Key Tender Details at a Glance

The eligibility requirements, including turnover, net worth and past experience, are specified in Section II of the RFP. The financial and selection provisions specify separate technical and financial proposals and the 70:30 QCBS model.

Scope of Work

NSDC is seeking an experienced Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Partner for the Skills Outcomes Fund. The proposed SOF is an outcomes-based financing programme with a stated programme size of approximately ₹530 crore, aimed at improving employment outcomes for low-income youth in India. The MEL Partner will independently verify payment-linked outcomes reported by Training Providers.

The assignment has two broad phases:

Phase 1 – Design and Finalisation of the MEL and Verification Framework

The selected agency will design a comprehensive MEL and outcome verification framework covering:

1. Definitions of payment-linked outcomes and indicators.
2. Additional learning indicators, including longer-term employment retention.
3. Data collection, reporting and validation protocols.
4. Roles and responsibilities of stakeholders.
5. Oversight and quality assurance mechanisms.
6. Review of data collection and verification workflows on the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) platform.
7. Recommendations for SIDH customisation or enhancement, where required.
8. A statistically robust and operationally feasible verification methodology.

The methodology may use sampling-based, census-based, technology-enabled or other approaches, provided it can generate reliable and credible evidence for outcome-payment decisions. It should account for factors such as gender, training model, sector/job role, vulnerability and inclusion categories, and geography.

Phase 2 – Ongoing Outcome Verification

The MEL Partner will independently verify the key payment-linked milestones:

1. Certification
2. Placement
3. Three-month employment retention

The Partner will review data submitted by Training Providers, conduct independent verification, resolve verification exceptions and submit signed-off verification reports to support outcome-payment decisions.

Stakeholder Engagement and Reporting

The selected MEL Partner will work closely with the Performance Management Unit, Training Providers, outcome funders and other programme stakeholders. Responsibilities include participation in programme reviews, presentation of findings, addressing verification-related queries and disputes, recommendations for improving data quality, and preparation of a comprehensive annual impact report.

Data Management and Compliance

The assignment also requires:

1. Secure collection, storage and management of verification data.
2. Complete verification records.
3. Compliance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) and other applicable data-protection requirements.
4. Support for audits, quality-assurance reviews and independent assessments.

The RFP envisages signed-off outcome verification reports on a quarterly basis, or according to the final agreed verification cadence.

Professional Qualification / Pre-Qualification Criteria

The RFP requires bidders to satisfy mandatory eligibility conditions before their proposals can proceed to technical evaluation.

1. Legal Constitution

Eligible bidders may be:

1. A company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013/1956;
2. An LLP registered under the LLP Act, 2008;
3. A registered partnership firm; or
4. A proprietorship firm having valid registration.

Required supporting documents include the Certificate of Incorporation/Registration, PAN and GST Registration Certificate.

2. Financial Capability

The bidder must have an average annual turnover of at least ₹3 crore during:

1. FY 2023-24
2. FY 2024-25
3. FY 2025-26

The RFP permits CA-certified financial statements for FY 2025-26 where the statutory audit is not yet complete.

3. Positive Net Worth

The bidder must demonstrate positive net worth for the last three consecutive years, as on 31 March 2026, supported by a CA Certificate with UDIN.

4. Similar Experience

The bidder must have successfully executed at least three similar contracts of not less than ₹1 crore each during FY 2022-23 to FY 2025-26.

Relevant assignments may include:

1. Monitoring
2. Evaluation
3. Verification
4. Impact assessment
5. Third-party evaluation
6. Research
7. Similar assignments for government organisations
8. Multilateral organisations
9. Development partners
10. CSR/philanthropic organisations
11. Other large-scale programmes.

5. Technical and Field Capability

The bidder should have adequate in-house technical capacity and field verification capability to undertake the scope of work.

6. No Debarment / Blacklisting

The bidder must not be debarred, blacklisted or suspended by Central/State Government departments, government agencies, PSUs, government-affiliated agencies or multilateral agencies within the specified period. An undertaking on the bidder's letterhead, signed by an authorised signatory, is required. The RFP also states that a consistent history of adverse court/arbitration decisions or ongoing high-value disputes may lead to rejection.

Technical Evaluation Criteria

The RFP provides a 100-mark technical evaluation framework. Key components include:

For turnover, bidders with average turnover between ₹3 crore and ₹5 crore receive 5 marks, while turnover exceeding ₹5 crore receives 10 marks. Positive net worth for all three consecutive financial years attracts 5 marks.

The technical proposal and presentation are particularly important. The 35 marks are allocated to:

1. Credibility of outcome verification methodology – 10 marks
2. Robustness of sampling approach – 7 marks
3. Time efficiency – 8 marks
4. Innovation in verification approach – 5 marks
5. Resource planning for outcome-based financing programmes – 5 marks.

The RFP states that all valid, legal and legible documents are mandatory and only bidders meeting the eligibility requirements will proceed to further evaluation.

