Terms of Reference for Recruitment of an Individual Consultant for the Development of a Pan- African Women and Girls in ICT Mentorship Framework & Program Design

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

TERMS OF REFERENCE

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

Client Address	Smart Africa Secretariat 10th Floor, Career Centre Building KG 541 ST, Kigali, Rwanda, PO Box: 4913 Tel: +250784013646| +250 788-300-581 Email: tenderenquiries@smartafrica.org www.smartafrica.org
RFP#:	143/S.A/NORAD/RFP/01/2026
Release date:	23rd January 2026
Closing date:	22nd February 2026; 5pm (Local time, Kigali)
Contact	For any questions or enquiries, please write to: tenderenquiries@smartafrica.org For Proposal Submissions: procurement@smartafrica.org

INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL BACKGROUND

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.

Currently, the Smart Africa Alliance membership includes 42 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.

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. Numerous studies have indicated that women and girls’ equal participation in the 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. For example, women constitute only 9% of cybersecurity professionals in Africa and around the same figure in corporate executive positions. 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 STEM/ICT fields is uneven, with fewer opportunities available for women and girls compared to their male counterparts. Cultural stereotypes and societal norms, poor retention in ICT careers, limited access to leadership opportunities, and challenges in securing funding and networks often discourage women and girls from pursuing careers in technology, leading to a significant talent pool being underutilized. Existing mentorship programs, 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 Smart Women and Girls in ICT Initiative (SWG) 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 produce 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, with support from NORAD, is establishing the Smart Women and Girls in ICT (SW&G) Mentorship program under gender-inclusive technology development component of the Smart Africa Private Sector Development Through Digital Transformation in Africa project. In this regard, Smart Africa seeks to develop a Pan-African Mentorship Model that provides structured mentorship, digital skills development, and leadership opportunities for women and girls in ICT.

Request for Proposals (RFP) Objectives 

The overall objective of this Request for Proposal is to select an individual consultant 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 consultancy 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.

To ensure that the Pan-African Mentorship Model reflects the lived realities, aspirations, and diverse contexts of women and girls across the continent, Smart Africa has adopted a participatory, co-creation approach. This strategy is rooted in the belief that impactful and sustainable solutions must be informed by the voices of those they serve. The co-creation workshop will bring together members of the SWG Working Group, regional experts, and other key stakeholders to jointly shape a mentorship model that is contextually grounded, gender-responsive, and Pan-African in spirit. This participatory process will also ensure the integration of global best practices, while drawing from successful mentorship initiatives already underway in African countries, enriching the model with local innovation, cultural nuance, and sectoral diversity. Moreover, this approach strengthens ownership, alignment with national strategies, and positions the model for successful adoption and scale-up.

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

The Pan-African Women and Girls in ICT Mentorship Framework and Program Design is a tailored response aiming to create a supportive ecosystem that fosters the professional development, enhances skills development and networking opportunities 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, coaching, and opportunities for personal and career advancement. The mentorship program seeks to foster gender sensitivity and drive socioeconomic progress across Africa’s ICT landscape.

Consultancy Specific Objectives

1. To support the review and synthesis of existing documentation on mentorship programs across Africa that target women and girls in ICT and entrepreneurship, drawing out key insights, opportunities, and gaps to inform the co-creation workshop.
2. To facilitate the co-creation of a Pan-African Mentorship Framework through a participatory workshop process, integrating contributions from stakeholders and aligning with existing national, regional, and global frameworks.
3. To structure and draft a contextualized, tiered mentorship program design that reflects the inputs of the working group and addresses the specific needs and challenges faced by African women and girls in ICT and entrepreneurship.
4. To outline preliminary pathways for strategic partnerships with industry actors, academic institutions, women-in-tech networks, and other stakeholders that can support implementation and sustainability of the mentorship model.
5. To propose a foundational monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework, drawing from co-created indicators and good practice, to guide future tracking of the mentorship program’s reach and impact.
6. To suggest practical, gender-intelligent strategies for communication, visibility, and advocacy of the mentorship program, informed by stakeholder inputs and tailored to diverse regional contexts.

