RFP - Youth Co Lab National Innovation Challenge and Springboard Programme

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RFP - Youth Co Lab National Innovation Challenge and Springboard Programme with focus on solutions that Enhance access to opportunities and well-being of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs)

About the Organization

UNDP has been working in India since 1951 in almost all areas of human development - from systems and institutional strengthening to inclusive growth and sustainable livelihoods, as well as sustainable energy, environment and resilience. With projects and programmes in every state and union territory in India, UNDP works with national and subnational government, and diverse development actors to deliver people-centric results, particularly for the most vulnerable and marginalized communities. As the integrator for collective action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the UN system, we are committed to support the Government of India’s national development vision and priorities and accelerate the achievement of the SDGs for the people and the planet.

About the Proposal  

Request For Proposal for Youth Co Lab National Innovation Challenge and Springboard Programme with focus on solutions that Enhance access to opportunities and well-being of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP is on the ground in about 170 countries and territories, working with national counterparts on solutions to global and national development challenges.

In the programme countries, UNDP supports stabilization, state-building, governance and development priorities in partnership with the host governments, the United Nations system, the development partners and other partners to help the country to achieve sustainable development by eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, accelerating structural transformations for sustainable development and building resilience to crises and shock.

UNDP has worked in India since 1951 in almost all areas of human development, from systems and institutional strengthening to inclusive growth and sustainable livelihoods, as well as sustainable energy, environment and resilience. UNDP’s programmes continue to fully integrate a global vision for catalytic change with India’s national priorities. UNDP’s work aligns with the Government of India's new national development vision, India 2030, and builds upon the Sustainable Development Goals. UNDP India's country programme for 2018-2022 had three major focus areas:

• Sustainable and inclusive growth
• Action for climate and environment
• Health systems strengthening

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes the important role of young people in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and calls for action against the challenges faced by young people that limits their economic, social and political inclusion. Young people are responding to the challenges of the day with innovative approaches, contributing fresh ideas, creating the world they want, and driving human development for themselves, their communities and their societies. When it comes to work, rather the future of work, it is imperative to include perspectives, ideas and solutions from young people as they are the driving force that can address and shape the future.

Co-created in 2017 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Citi Foundation, Youth Co:Lab aims to establish a common agenda for Asia-Pacific countries to invest in and empower youth to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs through leadership, social innovation, and entrepreneurship. Youth Co:Lab has been implemented in 25 countries and territories across Asia Pacific: Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hong Kong (SAR), Indonesia, India, Japan, Malaysia, the Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor Leste, Vanuatu and Vietnam.

In India, Youth Co:Lab was launched in 2019, in partnership with Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog. Through this collaboration Youth Co:Lab India has conducted six national theme specific youth social innovation and entrepreneurship challenges, including several forms of engagement such as panels, workshops dialogues and webinars. Youth Co:Lab in India and regionally also support social entrepreneurs through a long-term incubation programme, with selected entrepreneurs representing India at the regional summit. So far, six editions of the same has been successfully completed.

YCL 2024-25 The 7th edition of Youth Co-Lab aims to identify and support young entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs with disability innovating for solutions that “Enhance access to opportunities and well-being of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs)” across the following sub-categories:

• Inclusive and accessible assistive technology including products, systems and services designed to maintain or improve functioning and independence of PwDs, thereby promoting their well-being. Innovations across sectors such as mobility, climate and crisis resilience, digital solutions leveraging data, etc. (The Global Report on Assistive Technology, 2022 highlights significant disparities in access to assistive technology, revealing 70% of assistive technology needs go unmet in India.)
• Inclusive educational technology and skilling solutions for PwDs (only 55% of PwDs are literate, with significant gender disparity 45% literate females compared to 62% literate men; In India, only 36% of the total disabled persons are workers) and fostering inclusion of children with disabilities in education (54% of the disabled children with multiple disabilities never attended educational institutions).
• Care services models and solutions for PwDs, aimed at improving accessibility, affordability and quality of care services available to elderly persons, children with disability (physical and psychosocial) and PwDs. Innovations can also focus on quality training, skilling and certification of care workers for PwDs.

