1. Buyer
1.1.
Buyer
Official name: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Legal type of the buyer: Public undertaking, controlled by a central government authority
Activity of the contracting authority: General public services
2. Procedure
2.1.
Procedure
Title: 10018858-Implementation of TVET support and women's economic empowerment activities in Sierra Leone
Description: Sierra Leone faces persistent poverty, high informality and limited job creation, disproportionately affecting women and youth. Agriculture is the largest employer, yet value chains are fragmented, processing is weak, and access to finance, quality infrastructure and certification is limited. The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system suffers from outdated curricula, insufficient equipment and low private sector engagement, constraining labour market relevance, especially for women and returnees. The "Youth Employment Promotion through Socio Ecological and Economic Transformation of selected rural Value Chains" (EET project), commissioned by BMZ with EU co funding, supports inclusive, market oriented growth and better employment along selected value chains (cassava, coffee/cocoa, vegetables, poultry). It strengthens micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs) and the enabling ecosystem, with a strong focus on Women's Economic Empowerment (WEE) and youth integration. The project applies a concise multi level approach: support MSMEs with training, coaching and finance to improve productivity and market access; strengthen ecosystem actors (finance, certification, cooperatives, processing centres) to enhance services and linkages; and upgrade TVET through demand driven Competence Based Education and Training (CBET) curricula, improved facilities at Government Technical Institutes (GTIs) in Kabala, Kailahun, Koidu and Mattru Jong, teacher capacity building and institutionalised private sector engagement for apprenticeships and certification via Industry Sector Advisory Committees. WEE is embedded throughout. The project strengthens six representative bodies advancing women's economic rights (e.g. Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment - GEWE - Act), introduces gender transformative modules (Gender makes Business Sense - GmBS; Gender Action Learning Systems - GALS; Gender Model Family - GMF) via public and private providers, and delivers mentoring and awareness campaigns to address norms and improve women"s access to resources, markets and decision making. Outcomes are tracked with recognised tools such as the (pro )Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (pro WEAI). Key results targeted include: - Improved competitiveness of MSMEs with measurable employment effects for women and youth. - Upgraded GTIs and at least nine demand oriented, gender responsive curricula operational; teachers trained in learner centred CBET; trainees certified in line with National Council for Technical and Vocational Education (NCTVE) standards in the initial phase. - Stronger institutional conditions for women's economic participation, including operational representative bodies, integrated gender transformative modules, and functioning mentoring and communication platforms. - Enhanced market access through strengthened outgrower networks, cooperative services and business linkages, enabling more equitable participation of women and young producers. The approach is rights based, conflict and context sensitive, and climate aware. It promotes green and circular economy elements in training and enterprise support, limits environmental footprints and applies Do No Harm principles. Implementation aligns with national policies (TVET Policy, Dual Apprenticeship Policy) under the coordination of the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, with the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE) and NCTVE responsible for TVET standards and certification, and the Ministry of Gender and Children's Affairs and civil society partners advancing WEE. Continuous monitoring, learning and adaptive management ensure data driven steering and accountability to BMZ and the EU. EU visibility will follow EU visual identity guidelines; co branding with BMZ/GIZ will follow donor rules.?
Procedure identifier: d94e76f7-daae-430e-9ff3-cce2ea928af3
Internal identifier: 10018858
Type of procedure: Restricted
The procedure is accelerated: no
2.1.1.
Purpose
Main nature of the contract: Services
Main classification (cpv): 80530000 Vocational training services
Additional classification (cpv): 80521000 Training programme services
2.1.2.
Place of performance
Country: Sierra Leone
Additional information: For details, please see the terms of reference.
2.1.4.
General information
Additional information: #Bekanntmachungs-ID: CXTRYY6DYRQ2Q06D# All communication takes place in English via communication tool in the project area of the procurement portal.
Legal basis:
Directive 2014/24/EU
vgv -
2.1.6.
