CONSULTANCY SERVICE FOR DESK REVIEW/ GAP ANALYSIS & CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

Consultancy Services for Desk Review / Gap Analysis and Curriculum Development

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

CONTEXT AND RATIONALE

About SOS Children’s Villages

SOS Children’s Villages International is a global, independent, non-governmental organization dedicated to ensuring that children and young people without parental care, or at risk of losing it, grow up in a supportive and caring family environment.

Our mission is to build families for children in need, support them in shaping their own future, and contribute to the development of their communities. This mission is realized through integrated interventions that include providing quality alternative care for children without parental care, strengthening vulnerable families to prevent separation, empowering young people for independent living through education and skills development, advocating for the protection and fulfilment of children’s rights, and delivering emergency humanitarian support to children and families affected by crises.

Operating in over 130 countries and territories, SOS Children’s Villages adapts its programmes to local contexts and works in partnership with communities, governments, and other stakeholders to promote the rights and well-being of children and young people worldwide.

SOS Children’s Villages Ghana (SOS CV GH) is the lead implementing partner of the EU-Ghana Youth Empowerment Programme: Spark Change-makers Project (the “Spark Project”). The project is implemented by a consortium comprising:

• Lead Partner: SOS Children’s Villages Ghana (SOS CV GH)
• Co-applicant: Social Innovation Africa (SIA), based in Tamale and Accra
• Co-applicant: Songtaba, based in Northern Ghana
• Affiliated Entity: SOS Children’s Villages Netherlands (SOS CV NL)

The Spark Project is co-funded by the European Commission under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – Annual Action Plan (AAP) 2022 for Ghana (Reference: EuropeAid/182739/DD/ACT/GH; Proposal No.: NDICI AFRICA/2025/182739/42). The project will be implemented across six regions in Ghana: Ashanti, Greater Accra, Western, Volta, Northern, and Upper East.

The Spark Project targets young people aged 18–35 years who face challenges relating to employment, entrepreneurship, and civic participation. To address these challenges, the project pursues two interconnected Specific Objectives.:

• Specific Objective 1 (SO1): To enhance young people’s engagement and participation in public affairs through strengthened individual and collective capacities of youth-led and youth-focused CSOs in Ghana.
• Specific Objective 2 (SO2): To improve socio-economic development by leveraging the actions of empowered young social entrepreneurs and change-makers across Ashanti, Greater Accra, Western, Volta, Northern, and Upper East regions.

Primary target groups include:

• 300 youth-led and youth-focused CSOs to be strengthened in governance, communication, fundraising, advocacy, and policy dialogue.
• 500 young social entrepreneurs and change-makers to be equipped with business skills and supported with grants and mentorship.
• 90 young change-makers, 10 emerging social media influencers, and 60 media outlets.
• 500,000 final beneficiaries indirectly across the six target regions.

Phase A: Desk Review and Gap Analysis

To undertake a comprehensive desk review and gap analysis of youth employment policies, entrepreneurship development frameworks, and existing entrepreneurial training curricula within Ghana's entrepreneurship ecosystem in order to identify strengths, gaps, emerging opportunities, and evidence-based recommendations that will inform the design of a practical, inclusive, and market-responsive social entrepreneurship curriculum.

The assignment will assess the extent to which existing curricula and entrepreneurial support systems align with:

• Current labour market demands
• Entrepreneurship competency requirements
• Principles of social entrepreneurship
• Opportunities within the digital and green economies
• Financial literacy and business sustainability needs and
• Inclusivity and accessibility standards for marginalized youth.

Phase B: Curriculum and Training Materials Development

To develop a comprehensive and practical curriculum framework and full training package that responds to the findings and recommendations of the Baseline Study, Organizational Capacity Assessment, and the Gap Analysis conducted under Phase A (Desk Review and Gap Analysis), thereby supporting the achievement of the project’s outcomes and outputs.

The curriculum should strengthen the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and competencies of:

• Youth-led and youth-focused Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)
• Existing and emerging Social Enterprises
• Aspiring Social Entrepreneurs and Change-makers

Overall Objective

The overall objective of this assignment is to review relevant policies, frameworks, and existing social entrepreneurship curricula focused on youth employment and entrepreneurship, along side Baseline and Organizational Capacity Assessment (OCA) findings from CSOs. These insights will inform the development of a comprehensive and contextually responsive curriculum tailored for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)/social enterprises and social entrepreneurs. This curriculum will serve as a practical guide for training facilitators and program beneficiaries in employment-ready skills and activities. Ultimately, it aims to strengthen youth capacity and contribute to improved socio-economic development in Ghana under the Spark Change-makers Project.

Specific Objectives

Phase A Objectives – Desk Review and Gap Analysis

The consultant will specifically:

• Review policies, frameworks, and existing entrepreneurial and social entrepreneurship curricula relevant to youth employment and entrepreneurship development in Ghana.
• Assess the effectiveness, inclusiveness, accessibility, and market relevance of existing entrepreneurial training approaches implemented by government institutions, NGOs, development partners, innovation hubs, academic institutions, and private sector actors.
• Identify gaps in entrepreneurial competencies, curriculum delivery models, and ecosystem support structures that affect youth employment and entrepreneurial outcomes, particularly for women, persons with disabilities, and marginalized youth.
• Examine emerging trends and opportunities in social entrepreneurship, digital innovation, green jobs, financial literacy, and business sustainability within the evolving entrepreneurship ecosystem.
• Conduct consultations with representatives from government institutions, entrepreneurship hubs, CSOs, academia, private sector actors, youth groups, women-led enterprises, and persons with disabilities.
• Generate evidence-based recommendations to guide the development of a practical, inclusive, market-responsive, and youth-centered social entrepreneurship curriculum under the SPARK Change Makers Project.

