1. Background and rationale
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is part of a Partnership on Inclusive Jobs and Education for Host Communities, Refugees and other Forcibly Displaced Persons, known as PROSPECTS. The Partnership is a multi-year programme, funded by the Government of the Netherlands, that brings together five agencies (ILO, World Bank, IFC, UNICEF, UNHCR) to devise collaborative and innovative approaches for inclusive job creation and education in contexts characterized by forced displacement. The programme encompasses three pillars, namely Education, Jobs, and Protection and operates in eight countries across East Africa, Horn of Africa and the Middle East employing an area-based approach, in which the partner agencies jointly focus their activities on selected regions in each country. Under the partnership, the ILO, together with IFC and World Bank, lead interventions to improve livelihoods and create jobs for host communities and refugees, through entrepreneurship development, market systems development, financial inclusion among other work streams. Please find more information on prospects here: www.ilo.org/prospects
Under the Kenya Government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), the country has prioritized the promotion and development of the leather sub-sector as a key driver of wealth, job creation and industrialization. It is also part of delivery of the Vision 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 1-End Poverty in all forms, 8-Decent work and Economic growth, 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure). Further, a presidential directive was given in 2023 that the Kenya Uniformed services should prioritize locally manufactured leather good, specifically footwear to further provide market to local producers.
Kenya’s leather industry has great potential to contribute to economic growth by increasing the production of semi-processed and finished leather items for both the domestic and export markets.[1] However, the sector faces numerous challenges across the value chain. At the input level, there is a low supply of quality hides and skins, which hampers production. At the value addition level, the challenges include uncompetitive and low value-added leather and leather products, while at the market level the challenges include limited access to domestic and export markets for leather and leather products. Other cross-cutting challenges include poor infrastructural; inadequate skill level; non- compliance with product standards and environmental standards; low innovation, technology acquisition and adoption; legal and regulatory environment constraints; weak linkages in different stages of the value chain among the leather sector actors; low participation of special interest groups in leather sector development; and external business risks. These challenges have culminated into depressed investments in the leather sector.
However, the sectors’ potential remains largely untapped, with minimal value addition observed thus far. Kenya’s exports primarily consist of semi-processed (wet blue) leather, even as so much raw hides and skin is lost before processing. Up to 120 million square feet leather from cows and 8.4 million skins from goats are exported every year as wet blue. The country fails to capitalize on the immense possibilities offered by value addition. The sector is largely disconnected with tanners having inadequate markets to optimize their productive capacity, while on the other hand local leather items manufacturers do not have enough quality leather to serve the local market.
ILO in collaboration with the State Department of Industry (SDI), has been convening actors in the leather sector to address barriers that have hindered growth and productivity in the sector, in a bid to address the root causes of the sector inefficiencies. ILO is working to create linkage to sustainable markets to increase incomes for local businesses while promoting creation of decent jobs. Specifically, the ILO is supporting local producers to access market for locally made footwear to be supplied by micro and small businesses to the National Youth Service. ILO will also invest in developing productive capacities of the MSEs, and their business competitiveness to enable them to comply with NYS procurement requirements. In addition to the market linkages, ILO will build capacity of NYS to establish their own leather footwear production unit within their vocational training programmes.
2. Objective of the assignment and scope of work
The objective of this assignment is to support MSEs within the Leather Apex Association to organize and develop capacity to competitively supply the National Youth Service with quality footwear in compliance with the public procurement guidelines, while at the same time develop NYS’s capacity to establish their own leather workshops. The consultant is expected to promote inclusive participation within the leather sector by actively engaging marginalized groups, including women and youth, in the value chain. The consultant will specifically deliver the following objectives with guidance and supervision from the ILO: –
a. Conducting of mapping for footwear production capacity of the Kenya Leather Apex Association members country wide
In consultation with the member associations, the consultant will document existing capacities both for manpower and equipment across the 8 chapters of the Kenya Leather Apex Association. Documentation will include the existing skills/occupation profiles relevant to leather footwear production, Skills gap analysis, local training institutions with capacity to support leather skills development .
The consultant will also map existing production technologies and equipment across the different chapters of the association, with the aim of identifying gaps for capacity strengthening. This will also entail mapping equipment accessibility and their repairs and maintenance.
b. Product development and production support
The consultant will support the Leather Apex Society of Kenya to understand the NYS product requirements, and plan to fulfil the required quality and quantities.
The consultant will work with the MSE production clusters to ensure identification of appropriate suppliers of raw materials for the ordered production. He/she will create relevant linkages with tanneries and suppliers of raw materials to ensure quality assurance from raw materials to accessories to the final product finishing. The consultant will conduct relevant product development trainings to ensure compliance with the required product standards.
c. Capacity strengthening for the Leather Apex Society of Kenya
The consultant will conduct an Institutional/organisational Capacity Assessment of the Apex and map out capacity gaps that hinder the organization from achieving its mission and mandate. The consultant will design assessment tools in collaboration with the ILO and prioritize areas of support for the apex body, targeting both technical and operational capacity.
d. Support establishment of the leather training Centre of Excellence at NYS:
The consultant will support development of a viable business model for the NYS centres, linking technical training of NYS ToT to production. The consultant will also design linkages to MSEs working in the leather value chain both for work-based learning opportunities for NYS servicemen/women, and for mentorship. The consultant will support design of an apprenticeship programme linking NYS trainees to work based learning opportunities.
e. Provide technical support for the setup of the Garissa leathercraft incubation centre: Working collaboratively with the Garissa University, the consultant will support development of the envisaged incubation centre, ensuring compliance with OSH requirements for a production workshop. The support will also include development of a viable business model for the centre, linking producers/ craftsmen to markets.
