TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)

1.      Introduction/ Background                                                                                                         

Pak Mission Society (PMS), in partnership with Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences (LUAWMS), is implementing the Oceanpreneurs: Building Blue Economy Start-ups at Lasbela University to Counter Violent Extremism project. The initiative aims to equip 40 university students with practical, market-driven entrepreneurship skills in priority blue economy sectors, leading to the development of at least 8 viable start-ups within a three-month implementation period.

A comprehensive Market Assessment and Value Chain Analysis for Blue Economy Start-ups & Enterprises is being conducted to identify high-potential subsectors, demand-supply gaps, regulatory constraints, financing barriers, and inclusion opportunities. Based on these findings, PMS seeks to engage a qualified consultant/firm to design a complete, modular, and context-specific Oceanpreneurship curriculum aligned with market realities, incubation needs, and CVE (Countering Violent Extremism) objectives.

2.      Purpose of assignment                                                                                                  

The purpose of this assignment is to develop a comprehensive, market-informed training curriculum for university youth that focuses on business modelling, financial literacy, marketing, inclusive leadership, teamwork, critical thinking, future skills and civic engagement. The curriculum will equip students with the practical entrepreneurial and civic competencies required to design viable business ideas, engage constructively with society, and contribute positively to social cohesion in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.

3.      Objectives                                                                                                                                

The specific objectives of this assignment are to:

1. Develop a structured and learner-cantered training curriculum covering business modelling, financial literacy, and marketing to support early-stage enterprise development.
2. Integrate inclusive leadership, teamwork, and ethical decision-making as core competencies for responsible entrepreneurship.
3. Strengthen critical thinking skills to enable youth to analyse problems, assess risks, and counter misinformation or grievance-based narratives.
4. Embed civic engagement and social responsibility within entrepreneurial practice to promote social cohesion and positive youth agency.
5. Produce facilitator and participant training materials that are practical, contextually relevant, and adaptable for hybrid delivery.

4.      Scope of work                                                                                                              

The consultant/firm will undertake the following tasks:

4.1 Review & Analysis

• Review the Oceanpreneurship Project document, market assessment & blue economy, value chain report, inception findings, and stakeholder consultations.
• Identify priority subsectors, start-up niches, risks, and enablers to be reflected in the curriculum.

4.2 Curriculum Design

The consultant/firm will design a modular training curriculum structured around the following seven core themes:

Module 1: Foundations of entrepreneurship & business modelling

• Entrepreneurial mindset and opportunity identification
• Business model canvas and value proposition design
• Customer segmentation and problem solution fit

Module 2: Financial literacy for entrepreneurs

• Basic accounting concepts and budgeting
• Costing, pricing, and cash flow management
• Financial planning for start-ups and small enterprises

Module 3: Marketing & market access

• Market research and customer validation
• Branding, communication, and ethical marketing
• Digital marketing and local market linkages

Module 4: Inclusive leadership & teamwork

• Leadership styles and inclusive decision-making
• Team formation, roles, and collaboration
• Gender sensitivity, equity, and respect for diversity

Module 5: Critical thinking & problem solving

• Analytical thinking and evidence-based decision-making
• Risk identification and mitigation
• Challenging misinformation and harmful narratives

Module 6: Civic Engagement & social responsibility

• Role of entrepreneurs as responsible citizens
• Community engagement, trust-building, and accountability
• Ethical business conduct and social impact

Module 7: Business pitching & action planning

• Communicating business ideas clearly and persuasively
• Pitch development and feedback
• Personal and group action plans

4.3 Development of Training Materials

Development of training materials development of training materials

• Detailed session plans and learning objectives
• Facilitator manual with guidance notes and exercises
• Student workbook with tools, templates, and assignments
• Case studies drawn from local and regional blue economy enterprises
• Pre- and post-training assessment tools
• Start-up readiness and feasibility scoring matrix
• Group assignments, practical exercises, and reflection tools
• Present draft curriculum to PMS and LUAWMS for validation
• Incorporate feedback from faculty, industry mentors, and PMS
• Finalize curriculum and all associated tools

