Request for Proposals (RFP)
Research Consultant: Businesswomen, Peace, and Security (BWPS) Initiative

Issued by: Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE)

Closing Date: 1/31/2025

Proposal amount: $4,500

Overview

The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) is seeking qualified research consultants or organizations to collect data for the Businesswomen, Peace, and Security (BWPS) initiative. This research supports the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) Agenda by exploring the intersections between conflict, women’s economic empowerment (WEE), and the private sector, particularly focusing on women-led businesses and business associations.

The selected consultant will work in partnership with the Center for Women’s Economic Empowerment (CWEE) to gather data from key stakeholders in Ukraine. The findings will inform programming and policy recommendations to enhance the role of women-led businesses in peace and security processes (WPS Agenda implementation).

Background

The WPS Agenda, anchored in the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, emphasizes the role of women in achieving peace, stability, and economic recovery. The private sector, particularly women-led businesses, has untapped potential to advance these goals. However, gaps remain in understanding how conflicts impact women’s businesses and their participation in peace-building and economic recovery efforts.

This research will address:

1. The impact of conflict on women and their businesses.
2. The role of women-led businesses and associations in WPS Agenda implementation.
3. Their participation in policy advocacy and peace processes.
4. Their needs and capacities to contribute effectively to these processes.

Scope of Work

The consultant will:

• Conduct data collection in Ukraine.
• Employ context-specific methodologies, including interviews, focus group discussions, surveys, and roundtables in data collection.
• Ensure data collection adheres to ethical principles, including the “do no harm” approach.
• Deliver raw data in English to CWEE for analysis.

Deliverables

• Detailed work plan outlining data collection approaches and timelines
• Summary report on data collection activities (including participants and methods used).
• Complete set of raw data in English.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate/organization will:

• Have expertise in women’s economic empowerment, peacebuilding, and/or private sector development.
• Demonstrate experience conducting research in conflict-affected or fragile contexts.
• Be proficient in employing diverse data collection tools.
• Have the capacity to engage with women-led business associations, women entrepreneurs, and other relevant stakeholders.

Proposal Requirements

Proposals should be three pages long and include the following components:

1.    Technical Proposal:

• Understanding of the assignment and objectives.
• Approach and methodology for data collection.
• Proposed work plan and timeline.

2.    Financial Proposal:

• Detailed budget, including personnel, travel, and other expenses.

3.    Organizational Profile (attachment):

• Summary of relevant experience.
• References from similar projects.

4.    Key Personnel (attachment):

• CVs of team members involved.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

• Relevance of technical approach and methodology (40%).
• Experience in similar research contexts (30%).
• Cost-effectiveness and budget clarity (20%).
• Organizational capacity and references (10%).

Submission Instructions

Proposals must be submitted in English to [email protected] by January 31, 2025 with the subject line: “RFP Submission – BWPS Initiative.” Late submissions will not be considered.

For questions or clarifications, contact [email protected]  no later than January 25, 2025.

Contract Period

The assignment is expected to commence on March 1st, 2025 and conclude by June 15th, 2025.