Recruitment of a Consulting Firm for the Development of a Pan- African Women and Girls in ICT Mentorship Framework & Program Design

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Recruitment of a Consulting Firm for the Development of a Pan- African Women and Girls in ICT Mentorship Framework & Program Design.

1. INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL BACKGROUND

1.1 About Smart Africa Alliance

The Smart Africa Alliance is a bold and innovative commitment from African Heads of State and Government to accelerate sustainable socio-economic development on the African continent with the vision to transform Africa into a Single Digital Market by 2030. Its 5-point manifesto seeks; to put ICT (Information and Communication Technology) at the centre of national socio-economic development agenda, to improve access to ICT especially Broadband, to improve accountability, efficiency, and openness through ICT, to put the Private Sector First and to leverage ICT to promote sustainable development.

As of May 2024, The Smart Africa Alliance membership included 40 Member States, International partner organizations including the Africa Union Commission (AUC) and International Telecommunications Union (ITU) among others, as well as International Private Sector Members. The Smart Africa Secretariat (SAS) is based in Kigali, Rwanda[1].

1.2 Project Background

Smart Africa’s vision is to transform Africa into a Single Digital Market by driving Africa’s digital transformation agenda through an inclusive, bold, and innovative multi-stakeholder approach. Various studies have indicated that women and girls’ equal participation in an economy can increase GDP by 25% while saving African economies $2.5 trillion¹ that could be lost due to disparities in lifetime earnings between men and women.

However, women and girls face significant barriers to full participation in the ICT sector across Africa. Despite being catalysts for economic growth and innovation, they remain underrepresented in technical roles and leadership positions. Women represent only a fraction of the workforce in the ICT sector across Africa with leadership positions heavily dominated by men. For example, women constitute only 9% of cybersecurity professionals in Africa² and around the same figure in corporate executive positions³. According to research conducted by PwC, women account for only 28% of leadership positions at global tech companies.⁴

Limited access to education, cultural biases, and lack of mentorship opportunities further exacerbates this gender gap, hindering Africa’s digital transformation and economic progress. Access to quality education and training in ICT fields is uneven, with fewer opportunities available for women and girls compared to their male counterparts. Cultural stereotypes and societal norms often discourage women and girls from pursuing careers in technology, leading to a significant talent pool being underutilized.

Existing mentorship programs, such as Girls in ICT Rwanda, She Code Africa, and Kofi Anan Girls in ICT Mentorship program in Ghana, while valuable, often lack the necessary scale and resources to address the specific needs of women and girls in the ICT sector.

To address these socio-economic opportunities and gaps, the Africa Smart Women and Girls (SWG) in ICT Initiative was established after a series of multi stakeholder consultations that began in 2016. The Africa Smart Women and Girls in ICT Initiative’s goal is to come up with a systematic framework for national plans and interventions to connect women and girls to technology and enhance their participation in the digital economy based on experiences and emerging opportunities.

Smart Africa recognizes the pivotal role of gender-inclusive initiatives in fostering digital transformation. As part of the Gender-Inclusive Technology Development component of the project – Smart Africa Private Sector Development Through Digital Transformation in Africa with support from NORAD, Smart Africa is establishing the Smart Women and Girls in ICT (SW&G) Mentorship Platform.

The main objective of the Smart Women and Girls (SW&G) Mentorship Platform is to create a supportive ecosystem that fosters the professional development, skills enhancement, and leadership growth of women and girls in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The platform aims to bridge the gender gap in the tech industry by providing mentorship, guidance, and opportunities for personal and career advancement.

1.3  Main Strategic Objectives of the Africa Smart Women and Girls in ICT Initiative

 The Africa Smart Women and Girls in ICT Initiative is committed to addressing the gender digital divide and empowering women and girls across the continent. Through a multifaceted approach, the initiative focuses on several strategic objectives aimed at fostering inclusivity, driving policy change, and supporting women’s participation in the digital economy. These objectives include.

1. Empowering Women Opinion Leaders: Provide a platform for women opinion leaders to advocate the gender digital divide. Amplify voices to drive policy change and foster inclusivity in the digital sphere.
2. Developing Systematic National Plans: Establish frameworks for governments to create comprehensive national plans. Address barriers faced by women and girls in accessing technology for more inclusive digital landscapes.
3. Proposing Governance Structures: Establish robust governance at the country level to oversee program implementation. Ensure accountability, transparency, and sustainable progress in advancing gender equality in the digital domain.
4. Supporting Women and Girls Entry and Participation in ICT: Support women and girls in entering, participating, and establishment in the digital economy. This includes capacity-building, mentorship, and entrepreneurial support to unlock their full potential as contributors to innovation and socio-economic growth.

