KIGALI INFORMAL SETTLEMENT UPGRADING PROJECT-KISUP

Request for Expressions of Interest
(CONSULTING SERVICES-SELECTION)
COUNTRY: RWANDA

Title: Consultancy services for the feasibility study and pre-operationalization of Housing solutions and provision of technical assistance for the implementation of the solutions.

SOURCE OF FUNDS: Agence Française de Development (AFD)

The Government of Rwanda has acquired a loan from AFD and a grant from the EU to finance the upgrading of Kagugu and Rwezamenyo, two of Kigali’s unplanned settlements, as part of its strategy for the upgrading of current informal settlements. Given the risk of gentrification inherent to such upgrading programs and the need to foster the supply of low-income housing in the country, a housing component was added to the project. This component’s objective is to finance the experimentation of solutions that could contribute to enhance and densify the supply of low-income housing in the two neighborhoods, with a view of upscaling the solutions to other neighborhoods in the future.
The Kigali Informal Settlements Upgrading Project (KISUP) has three main objectives:
 Components 1 and 2: Improve access to inclusive and resilient infrastructure and social services for residents of Kagugu and Rwezamenyo. This includes:
• Developing mobility infrastructure (roads and pathways)
• Installing a climate-resilient drainage network
• Creating multi-use public spaces
• Building socio-collective facilities
• Raising awareness on climate change, social inclusion, and economic development
• Enhancing the capacity of local institutions for managing infrastructure and urban amenities.
 Component 3: Develop and test a legal framework, investment procedures, and architectural standards to improve and densify low-income rental housing in unplanned settlements. The goal is to create scalable solutions for similar neighborhoods.
In this context a pre-feasibility study has been conducted that concluded that the upgrading components of the project generates a risk of strong gentrification and eviction of the existing residents, especially the renters, the most vulnerables, who represent between 60 and 75% of the total population in the two neighborhoods. In order to prevent this risk, the study proposed operational and scalable low-income housing solutions and defined an experimental strategy for KISUP (Recommendations for the Operationalization Housing Component - Espelia-GRET – May 2023).
This risk stems from high housing demand and a lack of regulation in the rental market.
Three housing solutions were proposed:
Solution 1: Light rehabilitation of existing backyard housing.
Solution 2: Demolition and reconstruction of backyard housing, with support for landlords in exchange for rent regulation.
Solution 3: Development of row houses or multi-story buildings, possibly through land readjustment, targeting more units with the creation of a public or non-profit housing operator.
These solutions aim to balance housing quality, tenant protection, and cost efficiency.
As pilot projects, KISUP Housing component is targeting the creation of 100 to 150 Affordable Family Units distributed as per the 2 solutions mentioned above.
With funding from AFD and EU, the project will test scalable, replicable housing solutions while ensuring financial sustainability and social inclusion. The involvement of various stakeholders, including government bodies, international agencies, and financial institutions, is key to achieving the project’s goals of improving living conditions and addressing gentrification risks.
The consultancy is structured in two phases: (i) preparation of the feasibility study and pre-operationalization of the project (firm tranche / lump sum), and (ii) provision of technical assistance for the implementation of the solutions (optional tranche / time based).
The scope of works for the firm phase includes:
 the preparation of the relevant feasibility studies for each solution, clarifying the legal and financial framework, the implementation modalities, the proposed sites for intervention, the land management model, the adjustments needed in terms of policy framework, and the Environmental and Social Safeguard policies.
 The Preparation and implementation of a prototype for the solution 2 (in situ housing improvement).
 Supports the City of Kigali and in particular the SPIU in the preparation of all necessary legal and financial documentation, including the procurement process for recruiting the implementing partner of the KISUP Housing Component (ToR, proposals analysis, implementation), until it is operationnal.
The second phase (optional tranche) includes:
 the provision of technical assistance to the SPIU for implementing KISUP Housing solution (option)
The total duration of the assignment shall be 12 Months for the firm phase, through which all deliverables are to be delivered, and 18 Months of technical assistance (optionnal)
CoK and MININFRA will be in charge of ensuring that the consultancy service is well performed and that it satisfies acceptable quality standards and meets the client’s expectations.
The detailed ToRs for the assignment will be given to the shortlisted firms in the Request for Proposal through the e-procurement portal of Rwanda.
The City of Kigali hereby invites Applicants to show their interest in delivering the Services described above.
This Request for Expressions of Interest is open to:
 Consulting firms q Individual consultants
q NGOs q Joint Venture between NGO(s) and consulting firm(s)
Eligibility criteria to AFD financing are specified in sub-clause 1.3 of the "Procurement Guidelines for AFD Financed Contracts in Foreign Countries", available online on AFD’s website: http://www.afd.fr.
The Applicant shall submit only one application, either in its own name or as a member of a Joint Venture (JV). If an Applicant (including any JV member) submits or participates in more than one application, those applications shall be all rejected. However, the same Subconsultant may participate in several applications.
If the Applicant is a JV, the expression of interest shall include:
 a copy of the JV Agreement entered into by all members,
or
 a letter of intent to execute a JV Agreement, signed by all members together with a copy of the Agreement proposal,
In the absence of this document, the other members will be considered as Subconsultants.
Experiences and qualifications of Subconsultants are not taken into account in the evaluation of the applications.
Interested Applicants must provide information evidencing that they are qualified and experienced to perform those Services. For that purpose, documented evidence of recent and similar services shall be submitted.