Throughout the assignment, the consultant must be conscious of mitigating environmental impacts throughout the consultancy. This includes assessing the sustainability of leather production practices and identifying areas where improvements can be made. The consultant should evaluate the entire supply chain, from raw material sourcing to production and waste management, and recommend strategies that promote eco-friendly practices
4. Key Deliverables and timeline
The national consultancy is expected to start by 10 November 2024 and end by 30th May 2025, after delivery of the first supply to NYS. The consultant, will be expected to deliver high quality work within the stipulated timelines.
Key Deliverables | Indicative duration (days) adjustable with justification
1.Mapping of footwear production capacity within the Apex Society of Kenya membership, including mapping potential producers in Turkana and Garissa, and in the refugee camps (Dadaab and Kakuma)- 20 days
2. Product design unpacking, identifying the skills profiles required – 3 days
3. Raw materials identification and production planning – 5 days
4. Development and dissemination of quality control system – 4 days
5. Institutional Capacity Assessment for the Leather Apex Society of Kenya – 5 days
6. Support towards establishment of a leather Centre of Excellence at NYS – 10 days
7. Support to the Garissa University to set up the leathercraft incubation centre – 13 days
8. Learning documentation and report – 5 days
Approximate total days – 65
5. Payments
The national consultant will receive five payments based on the following deliverables
1. 30% payment for the assignment will be paid on delivery of assignment’s workplan agreed consultatively with the Leather Apex Society of Kenya and NYS, mapping of raw materials availability, and aligning to client procurement timelines. The consultant will also be expected to present the draft product design unpacking document, and a draft capacity assessment tool.
2. 45% payment for the contract will be made on delivery of the following:- capacity assessment report of the Apex Society as described in deliverable 1, quality assurance mechanism developed and shared with SMEs, production plan for the footwear ordered, draft plan for the set up of the Garissa leathercrafts incubation centre, NYS leather articles production unit plan, progress report on the production and supply of footwear to NYS, training reports for design training to MSEs.
3. 25% payment will be made on delivery of the final batch of footwear produced, documentation of learning and sustainability plan for future market linkages, final agreed NYS leather workshop set up strategy and implementable plan, needs assessment report of the Leather Apex Society, report on progress of the Garissa leather crafts set up, , and final assignment report reviewed and approved by ILO.
6. Eligibility requirements
- University degree in either Design and Development, Manufacturing, Business Administration, Commerce, or operations management.
- A master’s in design, Development, Business administration with specialisation in Strategic management, marketing or operations management is an added advantage
- At least 7 years’ experience working in or providing capacity building support to a MSEs to improve their product competitiveness, setting up small manufacturing units, and creating market linkages.
- Strong familiarity with the leather value chain in Kenya, including barriers and opportunities in the sector; and opportunities for international market linkages.
- Knowledge and experience in the Kenya skills development ecosystem, and capacity to convene actors.
- Experience in working in with MSMEs and leather processing forms.
- Excellent spoken and written English language skills.
- Excellent ability to synthesise and organise information
7. Staffing, Roles, and Reporting
The Consultant will work under the overall authority the Director of the ILO Country Office for Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi, under the direct supervision the ILO-PROSPECTS Programme Manager in Kenya. The consultant will coordinate day to day interactions with the National Programme Coordinators for Enterprise and Skills Development and will on need basis get technical guidance from ILO Technical Specialists on Market Systems Development and Enterprise.
Throughout the course of this assignment, the national consultant will report weekly on the progress of the assignment to the ILO for coordination and follow–up. If it appears necessary to modify the tasks or timeline of work or exceed the time allocated, the national consultant must discuss the circumstances with the ILO and obtain prior written approval. The ILO may disclose the draft or final report to any person and for any purpose ILO may deem appropriate.
8. Confidentiality and contracting conditions
All data and information received from the ILO for the purpose of this assignment are to be treated confidentially and are only to be used in connection with the execution of these Terms of Reference. All intellectual property rights arising from the execution of these Terms of Reference are assigned to the ILO. The contents of written materials obtained and used in this assignment may not be disclosed to any third parties without the expressed advance written authorization of the ILO.
The present assignment is a consultancy under the standard terms and condition of external collaborator contract of the ILO.
[1] https://kam.co.ke/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/LEATHER-SUB-SECTOR.final-small-pdf
Application (technical and financial in KES) should be submitted by email to [email protected] later than Sunday 27 October 2024, Quoting “PROSPECTS: National Consultant for Leather Value Chain”. Proposal should not exceed 5 pages. Only shortlisted candidates shall be contacted.
