Entrepreneurship support structures-Maghroum’IN project Retour vers les opportunités

Section 1: The Maghroum’IN project

1.1 General context

The project “Participation and inclusion of young Tunisians through creation, access to culture and sport at local level” or Maghroum’IN is component 2 of the EU4Youth programme of the European Union in Tunisia under an agreement with the Tunisian government.

Within the framework of EU4Youth, the Maghroum’IN component aims to strengthen the inclusion and participation of young Tunisians (especially in vulnerable situations) in public life through creativity, culture and sport, while taking into account the different forms of exclusion.

Maghroum’IN is implemented by AECID (Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation), FIIAPP (International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies) and the British Council, in partnership with the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

The Maghroum’IN project started in January 2022 and will last approximately 5 years. It has a budget of 15.46 million euros.

1.2 Objectives of Maghroum’IN

The project devotes a significant portion of its budget to granting subsidies to actors and actions on the ground. Maghroum’IN’s grant funds aim to meet the needs of state and non-state actors (civil society and the private sector) who work towards the inclusion and participation of young Tunisians in public life through creativity, culture and sport.

This funding is complemented by support, technical assistance and coaching activities aimed at helping (before, during and after the projects) the selected actors and maximizing their impact on young people.

Maghroum’IN, in accordance with the objectives of the EU4Youth programme, attaches particular importance to taking into account the different situations of vulnerability, including in particular:

• Socio-economic vulnerabilities
• Physical vulnerabilities: disability limiting access
• Vulnerabilities linked to geographical isolation
• Psychological vulnerabilities
• Information vulnerabilities, including limited participation in the media
• Gender-related vulnerabilities

Section 2: Purpose of the mission

Maghroum’IN’s Axis 3 aims to increase opportunities for economic inclusion of young people in vulnerable situations (JSV), in the sports and culture sectors.

The intervention of the Maghroum’IN project on this Axis 3 will be done on two components:

• Component 3.1: incubation of new entrepreneurial projects led by young people in the economic sectors of culture and sport.
• Component 3.2: acceleration and revival of existing structures with potential for creating or maintaining jobs for JSV.

The identification of beneficiaries of this Axis 3 (young entrepreneurs and established companies) will be led by the Maghroum’IN project team through a national call for applications. Financial support in the form of grants will be directly administered by Maghroum’IN through contracts with the beneficiary companies.

To achieve the objectives of this Axis, Maghroum’IN is looking for Tunisian entrepreneurship support structures capable of supporting the identification of beneficiaries and ensuring personalized and local technical support for both beneficiary profiles (young entrepreneurs and established companies).

Section 3: Roles and Responsibilities, Deliverables

For component 3.1 (new entrepreneurial projects), the aim is to administer a comprehensive incubation program that will result in the creation of new businesses by the beneficiaries.

1. Support for the selection of beneficiaries: contribute to the selection of young entrepreneurs, particularly in vulnerable situations, who demonstrate high potential to launch projects in the targeted sectors (sports and culture).
2. Training and mentoring: Administration of intensive training sessions covering specific themes in entrepreneurship. This program will also include personalized mentoring by experts in the sector.
3. Project development: Support for young entrepreneurs in structuring their projects, writing business plans and conducting market studies, and launching their businesses.
4. Access to financing: Assistance in developing financing application files and connecting with investors. Planning and supporting the use of the grant provided by Maghroum’IN.
5. Networking: Organization of events and meetings with key players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem in order to create networking and partnership opportunities.

Deliverables:

1. Detailed incubation program with calendar of activities and support methodology.
2. List and profiles of selected beneficiaries.
3. Interim and final monitoring reports for each beneficiary with assessment of progress made.
4. Final business plans validated for each project.
5. List of newly established businesses.
6. List of partners and investors approached.
7. Final evaluation report of the incubation program with recommendations for future actions.

For component 3.2, the aim is to provide an acceleration program (for the creation of new jobs) or a recovery program (for the safeguarding of threatened jobs) for existing sports and cultural companies.

1. Support for the selection of beneficiaries: contribute to the selection of existing sports and cultural businesses in need of recovery or acceleration, and which demonstrate high potential to create or preserve jobs for young people, particularly young people in vulnerable situations.
2. Initial diagnosis: Carry out an in-depth diagnosis of existing businesses to identify specific needs in terms of recovery or acceleration.
3. Personalized intervention plan: Development of a customized intervention plan for each business, including actions to strengthen capacities, improve operational performance and diversify sources of income.
4. Training and support: Organization of specific training and mentoring
5. Monitoring and evaluation: Regular monitoring of the implementation of the intervention plan and evaluation of short- and medium-term impacts.
6. Facilitation of partnerships: Establishment of strategic partnerships with financial institutions, incubators, and public or private actors to support the growth of businesses in the long term

Deliverables:

1. Initial diagnostic reports for each beneficiary company.
2. Personalized intervention plans with clear objectives and performance indicators.
3. Training and mentoring reports with assessments of the skills acquired by the beneficiaries.
4. Regular monitoring reports and interim evaluations.
5. List of partnerships and collaborations established.
6. Final evaluation report of the acceleration or recovery program with analysis of the results obtained and recommendations for the sustainability of the actions.

