Public Tender no. 83494012 | Business Development & Accessibility Support Services to MSMEs in Lebanon | EPL: 23.2090.1-001.002

1.Context 

Since 2019, Lebanon has been facing a severe financial, economic, political, and monetary crisis resulting in high unemployment rates, especially among youth, women and people with disabilities. At the same time, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), which form the backbone of the Lebanese economy, face existential threats due to damages to their premises, financial shortages, and operational bottlenecks, all of which threaten jobs for their employees. On the other hand, despite high unemployment rates, companies struggle to fill vacancies. This is often due to a lack of qualified workers or problems in effectively articulating hiring requirements and attracting suitable candidates.

To address these pressing economic and social challenges, particularly those faced by youth, especially women and PWD, and public and private employment promotion actors.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) has implemented and completed its initial initiative Employment Promotion Project Lebanon I (EPL I) in September 2024. Following this, it launched a follow-on project EPL II in October 2024 and will run until August 2027. The EPLI and EPLII are commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

Objective: Young adults, women, and people with disabilities are better positioned in the Lebanese labour market through support from employment promotion actors.

Approach:

To create better conditions in the Lebanese labour market, the project:

• Works to improve cooperation between Lebanese employment promotion actors, enabling more effective coordination of integrated, demand-oriented, and gender-responsive services.
• Improves coherence between labour supply and demand through targeted qualification measures, enhancing technical and transversal skills to boost the employability of youth, women and people with disabilities.
• Supports MSMEs in attracting and retaining staff to enhance the competitiveness of MSMEs and improve their ability to maintain or create jobs amidst Lebanon’s crises.

Within the scope of the EPL II support to the Lebanese MSMEs, the project is planning to target 50 MSMEs in the F&B sector in Lebanon. This intervention focuses on the F&B sector, which holds significant potential for job creation, local value addition, and export growth in the Lebanese economy. The objective is to support these 50 MSMEs in enhancing their access to financing and adopting more inclusive employment practices for persons with disabilities. Through tailored business development services, such as diagnostics, feasibility study training, business planning, and loan application support, F&B MSMEs will be equipped to grow sustainably and competitively. In parallel, workplace accessibility and HR policy audits will promote disability-inclusive practices within the sector.

2. Tasks to be performed by the contractor 

Scope of Work

The contractor shall be responsible for the end-to-end implementation of a comprehensive package of activities aimed at improving the business performance, access to finance, and inclusivity of 50 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Food and Beverage (F&B) sector in Lebanon. The scope includes design, implementation, monitoring, and documentation of all activities, in coordination with the EPL II project team.

The contractor is responsible for providing the following services:

Outreach and Selection of MSMEs

• Design a strategic outreach and communication plan targeting diverse MSMEs country wide in urban and rural areas of Lebanon, ensuring gender and geographic balance as well as inclusion of marginalized groups. The outreach target is at least 100 MSMEs.
• Engage with key stakeholders including local business networks, the Restaurants Syndicate, Chambers of Commerce, municipalities, and development actors to amplify reach and credibility.
• Co-develop transparent and objective selection criteria in coordination with the EPL II team, taking into account contextual constraints and sector-specific needs.
• Implement a robust selection process that includes:
  • Customized application forms and multilingual information packages.
  • Virtual and in-person information sessions.
  • Screening interviews with active participation from the EPL II project.
• Document the full process in an outreach and selection report detailing the strategy, selection methodology, outreach performance (e.g., gender disaggregated data), and final list of selected MSMEs with rationale.

Business Diagnostics and Needs Assessments

• Develop a contextualized business diagnostic tool tailored to the Lebanese MSME landscape, emphasizing access to external finance as a core analytical dimension.
• Conduct comprehensive business assessments for all 50 MSMEs, with an average of 1 day per MSME. The needs assessment for each MSME should be conducted through a minimum of two sessions, with at least one held in person. The assessment should include an analysis of business operations, financial health, market positioning, and management practices.
• Produce a detailed, MSME specific needs assessment report highlighting constraints, financing readiness, and priority areas for capacity development.

