10012159-Scaling for Impact - SME Challenge Fund

Kurze Beschreibung

Green Resilient Agricultural-Centred Private Sector Economic Development (GRAPE 2) works with the Government of Nepal to promote sustainable economic development. The project collaborates with Nepali and international partners to strengthen entrepreneurship, build climate resilience, and create new economic opportunities for women and youth. The project connects producer groups, entrepreneurs, cooperatives, traders, associations, policy makers, and other stakeholders. By strengthening these connections, it aims to create a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem that supports agriculture-centred private sector development in Nepal.

GRAPE 2 project is jointly financed by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It is implemented under the guidance of the Ministry of Land Management, Co-operatives, Federal Affairs & General Administration.

The Areas of Work are:

1. Driving Private Sector Development:
Inclusive and resilient agricultural markets require strong local businesses. Support is therefore provided to Nepali enterprises and cooperatives at different stages of growth.

Start-ups can access incubation programs to develop and test their ideas, while emerging SMEs benefit from coaching and advisory services to strengthen their business models. More established companies are supported to build partnerships that strengthen agricultural value chains and market systems, including access to international markets, such as the EU.

The project connects entrepreneurs, producer groups, investors, and other market actors to strengthen collaboration across agricultural value chains. It promotes innovation, digital solutions, and value addition, improves access to business services, and helps small producers and entrepreneurs reach national and international markets.

2. Strengthening Climate Resilience
Climate change is already affecting agriculture in Nepal. The project supports farmers, businesses, and local governments in adapting to these changes and building more resilient agricultural systems.

As a key driver of climate action, Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) receive support to adopt climate-smart practices, develop green business models, and manage climate risks in agricultural value chains. Strengthening the environmental performance of businesses also helps them access new markets and financing opportunities, particularly for sustainable and biodiversity-friendly products.

GRAPE 2 works with farmers, local communities, and civil society organizations to promote sustainable farming practices, resource-efficient technologies, and circular economy solutions. Through collaboration and shared learning, the project strengthens green entrepreneurship, supports local climate governance, and scales innovative solutions that enhance climate resilience and adaptation.

3. Empowering Women and Youth
Women and young people are central to inclusive economic development. Through the project, women entrepreneurs receive business development support, guidance on accessing financial services, and opportunities to connect with networks that strengthen their skills, confidence, and business growth.

Young innovators are supported through the incubation lab, which helps start-ups develop and launch new business ideas.

Media organisations, civil society groups, and community-based organisations raise awareness of women"s economic contributions and challenge restrictive gender norms. Dialogue platforms, media campaigns, and community events highlight the achievements of women and youth entrepreneurs and encourage public discussion on evolving social roles.

At the institutional level, municipalities are supported to apply gender-responsive planning and budgeting so that women"s priorities are better reflected in local economic development. Through the agri-tech fellowship, young graduates are placed in municipalities to gain work experience, while infusing fresh perspectives in local governance processes.

Beschreibung der Beschaffung

The contractor is responsible for providing the following work packages and for achieving the corresponding milestones. The overall Objective is the strengthen gender-equitable and climate-resilient economic development in Nepal.

Work package 1: Design and Launch of the Challenge Fund

The objective of Work Package 1 is to identify high-potential SMEs to scale agricultural products and services (based on the themes outlined below) through a competitive process. Under this work package, the contractor will design and launch a competitive SME Challenge Fund to select promising SMEs across Nepal.

This work package includes the establishment of a clear eligibility and evaluation criteria, the setting up a robust application management system, and the promotion of the Call in both English and Nepali languages to reach SMEs in different provinces and relevant sectors. This will result in a well-documented selection process and shortlist of enterprises to join the bootcamps (WP2).


Work package 2: Bootcamps and assessment of the shortlisted SMEs

The objective of Work Package 2 is to strengthen the communication and pitching skills of the 100 shortlisted SMEs through provincial bootcamps. The bootcamps also serve as first point of contact with the shortlisted SMEs to understand what their needs, interests and capacity gaps are. SMEs can develop their business and pitching skills to articulate their business value, explain the market opportunity and their business model better, and outline their contribution to climate resilience and women economic empowerment. Each SME will have a chance to pitch to an expert panel at the end of the bootcamp. The panel will select the top 40 SMEs by the end of the bootcamp.


