Capacity Building and Market Access Program for 20 Women LED Creative Enterprises in Africa

DELIVERY OF A CAPACITY-BUILDING AND MARKET-ACCESS PROGRAM FOR 20 WOMEN-LED CREATIVE ENTERPRISES IN AFRICA Enterprise Selection, Technical Assistance and CANEX Market Activation PROJECT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

She Wins Africa is an IFC initiative that supports women-led enterprises across Africa to strengthen their business capabilities, access markets and finance, and create jobs. Under the next phase of the program, IFC intends to pilot targeted support for women-led enterprises operating in the creative and cultural industries. The pilot will combine enterprise selection, business diagnostics, tailored technical assistance, market-access preparation and participation in CANEX, with progress measured at the beginning and end of the assignment. Assignment Objectives IFC seeks to engage a firm to select, assess and support 20 women-led enterprises operating in Africa’s creative and cultural industries and to prepare them for commercial engagement at CANEX. Specific objectives – Select 20 eligible women-led creative enterprises with demonstrated commercial potential. – Assess their priority business needs and prepare tailored support plans. – Deliver practical technical assistance, coaching and peer-learning activities. – Prepare the cohort for buyer, investor and partner engagement at CANEX. – Measure progress and document key results and lessons learned. Target Enterprises and Eligibility The Consultant will select 20 women-led enterprises operating in the creative and cultural industries. Eligible enterprises may include technology-enabled businesses and traditional SMEs, provided that they are revenue-generating, demonstrate growth and market potential, and commit to participating throughout the program. The final cohort should reflect reasonable diversity across countries, languages and creative-industry subsectors. IFC will approve the final selection.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Consultant will implement the following activities in close coordination with IFC

Step 1: Inception and Mobilization

– Hold an inception meeting and submit a workplan covering the methodology, timeline, team and reporting arrangements.

Step 2: Sourcing, Screening and Selection

Using the database provided by IFC and its own networks where necessary, the Consultant will screen candidates, develop a shortlist and recommend 20 enterprises for IFC approval. – Review and update available enterprise information. – Source additional candidates where required. – Assess eligible applicants against an agreed selection methodology. – Present a recommended cohort and reserve list for IFC approval. – Complete onboarding and participation documentation.

Step 3: Baseline Assessment and Prioritization

The Consultant will assess each selected enterprise using a consistent diagnostic covering business performance, financial management, operations, market and export readiness, investment readiness, team capacity, and relevant digital or intellectual-property considerations. The assessment will identify the main constraints and inform a practical support plan for each enterprise. A consolidated baseline will summarize common needs across the cohort.

Step 4: Delivery of Technical Assistance

The Consultant will deliver tailored technical assistance for up to six months, combining individual advisory, group sessions, specialist support and peer learning. Support should be adapted to each enterprise’s business model, maturity and commercial priorities. The Consultant will track participation and progress and provide periodic updates to IFC, including any implementation risks and proposed corrective actions.

Step 5: CANEX Preparation and Market Activation

The Consultant will prepare and accompany the enterprises for CANEX through targeted commercial-readiness support, event coordination, matchmaking and post-event follow-up. – Prepare appropriate buyer- or investor-facing materials. – Provide pitch, negotiation and meeting preparation. – Coordinate

participation logistics with IFC and relevant partners

– Facilitate relevant buyer, investor and partner meetings. – Track leads and support appropriate post-event follow-up.

Step 6: Endline Assessment and Impact Measurement

– Repeat the baseline assessment at the end of the support period to measure progress. – Prepare individual and cohort-level results summaries. – Document

participant feedback, key outcomes and selected enterprise stories

Step 7: Program Closure, Handover and Learning

– Submit the final report and organized program data. – Provide lessons learned and recommendations for future cohorts. – Participate in a final debrief or showcase with IFC and relevant partners.

Procurement number: 0002023764. Expressions of interest are submitted through the World Bank Group's eProcure (RFx Now) portal, which requires vendor registration.