Grounds for exclusion
Sources of grounds for exclusion: Notice, Procurement Document
Breaching of obligations set under purely national exclusion grounds: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Participation in a criminal organisation: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Terrorist offences or offences linked to terrorist activities: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Money laundering or terrorist financing: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Fraud: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Corruption: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Child labour and including other forms of trafficking in human beings: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Breaching obligation relating to payment of taxes: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Breaching obligation relating to payment of social security contributions: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Breaching of obligations in the fields of environmental law: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Breaching of obligations in the fields of social law: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Breaching of obligations in the fields of labour law: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Insolvency: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Assets being administered by liquidator: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Business activities are suspended: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Analogous situation like bankruptcy, insolvency or arrangement with creditors under national law: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Grave professional misconduct: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Agreements with other economic operators aimed at distorting competition: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Conflict of interest due to its participation in the procurement procedure: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Direct or indirect involvement in the preparation of this procurement procedure: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Early termination, damages, or other comparable sanctions: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
Misrepresentation, withheld information, unable to provide required documents or obtained confidential information of this procedure: In accordance with §§ 123,124 GWB, § 22 LkSG.
5. Lot
5.1.
Lot: LOT-0001
Title: 10018858-Implementation of TVET support and women's economic empowerment activities in Sierra Leone
Description: The EMPOWR project will provide a range of advisory, facilitation and capacity-building to support women economic empowerment in selected provinces in Laos. The project will focus on four key areas: - Output 1: The project will strengthen reform processes and the enabling environment for women's economic empowerment by advising MoIC and sector ministries on gender-responsive policies, fostering public-private dialogue, improving use of gender data, and building women's leadership capacities. - Output 2: The project will improve the availability and quality of gender-responsive and -transformative support services by capacitating BDS providers and intermediary organisations, co-developing new offers where gaps exist, and promoting digital and green skills for women. - Output 3: The project will strengthen women's producer groups and value chains in high-participation sectors by enhancing product quality, collective business capacities, and market access, supported by peer learning and women champions. - Output 4: The project will support increasing visibility of women's economic contributions through media, role models, and digital/physical platforms that showcase women's products and entrepreneurial success. The contractor will provide advisory services in areas such as women economic empowerment, development of Business Development Service (BDS) provider markets and value chain development. The contractor will combine on-the-ground facilitation with advisory inputs and trainings.
Internal identifier: 10018858
5.1.1.
Purpose
Main nature of the contract: Services
Main classification (cpv): 80530000 Vocational training services
Additional classification (cpv): 80521000 Training programme services
Options:
Description of the options: GIZ may optionally commission contract amendments and/or increases based on the criteria in the tender documents to the successful bidder of this tender. For details, please see the terms of reference.
5.1.2.
Place of performance
Country: Sierra Leone
Additional information: For details, please see the terms of reference.
5.1.3.
Estimated duration
Duration: 36 Months
5.1.4.
Renewal
Maximum renewals: 2
Other information about renewals: GIZ may optionally commission contract amendments and/or increases based on the criteria in the tender documents to the successful bidder of this tender. For details, please see the terms of reference.
5.1.6.
General information
Reserved participation:
Participation is not reserved.
The names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to perform the contract must be given: Not required
Procurement Project fully or partially financed with EU Funds.
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): yes
This procurement is also suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): yes
Additional information: #Besonders auch geeignet für:selbst#, #Besonders auch geeignet für:other-sme#
5.1.7.
Strategic procurement
Aim of strategic procurement: Reduction of environmental impacts
Description: Siehe Leistungsbeschreibung.
Aim of strategic procurement: Fulfilment of social objectives
Description: Siehe Leistungsbeschreibung.
Approach to reducing environmental impacts: The protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems, The transition to a circular economy, Climate change adaptation, Climate change mitigation, The sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources
Social objective promoted: Ethnic equality, Gender equality, Human rights due diligence in global supply chains, Employment opportunities for the long-term unemployed, disadvantaged and/or for persons with disabilities, Fair working conditions, Other
5.1.9.
