Consultancy to assess and strengthen the capacity of rural and peri-urban Business Development Service Providers (BDSPs) tender at Access to Finance Rwanda

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

PROCUREMENT REFERENCE NUMBER: AFR/RFP-BDSPS-SUPPORT/AUGUST/2025.

BACKGROUND: 

1. About Access to Finance Rwanda 

Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR) is a Rwandan not for profit Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG), established in 2010 to promote financial inclusion and financial sector development in Rwanda. AFR is currently funded by Sweden, the Mastercard Foundation, Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA) and Co-develop.

AFR supports the removal of systemic barriers that hinder access and usage of financial services by low-income people, particularly the rural poor, women, youth, smallholder farmers, and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). AFR is a gender-intentional organization and mainstreams gender equality across all its programs. It is guided by the Market System Development (MSD) approach recognizing that efforts to increase financial inclusion and financial sector development must be market-led, profitable, and sustainable.

AFR is part of the broader Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) network in Africa that seeks to create a transformative impact on ending poverty by supporting efforts to improve financial inclusion and financial sector development. This is done by helping policymakers, regulators, financial service providers, and markets drive more inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Over the last 15 years, AFR has rolled out many programs and implemented projects and interventions that contributed to the inclusion of many Rwandans in the financial ecosystem (96% financial inclusion from 48% in 2008) as highlighted by the Rwanda 2024 Finscope survey report. 
2. Background for the assignment 

Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR) is dedicated to enhancing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Rwanda, with a particular focus on rural micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

One of the key challenges hindering MSME growth in Rwanda is limited access to appropriate and tailored Business Development Services (BDS) that can effectively respond to their specific and evolving needs. This challenge is echoed in the Entrepreneurship Development Policy (EDP), where Pillar 2 focuses on establishing an active and efficient Business Support system as a cornerstone for entrepreneurship growth. Addressing this gap is critical to building a strong ecosystem of BDS Provision capable of enabling MSMEs to grow and create work opportunities including for the youth.

The landscape of BDS Provision in Rwanda is varied, encompassing consultancies, technical service providers, and emerging digital platforms, however, despite this diversity, significant challenges remain. These include a heavy reliance on donor funding to support MSMEs, limited self-sustainable businesses, and a lack of quality assurance mechanisms. Various assessments of the current BDS landscape revealed that most BDSPs are concentrated in Kigali. The few that operate in rural areas are generally small and struggle with significant capacity challenges, which limits their effectiveness in serving local MSMEs.

To address these issues, as part of its Terimbere MSME Facility, AFR seeks to engage a consultancy firm to evaluate the institutional needs and capacity gaps of at least 5 BDSPs located in rural and peri-urban Rwanda and of micro (one-to-two-person business) or small (up to 5 employees) business nature. The consultancy firm will be responsible for conducting a comprehensive assessment of the BDSPs and proposing a capacity building strategy/framework and related tools, as well as implementing a customized capacity building plan tailored to the specific needs of each BDSP.

This procurement will result in a framework agreement to be awarded to up to two (2) most responsive firms.

Interested bidders must confirm their intention to submit a bid by Friday August 15, 2025, at 17h00 HRS CAT

Any requests for clarifications to the RFP may be submitted by Thursday August 21, 2025, 17h00 HRS CAT.

Bidders should submit their proposals no later than Friday August 29, 2025, 17:00 HRS CAT

Responding bidders are advised that this solicitation does not in any way obligate AFR to make a contract award or compensate the responding firms for any costs associated with the preparation and submission of their proposals. Additionally, AFR may award a contract without conducting negotiations; all proposals should be submitted initially using your most favorable terms. AFR reserves the right to award any resultant contract to other than the offeror submitting the lowest price proposal based on technical excellence, schedule superiority or client request.

All communications regarding this RFP should be addressed via email: procurement02@afr.rw

Below is the summary planned procurement schedule:

Note: This procurement is open to locally registered firms. However, collaboration or joint ventures with foreign firms to enhance technical capabilities are permitted.

Cordially,

Jean Bosco Iyacu

Chief Executive Officer

1.1.SECTION 1: INSTRUCTIONS TO PROSPECTIVE BIDDERS

Preparation of Proposals: You are requested to submit separate technical and financial proposal, as detailed below. The standard forms in this Request for Proposal may be retyped for completion but the Consultant is responsible for their accurate reproduction.

You are advised to carefully read the complete Request for Proposals. An electronic copy (in PDF) of the Request for Proposals shall be considered as the original version. 

Technical Proposals: Technical proposals should contain the following documents and information:

1. The Technical Proposal Submission Sheet as par Section 4 of this RFP.
2. Technical Proposal not exceeding 15 pages without annexes
3. An approach and methodology for performing the services. 
4. A detailed work plan, showing the inputs of all key staff and achievement of deliverables.
5. CVs of key staff members; 
6. A summary of your experience in similar assignments.
7. The documents evidence your eligibility, as listed below.
8. The consultant’s comments or suggestions on the TORs and appreciation of the assignment – the objectives, tasks and deliverables

Financial Proposals: Financial proposals should contain the following documents and information: 

1. The Financial Proposal Submission Sheet as par Section 5 of this RFP.
2. A copy of the breakdown of Lump Sum Price form as par Section 5 for each currency of your proposal, showing all costs for the assignment, broken down into professional fees, and reimbursable costs. The costs associated with the assignment shall be in US Dollars for foreign firms and Rwandan Francs for local firms. 

Validity of Proposals: Proposals must remain valid for90 calendar days from proposal submission date.

Submission of Proposals: The technical and financial proposals should be submitted separately, both clearly marked with the Procurement Reference Number above, the Consultant’s name, AFR and either “Technical Proposal” or “Financial Proposal” as appropriate. 

Proposals (both technical and financial) must be submitted electronically to: procurement02@afr.rw with clear subject line: “AFR/RFP-BDSP-SUPPORT/JULY/2025.” and submitted by Friday August 29, 2025, 17:00 HRS CAT.

Note:Proposals must be submitted in PDF format and as attachments to the email, any proposal submitted as a link won’t be considered.

Language of the tender and mode of communication

The medium of communication shall be in writing. The bid, as well as all correspondence and documents relating to the bid exchanged by the Bidder and AFR, shall be written in English. 

Amendment to the tender document 

At any time prior to the deadline for submission of bids, AFR may amend the tender document by issuing an addendum. Any addendum issued shall be part of the tender document and shall be communicated in writing via the AFR website.

To give prospective Bidders reasonable time in which to take an addendum into account in preparing their bids, AFR may, at its discretion, extend the deadline for the submission of bids; in which case all rights and obligations of AFR and Bidders previously subject to the deadline shall thereafter be subject to the deadline as extended.

Late bids

AFR shall not consider any bid that arrives after the deadline for submission of bids. Any bid received by AFR after the deadline for submission of bids shall be declared late and rejected.