Section 3 : Lots

This call for tenders provides for a geographical approach according to the division of Tunisia into 5 districts:

– LOT 1 /first district includes the governorates of Bizerte, Béja, Jendouba and Le Kef.

– LOT 2/second district includes the governorates of Ariana, Ben Arous, Manouba, Nabeul, Tunis and Zaghouan.

– LOT 3/third district includes the governorates of Kairouan, Kasserine, Mahdia, Monastir, Sousse and Siliana.

– LOT 4/fourth district includes the governorates of Gafsa, Sfax, Sidi Bouzid and Tozeur.

– LOT 5/fifth district includes the governorates of Kébili, Médenine, Gabès and Tataouine.

3.1 Pre-contracting arrangements:

Maghroum’IN seeks to cover all districts with an operator and each of these districts therefore represents a lot within the framework of this call for tenders. bidder structures are invited to position themselves in the various lots according to their capacity and strategy.

Important: The total number of entrepreneurs who will benefit from this program (incubation and acceleration) is expected to reach at least 50. However, the number of entrepreneurs to be supported in each district is not known at this stage. It will depend on the number of beneficiaries selected following the call for applications. Framework contracts will be signed with the structures to allow for invoicing proportional to the real number of entrepreneurs and companies supported.

A maximum of 5 support structures will be chosen as part of this call for tenders. Maghroum’IN reserves the right to merge or redefine the lots/districts according to the number of applications received and the capacities of the support structures and logistical efficiency. In case any of the lots has no returns or returns which do not meet the minimum acceptable quality as per the evaluation, the British Council reserves the right to request the neighboring district’s selected provider -the most efficient in terms of logistics and capacity- to express their willingness to cover the mentioned district by sharing their methodology on how to handle the additional district.

3.2 Post contracting arrangements

The following cases are envisaged post contracting:

Section 4: Communication and Responsibilities

The support structures will report to those responsible for axis 3 as well as to the Monitoring, Evaluation and Communication departments of the Maghroum’IN project.

Section 5: Qualifications and skills required

1. Experience and Expertise

– Experience in incubation and acceleration: Documented history of incubating new entrepreneurial projects and/or accelerating existing structures. bidders must provide verifiable examples and references of similar programs that they have successfully conducted.

– Project management skills: Ability to administer and coordinate complex projects, including planning, monitoring, and evaluating activities and results.

– Sector expertise: In-depth knowledge or ability to mobilize expertise in the sports and culture sectors, with demonstrated experience in supporting entrepreneurial projects or companies in these sectors.

2. Technical skills

– Selection support: Proven skills in selecting beneficiaries, with clear criteria and rigorous methodology.

– Training and mentoring: Ability to provide specific and intensive training in entrepreneurship, including modules covering economic, financial, legal and project management aspects. Ability to provide personalized mentoring by industry experts.

– Entrepreneurial project development: Expertise in supporting entrepreneurs in structuring projects, writing business plans and conducting market studies.

– Access to financing: Ability to develop or support the development of financing application files and connect beneficiaries with investors and other sources of financing.

– Networking: Ability to organize networking events and connect entrepreneurs with key players in their ecosystem.

3. Diagnostic and planning skills

– Initial diagnosis: Ability to carry out in-depth diagnostics of existing businesses, identifying their specific needs in terms of recovery or acceleration.

– Personalized intervention plan: Skills to develop tailor-made intervention plans for each business, including actions to strengthen capacities, improve operational performance and diversify sources of income.

4. Advanced training skills

– Specific training in advanced management: Demonstrated ability to organize training at all levels (introductory to expert level) on relevant topics

– Monitoring and evaluation: Ability to ensure regular monitoring and rigorous evaluation of the short and medium term impacts of interventions.

5. Partnerships and collaboration

– Partnership facilitation: Skills to establish and manage strategic partnerships with financial institutions, other incubators, and public or private actors necessary to support business growth.

6. Team qualifications

– Quality of trainers and mentors: Commitment of highly qualified coordinators, trainers and mentors, with relevant experience in the sports and culture sectors.

– Qualified project team: Presence of professionals with diversified skills, including project managers, entrepreneurship experts, financial advisors, and project development specialists.

7. Capacity to produce expected documentation and deliverables

– bidders structures must demonstrate their capacity to produce the expected deliverables as defined for the two components (incubation and acceleration). This includes, among other things, detailed incubation programs, initial diagnostic reports, personalized intervention plans, interim and final monitoring reports, validated business plans, and lists of partners and investors solicited.

Each bidder structure must also detail its address and intervention capacity according to the defined geographical districts, and position itself on these districts in order of preference.

Section 5: Contract Duration and Working Conditions

The mission will begin in October 2024.

The framework contracts will include clauses allowing certain activities to be redistributed between the structures in the event of overload or withdrawal, and in particular to readjust resources according to the actual number of beneficiaries.

Annex 5 – Terms of Reference