R&D Group, under the Mastercard Foundation EDGE Program, is seeking qualified firms for a 6-month Non-Exclusive Framework Agreement to identify, recruit, and support 180 IT-enabled micro-enterprises across Ethiopia.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) INVITATION NOTICE Tender Title: Consulting Assignment: Business Development and Digitalization Support for Technology-Based Micro-Enterprises Tender Reference No.: R&D/EDGE/RFP/003/2026 Issuing Organization: R&D Group (under the Mastercard Foundation EDGE Program) Date Issued: August 20, 2026 (5:30 PM) Submission Deadline: August 27, 2026 (5:30 PM) 1. Context and Objective R&D Group invites qualified firms to submit technical and financial proposals to enter into a 6-month Non-Exclusive Framework Agreement. The selected service provider will identify, recruit, and support 180 IT-enabled micro-enterprises across Ethiopia (including Addis Ababa, Hawassa, Bahir Dar, Jimma, Jijiga, and Mekelle) through business development, digital presence enablement, and youth job placement facilitation. 2. Key Scope of Work & Deliverables Task 1: Recruitment & Mapping: Screen, onboard, and map eligible youth- and women-led micro-enterprises. Task 2: Diagnosis & Profiling: Conduct structured diagnostic assessments and generate enterprise profiles. Task 3: Capacity Building & BDS: Deploy social enablement packages (SEO, Google Business, Telegram bots), market access tools, access-to-finance due diligence, and mentorship. Task 4: Youth Job Placement: Identify and verify a database targeting an average of 5 youth job placements per enterprise. 3. Eligibility Criteria Interested firms must demonstrate: Valid business registration, trade license, Tax Identification Number (TIN), and tax clearance certificate. Minimum of 5 years of experience delivering digital support, BDS, or enterprise development programs at scale. Proven experience with IT-enabled enterprises, outsourcing, or BPO companies. A dedicated team comprising a Team Leader (8+ years exp.), Business Development Experts (min. 3, 5+ years exp.), and Digital Experts (min. 3, 4+ years exp.). 4. Proposal Submission Guidelines Format: Technical (PDF, max 12 pages) and Financial proposals must be submitted a