Consultancy: Conduct Policy Review and Gap Analysis of Existing Labor, ICT, and BPO-related Policies with a Focus on Persons with Disabilities

Background

Ethiopian Center for Disability and Development (ECDD) is an Ethiopian Development Organization established in 2005 and reregistered by the Agency for Civil Society Organizations as an Ethiopian Development Organization with a Certificate № 0321 under the Proclamation № 1113/2019. ECDD is working with other organizations to promote and facilitate the inclusion of persons with disabilities and disability issues in mainstream service delivery and development programs envisioning an Inclusive Ethiopia where persons with disabilities exercise the same rights and have access to the same services and opportunities enjoyed by other citizens.

With financial support from GIZ, ECDD has recently launched a new livelihood initiative titled “I BPO: Upskilling and Employing Persons with Disabilities through an Inclusive BPO Ecosystem in Ethiopia.” This project seeks to establish a functioning disability-inclusive BPO ecosystem by equipping persons with disabilities with foundational skills, engaging employers to commit to inclusive practices, and aligning national institutions to sustain and expand opportunities. The project reflects Ethiopia’s growing emphasis on digital transformation and the potential of the BPO sector to generate employment and innovation.

At the national level, Ethiopia has made significant commitments to inclusive development through frameworks such as the National Plan of Action on Disability, the Digital Ethiopia 2025 Strategy, and its ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). These commitments are further reinforced by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which call for inclusive growth and equal participation. Despite these advances, however, persons with disabilities continue to face systemic barriers in accessing employment, ICT services, and opportunities within the rapidly expanding BPO sector.

The labor market remains largely inaccessible, with limited enforcement of disability-inclusive provisions in existing labor laws. ICT policies have yet to fully integrate digital accessibility standards, leaving many persons with disabilities excluded from the benefits of technological advancement. Meanwhile, the BPO sector, an emerging pillar of Ethiopia’s digital economy, offers significant potential for job creation but lacks adequate policy frameworks to ensure the participation of persons with disabilities.

Against this backdrop, a comprehensive policy review and gap analysis is essential to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for reform. This consultancy will provide evidence-based insights into how labor, ICT, and BPO-related policies can be aligned with international standards, particularly the UNCRPD, ensuring that persons with disabilities are not left behind in Ethiopia’s socio-economic transformation. Ultimately, the assignment is expected to contribute to building an inclusive outsourcing sector that aligns with national labor laws, disability rights frameworks, and international best practices.

Objectives of the Assignment

Major Objective

• To conduct a comprehensive policy review and gap analysis of existing labor, ICT, and BPO-related policies in Ethiopia, with a particular focus on disability inclusion, in order to strengthen the enabling environment for persons with disabilities and support the development of an inclusive BPO ecosystem.

Specific Objectives

• To assess the real gaps and limitations of existing labor, ICT, and BPO-related policies in Ethiopia, both in general and in relation to persons with disabilities.
• To describe how these gaps and challenges affect persons with disabilities in accessing employment opportunities, using and benefiting from ICT infrastructure, and participating in the BPO sector.
• To develop practical and evidence-based recommendations to address the identified challenges and strengthen disability inclusion in labor, ICT, and BPO-related policies.
• To enable OPDs and other stakeholders to use the findings for evidence-based policy advocacy, ensuring that disability rights are mainstreamed into national labor, ICT, and BPO frameworks

Scope of Work

The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Policy examination: Review and analyze the prevailing labor, ICT, and BPO-related policies, strategies, and regulations in Ethiopia, with particular attention to disability inclusion.
• Stakeholder engagement: Conduct consultations with relevant stakeholders such as government ministries, BPO companies, the Ethiopian Outsourcing Association (EOA), and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) to identify gaps and collect data required for the policy review and gap analysis.
• Policy brief development: Prepare a concise policy brief document that highlights the identified gaps and challenges and recommend possible solutions to strengthen the participation of persons with disabilities in the labor market, ICT sector, and BPO industry.
• Evidence-based advocacy support: Provide guidance and materials to enable OPDs and other stakeholders to use the findings for evidence-based policy advocacy, ensuring disability rights are mainstreamed into national frameworks.
• Comprehensive reporting: Submit a comprehensive document that consolidates the identified gaps, the policy brief, and actionable recommendations for reform, and present the findings at a validation workshop with key stakeholders.

