Call for interest:

Technical and Vocational interviews for Beneficiaries Selection of the SMEs and Apprenticeship project

Islamic Relief Yemen

Location: Sana’a

Advertisement duration: 7 days

1. Background

Islamic Relief Yemen is implementing a comprehensive program to support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Apprenticeship Beneficiaries in the Capital Secretariat. The program aims to enhance livelihoods and promote economic self-reliance among vulnerable individuals, including persons with disabilities, by equipping them with the necessary skills and resources to start or sustain income-generating activities.

The program includes both direct support to SMEs and structured vocational training through apprenticeships, combining theoretical and practical training aligned with market demand. To ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of the program, a technical and vocational assessment of beneficiaries is required.

2. Purpose of the Assignment

Islamic Relief seeks to engage a qualified service provider to conduct a comprehensive assessment of approximately 600 beneficiaries (final number to be confirmed), including persons with disabilities.

The assessment will focus on:

• Evaluating the technical and vocational skills of beneficiaries in their intended fields.
• Determining the extent to which beneficiaries meet the program’s selection criteria.
• Assessing the motivation and readiness of beneficiaries to actively participate in training and build sustainable businesses or careers.

3. Scope of Work

The service provider will be responsible for:

• Designing comprehensive interviews forms methodology covering technical skills, selection criteria, and motivation.
• Conducting individual interviews with each beneficiary.
• Engaging sector-specific technical experts to evaluate skills.
• Assessing: technical and vocational competencies, alignment with program selection criteria, psychological readiness and motivation.
• Categorizing beneficiaries based on competence, readiness, and motivation.
• Providing categorized recommendations for training or support.
• Ensuring inclusive practices for persons with disabilities.
• Preparing a final report summarizing findings, challenges, and recommendations.

4. Targeted Professions

• Light food processing
• Plumbing
• Fire system installation and maintenance
• Motorcycle maintenance
• Vehicle bodywork and painting
• Home appliance repair
• Interior design and ceiling installation
• Tailoring
• Mobile maintenance
• Solar systems
• Accessories industry
• Cake and pastry making

5. Methodology

• Personal interviews.
• Technical assessments by professional experts.
• Motivation Selection criteria evaluation by professional trainers (ILO-accredited).
• Inclusive methodology involving people with disabilities.

6. Main Deliverables

The service provider is expected to deliver the following:

• Inception Report: Detailed assessment methodology and tools, team composition and task distribution, fieldwork plan and timeline.
• Individual Beneficiary Assessment Reports: Technical skill levels, fulfillment of selection criteria, motivation and readiness, personalized recommendations.
• Final Consolidated Report: Aggregate statistics by sector, gender, location (district), disability status, etc., analysis of overall readiness, key challenges and strategic recommendations.
• Documentation and Data Protection: Professional photos and videos documentation of interviews, compliance with Islamic Relief’s data protection and safeguarding policies.
• Raw and Cleaned Data Files: All data collected in editable formats (e.g., Excel, Word), properly coded and categorized for analysis.

7. Coordination with External Stakeholders

The service provider will be responsible for:

• Coordinating with relevant Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) offices, local authorities, and community to ensure smooth implementation of field activities.
• Engaging stakeholders in the execution phase to ensure alignment with local systems and to facilitate access to beneficiaries.
• Sharing schedules and updates with relevant external actors to avoid duplication and ensure transparency.

8. Permits and Approvals

The service provider is responsible for:

• Obtaining all necessary permits and approvals from relevant authorities required to conduct interviews.
• Ensuring that all activities are conducted in compliance with local regulations and in coordination with Islamic Relief’s field teams.

9. Additional Requirements

• Ensure full inclusion of persons with disabilities: accessible interview locations, adapted tools, support services, disability-disaggregated data analysis, tailored recommendations.
• Provide water bottles for applicants.
• Notify applicants of interview schedules.
• Ensure safety equipment and hygiene facilities in interview venues.

10. Protection, Security, and Safety

• Crowd management plan (interview slots per hour).
• Emergency evacuation plan and exits.
• Female staff to manage female applicants.
• Adherence to humanitarian standards during interviews.
• Availability of first aid kits.
• Gender-appropriate restroom facilities.

11. Target Group

All beneficiaries of the SMEs and Apprenticeship Support Program (approx. 1100 individuals), including persons with disabilities.

12. Required Qualifications

• Proven experience in technical/vocational interviews assessment.
• Multidisciplinary team of sector experts.
• Inclusive methodologies programming for people with disabilities.
• Prior experience with NGOs or development agencies is preferred.

13. Supervision and Coordination

The service provider will work under the direct supervision of and in continuous 

14. Timeline

The assessment must be completed within two weeks of the date of the contract signing. A detailed implementation schedule must be included in the inception report.

15. Evaluation Criteria:

15.1 Eligibility criteria (Pass/Fail):

• Valid company/NGO registration license in Yemen    .
• Valid TAX Card.
• Valid Zakat Card.
• Valid Professional practice license from the relevant authorities in Yemen.

Only vendors who meet all of the above criteria will be considered for the technical evaluation phase.

15.2 Technical pre-qualification criteria (Minimum acceptance rate is 75%):

16. Method of Application

IRY invites experienced and interested vendors to Apply through the link:  

https://forms.gle/V4qYgsPE5s9DAnc27

 by 31 July 2025.

All inquiries will be received by email to: tendering@iryemen.org no later than 28-07-2025.

Important Notes:

• Only service providers fulfilling all the requirements listed above will be considered in the subsequent bidding process.
• This Call for Interest (CFI) is an invitation for expressions of interest only. It does not constitute a solicitation or commitment—financial or otherwise—by Islamic Relief Yemen.
• IRY reserves the right to:
  • Accept or reject any or all Expressions of Interest (EOIs),
  • Cancel or modify the entire process at any stage,
  • Not provide any justification or explanation to affected applicants regarding the decisions of acceptance, rejection, or cancellation.
• Submitting an expression of interes does not guarantee inclusion in the future bidding or selection process.