REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL JUNE 2022-PREQUALIFICATION FOR PROVISION OF CONTENT WRITING SERVICES

TERMS OF REFERENCE

1. About AECF

The AECF (formerly the “Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund”) is a leading African-owned and led development organisation that supports innovative enterprises in the agribusiness and renewable energy sectors with the aim of reducing rural poverty, promoting resilient communities, and creating jobs. AECF has raised over US$ 400 million to provide catalytic funding and technical advisory support to enterprises that struggle to meet traditional risk-return standards for commercial investors. In just over a decade, we have supported over 375 businesses in 26 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, impacted more than 30 million lives, created over 27,000 direct jobs, and leveraged us $771 million in matching funds.

To deliver on our strategy, we focus specifically on agribusiness, renewable energy and climate technologies while also addressing the cross-cutting themes of gender, youth, and fragile contexts.

2. About the Assignment

AECF seeks the services of an individual to provide writing services to support various aspects of AECF’s communication activities by developing and refining writing products in a consistent and coherent manner across all communication platforms. The content will showcase what we do, the impact of our work, and the knowledge and insights we have gathered over the years to target audiences. The writer will work with the partnerships and communications teams together with a copy editor to deliver quality material. The copy editor and writers will form part of a panel to work on a range of professional communications materials.

1. Scope of Work

Under the overall supervision of the Communications Manager and in close consultation with the communications, impact and partnerships teams, the content writers will undertake the following activities:

• Research, write, edit, and revise written content in the form of news articles, opinion pieces, and blogs on subject matter relating to the work of AECF in agribusiness, renewable energy, climate change, rural development, sustainable development, finance and business support.
• Work with the Communications team or other AECF personnel to co-author or ghost-write reports, sections of reports and/or stories for inclusion in reports.
• Write additional text for drafted documents, such as executive summaries and additional sections or significantly re-write or re-structure drafted sections of already prepared reports while maintaining the author/s’ tone and key points and conferring with the relevant AECF (or other) author regarding changes.
• Write shorter and/or companion communication pieces for heavier, technical reports.
• Any other content creation assignment that may be assigned on a need basis.

2. Duration of Service

The duration of service will be one year, commencing when a contract is signed.

3. Proposal Submission

Qualified consultants (individuals) are invited to submit a proposal that includes the following:

1. Qualification and experience of the individual.
2. Previous experience in conducting similar engagements.
3. Detailed financial budget (in USD) and work plan/staff resources.

Note: Technical and financial proposals will need to be submitted as separate documents.

1. Qualification and Experience
2. Minimum five (5) years of relevant experience as an English-language writer and/or editor at the national and/or international level with experience in communication, advocacy, public relations and/or journalism.
3. Professional experience with coverage of multi-country development projects, particularly in agribusiness, renewable energy, and climate change, is also required.
4. Proven professional experience of at least five (5) years in writing and content development for international organisations or media in the development context for mixed audiences.
5. Excellent writing and communication skills; strong skills in research, analysis, and synthesis of findings.

The consultant will be accountable to the AECF Communications Manager or his designate.

4. Pricing

This is a long-term assignment billed per work done. This will be calculated either per page written (for longer pieces) or per word (for shorter pieces).

The AECF is obliged by the Kenyan tax authorities to withhold taxes on service contract fees as well as ensure VAT is charged where applicable. Applicants are advised to ensure that they have a clear understanding of their tax position with regards to provisions of Kenya tax legislation when developing their proposals.

5. Evaluation Criteria

An evaluation committee will be formed by the AECF and shall include employees. All members will be bound by the same standards of confidentiality. The consultant should ensure that they fully respond to all criteria to be comprehensively evaluated.

The AECF may request and receive clarification from any consultant when evaluating a proposal. The evaluation committee may invite some or all the consultants to appear before the committee to clarify their proposals. The evaluation committee may consider such clarifications in evaluating proposals in such an event.

In deciding the final selection of qualified bidder, the technical quality of the proposal will be given a weighting of 70% based on the evaluation criteria. Only the financial proposal of those bidders who qualify technically will be opened. The financial proposal will be allocated a weighting of 30%, and the proposals will be ranked in terms of total points scored.

The mandatory and desirable criteria against which proposals will be evaluated are identified in the table below.

NO.

CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT

Weighted Award

1. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

70

1. An understanding of the terms of reference

Demonstrate understanding of the assignment and expected outcomes in Renewable energy, climate technologies and Agribusiness

30

1. Qualification and Experience

Demonstrate capability and past relevant experience in tackling the assignment.

10

Demonstrate relevant experience in conducting similar engagements. Provide evidence of similar previous experience, including a reference list indicating the scope and magnitude of similar assignments; specification of writing capabilities; provide a sample of the kind of written assignments they have done in the past.

30

1. FINANCIAL PROPOSAL: Clarity, relevance, reality to market value/ value for money of cost for the assignment (inclusive of any applicable tax, reimbursable and travel).

30

Total Score

100

1. Disclaimer

AECF reserves the right to determine the structure of the process, the number of short-listed participants, the right to withdraw from the proposal process, the right to change this timetable at any time without notice and reserves the right to withdraw this tender at any time, without prior notice and without liability to compensate and/or reimburse any party.