RFP – For AI Skills Development For Higher Education In Tier 2/3 Cities

Lords Education and Health Society (LEHS)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

For AI SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN TIER 2/3 CITIES

Opening date of RFP: 19/09/2025

Closing Date of RFP: 02/10/2025

I.	INTRODUCTION

Lords Education and Health Society (LEHS), registered under Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860   is a charitable organisation with its head office in New Delhi, India working in the health, Agriculture and education Domain for the poor. LEHS in furtherance of charitable objectives through its flagship unit i.e. Wadhwani AI aims to build equitable and sustainable systems to the underserved population and to bring the benefits of modern AI technology to underserved populations by building and deploying AI solutions for social impact across domains such as healthcare, agriculture, governance and education in India.  

LEHS aims to promote the integration of technologies, particularly in emerging domains like artificial intelligence and innovations into the Indian mainstream primary healthcare, education, and agriculture systems through a partnership with the State and National Government, apex institutions, international agencies, and private sector partners e.g. innovators, social enterprises and other ecosystem contributors in line with its stated objectives for the betterment of society particularly focusing on projects of national and social significance. In line with its mission to support projects of national and social significance, LEHS also undertakes rigorous monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) activities to assess the impact, usability, and scalability of different programmatic interventions.

II.	PROGRAM OVERVIEW

As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the global workforce, there is a growing skills gap—particularly outside major urban centers—where students often lack access to emerging technologies and industryaligned training. To ensure inclusive participation in the AI economy, it is critical to equip youth in Tier 2/3 cities with relevant, future-ready skills.

This national-scale initiative seeks to address that gap by training 500,000 students in practical, hands-on AI competencies by March 2026. The program will prepare learners for high-growth opportunities in an AIdriven job market and contribute to a more equitable digital future.

Underlining Wadhwani AI’s commitment to long-term, systemic change, we are particularly interested in partnering with institutions that are aligned with a vision of transformational, lasting impact in the education and skilling ecosystem.

While the investment funding must be utilized on or before March 31, 2026, outcome and impact reporting will be expected through December 2026.

III.	SCOPE OF WORK

Selected partners will be responsible for:

• Designing and delivering hands-on, application-focused coursework delivered in English:

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) fundamentals and practical applications o Generative AI and prompt engineering o Common AI-powered workplace tools and productivity platforms
2. Localized training delivery across multiple Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, especially college and ITI students

• Ensuring accessibility and inclusion for learners from diverse backgrounds
• Supporting learners with career readiness
• Target Audience Age Range: 18 to 25 years
• Reach Target: 500000 early career professionals by March 2026  

Expected outcomes: At least 80% of participants report increased confidence in understanding and applying basic AI concepts in real-world or workplace contexts, as captured through endline assessments conducted during the training.

Applicants are encouraged to propose models that demonstrate long-term sustainability and capacity-building beyond the initial investment window.

IV.	BUDGET AND FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

Applicants must submit a detailed, itemized budget covering all cost heads, including:

• Curriculum Development & Localization
• Trainer Costs & Capacity Building
• Technology Platform/LMS Costs
• Travel & Logistics for Tier 2/3/4 city outreach
• Placement & Career Support Activities
• Monitoring & Evaluation (including third-party audits)
• Administrative Overheads (not to exceed the particular % of total budget)  

The budget must clearly justify that all costs are directly attributable to this project.

V.	ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Proposals are welcome from entities with:

• Demonstrated experience in delivering large-scale digital or vocational training programs
• Strong presence or partnership networks in Tier 2/3 cities Expertise in AI curriculum design and hands-on pedagogy
• Capability to monitor, assess, and report outcomes at scale
• Consortia or collaborative partnerships are welcome; we encourage institutions to join forces to deliver scalable, meaningful solutions.  

VI.	PROPOSAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Interested applicants must submit:

• Organization profile and relevant experience including sample work/past projects.
• Detailed training approach, curriculum outline, and delivery plan.
• Geographic coverage and scale-up strategy.
• Monitoring & evaluation framework.
• Budget estimate.  

Proposals should clearly outline a timeline that ensures full utilization of funds by March 2026, and a framework for tracking impact until December 2026.

Submission Details 

All responses to this RFP must be received no later than October 2, 2025. The technical and financial proposal should be submitted separately only through e-mail in PDF in the below-given e-mail id: rfp.lehs@wadhwaniai.org. The email’s subject line must contain the reference number and title of the RFP: Technical Proposal for AI Skills Development for Higher Education in Tier 2/3 Cities and Financial Proposal for AI Skills Development for Higher Education in Tier 2/3 Cities.

Bidders who submit complete technical with password protected financial proposals and all
mandatory enclosures (Section VII) will be considered only.

Any proposals received by Wadhwani-AI after the deadline for submission of proposals prescribed in the timeline of this document are liable to be rejected.

VII.	MANDATORY ENCLOSURES

Please submit the following as enclosures or attachments with your quotation. The agency must provide all the information requested above. Quotations that do not provide the required information and certificates, or do not follow the submission requirements, may not be reviewed.

• Company Profile, testimonials, work completion reports, purchase orders, reference (NGOs).
• NGOs need to provide valid CSR-1 issued in favor of the NGO by the MCA.
• GST registration certificate.
• PAN & TAN registration.
• Audited Financials or Income Tax Return with computation of Income for the last three years. 
• Cancelled cheque.
• Copy of registration documents/certificate and most recent renewal as a legal entity.
• Preferably Private Ltd company and has sound business records.
• Declaration of Pending litigation/cases against the entity.  

This section is mandatory for consideration of the proposal.

Note: Only Technically shortlisted Bidders will be eligible for the opening of the financial proposal.  Bidders selected by the LEHS will be asked for their presentations and negotiations. 

If bidders do not hear from LEHS within two weeks of closer of the RFP, consider your proposal not selected. LEHS reserves the right to reject any or all proposals at any given time without giving any justification or response to the bidders.