TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR): Design or Revise and Pilot Employer-Aligned, Fee-Based Training Programs by TVT Institutions.

Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Duration: 4 months
Target Group: Low-Income women from (Host Communities, Refugees, and IDPs)

I. Background and Rationale

Addis Ababa hosts a growing population of refugee and host community women seeking access to market-relevant skills and dignified employment. Women’s unemployment and underemployment in Addis Ababa remain high, particularly among women from host communities, refugee populations, and internally displaced persons (IDPs), driven in part by skills mismatches between training supply and the evolving demands of the city’s urban labor market. Especially refugees face barriers including affordability, recognition of prior learning (RPL), limited employer linkages, childcare constraints, language barriers, and documentation challenges for formal hiring. Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVT) institutions play a central role in skills development under the National TVT Strategy. However, many training programs require stronger alignment with employer needs and more sustainable delivery models.

This initiative will support selected TVT institutions and accredited training providers in Addis Ababa to design, revise and pilot employer-aligned, competency-based training programs. The initiative will also test a fee-based, cost-share approach that improves training sustainability while expanding access for women from host, refugee, and IDP communities in the city. The assignment aims to establish a durable model that is co-financed by learners and market actors, aligned with labor market needs, incorporates work-based learning and CoC certification, and leads to employment and self-employment opportunities.

II. OBJECTIVES of the assignment

To design and implement a market-driven, fee-based training and job linkage program for 300 host communities, refugee population and internally displaced women in Addis Ababa through selected TVT partners, leading to measurable employment outcomes (placements, apprenticeships, self-employment, and wage increases).

Specific objectives include:

• Design or revise two market-responsive, competency-based training programs aligned with employer demand.
• Strengthening TVT capacity to deliver demand-driven training.
• Pilot a fee-based, cost-share training model benefiting 300 women.
• Improve employment and income prospects for women graduates.

III. Scope of Work

TVT institutions will undertake the following tasks:

Key Responsibilities of the TVT

A. Occupational Demand Alignment (Addis Ababa Labor Market Focus)

• Conduct rapid labor market assessments aligned with Ethiopia’s Occupational Standards and priority economic sectors in Addis Ababa (including services, construction, manufacturing, hospitality, retail, and private-sector industries).
• Engage employers, industry associations, and relevant sector offices to validate skills demand, competency units, and employment pathways.
• Integrate employer input into curriculum design, delivery modalities, and assessment approaches

B. Training Program Design or revise

• Review existing occupational-based curricula and training packages, where applicable.
• Design or update two competency-based training programs, including:

• • Competency units and learning outcomes
  • Training duration and delivery modalities (institution-based, practical, workplace-based)
  • Assessment, certification, and CoC-readiness approaches
  • Gender-responsive and inclusive design features
• Ensure compliance with national TVT regulatory, accreditation, and certification requirements.

C. Piloting a Fee-Based, Cost-Share Training Model

• Design and implement a fee-based training delivery model in line with TVT institutional regulations.
• Define transparent fee structures, subsidy mechanisms, and affordability safeguards for women trainees.
• Enroll, train, assess, and certify 300 women across the two training programs.
• Ensure quality assurance, completion, and documentation in accordance with TVT system requirements.

D. Training Delivery and Employer Linkages

• Deliver training using qualified trainers and appropriate facilities.
• Facilitate linkages with employers for internships, apprenticeships, or job placement where feasible.

E. Monitoring, Learning, and Documentation

• Track participation, completion, certification, and employment outcomes.
• Document lessons learned from the fee-based pilot, including sustainability and scalability considerations.
• Provide recommendations for scale-up and integration into the TVT system.

F. Deliverables

1. Inception report with detailed work plan and methodology
2. Rapid Labour market assessment report (Occupational demand and employer alignment report.)
3. Two finalized, employer-aligned, competency-based training curricula.
4. Fee-based, cost-share training model and implementation plan.
5. Training implementation report (enrollment, completion, certification, and Job linkage(employment outcomes)).
6. Lessons learned and scale-up recommendations report.

IV. Duration

The assignment is expected to be implemented over 4 months covering design, piloting, and documentation phases.

V. Role of Mercy Corps Ethiopia

Mercy Corps Ethiopia will:

• Mercy Corps may provide catalytic funding, technical assistance to Design or revise two training curriculums fit for low-income women from host, refugees and IDPs and cost-share the fee-based approach to offset initial costs.

VI. Required Qualifications of TVT Institutions

Eligible TVT must have:

• Accredited or officially recognized TVT institutions under the Ethiopian TVT system.
• Proven experience delivering competency-based, employer-aligned training.
• Capacity to implement fee-based or cost-share training models.
• Experience supporting women’s participation(Host, refugees and IDPs), certification, and transition to employment.

VII. Evaluation Criteria

• Experience in designing and providing trainings for vulnerable women – 40%
• Capacity to implement fee-based or cost-share training models.– 35%
• Evidence of partnerships with employers for training relevance and placement.– 25%

VIII. Additional Notes

• Mercy Corps incorporate with the TVT will select program participants.
• Mercy Corps reserves the right to reject any or all applications.

IX. APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested and experienced institutions are required to send a brief 6-8 paged proposal Technical an updated CV/profile of team and their references that will engage in this task. Bidders should include a full package of trade licenses and Tin Certificate. A complete technical proposal and work-plan should be submitted till February 19th , 2026, 5:00 PM.

For any additional information or any clarification please contact: fteka@mercycorps.org  or lendalealemu@mercycorps.org  

Technical and financial proposals should be sent separately to et-tender-questions@mercycorps.org 

OR

To mercy corps Addis Ababa office, Yeka sub-city, Kebele 08, House No.377; Haya Hulet, Tel. 011-1-110777, P.O.Box 14319 with reference “Design or Revise and Pilot Employer-Aligned, Fee-Based Training Programs by TVT Institutions’’ till February 19th , 2026, 5:00 PM.

Application sent by other email account will not be considered.

Please refer to the Terms of Reference form 2merkato as of February 11th , 2025. Mercy corps reserves the right to reject this ToR fully or Partially