The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a federally owned international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations. The GIZ Office in Kigali covers GIZ’s portfolio in Rwanda and Burundi. GIZ Rwanda/Burundi implements projects on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the European Union and other commissioning authorities in the following priority areas: Sustainable Economic Development, Good Governance, Climate, Energy and Sustainable Urban Development, Digitalization and Digital Economy, Mineral Governance, Peace and Security in the Great Lakes Region.

1.  Context

The project ‘Sustainable Mechanization of Value Chains through Gender-Sensitive Business Models’ is jointly implemented by GIZ, Volkswagen and Machinery Rings Foundation. Its purpose is to promote the use of mechanization techniques among small holder farmers, a well as empowering the local community through the commercial and social services offered by the project’s partners.

Capacity building is a key component of the project. Farmers are trained not only on sustainable agricultural practices, but also on relevant topics with the potential of improving the livelihoods and employment opportunities of farmers. Business coaching and entrepreneurial support are useful measures that can empower the target audience to build their own businesses. In so doing, they improve their income sources and contribute to the economic development of the local community.

2. Tasks to be performed by the contractor

The objective of this assignment is to engage a consultant to design and deliver a comprehensive Business Leader Development Training Program for smallholder farmers and entrepreneurs in Gashora, Bugesera District. The training aims to equip 100 participants with essential entrepreneurial skills, financial literacy, and cooperative business development knowledge to foster sustainable economic growth within the local community. The consultant will be responsible for developing and executing an interactive, practical, and inclusive training program tailored to the needs of the participants.

The assignment will be conducted over a period of 12 months, aligning with the project's phased approach, which includes two tiers of training: (1) Open & Inclusive Training for foundational skills development and (2) Advanced Training for selected high-potential entrepreneurs. The consultant will also provide mentorship, support cooperative development, and contribute to strengthening community-based enterprises.

The contractor is responsible for providing the following services:

Development of training curriculum and programme

The consultant shall design a structured curriculum that covers financial literacy, entrepreneurship, cooperative development, and leadership skills. The curriculum shall provide an overview of the entire training programme and include the following information per each training module:

• Duration of the training module
• Scope of the training module
• Learning objectives of the training modules
• Materials and tools used for the training module

The entire training programme shall have a duration of approximately 12 months.

All training materials shall be shared with GIZ in digital form and with the training participants in printed form.

The consultant shall ensure that the curriculum is practical, relevant to the local economic context, and tailored to the needs of smallholder farmers and entrepreneurs. The curriculum should incorporate real-world case studies and participatory methodologies to enhance the learning experience.

Selection of participants

The consultant shall work together with the project partners (GIZ and Machinery Rings), to select the participants of the training. GIZ and Machinery Rings shall be responsible for reaching out to the local community through a call for applications.

The consultant shall support GIZ and Machinery Rings in the following tasks:

• Development of outreach approa.ch, including communication materials and application form (if applicable)
• Evaluation of the applications and selection of trainees. For this purpose, the consultant shall propose 3 evaluation criteria for the selection of trainees. Preferential access shall be given, whenever possible, to women and the youth.

The consultant shall ensure that the selection process is transparent, inclusive, and considers the economic and social potential of candidates to benefit from and contribute to the program.

A total of 100 participants shall be selected and trained as part of this contract.

Training delivery and monitoring

Based on the developed training curriculum and programme, the consultant shall execute a full training cycle. In addition to the training execution, the consultant shall provide the following support to the participants.

• Provide group and individual mentorship sessions for participants throughout the training program.
• Assist participants in refining business ideas, developing business plans, and accessing local markets.
• Encourage peer learning and support networks to enhance business sustainability.
• Guide participants in forming and strengthening savings groups to foster financial discipline.
• Train participants on cooperative business models and assist in establishing or expanding at least five cooperative businesses.
• Provide best practices on governance, financial management, and operational sustainability of cooperatives.

The consultant shall regularly monitor participation, application of skills learned, and behavioural changes by the participants. Information to be collected shall include, but not be limited to, data on savings, business progress, cooperative development, and evaluation / satisfaction of the trainees with the training offer.

The consultant shall ensure that monitoring activities include both qualitative and quantitative assessments, incorporating feedback loops to adapt training methods as needed for improved effectiveness.

Reporting

One final report shall be submitted by the consultant summarizing the following information:

• Impact assessment of the training.
• Evaluation of trainee performance and engagement.
• Identification of additional support needed by the community, if needed.
• Recommendations for scaling the training.

The report shall provide actionable insights for improving future training programs and include participant testimonials and case studies to illustrate the program’s impact.

Certain milestones, as laid out in the table below, are to be achieved during the contract term:

Period of assignment: from April 2025 until May 2026.

3. Concept

In the tender, the tenderer is required to show how the objectives defined in Chapter 2 (Tasks to be performed) are to be achieved, if applicable under consideration of further method-related requirements (technical-methodological concept). In addition, the tenderer must describe the project management system for service provision.

Note: The numbers in parentheses correspond to the lines of the technical assessment grid.

Technical-methodological concept

Strategy (1.1): The tenderer is required to consider the tasks to be performed with reference to the objectives of the services put out to tender (see Chapter 1 Context) (1.1.1). Following this, the tenderer presents and justifies the explicit strategy with which it intends to provide the services for which it is responsible (see Chapter 2 Tasks to be performed) (1.1.2).

