Request for Proposals  for Consultancy for Branding and Visual Identity & Strategy Development for the FSD Network

ACCESS TO FINANCE RWANDA Request for Proposals  For

CONSULTANCY FOR BRANDING AND VISUAL IDENTITY & STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT FOR THE FSD NETWORK

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

PROCUREMENT REFERENCE NUMBER: CONSULTANCY FOR BRANDING AND VISUAL IDENTITY & STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT FOR THE FSD NETWORK

1. INTRODUCTION 

About Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR)

Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR) is a Rwandan not-for-profit company established in 2010 to promote financial inclusion and financial sector development in Rwanda. AFR is currently funded by Sweden, MasterCard Foundation, Gates Foundation, Global impact/ Co-Develop and Jersey Overseas Aid. AFR is part of the broader Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) network in Africa, which seeks to contribute to more inclusive and sustainable economic growth through financial inclusion and financial sector development by working with policymakers, regulators, financial service providers, and other market actors.

AFR supports the removal of systemic barriers that hinder access to financial services by low-income people, particularly the rural poor, women, youth, and MSMEs. AFR 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.

About the FSD Network 

The FSD Network is a consortium of ten organisations that work to build inclusive financial systems in African countries. As part of this work, the Network has been initiating collaborative programmes such as gender (the Gender CoPro), climate finance, etc. to develop a shared learning agenda, jointly undertake a portfolio of interventions, and share lessons and expertise on the practicalities of addressing barriers that inhibit low-income people from benefitting fully from financial systems and economic development.

The Network is committed to ensuring not only that low-income people across Africa have greater access to financial services, but that those services work for them in helping increase their incomes, access welfare services and economic opportunities, and increase agency in decision making both at home and in their communities and workplaces. The FSD Network is currently funded by Gates Foundation and the individual FSDs have attracted funding from multiple Development Partners including Sweden, The Mastercard Foundation, Jersey Overseas Aid, FCDO, etc. For more information, check out our website: https://fsdnetwork.org/.

As the FSD Network continues to expand its collaborative initiatives and deepen its impact across Africa, there is a growing need for a unified, modern, and strategically grounded brand identity and strategy that effectively communicates the Network’s collective efforts and thought leadership as a pan-African entity. The brand identity should reflect the network’s cross-country collaborations and development programs including gender-focused programmes. To strengthen recognition among donors, policymakers, partners, and the wider development community, the Network seeks to engage a highly qualified pan-African branding firm to develop a refreshed and cohesive brand strategy and visual identity for the network. This new brand identity will serve as a foundation for consistent storytelling, improved visibility, and stronger positioning of the Network as a trusted and forward-looking pan-African entity in advancing inclusive finance and enhancing economic empowerment and resilience of vulnerable segments (women, youth, refugees, PwDs, etc.) across Africa.

Project scope

Target Audiences

The FSD Network’s brand identity and strategy should be designed with the following key audiences in mind:

1. 1. Donors and funders – Institutions and foundations seeking evidence of impactful and credible initiatives that drive financial inclusion, gender equity, economic empowerment, and resilience for low-income people across Africa.
   2. Policy makers and regulators – Government bodies and financial regulators across Africa who influence policies shaping inclusive finance, digital transformation, climate and sustainable finance and economic empowerment.
   3. Implementation partners – Local and regional development organizations, NGOs and private-sector actors working in inclusive finance and economic empowerment domains.
   4. Network members – The ten Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) entities themselves, who will actively use the brand for representation, communications, and knowledge sharing.
   5. Beneficiaries (low-income people and communities) – While not the direct users of the brand, the identity should resonate with women, youth and vulnerable communities as the ultimate beneficiaries of inclusive financial systems and economies.
   6. General public and media – Audiences engaging with the Network through external events, reports, and publicity materials.

Objectives of the assignment

The overall objective is to develop unique brand identity guidelines and assets for FSD Network to aid in the awareness, brand recognition, and representation in market engagement, partnership and strategic communication materials.

Scope of Work and Deliverables

The firm will provide a range of services as detailed below:

Brand Strategy Development

The consultant will develop a brand strategy to guide the visual and verbal identity of the FSD Network. This will involve:

• Conducting stakeholder interviews, brand audits, and competitive benchmarking.
• Articulating the brand’s purpose, values, personality, and positioning statement.
• Defining key message pillars and tone of voice.
• Developing a concise Brand Strategy Framework and Messaging Guide to align all future communications and visual identity design.

Interested firms must confirm their intention to submit a proposal by Thursday, January 8, 2026, at 17h00 HRS CAT

Any requests for clarifications to the RFP may be submitted by Friday, January 16, 2026, 17h00 HRS CAT.

Bidders should submit their proposals no later than Friday, January 23, 2026, 14:00 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:

Cordially,

Jean Bosco Iyacu

Chief Executive Officer