81271942-Enhancing the Competitiveness of Small and Medium Enterprises in Uganda (ECOS)

Kurze Beschreibung

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development in cooperation with other co-financers has commissioned the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to implement the ‘Employment and Skills for Development in Africa’ (E4D) program in Uganda.
The overall program objective is to improve the economic situation of job seekers, employees and enterprises in Uganda in cooperation with the public and private sector. Within this context, E4D seeks to commission a consultancy/ consortium of firms to implement a measure under its enterprise development pillar referred to as the Enhancing the Competitiveness of Small and Medium Size Enterprises (ECOS) project. This measure aims to increase the competitiveness of 1 000 Ugandan enterprises through offering technical assistance in 5 main areas namely, innovation and digitalization, quality management, market development, access to finance plus additional areas as identified by the diagnostics.

Beschreibung der Beschaffung

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in cooperation with the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), the European Union (EU) and other co-financers has commissioned the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH to implement the ‘Employment and Skills for Development in Africa’ (E4D) program in Uganda.
The overall program objective is to improve the economic situation of job seekers, employees and enterprises in Uganda in cooperation with the public and private sector. The program operates in six countries: Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and South Africa. It offers skills development projects (including work readiness/soft skills) and supports small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to improve their competitiveness, expand business and create linkages to international value chains. The program uses GIZ's integrated approach to employment creation which consists of three pillars; skills development, enterprise development and matching labour demand and supply.
Within this context, E4D seeks to commission a consultancy or consortium of firms to implement a measure under its enterprise development pillar referred to as the Enhancing the Competitiveness of Small and Medium Size Enterprises (ECOS) project. This measure aims to increase the competitiveness of 1 000 Ugandan enterprises with the overarching goal of employment promotion and an improved employment situation. An intensive business diagnostic shall be conducted to identify the main obstacles preventing business growth within these enterprises and a combination of trainings and technical assistance provided in 5 main areas namely; innovation and digitalization, quality management, market development, access to finance plus additional areas as identified by the diagnostics.
This measure shall be implemented for a period of 2 years, as a nationwide project and based on results and observations from previous E4D interventions, target the creation of 3 000 jobs and an improved employment situation for 30 000 people in Uganda.
The assignment has been designed with 6 major outputs. The successful contractor shall be responsible for 100 % fulfilment of all outputs namely:
1) 1 000 SMEs undergo comprehensive business diagnostics;
2) Selected SMEs undergo training in (unassigned areas) as identified by the diagnostics;
3) Inhouse workshops on promoting digitalization are conducted for selected SMEs;
4) Selected SMEs are supported with quality enhancement measures;
5) Selected SMEs are supported with market development measures; and
6) Selected SMEs gain access to equitable and sustainable finance.
While all 1 000 SMEs shall benefit from the comprehensive business diagnostics, additional criteria that ensure transparency and equitable access shall apply for outputs 2, 3,4, 5 and 6. The minimum number of enterprises to benefit from such additional interventions is 800. While guiding activities are listed for each output, the contractor is free to make alternative or additional suggestions on activities that can support the fulfilment of project outcomes. For all outputs, the contractor is expected to leverage partnerships with other stakeholders, particularly with the private sector.
In order to intensify sustainability of the ECOS project, the contractor shall suggest local anchor partner/s for the project detailing specific roles and responsibilities for each. Where applicable, any financial grants awarded during the ECOS project shall be managed by the contractor.
In addition, the successful contractor must avail a project team leader for the entire duration of the project, including a deputy, 3 technical advisors in the fields of:
1) Access to Finance;
2) Innovation and Digitalization; and
3) Quality Management and Market Development plus a pool of 22 technical experts that shall be responsible for implementation including communications and monitoring of project activities.

Beschreibung der Verlängerungen

GIZ may optionally commission contract amendments and/or increases based on the criteria in the tender documents to the successful bidder of this tender. For details, please see the terms of reference.

