Procurement of business development consultancy services

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (CONSULTING SERVICES - PROVISION OF END-TO-END BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES- FIRMS SELECTION) Ref No: EWADE /0796 COUNTRY: Kingdom of Eswatini NAME OF PROJECT: Eswatini Youth Employment Opportunities project (P507360) Loan No./Credit No./ Grant No.: IDA Credit No. 77910 (IDA Credit) Assignment Title: Procurement of consulting services for end-to-end business development services (BDS) Providers to Support Youth Employment under the Eswatini Youth Employment Opportunities Project (EYEOP) Reference No. (as per Procurement Plan): SZ-EWADE-549413-CS-QCBS 1. The Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini, has received financing from the World Bank towards the cost of the implementation of the Eswatini Youth Employment Opportunities Project (EYEOP), and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services. The Eswatini Youth Employment Opportunities Project is a five-year, national, multi-sectoral initiative that seeks to expand income-earning opportunities for Eswatini youth by strengthening employability, promoting entrepreneurship and supporting inclusive, resilient livelihoods. The Project delivers an economic inclusion package comprising market-relevant skills training, business development support, access to finance and integration into value chains, and is implemented through three components, including Component 1: Youth Income-Earning Opportunities, under which Sub-component 1.1 (Income-Earning Opportunities for Youth in Agriculture), led by the Eswatini Water and Agricultural Development Enterprise (EWADE), targets 20,000 youth (at least 50% female, 5% disabled) in agriculture and related value chains. The consulting services comprise of the provision of end-to-end Business Development Service Providers to support youth participation in priority agricultural and agribusiness value chains under Sub-component 1.1 (Youth Income-Earning Opportunities) of EYEOP. The Services will support eligible youth through an integrated pathway covering value chain intelligence and market analysis; beneficiary profiling and pathway allocation; socio-emotional, entrepreneurship, technical and business skills development; business planning and enterprise establishment; finance readiness and access productive finance; market linkages and value chain facilitation; mentorship, coaching and aftercare support; and monitoring, quality assurance and performance monitoring. The services will focus on prioritized value chain including selected commodities across vegetables, field crops, small ruminants, poultry and aquaculture sub-sectors. The assignment is expected to commence upon contract signature and will be implemented throughout the EYEOP implementation period, in accordance with approved Annual Work Plan and Budgets (AWPB). The engagement will initially be for one (1) year, with the possibility of annual renewal, subject to satisfactory performance, achievement of agreed deliverables and performance targets, availability of funding and continue need for the services. 2. The Terms of Reference for the primary procurement stage for the assignment are attached to this request for expressions of interest in Annex 1. 3. The Eswatini Water and agricultural development Enterprise invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The shortlisting criteria are: • Core business and institutional experience: Demonstrated core business in business development services, enterprise development, business advisory services, entrepreneurship development, skills development, training, mentorship, market linkage facilitation or related areas relevant to the assignment. • Relevant assignment experience: Successful completion of at least one (1) assignment of similar nature, scope and complexity within the last five (5) years, demonstrating experience in the delivery of BDS, enterprise development, youth entrepreneurship, business advisory services, training, mentorship, market linkages or related services. • Experience in youth and enterprise development: Demonstrated experience in implementing youth entrepreneurship, employment, skills development or economic inclusion programmes, including support to emerging and/or existing enterprises. • Agriculture, agribusiness and value-chain experience: Demonstrated experience in agriculture, agribusiness or related value-chain development, including facilitating linkages between smallholder farmers or enterprises and buyers, aggregators, processors, financial institutions, input suppliers or other private-sector actors. • Financial and business development experience: Demonstrated institutional experience in financial literacy, finance readiness, business planning, enterprise financing and/or agriculture and value-chain financing. • Geographic and contextual experience: Demonstrated experience working in Eswatini and/or Southern Africa, with an understanding of the regional agricultural, youth employment, entrepreneurship and enterprise-development context. • Technical and operational capacity: Demonstrated institutional capacity, systems and operational reach to deliver integrated BDS at the scale envisaged under EYEOP, including the ability to mobilize and manage appropriate technical resources, delivery personnel, logistics, data-management systems and quality-assurance arrangements. • Experience in inclusive and sustainable development approaches: Demonstrated experience integrating gender, youth inclusion, disability inclusion, climate resilience, climate-smart agriculture, environmental sustainability or related cross-cutting considerations into programme delivery. • Development programme experience: Experience implementing donor-funded, government-funded or multi-stakeholder development programmes will be considered an advantage. Key Experts will not be evaluated at the shortlisting stage. Their qualifications and experience will be assessed at the Request for Proposals (RfP) stage in accordance with the applicable evaluation criteria. 