Call for Business Support Service Providers

Outbox is inviting eligible business support services providers to respond to this call for expression of interest to become part of the pool of pre-vetted service providers to deliver technical assistance to small and growing businesses between 2022 to 2025. 

Our support to the businesses in our portfolio would not be complete without increasing the access and utilization of quality business support services by small and growing businesses. As such, we are building a pool of pre-vetted service providers to extend support to our portfolio of businesses.

As technical assistance needs arise from the small and growing businesses, linkages will be established between the entrepreneurs and pre-vetted service providers. For technical assistance needs that come from Outbox, request for proposals and request for quotations will be issued to the pre-vetted service providers in their area of expertise. All sub-contracts will be issued by Outbox. 

Pre-vetted service providers will also have an opportunity to support small and growing businesses in all our entrepreneurship programmes at Outbox as the need arises.

It is important to note that selection does not guarantee any award from Outbox or its implementing partners. You will have an opportunity to bid for work from the request for quotations on particular technical assistance needs from the small and growing businesses we support.

Outbox is supporting entrepreneurs and innovators that are running small and growing businesses that have potential for high growth and scalability from all over the country. We are focused on the following sectors but not limited to them: agriculture, tourism, construction, education, health, digital technologies, Energy, manufacturing, WASH to mention but a few

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CATEGORIES

Below, we share the categories of services that you can provide. Each applicant is expected to indicate what technical assistance they can offer.

Product development/refinement: This support seeks to improve the ability of an innovator to identify, build, test and further refine a product in preparation for scale-up

• Customer product segmentation 
• Product lifecycle management 
• Product design and development 
• Product standards and certifications

Gender integration: This technical assistance seeks to help innovators improve the impact and reach of their products or services to female end-users and stakeholders in their respective domains. This could also include aspects of including more women within management and decision making roles in their companies 

• Gender inclusive business modeling 
• Partnerships for gender related impact 
• Gender responsive organizational policies
• Gender integration policy and advisory

Organizational capacity development: This is technical assistance that seeks to improve the internal processes, procedures and resources of an organization.

• Human resource management 
• Financial management and accounting systems 
• Team management and leadership 
• Audit systems 
• Operational efficiency

Communications and PR: This is TA that seeks to improve the external communication of innovators and their organizations.

• Brand storytelling, pitching and presentation 
• Graphic design 
• Website development 
• Content development 
• Social media management 
• Communications and PR strategy development 

Market research and analysis: This is TA that will improve the innovator's understanding of the market including existing and new market opportunities. 

• Domain based market research 
• Region based market research 
• ESG related market research 

Marketing and sales: This is TA that will improve the innovator's ability to reach and convert more end-users for their product/service.

• Digital marketing 
• Customer service 
• Sales processes and operationalization 
• Sales modeling and strategy
• Traditional marketing

Legal services and compliance: This includes TA that offers advisory and training on the legal and regulatory aspects of the innovator's domain

• Legal advisory 
• Intellectual property advisory 
• Regulatory advisory 
• Supplier/vendor contract advisory

Monitoring, evaluation and learning advisory services: this T.A includes MEL advisory services for innovators that seek to track progress and impact.

• Impact and performance monitoring 
• Indicator target setting 
• Indicator development 
• Lean data approach

Business development: This is TA that supports the overall strategic growth of an innovator and supports scaling.

• Business modeling 
• Business growth strategy 
• Supply chain management 
• Proposal writing 
• Partnerships development 

Investment readiness: includes TA which aims to improve the innovator's ability to identify potential investors, attract and meet the requirements of potential investors, financially manage existing investments, or provide investment brokerage services. 

• Investor matchmaking/roadshows 
• Fundraising 
• Financial analysis and projections 
• Investment strategy 
• Company valuation 
• Transaction advisory services 
• Investment pitch coaching 
• Investor landscape analysis 
• Term sheet negotiation support

Others: This includes other business support services given that this is not an exhaustive list of services. This might include shared infrastructure for processing, information technology services etc

Questions: Please submit them by 14th January 2022 5pm EAT in writing to tenders@outbox.co.ug 

Submission deadline is 28th January 2022. Applications should be submitted to https://bit.ly/bds2022