មុខតំណែង : Women in clean energy internship program

RFP Number: RFP26-065

Project Name: Women in Clean Energy Internship Program Cohort 2

Domain Name: Infrastructure

Application Closing Date: 5 pm (Phnom Penh Time), 29 May 2026

Assignment Duration: June 2026 – April 2027

Location of assignment: Phnom Penh, with frequent travel to placement sites in

provinces.

1. Background

1.1. About CAPRED 

The CAPRED Facility is Australia's flagship bilateral economic development program in Cambodia, focusing on economic recovery and resilience over the next five years, with a possible three-year extension. The Facility supports Cambodia in implementing a range of important economic reforms to support the country's economic transition. These interventions and reforms aim to encourage more productive and inclusive public and private investment, promoting a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable economy (RISE).

1.2. About CAPRED’s Energy Portfolio 

CAPRED supports Cambodia’s transition toward a cleaner, more reliable, and affordable energy system. This includes technical assistance to the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), Electricité du Cambodge (EDC), Electricity Authority of Cambodia (EAC) and private sector stakeholders to accelerate the integration of renewable energy, promote energy efficiency, and strengthen technical capacity in the energy sector.

As the sector grows, there is an increasing demand for skilled technical and operational personnel. However, gaps remain in the transition from education to employment, including limited practical exposure for graduates, weak linkages between universities and industry, and a lack of structured entry pathways into technical roles.

Women remain underrepresented in technical positions, facing additional barriers such as limited field exposure, weaker professional networks, and workplace-related constraints.

In response to these challenges, CAPRED initiated the Women in Clean Energy Internship Program to support female engineering graduates in transitioning into technical roles within Cambodia’s clean energy sector.

1.3. Cohort 1 Results and Lessons Learned

The first cohort of the Women in Clean Energy Internship Program piloted a structured and safeguarded internship model linking female engineering graduates with clean energy companies. The program combined pre-placement training, industry placements, mentorship, and ongoing support to facilitate the transition from education to employment.

The cohort demonstrated strong results, with all interns completing the program and securing employment, the majority in technical roles, including within the clean energy sector. The program also contributed to increased confidence among both interns and host companies, helping shift perceptions regarding the capabilities of early-career female engineers in technical and operational environments.

Key lessons from implementation highlighted the need to strengthen pre-placement training, improve alignment with host companies, adopt a more flexible mentorship approach, and streamline monitoring and reporting. These lessons inform the design of Cohort 2, which will expand into additional clean energy subsectors while strengthening key components of program delivery.

2. Objective

CAPRED seeks to engage a qualified consulting firm/consortium to implement Cohort 2 of the Women in Clean Energy Internship Program.

The assignment will deliver a structured and safeguarded internship program that supports female engineering graduates to transition into technical roles through pre-placement training, industry placements, mentorship, and ongoing support.

Building on lessons from the first cohort, the program will expand placements into additional clean energy subsectors where women remain underrepresented, including energy efficiency and e-mobility, while strengthening training delivery, placement matching, and overall program implementation.

3. Scope of the Assignment 

The selected consulting firm/consortium will be responsible for the end-to-end implementation of the Women in Clean Energy Internship Program Cohort 2.

3.1. Key Components of the Program

a) Pre-placement training and preparation

• Deliver structured and safeguarded training for all interns
• Include core modules such as workplace readiness, soft skills, safeguarding, HSE, and professional conduct
• Provide technical foundation training and additional modules tailored to placement subsectors

b) Industry placements

• Place up to 15 interns with qualified host organisations
• Ensure each placement includes a defined scope of work and supervision arrangements
• Ensure host organisations provide safe and supportive working environments in line with safeguarding requirements

c) Mentorship and career guidance

• Assign mentors to support interns throughout the placement period
• Provide access to additional mentors where needed
• Facilitate regular engagement between mentors and interns

d) Monitoring and program support

• Conduct regular check-ins with interns and host organisations
• Carry out monitoring visits to placement sites
• Organise a mid-term review and provide additional support where required
• Apply simplified reporting tools to track progress

e) Final assessment and stakeholder engagement

• Conduct an end-of-program assessment, including feedback from interns, host companies, and mentors
• Organise a closing event to share results and lessons learned
• Prepare and submit a final report with findings and recommendations

3.2. Implementation Plan

4. Qualifications or Specialized Knowledge/Experience Required

The consulting firm/consortium shall demonstrate that it has the necessary experience, technical capacity, and qualified personnel to carry out the assignment. The firm may propose a team of experts with complementary expertise. 