1.4 Request for Proposals (RFP) Objectives

• General Objectives

The overall objective of this Request for Proposal is to select a consulting firm to provide technical assistance to the Smart Africa Secretariat on the development of a pan-African Women and Girls in ICT Mentorship Framework and Program Design.

The outcomes of the Consulting will be guided by the Smart Women and Girls in ICT Working group, chaired by the lead country, to give overall strategic guidance with the support of the Smart Africa Secretariat.

• RFP Specific Objectives

The mission of the consulting firm will specifically consist of developing a Pan-African Women and Girls in ICT Mentorship Framework and Program Design (see Section 2 below).

The purpose of this document is to present the details of hiring a consulting firm to help achieve the stated objectives.

2. PAN-AFRICAN/CONTINENTAL WOMEN AND GIRLS IN ICT MENTORSHIP FRAMEWORK AND PROGRAM DESIGN

The Pan-African/Continental Women and Girls in ICT Mentorship Framework and Program Design is a tailored response to the critical challenges facing women and girls in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector across Africa. It acknowledges the necessity for targeted interventions to provide mentorship, skills development, and networking opportunities.

Based on extensive research and evidence gathering, it is evident that women and girls encounter significant hurdles in STEM education, career advancement, and entrepreneurship within the ICT domain. Underrepresentation in STEM fields, poor retention in ICT careers, limited access to leadership opportunities, and challenges in securing funding and networks highlight pressing issues to be addressed.

By developing a mentorship framework and establishing a mentorship platform, the Smart Women and Girls in ICT Initiative seeks to empower women and girls, foster gender inclusivity, and drive socioeconomic progress across Africa’s ICT landscape.

2.1 The Scope and Objectives

The project aims to comprehensively address mentorship needs for women and girls in ICT across the continent. Firstly, it involves mapping existing mentorship initiatives, identifying gaps, and then crafting a unified mentorship framework tailored to the specific challenges and opportunities within the ICT sector. This framework will serve as a blueprint for developing a structured mentorship program, incorporating tiered structures, support systems, and sustainability mechanisms. Additionally, the program will delineate clear mentorship relationship dynamics, including eligibility criteria, pairing methodologies, and integration with existing support networks, while exploring incentives and affirmative action measures to ensure inclusivity and effectiveness.

The project also emphasizes partnership building with industry stakeholders, educational institutions, and organizations supporting women in technology to ensure a collaborative approach. Simultaneously, it prioritizes the establishment of a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to measure the program’s impact effectively. Furthermore, strategies for communication and advocacy will be developed, considering intrinsic motivations of women, particularly young women, and tailoring campaigns accordingly to ensure widespread participation and support for the mentorship initiative. Through these concerted efforts, the project endeavours to foster a supportive ecosystem conducive to the advancement of women and girls in ICT and entrepreneurship across the continent.

2.1.1 Project Specific Objectives

1. To map existing mentorship programs on the continent targeting women and girls in ICT and entrepreneurship, identifying gaps and opportunities. The mapping exercise will cover at least 10 countries across all the five regions of the continent and benchmark with other international best practices.
2. To develop a pan-African mentorship framework for women and girls in ICT informed by existing national and international frameworks and experiences and tailored to address the unique needs and challenges faced by African women and girls in ICT and entrepreneurship.
3. To design a mentorship program for women and girls in ICT and entrepreneurship: The mentorship program should stipulate clear sustainability mechanisms and a contextualized, tiered structure and includes:
   1. safeguards, support systems, and eligibility criteria, fostering responsible and mutually beneficial mentorship relationships and exploring linkages between incentives and affirmative action.
   2. targeted and specialized coaching initiatives;
   3. collaborative engagement with male partners;
   4. equitable work environments exploring potential linkages with existing and/or traditional human resource development initiatives, and;
   5. inspiration-driven education to create a supportive ecosystem for women and girls in ICT and entrepreneurship.
4. To provide a clear pathway for establishing the necessary partnerships with industry stakeholders, educational institutions, organizations supporting women in technology, etc. to ensure program success and sustainability.
5. To develop a robust monitoring and evaluation mechanism that will be used to assess the impact of the mentorship program on the professional development and leadership growth of women and girls in ICT and entrepreneurship.
6. To develop strategies for effective communication and advocacy informed by intrinsic motivations of women, particularly young women and tailoring strategies and campaigns accordingly.

