Urgent TERMS OF REFERENCE (ToR) Technical Support for SMEs on Market Standards and Certification for Leather, Textile, and Garment Sub-Sectors

TERMS OF REFERENCE (ToR) Technical Support for SMEs on Market Standards and Certification for Leather, Textile, and Garment Sub-Sectors 1. Introduction 1.1 Background The Center for Accelerated Women’s Economic Empowerment (CAWEE), established in 2004, is a pioneering organization dedicated to empowering women engaged in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Ethiopia, particularly those involved in export-oriented businesses. CAWEE supports women-owned and managed enterprises, with the vision of fostering globally competitive Ethiopian women entrepreneurs. To strengthen SME competitiveness under the Mabqat Program, there is a need to support SMEs in complying with market standards and certification systems. Compliance with these standards is essential for improving product quality, enhancing credibility, and enabling access to both domestic and international markets. 1.2 The Mabqat Program CAWEE is implementing the Mabqat Program in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, Ethiopian Enterprise Development (EED), and led by PETCO Ethiopia. “Mabqat” (ማብቃት) translates to empowerment, reflecting the program’s mission to equip SMEs with the tools, knowledge, and certifications needed to compete effectively in leather, textile, and garment markets. 2. Program Overview Targets: 240,000 youth engaged in work (80% young women) 6,355 SMEs supported (40% with access to finance) Geographic Coverage: Addis Ababa Oromia Regional State Amhara Regional State Tigray Sidama Regional State Central Ethiopia Regional State South Ethiopia Regional State Dire Dawa City Administration Implementation Period: June 2024

• May 2029 3. Program Objectives The Mabqat Program aims to: Enhance youth skills, particularly for young women, in alignment with market demand in the manufacturing sector. Increase SME productivity and competitiveness to promote job creation. Strengthen the financial ecosystem to improve SME access to innovative and affordable financial services. Improve the enabling environment through strengthened stakeholder collaboration. 4. Market Standards and Certification Support CAWEE seeks to engage a qualified consultant/firm to deliver comprehensive technical support and training for 275 SMEs in the leather, textile, and garment subsectors. The support will focus on: Understanding and applying national, regional, and international market standards. Preparing SMEs for certification to improve product quality and market access. Strengthening SMEs’ capacity to meet buyer requirements and compliance regulations. 5. Objectives of the Assignment 5.1 General Objective To support SMEs in accessing and complying with relevant market standards and certification systems to improve product quality, competitiveness, and market access. 5.2 Specific Objectives Build SMEs’ awareness and understanding of national and international market standards and certifications. Support SMEs in identifying relevant certifications for leather, textile, and garment products. Facilitate linkages between SMEs and certification bodies/service providers. Enhance SMEs’ capacity to comply with quality assurance and regulatory requirements. Improve SMEs’ readiness for domestic, regional, and international market entry. 6. Scope of Work The consultant/firm will: 6.1 Training and Capacity Building Conduct training and awareness sessions on market standards and certification requirements. Provide sector-specific guidance for leather, textile, and garment products. 6.2 Relevant Standards & Certifications a. National Standards (Ethiopia) Ethiopian Standards (ES) for textiles, garments, and leather products
• Ethiopian Standards Agency (ESA) Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) ISO 9001
• Quality Management Systems ISO 14001
• Environmental Management ISO 45001 / Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) b. Regional Standards East African Community (EAC) Standards AfCFTA trade compliance requirements c. International Standards OEKO-TEX® Standard 100
• Textile safety Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
• Organic fibers WRAP / SA8000 / BSCI
• Social and ethical compliance 6.3 Certification Pathway Support Map certification requirements per product and target market. Identify regulatory, technical, and testing requirements. Support SMEs in documentation, factory readiness, product sampling, labeling, and packaging. Facilitate linkages with accredited certification bodies and regulatory institutions. 6.4 Practical Implementation Support Conduct gap assessments and mock audits. Provide hands-on guidance for compliance and certification preparation. Support SMEs through the certification process until initial approval or readiness. 7. Target Audience 275 SMEs in the leather, textile, and garment sectors under the Mabqat Program Women- and youth-led SMEs Entrepreneurs preparing for domestic, regional, and international market entry 8. Training Delivery & Methodology Deliver interactive and participatory training. Develop learner-centered materials (manuals, toolkits, checklists). Apply hands-on exercises, case studies, and simulations. Provide follow-up coaching and mentoring to ensure practical adoption of standards. 9. Expected Deliverables Training materials and manuals on market standards and certifications. Sector-specific compliance guides for leather, textile, and garment products. List of relevant standards and certification pathways per sector and market. Gap assessment reports for SMEs. Certification readiness roadmaps. Documentation of SMEs linked to certification bodies and testing labs. Final report including achievements, challenges, and recommendations. 10. Expected Outcomes SMEs demonstrate knowledge of relevant national, regional, and international standards. Increased number of SMEs initiating or obtaining certifications. Enhanced product quality, compliance, and market credibility. Improved access to domestic, regional, and export markets. 11. Location and Coverage Training and support will be coordinated through hubs in: Addis Ababa Hawassa Bahir Dar Dire Dawa Mekelle Note: These hubs are coordination centers; support should reach SMEs across each region. Financial proposals must include travel, accommodation, per diem, and cost breakdown per participant/location.