Scope of work 

The individual consultant will play a facilitative and technical support role in the co-development of the Pan-African Mentorship Framework for Women and Girls in ICT. Working closely with Smart Africa and the SWG Working Group, the consultant will contribute to the process through preparatory analysis, workshop facilitation, documentation, and drafting of the final model.

Specifically, the consultant will:

• Conduct a targeted desk review of existing mentorship programs in Africa and internationally that support women and girls in ICT and entrepreneurship, synthesizing key practices, gaps, and lessons to inform the co-creation process.
• Design and facilitate a participatory 3-day workshop with the SWG Working Group and key stakeholders to collaboratively shape the structure, priorities, and components of the Pan-African Mentorship Framework.
• Populate and draft the mentorship framework based on the workshop outputs, including elements such as:
  • A tiered mentorship structure responsive to different stages of professional and entrepreneurial development;
  • Clear eligibility and mentor-mentee pairing guidelines;
  • Integration with existing support networks and platforms;
  • Safeguarding mechanisms to ensure responsible, inclusive, and mutually beneficial mentoring relationships;
  • Targeted coaching components and gender-responsive engagement strategies;
  • Incentive structures and linkages to affirmative action efforts;
  • Proposals for fostering equitable, inclusive, and inspiring environments for women and girls in ICT and entrepreneurship.
• Outline potential areas for partnership with key actors including industry stakeholders, academia, and organizations supporting women in technology to strengthen implementation, scale-up, and sustainability.
• Propose a foundational monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework with basic indicators and success metrics for tracking the impact of the mentorship program on professional growth and leadership development.
• Suggest practical communication and advocacy approaches tailored to the motivations and preferences of diverse groups of women and girls, to enhance visibility, engagement, and uptake of the mentorship program.

The consultant will be responsible for consolidating all inputs, refining and validating content with Smart Africa and the SWG Working Group, and producing a final version of the Mentorship Framework document and summary presentation materials.

Main Outcomes and Deliverables of the Assignment 

1. 1. Inception Report
   2. Comprehensive Mapping Report of Existing Mentorship Programs for Women and Girls in ICT.
   3. Pan-African Mentorship Framework for Women and Girls in ICT Document that includes mechanisms for safeguarding, building strategic partnerships, resource mobilisation, and communication and advocacy.
   4. Detailed Mentorship Program Design for Women and Girls in ICT with Sustainability and Scaling Mechanisms including:
      1.  Monitoring and evaluation framework
      2. a comprehensive Implementation Plan and;
      3.  the program fact sheet.
   5. Comprehensive Draft Report consolidating the Mapping, Mentorship framework, and program design in English and French
   6. Final consolidated Report – Pan-African Mentorship Framework and Program Design for Women and Girls in ICT in English and French including summary presentation materials

NOTE: All deliverables will be produced in both English and French.

CONSULTANCY ARRANGEMENTS/ METHODOLOGY

The assignment will be implemented in accordance with these Terms of Reference and under a contractual agreement between the Smart Africa Secretariat and the selected individual consultant.

The consultant will work under the technical guidance of the Smart Africa Secretariat and in close collaboration with the SWG Working Group, composed of senior government officials from Smart Africa Member States, representatives of the private sector, and development partners. The consultant’s work will be grounded in a participatory and co-creative methodology, with the core outputs shaped through joint engagement during a consultative cocreation workshop.

Smart Africa will provide overall coordination, technical input, and facilitation support for stakeholder engagement, including access to relevant background materials and contacts as needed.