2.2 Main Outcomes and Deliverables of the Assignment

• Comprehensive Inception Report
• Comprehensive Mapping Report of Existing Mentorship Programs
• Pan-African Mentorship Framework Document that includes:

• Safeguarding measures.
• Strategic partnerships framework.
• Resource mobilisation strategy.
• Communication and advocacy strategy.
• Monitoring and evaluation framework.
  • Detailed Mentorship Program Fact Sheet Design Document with Sustainability and Scaling Mechanisms.

3. CONSULTING ARRANGEMENTS/ METHODOLOGY

The mission shall be carried out according to these terms of reference and according to a contractual framework to be defined between the Smart Africa Secretariat and the consulting Firm.

The mission shall be carried out by the Consulting firm with support from the Lead country and the Project Working Group. The Project Working Group is composed of senior government officials in charge of gender in ICT initiatives of selected Smart Africa Member States and representatives of the Smart Africa Alliance Private Sector members and Partner Organizations.

The Smart Africa Secretariat will assist the Consulting Firm, as far as possible, in seeking contacts and authorizations related to the scope defined in this document. Nonetheless, the Consulting Firm is expected to submit a proposal which includes but is not limited to a detailed project plan and inception report.

It is expected that the Consulting firm’s work will be in line with the following methodology and rules:

1. The Consulting firm will assume primary responsibility for drafting the expected deliverables, in both French and English. The working language for the Working Group will be both French and English to cater for the diverse membership of the secretariat.
2. The Consulting firm shall engage Smart Africa Secretariat, the project working group members, and other selected stakeholders to discuss the roadmap for the Consultancy services leading to the creation of an approved Inception Report that clearly explains how the project objectives (2.1.1) will be achieved.
3. The Consulting firm will work closely with the designated staff of Smart Africa and the Working Groups to carry out the task. The consulting firm will report to the Smart Africa Secretariat and the Working Group members, by participating in regular Working Group meetings (approximately once every two weeks) and by preparing the necessary meeting reports, slideshows, and summaries of documents.
4. The Consulting firm shall Integrate existing international guidelines and recommendations.
5. The Consulting firm shall review the existing draft concept note with specific emphasis on gender impact assessment and monitoring and evaluation gaps of the Smart Africa member states.
6. The Consulting firm will write an interim draft version of each planned deliverable and provide a presentation of these interim deliverables at workshops to be organized by Smart Africa in both English and French. Every deliverable will be submitted to Working Group members and discussed during consultation and validation workshops. The Consulting firm will collect comments on each interim deliverable and make consequential revisions in the final version.
7. Support and facilitation will be provided from the Smart Africa Secretariat for exchanges with countries and the collection of documents for the analysis of the existing situations.
8. The Consulting firm shall organize and participate in consultation and feedback stakeholder workshops during the duration of the project and incorporate the stakeholders’ comments from the workshops as appropriate and prepare the final report.
9. The Consulting firm will guarantee the confidentiality of information shared by the Smart Africa Secretariat, Smart Africa Member States and other stakeholders participating in the Working Groups and Workshops. Publication of content can only take place after validation by the Working Groups.
10. The Consulting firm shall submit each deliverable in five (5) printed copies and all working documents in soft copies, editable files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), in both French and English.
11. The Consulting firm shall be able to communicate with the Working Groups and Smart Africa Member States in both French and English and cover the costs for necessary translations of documents.
12. The Consulting firm shall prepare an executive summary in PowerPoint format (both English and French) for the draft and final blueprint report
13. The Consulting firm shall ensure the final documents are designed according to the branding guidelines of Smart Africa.

4. DURATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The selected Consulting firm must carry out the project within three (3) months from the date of signing the contract.

The indicative timetable is as follows:

T0*: Time when the contract is signed.

5. PROFILE OF THE FIRM

Smart Africa is seeking to engage a consulting firm with extensive experience in developing mentorship frameworks and programs tailored to the African context. The selected firm should demonstrate a strong track record in gender-focused digital transformation initiatives, particularly those aimed at promoting gender equity and women’s empowerment through digital technologies across the continent.

The consulting firm must showcase prior work experience in developing frameworks that encompass a wide range of parameters, professional and soft skills development, coaching and leadership development within the ICT field. Evidence of three (3) similar assignments, preferably within African organizations and governments, should be provided, supported by recommendation letters of projects demonstrating expertise in gender-related professional development initiatives and digital transformation.

 The Consulting firm should be able to satisfy the following criteria.