Financial Criteria and Selection Method

The tender follows Quality and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS):

1. Technical Score: 70%
2. Financial Score: 30%

Only bidders that qualify technically will have their financial proposals opened. The bidder achieving the highest combined technical and financial score will be invited for negotiations.

The financial proposal must be submitted separately and should provide year-wise costs for:

1. Year 1
2. Year 2
3. Year 3
4. Year 4

The bidder must also provide a detailed component-wise budget. All prices must be quoted in INR and should include the costs necessary to complete the assignment, including professional fees, fieldwork, travel, logistics, data processing, reporting and applicable taxes.

Tender Fee, EMD and Estimated Cost

Tender Fee

Not specified in the uploaded RFP.

The reviewed RFP does not prescribe a tender fee amount or a tender-fee payment mechanism. Therefore, SkillCouncils.com should not publish an assumed fee.

EMD / Earnest Money Deposit

No EMD amount is specified in the reviewed RFP.

Accordingly:

1. EMD Amount: Not specified
2. EMD Mode: Not specified / N.A.
3. EMD Exemption: N.A. because the reviewed RFP does not prescribe an EMD requirement

Estimated Cost

The RFP describes the Skills Outcomes Fund as a proposed ₹530 crore outcomes-based financing programme, but this should not be reported as the estimated cost of the MEL tender. The uploaded RFP does not state a separate estimated contract value for the MEL Partner.

This distinction is important for accurate tender reporting.

Tender Schedule and Important Dates

The RFP's first page specifies 24 August 2026 as the commencement date, the Microsoft Teams pre-proposal meeting on 1 September at 3:00 PM, the query deadline of 4 September and submission deadline of 21 September at 6:00 PM.

Pre-Bid Meeting: Attendance is optional and at the bidder's expense.

Opening: NSDC will open the tender in two phases. Technical proposals are opened first, followed by financial proposals of bidders who qualify technically. The RFP does not provide a specific calendar date/time for these openings in the Important Dates section.

Submission Guidelines

Bidders should follow the following submission requirements carefully:

1. Submit the proposal through the NSDC e-Procurement Portal – https://nsdc.eproc.in/.
2. Technical and financial proposals must be submitted separately.
3. The Technical Proposal must not contain financial bid information; doing so can make the proposal non-responsive.
4. Only one proposal should be submitted.
5. The proposal must be signed by an authorised representative.
6. A written Power of Attorney authorising the signatory must form part of the proposal.
7. Conditional proposals are liable to rejection.
8. Cloud links for submitting documents/presentations are not accepted.
9. The proposal size should preferably not exceed 20 MB; where required, multiple files may be uploaded subject to the portal's attachment limits.
10. Financial prices must be quoted in INR.
11. Bidders must rely on the e-Procurement server clock for the submission deadline.
12. Bidders should not wait until the last day to upload the bid because internet, server, browser, digital-signature or system problems will not ordinarily be accepted as grounds for late submission.

The RFP further requires bidders to have a Class III Digital Signature Certificate with both signing and encryption components and to register on the NSDC e-Tendering Portal.

Document Checklist for Bidders

The RFP's Form 5 – Check List for Bidders provides the core document checklist.

For financial capability, the bidder is also required to provide turnover and net-worth information for FY 2023-24, FY 2024-25 and FY 2025-26, supported by certified financial documents and appropriate CA/statutory auditor certification.

Key Programme Outcomes to Be Verified

An important feature of this tender is the outcome-based nature of the SOF programme. Payments to Training Providers are linked to independently verified outcomes.

Certification relates to successful assessment/re-assessment and certification by an appropriate recognised awarding body. Placement relates to candidates joining jobs after certification. Retention requires employment for 90 calendar days from first placement, subject to the conditions specified in the RFP.

The SOF programme targets approximately 2,00,000 enrolments over four years, with indicative enrolment targets of 30,000 in Year 1, 60,000 in Year 2, 70,000 in Year 3 and 40,000 in Year 4.

Tender Expert Analysis: What Bidders Should Focus On

From a tender-preparation perspective, this RFP is particularly relevant for established M&E, third-party verification, research, impact assessment, skill-development and outcomes-verification organisations.

1. Experience will be a major differentiator

Although the mandatory threshold is three similar contracts of at least ₹1 crore each, relevant large-scale verification experience can contribute up to 35 technical marks. Experience in skilling/livelihood programmes and government-related assignments is particularly relevant to the technical evaluation.

2. Methodology should be evidence-based

The bidder's verification methodology carries 35 marks. The proposal should therefore clearly explain sampling, verification sources, quality assurance, turnaround times, technology use, exception handling and scalability.

3. Technology integration is important

The RFP specifically refers to the SIDH platform and expects bidders to assess how the platform can support data collection, document validation and verification.

4. Field verification capability matters

The programme may operate across India and involve multiple Training Providers, sectors, geographies and training models. The bidder should therefore demonstrate operational capacity for large-scale and geographically distributed verification.

5. Data protection is a material contractual responsibility

The selected partner will be responsible for secure data handling and compliance with the DPDPA and other applicable data-protection requirements. The RFP also provides penalties for non-compliance, including potentially significant financial consequences.