4. The shortlist will contain 5 to 8 firms. 5. Consultants are required to further submit the following eligibility documents: • Valid Tax Compliance Certificate • Valid Trading License • Certificate of Incorporation • Forms J and C • Audited Financial statements • Valid ENPF Compliance Certificate • Copies of Company Director IDs certified • Affidavit or Police Clearance for Company Directors • Expression of interest form (Form 1) • Company Profile • Relevant Experience • CVs of Key Personnel 6. The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.15 and 3.16 of the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers, September 2025 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. In addition, please refer to the following specific information on conflict of interest related to this assignment: Consultants shall not be hired for any assignment that would be in conflict with their prior or current obligations to other clients, or that may place them in a position of being unable to carry out the assignment in the best interests of the Borrower. Without limitation on the generality of the foregoing, Consultants shall not be hired under the circumstances set forth below: a) a firm that has been engaged by the Borrower to provide Goods, Works, or Non-Consulting Services for a project (or an affiliate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that firm), shall be disqualified from providing Consulting Services resulting from, or directly related to, those Goods, Works, or Non-Consulting Services. This provision does not apply to the various firms (Consultants, contractors, or suppliers), which together are performing the contractor’s obligations under a turnkey or design and build contract; b) a firm that has been engaged by the Borrower to provide Consulting Services for the preparation or implementation of a project (or an affiliate that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that Consulting firm), shall be disqualified from subsequently providing Goods, Works, or Non-Consulting Services resulting from, or directly related to those Consulting Services. This provision does not apply to the various firms (Consultants, contractors, or suppliers), which together are performing the contractor’s obligations under a turnkey or design and build contract; c) neither a Consultant (including personnel and sub-consultants), nor an affiliate (that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with that Consultant), shall be hired for any assignment that, by its nature, creates a conflict of interest with another assignment of the Consultant; d) Consultants (including their experts and other personnel, and sub-consultants), that have a close business or family relationship with a professional staff of the Borrower, or of the project implementing agency, or of a recipient of a part of the Bank’s financing, or any other party representing or acting on behalf of the Borrower, that is directly or indirectly involved in any part of: i. the preparation of the ToR for the assignment; ii. the selection process for the contract; or iii. the supervision of the contract; may not be awarded a contract, unless the conflict stemming from this relationship has been resolved in a manner acceptable to the Bank throughout the selection process and the execution of the contract. 7. Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected. 8. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Quality and Cost-based Selection (QCBS) method described in the Procurement Regulations and to be specifically set out in the Request for Proposals. 9. Any request for clarification on this EOI should be sent via e-mail to the address below no later than 16h00, 16th October 2026 GMT+2. The client will provide responses to all clarification requests by 16h00, 19th October 2026 GMT+2. 10. Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below, in a SEALED ENVELOPE LABELLED, “Expression of Interest - Consulting Services for Provision of End-To-End Business Development Services”, in person or by email not later than 16h00, 23rd October 2026. Email submissions can be sent to tenders@ewade.co.sz. Eswatini Water and Agricultural Development Enterprise Attn: The Tender Board Chairperson Box 198 Siphofaneni EWADE Building, along MR8, Siphofaneni, M214 Siphofaneni, Eswatini Tel: +268 24118600 E-mail: tenders@ewade.co.sz FORM 1: EXPRESSION OF INTEREST SUBMISSION FORM [Location, date] [Authorized official] Re: Consulting Services for Provision of End-to-End Business Development Services We, the undersigned, having reviewed the Request for Expressions of Interest and the attached Terms of Reference (Annex 1) for the above-referenced assignment, hereby submit our Expression of Interest for consideration for inclusion in the prequalification of Business Development Service providers. We declare that the information and statements made in this form, and in the documents accompanying it, are true and correct to the best of our knowledge. We understand that any misrepresentation may result in disqualification of our Expression of Interest or, if discovered after selection, this may result in the termination of our engagement in accordance with the terms of the Agreement. Section 1: Applicant Firm Details Legal Name of Firm Company Registration Number Country / Place of Registration Type of Entity Year Established Physical Address Postal Address Contact Person (Name & Position) Email Address Telephone Number Section 2: Submission Arrangement Declaration Please indicate the basis on which this Expression of Interest is submitted: Submission arrangement | Tick We are submitting this Expression of Interest as a single firm. We are submitting this Expression of Interest as a Joint Venture (all partners jointly and severally liable). We are submitting this Expression of Interest with the intention of engaging sub-consultant(s). If submitted as a Joint Venture or with sub-consultants, list all firms below: Name of Firm | Role (Lead / Partner / Sub-consultant) | Country of Registration Section 3: Conflict of Interest Declaration We confirm that neither our firm, its affiliates, nor any proposed sub-consultant falls within any of the conflict-of-interest circumstances described in paragraphs 3.15 and 3.16 of the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (September 2025) and Section 5 of the Request for Expressions of Interest. A potential conflict of interest exists and is described below. If a potential conflict exists, describe it here: ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Section 4: Summary of Relevant Experience List at least two comparable assignments completed within the last five to ten years. Attach additional sheets if necessary. Assignment Name | Client / Funder | Duration | Contract Value | Relevance to this Assignment Section 5: Key Personnel Name | Proposed Role | Highest Qualification | Years of Relevant Experience Section 6: Eligibility Documents Checklist Please confirm that the following documents are attached to this submission: Eligibility Document | Attached (Tick) Valid Tax Compliance Certificate Valid Trading License Certificate of Incorporation Forms J and C Audited Financial statements Valid ENPF Compliance Certificate Copies of Company Director IDs certified Affidavit or Police Clearance for Company Directors Letter of Interest Company Profile Relevant Experience CVs of Key Personnel Section 8: Undertaking and Signature We understand that this Expression of Interest does not constitute a binding offer and does not oblige EWADE to shortlist, prequalify, or contract our firm. We undertake, if invited, to participate in good faith in the subsequent Request for Proposals stage of the procurement process. For and on behalf of: _______________________________ Signature: ________________________________________ Full Name: _______________________________________ Position: _________________________________________ Date: ____________________________________________ ANNEX 1: Terms of Reference TERMS OF REFERENCE Provision of End-to-End Business Development Services (Business Development Management Support TA) Eswatini Youth Employment Opportunities Project (EYEOP) 1. Background The Kingdom of Eswatini faces persistent challenges of high youth unemployment, limited formal-sector job creation and widespread poverty, particularly in rural areas. Women, youth with disabilities, youth who are not in education, employment or training, and youth engaged in low-productivity activities face additional barriers to productive opportunities. The Eswatini Youth Employment Opportunities Project (EYEOP) is a five-year national, multisectoral initiative supported by the World Bank to expand income-earning opportunities for youth. The Project combines market-relevant skills, entrepreneurship and business development support, productive start-up support, access to finance, mentorship, and integration into agricultural and related value chains. Under Subcomponent 1.1, EWADE will support 20,000 youth in agriculture and related value chains, with at least 50 percent women. The beneficiary pathway covers socio-emotional and mindset-change support, technical and business skills, business planning, productive grants where applicable, enterprise development, market or employment linkages, mentorship and post-support monitoring. The assignment will focus on Government-prioritized value chains: vegetables (onions, potatoes, tomatoes and baby vegetables), dry beans, small ruminants, poultry and aquaculture. Youth opportunities may cover on-farm production and off-farm activities such as input supply, nurseries and hatcheries, aggregation, logistics, processing, mechanization, e-extension, e-commerce and related business services. 