Public Call for Tender 83481845 for MSMEs Field Assessment Expert - 21.1823.0-001.00 ACE

MSME Assessment and Support in Lebanon

The project is categorized as part of the transitional development assistance, and under the second area of action will promote private sector engagement, improving individual skills so that the parties responsible in agricultural businesses, food processing enterprises and other MSMEs downstream of food security and climate change, will be able to understand changes and adapt their actions. 

This will involve the provision of knowledge for the development of new products or the adaptation of existing products, in addition to helping MSMEs complete a just transition towards green energy via in-kind grants and technical assistance. Our objectives also include realizing the potential of local agriculture. They involve MSMEs, for example, exploring alternative sources of procurement from the local agricultural sector, re-evaluating and, where necessary, adjusting the sales strategy for the local and international market. In addition, ACE project will help MSMEs evaluate and, if necessary, adjust the product range in line with changed demand on the local market and analyze and, if applicable, reduce the costs of maintaining a business. GIZ’s private sector support in the ACE project will focus on these main value chains: Olive, Honey, Legumes, Wheat and Barley, Agroforestry, and Protected Agriculture value chains.

In light of the escalating conflict, ACE’s strategy and as part of its Transitional Development Assistance efforts, is providing emergency support, emphasizing food security, crisis-resilient MSMEs, and community stabilization. The assessment will provide critical data on MSMEs currently operating at varying capacities—some are constrained by the crisis, while others are scaling up to meet urgent food demands. Specifically, the assessment will focus on food security-related MSMEs, mapping out essential operational challenges, gaps in support, and urgent interventions needed to sustain food production.

The Objective of the assignment:

To conduct an in-depth assessment of the MSMEs spectrum critical to food security in the Shouf, Aley, and Zahle regions. The assessment will identify the needs, constraints, and capacities of MSMEs essential to food production and distribution in times of crisis, with a focus on sectors directly contributing to food security such as (but not specific to) dairy, processed food, bakeries, legumes, and other value chains. Additionally, the assessment will prioritize MSMEs that have adapted or relocated due to the crisis, and include an in-depth needs assessment of 15 pre-selected MSMEs in Hasbaya district.

1. GIZ shall hire the contractor for the anticipated contract term, from 27-Feb-25 to 31-Aug-25.

The services described in Section 4 shall be provided until 30-Jun-25.

1. The contractor shall provide the following work/service

Stakeholder Mapping in Shouf, Aley, and Zahle:

• Identify and map MSMEs within the essential food security.
• Map and prioritize MSMEs based on their operational status, distinguishing those that are fully, partially, or non-operational, as well as those that have relocated or scaled production to meet food security needs due to the current context in Lebanon.
• Identify additional stakeholders, including local NGOs, government agencies, and community leaders involved in MSME and food security support activities.

MSME In-depth Needs Assessment in Hasbaya district (up to 15 MSMEs):

• Conduct a baseline assessment for up to 15 pre-selected MSMEs by GIZ.
• Identify barriers to MSME growth, including market access, financial constraints, workforce shortages, lack of technical skills, and regulatory burdens.
• Identify critical machinery, equipment, or technology gaps that hinder MSME productivity.
• Recommend policy advocacy areas for inclusion and gender mainstreaming, and strengthening the MSME ecosystem, improving regulations, and fostering business resilience.
• Procurement report with a list of machinery, service, and certification needs in addition to an Energy Needs Analysis of the MSMEs' current energy reliance and alternative solutions, to prioritize needs and challenges.
• Supply Chain and Market Access Report – Identification of sourcing vulnerabilities and recommendations for improved market access.
• Business Landscape Assessment in Shouf, Zahle, and Aley districts:
• Map the food production ecosystem and supply chains, assessing the overall resilience of essential MSMEs and the specific contributions of each to local food security.
• Examine MSMEs' capacity to source and distribute food efficiently under the constraints imposed by the current crisis.
• Analyze operational challenges based on affected areas, such as supply chain disruptions, access to raw materials, limited energy availability, and constraints from displaced operations.

Operational Status and Support Level across Shouf, Aley, and Zahle:

• Evaluate the level of support MSMEs are contributing to overall food security, including direct food distribution, employment, or supply of necessities.
• Assess the operational status of MSMEs, including fully operational, partially operational, or inactive.
• MSMEs that have relocated or adapted production due to the conflict.