I. Scope of the assignment
This Request of Expression of Interest is addressed to the national and international consulting firms to conduct the Consultancy services for the feasibility study and pre-operationalization of Housing solutions and provision of technical assistance for the implementation of the solutions
The consultancy services include:
• Legal and Financial Structuring.
• Pre-operational planning.
• Housing solution prototype implementation.
• Communication toolkit and Transfer of Competences.
• Technical assistance ;

The shortlisted applicants will receive.

• The Request for Proposals (RFP) and
• Terms of Reference (ToR);

II. Selection Criteria
Determination of the similarity of the experiences will be based on:
Criteria 1 : The completed contracts by the Consulting Firm: 40 marks

q Subcriterion 1.1 /20 marks
The consulting firm should have successfully completed a minimum of two (2) projects of similar sizes involving feasibility studies on housing and /or rental scheme;
q Subcriterion 1.2 /20 marks
The consulting firm should have successfully completed a minimum of two (2) consultancy services of similar sizes providing advice to Government Institutions on informal settlement upgrading and/or providing solutions for social rental affordable housing;
 A certificate of good completion with its corresponding contract are required to prove that the services were provided with satisfaction.

Criteria 2: The nature of the service: 15 marks

The consultant should have experience in the following areas :

• Subcriterion 2.1: Conducting a feasibility study of Social & Affordable housing; /7.5 marks
• Subcriterion 2.2: Housing Development Project management in a participatory approach with local communities and/or project beneficiaries. /7.5 marks
Having these experiences in informal settlement upgrading projects will be an added value.
Criteria 3: The technical area and expertise: 30 marks
The consultant should have the technical expertise in the following areas: Feasibility study of Social & Affordable housing, Legal and regulatory of housing scheme, and Financing of housing development.

Criteria 4: The location references: 15 marks
q Subcriterion 4.1: Having completed at least one project for feasibility studies on housing /or rental schemes in developing countries. (Having worked in sub-Saharan countries is an added value). /6.5Marks
q Subcriterion 4.2: Having completed at least one consultancy for advisory services to Government Institutions on informal settlement upgrading and/or providing solutions for social rental affordable housing in developing countries. (Having worked in sub-Saharan countries is an added value). /6.5Marks
q Subcriterion 4.3: At least one of the above services has been carried out in the East Africa region /2Marks
N.B:
• The selection of Applicants to be shortlisted shall follow the rules as defined above.
• The ranking of Applicants is based on the greatest number of subcriteria fulfilled.
• For a Joint Venture, the experiences of all members will be added together for a combined total.
Appendix 1 must be signed and unaltered.
Kigali City will shortlist a maximum of six (6) applicants, and selection will be based on the evaluation of applications received. The Request for Proposals (RFP) will be sent to the short-listed applicants.