The methodology will include the following:

• The consultant will be responsible for preparing a facilitation plan, desk review brief, and workshop materials, and will support the planning and delivery of a 3-day co-creation workshop, including kick-off and validation workshops with the SWG Working Group.
• The consultant will serve as rapporteur during the workshop and ensure accurate, structured documentation of insights, inputs, and recommendations generated.
• Based on the workshop outputs and the mentorship framework outline provided by Smart Africa, the consultant will draft all deliverables and incorporate feedback from the Secretariat and Working Group through an iterative review process.
• The consultant will integrate relevant global guidelines, best practices, and regional experiences in shaping the content of the model, while grounding it in African realities and gender-responsive approaches.
• The consultant will engage with designated Smart Africa staff through check-ins and reviews (virtually, as required), and will be expected to participate in at least one post-workshop feedback session.
• All deliverables must be submitted in both English and French (with translation support covered by the consultant), and in both editable and final layout/design formats aligned with Smart Africa branding.
• Confidentiality of all shared information, workshop proceedings, and unpublished materials must be maintained throughout the assignment. Publication or external sharing of content shall only occur upon written approval by the Smart Africa Secretariat.
• The Consultant 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.
• The Consultant shall prepare an executive summary in PowerPoint format (both English and French) for the draft and final blueprint report.
• The consultant shall ensure the final documents are designed according to the branding guidelines of Smart Africa.

DURATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The assignment shall be completed within a period of sixteen (16) weeks from the date of contract signing. The consultant will work in close collaboration with the Smart Africa Secretariat and the SWG Working Group, using a hybrid coordination model, with potential travel as will be advised and agreed upon.

The indicative timetable is as follows:

Indicative Timeline	Deliverables
T0*	Kick- off meeting with project stakeholders – Smart Africa Secretariat, the project working group members and other selected stakeholders to discuss the roadmap for the consultancy services. review the mentorship framework outline and agree on next steps. Start of the assignment and adoption of a schedule for the execution of the mission with the dates of the deliverables.
T0* + 2 weeks	An “Inception Report” and Project Workplan submitted to the Working Group and validated by the Smart Africa Secretariat. The inception report shows detailed understanding of the assignment, approach, methodology and activities to be conducted indicating expectations of the consultancy services. Review the women & girls in ICT mentorship framework outline and agree on next steps. Submission of the Workshop Facilitation Plan and Desk Review Synthesis Brief on existing women & girls in ICT mentorship programs.
T0* + 8 weeks	Delivery of the 3-Day Co-Creation Workshop with the SWG Working Group. Consultant serves as rapporteur.  This cocreation workshop will also be an opportunity to present the draft outline/structure of the framework report based on the review of the women & girls in ICT mentorship framework to the members of the Smart Africa Alliance and the Project Working Group.
T0* + 12 weeks	Pan-African Women & Girls in ICT Mentorship Framework Document that includes: Collaboration and strategic partnerships mechanisms. Sustainability and scaling mechanisms. A communication and advocacy strategy. Monitoring and evaluation framework.
T0* + 14 weeks	Detailed Tiered Women & Girls in ICT Mentorship Program Design which includes a resource mobilisation strategy and safeguarding measures.
T0* + 15 weeks	Comprehensive Draft Report of the Women & Girls in ICT Mentorship Framework and Program design consolidating the Mapping, Mentorship framework, and program design in English and French. Organize one (1) validation workshop to present the work on framework and program design. This workshop will also be an opportunity to present the first draft of the framework and program design to the members of the Smart Africa Alliance and the Project Working Group.
T0* + 16 weeks	Finalization of documents incorporating the recommendations and remarks of the validation workshop. Submission of Final consolidated Report of the Pan-African Mentorship Framework and Program Design for Women and Girls in ICT in English and French (in graphic design and layout of Smart Africa template) and the summary presentation materials in both language.

T0*: Time when the contract is signed.

NOTE: All deliverables will be produced in both English and French

• PROFILE OF THE CONSULTANT

Smart Africa is seeking to engage an individual consultant with extensive experience in facilitating, developing and implementing mentorship programs tailored to the African context. The selected consultant should demonstrate a strong track record in gender-focused mentorship initiatives, particularly those aimed at promoting gender equity and women’s empowerment in the African digital economy.