1. Expertise in Professional & Personal Development: Expertise in designing and delivering creative and practical professional & personal development programs in a business/entrepreneurial environment in the ICT sector or broader digital economy. Demonstrate experience in designing mentorship programs and frameworks tailored to the needs of women and girls in the ICT sector. In-depth knowledge in mentorship methodologies, best practices and strategies specific to this demographic is advantageous. Evidence of successful mentorship initiatives or mentorship training programs should be highlighted.
2. Socio-economic Background: Strong background in socio-economic analysis, with the ability to assess the impact of professional support programs on gender equity & equality, women’s professional and leadership growth, and inclusive socio-economic development in African communities. Good understanding of socio-economic factors influencing women’s participation in ICT, with the ability to incorporate these considerations into the framework design.
3. Research and Data Analysis: Proficient in conducting comprehensive research, utilizing various data collection methods, and performing both quantitative and qualitative analysis to inform evidence-informed decision-making towards gender sensitive mentorship program design and implementation.
4. Applied Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Knowledge: While the firm may not be tasked with developing M&E frameworks from scratch, it should possess practical knowledge and experience in applying M&E principles to mentorship interventions or programs. This includes the ability to adapt existing M&E frameworks/tools to the specific context of mentorship, design appropriate data collection tools, and establish reporting mechanisms to track program progress and outcomes.
5. Bidders must be individual legal entities or a joint venture. In the event of a joint venture, all the member parties are jointly and severally liable for the contractual clauses.
6. Have a proven track record in Consulting work in Africa. The Consultant must have had experience in conducting similar Consulting work for other inter-governmental or regional organisations, multi-national companies, or non-governmental organisations in the region.
7. Bidders must provide any document that the Smart Africa Secretariat may reasonably request, establishing to the satisfaction of Smart Africa being the Contracting Authority that they continue to be eligible to compete.
8. The consulting firm should demonstrate familiarity with internationally recognized best practices and methodologies for mentorship as an intervention and the digital economy.
9. Ability to work in an English and French environment.

The work shall be carried out by a team of at least (3) three highly qualified consultants/experts in the requested specialties, namely:

Lead Consultant/Head of Mission (Professional Development Expert) with the minimum requirements below to be considered for the evaluation:

• Minimum of a master’s degree in a relevant field such as Economics, Business Administration, Psychology, Organizational Development, Social Studies, Human Resource Development, or related disciplines in a learning and development capacity and a solid understanding of the digital economy.
• A minimum of 7 years of extensive expertise and professional experience in leading the design and implementation of creative, adaptable, practical and effective professional and personal development frameworks, programs & other learning offerings in a business environment.
• Experience in career coaching, professional development support, or training, with a focus on practical mentorship programs.
• Familiarity with monitoring, evaluation and learning techniques to assess the effectiveness and impact of mentorship interventions on participants’ professional development journeys, continuous improvement and performance coaching.
• Exhibit the ability to tailor professional development interventions to meet the needs of the intended beneficiaries including familiarity with a diverse pool of professional learning systems, tools and styles.
• Extensive experience in cross organisational, regional, and continental professional development program design and implementation, including mentorship programs.
  • Excellent track record developing strategies for effective professional development, coaching and network/net worth building.
  • Strong understanding of adult learning principles, career planning methodologies, and psychosocial support mechanisms.
  • Experience working with diverse populations, including women and girls, to address barriers to career advancement and promote inclusive professional environments.
  • Experience working in Africa, with a deep understanding of gender dynamics and socio-economic challenges across the continent.
  • Demonstrated leadership skills in managing complex projects, with a focus on gender-responsive approaches.
  • Ability to lead cross-functional teams and coordinate efforts across multiple stakeholders, with an emphasis on inclusivity and diversity.
  • Proven ability to engage and collaborate with diverse stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, tech companies, and grassroots organizations.
  • Experience working in Africa, at least three (3) African countries.
  • Having participated in at least one (1) similar project in the last 5 years.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Expert with a focus on mentorship and other gender in ICT interventions with the minimum requirements below to be considered for the evaluation:

• A University graduate with a minimum of a master’s degree in social sciences, Statistics, Data Science, Development or other relevant related fields.
• Have at least 5 years of proven experience in designing and implementing monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) activities, with a focus on effectiveness of gender sensitive professional development interventions.
• Demonstrated expertise in data value enhancement and the ability to assess the impact of mentorship programs on gender equity and socio-economic development.
• Experience in providing technical & strategic guidance in the development of performance metrics, analytical frameworks and intervention-specific M&E strategies.
• Work experience in gender integrated MEL frameworks and strategies development in Africa, with familiarity in member countries of the Smart Africa Alliance.
• Excellent track record of MEL on digital transformation in Africa at both national and continental levels, supported by tangible outcomes.
• Experience working in Africa, at least three (3) African countries.
• Having participated in at least one (1) similar project in the last 5 years.