Beschreibung der Optionen

GIZ may optionally commission contract amendments and/or increases based on the criteria in the tender documents to the successful bidder of this tender. For details, please see the terms of reference.

Liste und kurze Beschreibung der Bedingungen

1) Trading name and address, commercial register number and extract from the commercial register.
2) Eligibility declaration that no grounds for exclusion in Section 123, 124 of the German Act Against Restraints of Competition (GWB) apply.
3) Eligibility declaration subcontractors if applicable.
4) Association clause if applicable.

Liste und kurze Beschreibung der Auswahlkriterien

1) Average annual turnover for the last 3 years (last-but-four financial year can be included in case of tenders held within 6 months of end of last financial year), at least: EUR 800 000.00.
2) Average number of employees and managers in the last three calendar years, at least 10 persons.

Liste und kurze Beschreibung der Auswahlkriterien

1) The technical assessment is only based on reference projects with a minimum commission value of EUR 500 000.00.
2° At least 2 reference projects in the technical field SME Development and at least 2 reference projects in the region Eastern Africa in the last 3 years.

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.

Beschreibung der Beschaffung

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in cooperation with the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), the European Union (EU) and other co-financers has commissioned the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH to implement the "Employment and Skills for Development in Africa" (E4D) program in Uganda.
The overall program objective is to improve the economic situation of job seekers, employees and enterprises in Uganda in cooperation with the public and private sector. The program operates in six countries: Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and South Africa. It offers skills development projects (including work readiness/ soft skills) and supports small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to improve their competitiveness, expand business and create linkages to international value chains. The program uses GIZ"s integrated approach to employment creation which consists of three pillars; skills development, enterprise development and matching labour demand and supply.
Within this context, E4D seeks to commission a consultancy or consortium of firms to implement a measure under its enterprise development pillar referred to as the Enhancing the Competitiveness of Small and Medium Size Enterprises (ECOS) project. This measure aims to increase the competitiveness of 1,000 Ugandan enterprises with the overarching goal of employment promotion and an improved employment situation. An intensive business diagnostic shall be conducted to identify the main obstacles preventing business growth within these enterprises and a combination of trainings and technical assistance provided in 5 main areas namely; innovation and digitalization, quality management, market development, access to finance plus additional areas as identified by the diagnostics.
This measure shall be implemented for a period of 2 years, as a nationwide project and based on results and observations from previous E4D interventions, target the creation of 3,000 jobs and an improved employment situation for 30,000 people in Uganda.
The assignment has been designed with 6 major outputs. The successful contractor shall be responsible for 100% fulfilment of all outputs namely; (1) 1,000 SMEs undergo comprehensive business diagnostics, (2) Selected SMEs undergo training in (unassigned areas) as identified by the diagnostics, (3) Inhouse workshops on promoting digitalization are conducted for selected SMEs, (4) Selected SMEs are supported with quality enhancement measures, (5) Selected SMEs are supported with market development measures and (6) Selected SMEs gain access to equitable and sustainable finance.
While all 1,000 SMEs shall benefit from the comprehensive business diagnostics, additional criteria that ensure transparency and equitable access shall apply for outputs 2, 3,4, 5 & 6. The minimum number of enterprises to benefit from such additional interventions is 800. While guiding activities are listed for each output, the contractor is free to make alternative or additional suggestions on activities that can support the fulfilment of project outcomes. For all outputs, the contractor is expected to leverage partnerships with other stakeholders, particularly with the private sector.
In order to intensify sustainability of the ECOS project, the contractor shall suggest local anchor partner/s for the project detailing specific roles and responsibilities for each. Where applicable, any financial grants awarded during the ECOS project shall be managed by the contractor.
In addition, the successful contractor must avail a project team leader for the entire duration of the project, including a deputy, 3 technical advisors in the fields of (1) Access to Finance, (2) Innovation and Digitalization and (3) Quality Management and Market Development plus a pool of 22 technical experts that shall be responsible for implementation including communications and monitoring of project activities.

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.