Background

The Caribbean region, characterized by its Small Island Developing States (SIDS) status, faces significant challenges including high dependence on imported fossil fuels, small market sizes, limited economies of scale, and vulnerability to external shocks. These constraints affect economic resilience, business competitiveness, and sustainability—particularly in the areas of energy efficiency (EE), Resource-Efficient Cleaner Production (RECP), and Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS).

With support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export), together with Business Support Organizations (BSOs), is advancing initiatives to strengthen MSME competitiveness by integrating sustainable energy and production practices. A key element of this effort is the execution of a perception survey that will establish a baseline of MSME awareness, attitudes, and challenges regarding EE, RECP, and VSS. This will inform project strategies, guide outreach, and contribute to long-term resilience.

Contracting Authority

Caribbean Export Development Agency.

Beneficiary Countries

IDB Caribbean Countries: Belize, The Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Summary of Objectives and Scope of Work

Overall Objective

The overall objective of this consultancy is to execute a perception survey among Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the beneficiary countries to assess their awareness, attitudes, and challenges related to energy efficiency (EE), Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS), and Resource-Efficient Cleaner Production (RECP). The findings will establish a baseline for the project, inform the marketing strategy, and contribute to the project’s Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) framework

Specific Objectives

The specific objectives of the Consultancy are:

• Design and develop the survey instrument creating a structured questionnaire that captures MSME perceptions, knowledge, and adoption of EE, VSS, and RECP practices.
• Administer the survey across the target MSME population in The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Trinidad & Tobago.
• Conduct a comprehensive analysis of survey responses, identifying key trends, challenges, and opportunities.
• Provide recommendations and develop insights for shaping marketing strategies, awareness campaigns, and targeted interventions to promote EE, VSS, and RECP adoption

Scope of Work

The consultant will:

Task 1: Survey Design & Methodology

• Develop the survey structure, including quantitative and qualitative questions.
• Define sampling methods to ensure representative participation across industries and MSME sizes.
• Develop an implementation plan, including an outreach strategy for survey administration.

Task 2: Survey Execution

• Distribute and administer the survey through digital platforms, phone interviews, and/or in-person interviews where feasible.
• Ensure a statistically significant response rate across all target countries.
• Address language and cultural differences in survey administration.

Task 3: Data Analysis & Reporting

• Process and clean survey data for analysis.
• Identify patterns and trends in MSME perceptions and readiness for EE, VSS, and RECP adoption.
• Generate visual representations (charts, graphs) to support findings.
• Develop a final report summarizing key insights, policy recommendations, and suggested marketing strategies

Duration

The consultancy is expected to be completed within four (4) months, with milestones aligned to deliverables.

Submission Guidelines

Interested candidates should submit:

• Detailed CV highlighting relevant experience.
• Technical proposal outlining approach and methodology.
• Financial proposal in USD.
• Contact information for at least two professional references.
• Signed Applicant Declaration Form

Deadline for submission: September 30, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. (AST)

Email submissions to: greenenergy@carib-export.com

Please see below to download the full Terms of Reference for this consultancy.