Inviting Institutions for Developing Curriculum and Delivery of EV Skilling and Leadership Development Program for MSMEs in Maharashtra

Invitation for Proposals

WRI India invites technical and financial proposals from qualified institutions to provide services on developing curriculum and delivery of comprehensive Electric Vehicle (EV) Skilling and Leadership Development Program for Micro Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) located in Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad). The objective of the program is to strengthen MSMEs' readiness for EV component manufacturing through targeted capacity building for MSME leadership and technical teams.

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WRI India, an independent charity legally registered as the India Resources Trust, provides objective information and practical proposals to foster environmentally sound and socially equitable development. Through research, analysis, and recommendations, WRI India puts ideas into action to build transformative solutions to protect the earth, promote livelihoods, and enhance human well-being.

We are inspired by and associated with World Resources Institute (WRI), a global research organization. Currently over 250 researchers are working with WRI India in our offices at Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

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About EV Skilling and Leadership Development Program

Maharashtra's MSME manufacturing base is in the early stages of transitioning toward EV component production, but the shift remains uneven. In the Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar clusters, most MSMEs continue to manufacture low-value auto components and are only gradually adding low-hanging EV opportunities—parts that fit within their existing design and manufacturing capabilities, mechanical parts. In contrast, high-value EV components—including battery systems, BMS electronics, motors and controllers, thermal management units, and power electronics—remain largely untapped. Beyond the significant capability upgrades required for these products, there is also a deeper readiness gap, particularly in understanding emerging market opportunities and in meeting the quality, precision, and compliance standards expected by OEMs and Tier-1 buyers.

Workforce development efforts in these clusters also remain centered on improving efficiency within existing production processes. While such initiatives are valuable, they do not equip their technical staff with the new technical competencies required to diversify into the EV value chain. Moreover, most EV-specific skilling initiatives are currently concentrated within academic institutions, ITIs, and training programs aimed at students or the servicing and repair segment, leaving a significant gap in upskilling opportunities for manufacturing MSMEs.

Proposed Intervention and Scope of Work

To address the aforementioned challenges, WRI India (India Resources Trust) proposes to implement an EV Skilling and Leadership Development Program aimed at strengthening MSME readiness for EV component manufacturing and supply chain integration. WRI India intends to engage an experienced and qualified training institution to design and deliver the program. The engagement is expected to be
completed over a period of a maximum of 3 months from the date of contract signing
, including design, delivery, and reporting phases. The detailed Scope of Work is as follows:

Curriculum Development:

The selected institution shall develop a comprehensive, modular training curriculum, adaptable for a 2-3 day format (16–20 hours). The modules shall
integrate conceptual, strategic, and technical dimensions
, catering to the business owners, senior leaders, technical leads, design engineers, and other relevant managerial and technical personnel from MSMEs. The modules shall be developed along the following
key thematic areas
, with specific topics finalized after the needs assessment:

• EV Market Landscape and Strategic Positioning
  : Overview of global and Indian EV market trends, ecosystem mapping, and identification of key component segments and market-entry pathways for MSMEs.
• Product and Technology Readiness
  : Fundamentals of EV architecture and sub-systems, material and process adaptation for EV components, product design considerations, and essentials of testing, validation, and certification.
• Costing and Investment Planning
  : EV component costing approaches (including Bill of Materials analysis), assessment of manufacturing viability, and exploration of policy incentives and financing mechanisms for diversification.
• Organizational Planning
  : Leadership strategies for managing technological and process transitions, workforce and skill planning, sourcing and procurement strategies, and aligning internal capabilities with EV market requirements.
• OEM and Supply Chain Alignment
  : Understanding EV OEM and Tier-1 expectations and requirements (both technical and non-technical) including quality standards, vendor qualification processes, sourcing practices, and collaboration opportunities in design and manufacturing within the EV supply chain.

Needs Assessment and Contextualization:

Conduct virtual consultation sessions with pre-identified cohorts of 25–50 MSMEs each in Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, facilitated by WRI India, to assess their capacity gaps and training priorities. The exercise should identify and map specific needs across the thematic areas outlined in 'Section A' of Scope of Work. The module structure is to be shared with participating MSMEs to gather feedback, based on which they shall be refined to address identified gaps, priority areas, and participant expectations. The revised modules should also integrate the following dimensions, with an emphasis on context-specific, and outcome-oriented learning:

• Regional industrial strengths, infrastructure facilities, OEM presence, and sectoral nuances within the respective clusters;
• Technological maturity, workforce composition, and market readiness levels of MSMEs in each cluster;
• Insights from EV OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers in the state and clusters on demand forecasting, supplier qualification, and quality management practices; and
• Learnings from Maharashtra-specific examples of MSMEs and larger firms that have successfully adopted or scaled up EV manufacturing.

Training Delivery

• Mode of Delivery:
  Half-day or full-day,
  classroom-based group training sessions
  (totaling up to 20 hours) shall be delivered at venues arranged by WRI India in collaboration with local industry associations in Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
• Faculty and Facilitation:
  Engage
  experienced subject matter experts
  , including EV industry practitioners. Ensure on-ground coordination and facilitation in both clusters in collaboration with WRI India and local industry partners.
• Pedagogy:
  Ensure that sessions are interactive and practice-oriented and facilitate the development of
  unit-level action plans
  that enable participants to translate their learning into actionable strategies for their respective MSMEs.
• Mentorship Sessions:
  In addition to the group training sessions, conduct one or two 1-1 mentorship sessions (30–60 minutes) for up to 20
  interested
  MSMEs. These sessions shall aim to support further on the development of unit-level action plans for the MSMEs.

Reporting:

• Track and document feedback and learning outcomes through pre- and post-training assessments designed to evaluate conceptual understanding and applied learning developed through the program rather than factual knowledge. Prepare a summary report for each training program, highlighting key takeaways, analysing, and recommendations for future engagement.

Guidelines for Proposal Submission

Interested institutions are invited to submit
separate technical and financial proposals
addressed to 'India Resources Trust'

1. Technical Proposal:
2. A clear and concise articulation of the context, objectives, scope, methodology and approach of the assignment.
3. A
   brief session plan
4. indicating topics, pedagogy, duration, number of sessions, expected learning outcomes, and key activities (without going into detail).
5. Description of the proposed
   faculty or experts to be engaged
   , including short bios highlighting relevant qualifications and experience. A proposed team structure and management plan, detailing roles, responsibilities, and coordination.
6. An overview of
   past assignments
   or similar programs successfully delivered, demonstrating relevant experience and outcomes.

Financial Proposal

1. A detailed cost breakdown covering all components—professional fees, travel, logistics, materials, and applicable taxes.
2. Clear statement of any assumptions or exclusions.

Evaluation Criteria for Proposals

1. Demonstrated expertise in skilling or capacity building in the EV and/or automotive sectors, particularly with MSMEs.
2. Practicality, coherence, and alignment of the proposed session plan.
3. Qualifications and experience of the proposed trainers, subject experts, and facilitators.
4. Integration of gender inclusion, MSME-focused pedagogy, and relevance of learning methods and tools.
5. Cost-effectiveness, clarity, and justification of the proposed budget and resource allocation

Proposal Timelines:

Publication of RFP by WRI India: 18th November 2025

Deadline for proposal submission: 3rd December 2025

Notification of results to all applicants: 5th December 2025

All proposals must be sent in e-mail to with the subject line: "Proposal – EV Skilling and Leadership Development Program for MSMEs (Maharashtra)"