Through this edition, start-ups working on the above-mentioned thematic areas would be supported by the springboard programme (skill and capacity building sessions, mentorship and peer-learning opportunities) and the top 6 would be provided with small seed grants. The applications will be evaluated on criteria decided by sector experts with final review by UNDP. These applications will be reviewed, and winners will be shortlisted by independent jury members. Youth Co:Lab aims to support nascent, early and/or growth stage youth entrepreneurs, with founders between the ages of 18 to 29 years. Startup teams led by Women, LGBTIQA, PWDs and Tribal youth, religious minorities are encouraged to apply; therefore, for them, the age limit of the founders is extended up to 32 years.

For the 7th edition i.e., 2024-25, Youth Co:Lab intends to engage single or consortia of agencies for facilitating the smooth implementation of the initiative. The service provider/s engaged would be required to successfully design and implement the Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Challenge and Dialogue. The agency should have experience and expertise in handling innovation challenges and incubation programs at the national level involving the youth and should have the requisite outreach for such an initiative.

Objectives:

The key objective of the assignment for the service provider will be to successfully design and implement the Youth Co:Lab 2024-2025 cycle with the National Innovation Challenge and Dialogue.

The service provider is expected to support youth entrepreneurs through a hybrid incubation programme (National Springboard Programme), as well as through the facilitation of a multi-stakeholder alliance for youth entrepreneurship and lead Youth Co:Lab launch and finale event.

In addition, the service provider is encouraged to use its existing network and partnerships for dissemination of application, onboarding of jury members, increase overall visibility of YCL on social media and in other youth entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs with disability and innovation networks. The service provider must ensure high participation and information dissemination for the National Innovation Dialogue, workshops, YCL finale through social media platforms and other such networks including government, CSOs, NGOs working on disability, academia, investors, private sector and an existing partnership with media house/s. The service provider should extend long-term support to selected startups in terms of providing investment leads, networking, mentoring or technical support.

To achieve the above objectives, the service provider is expected to carry out the following activities:

• Design and implement the YCL 2024-25 (including communications, outreach strategies, digital programme and physical bootcamp)
• Outreach and launch of call for applications, including preparing all social media posts and amplifying it within and beyond the service provider’s network.
• Mobilise 150+ quality applications, Assessment of applications, cohort creation, planning and implementation of the 3-months digital national springboard programme
• Develop a framework and assess specific need (both business and accessibility needs) of the selected 35-40 entrepreneurs to plan the national springboard programme.
• Conduct the 2-day National Innovation challenge and dialogue with at least 8 sessions, workshops, networking events etc. in the run up to the YCL Finale
• Identify shortlist criteria, assessment of cohort start-ups and selection of top 20, planning and implementation of the 5-day physical bootcamp – including all travel and lodging arrangements for participants.
• Management and disbursement of grants to the top 6 teams.
• Prepare and submit knowledge products (reports, videos, blogs, entrepreneur compendium etc.) and MIS data of all applicants and cohort participants.

Eligibility

• The lead agency/service provider should have demonstrated at least 5 years of previous experience and competence in conducting nationwide and multi state incubation programs for social entrepreneurship with demonstrated experience of supporting at least 15 startups or early-stage entrepreneurs, particularly supporting entrepreneurs with disability or having worked in on disability and demonstrated experience on the topic.
• Service provider should have a robust network of at least 10 organizational and institutional stakeholders (including govt, private sector and other CSOs, Organisations of Persons with Disability) in the youth social entrepreneurship space that will be leveraged for this initiative;
• Service provider should demonstrate 3 years previous experience and competence in hosting successful social media campaigns reaching large audiences (upto 15,000 persons per campaign).

How to Apply

Offers must be submitted directly in NextGenERP supplier portal following this link: http://supplier.quantum.partneragencies.org using the profile you may have in the portal.

In case you have never registered before, you can register a profile using the registration link shared via the procurement notice and following the instructions in guides available in UNDP website: https://www.undp.org/procurement/business/resources-for-bidders. 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 previous registration.

Deadline: 22-Aug-24 @ 08:00 AM (New York time)

For more information please check the Link

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Tags Disability and Inclusion Healthcare and Healthtech Innovations and Technology Others