REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FROM REGIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUPPORT ORGANISATIONS (ESOs) IN UGANDA

ABOUT THE CALL

Outbox (U) LTD is the lead implementing partner for the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Hi-Innovator initiative in partnership with Mastercard Foundation under the Young Africa Works Strategy.

Together with an effective ESO partners network, Hi-Innovator supports small and growing businesses (SGBs) that demonstrate the potential for sustainability, scale, and profitability with seed funding, technical assistance, mentorship, linkages to markets, and follow-on financing (investment facilitation).

Through the initiative, we seek to;

• Build capacity for 20 Entrepreneurship Support Organizations (ESOs) across the country
• Support at least 500 start-ups with seed funding
• Identify and nurture at least 100 scalable companies from the 500 seed funded
• Train at least 75,000 entrepreneurs (approx. 70% women) to enable them to gain access to markets and financing.

A core component of this vision is the strengthening of an effective network of hubs. As such, NSSF seeks to collaborate with experienced and reputable Entrepreneurship Support Organizations in the Eastern, Western and Northern regions under its Hi-Innovator initiative. The ESOs will contribute to the pipeline for its learning and acceleration initiative, replicate and support businesses or provide infrastructure.

Purpose of the Call

The overall assignment of the selected Entrepreneurship Support Organization is to facilitate the growth of the NSSF Hi-Innovator Business Pipeline while offering support for the Small and Growing Businesses (SGBs) to meet the initiative’s eligibility criteria.

Specific Objectives

1. Support the learning and training of entrepreneurship skills via the NSSF Hi-Innovator Business Academy (including but not limited to conducting outreaches & awareness sessions to generate interest in the Academy and increase enrollment, and create and activate learning communities)
2. Build the capacity of programme staff to ensure they efficiently assist businesses participating in the programme.
3. Proactively identify, unlock, and direct financial resources to businesses in the existing Hi-Innovator portfolio that are prepared to scale.
4. Build pipeline for the initiative through conducting due diligence of SGBs that graduated from the Business Academy to determine their readiness for the Business Accelerator.
5. Support businesses identified in (d) above in applying to the Business Accelerator by conducting quality assurance on their application before submission. Applications received will undergo a thorough shortlisting process to evaluate readiness to pitch to investors and adherence to the eligibility criteria.
6. Support the shortlisted businesses to fully prepare their business pitches and get you ready for the due diligence process, in the event that they are selected for funding by the independent investment committee.
7. Recommend investable businesses from the pool of recommended businesses in (f) above using the structured program due diligence tools.Onboard portfolio SGBs into the Accelerator to ensure they access BDS and seed funding
8. Constantly engage with the portfolio of businesses to identify and address gaps during implementation and offer investment readiness support such as file building, market linkages etc
9. Track impact of the NSSF Hi-Innovator Initiative in line with the Young Africa Works shared measures.

Eligibility Criteria

• Must be located and operating in any of the three regions of interest i.e Eastern, Western and Northern Uganda.
• Must be registered and operational in Uganda or East Africa for not less than 2 years, and should possess a combination of skills in entrepreneurship and business development, organisational development, change management, research and evidence-based decision-making, capacity building, monitoring & evaluation, learning, and knowledge management.
• Must demonstrate experience in supporting early-stage, growth-stage and maturity stage businesses in an open, participatory, and empowering manner.

Specific Objectives

1. Support the learning and training of entrepreneurship skills via the NSSF Hi-Innovator Business Academy (including but not limited to conducting outreaches & awareness sessions to generate interest in the Academy and increase enrollment, and create and activate learning communities)
2. Build the capacity of programme staff to ensure they efficiently assist businesses participating in the programme.
3. Proactively identify, unlock, and direct financial resources to businesses in the existing Hi-Innovator portfolio that are prepared to scale.
4. Build pipeline for the initiative through conducting due diligence of SGBs that graduated from the Business Academy to determine their readiness for the Business Accelerator.
5. Support businesses identified in (d) above in applying to the Business Accelerator by conducting quality assurance on their application before submission. Applications received will undergo a thorough shortlisting process to evaluate readiness to pitch to investors and adherence to the eligibility criteria.

Responding to this Call

Interested regional Entrepreneurship Support Organizations should complete the self assessment due diligence form and submit their proposals as requested in this detailed request for proposals: https://bit.ly/RFP-HI-INNOVATOR-24-01

Submit the technical and financial proposal and proof of company registration by 2nd March, 2024 at 11:59 PM.