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.

The purpose of this assignment is to engage a qualified financial literacy consultant/trainer to design and deliver a structured and context-specific financial literacy programme for youth-led start-ups and early-stage enterprises. The programme will be aligned with entrepreneurship incubation needs and CVE objectives, with the aim of strengthening financial management skills, enterprise sustainability, and youth resilience.

2.     Purpose of assignment                                                                                                           

The purpose of the assignment is to develop a comprehensive a structured, market-informed financial literacy training module that equips university students with practical financial management skills for start-ups and early-stage enterprises in blue economy sectors. The financial literacy will equip the students with the practical entrepreneurial and financial competencies required to manage start up or business ideas, future skills and critical thinking that strengthens analytical thinking, adaptability, problem solving and responsible civic engagement.

3.     Objectives                                                                                                                              

The specific objectives of this assignment are to:

1. Design and deliver a structured, learner-centred financial literacy training curriculum aligned with early-stage entrepreneurship and start-up development.
2. Equip participants with practical skills to manage financial resources, including budgeting, bookkeeping, cash flow, and financial planning.
3. Strengthen participants’ capacity to link Financial strategies with revenue generation, pricing, and financial sustainability.
4. Build future skills, including critical thinking, adaptability, problem-solving, and informed financial decision-making.
5. Support enterprise development through practical application of financial literacy to business plan development, financial projections, and pitch preparation.
6. Develop tailored facilitator and participant training materials that support practical learning, enterprise readiness, and real-world application.

4.     Scope of work                                                                                                                        

The consultant/firm will undertake the following tasks:

4.1 Review & Analysis

• Review the Oceanpreneurship Project document of financial literacy, 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 four core themes:

Module 1: Introduction to Financial Literacy for startups

• Understanding financial literacy and its importance for startup sustainability
• Basic financial concepts relevant to early-stage enterprises
• Linking financial decision-making with business ideas and startup goals
• Introduction to income, expenses, profit, and loss
• Role of financial discipline in social and commercial entrepreneurship

Module 2: Basic Bookkeeping Principles of basic bookkeeping for start-ups

• Recording daily income and expenses using manual tools
• Introduction to simple Financial and bookkeeping tools and applications
• Managing receipts, invoices, and payment records
• Maintaining accurate financial records for transparency and accountability

Module 3: Cash Flow Management

• Enhances understanding of cash flow in relation to sales, expenses in Financial start-ups
• Difference between profit and cash flow
• Managing irregular income and start-up expenses
• Monitoring cash flow to avoid shortages
• Preparing simple cash flow statement for decision making

Module 4: Budgeting and Financial Planning

• Preparing startup and operation budgets
• Estimating startup cost and ongoing expenses
• Planning financial resources for short and medium term needs
• Setting financial priorities and controlling costs
• Aligning budgets with business goals and growth plans

Module 5: Financial Sustainability and Business Decision-Making

• Understanding income, expenses, and profit for long-term business sustainability
• Linking pricing, sales volume, and cash flow management
• Preparing and managing business budgets effectively
• Estimating costs, revenues, and financial risks in business operations
• Ethical financial practices and responsible decision-making

Module 6: Future Skills and Financial Decision-Making

• Critical thinking and evidence-based financial decisions
• Financial risk identification and mitigation
• Adaptability and problem-solving in uncertain markets
• Understanding and countering financial misinformation and fraud
• Responsible civic and economic engagement

Module 7: Interaction with Banks

• Introduces the role of banks and financial institutions in enterprise development
• Opening and managing business bank accounts
• Understanding savings, credit, and basic loan products
• Responsible use of banking and financial services
• Building confidence in engaging with banks and financial institutions
• Strengthens ability to challenge misinformation, financial fraud, and harmful narratives related to banking and credit

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

6.     Timeframe                                                                                                                             

·       Contract Duration: 3 Days

·       Start Date: 16^th January 2026

·       End Date: 18^th January 2026

7.    Deliverables and work plan                                                                                                   

The consultant/firm will deliver following work plan/timeline 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/trainer must possess an advanced degree (Master’s level or above) in Finance, Business Administration, Economics, Development Studies, Accounting, or a closely related discipline. Additional certifications or formal training in financial literacy, entrepreneurial finance, curriculum development, or adult learning methodologies will be considered a strong asset.

2. Professional Experience

The consultant/trainer must have a minimum of five (5) to seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in designing and delivering financial literacy training or related capacity-building programs. This experience should include developing structured training curricula, preparing learning materials, facilitating interactive sessions, mentoring entrepreneurs or youth, and supporting early-stage enterprises in financial planning and management.

3. Sectoral Expertise

The consultant/trainer must demonstrate strong technical expertise in financial literacy for early-stage enterprises, including but not limited to budgeting, bookkeeping, costing and pricing, cash flow management, savings, and basic credit management. Evidence of this expertise should be demonstrated through previous assignments, training manuals, curricula, or relevant work samples.

4. Youth, Gender, and Fragile Contexts

The consultant/trainer must demonstrate a solid understanding of youth engagement, gender equality, and programming in fragile or conflict-affected contexts. Proven experience working with university students, youth groups, women, or marginalized populations is required, along with the ability to design and deliver training that is inclusive, culturally appropriate, conflict-sensitive, and aligned with social cohesion and CVE objectives.

5. Facilitation and Curriculum Development Skills

The consultant/trainer must possess excellent facilitation, instructional design, and curriculum development skills, with proven ability to develop learner-centred financial literacy curricula, facilitator manuals, participant workbooks, and assessment tools. Experience in applying participatory and experiential learning methodologies such as group work, practical exercises, case studies, simulations, and reflection 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 “Training on financial literacy” through courier on or before by 31^sts December 2025 at H-333, Street # 29, G-14/4 Islamabad.