Contract Duration and Performance

The assignment is for four years from the date of issuance of the Contract Award, with commencement tentatively scheduled for November 2026. NSDC will review performance annually, and subsequent purchase orders for later years will depend on satisfactory performance.

The RFP also provides for continuous performance review. In case performance is found unsatisfactory, NSDC may terminate the contract with 30 days' written notice, subject to the terms stated in the RFP.

Important Compliance Points

Bidders should pay particular attention to the following:

1. Technical and financial proposals must be kept separate.
2. Financial information must not appear in the Technical Proposal.
3. Only one CV should be submitted for each Key Expert position; alternative Key Experts are not permitted.
4. Conditional bids can be rejected.
5. All mandatory eligibility documents must be valid, legal and legible.
6. The proposal should remain valid for 180 days after the submission deadline.
7. Clarifications should be sent to procurement@nsdcindia.org within the prescribed period.
8. Corrigenda and amendments should be monitored on the NSDC tender portal.
9. Bidders must possess the required Class III DSC and complete portal registration before bidding.

SEO-Friendly News Article for SkillCouncils.com

NSDC Invites RFP for MEL Partner for ₹530 Crore Skills Outcomes Fund Programme

New Delhi: The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has invited proposals for the Selection of a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Partner for the Skills Outcomes Fund (SOF) Programme) under RFP No. RFP/NSDC/Outcome Based Financing/2026/64.

The RFP was commenced on 24 August 2026 and seeks an experienced organisation capable of designing and implementing independent monitoring, evaluation, outcome verification and learning systems for the Skills Outcomes Fund. The proposed SOF programme has a stated size of approximately ₹530 crore and is focused on improving employment outcomes for low-income youth in India.

The last date for submission of proposals is 21 September 2026 at 6:00 PM through the NSDC e-Procurement Portal at https://nsdc.eproc.in/. A virtual pre-proposal meeting is scheduled for 1 September 2026 at 3:00 PM, while the last date for submission of bidder queries is 4 September 2026.

NSDC MEL Tender Eligibility

The tender is aimed at established consulting, research, monitoring and evaluation organisations. Eligible entities include companies, LLPs, registered partnership firms and registered proprietorship firms.

One of the principal financial eligibility conditions is an average annual turnover of at least ₹3 crore during FY 2023-24, FY 2024-25 and FY 2025-26. Bidders must also have a positive net worth for the last three consecutive years as on 31 March 2026.

In terms of experience, bidders must have successfully completed at least three similar contracts of ₹1 crore or more each during FY 2022-23 to FY 2025-26. Relevant work includes monitoring, evaluation, verification, impact assessment, third-party evaluation and research assignments for government, multilateral organisations, development partners, CSR/philanthropic organisations or large-scale programmes.

MEL Partner Responsibilities

The selected MEL Partner will play a central role in establishing the credibility of the SOF outcomes. The assignment will include development of a comprehensive MEL and outcome verification framework, verification methodology, data protocols, quality assurance systems and stakeholder roles.

The Partner will also assess and potentially leverage the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) for data collection, document validation and verification.

During implementation, the agency will independently verify certification, placement and three-month retention outcomes. Signed-off verification reports will support outcome-payment decisions under the programme.

Technical Evaluation and QCBS

The RFP uses Quality and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS), assigning 70% weight to technical quality and 30% to the financial proposal. Only technically qualifying bidders will proceed to financial evaluation.

The technical evaluation covers turnover, net worth, relevant experience, technical and field capability, key personnel and the quality of the proposed verification methodology. The technical proposal and presentation alone account for 35 marks, including credibility of the verification method, sampling robustness, verification-cycle efficiency, innovation and resource planning.

No Fixed Opening Date Published in the RFP

While the RFP specifies the submission deadline, it does not provide a specific technical bid-opening date/time in the Important Dates table. NSDC states that bids will be opened in two stages, with technical proposals considered first and financial proposals opened only for bidders that qualify technically.

Tender Fee and EMD

The uploaded RFP does not specify a tender fee amount or EMD amount in the reviewed provisions. Therefore, prospective bidders should not rely on an assumed tender fee or EMD figure. SkillCouncils.com recommends checking the latest tender listing and any corrigendum on the official NSDC e-Procurement Portal before submission.

Four-Year Assignment

The assignment will run for four years from the date of Contract Award, with commencement tentatively scheduled for November 2026. Performance will be reviewed annually, and subsequent purchase orders are linked to satisfactory performance.

The RFP therefore represents a significant opportunity for organisations with demonstrated capabilities in monitoring and evaluation, third-party verification, impact assessment, research, skill-development programmes, field verification and outcomes-based financing.

Final Tender Snapshot

Disclaimer

This tender update is based on the uploaded NSDC RFP document. Tender conditions, dates, eligibility requirements and other provisions may be amended through corrigenda/addenda. Bidders should verify the latest information on the official NSDC e-Procurement Portal before submitting a proposal. The ₹530 crore figure refers to the proposed Skills Outcomes Fund programme and not to a stated estimated cost of the MEL procuremen

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