AUDA-NEPAD

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (REOI) FOR CONSULTANCY FIRMS

PROCUREMENT TITLE: Consultancy Service for Training and Capacity Building for the AUDA-
NEPAD Home-Grown Solutions Accelerator Programme

PROCUREMENT NUMBER: 164/AUDA/DIIT/ITEFA/CQS/2025
METHOD: Consultant’s Qualifications Selection (CQS)
1. Introduction
AUDA-NEPAD’s Home-Grown Solutions (HGS) Accelerator Programme is a flagship initiative
aimed at identifying, supporting, and scaling high-impact African innovations in healthcare and
agribusiness. These sectors are fundamental to the continent’s development, contributing to
improved livelihoods, enhanced food security, resilient health systems, and inclusive
industrialisation. The HGS Accelerator plays a catalytic role in transforming these sectors though
the support of African ventures that are locally driven, contextually relevant, and poised for
regional or continental scale.
As the HGS Accelerator continues to grow, there is a pressing need to reinforce its institutional

foundations to ensure its long-term sustainability, effective delivery, and alignment with AUDA-
NEPAD’s continental development agenda. The rising demand for support from African

innovators, coupled with increasing engagement from development partners and AU Member
States, highlights the importance of formalising programme structures, developing consistent
implementation tools, and building internal staff capacities to meet these expectations.
To address these needs, AUDA-NEPAD seeks to engage a Technical Assistance Consultant to
provide institutional capacity building aimed at strengthening staff competencies and facilitating
knowledge transfer. This will involve delivering targeted training and capacity-building initiatives
to equip staff with the necessary skills and expertise to effectively manage, scale, and evaluate
the programme.

2. Objectives Of The Assignment
The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) aims to strengthen the institutional
capacity of the Home-Grown Solutions (HGS) Accelerator Programme to ensure its long-term
sustainability, effective delivery, and scalability across the continent. As a flagship initiative
supporting African-led innovations in healthcare and agribusiness, the HGS Accelerator requires
well-developed staff competencies and robust knowledge transfer mechanisms to fully realise
its transformative potential.
To achieve this, AUDA-NEPAD seeks to engage a Technical Assistance Consultant to deliver
targeted training and capacity-building support to staff. The specific objectives of the assignment
are to:
• Deliver specialised training and capacity-building activities to strengthen staff
competencies in managing, scaling, and evaluating the HGS Accelerator Programme.

• Facilitate knowledge transfer to equip AUDA-NEPAD staff with the skills and tools
necessary for effective programme implementation and continuous improvement.
• Provide guidance on best practices for sustaining internal capacities and fostering
organisational learning to support the programme’s growth and impact.
Through this assignment, AUDA-NEPAD seeks to ensure that the HGS Accelerator is supported
by a skilled and empowered team, equipped with the knowledge, tools, and capacities required
to deliver, scale, and sustain the programme as a transformative, continent-wide initiative driving
locally led development outcomes.

3. Qualifications, Experience and Competencies
Experience of the Firm
• Proven experience in institutional capacity building, organisational development, or
programme design and implementation within regional or continental institutions in Africa.
• Demonstrated track record in supporting SME development, including experience
working directly with accelerators, startups, or innovation-driven enterprises in Africa.
• Solid expertise in developing operational tools, monitoring frameworks, and standard
operating procedures for donor-funded or development-oriented programmes.
• Experience delivering technical assistance and training in areas such as innovation
management, startup support, and resource mobilisation strategies.
• Familiarity with the African Union architecture, AUDA-NEPAD’s mandate, and strategic
programmes related to industrialisation, private sector development, or regional
integration.
• Experience working with or providing consultancy services to multilateral institutions,
development finance institutions, or AUDA-NEPAD is considered an added advantage.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to
work across public and private sector actors at national and continental levels.
Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality reports, strategic roadmaps, and institutional
development tools under tight timelines.
Qualification and work experience required for Key Experts
Experience and qualifications of key experts
Key Expert 1 – Team Leader / Institutional Capacity Building Specialist
Qualifications
• Minimum Master’s degree in Business Administration, Development Studies, Economics,
or related field.
• Additional certification in Project Management (e.g., PMP/PRINCE2) is an asset.
Experience
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in institutional capacity building,
organisational development, and programme design in Africa.
• Proven experience leading technical assistance assignments for multilateral or continental
organisations.
• Demonstrated track record in developing training curricula, tools, and frameworks for
capacity strengthening.