2. Objective of the Assignment The overall objective is to engage a qualified BDS Provider to deliver a comprehensive, demand-driven and results-oriented package that enables eligible youth to establish, improve, sustain and grow viable enterprises or access wage-employment opportunities, while contributing to measurable improvements in employment, income, productivity, market participation and resilience. The specific objectives are to: • Profile beneficiaries and allocate them to suitable employment, enterprise, on-farm or off-farm pathways. • Strengthen technical, socio-emotional, entrepreneurship, business-management, financial and digital capabilities. • Support viable business planning, enterprise establishment, operational improvement and growth. • Improve finance readiness and facilitate appropriate access to productive grants or other finance. • Facilitate sustainable market, value-chain and employment linkages. • Provide structured mentorship and generate reliable beneficiary-level performance evidence. 3. Scope of Services Under Subcomponent 1.1, the BDS Provider shall provide training, capacity building and mentoring services to support EWADE in the design and implementation of economic inclusion interventions. The Consulting Firm shall undertake the following major tasks: 3.1 BDS Package Design, Curriculum Review and Pilot Testing The Provider shall establish an EYEOP-approved BDS package that is practical, interactive, youth-centred and tailored to beneficiary needs and priority value chains. Existing local and international good-practice content shall be used as the starting point for customization rather than developing all content from first principles. • Review existing BDS, entrepreneurship, business-management, socio-emotional, financial-literacy, digital-skills, technical-training and mentorship materials. • Assess suitability for NEET youth, vulnerable informal workers, women and youth with disabilities, and identify gaps requiring adaptation or additional modules. • Customize content to EYEOP pathways, priority value chains, the Eswatini market context, beneficiary literacy levels and language needs. • Develop clear learning objectives, session plans, practical exercises, participant outputs, assessment methods, facilitator manuals, participant materials and a structured mentorship guide. • Pilot the package with an agreed beneficiary group; assess content, language, timing, accessibility and practicality; document findings and revise the package before EWADE approval. 3.2 Youth Mobilization, Communication, Profiling and Pathway Allocation • Support awareness, beneficiary communication, registration and screening in accordance with Project eligibility and targeting requirements. • Assess skills, interests, aspirations, productive assets, constraints, readiness, entrepreneurial potential and relevant labour-market or value-chain characteristics. • Match beneficiaries to wage-employment, self-employment, on-farm or off-farm pathways and identify required technical training, enterprise support and reasonable accommodations. • Communicate schedules, participation requirements and logistics through appropriate approved channels. • Maintain accurate profiles, selection records and pathway-allocation data in formats compatible with the EYEOP MIS. 3.3 Socio-Emotional, Mindset, Life and Business Skills Training • Deliver practical training in initiative, confidence, resilience, goal-setting, problem-solving, communication, adaptability and decision-making. • Address gender-related, household, cultural, disability-related or other barriers affecting participation and enterprise performance. • Deliver business-model development, customer identification, marketing, costing, pricing, record keeping, cash-flow management and financial literacy. • Use experiential methods, including demonstrations, case studies, role play, group work and application to a beneficiary’s own business or employment pathway. • Ensure training is accessible and adapted to education, literacy, language and disability needs. 3.4 Technical and Competency-Based Training • Deliver technical training relevant to the selected priority value chain and pathway, aligned with applicable DIVT or other competent standards. • Provide practical and experiential learning suited to the selected commodity, occupation or business opportunity. • Integrate climate-smart agriculture, green business practices, food safety, quality standards and appropriate digital agriculture solutions. • Support competency assessment and certification in coordination with relevant institutions. • Align delivery with production calendars, market cycles and employment demand where applicable. 3.5 Enterprise Development and Business Start-Up Support • Validate enterprise opportunities against market demand, competition, costs, risks and beneficiary capabilities. • Support business models, enterprise profiles, business plans, production and marketing plans, budgets, cash-flow forecasts and growth plans. • Provide incubation, business advisory, coaching and technical support during establishment and early operations. • Support formalization, governance, compliance, record keeping, productivity, innovation, digital adoption and climate resilience where relevant. • Assess enterprise-specific technical, operational, financial and market constraints and coordinate referrals to suitable specialist services. • Support enterprises to improve operational continuity, sales, customer retention, market access, income and employment creation. 