Training on Access to Finance, Feasibility Studies, and Business Planning

• Design a modular training program grounded in the diagnostic results and tailored to the F&B sector's realities.
  • Modules include finance fundamentals, external financing instruments, feasibility analysis, and strategic business planning.
• Develop culturally and contextually appropriate training materials, including slides, templates, case studies, and practical exercises, in English, with the flexibility to deliver training in Arabic or provide translation support, depending on the specific needs of the MSMEs. The training is expected to follow internationally recognized business planning training frameworks and methodologies e.g. Business Model Canvas (BMC)1 Lean Startup Methodology 2 or ILO's Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB)3.
• Deliver a dynamic 3-day in-person training workshop for 50 MSME representatives, grounded in participatory and experiential learning methodologies. The participants will be divided into three training cycles, each comprising 15 to 17 MSMEs, to ensure focused engagement and practical, hands-on learning.
• Distribute the 50 MSMEs into three separate training cycles based on the outcomes of the needs assessment, taking into account each MSME’s background, geographical location, and other relevant criteria. The grouping process will be conducted in close coordination with the EPL II project to ensure alignment with project objectives and contextual relevance.
• Implement training evaluation tools including pre/post-tests, reflection sessions, and feedback forms to assess knowledge acquisition and satisfaction for all training participants.

Individualized Business Planning Coaching

• Offer structured one-on-one coaching sessions for each MSME, with an average of 1.5 days allocated per MSME. Coaching should be delivered in phases during working days, based on the specific needs of each MSME. The methodology and content should be tailored to diagnostic findings and training outputs, and aligned with international MSME support standards, such as the SME Loop methodology 4
• Support MSMEs in drafting/refining full business plans covering:
  • Vision and goals, market analysis, operations, risk mitigation, and financial projections.
• Ensure each MSME receives a finalized, ready business plan, suitable for both strategic use and financing applications.

Advanced Support for External Financing Applications

• Select up to 25 MSMEs for tailored financing support, based on transparent criteria (e.g., growth potential, financial maturity, and readiness) jointly agreed with EPL II.
• Map and match financing options, including commercial banks, microfinance institutions, and donor/grant mechanisms.
• Provide end-to-end support in funding application processes for an average of a 0.5 day per MSME, including:
  • Refinement of business and financial documents.
  • Completion of application forms and supporting documentation.
  • Follow-up guidance and feedback for re-submissions if applicable.
• Organize a networking event that brings together the 25 MSMEs with representatives from microfinance institutions, investors, and banks. The event will serve as a platform for financiers to present their financial products and services, and to establish direct connections with the MSMEs.

Persons with disabilities Inclusion Awareness-Raising Sessions

• Design and deliver a 1-day tailored awareness session for 50 participants, including MSME owners, HR personnel, and key staff. The MSMEs should be divided into three groups of approximately 16–17 MSMEs each. The session should introduce:
  • Core principles of disability inclusion.
  • Economic and social benefits of inclusive employment.
  • Overview of legal obligations and compliance frameworks in Lebanon.
• Facilitate interactive, dialogue-based learning, incorporating testimonials, multimedia materials, and case studies from Lebanese or regional MSMEs.
• Distribute an information kit including guidelines, self-assessment tools, and resources for continued learning and application.

Workplace Accessibility and HR Inclusivity Audits

• Conduct standardized 1-day on-site accessibility and inclusivity audits for all 50 MSMEs, covering:
  • Physical accessibility (e.g., entryways, restrooms, signage, workstations).
  • Organizational inclusivity (e.g., hiring practices, internal communication, HR policies).
• Utilize a standardized checklist aligned with Lebanese legal frameworks and United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)5. 
• Prepare MSME-specific audit reports, offering actionable and cost-effective recommendations for physical improvements and inclusive HR policy revisions.

