Expression of Interest
Brief About Foundation for MSME Clusters
Established in June 2005, the Foundation for MSME Clusters (FMC) specializes in the promotion of MSMEs through cluster and value-chain-led development. FMC was promoted as a Registered Public Charitable Trust with the technical support of the then UNIDO Cluster Development Programme.
FMC is governed by a Board of Trustees comprising representatives from Government, Banks, Academia, Donor Institutions and NGOs. FMC undertakes its operations in line with its vision and mission.
Vision:
“An economically progressive, socially connected, environmentally sustainable world that is spiritually rooted and composed of interconnected yet diverse local socio-economic systems.”
Mission:
“To assist institutions to undertake effective and inclusive cluster-based local area development in developing and transition economies.”
In India, FMC has worked with around 200 MSME clusters, undertaken studies/research in another 150 MSME clusters, and worked with approximately 250 Business Membership Organisations (BMOs), benefiting more than 100,000 MSMEs across different sectors and sizes. FMC and its experts have also provided training, handholding and research on cluster development in several countries across the globe.
Project Brief
FMC is implementing interventions focused on sustainability, circularity, resource efficiency, market linkages and institutional convergence within textile and apparel clusters under Cluster Collective Program for the Ludhiana Textile & Apparel Cluster.
The Ludhiana Textile & Apparel Cluster comprises a diverse ecosystem of spinners, yarn traders, garment manufacturers, processors, exporters, traders, textile waste collectors, MRFs, segregators, recyclers, buyers, brands, BMOs, financial institutions, technology providers and other supporting stakeholders.
FMC intends to engage an experienced Individual Consultant (Technical & Market Linkages) to assess and validate the cluster value chain, identify technical and market opportunities, strengthen waste management, traceability and circularity, facilitate market and institutional linkages, and provide inputs for the Ludhiana Cluster Roadmap.
Engagement Details:
Particular Details:
Engagement; Individual Consultant, Technical & Market Linkages
Assignment Duration: 25 Working Days
Location: Ludhiana Textile & Apparel Cluster
Reporting: Designated FMC Project/Vertical Head
The assignment may involve field visits, stakeholder consultations, meetings, workshops and interactions with MSMEs and other cluster stakeholders.
Scope of Work:
The selected consultant will support FMC in the following key areas:
1. Technical & Value-Chain Assessment:
• Review and validate the Ludhiana textile and apparel value chain.
• Map spinners/yarn traders, garment manufacturers/traders, processors, embroiderers, waste collectors, MRFs, segregators, recyclers, buyers, brands, exporters and other relevant stakeholders.
• Identify technical, operational, quality, productivity and resource-efficiency challenges.
• Identify opportunities for sustainability and value-chain integration.
2. Textile Waste, Traceability & Circularity:
• Assess textile waste collection, sorting, segregation, processing and recycling practices.
• Validate major material and waste flows and identify gaps.
• Assess existing traceability and transparency practices.
• Identify opportunities for reuse, recycling, recovery and circular production.
• Provide practical recommendations for waste management, sorting, material recovery and traceability.
3. Technology, Quality & Sustainability:
• Assess technology and process-related challenges faced by MSMEs.
• Identify relevant technologies, equipment and process improvements for productivity, quality, resource/energy efficiency, waste reduction and sustainable/circular production.
• Identify and facilitate linkages with technology providers, technical institutions and service providers.
4. Buyer & Market Linkages:
• Map buyers, brands, retailers, exporters and institutional market opportunities.
• Assess requirements relating to quality, sustainability, traceability, recycled content, environmental/social compliance, certifications and standards.
• Assess selected MSMEs against market requirements and identify capability gaps.
• Support potential buyer, brand and institutional linkages and market-readiness measures.
5. Financial & Institutional Linkages:
• Assess financial and investment-readiness gaps of relevant MSMEs.
• Identify documentation and preparedness requirements for accessing finance.
• Map relevant banks, financial institutions and financing programmes.
• Identify financing opportunities for technology upgradation, sustainability, resource efficiency and circular-economy interventions.
• Support appropriate MSME–financial institution/programme linkages.
6. Stakeholder Engagement & Cluster Roadmap:
• Engage BMOs, government agencies, banks/FIs, buyers/brands/exporters, technology suppliers, technical/research institutions, recycling stakeholders, industry associations and other relevant stakeholders.
• Support consultations, meetings and technical discussions.
• Validate and consolidate field, stakeholder, FGD and secondary research information.
• Identify and prioritise technical, market, financial and institutional interventions based on MSME needs, feasibility, market potential, sustainability/circularity potential, financial viability and implementation readiness.
• Provide inputs for the Ludhiana Cluster Roadmap and prepare relevant presentations, technical notes and project documentation.
