Request for hiring a trainer to Empower Women Entrepreneurs...

1. Background 

Asala is a leading Palestinian business association established in 1997 and specialized in supporting women micro-entrepreneurs to be successful by breaking down social and financial barriers through business training, capacity building, marketing, and advocacy and lobbying. Asala aims to provide Palestinian women with the necessary skills and opportunities to successfully contribute to the advancement of their society on the basis of equal rights and access to resources and markets. 

Asala provides comprehensive and needs-based services to women entrepreneurs in the West Bank and Gaza Strip along three strategic tracks, namely: 

• Advocacy and lobbying for women’s economic and social rights. 

• Capacity building for women entrepreneurs. 

• Facilitating access to local, regional, and global markets for women entrepreneurs. 

2. Purpose of the consultancy

In today’s fast-changing business environment, digitalization is a powerful force transforming industries and redefining traditional business practices. As MSMEs, especially those led by women, face the challenges of this digital age, there is a growing need to equip entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge to succeed. The purpose of this consultancy is to empower 40 women-led Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) through specialized AI training. This project aims to introduce AI concepts to these entrepreneurs, focusing on both foundational knowledge and practical exercises. The training will enable participants to integrate AI tools into various aspects of their businesses, improving operations, resource management, and customer engagement. Through interactive discussions, practical exercises, and real-world case studies, this consultancy will guide these women in optimizing their business processes. Additionally, the project will introduce Hackathons as advocacy platforms, helping participants develop strategies to promote gender equality and inclusive economic growth. Ultimately, this project aims to foster innovation, competitiveness, and resilience within the Asala community, contributing to broader socio-economic development.

3. Methodology and Scope of Work 

The consultant is expected to support Asala in organizing and conducting three  training sessions 20 training hours per session, in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to empower women Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) with comprehensive Artificial Intelligence (AI) knowledge and practical skills, enabling them to harness AI capabilities effectively for business growth, innovation, and competitiveness in the digital economy. Under the supervision and in close co-operation with Asala the training specialist will implement the following tasks: 

• Creation of the methodology and development of training material for the training for approval by Asala and provide pre and post training evaluation surveys and a final report.

1. Introduction to AI Training Sessions: 

• Conduct comprehensive training sessions covering fundamental AI concepts, technologies, and applications relevant to Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs). 
• Facilitate interactive discussions and practical exercises to demystify AI terminology and deepen participants' understanding of AI's potential impact on business operations. 

2. Ethics of AI Workshop:

• Organize workshops to explore the ethical considerations and societal implications associated with AI adoption in MSMEs. 
• Provide insights into ethical frameworks, data privacy, and responsible AI practices to guide participants in making informed decisions regarding AI integration into their businesses. 

3. Real-world Case Studies and Success Stories:

• Showcase real-world case studies and success stories highlighting how AI is being effectively utilized by MSMEs globally. 
• Inspire participants by demonstrating diverse applications of AI across various industries and business functions, illustrating its potential to drive innovation and business growth. 

4. Introduction to Hackathons and Advocacy:

• Introduce participants to the concept of Hackathons as platforms for advocating for women's economic rights. 
• Provide guidance on how to utilize Hackathons to advocate for gender equality, women's empowerment, and inclusive economic development within the MSME sector.. The trainer shall share evidence based and relevant information that is culturally appropriate (language, religiously sensitive, etc.) and fits to the circumstances in Palestine. 
• Drafting and finalizing the methodology and training/workshop schedule and submission to Asala for final approval. 
• Conduct three training sessions for four days (20 hours) per session. 

4. Characteristics of the consultancy 

 Type of consultancy: 

Individual / Group Consultancy 

Duration: 

4 days (20 training hours) 

Place of work: 

Palestine, Ramallah  

Qualifications: 

The Consultant should have high technical and/or academic qualifications and extensive experience in Artificial Intelligence (AI). 

General Work Experience 

At least five (5) years of professional working experience in teaching and training in financial literacy and FinTech. 

Specific Work Experience: 

The consultant must provide at least two (2) contactable references of similar work done within the past five (5) years.  

Arabic is required, English a plus. 

Experience working on a similar project is an asset. 

5. Deliverables 

The following will be the expected deliverables of the consultancy: 

• Work plan for developing the training/workshops, including strategy and proposed methodologies.  

• Comprehensive report on challenges, recommendations, lessons learnt and next steps for the participants to ensure their success as multipliers. 
• Archiving agenda, presentation materials, other documents produced, participants’ lists 

6. Duration and time frame 

The trainings/workshops shall be expected to be completed within a twelve-day period in Four working days (20 hours) per session. 

Four (4) days after signing of the contract the trainer will have to provide to Asala the inception report that will articulate the overall requirements of the ToR including proposed methodology, work plan with clear timelines. 

7. Requirements 

• A summarized description of the scope of work and the intended methodology to be used as well as a tentative work plan including activities and timeframes.  

• An example of similar pieces of work completed recently.  

• For companies:  Registration certificate, source of deduction and tax invoice. 

• Freelancer: Copy of ID   

• For Both: CVs of the team who will implement the assignment and examples of previous similar projects, and policy papers (attach written policy papers if available). 

• Itemized financial proposal. 

8. Evaluation and Selection Process 

This application is open to trainers/specialists who are specialized in delivering trainings/workshops in Artificial Intelligence (AI) with proven experience in the field of specialization. The selected contractor will be responsible for designing and executing all the activities described in this ToR in collaboration with Asala. 

The selection process of the trainer will be based on the set of criteria developed by Asala’s Evaluation Committee to evaluate the proposals. The Evaluation Committee will evaluate the proposals by using the combined scoring method. The technical proposal will be evaluated on 60%; whereas financial proposals will be evaluated on 40%. The shortlisted bidding consultant or firm may be asked for a formal presentation prior to the final selection. 

 9.  Final report 

The final report will document the context in which the trainings/workshops took place, challenges, survey findings, indicators of change, suggestions, opportunities, and next steps. 

The deadline for sending the report is 10 days after the completion of trainings/workshops. Approval of the final report will be the basis for issuing the final payment. 

10. Proposal Structure:  

Interested Consultants should submit:  

• Technical Proposal 

Explaining your experience in similar assignments, technical approach, and methodology of work, team structure (for companies), C.V of consultant/ team members.  

• Financial Proposal 

Your price offer should be in USD including VAT. 

Interested Consultants should send their proposal and price offer to the Palestinian Businesswomen’s Association ASALA Office located AlBireh – Hamodeh Al Derawi Budling 4th floor in sealed and signed envelopes no longer than September 18th , 2024 (2:00 PM).