4.1. Firm Experience

The consulting firm/consortium shall demonstrate:

• Core program relevance
  • Proven experience in designing and/or implementing internship, training, or workforce development programs
  • Experience working in clean energy, engineering, or related technical sectors
• Implementation and coordination capacity
  • Experience engaging and coordinating with private sector companies, including facilitating workplace placements or partnerships
  • Experience working with multiple stakeholders, including development partners, government institutions, and/or universities
• Inclusion and safeguarding
  • Demonstrated experience integrating gender equality, inclusion, and/or youth-focused approaches into program delivery
  • Experience implementing programs with safeguarding, duty of care, or safe workplace practices
• Strategic and analytical capacity
  • Experience aligning program implementation with national policies and sector priorities
  • Demonstrated ability to analyse program results and translate findings into actionable recommendations
• Reporting and documentation
  • Demonstrated experience in producing clear and structured reports, including progress reporting, analysis, and final evaluation outputs

4.2. Team Composition and Qualifications

The proposed team shall include relevant expertise to deliver the assignment, including:

• Relevant academic and professional background in engineering, energy, education, or related fields
• Experience in delivering training and facilitating learning programs
• Experience supporting early-career professionals, youth, or internship programs
• Experience in program coordination and stakeholder engagement
• Strong communication and facilitation skills
• Strong reporting and documentation skills, including the ability to prepare clear progress updates and contribute to final reporting

4.3. Other Qualifications 

• Demonstrate integrity and high ethical standards.
• Display cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Treat all people fairly and equally.
• Fulfil obligations to GEDSI sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.
• Strictly complies with the DFAT Child Protection Code of Conduct and policy (https://www.dfat.gov.au/sites/default/files/child-protection-policy.pdf)
• Teams with a gender balance are strongly encouraged to apply

5. Evaluation

CAPRED will use an objective and reliable process to evaluate each proposal. The proposals and responses will be evaluated based on (in no particular order):

Compliance with this Request for Proposals (RFP).

1. Demonstrated understanding of the assignment and ability to meet the required deliverables and timeline.
2. Relevant experience of the consulting firm/consortium in similar assignments 
3. Expertise of individuals and the overall team nominated to deliver the service. CAPRED reserves the right to reject any individual proposed and to ask the supplier to provide an alternative.
4. Past performance on similar assignments, including reference checks
5. Quality and relevance of previous work examples
6. Proposed financial plan for the services.

Note: While price is a factor, it is more important that the applicant can demonstrate value for money. CAPRED reserves the right to contract more than one supplier for these services and may actively seek to contract more than one supplier to ensure the supply of technical services. CAPRED reserves the right to vary the contract terms and to exercise the option period at its sole discretion.

Due diligence checks will be conducted on the organization/s and individuals nominated in the RFP prior to awarding contract/s.

6. How to Apply

The proposals, including the Technical and Financial Response Form, must be submitted no later than 5 pm (Phnom Penh time), 29 May 2026 by email to procurement@capred.org with “RFP – Women in Clean Energy Internship Program Cohort 2” in the subject line. Any proposals submitted after this time and date will not be considered.

The applicant is required to submit the Response Form in English (form provided separately), and with an indication of a daily rate for each task/service as per section C of the Response Form. The rate should include any and all costs to carry out the work in the specified location. In addition to the proposal fee, the applicant should also detail any other relevant assumptions or required terms.

The program will host a Q&A session on 21 May 2026. Interested bidders may register to join the briefing by emailing procurement@capred.org, no later than 20 May 2026. 

CAPRED is also available to answer questions or provide further details on the scope of work. Please email procurement@capred.org with the subject line: Women in Clean Energy Internship Program Cohort 2 – Enquiry, no later than 22 May 2026.

Attachments: 

• Technical Response Form 
• Financial Response Form

Cowater International is an equal opportunity employer, basing employment on merit and qualifications as they relate to the professional experience and position expectations. Cowater does not discriminate against any employee or applicants on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, or any other basis protected by law. CAPRED aims to have a diverse workforce and a workplace that is supportive of gender equality, disability and social inclusion. Women, people with disabilities and other minorities are highly encouraged to apply.