Key Deliverables:
The consultant will be expected to deliver:
1. Inception Report & Work Plan – methodology, approach, activity schedule and stakeholder engagement plan.
2. Ludhiana Textile & Apparel Value-Chain Assessment – validated value-chain and stakeholder mapping, technical/operational gaps and opportunities for productivity, resource efficiency and sustainability.
3. Textile Waste Flow, Sorting, Traceability & Circularity Assessment, including visual mapping of:
Waste Generation ? Collection ? Sorting/Segregation ? Traders/Aggregators ? Recyclers/Processors ? Yarn/Fibre/Recovered Material ? Manufacturing ? Final Product
4. Buyer, Market & Financial Linkage Assessment – market mapping, buyer requirements, MSME readiness gaps, financial-readiness assessment and relevant institutional/financial linkages.
5. Inputs for Ludhiana Cluster Roadmap – prioritised technical, market, sustainability, circularity and institutional interventions, implementation pathways and potential stakeholder/partner linkages.
6. Final Assignment Report & Supporting Documents – consolidated findings, stakeholder consultations, value-chain and waste-flow mapping, sorting/gap assessment, traceability/circularity assessment, market and technical opportunities, financial linkages, recommendations, presentations, tables/data and other agreed outputs.
Qualification & Experience:
The consultant should possess:
1. Postgraduate degree or equivalent in Textiles, Sustainability, Environmental Management, Business/Management, Economics, Engineering, Development Studies or a related field.
2. 7–10 years of relevant professional experience in one or more of the following areas:
• Textiles/textile recycling
• Sustainability/circular economy
• MSME technical advisory
• Value-chain development
• Market/buyer linkages
• Resource efficiency/green technologies
• Financial facilitation for MSMEs
3. Experience of working with MSMEs, industry associations, BMOs, buyers/brands or financial institutions will be an advantage.
4. Experience in market linkage, buyer engagement and finance facilitation is desirable.
Key Skills:
The consultant should demonstrate:
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Understanding of textile value chains, sustainability and circular economy.
• Experience in material/value-chain mapping and data validation.
• Understanding of traceability and supply-chain transparency.
• Ability to engage with buyers, brands, MSMEs and other stakeholders.
• Understanding of MSME technical and operational challenges.
• Ability to support financial readiness and institutional linkages.
• Strong report writing, documentation and presentation skills.
• Ability to work independently and coordinate with multidisciplinary teams.
Application Requirements:
Interested consultants are requested to submit the following:
1. Updated CV highlighting relevant qualifications and experience.
2. Brief approach/methodology for undertaking the assignment.
3. Proposed work plan for the 25-working-day assignment.
4. Details of 2–3 relevant assignments/projects undertaken in textiles, sustainability, recycling, MSME advisory, market linkages, circular economy or related areas.
5. Fee quotation for the complete 25-working-day assignment, clearly indicating the total professional fee and applicable taxes, if any.
6. Relevant supporting credentials/documents, wherever applicable.
The fee quoted should represent the consultant's total fee for the complete 25-working-day assignment. No separate financial proposal is required.
Payment Terms & Conditions:
Payment shall be made against the satisfactory completion and acceptance of the agreed deliverables, as per the following schedule:-
Milestone: Deliverable: Payment %
1. Inception Report & Work Plan 20%
2. Ludhiana Textile & Apparel Value-Chain Assessment + Textile Waste Flow, Sorting, Traceability & Circularity Assessment 30%
3. Buyer, Market & Financial Linkage Assessment + Inputs for Ludhiana Cluster Roadmap 25%
4. Final Assignment Report and submission of all supporting documents/outputs 25%
Total 100%
Submission of Application:
Interested consultants are requested to submit their application and supporting documents by email to: hr@msmefoundation.org
Last Date for Application: 17th October 2026
Email Subject:
Application – Consultant – Ludhiana Textile & Apparel Cluster
FMC may seek clarification or additional information from applicants, if required. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for further discussion.
FMC reserves the right to accept or reject any application and/or modify or cancel the EOI process, if required.
General Conditions
• The engagement will be for 25 working days as specified above.
• The consultant shall coordinate with the designated FMC Project/Vertical Head and relevant project team.
• The consultant may be required to undertake field visits and stakeholder consultations as part of the assignment.
• All deliverables shall be submitted in the format and within the timelines mutually agreed with FMC.
• The consultant shall maintain confidentiality regarding information and documents shared during the assignment.
• FMC reserves the right to seek additional information or clarification from applicants.
• Submission of an application does not guarantee selection or engagement.
• FMC's decision regarding shortlisting and selection shall be final.
• Personal canvassing in connection with the selection process is strictly prohibited.
• FMC reserves the right to modify, defer or cancel the EOI process, if required, without assigning any reason.
Foundation for MSME Clusters (FMC)
New Delhi