Phase B Objectives – Curriculum Development

Building directly on Phase A findings, the consultant shall:

• Review and analyze the Baseline Study Report, Organizational Capacity Assessment Report, project proposal, results framework, Gap Analysis Report, and other relevant documents.
• Identify priority competency gaps and learning needs for each beneficiary group.
• Develop a structured curriculum framework with learning pathways tailored to youth-led CSOs, social enterprises, and aspiring social entrepreneurs.
• Develop facilitator manuals, participant manuals, presentations, assessment tools, and supporting learning materials.
• Develop a Training of Trainers (ToT) package for facilitators, mentors, and coaches.
• Facilitate stakeholder validation and integrate feedback into the final curriculum package.

3. General Information on Request for Proposals

Eligible consultants and consulting firms are invited to submit technical and financial proposals for the consultancy services for Desk Review/Gap Analysis and Curriculum Development under the SPARK Change-makers Project. This assignment is open to all national and international consultants (independent consultants or firms) who are legally constituted and can provide the requested service. The consultant shall bear all costs of preparing their proposal; costs of preparing a proposal cannot be included as a direct cost of the assignment. The proposal and all supplementary documents must be submitted in English. Financial proposals should be stated in Cedis.

Note: Electronic submission of the separate Technical and Financial Proposals should be password-protected (PDFs or ZIP files). Consultants should provide ONLY the password to their Technical Proposals within ten (10) minutes after the proposals’ submission closing time (i.e., between 3:00 and 3:10 p.m. GMT). The password to the Financial Proposals will ONLY be requested upon completion of the technical evaluation and from firms that submitted technically responsive proposals.

4.Process of Submission of Bids

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To facilitate the submission process, interested consultants shall submit their proposals electronically in PDF or ZIP format to Ama.Attafoe@sosghana.org, Joseph.Yane@sosghana.org with Bernard.Amoako@sosghana.org in copy. All proposals must be duly signed and stamped.

The titles of submitted documents should clearly state “Technical proposal for Consultancy services for Desk Review/Gap Analysis and Curriculum Development and “Financial Proposal for Consultancy services for Desk Review/Gap Analysis and Curriculum Development. Please ensure that the technical and financial proposals are submitted as separate PDF or ZIP files. During the process of evaluation, technical proposals will be opened and evaluated first. Financial proposals that are shortlisted after evaluation of the technical proposal, will be opened in a second step.

Documents to submit

• Proposal submission form
• Previous experience form
• Price schedule form (to be sealed in a closed envelope or a separate PDF file)
• Technical proposal
• CVs and copies of certificates of the team member(s).
• Three references (at least two of them must be familiar with your work)
• A copy of a recent/relevant Desk review/ Gap Analysis and curriculum developed (if available for public use)

Proposals must be submitted on or before Tuesday, 7 July 2026 at 3:00 p.m GMT. Proposals received after this deadline will not be considered.

Consultants may withdraw their proposals on written request prior to the closing date of this invitation. Any corrections or changes must be received before the closing date. Changes must be clearly stated in comparison with the original proposal. Failure to do so shall be at the consultant’s own risk and disadvantage.

SOS ?Children’s ?Villages ?Ghana shall inform the successful Consultant electronically and will send the contract form within two (2) days after negotiating on the Technical and Financial proposal. The successful Consultant shall sign and date the contract including the Code of Conduct and return it to SOS ?Children’s ?Villages ?Ghana ?within ?two(2) ?calendar ?days ?of ?receipt ?of ?the ?contract. ?After ?the contract ?is signed by the two parties, the successful Consultant shall perform the assignment in accordance with the delivery schedule outlined in the request for proposal document.

• contact any or all references provided by the consultant(s)
• request additional supporting or supplementary data (from the consultant(s)
• arrange interviews with the consultant(s)
• reject any or all proposals submitted
• accept any proposals in whole or in part
• negotiate with the service provider(s) who has/have attained the best rating/ranking, i.e. the one(s) providing the overall best value proposal(s);
• contract any number of candidates as required to achieve the overall objectives of the assignment.

After the opening of proposals, each submission will be evaluated first on its technical quality and compliance with the requirements of this Request for Proposals. Only proposals that meet the minimum technical requirements will proceed to the financial evaluation stage. The contract will be awarded to the consultant offering the best value for money, based on a combination of technical merit and price.

The technical proposal will be assessed based on its responsiveness to the objectives of the assignment, using the following criteria:

Methodology and Technical Approach: The proposal demonstrates a clear understanding of the assignment and presents a robust, participatory, and technically sound methodology for undertaking the desk review, stakeholder consultations, gap analysis, curriculum development, validation, and finalization processes.

Timetable/work plan: The proposed timetable and work plan are realistic, coherent, and aligned with the requirements and timelines of the assignment.

Qualifications and Experience: The qualifications and relevant experience of the consultant(s) in conducting entrepreneurship, social enterprise, organizational development, and/or youth employment curricula. References from previous clients will be considered.

Cost/Financial Proposal: The financial proposal is reasonable, cost-effective, and feasible in relation to the proposed technical approach and scope of work.

The consulting team should include expertise in research, curriculum development, entrepreneurship, youth employment, mon