Socio-Economic Development/Digital Transformation Expert with a focus on gender in ICT and mentorship with the minimum requirements below to be considered for the evaluation:

• A University graduate with a minimum of a master’s degree in economics, ICT, Social Sciences, or other relevant related fields, with a focus on digital economy related socio-economic interventions.
• Having at least 5 years of proven experience in the design, development and implementation of digital transformation interventions particularly gender-focused professional development related interventions.
• Experience in the design and implementation of mentorship programs for women and girls in ICT in Africa, at both national and continental level.
• Ability to strategically think to address socio-economic barriers and promote equitable opportunities for women and girls in the ICT sector.
• Solid understanding of digital technologies and their impact on socio-economic development, particularly for marginalized groups.
• Have work experience in development of sustainable & gender inclusive ICT projects in Africa, and in the member countries of the Smart Africa Alliance.
• Experience working in Africa.
• Having participated in at least one (1) similar project in the last 5 years.

6. EVALUATION METHOD AND CRITERIA

The evaluation method is Fixed budget approach. The following model will be used to evaluate all respondents and proposals submitted:

a. Technical Evaluation Criteria

The financial proposal of only those firms which secure a minimum score of 80/100 in the technical evaluation will be opened.

St= Score for the Technical Evaluation

b. Financial Criteria

All bidders should note that the evaluation method is Fixed Budget Approach. The firm with the highest evaluated technical score among those bidders that achieved the minimum technical score 80% will be invited to negotiate the Contract.

7. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL PROPOSALS

A specific outline must be followed to facilitate the Smart Africa Secretariat’s review and evaluation of the responses received.

A response to this RFP must include the following sections in the order listed:

1. A cover letter confirming the firm’s interest to provide the services required
2. Mandatory Administrative documents
   • Company/Institution registration certificate
   • Tax clearance certificates
3. A technical proposal containing the following content:
   • Executive summary
   • Business experience/Profiles
   • Approach and Methodology
   • Work Plan / Schedule
   • Mission team experience/profiles
   • Updated Curriculum Vitae for the team and academic certificates required
   • Firm recommendation letters of successful completion for similar past assignments, duly signed by right authority.
4. Financial Proposal containing the following tables.
   • Summary of Costs.
   • Breakdown of price per user group on daily rate;
   • Breakdown of remuneration user group on daily rate;
   • Reimbursable expenses user group applicable.
   • Miscellaneous Expenses if any

Notes:

• Indicate your preferred payment terms under financial proposal
• A withholding tax of 15% will be deducted from payments for Firms not VAT-registered with Rwanda Tax Administration (RRA) and 18% VAT will be applicable for registered firms in Rwanda.
• All Financial Proposals/offers should be password protected and Smart Africa will request for it for bidders who have been qualified in the technical evaluation
• All Financial Offers should be quoted and submitted in USD Currency.

4. SUBMISSION PROCESS

Soft copies of both Technical and financial proposals must be sent to: procurement@smartafrica.org showing each the nature of the offer concerned (technical or financial offer), not later than 12^th July 2024 at, 5:00 PM local time (Kigali), addressed to Procurement Office of Smart Africa Secretariat, with subject marked: 115/SA/RFP/05/2024: Pan- African/Continental Women and Girls in ICT Mentorship Framework & Program Design.

5. RIGHTS RESERVED

1. This RFP does not obligate the Smart Africa Secretariat (SAS) to complete the RFP process.
2. SAS reserves the right to amend any segment of the RFP prior to the announcement of a selected firm.
3. SAS also reserves the right to remove one or more of the services from consideration for this contract should the evaluation show that it is in SAS’s best interest to do so.
4. SAS also may, at its discretion, issue a separate contract for any service or groups of services included in this RFP.
5. SAS may negotiate a compensation package and additional provisions to the contract awarded under this RFP.
6. The Smart Africa reserves the right to debrief the applicants after the completion of the process due to expected high volume of applications and avoiding the compromise of the process.

Late proposals will be rejected.

6. VALIDITY

Proposals and quotes must remain valid for 180 days after the date of closing noted above. After, the closing date and time, all proposals received by the Smart Africa Secretariat become its property.

7. ENQUIRIES

Any inquiries will only be received at least 5 working days before the bid submission deadline. Prospective respondents who may have questions regarding this RFP may submit their inquiries to tenderenquiries@smartafrica.org .

8. ANTI-CORRUPTION

Smart Africa is committed to preventing and not tolerating any act of corruption and other malpractices and expects that all bidders will adhere to the same ethical principles.

[1]https://smartafrica.org