Expected Deliverables

The consultant is expected to produce the following outputs:

• Inception Report: A brief document outlining the consultant’s understanding of the assignment, proposed methodology, work plan, and timeline.
• Stakeholder Consultation Summary: A report capturing key insights from engagements with government ministries, BPO companies, the Ethiopian Outsourcing Association (EOA), and OPDs, highlighting stakeholder perspectives on policy gaps and challenges.
• Policy Brief: A concise advocacy document summarizing the identified gaps, their effects on persons with disabilities, and proposed solutions, designed to be used by OPDs and other stakeholders for evidence‑based policy advocacy.
• Draft Gap Analysis Report: A comprehensive draft report presenting the findings of the policy review, analysis of gaps, and preliminary recommendations for strengthening disability inclusion in labor, ICT, and BPO‑related policies.
• Final Report: A consolidated document incorporating feedback from ECDD and stakeholders, including the full gap analysis, policy brief, and actionable recommendations.

Ethical Considerations

• Informed consent from all participants including OPDs, EOA and member companies
• Data confidentiality and sensitivity to disability‑related issues.
• Inclusive and accessible communication methods (sign language, braille, plain text, easy‑to‑read formats).
• The consultant is expected to propose participatory, accessible, and inclusive data collection approaches in consideration of the types of impairments of persons with disabilities.

Selection Criteria

The Technical and Financial Proposals will account for 70% and 30% respectively of the selection criteria, broken down as follows:

 

No	CRITERIA	SCORES
1	TECHNICAL PROPOSAL: 70%
1.1	Experience related to the task	15%
1.2	Qualifications of team member(s)	10%
1.3	Experience in Disability Inclusion	15%
1.4	Methodology	15%
1.5	Relevant professional experience in HR policy development	15 %
2	FINANCIAL PROPOSAL	30%
	Total	100%

Duration and Timeline

The assignment is expected to be completed within 30 calendar days upon signing the agreement with ECDD. The consultant will be required to adhere to the agreed work plan and submit deliverables within the specified timeframe.

• Inception Report: within 5 calendar days of signing the agreement.
• Stakeholder Consultation Summary: within 12 calendar days of signing the agreement.
• Draft Gap Analysis Report (including identified gaps and preliminary recommendations): within 20 calendar days of signing the agreement.
• Policy Brief for Advocacy: within 25 calendar days of signing the agreement.
• Final Report (incorporating feedback from ECDD and stakeholders): within 5 days after receiving comments from ECDD.
• Total Duration: 30 calendar days.

Mode of Payment

• In ETB via bank transfer or Cheque payment.

Payment Installment	Deliverables	Portion
1st Installment	Upon submission and approval of the Inception Report (including methodology, work plan, and timeline).	30%
2nd Installment	Upon submission and approval of the Stakeholder Consultation Summary and the Draft Gap Analysis Report (including identified gaps, preliminary recommendations, and draft policy brief).	40%
Final Installment	Upon submission and approval of the Final Report (incorporating feedback from ECDD and stakeholders) and presentation of findings at the Validation Workshop.	30%

 

Consultant Qualifications

Education:

• The lead consultant must have at least a post-graduate degree in Social Sciences, Business, Economics, Business Law, or related fields.

Experience:

• Minimum of 3–5 years of proven experience in developing disability‑inclusive policies and gap analysis, organizational manuals, or institutional guidelines.

Expertise:

• Strong knowledge of disability rights, reasonable accommodation, and inclusive practices, preferably aligned with the UNCRPD.

Engagement:

• Demonstrated experience working with Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and other relevant stakeholders.

Skills:

• Excellent analytical, writing, and facilitation skills, with the ability to produce practical tools and guidelines tailored to university contexts.

Legal Requirement:

• The consultant must hold a valid professional license, renewed registration certificate, and business license with TIN and renewed VAT registration certificate.