RFP-Individual Consultant or Consultancy Firm (short-term

RFP-Individual Consultant or Consultancy Firm (short-term, output-based)

Humana People to People India (HPPI)

Apply by: 06 Sep 2026

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Consultancy for Value Chain Assessment of the Women-led Handloom Sector in Assam

Organisation

Project

Sashakt – Strengthening CSOs as Catalysts of Livelihood Opportunities and Development (EU-funded)

Location

Kamrup, Dhubri and Chirang districts, Assam, India

Type

Individual Consultant or Consultancy Firm (short-term, output-based)

Duration

10 weeks from date of contract signing

Budget

INR 3,00,000 (all-inclusive of fees, travel, workshops and taxes)

Application Deadline

[Insert date], by 5: 00 PM IST

How to Apply

Email technical and financial proposals to [insert email], subject line “VCA Consultancy – Project Sashakt”

1. Background

HPPI is implementing Project Sashakt, an EU-supported initiative strengthening 25 women-led handloom cooperatives and approximately 2,500 women artisans across Kamrup, Dhubri and Chirang districts of Assam. The local handloom ecosystem involves raw material suppliers, dyers, designers, weavers, traders, wholesalers and retailers, but structural gaps in this chain continue to limit production, income and market access for women weavers. HPPI is seeking a qualified consultant/agency to conduct a comprehensive, gender-responsive value chain assessment to inform evidence-based interventions for the remainder of the project.

2. Objective

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To assess the handloom value chain in the three project districts — mapping actors, margins and market linkages from raw material to end sale — and deliver a practical, sequenced roadmap that strengthens women weavers' and cooperatives' position, efficiency and income within that chain.

3. Scope of Work

Map the end-to-end value chain (raw material/yarn sourcing, dyeing, weaving, finishing, aggregation, branding, sale) across all three districts, including product, finance and information flows.

Assess the current role, bargaining position and value capture of the 25 cooperatives and their members, disaggregated by gender and social category.

Analyse production capacity, pricing and margins, technology/infrastructure gaps, and gender-specific barriers through field visits and consultations with weavers, cooperative leaders, traders, buyers, government departments and financial institutions.

Benchmark backward linkages (raw material, credit) and forward linkages (aggregators, e-commerce, export/European-market channels).

Identify operational, governance, skill and market gaps, and opportunities for value addition, product diversification and digital/e-commerce channels.

Deliver sequenced, district- and cooperative-cluster-wise recommendations that feed directly into the project's remaining workplan for credit support, design support and market linkages.

Develop a simple, reusable value chain assessment tool for periodic monitoring by HPPI field staff.

4. Methodology

A participatory, mixed-methods approach is expected: desk review, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, market visits/observation, and a recognised value chain analysis framework (e.g., market systems/M4P or ValueLinkstype), adapted with a gender lens. Particular attention should be given to inclusion of women weavers and marginalised cooperatives; the consultant will receive on-field support from the project team.

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Humana People to People India (HPPI) | Vacancy Notice for Consultancy

5. Key Deliverables and Timeline

#

Deliverable

Timeline

1

Inception report with methodology and workplan

Week 2

2

Data collection tools and stakeholder mapping finalised

Week 3

3

District-wise field assessments completed

Week 6

4

Draft report: value chain maps, margin analysis, preliminary recommendations

Week 8

5

Stakeholder validation workshop

Week 9

6

Final report with recommendations, action roadmap and reusable assessment tool

Week 10

6. Required Qualifications and Experience

Postgraduate degree in Rural Development, Development Economics, Rural Management, Textile/Design Management, Agribusiness or related field (lead consultant).

Minimum 7 years' experience in value chain assessments, market systems analysis or livelihood studies, preferably in handloom/handicraft/textiles; firms require a minimum 5-year track record on comparable assignments for development-sector clients.

Demonstrated experience working with women's cooperatives, SHGs or CSOs on livelihood and market linkages; prior work in North East India and familiarity with Assam's handloom sector is an advantage.

Strong quantitative/qualitative research skills, including margin and cost-benefit analysis, and excellent English report-writing; working knowledge of Assamese/Bodo (directly or through field staff) is desirable.

Firms must field a gender-balanced team with local language proficiency, and submit reference projects and sample reports from at least two comparable assignments.

7. Selection Criteria

Criteria

Weightage

Relevant experience

30%

Understanding of the handloom/MSME sector

20%

Technical approach and methodology

Team expertise

10%

Financial proposal

8. Proposal Submission Requirements

Technical proposal with methodology, workplan and timeline

Organisational profile / CV(s) of proposed team

Evidence of relevant experience and sample assignments

Financial proposal (all-inclusive, within the stated budget)

Two references from previous clients

9. Ethics and Confidentiality

The consultant/agency must ensure ethical, consent-based data collection with cultural sensitivity, particularly when engaging women weavers. All data and reports remain the property of HPPI and must be kept strictly confidential, with no external use.

Interested agencies, consultants, or professionals should submit their proposals to info@humana-india.org Shortlisted agencies will be contacted for further steps in the process

Job Email ID:

info(at)humana-india.org

Download Attachment:

ToR_VCA_Sashakt_DevNet.pdf

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