks to draw upon the highest quality resources, particularly in relation to the legal expert employed to identify legal, administrative and institutional barriers.

• Bidders should provide documents in the form of work order, completion certificates of completed assignments and any other documents to validate the experiences claimed.

• Monitoring, Supervision and certification of the works of RF will be done by AWBF and Harakat- AICFO.

The selection of the Contractor will be based on the following criteria:

Criteria Max. Points
Relevant experience/expertise in the legal context of Afghanistan, previous similar experience, and specifically in the area of private sector/stakeholder engagement. 40
Best pricing for the implementation of the project activities which lead to meet the project’s objectives 30
Realistic work plan with feasible timeframes to implement the project 10
CVs 10

Work Methodology 10

ANNEX 1. TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)

The selected entity shall review existing literatures on women entrepreneurs’ legal, administrative and institutional investment barriers. Once the research firm has provided recommendations and prioritised agenda for reform, a short-term consultant will undertake the findings to provide capacity development for AWBF and identified BMOs for conducting effective advocacy. Therefore, co-ordination between the selected entity and the consultant will be critical for effective delivery of the first and second component of the Project.

• Completing review of existing literature including regulations (legislations) for possible gender bias and discrimination against women;

• Development and design of questionnaire for survey;

• Design sound approach for mapping women owned business in Kabul, Heart, Mazar and Jalalabad;

• Pre-testing the questionnaire and finalizing survey questionnaires;

• Identification and survey of selected women BMOs and women owned business;

• Undertake in depth interviews of focus groups in Kabul, Herat, Mazar and Jalalabad with selected women entrepreneurs and businesses to gain more knowledge of the barriers and existing opportunities;

• Data entry and analysis of desk review of legislations and Q&A raw reports ;

• Preliminary Reports;

• Workshops in Kabul, Herat, Mazar and Jalalabad;

• Deliver final report (recommendations, prioritized agenda for reform and identifications of existing market opportunities):

o Result should be based on sound scientific methodology
o The quality of the survey should meet regional/international standards
• Formulate and manage a detailed work schedule, and arrange logistics and orientation of its local facilitators;
• Conduct on job training for the AWBF staff related to the project and involve them in all the project activities;

• Provide monthly financial and technical reports to Afghan Women Business Federation and Harakat-AICFO.
The second component of the Project will be undertaken by short-term consultant to provide capacity building to AWBF, AWIEC and identified BMOs to advocate for business environment reform.
AWEG representative(s) will be involved throughout the implementation of the project and may accompany the Offeror in the above activities.
The Offeror will report directly to Applicant and Donor on the project progress.