Selection criteria
Sources of selection criteria: Notice, Procurement Document
Criterion: Other economic or financial requirements
Description of selection criterion: EN-A1: Principles for the execution of orders (Mit dem Teilnahmeantrag; Mittels Eigenerklärung): The eligbility criteria are not from the same category as stipulated above, as there is no suitable category. 1. Self-declaration: name of company and address, tax ID, registration and commercial register number or equivalent register in accordance with the legal provisions of the country of origin. 2. No grounds for exclusion pursuant to § 123, § 124 GWB, § 22 LkSG, EU-Russia sanctions 3. Declaration of bidding consortium and/or declaration of subcontractors (if applicable)
Criterion: Other economic or financial requirements
Description of selection criterion: EN-A2: Conditions for the reduction of candidates (Mit dem Teilnahmeantrag; Mittels Eigenerklärung): If we receive more than 5 requests to participate, we will make a selection on the basis of the criteria laid out in the procurement documents and invite tenders only from the 5 candidates with the highest scores. We reserve the right to cancel the procurement procedure if we receive fewer than 2 requests to participate. Weighted criteria for the selection of candidates: 1. Technical experience (70%) a) TVET system strengthening and competence-based training (20%) b) Women's Economic Empowerment and gender-transformative approaches (20%) c) Organisational development and capacity development of public institutions and/or intermediary organisations (10%) d) Private sector development, labour market integration and employment promotion (10%) e) Agricultural and agri-food value chain development (10%) 2. Regional experience in Sierra Leone (20%) 3. Experience of development projects (at least 50% ODA-financed) (10%)
Criterion: References on specified services
Description of selection criterion: EN-B1: Technical and professional ability (Mit dem Teilnahmeantrag; Mittels Eigenerklärung): 1. The technical assessment is only based on reference projects with a minimum commission value of 500,000.00 EUR (net). 2. At least four (04) reference projects in the field of vocational training; and at least two (02) reference projects in the field of women economic empowerment; among these references at least three (03) reference projects implemented in Southern and/or Western Africa during the last 36 months (the reference date being the publication date of this call for tenders).
Criterion: Average yearly turnover
Description of selection criterion: EN-C1: Economic and financial standing (Mit dem Teilnahmeantrag; Mittels Eigenerklärung): Average annual turnover for the last three years (last-but-four financial year can be included in case of tenders held within 6 months of end of last financial year), at least: 3,000,000.00 EUR (net).
Criterion: Other economic or financial requirements
Description of selection criterion: EN-C2: Economic and financial standing (Mit dem Teilnahmeantrag; Mittels Eigenerklärung): Average number of employees and managers in the last three calendar years, at least 15 persons.
Criterion: References on specified services
Description of selection criterion: Bewertung der fachlichen Eignung / gewichtete Kriterien für die Auswahl der Bewerber - Gewichtete Kriterien für die Auswahl von Bewerbern: 1. Fachliche Eignung (50%): a) Biodiversitätsfinanzierung (15%) b) Nachhaltige Produktion und Vermarktung von Holz und Nichtholz-Waldprodukten (10%) c) Biodiversitätsmonitoring (10%) d) Agrar-/Landwirtschaftliche Wertschöpfungsketten (5%) e) Wissensmanagement/-netzwerke (10%) 2. Regionale Erfahrung (30%) 3. Erfahrung in der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit (mindestens 50% ODA-finanziert) (20%)
The criteria will be used to select the candidates to be invited for the second stage of the procedure
Weight (percentage, exact): 100,00
Information about the second stage of a two-stage procedure:
Minimum number of candidates to be invited for the second stage of the procedure: 5
Maximum number of candidates to be invited for the second stage of the procedure: 6
The procedure will take place in successive stages. At each stage, some participants may be eliminated
5.1.11.
Procurement documents
Languages in which the procurement documents are officially available: English
Deadline for requesting additional information: 16/10/2026 23:59:59 (UTC+02:00) Eastern European Time, Central European Summer Time
Ad hoc communication channel:
5.1.12.
