Terms of Reference (ToR)

Individual mentorship and advocacy for entrepreneurship and business

Introduction. 

These Terms of Reference (ToR) outline the responsibilities and expectations for a mentor to conduct individual mentorship sessions on "Mentorship and Advocacy for Entrepreneurship and Business." This activity is part of the Livelihoods Initiatives project implemented by Acted in collaboration with UNHCR, aimed at empowering vulnerable communities through entrepreneurship. The mentorship targets future entrepreneurs, including Ukrainian refugees, third-country nationals (TCNs), members of the local community and NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) youth in the Republic of Moldova.

Mentorship objectives

The key objectives for the mentorship sessions are to:

• Provide tailored guidance on entrepreneurship and business development.
• Support participants in identifying growth opportunities and overcoming challenges.
• Strengthen participants' advocacy skills to promote their business interests.
• Offer strategic advice on building networks and accessing business resources.

Mentorship format and approach

• Each of the 40 participants will receive a dedicated 2-hour one-on-one mentorship session.
• Sessions will be customized to meet individual business needs and goals.
• Mentorship will focus on practical solutions, resource navigation, and advocacy strategies.
• The mentor will provide actionable feedback and recommendations.
• The mentorship activities will include both online and offline sessions.

Duties/tasks and expected output. 

The mentor shall undertake the following tasks:

• Individual mentorship development: Create a personalized mentorship plan that includes specific objectives and methods tailored to each beneficiary's needs.
• Conducting mentorship sessions: Provide ongoing individual mentorship sessions, ensuring engagement and practical orientation of the guidance. Utilize active learning methods such as one-on-one discussions, role-playing, and simulations.
• Assistance in writing and developing business plans, including project and financial proposals
• Analysis of mentorship results and preparation of reports: Analyze assessment data to evaluate the effectiveness of the mentorship and prepare reports on the performance of the mentorship sessions.

Duration and time frame. 

Mentorship sessions will be conducted both online (via Zoom, Skype, Teams calls etc.) and offline in Chisinau and other suitable locations. The assignment is expected to be implemented between May 2025 to August 2025. However, a detailed implementation plan is to be developed in consultation with the Acted project team upon acceptance of the bidding offer.

Submit the final assignment report within 5 days after the completion of the sessions.

Required qualifications. 

Education & work experience

• University/bachelor’s degree in economics, finance, accounting, or related discipline.
• Familiarity with the socio-economic context in Republic of Moldova.
• Strong understanding of livelihood interventions, economic empowerment, and poverty reduction strategies. 
• Specialized courses and training – as an advantage.

Work experience requirements

• Experience in providing individual mentorship in Open & Run small business or Start-Ups, and/or topics related to business planning, marketing, financial management, and customer relations.
• Documented successful experience in organizing similar mentorship sessions with provision of case studies.
• High skills in clear and precise information delivery, excellent communication abilities.
• Knowledge of modern teaching methodologies and technologies, as well as the ability to apply them effectively.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to effectively manage multiple tasks.
• Collaboration skills to work closely with project teams, stakeholders, and partners to ensure alignment of mentorship objectives with project goals.

Languages

Mentorship will be conducted in Russian. 

Fluency (oral and written) in Russian is required. 

Knowledge of Romanian language will be an asset.

Desirable qualifications

• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Excellent networking, partnership building, and interpersonal skills.
• Good computer skills and other IT skills.
• Proven ability to work in a multicultural environment and as part of a team.
• Experience in working with various stakeholders, including people with disabilities, minorities, and vulnerable groups.

Bid requirements. 

Mentor who meets the above requirements should submit bids, which at minimum include the following:

• Suitability statement, including commitment to availability for the entire assignment.
• Cover letter highlighting the main relative experience.
• Provide detailed information on the consultant's qualifications and experience. Include an updated Curriculum Vitae that clearly outlines the consultant's expertise and relevant experience. Additionally, specify the consultant's level of effort and commitment to the project.
• Preferably contacts of 3 (three) organizations that have recently contracted the consultant to conduct relevant studies.
• Samples of similar and/or related work done previously.
• Budget financial proposal must indicate all-inclusive and/or additional costs for conducting the assignment.
• The selected mentor/facilitator will be responsible for designing and executing all the activities described in this ToR in coordination/consultation with the Acted Project Team.

The selection process of the mentor/facilitator will be based on the set of criteria developed by the Project Team to evaluate the proposals. The Project Team & Acted Logistic Department will evaluate the proposals using the combined scoring method. Technical proposals will be evaluated at 60%; whereas financial proposals will be evaluated at 40%. The short-listed bidding consultant or companies/CSO may be asked for a formal presentation/meeting prior to the final selection.

Final report and payments

This section outlines expectations in terms of final reporting and payments.

Implementation of the mentorship sessions will be during May till end of August and will be divided into 2 main lines:

• Activity №1 in May-June - individual support with writing a business plan & business idea pitching

Payment for the first part of service provision: after June 15^th, 2025

Mentor to provide interim report and evidence on sessions/consultations provided for the first period (video, photo, recordings of sessions, screen shots, attendance sheets etc.)

Before processing the payment, a Completion Certificate will be issued and signed by both parties.

• Activity №2 in July-August – individual support with “Legal Entity (e.g. SRL) business registration”, offline and online consultations, support, if necessary, assistance with collecting documents, etc.

Payment for the second part of service after September 15^th, 2025

The Final report will document the context in which the mentorship sessions took place.

The deadline for sending the report is up to 5 days after completion of second mentorship sessions.

Approval of the final report by the Acted Project Team (PM) will be the basis for issuing of the second payment for the second services provided.

Before processing the payment, a Completion Certificate will be issued and signed by both parties.

Deadline and submission of expression of interest by 27.02.2025 18:00 COB

Proposals should be submitted electronically to the designated Acted email addresses, as follows:

iryna.andrieieva@acted.org / sergiu.secrieru@acted.org / oxana.bulicanu@acted.org

Contact information:

vitalie.beriozov@acted.org / anastasia.terzinova@acted.org