INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT

CONSULTANCY ON SUPPORT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF START-UPS IN AFRICA
AU SME DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
2017-2021
Reference No. AUC/TID/037/2017

I. BACKGROUND

The Agenda 2063 Solemn Declaration requests AU Member States to promote social dialogue, sectorial and regional productivity plans and commodity value chains to support the implementation of industrial policies at all levels. As a result, the African Union (AU) has developed a Strategy and Master Plan 2017-2021 to promote entrepreneurship and industrial development on the continent. The AU SMEs Strategy and Master Plan 2017-2021 on SMEs Promotion and Development are designed to unleash the potential of small and medium-sized enterprises and industries (SME/Is) as well as microenterprises (informal sector) and entrepreneurs to create employment and promote intra-regional and intra-African trade by integrating African SME/Is and MSMEs into regional and global value chains. The Strategy’s vision is to develop competitive, diversified and sustainable economies underpinned by dynamic, entrepreneurial and industrial sectors that generate employment, reduce poverty and foster social inclusion.
The pillars below have been identified as building blocks of the Strategy and the Master Plan:
- Pillar 1: Create an Enabling Business Environment and Ensure Energy Access and Infrastructure;
- Pillar 2: Facilitate innovation and technology and Promote Start-Ups, Knowledge-Based Sectors and Growth Enterprises;
- Pillar 3: Promote Access to Innovative Financing;
- Pillar 4: Ensure Access to Markets, Export Competitiveness and Regional Integration;
- Pillar 5: Promote Business Development Services and Institutional Capacity Building;
- Pillar 6: Promote Learning Practices and Knowledge Management;
- Pillar 7: Promote Inclusive Entrepreneurship (Youth, Women) and Livelihoods Development (Refugees and Internal Displace Persons).

As part of the implementation of the said program and within the context of the celebration of the African Union theme for 2017 on Youth Dividend, the Department of Trade and Industry has planned to tackle the issue of youth job creation through start-ups development.
Indeed, in a rapidly changing global economy, start-ups are increasingly becoming a force in enhancing national and county economic growth, especially in employment and wealth creation. In many competitive economies, start-ups incubation and support is among the tools that have been used successfully in stimulating the development of high-growth entrepreneurs and their start-up businesses, by drastically reducing the early stage failure rate of these small businesses. Business support and information dissemination helps to develop growth-oriented companies through support mechanisms that enable them to establish, develop and grow their businesses to become sustainable entities. They can be defined as places where entrepreneurs receive value-added support and access to critical tools, information, education, contacts, capital, and other resources that may otherwise be unaffordable, inaccessible, or unknown to the supported entrepreneurs.

Cultivating business ideas among the youths and women at an early stage holds the key to lifting the country’s economy to a higher pedestal, and could provide a solution to the ever rising cases of unemployment currently standing at 70 per cent among the youth. Centers for nurturing entrepreneurial ideas plays instrumental roles in helping the country break the unemployment stalemate.

Business incubation addresses many of the gaps that have been identified in start-ups support activities. These gaps include increasing the capabilities of the entrepreneur in terms of soft skills, technical skills and business skills, business counselling, access to affordable services and facilities, access to SME finance, venture capitalist, investors, better linkages with both the academic community and industry, and quicker commercialization of innovations.

II. OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY

The purpose of this consultancy service is to develop policy brief for an in depth understanding of the various issues, challenges and opportunities for start-ups and youth job creation in Africa.
This policy brief will review key policies analysis, similar studies on the benefits and advantages, issues of Start-ups and provide the political impetus for supporting Start-ups Development in Africa from continental, regional and country level perspectives.

III. SCOPE OF WORK

Working under the general direction of the AUC DTI, under the supervision of the Industry Division, the consultant will report directly to the Designated Staff of the Industry Division. The consultant will research a number of recent studies on Start-Ups and Tech Hub in Africa and other relevant sources. He / she will expand the existing mechanism, tools and best practices to increase the effectiveness of start-ups and technology Centers in Africa. The report will then be a policy document aimed at strengthening the institutional and operational capacity of the African Union, Regional Economic Communities and African countries to effectively implement start-ups development programs.

IV. KEY DELIVERABLES
It is expected that the Consultant will produce the report over a period of 45 working days. The tasks include (but not necessarily limited to):
1. Consultation and information gathering

 Desk Review of start-ups and tech-hubs development policies as well as other relevant documents, to analyse identified challenges and gaps, recommendations and Problems identified in Africa at continental, regional and countries levels;
 Amplify recurring themes, gaps and best practices, and translate them into a policy document, including recommendations for governments and stakeholders;
 Desk review of Start-ups ecosystem and related private sector.

2. Support to the Start-ups Event

• Produce and submit a draft activity report and power point presentation.
• Serve as resources person (technical validation of the agenda, meeting facilitation and finalization of the meeting report) for organizing the AU Start-ups Event to be organized by DTI before October 2017.

V.QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE
The Consultant would be selected based on the following minimum educational and experience criteria:
a) Education
 Master Degree in Economics, Business Administration or related area. A PhD is an asset
b) Experience

 10 years’ experience in the area of economic and/or industrial development in multi-lateral, international donors/agencies and/or governmental organizations;
 10 years in SME Development programs or policies
 8 years professional experience in programs/ projects evaluation and Review and Producing high quality analytical reports and policy papers;
 Be fluent in written English and French;
Familiarity with the African Union and Regional Economic Communities trade and industrial development policies is an asset

VI) DURATION OF CONSULTANCY
The duration of the Consultancy is 45 working days
The African Union Commission now invites eligible Individual Consultants to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested candidate must provide information demonstrating that he/she has the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.
Consulting firms may propose individual consultant, but only the experience and qualifications of individual shall be used in the selection process, and that his or her corporate experience shall not be taken into account, and the contract would be signed with the proposed individual.
VIII. EVALUATION CRITERIA
For evaluation of the expressions of interest the following criteria will be applied:
a) General Education Qualification and Relevant Training (20 points);
b) Experience Related to the Assignment (25 points);
c) Technical approach and methodology (40 points)
d) Work plan (10 points)
e) Language (5 points);

Interested candidates are requested to submit the following documents for AUC’s consideration:
a) Technical Proposal not exceeding 8 pages on:
• understanding and interpretation of the TOR
• methodology to be used in undertaking the assignment
• time and activity schedule
b) Financial proposal not exceeding 1 page
• Consultant’s daily rate in US$
• Other costs e.g. travel
• Total cost
c) Personal Capacity Statement
• Relevant experience related to the assignment (include samples of two most recent similar works and/or references for the same)
• Contacts of at least 3 organizations previously worked for
• Curriculum Vitae of the Consultant (s)

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 8:00-13:00hrs and 14:00-17:00 hours Local Time.
RESPONSE TO THE CALL
Proposal must be delivered in a written form to the address below not later than 1500 hours local time, August 8, 2017.
African Union Commission,
Head of Procurement Travel and Store Division
P.O. Box 3243, Roosevelt Street Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tel: +251 (0) 11 551 7700 – Ext 4305, Fax: +251 11-551-7844
E-mail: tender@africa-union.org