Challenges and Pain Points Identification in Shouf, Aley, and Zahle districts:

• Identify and analyze key challenges faced by MSMEs in essential food production sectors, including limited raw materials, labor shortages, restricted access to markets, and financial instability.
• Propose potential solutions and interventions within the scope of ACE’s resources and support measures, ensuring that recommendations align with the ACE Project’s resilience-building objectives.
• Evaluate needs for capacity-building to equip MSMEs with skills and resources to navigate crisis conditions and strengthen food security-related production.

All tasks will be performed in close cooperation with the GIZ advisor responsible.

Period of assignment: from 27.02.2025 to 30.06.2025.

The Milestones with the criteria are attached as a chart in the TOR documents to review.

Tender requirements

Qualifications of proposed staff

The tenderer is required to propose personnel for the positions specified here and described with respect to the areas of responsibility and qualifications on the basis of relevant CVs.

The below specified qualifications represent the requirements to reach the maximum number of points in the technical assessment.

Expert 1: 

General qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Economics, Political Science, Social work, or equivalent.

Professional experience: 5 years' experience under food security, with the agri-food, waste management & valorization, renewable energy, and circular economy sectors.

Strong qualitative and quantitative research skills.

Ability to analyze and synthetize complex information into clear and actional insights.

Ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders, including youth groups, local businesses, and government representatives.

Experience in the region/knowledge of the country

5 years working with MSMEs and Startups in Shouf, Aley, Zahle, and Hasbaya Districts.

Language skills: business fluency in English C2

Quantitative requirements

The Fees details are attached as a chart in the TOR documents to review.

Calculate your financial bid exactly in line with the quantitative requirements of the specification of inputs above. There is no contractual right to use up the full days/travel or workshops or budgets. The number of days/travel/workshops and the budgets will be contractually agreed as maximum amounts. The regulations on pricing are contained in the price schedule.

Conceptual

• The tender should indicate how the services outlined in Section I.4 (Tasks) are to be provided. Reference should be made to the following criteria:
• Concept note: The tenderer is required to consider the tasks to be performed with reference to the objectives of the services described in section I.3 of the ToR (Stakeholder Mapping, Business Landscape Assessment, and Problem Mapping and Solution Proposal. The Concept Note should include but is not specific to: Methodology, technical approach, Timeline, it should not exceed 10 pages.
• Timeline: The tenderer must present a timeline including a mapping of each step of the implementation of each of the requested services within the period of the contract time.
• Technical approach: For each deliverable, the tenderer should specify the technical approach and necessary tools identified to be able to deliver requested services mentioned in section I.4 of the ToR.
• Field Assessment methodology: The tenderer should include an overall methodology on “how” they are planning on achieving the stated objectives in section I.4
• MSME Needs Assessment methodology: The tenderer should include an overall methodology on “how” they are planning on achieving the stated objectives in section I.4

Requirements on the format of the tender

The CV submitted for the expert can have a maximum of four pages.

The concept should not exceed ten pages – excluding the CV. If one of the maximum page lengths is exceeded, the content appearing after the cut-off point will not be included in the assessment. External content (e.g. links to websites) will also not be considered.

In reference to the assessment grid for checking the eligibility of the candidates, the tenderer shall clearly present:

• 3 reference projects worked in the technical field of rural development.
• 3 reference projects worked in Lebanon.
• Specific experience working in Shouf, Aley, and Zahle District.
• Relevant experience in the field assessment expertise.
• Experience working with MSMEs and startups.

Outsourced processing of personal data

Processing personal data by the contractor would require them to define alone the nature of such data and how such processing would be carried out. In such cases, the contractor shall act as an independent DATA CONTROLLER and must alone comply with ALL applicable data protection obligations, including those stemming from regional and local laws. The contractor must process personal data only when a given goal cannot be reasonably attained without such data. The data protection principles such as lawfulness, data minimization, accuracy, purpose limitation, storage limitation, transparency, integrity and confidentiality, and accountability, as well as the numerous rights of the data subject must be paid due attention. The GDPR’s data transfer rules must be considered whenever personal data leaves the EU for a third country. The GIZ is NOT in any way responsible for such processing.

Where the contractor is not subject to the GDPR and national laws are silent on the meaning of the data protection principles and rights mentioned here, such meaning shall be construed in accordance with the GDPR (Regulation (EU) 2016/679). The GIZ is available to support the contractor whenever need arises