3.6 Finance Readiness and Productive Resource Management • Conduct finance-readiness assessments and support grant applications, budgets, cash-flow projections, investment cases and financing plans. • Explain eligibility and application requirements for Project grants and other relevant financing. • Facilitate linkages with financial institutions, investors and financing providers without influencing third-party decisions or representing finance as guaranteed. • Strengthen responsible use of grants and other finance through budgeting, basic financial management and record keeping. • Track referrals, applications, approvals, financing accessed, reasons for rejection and use of finance where required. 3.7 Market, Value-Chain and Employment Linkages • Identify viable commercial and employment opportunities based on market demand, value-chain requirements and beneficiary capabilities. • Maintain an engagement pipeline of buyers, employers, processors, aggregators, exporters, retailers, lead firms and other relevant market actors. • Facilitate supplier relationships, off-take arrangements, aggregation, contract farming, buyer-seller engagement, trade events and employment placement. • Support beneficiaries to meet quality, volume, reliability, packaging, certification, pricing and delivery requirements. • Facilitate access to inputs, equipment, logistics, extension, mechanization, digital market access and other services needed for sustainable participation. 3.8 Mentorship, Coaching and Post-Support Follow-Up • Establish a structured mentorship and coaching system appropriate to beneficiary pathways and enterprise stages. • Recruit, assess and train mentors under EWADE-approved requirements and maintain a qualified mentor roster. • Match beneficiaries with suitable entrepreneurs, business owners, technical specialists, extension officers, employers or private-sector mentors. • Provide individual and group coaching during critical production, operational, marketing and business-growth stages. • Use a structured guide, session plans, action plans, attendance records and follow-up logs; monitor mentor performance and replace underperforming personnel. • Conduct agreed tracer and follow-up activities to assess enterprise operation, employment, income, sales, productivity and sustainability. 3.9 Monitoring, Quality Assurance, Learning and Adaptive Management • Maintain complete beneficiary and service-delivery records interoperable with the EYEOP MIS and submit data in prescribed formats and frequencies. • Track agreed output and outcome indicators, including completion, enterprise establishment and survival, market participation, finance, employment, income, sales, productivity and jobs. • Undertake quality assurance of curricula, trainers, mentors, venues, materials, attendance, accessibility and beneficiary experience. • Collect beneficiary feedback and satisfaction data; maintain supporting evidence; perform data-quality checks; and implement corrective actions. • Document implementation lessons, innovations, constraints and emerging risks for each cohort or service cycle and submit evidence-based recommendations. • Record and refer complaints through the Project grievance mechanism and comply with environmental and social, safeguarding, anticorruption, confidentiality and data-protection requirements. 4. Methodology & Workplan The TOR defines the mandatory service requirements, minimum standards, outputs and intended results. The Provider shall propose the detailed methodology, staffing deployment, sequencing, tools, logistics and quality-assurance arrangements in its technical proposal. The approach shall demonstrate how all service areas will be integrated into a coherent beneficiary journey rather than delivered as disconnected activities. Delivery shall be organized around defined beneficiary cohorts or service cycles. The contract will specify the number and profile of beneficiaries, geographic coverage, value chains, pathway mix, delivery period, required modules, mentorship frequency, service standards, deliverables, indicators and verification requirements. Training, enterprise support and mentoring shall be aligned with agricultural production calendars, market cycles and relevant employment demand. The detailed methodology shall be finalized during inception with EWADE. Adjustments may be proposed during implementation in response to beneficiary needs and evidence, but shall require written approval and shall not reduce agreed coverage, service quality, outputs, results, safeguards or contractual accountability. 4.1. Delivery and Contracting Model An applicant may participate as: • A single firm possessing the required end-to-end capabilities; or • A joint venture or consortium with complementary capabilities, with a clearly defined Lead Firm supported by formally identified specialist subcontractors or technical partners. The Lead Firm shall enter into the contract with EWADE and assume full responsibility for end-to-end delivery, coordination, quality assurance, reporting, fiduciary compliance, risk management, safeguarding, data quality and achievement of all contracted outputs and results. The proposal shall identify each participating entity, its legal relationship to the Lead Firm, its role, the services it will provide, key personnel, coordination arrangements and the mechanism for managing performance and risks across the delivery chain. EWADE will hold the Lead Firm accountable and will not separately manage consortium members, subcontractors or specialist partners. The Lead Firm shall consolidate all work plans, reports, invoices, evidence and communications; monitor the performance of participating entities; address delivery failures; and ensure consistent service standards. Any material change in consortium membership, specialist arrangements, key responsibilities or proposed personnel shall require prior written approval by EWADE. 