| Introduction : Country: Bangladesh Description of the Assignment: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) responded to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 crisis in Bangladesh by launching Anondomela, an online marketplace aimed at supporting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). With nearly seven million SMEs, involving around 25 million people, at risk of shutdown, Anondomela played a crucial role in providing opportunities for entrepreneurs to continue their business activities during the lockdown. The platform, which has onboarded over 4,000 Cottage, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (CMSMEs), boasts an impressive 80% participation from women entrepreneurs. Anondomela strategically aligned its operations with various festivals and introduced initiatives like green business inclusion. Recognizing the need for sustainable growth, the Women’s Empowerment for Inclusive Growth (WING) project collaborates with Anondomela, aiming to enhance the capacity of both women and men involved in gender-responsive business initiatives. WING supports the formation of a membership-based private limited company owned by entrepreneurs, emphasizing advocacy, regular business operations, training, and green business transformation activities. In 2022, Anondomela expanded its project with the introduction of the Green Business Platform, an E-platform dedicated to environmentally friendly businesses. Currently hosting 200 green entrepreneurs, the platform not only serves as a digital marketplace but also prioritizes capacity building through training in green product development, sustainable packaging, and effective digital marketplace utilization. Entrepreneurs on the platform have access to resources facilitating a transition to sustainable practices, including new training modules in areas such as product photography, digital marketing, and advanced business management. Simultaneously, the initiative identifies and catalogs various product categories and clusters relevant to green, eco-friendly, and recyclable businesses, incorporating government policies into a comprehensive database. This strategy aims to align entrepreneurs with regulations, foster a conducive environment for sustainable business development, and strategically position environmentally conscious products in the global market, thereby enhancing the market potential of Anondomela's green entrepreneurs for sustained local and international success. Period of assignment/services: 60 Working Days over 4 months Please note that this procurement process is being conducted through the new online tendering system of UNDP. Applicants who wish to submit a proposal must be registered in the system. Kindly register by visiting the link below and follow the instructions provided in the user guide in the document attached: http://supplier.quantum.partneragencies.org/ using the profile you may have in the Quantum portal. In case you have never registered before, follow the Supplier Portal Registration Link to register a profile in the system. The Supplier User Guide has been uploaded to the following link. Do not create a new profile if you already have one. Use the forgotten password feature in case you do not remember the password or the username from the previous registration. The supplier webinar is now available at the following link: https://www.undp.org/procurement/business/resources-for-bidders. Please note that all required documents are found on the UNDP Quantum Platform under negotiation reference: UNDP-BGD-00396. Interested experts with questions regarding the registration in Quantum should send them in writing to: e-bidbox.bd@undp.org and copy the reference UNDP-BGD-00396 in the subject line. Please note, Proposals will not be received through email. If any applicant is registered in the system, any request for clarification must be sent in writing via messaging functionality in the portal. UNDP will respond in writing, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry.
Best Regards, UNDP Bangladesh Procurement Unit
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