The consultant must display prior work experience in developing mentorship frameworks or professional development support frameworks that integrate a broad range of approaches, professional and soft skills development, coaching and leadership development within the STEM/ICT field, more broadly business or related sectors. Evidence of at least two (2) similar assignments, preferably conducted within the African continent, should be provided, supported by previous project portfolios and recommendation letters of projects demonstrating expertise in young women/women focused mentorship initiatives. The Consultant should be able to satisfy the following criteria.

1. Expertise in Mentorship Program Development and Delivery: 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-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 the digital economy, with the ability to incorporate these considerations into the framework design.
3. Action Research and Data Analysis: Proficient in conducting comprehensive action 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 consultant may not be tasked with developing M&E frameworks from scratch, he/she should possess practical knowledge and experience in applying monitoring results management 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. Applicants must be individual legal entities.

1. Have a proven track record in consultancy work in Africa. The Consultant must have had experience in conducting similar consultancy work for other inter-governmental or regional organisations, multi-national companies, or non-governmental organisations in the region.

1. Applicants 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.
2. The consultant should demonstrate familiarity with internationally recognized best practices and methodologies for mentorship as an intervention and the digital economy.
3. Ability to work in an English and French environment.

This is an individual assignment:

Required Qualifications and Experience

The consultant must meet the following criteria:

1. Education and Professional Background

• A minimum of a Master’s degree in a relevant field such as Gender Studies, ICT, Social Sciences, Human Capital Development, Marketing, Public Policy, or related disciplines.
• At least 7 years of relevant professional experience in mentorship program design, leadership development, women’s empowerment, or digital inclusion, including engagement with government, development partners, or regional institutions.

2. Thematic and Technical Expertise

• Demonstrated experience in designing or supporting gender-responsive mentorship initiatives, especially for women and girls in ICT, STEM, or entrepreneurship.
• Proven ability to develop frameworks, models, or structured programs based on participatory approaches, with strong skills in co-creation facilitation and synthesis.
• Good understanding of socio-economic challenges and enablers affecting women’s participation in the digital economy across Africa.
• Familiarity with adult learning principles, coaching tools, and psychosocial support approaches relevant to personal and professional growth.
• Applied knowledge of monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems, including designing indicators and feedback mechanisms for mentorship or leadership programs.

3. Communication and Facilitation Skills

• Excellent facilitation, documentation, and analytical writing skills, with the ability to translate participatory processes into coherent, structured deliverables.
• Experience in leading or co-facilitating high-level workshops with policymakers, practitioners, and technical stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to work in multicultural environments and coordinate with diverse stakeholders across the continent.
• Ability to work in both English and French is strongly preferred; otherwise, a demonstrated capacity to work with translation support is required.

4. Regional Experience

• Proven experience working on projects across multiple African countries (minimum 3), particularly in the areas of gender equality, ICT/digital development, talent and leadership development, or entrepreneurship.
• Familiarity with continental frameworks, regional initiatives, or Smart Africa’s priorities is an added advantage.

• EVALUATION METHOD AND CRITERIA

The evaluation method is Quality Cost Based Selection (QCBS). The following model will be used to evaluate all respondents and proposals submitted:

