Technical service provider for implementing the "Digital Inclusion" component in Son La and Lao Cai provinces

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Technical service provider for implementing the "Digital Inclusion" component

in Son La and Lao Cai provinces, period 2024- 2026”

1. General information

Gender Responsive and Equitable Agriculture and Tourism (GREAT) Program (Phase 2) is a flagship initiative of the Australian aid program.  The program promotes sustainable women’s economic empowerment (WEE) in the ethnic minority community in Northwest region in general in Son La and Lao Cai in particular.  The objectives of the Aus4Equality|GREAT Program are:

Objective 1 – Women, particularly ethnic minority women living in Son La and Lao Cai, have improved economic benefits.

Objective 2 – Women, particularly ethnic minority women living in Son La and Lao Cai, have increased confidence and social status, including more balanced workloads and greater decision making within the home, workplace, and community.      

Objective 3 – Women, particularly ethnic minority women and household members living in Son La and Lao Cai benefit from more gender responsive, inclusive, and effective provincial and national policies, plans, strategies, and programs.

Foundation knowledge and skills on agricultural production, standardised tourism services, as well as basic digital skills in using smart devices (computers, smartphones) and online platforms are increasingly essential for women, especially ethnic minority ones, in order to participate more effectively in the agriculture and tourism markets. These skills are key to their continued ability to improve their economic benefits and social status. The Digital Inclusion and Digital Transformation Strategy for GREAT 2 comprises three components:

• Development of an ecosystem for digital transformation for businesses involved in the agriculture and tourism sectors in Lao Cai and Son La provinces
• Promotion of digital transformation in business for women-led entrepreneurs including lead businesses in the supply chains supported by GREAT
• Promotion of digital inclusion for group members participating in agricultural and tourism value chains

GREAT is looking for a qualified technical service provider to implement the third component of "Promoting digital inclusion for group members". The technical service provider is expected to coordinate with KisStartup, the partner who will be implementing components 1 and 2 of the Strategy to ensure synergy between partners during planning and implementation and to achieve the expected results outlined in Section 4 of the Call.

2. Objectives of services

To improve ethnic minority women’s access to foundational production and tourism service knowledge and skills through enhanced basic skills in digital technologies and online learning platforms supported by selected lead businesses in agriculture and tourism. Specific objectives are:

• Selected lead enterprises supported by GREAT and its partners in the agriculture and tourism sectors are able to use appropriate online platforms and technology tools to design and deliver information, skills training and guidance on knowledge/skills for group members participating in their businesses value chains.
• Women and ethnic minority women, who are members of groups involved in the lead business supply chains, have improved basic digital skills and through which they can better access agricultural production skills or tourism services skills from online platforms to enhance their production / service performance.

3. Tasks of the technical service provider

The selected technical service provider will work closely with GREAT, KisStartup and selected lead businesses participating in the agricultural and tourism sectors to develop two proposals, one each for Lao Cai and Son La to implement Component 3 relating to promoting digital inclusion for ethnic minority women members of their supply chains.

Upon approval of the proposals the service provider will perform the following tasks:

Task 1: Technical assistance to selected lead businesses who have established business linkages with groups supported by GREAT to use online tools and platforms for training in agricultural production skills or providing services in self-learning modules. Activities include:

• Technical support to lead businesses in selecting and improving (as required) online tools and platforms that suit their needs for online training and self-study.
• Support lead enterprises to develop online training modules on production/service skills required for group members including post-training comprehension test for each training module. Connect lead businesses with relevant training providers if required.
• Guide businesses on how to organize effective online training for their group members
• Monitor and evaluate members' access and use of online training modules and promptly feedback to chain-leading businesses on usage to continuously improve training content and online learning tools to improve members' understanding and ability to apply knowledge and techniques.
• Select active members to be trained as group digital skill mentors for TOT.

Task 2: Provide basic digital skills training and self-study skills for members including women, ethnic minority women, members of groups affiliated with businesses in agriculture and tourism

• Design training on basic digital skills including internet safety skills on smart devices (phones, tablets) for group members including women and ethnic women minority
• Organize TOT training on digital skills and self-study skills for potential digital skill group mentors, students identified by lead businesses
• Support digital skills group mentors to train/guide other group members on basic digital skills and assess the digital skills usage of group members in smart devices.

Task 3: Promote learning and adoption of digital skills across supply chains

• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of online training modules and apply them at the group member and business levels to continue improving online training modules and tools.
• Collaborate with GREAT to share good practices on online production/service knowledge/skills training for group members between businesses supported by GREAT
• Share successful lessons on promoting access to new knowledge and skills through online platform with other businesses and other GREAT’s partners on online financial skills training to promote digital inclusion.

3. Scope of work

The selected service provider will carry out activities in Lao Cai and Son La provinces with businesses participating in agricultural and tourism chains supported by GREAT

4. Expected results of technical service providers

• Technical support plan for each selected lead enterprise with suggested online platforms and tools to design and deliver training content for each enterprise
• TOT training materials for basic digital skills and self-study skills for active members who are potential local digital skills mentors (4 TOT courses in the agricultural industry, 2 TOT courses in the tourism industry)
• Digital skills training materials for team members
• 4,600 members received digital skills training from lead businesses, of which 3,100 members are women
• 70% of women trained apply knowledge and skills in practice
• Monthly monitoring reports on members’ access and use of online training modules
• Reports assessing the effectiveness of online learning at group and business levels including case studies on good practice.

5. Implementation period: September 2024 to June 2026

6. Requirements

• Have relevant expertise in developing effective basic digital inclusion skills training for households
• Expertise on design, delivery and results measurement of online capacity building for communities, especially women and ethnic minority women
• Proven experience in supporting local partners and lead businesses in developing online training.
• Ability to link and connect businesses with appropriate service providers.
• Experience in sharing and promoting good online learning practices
• Experience in TOT in ethnic minority areas.
• Understanding or experience agriculture and tourism supply chain is a distinct advantage.

7. Submission of proposal

Interested service providers are invited to submit technical and financial proposals (including consultant fees and cost estimates) and attached appendices (company profile, CVs of key experts, plan for mobilising experts) either in Vietnamese or English to [email protected] no later than 5pm (Hanoi time) Wednesday, 10^th April 2024. We thank all applicants, however, only those making the shortlist will be contacted.

Cowater is an equal opportunity employer. Women, people with a disability, and people from minority groups are strongly encouraged to apply. We thank you for your interest in building a better tomorrow with Cowater International.

For more opportunities, please visit our website at https://equality.aus4vietnam.org/careers