The REOI is published on both e-procurement systems: http://afd.dgmarket.com
and www.umucyo.gov.rw.
The interested bidder may obtain further information from the e-procurement system website by logging into www.umucyo.gov.rw.
Expressions of interest written in English must be submitted through www.umucyo.gov.rw not later than: refer to Umucyo e-procurement system (three weeks from the date of publication).
The address for requesting clarifications: www.umucyo.gov.rw
The interested Bidders can contact RPPA (Rwanda Public Procurement Authority) on the following e-mail address e-procurement@rppa.gov.rw for registration to have access for submission of their EOI.

The candidates who are blacklisted are not eligible (Each candidate will undergo a check of UN, EU, France and World Bank financial sanctions lists).





Appendix to The Request for Expressions of Interest
(To be sumitted with the application, signed and unaltered)
Statement of Integrity, Eligibility and Environmental and Social Responsibility.

Reference of the bid or proposal (the "Contract")
To: (the "Contracting Authority")

1. We recognise and accept that Agence Française de Développement ("AFD") only finances projects of the Contracting Authority subject to its own conditions which are set out in the Financing Agreement which benefits directly or indirectly to the Contracting Authority. As a matter of consequence, no legal relationship exists between AFD and our company, our joint venture or our suppliers, contractors, subcontractors, consultants or subconsultants. The Contracting Authority retains exclusive responsibility for the preparation and implementation of the procurement process and performance of the contract. The Contracting Authority means the Purchaser, the Employer, the Client, as the case may be, for the procurement of goods, works, plants, consulting services or non-consulting services.
2. We hereby certify that neither we nor any other member of our joint venture or any of our suppliers, contractors, subcontractors, consultants or subconsultants are in any of the following situations:
2.1 Being bankrupt, wound up or ceasing our activities, having our activities administered by the courts, having entered into receivership, reorganisation or being in any analogous situation arising from any similar procedure;
2.2 Having been:
a) convicted, within the past five years by a court decision, which has the force of res judicata in the country where the Contract is implemented, of fraud, corruption or of any other offense committed during a procurement process or performance of a contract (in the event of such conviction, you may attach to this Statement of Integrity supporting information showing that this conviction is not relevant in the context of this Contract);
b) subject to an administrative sanction within the past five years by the European Union or by the competent authorities of the country where we are constituted, for fraud, corruption or for any other offense committed during a procurement process or performance of a contract (in the event of such sanction, you may attach to this Statement of Integrity supporting information showing that this sanction is not relevant in the context of this Contract);
c) convicted, within the past five years by a court decision, which has the force of res judicata, of fraud, corruption or of any other offense committed during the procurement process or performance of an AFD-financed contract;
2.3 Being listed for financial sanctions by the United Nations, the European Union and/or France for the purposes of fight-against-terrorist financing or threat to international peace and security;
2.4 Having been subject within the past five years to a contract termination fully settled against us for significant or persistent failure to comply with our contractual obligations during contract performance, unless this termination was challenged and dispute resolution is still pending or has not confirmed a full settlement against us;
2.5 Not having fulfilled our fiscal obligations regarding payments of taxes in accordance with the legal provisions of either the country where we are constituted or the Contracting Authority's country;
2.6 Being subject to an exclusion decision of the World Bank and being listed on the website http://www.worldbank.org/debarr (in the event of such exclusion, you may attach to this Statement of Integrity supporting information showing that this exclusion is not relevant in the context of this Contract);
2.7 Having created false documents or committed misrepresentation in documentation requested by the Contracting Authority as part of the procurement process of this Contract.
3. We hereby certify that neither we, nor any of the members of our joint venture or any of our suppliers, contractors, subcontractors, consultants or subconsultants are in any of the following situations of conflict of interest:
3.1 Being an affiliate controlled by the Contracting Authority or a shareholder controlling the Contracting Authority, unless the stemming conflict of interest has been brought to the attention of AFD and resolved to its satisfaction;