1. Technical Evaluation Criteria

Item	Point Range
Approach, Methodology, and Work Plan
Relevance and contextual understanding of gender-responsive mentorship in STEM, ICT, entrepreneurship and leadership in Africa (20) Quality and coherence of proposed participatory and co-creation methodology (10) Realism, clarity, and completeness of the work plan and deliverable schedule (10)	/40
Qualifications and Relevant Experience of the Consultant
Academic & Professional Background (5): • Master’s degree in relevant field (e.g., Gender Studies, ICT, Human Capital Development, and relevant social science, etc.) (2) • Minimum 7 years of relevant experience (3) Thematic Expertise in Mentorship & Gender (15): Proven experience developing at least 2 mentorship models/frameworks for women and girls in ICT/STEM, entrepreneurship or Leadership (5) Demonstrated experience on at least 2 assignments or projects on gender-responsive program design or research (3) Knowledge of adult learning principles, coaching or psychosocial approaches, demonstrated in at least two of previous assignment (2) Demonstrated experience with mentor-mentee pairing or recruitment strategies in (2) Developed or contributed to at least 2 visibility/advocacy efforts for women in STEM/ICT, entrepreneurship and leadership (3) Facilitation, Documentation & Co-creation Skills (10): Demonstrated experience facilitating at least two (2) multi-stakeholder or co-creation processes (5) Proven strong analytical writing, synthesis, and reporting abilities demonstrated in at least two previous assignments (5) Regional and Contextual Experience (8): Worked on mentorship/gender/digital projects in at least 3 African countries (3) Familiarity with regional or continental policy frameworks and institutions (2) Having participated in delivering at least 2 similar assignments for intergovernmental or development organizations (3)	/40
Samples and Recommendations
Two samples of relevant work (e.g., mentorship frameworks, strategic toolkits, co-creation reports) demonstrating quality and relevance (10 (5 each) – At least two recommendation letters or references from a previous assignment related to women and girls mentorship in STEM, ICT, entrepreneurship or digital leadership (10 (5 each)	/20

The financial proposal of only those applicants which secure a minimum score of 75/100 in the technical evaluation will be opened.

St= Score for the Technical Evaluation

Financial Criteria

Once the technical criteria have been evaluated, the costs of all bids will be listed from low to high. Computing the cost criteria score will be accomplished by use of the following formula:

= Sf

The Applicant getting highest marks on 80-20 weightage (80% for technical and 20% for financial) will be considered for the assignment. The weights given to the Technical (T) and Financial Proposals (F) are T = 0.80 and F = 0.20

The Final Score (S) is calculated as follows: S = St*T + Sf*F

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL PROPOSALS

All technical and financial proposals must be submitted in English.

7.1. Administrative documents 

– (ID or passport certificates).

7.2. Technical Requirements

Duly signed submission Letter confirming the consultant’s interest to provide the services required.

Detailed description of methodology and Approach, work plan

Consultancy references with contacts.

Detailed and updated Curriculum Vitae

Valid Industry certifications and relevant academic certificates.

Consultant’s Recommendation letters signed and stamped.

7.3. Financial Requirements

Summarized Total Cost inclusive of applicable taxes

Breakdown of a remuneration package.

Breakdown of reimbursable expenses.

Notes: 

All Financial Proposals/offers should be password protected, and Smart Africa will request it for bidders who have been qualified in the technical evaluation.

 Only individual consultants are eligible to apply to this assignment

All Financial Offers should be quoted and submitted in USD Currency

A withholding tax of 15% will be deducted from payments for consultant not VAT registered with Rwanda Tax Administration (RRA) and 18% VAT will be applicable for VAT registered consultants in Rwanda.

SUBMISSION PROCESS

Soft copies of both Technical and financial proposals must be sent to: procurement@smartafrica.orgshowing each the nature of the offer concerned (technical or financial offer), not later than 22nd February 2025 at, 5:00 PM local time (Kigali), addressed to Procurement Office of Smart Africa Secretariat, with subject marked: 143/S.A/NORAD/RFP/01/2026: Individual Consultant for the Development of a Pan- African Women and Girls in ICT Mentorship Framework & Program Design.

RIGHTS RESERVED

This RFP does not obligate the Smart Africa Secretariat (SAS) to complete the RFP process.

SAS reserves the right to amend any segment of the RFP prior to the announcement of a selected consultant.

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.

SAS also may, at its discretion, issue a separate contract for any service or groups of services included in this RFP. SAS may negotiate a compensation package and additional provisions to the contract awarded under this RFP.

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.

 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.

 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.

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.