• Strong knowledge of AUDA-NEPAD, AU structures, and Agenda 2063 implementation
frameworks.
• Excellent facilitation, stakeholder engagement, and reporting skills.
Key Expert 2 – Innovation, SME Development, and Business Strategy Expert
Qualifications
• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Agribusiness, or related
discipline.
• Training in innovation management, business incubation, or human-centred design is
desirable.
Experience
• At least 8 years’ experience working with start-ups, accelerators, or SME development
programmes in Africa.
• Proven expertise in supporting innovation-driven enterprises to scale, particularly in
agribusiness and healthcare.
• Strong knowledge of African start-up ecosystems, value chains, and private sector
engagement.
• Experience designing and facilitating training in business acceleration processes,
business model development, problem-solving, and design thinking.
• Demonstrated experience in applying business strategy and innovation frameworks to
African contexts.
Key Expert 3 – Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Digital Tools Specialist
Qualifications
• Master’s degree in Monitoring & Evaluation, Statistics, Economics, Information Systems,
or related discipline.
• Certification in Results-Based Management (RBM), Agile/Scrum, or similar approaches is
an added advantage.
Experience

• At least 8 years’ experience in designing and implementing MERL systems for donor-
funded programmes.

• Proven ability to develop performance frameworks, data collection tools, and reporting
mechanisms.
• Experience in training staff on MERL concepts, adaptive learning, and digital project
management tools.
• Practical knowledge of applying AI, CRM systems, and project management software to
development programmes.

• Demonstrated ability to simplify technical concepts and transfer digital skills to non-
technical staff.

4. Shortlisting Criteria
Firms are required to submit their company profile, organizational structure, experience and
qualification of key experts; evidence of relevant experience, references from previous
assignments, and any other supporting documents or information that demonstrate their
qualifications.

For evaluation of the expressions of interest, the following criteria will be applied:
a. Experience of the Firm (35 points);
b. Qualifications and Experience of Key Experts (50 points);
c. Firm and team members knowledge of the relevant AU region and sector (15 points)
The minimum qualifying score is 70 points. Only the firm with the highest score will be invited to submit
a combined technical and financial proposal. Selection will be conducted in accordance with the
“Consultant Qualification Selection (CQS)” method as outlined in the AU Procurement Guidelines.
Please note that this is an Expression of Interest (EOI) stage only; financial proposals should
not be submitted at this time.
5. Submission Requirements
Interested applicants are requested to submit the following documents for AUDA-NEPAD
consideration:
i. Cover letter signed by an authorized official, expressing interest of the firm to participate in the
Consultancy.
ii. Signed declaration of undertaking (downloadable from AUDA-NEPAD website and attached
as Annex 1 below);
iii. Profile of the firm or consortium giving general background information, core business of the
firm, summary of previous experience of similar nature, registration certificates
iv. Profiles of experts indicating suitability of qualifications and experience and availability for the
assignment
v. In the cases of Consortiums/Partnerships/Associations shall be required to submit Joint venture
Agreements/Joint Association letters stating the lead firm.
6. Reporting And Time Schedules:
The consultant will report to the Principal Programme Officer – HGS, or his designated
representative or a designated officer. AUDA-NEPAD will take no more than 10 working days to
review each report, providing feedback, after submission.
The assignment shall be undertaken over a period of 50 days.
7. Exclusion Criteria
Only Consulting Firms are eligible for this assignment if they fulfil the following eligibility criteria:
a) Have no conflict of interest in relationship to performance of this assignment;
b) Are not subject to and not controlled by any entity or individual that is subject to, a temporary
suspension or a debarment imposed by the African Union Commission, World Bank or any
other multilateral development bank and being listed on the website
http://www.worldbank.org/debarr or respectively on the relevant list of any other multilateral
development bank. Further, we are not ineligible under pursuant to a decision of the African
Union Commission, United Nations Security Council along with any of the sub-consultants,
subcontractors, suppliers, or service providers for any part of the contract;
c) Have not been convicted by a final judgement or a final administrative decision or subject to
financial sanctions by the United Nations or Country for involvement in a criminal organisation,