3.2 Having a business or family relationship with a Contracting Authority's staff involved in the procurement process or the supervision of the resulting Contract, unless the stemming conflict of interest has been brought to the attention of AFD and resolved to its satisfaction;
3.3 Being controlled by or controlling another bidder or consultant, or being under common control with another bidder or consultant, or receiving from or granting subsidies directly or indirectly to another bidder or consultant, having the same legal representative as another bidder or consultant, maintaining direct or indirect contacts with another bidder or consultant which allows us to have or give access to information contained in the respective applications, bids or proposals, influencing them or influencing decisions of the Contracting Authority;
3.4 Being engaged in a consulting services activity, which, by its nature, may be in conflict with the assignments that we would carry out for the Contracting Authority;
3.5 In the case of procurement of goods, works or plants:
a) Having prepared or having been associated with a consultant who prepared specifications, drawings, calculations and other documentation to be used in the procurement process of this Contract;
b) Having been recruited (or being proposed to be recruited) ourselves or any of our affiliates, to carry out works supervision or inspection for this Contract.
4. If we are a state-owned entity, and to compete in a procurement process, we certify that we have legal and financial autonomy and that we operate under commercial laws and regulations.
5. We undertake to bring to the attention of the Contracting Authority, which will inform AFD, any change in situation with regard to points 2 to 4 here above.
6. In the context of the procurement process and performance of the corresponding contract:
6.1 We have not and we will not engage in any dishonest conduct (act or omission) deliberately indented to deceive others, to intentionally conceal items, to violate or vitiate someone's consent, to make them circumvent legal or regulatory requirements and/or to violate their internal rules in order to obtain illegitimate profit;
6.2 We have not and we will not engage in any dishonest conduct (act or omission) contrary to our legal or regulatory obligations or our internal rules in order to obtain illegitimate profit;
6.3 We have not promised, offered or given and we will not promise, offer or give, directly or indirectly to (i) any Person who holds a legislative, executive, administrative or judicial mandate within the State of the Contracting Authority regardless of whether that Person was nominated or elected, regardless of the permanent or temporary, paid or unpaid nature of the position and regardless of the hierarchical level the Person occupies, (ii) any other Person who performs a public function, including for a State institution or a State owned company, or who provides a public service, or (iii) any other person defined as a Public Officer by the national laws of the Contracting Authority’s country, an undue advantage of any kind, for himself or for another Person or entity, for such Public Officer to act or refrain from acting in his official capacity;
6.4 We have not promised, offered or given and we will not promise, offer or give, directly or indirectly to any Person who occupies an executive position in a private sector entity or works for such an entity, regardless of the nature of his/her capacity, any undue advantage of any kind, for himself or another Person or entity for such Person to perform or refrain from performing any act in breach of its legal, contractual or professional obligations;
6.5 We have not and we will not engage in any practice likely to influence the contract award process to the detriment of the Contracting Authority and, in particular, in any anti competitive practice having for object or for effect to prevent, restrict or distort competition, namely by limiting access to the market or the free exercise of competition by other undertakings;
6.6 Neither we nor any of the members of our joint venture or any of our suppliers, contractors, subcontractors, consultants or subconsultants shall acquire or supply any equipment nor operate in any sectors under an embargo of the United Nations, the European Union or France;
6.7 We commit ourselves to comply with and ensure that all of our suppliers, contractors, subcontractors, consultants or subconsultants comply with international environmental and labour standards, consistent with laws and regulations applicable in the country of implementation of the Contract, including the fundamental conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and international environmental treaties. Moreover, we shall implement environmental and social risks mitigation measures when specified in the environmental and social commitment plan (ESCP) provided by the Contracting Authority.
7. We, as well as members of our joint venture and our suppliers, contractors, subcontractors, consultants or subconsultants authorise AFD to inspect accounts, records and other documents relating to the procurement process and performance of the contract and to have them audited by auditors appointed by AFD.

Name: In the capacity of:
Duly empowered to sign in the name and on behalf of :
Signature:
Dated: