Local Implementing Partner

Request for Proposal

Local Implementing Partners

(Tigray, Oromia, Amhara, South and Central Ethiopia and Sidama)

Ethiopia

February 2025

Who We Are

Girl Effect is an international non-profit dedicated to addressing challenges faced by adolescent girls and youth in Ethiopia. Operating in the country since 2013, the organization leverages Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) strategies, combining media and on-the-ground interventions to tackle various societal issues and empower young people. Girl Effect Ethiopia created the youth brand Yegna in 2014, since then has reached over 10 million people through multiple products, outreach programs, girl networks, and research pieces done all for the

betterment of adolescent lives.

We create safe spaces for girls, sharing facts and answering questions about health, nutrition, education, relationships, etc. And we use innovative technology so we can reach girls at scale. We arm girls with the skills to negotiate and redefine what they are told is possible, so every girl can choose to be in control of her body, her health, her learning and her livelihood.

When a girl unlocks her power to make different choices that change her life, it inspires others to do so too. She starts a ripple effect that impacts her family, community, and country.

That’s the Girl Effect.

Background

The Support, Enable, and Engage (SEE) Young People in Ethiopia aims to address the challenges faced by young people in accessing sustainable livelihoods and entrepreneurial opportunities across Ethiopia. In many regions, youth face high unemployment rates, limited access to resources, and a lack of knowledge about viable business opportunities. The SEE Project seeks to empower young people by building their skills, fostering entrepreneurship, and supporting the establishment of profitable businesses.

To bridge these gaps, Girl Effect is implementing a mindset transformation program focused on shifting young people’s perceptions of employment, enhancing their employability skills, and fostering an entrepreneurial mindset. This initiative aims to equip youth with the confidence, skills, and networks needed to explore and seize economic opportunities, while also working with communities to create a supportive environment for youth employment and entrepreneurship.

We are seeking on-the-ground implementation partners with a strong presence in Tigray, Oromia, Amhara, South Ethiopia, Central Ethiopia, and Sidama. These partners should have established offices, a dedicated team, and proven experience in implementing programs within the respective regions. The role will be critical in delivering youth mindset transformation programs, skills development initiatives, employment training, and community engagement activities in collaboration with Girl Effect. By leveraging the deep understanding of the local context, networks, and operational capacity, these partners will ensure effective program delivery, sustainable impact, and meaningful engagement with youth and key stakeholders in their regions.

By aligning local labor market needs with the aspirations and capacities of young people, this initiative seeks to foster sustainable livelihoods, reduce youth unemployment, and drive regional economic development.

Objective

The selected partners will collaborate with Girl Effect to implement programs aimed at shifting youth mindsets toward employment, facilitating community engagement, and supporting skill development initiatives that enhance employability and entrepreneurship opportunities for young people in their respective regions.

Scope of Work

The selected on-the-ground partners will be instrumental in implementing the SEE Young People in Ethiopia initiative in collaboration with Girl Effect. A deep understanding of the local context, societal norms, and youth-specific challenges in Tigray, Oromia, Amhara, South Ethiopia, Central Ethiopia, and Sidama will be crucial in ensuring the program is culturally relevant, impactful, and sustainable. The partners will play a key role in youth engagement, training facilitation, community outreach, stakeholder collaboration, and program monitoring to support the successful delivery of the initiative.

• Youth Engagement & Training Facilitation

• Identifying the Right Participants: Leverage local knowledge to identify and mobilize youth who would benefit the most from the mindset transformation program.

• Facilitating Training Sessions: Work in collaboration with Girl Effect to deliver training that helps shift youth perceptions of employment, develop employability skills, and encourage entrepreneurial thinking.

• Ensuring Effective Program Delivery in Collaboration with Girl Effect: Utilize community insights to tailor training approaches, ensuring that youth are engaged and receive relevant skills aligned with their regional labor market.

• Supporting Capacity Building: Equip young people with the confidence, knowledge, and networks needed to navigate employment and entrepreneurship opportunities successfully.

• Community Engagement & Outreach

  • Engaging Local Communities: Leverage established relationships and cultural insights to facilitate meaningful dialogue with families, local leaders, and businesses about youth employment.
  • Community Awareness & Mobilization: Organize awareness campaigns, town hall meetings, and discussions to challenge societal barriers preventing youth from entering the workforce.
  • Building Local Support Networks: Strengthen connections between youth and key community stakeholders, ensuring broader community buy-in and long-term support for the program.

• Stakeholder Mapping & Expanding Youth Opportunities

  • Conducting Stakeholder Mapping: leveraging regional expertise to identify key training institutions, employers, funders, and business development service providers that can support youth employment and entrepreneurship.
  • Connecting Youth with Opportunities: Link young people to local skill development programs, vocational training centers, microfinance institutions, and mentorship opportunities.
  • Fostering Private Sector Linkages: Work with local businesses, industry leaders, and donor organizations to create employment and funding opportunities for young people.

• Government Collaboration & School Program Implementation

  • Coordinating with Regional Government Offices: Utilize local connections to strengthen relationships with regional education bureaus, labor and skills departments, and youth development agencies.

Supporting School-Based Programs: Work in collaboration with Girl Effect to introduce mindset transformation and employment-readiness programs in schools, ensuring young students are prepared for future career opportunities.

• Program Delivery & Event Coordination

  • Distributing Training Materials: Ensure training materials( prepared by Girl Effect) are accessible and adapted to local youth in a culturally appropriate way.
  • Facilitating Public Lectures & Networking Events: Oversee events hosted by Girl Effect and its partners, ensuring the right target audience is informed and actively participates. This includes career talks, mentorship sessions, and community-based learning forums aimed at exposing youth to diverse career pathways.
  • Selecting Role Models & Ambassadors: Identify and select youth ambassadors who will serve as role models, inspiring their peers to pursue employment and entrepreneurship.

• Safeguarding & Compliance

  • Ensuring Safe Participation: Implement contextually relevant safeguarding measures to protect youth from risks during training and engagement activities.
  • Reporting Safeguarding Concerns: Maintain a structured reporting system for any incidents related to youth safety, ensuring compliance with Girl Effect’s safeguarding policies.
  • Adhering to Local Laws & Ethical Standards: Ensure program implementation complies with regional labor laws, child protection regulations, and ethical youth engagement principles.

• Monitoring, Reporting & Program Sustainability

  • Tracking & Evaluating Progress: Conduct regular assessments using local knowledge to measure the effectiveness and impact of the program.
  • Providing Timely Reports: Submit monthly and quarterly reports highlighting progress, challenges, and success stories to Girl Effect.
  • Ensuring Long-Term Sustainability: Work in collaboration with Girl Effect to integrate learnings into regional and national youth employment frameworks, ensuring long-lasting impact.

By leveraging deep local knowledge, networks, and trust within communities, the selected partners will be instrumental in bridging the gap between young people and employment opportunities. The collaboration with Girl Effect will ensure that youth across Ethiopia are equipped with the skills, confidence, and support needed to build sustainable livelihoods and drive economic development.

Expected Deliverables

The on-the-ground partners will be responsible for delivering key outputs that align with the SEE Young People in Ethiopia initiative. These deliverables will ensure that the program is effectively implemented, monitored, and contributes to the intended impact. Given the broad scope of activities outlined in the Project Charter, the deliverables will be adaptable to accommodate evolving needs and emerging opportunities.

• Youth Engagement & Training Facilitation

  • Youth Selection Report – A detailed list of identified youth participants, including demographics and training needs assessment.
  • Training Sessions Conducted – Successful facilitation of mindset transformation, employability, and entrepreneurship skills training in collaboration with Girl Effect.
  • Training Attendance & Feedback Reports – Documenting participation, engagement levels, and post-training reflections from youth.

• Community Engagement & Outreach

• Community Sessions Summary – Monthly reports on community meetings, mobilization events, and stakeholder engagements, including participant demographics and key discussion points.

• Outreach Strategy & Implementation Reports – Plans and updates on how community engagement is progressing, including feedback from key stakeholders and youth.

• Event Documentation – Reports, photos, networking events, and other community-based activities.

Stakeholder Mapping & Expanding Youth Opportunities

• Comprehensive Stakeholder Mapping Report – Identification of key actors supporting youth employment, skills training, and business development in the region.
• Youth Connection Report – Documenting the number of youth successfully linked to training, funding, mentorship, and job opportunities.
• Private Sector & Institutional Partnerships – Summary of collaborations with businesses, educational institutions, and government entities to expand youth employment pathways.

Government Collaboration & School-Based Program Implementation

• Formal Agreements with Regional Education Bureaus & Government Agencies – Documentation of collaboration efforts to integrate the initiative into existing government-led programs.
• School-Based Training Implementation Report – Updates on training delivered within schools, student participation levels, and educator involvement.
• Advocacy & Policy Engagement Report – Recommendations and feedback from discussions with policymakers and stakeholders to enhance youth employment policies.

Program Delivery & Event Coordination

• Training Material Distribution Reports – Confirmation of the delivery and usage of training toolkits, resources, and learning guides.
• Public Lecture & Networking Event Documentation – Reports on the organization and impact of public discussions, career talks, and experience-sharing forums.
• Role Model & Ambassador Selection & Engagement Report – Documenting the nomination, selection, and involvement of role models and ambassadors in the program.

Safeguarding & Compliance Reports

• Safeguarding Risk Assessments & Incident Reports – Ensuring that youth engagement follows Girl Effect’s safeguarding protocols and documenting any potential risks or concerns.
• Training Records on Safeguarding – Reports on safeguarding training delivered to staff, facilitators, and community stakeholders.
• Compliance & Ethical Standards Report – Documentation of adherence to local labor laws, child protection policies, and program ethical guidelines.

Additional Adaptive Deliverables

• Media & Communication Reports – Summaries of media coverage, social media engagement, and radio/TV partnerships for program awareness.
• Creative & Artistic Showcases – Documentation of youth-led creative expressions, exhibitions, and competitions that contribute to mindset shifts.
• Gender & Inclusivity Impact Reports – Measuring how the initiative is promoting gender-inclusive employment and reducing barriers for women and marginalized youth.

Expected Commitment

on-the-ground partners are expected to demonstrate a strong commitment to the successful implementation of the SEE Young People in Ethiopia initiative. Their role requires consistent engagement, adherence to program goals, and proactive collaboration with Girl Effect and other stakeholders. The expected commitment includes the following key areas:

Program Implementation & Delivery

• Fully dedicate the necessary personnel, resources, and expertise to execute program activities in alignment with the SEE Project.
• Ensure that training, community engagement, and youth mentorship are delivered effectively and promptly.
• Maintain high standards of quality and consistency in all program components, including stakeholder engagement, event organization, and training facilitation.

Regional Presence & Local Expertise

• Maintain a strong operational presence in the assigned region (Tigray, Oromia, Amhara, South Ethiopia, Central Ethiopia, and Sidama), including established offices and dedicated teams on the ground.
• Utilize local knowledge and cultural awareness to ensure that program strategies are contextually relevant and effectively implemented.
• Leverage existing relationships with communities, businesses, and government institutions to create meaningful opportunities for youth

Coordination & Reporting

• Participate in regular coordination meetings with Girl Effect, and key stakeholders to ensure alignment with program objectives.
• Provide timely and accurate reporting, including monthly updates, quarterly impact assessments, and final program evaluation reports.
• Ensure that all data collection, progress tracking, and impact measurement efforts are conducted with transparency and accountability.

Stakeholder & Government Engagement

• Actively collaborate with government offices, educational institutions, business associations, and NGOs to strengthen youth employment pathways.
• Foster community buy-in and stakeholder support by engaging local leaders, religious institutions, and business networks.
• Serve as a liaison between Girl Effect and regional stakeholders, ensuring effective communication and coordination.

Adaptive & Responsive Approach

• Be flexible and adaptable to evolving program needs, incorporating feedback and lessons learned to improve implementation.
• Innovate and tailor program approaches to address regional-specific challenges while aligning with the broader objectives of the SEE initiative.
• Demonstrate a proactive problem-solving attitude, working collaboratively to overcome challenges and maximize program impact.

Expected Duration

The initial commitment for this partnership is one year, with the potential for renewal based on performance, funding availability, and program impact. Partner organizations must be prepared for the following:

• Full engagement throughout the project duration (March 2025 – December 2027).
• Active participation in evaluations, learning sessions, and program scaling efforts beyond the initial phase.

Location

The consultant must be based in Ethiopia and have extensive experience in the country. The Assignment will be carried out in Ethiopia within the six targeted regions (Tigray, Oromia, Amhara, Central Ethiopia, Sidama, and South Ethiopia).

Management

The consultant will have a primary point of contact within our Ethiopia Programs team. The language of the materials and reports shall be English. The contract supervisor shall approve all deliverables submitted before any payment is made.

Procurement Timeline

• Terms of Reference Published: February 5, 2025
• Deadline for Questions/Clarifications: February 10, 2025
• Deadline for responses from GE: February 13, 2025
• Deadline for Proposal Submission: February 23, 2025
• Project Commencement: March 15, 2025

Proposal Submission

• Produce a technical proposal that highlights the following key areas (max 10 pages)
  • Brief organizational overview of your organization (Profile/CV/Credentials)
  • Project goal and objectives
  • Strategies to be used
  • List of activities with a clear description of how the activity will roll out, who it targets, number to be reached, number of times the activity will run
  • Output of the suggested activities
  • Monitoring and reporting approach with a clear description of how the suggested activities will be monitored, how data is captured and documented and reporting timelines.
  • Quantitative table that highlights the target as per each suggested activity
• Work plan highlighting timelines of the activities
• Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan (1-page maximum)
• Additional required documents from Applicants:
  • Organization contact details.
  • Contacts of three organizations (national/international) with whom you have worked previously who can be contacted for a reference.
  • Copies of other registration documents
• Breakdown of Costs provided with applicable taxes and other charges clearly identified in ETB. The breakdown of costs per activity with detailed cost breakdown by units and frequency. Refer to this link to fill in the detailed Budget.
  • All applicable taxes should be quoted separately;

Technical and Financial proposals will need to be submitted as separate documents. Financial proposals will not be opened until the conclusion of the technical evaluation and then only for proposals deemed qualified and responsive.

In their technical proposal, the bidder must demonstrate an understanding of the requirements described in the RFP and demonstrate how the bidder will meet the requirements of the evaluation criteria.

GE is not liable for any cost incurred during the award/contract preparation, submission, or negotiation of the award/contract. All submitted documentation and/or materials shall become and remain the property of GE.

VALIDITY of the proposal shall be for 90 days from the date of bid closure.

Who You Are

Applicant organisations are expected to fulfil the following competencies:

• Demonstrate a good understanding of the target community and have current programs/projects in the region and at least in one of the woredas.
• Have existing community relationships (especially presence/relations in target woreda) to engage with the community or leverage other networks.
• Experience working with and supporting young people and adolescent girls and specific knowledge of gender dynamics at individual, household and community levels.
• Experience in running community mobilization projects, especially with women and social affairs and Labour and Skill Offices, working with and for young people both in and out of school and SBCC, Leadership, Entrepreneurship and development related work experience will be an added value.
• Registered as a local NGO with proper regional permits to undertake projects in the woredas mentioned.

Local Implementing Partner Competencies

Applicant organizations are expected to fulfil the following competencies:

• Demonstrate an understanding of Child Protection, Safeguarding and ethical issues in research.
• Have existing community relationships in the regions outlined above and the ability to engage with the community or leverage other networks.
• Experience working with and supporting young people, and particularly adolescent girls, and specific knowledge of gender dynamics at individual, household and community levels.
• Experience conducting research and expertise working with young people/adolescent girls, preferably in the target districts.
• Experience in, and a good understanding of, recruiting respondents for research.
• Experience in fieldwork supervision.
• Ability to report and respond to comments and questions promptly and appropriately.
• Good technology infrastructure (use of email, fast internet connection/wi-fi that ideally allows video conference for meetings and training and laptops that can be updated to the latest version of Chrome).
• Good digital skills (be familiar with web browsers and have some experience with using Android apps).

Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Evaluation Criteria

Weighting

(Total 100)

Experience working with local communities

10

Organisational Capacities and Reputation

10

Organisational strengths

10

Recruitment

5

Safety

10

Trainer training

5

Locations and geographical footprint

5

Relevant experience working with adolescent girls

5

Technology and digital competency of the organisation

5

Technical Approach

10

Risk and mitigating measures

5

Value for money

20

Experience working with local communities

• Does the organisation have a proven track record in working with communities and implementing community projects, preferably in the target woredas mentioned in the RFP?
• Does the organisation have existing community relationships, and do they have the ability to engage with the community or leverage other networks?
• Does the organisation have experience in youth-focused initiatives and entrepreneurial projects?

Organisational capacities

• How strong are the organisation’s capacities in relation to the local implementing partner competencies highlighted in the RFP?

Organisational strengths

• How do the competencies underscored by the organisation strengthen the work that we want to deliver?
• What does the qualifications and experience of team members look like?
• Does the organisation have a dependable Organizational Framework?

Recruitment

• Does the organisation have experience in and/or show a good understanding of implementing a community mobilisation, including working with community leaders, key influencers and young people as part of the process?
• Does the organisation have a clear plan of how it will manage the work activities?

Safety

• Does the organisation have a proven track record in designing, managing and implementing responsive, young people and girl-friendly, and state-of-the-art safeguarding processes in the locations they operate in?

Trainer training

• Does the organisation have previous experience undergoing trainer training and, in turn, training locally recruited team members?

Locations and geographical footprints

• Does the organisation have a presence in the region applied for and some of the target woredas indicated in the RFP?
• Is there any indication that the organisation faces any significant barriers that impinge on its physical accessibility?
• Does the organisation have experience of fieldwork supervision in the target locations or locations suggested by them?

Relevant experience working with adolescent girls

• Does the organisation have a proven track record in working with adolescent girls and implementing projects on adolescent girls?

Technology and digital competency of the organisation

• Does the organisation have good technology infrastructure (use of email, fast internet connection, wi-fi that ideally allows video conferencing for meetings and training and laptops that can be updated to the latest version of Chrome)?

Technical Approach

• Feasibility and clarity of the methodology.
• Demonstrated understanding of the assignment objectives.
• Are the timeline and work plan realistic and suggest both understanding and capacity to deliver against what is required?

Risk and Mitigating measures

• Is the proposed risk matrix comprehensive and demonstrates an understanding of critical challenges/ limitations with mitigation provided?

Value for Money

• Does the financial proposal demonstrate an ability to complete all required work within the given budget with an appropriate timeline?

Questions/Clarifications

If you have any questions about this RFP, please email [email protected] by February 10, 2025. All questions will be answered and shared with all agencies that have received the RFP for fairness.

Regional Application Requirement

Organizations can apply for specific regions where they have a strong operational presence, established networks, and proven expertise. The eligible regions for implementation are:

• Tigray
• Oromia
• Amhara
• South Ethiopia
• Central Ethiopia
• Sidama

Applicants should clearly specify the region they are applying for in their proposal and demonstrate their capacity, local expertise, and stakeholder relationships in that specific area.

Copyright

All materials/documents arising from this consultancy work shall remain the property of Girl Effect.

Equal Opportunities

Girl Effect is committed to equal opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity, or expression. We are proud to be an equal-opportunity workplace.

We are committed to building an organization that is truly representative of the communities that we serve. To this end, due regard will be paid to procuring consultancy services of organizations and individuals with a deep understanding and experience of our programming markets and diverse professional, academic and cultural backgrounds.

Safeguarding

You may be required to undertake safeguarding checks. Shortlisted consultants will be assessed on our organizational values at the interview stage. The successful consultant will be expected to adhere to our safeguarding policy. We encourage you to read and understand our safeguarding policy, the executive summary of which can be found here. We have zero tolerance for all forms of violence against children, beneficiaries and staff.

Tax

Girl Effect Ethiopia is obliged by the Ethiopian tax authorities to ensure all taxes are charged where applicable. Applicants are advised to ensure that they have a clear understanding of their tax position regarding provisions to Ethiopian tax legislation when developing their proposals.

Disclaimer

GE reserves the right to determine the structure of the process, the number of short-listed participants, the right to withdraw from the proposal process, the right to change this timetable at any time without notice and reserves the right to withdraw this tender at any time, without prior notice and without liability to compensate and/or reimburse any party. GE shall inform the ONLY successful applicant(s). The process of negotiation and signing of the contract with the successful applicant(s) will follow.

Please note: We will evaluate only proposals submitted following the application process outlined in the TOR and using our specified email address ([email protected]).

How to apply

To apply for this opportunity, Please submit proposals to [email protected] by February 23, 2025. Please clearly mark your email with the subject ‘Local Implementing Partners- Ethiopia ’‘. Please also include the region you’re applying for in the email header.