4.2 Performance Review and Adaptive Management Performance shall be reviewed for each cohort or service cycle against agreed service standards, output quality, beneficiary satisfaction, data quality, safeguarding compliance, market or employment linkage performance and outcome indicators measurable within the review period. A broader implementation review shall be undertaken after the initial six months, or at another point specified in the contract, to assess the effectiveness of the integrated delivery model, coordination arrangements, beneficiary progression and the Lead Firm’s management of participating entities. EWADE may require a corrective action plan, enhanced supervision, replacement of personnel, revised sequencing or other reasonable adjustments within the contract. Any adjustment shall preserve the agreed objectives and the Lead Firm’s unified accountability. 5. Expected Outputs and Performance Framework The assignment shall use results-based performance management. Performance will be assessed on delivery of contracted outputs and measurable contributions to agreed employment, enterprise, income and market outcomes. The Provider shall not be evaluated solely on the number of activities conducted. The contract shall distinguish between outputs within the Provider’s direct control and outcome indicators to which the Provider contributes. Level | Illustrative indicator | Means of verification Output | Youth contacted, screened, profiled and allocated to pathways | Beneficiary database, profiling and allocation records Output | Youth completing required BDS and technical training | Attendance, assessment, completion and certification records Output | Business plans, enterprise profiles and finance packages completed | Approved plans, readiness assessments and application records Output | Youth receiving mentorship and market or employment linkage support | Session logs, action plans, buyer/employer and linkage evidence Outcome | Supported enterprises established and operational after support | Enterprise verification and tracer data Outcome | Youth securing employment or improving enterprise performance and income | Employment records, enterprise data, surveys and verification Outcome | Jobs created or sustained by supported enterprises | Enterprise records and beneficiary verification Assignment-specific definitions, targets, baselines where applicable, disaggregation, reporting frequencies and means of verification will be finalized in the RfP and contract and aligned with the EYEOP Results Framework and M&E Plan. 6. Deliverables and Reporting Requirements The Consulting Firm shall produce the following outputs to deliver business development services for the enrolled youth beneficiaries: Deliverable | Minimum content | Indicative timing Inception Report | Cohort plan, staffing, consortium roles, methodology, schedule, logistics, communications, risk, QA, MIS and reporting | At commencement BDS Package | Curriculum review, adapted package, manuals, tools, mentorship guide, pilot findings and approved revision | Before scale delivery Training Outputs | Plans, attendance, assessments, participant products, certification and QA evidence | Per delivery block Enterprise and Finance Outputs | Profiles, business plans, readiness assessments, finance packages, incubation and advisory records | Per cohort/pathway Market and Employment Outputs | Engagement pipeline, commercial arrangements, linkage and placement evidence | Per market cycle Mentorship Outputs | Mentor roster, matching, session logs, action plans and progression assessments | Monthly/per cycle Performance Reports | MIS data, indicator evidence, data quality, risks, grievances, corrective actions and lessons | Monthly/quarterly Completion and Final Reports | Cohort results, tracer evidence, lessons, recommendations, datasets, tools and handover | Per cohort/final 7. Schedule and Duration The services will commence upon contract signature and will be delivered throughout the implementation period of the Eswatini Youth Employment Opportunities Project (EYEOP), in accordance with approved Annual Work Plans and Budgets, applicable project implementation arrangements and the performance requirements specified in the contract. The engagement will be structured as a performance-based contract, initially covering one year and renewable annually, subject to satisfactory performance, achievement of agreed deliverables and performance targets, availability of funding and the continued need for the services. Subject to these conditions, the contract may be renewed on an annual basis for the duration of the EYEOP implementation period The BDS Provider will be expected to provide services on a demand-driven and continuous basis, responding to the evolving needs of participating youth and the implementation