money laundering, terrorist-related offences, child labour or trafficking in human beings; this
criterion of exclusion is also applicable to legal Persons, whose majority of shares are held or
factually controlled by natural or legal Persons which themselves are subject to such
convictions or sanctions;
d) Are not a shell company nor has their company been created specifically for this bid and are
legally registered to operate a business under the Laws of their country;
e) Are not being bankrupt, wound up or ceasing our activities, having their activities administered
by courts, having entered receivership, reorganisation or being in any analogous situation;
f) Are not involved in corruption: offering, giving, receiving or soliciting, directly or indirectly,
anything of value to influence improperly the actions of another party; and
g) Comply with their national tax and social security laws.
Interested consulting firms may obtain further information from the address listed below. All
Expression of Interests should be sent electronically to email listed below.
8. Expressions of interest must be delivered to the address below by email on or before October 14
th
,
2025, 14:30 hours (South African Time). All EOI’s must be marked
“164/AUDA/DIIT/ITEFA/CQS/2025 Consultancy Service for Training and Capacity Building
for the AUDA-NEPAD Home-Grown Solutions Accelerator Programme) in the subject line of
the email.
9. EOIs can also be sent by email, addressed to the address below. Interested Consultants may also
obtain further information at the address below during office hours (09:00 - 17:00 South Africa time):

The Chairperson, Internal Procurement Committee (IPC)
African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD)
230, 15th Road, P. O. Box 218 Midrand,
1685 Johannesburg, South Africa

Email: [email protected] ; and copy to [email protected]

Attention of: Procurement Division

10. Bid opening will be held online via Microsoft teams. For those who wish to attend you may join
using link provided on the October 14th, 2025 @14:30Hrs.
Bid Opening, Consultancy Service for Training and Capacity Building, 164/AUDA/DIIT | Meeting-Join |
Microsoft Teams
11. Privacy Policy: AUDA-NEPAD Procurement office collects and uses your personal
information for “Procurement Process” when you intend to compete and deliver any service
or goods for the organization either individually or as a firm based on your consent. Your
personal data is our highest security and kept for a period strictly necessary for the
purpose set out. This privacy notice supplements the AUDA-NEPAD standard privacy
notice and should be read in conjunction with the same available on AUDA-NEPAD
website.

12. Annex 1
DECLARATION OF UNDERTAKING
{Location, Date}
To: The Chairperson Internal Procurement Committee (IPC)
AUDA-NEPAD
230, 15th Road, P. O. Box 218 Midrand,
1685 Johannesburg, South Africa
Attention of: Head of Procurement Division
1. I, the undersigned, offer to provide the services for {insert Title and Procurement Number} in
accordance with your Request for Expression of interest dated {insert Date}
2. I declare that I:
a) Have no conflict of interest in relationship to performance of this assignment;
b) Am not subject to, and not controlled by any entity or individual that is subject to, a
temporary suspension or a debarment imposed by the African Union, World Bank or any
other multilateral development bank and being listed on the website
http://www.worldbank.org/debarr or respectively on the relevant list of any other
multilateral development bank. Further, are not ineligible pursuant to a decision of the
United Nations Security Council;
c) Have not been convicted by a final judgement or a final administrative decision or subject
to financial sanctions by the African Union, United Nations or Country for involvement in
a criminal organisation, money laundering, terrorist-related offences, child labour or
trafficking in human beings; this criterion of exclusion is also applicable to legal Persons,
whose majority of shares are held or factually controlled by natural or legal Persons which
themselves are subject to such convictions or sanctions;
d) Am not being bankrupt, wound up or ceasing our activities, having our activities
administered by courts, having entered receivership, reorganisation or being in any
analogous situation;
e) Have not been the subject of a judgment which has the force of res judicata for fraud,
corruption, involvement in a criminal organization or any other illegal activity detrimental
to the AUDA-NEPAD financial interests;
f) Have not been declared guilty of gross professional misconduct proven by any means
which AUDA-NEPAD can justify;
g) Are not involved in corruption: offering, giving, receiving or soliciting, directly or indirectly,
anything of value to influence improperly the actions of another party;
h) Comply with their national tax and social security laws.
3. I, the undersigned, certify that to the best of my knowledge and belief, that my CV correctly
describes myself, my qualifications, and my experience. I understand that any willful
misstatement described herein may lead to my disqualification or dismissal, if engaged;
4. I hereby declare that at any point in time, at AUDA-NEPAD’s request, I will provide certified
copies of all documents to prove that I have the qualifications and the professional
experience which are attached to this CV as photocopies;
5. By signing this statement, I also authorize the AUDA-NEPAD’s to contact my previous or
current employers indicated in my CV, to obtain directly reference about my professional
conduct and achievements.
We remain,
Yours sincerely,

Signature:
Name of Consultant:
Address