4.4 Assessment & Learning Tools

4.5 Validation & Finalization

5.      Methodology                                                                                                               

The consultant is expected to adopt a participatory and applied approach, including:

• Desk review of market/value chain findings
• Consultations with PMS, LUAWMS faculty, and industry mentors
• Curriculum benchmarking with relevant entrepreneurship and blue economy programs
• Iterative validation and refinement
• ·        Contract Duration: 20 days
• ·        Start Date: December 25^th, 2025
• ·        End Date: January 14, 2026

6.      Timeframe                                                                                                                               

7.    Deliverables and work plan                                                                                                       

The consultant/firm will deliver following work plan/time line and deliverables.

8.    Reporting and coordination                                                                                                      

The consultant will report to the program lead and project manager of PMS. The consultant will work under their overall technical guidance and supervision and will be responsible for maintaining regular coordination, providing progress updates, and ensuring timely submission of all agreed deliverables in line with PMS standards and project.

9.      Eligibility Criteria                                                                                                                    

B. Financial Evaluation (30 Points)

10.  Desired Competencies, Technical Background, and Experience                            

The consultant/firm must possess an advanced degree (Master’s level or above) in Business administration, entrepreneurship, development studies, marine sciences, economics, social sciences, Education, or a closely related discipline. Additional certifications or formal training in entrepreneurship education, curriculum development, incubation management, or private sector development will be considered a strong asset.

2. Professional Experience

The consultant/firm must have a minimum of seven (7) to ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in entrepreneurship training, curriculum design, start-up incubation, or enterprise development programming. This experience should include designing and delivering structured training programs, developing learning materials, mentoring entrepreneurs or youth, and supporting early-stage business development initiatives.

3. Sectoral Expertise

Demonstrated experience in blue economy sectors, MSME development, or value chain analysis and development is required. This includes practical exposure to sectors such as fisheries, aquaculture, marine services, eco-tourism, or related livelihood and enterprise value chains, as well as the ability to translate market and value chain insights into relevant training content and practical learning tools.

4. Youth, Gender, and Fragile Contexts

The consultant/firm must demonstrate a strong understanding of youth inclusion, gender equality, and programming in fragile or conflict-affected contexts. Experience working with university students, youth groups, women, or marginalized populations is essential, along with the ability to design curricula that are inclusive, conflict-sensitive, culturally appropriate, and responsive to social cohesion and CVE considerations.

5. Facilitation and Curriculum Development Skills

The consultant/firm must possess excellent facilitation, instructional design, and curriculum writing skills, with proven ability to develop learner-cantered training curricula, facilitator manuals, participant workbooks, and assessment tools. Experience in applying participatory and experiential learning methodologies, including group work, simulations, case studies, and reflective exercises, is required. Strong written and verbal communication skills in English are essential.

11.  Technical Proposal                                                                                                                   

The applicant must submit the following document with the technical proposal.

• Company profile/consultant profile including the proof of relevant experiences
• CVs of proposed staff who will lead the assignment and involved in assignment.
• Plan of action for the proposed assignment
• Work plan for the proposed assignment.
• Sample road map of previously completed similar assignments.

12.  Financial Proposal                                                                                                                    

• Proposed financial offer with a complete breakdown of activities.
• The financial proposal must be submitted in PKR inclusive of all applicable taxes.

13.   How to Apply                                                                                                                                     

Interested individual consultants/ consulting firms are invited to submit their technical and financial proposals in sealed envelopes, clearly marked “Development of Training Curriculum on Entrepreneurship & CVE-Aligned Skills”, via courier service or by hand to House No. 333, Street 29, Sector G14/4, Islamabad, Pakistan on or before 23rd December 2025 before the close of business (COB). Soft copies will be shared through email [email protected]

late submissions will not be entertained. For inquiries, please contact the Procurement Committee through email at [email protected] or by phone at +92-51-8446166.