schedule of the project. Key areas of service delivery will include: • Mobilization and onboarding: Support the profiling, assessment and onboarding of participating youth into the relevant EYEOP economic inclusion and entrepreneurship interventions. • Business assessment and planning: Conduct business diagnostics, develop or strengthen business plans and profiles, and support beneficiaries to develop viable and market-oriented enterprises. • Capacity building and incubation: Deliver tailored business development training, coaching, mentorship, incubation and other technical assistance required to strengthen youth-owned enterprises. • Enterprise development and growth support: Provide ongoing technical assistance to supported enterprises, including support for implementation, business formalization, financial management, productivity improvement and enterprise growth. • Market and value-chain linkages: Facilitate linkages with buyers, lead firms, financial institutions, input suppliers, service providers and other relevant market actors to enhance access to markets and sustainable business opportunities. • Performance monitoring and reporting: Monitor beneficiary and enterprise performance against agreed indicators and targets, and submit periodic reports demonstrating progress, results, challenges, corrective actions and lessons learned. • Continuous improvement and adaptive support: Adjust the nature and intensity of BDS support based on beneficiary performance, emerging needs, project priorities, market conditions and lessons from implementation. The specific annual deliverables, targets, timelines and performance indicators will be agreed with the EYEOP implementing agency at the commencement of each contract year and may be reviewed periodically to reflect the project's implementation priorities. Continuation or renewal of the services will be subject to satisfactory performance against the agreed performance indicators and deliverables, compliance with contractual and project requirements, availability of funds, and approval in accordance with applicable procurement and project procedures. The sequence and timing of individual BDS activities may therefore vary during the project period depending on beneficiary needs, project implementation progress and approved annual work plans. 8. Team Composition The Consultant shall propose suitably qualified key experts, including a Task Team Leader/BDS Team Leader; Agriculture Production, Agribusiness and Value Chain Expert, Training, Skills and Youth Development Expert; Market Systems and Private Sector Linkages Expert; Finance and Investment Readiness Expert, MEL/Data Management Expert, Digital Agriculture and Innovation Expert as well as Gender, Social Inclusion and Environment Safeguards Expert. For each proposed expert, the Consultant shall provide the key responsibilities, academic and professional qualifications, relevant professional experience, experience in assignments of similar nature and complexity, proposed level of effort expressed in person-months and/or percentage of time, and availability for the assignment. 9. Firm Qualifications and Experience The applicant shall demonstrate relevant institutional experience, technical expertise, operational capacity and systems relevant to deliver EYEOP Business Development Services. As a minimum mandatory requirement, the applicant shall have successfully completed at least one (1) assignment of similar nature, scope and complexity within the last five (5) years. The assignment shall demonstrate relevant experience in the delivery of BDS, enterprise development, youth entrepreneurship, business advisory services, training, mentorship, market linkages or related services. In addition to the mandatory minimum requirement above, the applicant shall demonstrate the following relevant institutional experience, technical expertise and operational capacity: • Proven experience in delivering BDS, enterprise development, business advisory services, mentoring and coaching, including supporting emerging and existing entrepreneurs to establish, grow and sustain viable businesses across multiple sectors • Demonstrated experience implementing youth entrepreneurship, employment or skills development programmes. • Demonstrated experience in facilitating partnerships and establishing market linkages between smallholder farmers and buyers, aggregators and other private sector actors. • Demonstrated Experience in financial literacy, financial readiness and agriculture/value chain financing. • Proven experience implementing donor-funded, government-funded, or multi-stakeholder development programmes will be considered an advantage. • Demonstrated experience working in Eswatini and/or Southern Africa, with a sound understanding of the local agricultural, youth and enterprise development context. • Demonstrated experience integrating gender, youth, disability inclusion, climate-smart agriculture and green business practices. • Demonstrated adequate technical, financial and operational capacity to deliver BDS at the scale envisaged under EYEOP. 