The tenderer is required to present the actors relevant for the services for which it is responsible and describe the cooperation (1.2) with them.

The tenderer is required to describe the key processes for the services for which it is responsible and create an operational plan or schedule (1.4.1) that describes how the services according to Chapter 2 (Tasks to be performed by the contractor) are to be provided.

4. Personnel concept

The tenderer is required to provide personnel who are suited to filling the positions described, on the basis of their CVs (see Chapter 7), the range of tasks involved and the required qualifications.

The below specified qualifications represent the requirements to reach the maximum number of points in the technical assessment.

Team leader

Tasks of the team leader

• Overall responsibility for the advisory packages of the contractor (quality and deadlines)
• Coordinating and ensuring communication with GIZ, partners and others involved in the project
• Regular reporting in accordance with deadlines

Qualifications of the team leader

• Education/training (2.1.1): Post graduate degree or equivalent in agriculture, business administration, community development or related
• Language (2.1.2): fluency in English, level C1
• General professional experience (2.1.3): at least 5 years working as project manager
• Specific professional experience (2.1.4): at least 5 years working on private sector development or international development
• Leadership/management experience (2.1.5): 3 years of leadership experience as leader or manager in a company or organization

Key expert 1

Tasks of key expert 1

• Development and execution of tasks identified in chapter 2

Qualifications of key expert 1

• Education/training (2.2.1): Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, business administration, economics or related
• Language (2.2.2): fluency in English level B2 and Kinyarwanda level C1
• General professional experience (2.2.3): 2 years professional experience on business development
• Specific professional experience (2.2.4): Demonstrated application of business development skills in Rwandan contexts

Key expert 2

Tasks of key expert 2

• Development and execution of tasks identified in chapter 2

Qualifications of key expert 2

• Education/training (2.3.1): Bachelor’s degree in rural development, community development or related
• Language (2.3.2): fluency in English level B2, Kinyarwanda level C1
• General professional experience (2.3.3): 3 years of professional experience offering community services and education programmes in Rwanda
• Specific professional experience (2.3.4): 3 years professional experience working and/or volunteering in a local community organization

Key expert 3

Tasks of key expert 1

• Responsible for monitoring and evaluation and support in community engagement and outreach activities

Qualifications of key expert 1

• Education/training (2.4.1): Bachelor’s degree in business administration, communications, or community engagement
• Language (2.4.2): fluency in English level B2 and Kinyarwanda C1
• General professional experience (2.4.3): 2 years of professional experience as communications or M&E specialist
• Specific professional experience (2.4.4): Demonstrated experience managing communication and/or M&E activities in at least one organization

5. Costing requirements

Specification of inputs

6. Inputs of GIZ or other actors

GIZ and/or other actors are expected to make the following available:

• Support with outreach and communication to external partners and target audiences whenever necessary
• Provision of templates (word, powerpoint, etc.)
• Procurement of necessary equipment

7. Requirements on the format of the tender

The structure of the tender must correspond to the structure of the ToRs. In particular, the detailed structure of the concept (Chapter 3) should be organised in accordance with the positively weighted criteria in the assessment grid (not with zero). The tender must be legible (font size 11 or larger) and clearly formulated. It must be drawn up in English.

The complete tender must not exceed 10 pages (excluding CVs). If one of the maximum page lengths is exceeded, the content appearing after the cut-off point will not be included in the assessment. External content (e.g. links to websites) will also not be considered.

The CVs of the personnel proposed in accordance with Chapter 4 of the ToRs must be submitted using the format specified in the terms and conditions for application. The CVs shall not exceed 4 pages each. They must clearly show the position and job the proposed person held in the reference project and for how long. The CVs shall be submitted in Engilsh (language).

Please calculate your financial tender based exactly on the parameters specified in Chapter 5 Quantitative requirements. The contractor is not contractually entitled to use up the days, trips, workshops or budgets in full. The number of days, trips and workshops and the budgets will be contractually agreed as maximum limits. The specifications for pricing are defined in the price schedule.

8. Submission of the offer

Technical Proposal

• A cover letter expressing your interest in this assignment

• Self-declaration of eligibility for the award
• Company registration certificate (RDB), VAT registration certificate and Tax clearance certificate

• Technical Proposal (attached template for technical proposal MUST be used)
• Up to date CVs of proposed experts 

7.3       Financial offer:

Financial offer indicates the all-inclusive total contract price, supported by a breakdown of all costs as described in the specification of inputs. The costs must be in RWF and VAT excluded (Price sheet must be used).

Your EoI has to be submitted in 2 separated emails to RW_Quotation@giz.de until latest 26.03.2025:

1. The technical offer has to be submitted in PDF format and as attachment to the email with the subject: 83484851 -Technical offer.  
2. The financial offer has to be submitted in PDF format and as attachment to the email with the subject: 83484851 - Financial offer.

If the emails exceed the default email size of 30MB, offers can be exceptionally submitted through https://filetransfer.giz.de/, as indicated. The subject of recipient notification must be edited with the subject “83484851-Technical/Financial offer” and the notification message must include the password to access the files.

Offers submitted through any other sharing platform, as google documents or similar will not be considered.

Without the subject mentioned, your offer may not be considered

Offers submitted in hard copy will not be considered. 

GIZ reserves all rights.