Terms of procurement
Terms of the procedure:
Estimated date of dispatch of the invitations to submit tenders: 13/11/2026
Terms of submission:
Electronic submission: Required
Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: English
Electronic catalogue: Not allowed
Variants: Not allowed
Tenderers may submit more than one tender: Not allowed
Deadline for receipt of requests to participate: 26/10/2026 12:00:00 (UTC+01:00) Central European Time, Western European Summer Time
Information that can be supplemented after the submission deadline:
At the discretion of the buyer, some missing tenderer-related documents may be submitted later.
Additional information: Die GIZ fordert im gesetzlich vorgesehenen Rahmen den Bewerber oder Bieter auf, Unterlagen nachzureichen, zu vervollständigen oder zu korrigieren.
Terms of contract:
The execution of the contract must be performed within the framework of sheltered employment programmes: No
Conditions relating to the performance of the contract: Die Ausführungsbedingungen ergeben sich aus der Auftragsbekanntmachung und den Vergabeunterlagen.
Electronic invoicing: Required
Electronic ordering will be used: yes
Electronic payment will be used: yes
5.1.15.
Techniques
Framework agreement:
No framework agreement
Information about the dynamic purchasing system:
No dynamic purchase system
5.1.16.
Further information, mediation and review
Review organisation: Vergabekammern des Bundes
Information about review deadlines: According to Article 160, Section 3 of the German Act Against Restraint of Competition (GWB), application for review is not permissible insofar as 1. the applicant has identified the claimed infringement of the procurement rules before submitting the application for review and has not submitted a complaint to the contracting authority within a period of 10 calendar days; the expiry of the period pursuant to Article 134, Section 2 remains unaffected, 2. complaints of infringements of procurement rules that are evident in the tender notice are not submitted to the contracting authority at the latest by the expiry of the deadline for the application or by the deadline for the submission of bids, specified in the tender notice. 3. complaints of infringements of procurement rules that first become evident in the tender documents are not submitted to the contracting authority at the latest by the expiry of the deadline for application or by the deadline for the submission of bids, 4. more than 15 calendar days have expired since receipt of notification from the contracting authority that it is unwilling to redress the complaint. Sentence 1 does not apply in the case of an application to determine the invalidity of the contract in accordance with Article 135, Section 1 (2). Article 134, Section 1, Sentence 2 remains unaffected.
Organisation providing additional information about the procurement procedure: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Organisation receiving requests to participate: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
8. Organisations
8.1.
ORG-0001
Official name: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Registration number: 993-80072-52
Postal address: Dag-Hammarskjöld-Weg 1 - 5
Town: Eschborn
Postcode: 65760
Country subdivision (NUTS): Main-Taunus-Kreis (DE71A)
Country: Germany
Telephone: +49 6196792510
Fax: +49 6196791115
Roles of this organisation:
Buyer
Organisation providing additional information about the procurement procedure
Organisation receiving requests to participate
8.1.
ORG-0002
Official name: Vergabekammern des Bundes
Registration number: 022894990
Postal address: Kaiser-Friedrich-Straße 16
Town: Bonn
Postcode: 53113
Country subdivision (NUTS): Bonn, Kreisfreie Stadt (DEA22)
Country: Germany
Telephone: +49 2289499-0
Fax: +49 2289499-163
Roles of this organisation:
Review organisation
8.1.
ORG-0003
Official name: Datenservice Öffentlicher Einkauf (in Verantwortung des Beschaffungsamts des BMI)
Registration number: 0204:994-DOEVD-83
Town: Bonn
Postcode: 53119
Country subdivision (NUTS): Bonn, Kreisfreie Stadt (DEA22)
Country: Germany
Telephone: +49228996100
Roles of this organisation:
TED eSender
Notice identifier/version: e606ac14-42af-4709-bda2-90e529b46fea - 01
Form type: Competition
Notice type: Contract or concession notice – standard regime
Notice subtype: 16
Notice dispatch date: 23/09/2026 09:32:54 (UTC+02:00) Eastern European Time, Central European Summer Time
Languages in which this notice is officially available: English
Notice publication number: 658357-2026
OJ S issue number: 185/2026
Publication date: 24/09/2026