10. Environmental, Social Framework (ESF) Requirements The assignment shall comply with the World Bank Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and applicable national requirements as referenced in the Project Appraisal Document (PAD), with responsibilities proportionate to the Training, Capacity Building, and Mentoring category for delivery of business development services supporting income earning opportunities for youth under the EYEOP. • Comply with the World Bank Environmental and Social Framework, applicable national requirements and relevant Project instruments. • Apply gender-responsive and disability-inclusive approaches and provide agreed reasonable accommodations. • Integrate climate resilience, occupational health and safety, stakeholder engagement and beneficiary feedback into service delivery. • Record, refer and report grievances through the Project grievance mechanism and ensure personnel comply with safeguarding requirements and codes of conduct. • Protect beneficiary information, maintain required disaggregation and ensure confidentiality and data-protection obligations extend to consortium members and subcontractors. 11. Reporting Lines The Lead Firm shall enter into the contract with EWADE and report to EWADE for all activities under this assignment, assuming full responsibility for end-to-end delivery, coordination, reporting and achievement of contracted outputs and results. • Accountability: EWADE will hold the Lead Firm accountable and will not separately manage consortium members, subcontractors or specialist partners. The Lead Firm shall consolidate all work plans, reports, invoices, evidence and communications; monitor the performance of participating entities; address delivery failures; and ensure consistent service standards. • EWADE responsibilities: EWADE will confirm beneficiary cohorts and targets; provide or facilitate access to applicable Project documents, beneficiary information and systems; designate technical and contract-management focal points; coordinate relevant Government stakeholders; review deliverables; monitor service quality; and verify performance. • Provider responsibilities: The Lead Firm shall provide all personnel, specialist inputs, logistics, equipment, materials, communication and management systems required for delivery unless otherwise stated in the contract. It shall maintain complete technical, financial and beneficiary records and make them available for supervision, audit and verification. It shall promptly report material delays, safeguarding issues, fiduciary concerns or other risks requiring management attention. • Escalation and corrective action: Where a broader implementation review identifies performance concerns, EWADE may require a corrective action plan, enhanced supervision, replacement of personnel, revised sequencing or other reasonable adjustments within the contract, preserving the agreed objectives and the Lead Firm's unified accountability. 11. Proposal and Evaluation Requirements The technical proposal shall explain the applicant’s understanding of the assignment; integrated methodology; beneficiary profiling and pathway allocation; training, enterprise, finance, market, mentorship and M&E approaches; staffing and deployment; consortium governance; geographic capacity; quality assurance; risks and safeguards; output verification; and relevant past performance. Evaluation shall consider capacity to manage the full beneficiary journey, the credibility and complementarity of any consortium arrangement, methodology, qualifications of key personnel, delivery and monitoring systems, relevant experience, financial and operational capacity, and value for money. 12. Payment Terms Payments shall be output-based and linked, as appropriate, to accepted deliverables, verified service delivery and verified performance results. The payment structure shall clearly distinguish inputs, outputs and outcomes and shall not reimburse consultant time without a corresponding accepted deliverable or contracted service result unless expressly provided in the contract. The RfP and contract shall define each payment milestone, indicator definition, target, acceptance criterion, evidence requirement, verification method, payment trigger and treatment of incomplete or non-conforming outputs. Where payment is calculated per beneficiary, it shall be based on the verified number receiving the contracted package and satisfying applicable service-verification requirements. Submission of a report alone will not constitute acceptance where the underlying service or beneficiary-level evidence cannot be verified. EWADE may verify reported outputs and results through document review, MIS checks, site visits, beneficiary confirmation, attendance validation, data-quality assessments, financial review or independent verification. All payments will be subject to written acceptance by the authorized EWADE representative and applicable contractual and fiduciary requirements. 13. Items to be Finalized in the RfP and Contract • Final beneficiary volumes, geographic coverage, cohorts, value chains, duration and delivery calendar. • Detailed outputs, targets, indicators, acceptance criteria, verification arrangements and reporting schedule. • Final payment milestones and any performance-linked share. • Key experts, minimum inputs, service standards, logistics and implementation milestones. • MIS protocols, applicable environmental and social instruments, data requirements and client inputs. • Provisions governing the Lead Firm, consortium members, specialist subcontractors, substitutions, remedies and termination.