Development of the Skills, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fund Operational Manual — World Bank Human Capital Project

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

Assignment Title: CONSULTANCY ON DEVELOPMENT OF THE SKILLS, INNOVATION, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP FUND OPERATIONAL MANUAL

Reference No. GM-PPPPE-397866-CS-CQS

• Context and Background Information on the Consultancy As part of the World Bank Human Capital Project (RISE), MoHERST is a beneficiary institution in which two Centres of Excellence and a Skills, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship fund will be established to support institutions and graduates towards enhanced employability and job creation. This is in line with the MoHERST policy direction on establishing a fund for use by researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs as per the National Research and Innovation Fund Bill (2023) that is currently being enacted.

The skills fund will contribute to enhancing access to technical, innovation, and entrepreneurial skills for Gambian youth while improving the relevance and quality of TVET in the country. The fund will be designed to fill three key gaps: youths' lack of financial resources to afford TVET tuition, graduates’ lack of capital to start and scale businesses, and TVET institutions’ lack of financial resources to implement much-needed improvement initiatives.

• OBJECTIVES AND OUTPUTS The main objective of the consultancy service is to support the development of a Skills, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship fund operational manual and related documents that will detail how the fund will be managed and utilized as part of the Human Capital Project (RISE).

• SCOPE AND TASK TO BE UNTAKEN OF THE ASSIGNMENT To support the development of procedures and manuals for the effective operationalization and implementation of the Skills, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship fund as part of the Human Capital Project (RISE).

The main tasks to be undertaken are:

• The development of a Skills, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Operational Plan.
• Develop the Skills, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Operational Matrix.
• Develop the Skills, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Operational Governance Framework.
• Develop the Skills, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.
• Identification of a project leadership at the CoEs to implement the Plan.
• Development of a communication plan to support the implementation process.
• Development of a Training and education plan.
• CONTRACT DURATION The consultancy will span for a period of three (3) months from the date of the award of the contract.

• Individual Qualifications -Minimum requirements: The consultant must have a minimum qualification of a master’s degree and at least five (5) years of working experience in either consultancies or working in specific fields related to innovation and entrepreneurship fund development and management. The identified consultant will present a technical and financial proposal for review. He/She must:

• Have successfully implemented at least two (2) similar assignments;
• Have an understanding of the operations of public sector organizations, especially tertiary and higher educational institutions; and,
• Have a good track record of completing projects on schedule Submission of Expressions of Interest:

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (MoFEA) through the Gambia Fiscal Management Development Project, now invites eligible consulting firms to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultant firms should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” dated September 2023 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Consultant Qualification Selection (CQS) method set out in the Consultant Guidelines. Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 09:00 to 16:00 Monday to Thursday and 09:00 to 12h30 on Friday.

Expressions of interest should be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail) on or before 22 January 2024 at 12h30 GMT

Gambia Fiscal Management Development Project GFMDP

Royal Insurance Building

2nd Floor, Kotu Bertil Harding Highway

The Gambia

Email: [email protected] and [email protected]