Work package 3: Pitching Competition and contracting of SMEs

The objective of Work Package 3 is to organise a pitching event for the 40 selected SMEs. The SMEs will have a chance to present their business plans to scale access to products and services to an expert jury. The jury will evaluate the pitches on a competitive basis and select the strongest proposals. Subject to a due diligence process, the top 25 SMEs will be eligible to access milestone-based disbursements through subcontracts of work to support the development and scaling of their businesses, along with customized business development and investment readiness support.

The contractor is expected to organise a national-level pitching competition, whereby an expert jury selects 25 SMEs that will have the chance to access milestone-based disbursements through contracts of work and technical assistance.


Work package 4: Business Development Services for the selected SMEs

The objective of Work Package 4 is to provide tailored business development services, networking opportunities and guidance to the 25 selected SMEs over an 18-month period. The aim is to support the SMEs in reaching their scaling goals and growth as outlined in the contracts of work, and to ensure the smooth implementation of their plans. Moreover, the contractor is expected to design and organise networking and learning events for the SMEs to exchange experiences and lessons learned among themselves, and to engage with external experts, particularly on topics related to climate resilience and women"s and youth economic empowerment.

Business Development Services refers to a range of services that aim to improve the performance, competitiveness, and growth potential of businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

BDS can include 1) business advisory, including strategic planning, business model reviews, legal and regulatory compliance, financial management advice, HR policy development, use of ICT and communication tools, peer networks; 2) access to finance, such as investment readiness support, pitching, and linkages with financial institutions; 3) market access, including market research and information, branding and marketing, participation in trade fairs, 4) supply chain management, like finding suppliers and assuring quality, 5) training, coaching and mentoring, for instance, on leadership or public speaking skills.

Ultimately, the aim is to support SMEs to grow and expand their customer base, increasing access to agricultural products and services that enable customers to adapt to climate change and increase income and job opportunities, particularly for women and youth.

Work package 5: Monitoring, evaluation, communication and knowledge management

The objective of Work Package 5 is to establish and implement a robust Monitoring, Evaluation, Communication, and Knowledge Management system to track results and impacts from the assignment. The Monitoring and Evaluation system shall be two-fold.

First, the contractor shall ensure timely monitoring, verification, and reporting on the achievement of milestones agreed under the milestone-based contracts of work. Second, the contractor shall design and implement a system to track and report on outcome and impact indicators, including climate adaptation, income increases, job creation, scalability of solutions and improvements in revenue and business competitiveness.

Timelines for monitoring, verification, and reporting activities shall be agreed in close coordination with GIZ and aligned with GIZ"s reporting requirements and operational needs.

Liste und kurze Beschreibung der Regeln und Kriterien

EN-A1: Principles for the execution of orders (Mit dem Angebot; Mittels Eigenerklärung): The eligbility criteria are not from the same category as stipulated above, as there is no suitable category.

1. Self-declaration: name of company and address, tax ID, registration and commercial register number or equivalent register in accordance with the legal provisions of the country of origin.
2. No grounds for exclusion pursuant to § 123, § 124 GWB, § 22 LkSG, EU-Russia sanctions

3. Declaration of bidding consortium and/or declaration of subcontractors (if applicable)

Liste und kurze Beschreibung der Regeln und Kriterien

EN-B1: Technical and professional ability (Mit dem Angebot; Mittels Eigenerklärung): 1. The technical assessment is only based on reference projects with a minimum commission value of 400,000.00 EUR (net).
2. At least 3 reference projects in the technical field SME funding and at least 2 reference projects in Asia on entrepreneurship in the last 36 months

Genaue Informationen über Fristen für Überprüfungsverfahren

According to Article 160, Section 3 of the German Act Against Restraint of Competition
(GWB), application for review is not permissible insofar as
1. the applicant has identified the claimed infringement of the procurement rules before
submitting the application for review and has not submitted a complaint to the contracting
authority within a period of 10 calendar days; the expiry of the period pursuant to Article
134, Section 2 remains unaffected;
2. complaints of infringements of procurement rules that are evident in the tender notice
are not submitted to the contracting authority at the latest by the expiry of the deadline for
the application or by the deadline for the submission of bids, specified in the tender
notice;
3. complaints of infringements of procurement rules that first become evident in the
tender documents are not submitted to the contracting authority at the latest by the expiry
of the deadline for application or by the deadline for the submission of bids;
4. more than 15 calendar days have expired since receipt of notification from the
contracting authority that it is unwilling to redress the complaint.
Sentence 1 does not apply in the case of an application to determine the invalidity of the
contract in accordance with Article 135, Section 1 (2). Article 134, Section 1, Sentence 2
remains unaffected.