Cross-Cutting Requirements

• Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E): The contractor must design and apply M&E tools to capture quantitative and qualitative progress across all workstreams.
• Coordination with EPL II: Regular check-ins, validation points, and progress updates are required, with structured bi-weekly meetings and milestone reviews.
• Reporting: All interventions must be documented through narrative and data-rich reports. Templates to be validated with EPL II.

[1] The Business Model Canvas is a strategic management and entrepreneurial tool. It allows you to describe, design, challenge, invent, and pivot your business model. This method from the bestselling management book Business Model Generation is applied in leading organizations and start-ups worldwide. Click here for more information

[2] The Lean Startup provides a scientific approach to creating and managing startups and get a desired product to customers' hands faster. The Lean Startup method teaches you how to drive a startup-how to steer, when to turn, and when to persevere-and grow a business with maximum acceleration. It is a principled approach to new product development. Click here for more information

[3] The SIYB core programme is structured into four separate training packages which are designed to respond to the progressive stages of business development. These include Generate Your Business Idea (GYB), Start Your Business (SYB), Improve Your Business (IYB) and Expand Your Business (EYB). Click here for more information

[4] https://sme-loop.com/ressources/#sme-loop-standard-documents-english [SME Loop Standard Documents (English)]

[5] https://social.desa.un.org/issues/disability/crpd/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-crpd

Deliverables:

• Implementation plan: A detailed work plan outlining the methodology, timeline, tools, and resources to be used in the execution of all activities, submitted within the first two weeks of contract signing.
• Outreach and Selection Results report: A documented list of all MSMEs reached through outreach efforts, including basic profiles (sector, location, ownership structure), and a description of the outreach strategy used. A final list of 50 MSMEs selected for participation, including justification for selection based on pre-agreed criteria.
• 50 Business Diagnostic Assessment Reports: Individual assessment reports for each selected MSME, outlining key business challenges, capacity gaps, and recommendations for business development. The report may be replaced either by a confirmation letter from the MSME or by the plan with confidential data redacted.
• 50 Workplace Accessibility and HR Audit Reports: Individualized reports providing analysis of accessibility and inclusion gaps in each MSME, with tailored and feasible adaptation recommendations. The report may be replaced either by a confirmation letter from the MSME or by the plan with confidential data redacted.
• Training Curriculum and Materials: A context-specific training curriculum for feasibility studies and business planning, including session outlines, facilitator guides, presentation slides, exercises, and handouts.
• 50 business plans: Finalized business plans developed or revised for each MSME through one-on-one coaching, aligned with good practice standards for internal planning and external financing. The business plan may be replaced either by a confirmation letter from the MSME or by the plan with confidential data redacted.
• 25 Financing Application Dossiers: Complete application packages for 25 MSMEs, including supporting documentation (refined business plans, financial statements, and completed application forms) ready for submission to financial institutions or relevant funding sources. The dossier may be replaced either by a confirmation letter from the MSME or by the dossier with confidential data redacted.
• Final Project Report: A comprehensive narrative and financial report summarizing all activities, lessons learned, challenges encountered, and recommendations for future support to MSMEs in the F&B sector.

Personal Concept:

The tenderer is required to provide personnel who are suited to filling the positions described, on the basis of their CVs, the range of tasks involved and the required qualifications.

Team Leader - 25 days

Key Expert 1 - Business Development Services (BDS) Consultant - 30 days

Key Expert 2 - Disability-Inclusive HR Specialist - 58 days

Key Expert 3 - Business Planning Trainer - 15 days

Key Expert 4 - Business Coach - 75 days

Key Expert 5 - Financial Analyst - 53 days 

Key Expert 6 - Outreach Specialist - 50 days

Key Expert 7 - Curriculum Developer - 7 days 

3 Workshops - Access to external financing training 

3 Workshops - Inclusion awareness session

1 MSMEs and financers networking event