Consultant - Operational Framework

Programme & Policy

Overview

Develop the Vumbuzi Impact Africa Foundation's operational framework.

You have:

• At least 10 years of proven experience in developing operational frameworks for foundations or similar organizations.
• Substantial knowledge of financial management, grant management, supervisory skills, organizational development, and risk management.
• Prior experience in setting up a new business and/or new office is highly advantageous.
• Experience working with international organizations and understanding of donor requirements.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams and constructively incorporate feedback.
• Excellent communication and reporting skills.
• Knowledge of landscape restoration, conservation, or natural resources management will be an advantage.
• Prior experience with and/or ability to create and build a successful management team and lead a new business through growth strategies is valued.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS:

Operational Framework Consultancy

SUMMARY OF PROCUREMENT

WRI intends to award a fixed-price type contract for a Consulting Firm (we are open to considering one consultant who can onboard their own team but will be contractually responsible for the success of the entirety) that will support the co-development of the Vumbuzi Impact Africa (VIA) Foundation Operation Framework, including key functions such as accounting, grants and contracts, finance management, IT, human resources, safety and security, sustainability, risk management, and operations. The consultant will adapt the existing policies of WRI and its TerraFund for AFR100 program to the VIA Foundation's context, identify gaps, and enhance procedures for efficient and compliant operations.

About the World Resources Institute

Founded in 1982, The World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global environmental think tank that goes beyond research to put ideas into action. We work with governments, companies, and civil society to build solutions to urgent environmental challenges. WRI’s transformative ideas protect the earth and promote development because sustainability is essential to meeting human needs and fulfilling human aspirations in the future.

WRI’s Global Restoration Initiative informs, enables, and invests in people that restore degraded land. The team’s flagship investment program for locally led enterprises and community non-profits, TerraFund, currently finances, trains, and monitors 200+ growing organizations across Africa, Latin America, and South Asia. In Africa, TerraFund for AFR100 finances 200+ organizations through grants and low-interest loans, with a focus on the Lake Kivu & Rusizi River Basin in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda; the Greater Rift Valley of Kenya; and the Ghana Cocoa Belt.

These portfolios are built through the TerraMatch platform, an end-to-end system that hosts open calls for proposals, connects champions with technical assistance, and tracks the progress of funded projects through a standard monitoring, reporting, and verification protocol. Through its more than 50 core business processes and tested standards, TerraFund shows that targeted investments in locally led champions can build viable restoration economies around the world.

About the Vumbuzi Impact Africa (VIA) Foundation

The VIA Foundation, established by WRI and Southbridge Investments, aims to support the acceleration and scale-up of finance available for land restoration across AFR100 member countries. In 2025, the VIA Foundation will become a financial intermediary organization for community-based organizations and enterprises by disbursing traditional and repayable grants of $50,000 to $500,000 to 60-100 projects.

To achieve this goal, the VIA Foundation needs to develop an effective and transparent operational framework. This framework must align with WRI's standards for transparency, accountability, and compliance with donor requirements and regulatory standards. While WRI has made some progress on drafting an initial operational manual through its collaboration with SouthBridge Investment and its experience in TerraFund, the VIA Foundation seeks a consultant to build upon this foundation and develop a comprehensive operational framework tailored to the Foundation’s specific context.

SCOPE OF WORK AND OUTPUTS/DELIVERABLES

The consulting firm will work closely with WRI’s TerraFund and WRI Africa teams, along with external partners core to the TerraFund initiative, to develop the operational framework, focusing on the following key functions:

Accounting

• Review, enhance and adapt existing local accounting policies and procedures.
• Establish internal controls for local and global partnerships to safeguard assets and ensure financial integrity.
• Develop guidelines for cash flow management and liquidity planning.

Grants, Contracts and Financial Compliance

• Co-develop a comprehensive grant management framework, including application, evaluation, disbursement, monitoring, and reporting processes – all in alignment with an establish financial compliance mechanism.
• Adapt existing and create, when needed, templates and tools for due diligence, grant budgeting, contracting, financial reporting, and compliance monitoring for local and global donors.
• Establish a project grievances and complaints mechanism, including a hotline for grantees/partners and for internal staffs.

Finance Management

• Develop financial management procedures, including budgeting, accounting, and reporting.
• Enhance internal controls and establish guidelines for financial transactions and liquidity management.

Information Technology (In consultation with WRI IT & TerraFund Teams)

• Develop procedures for the tools and systems to support financial and grant management (e.g., Salesforce, DocuSign, Airtable) to ensure efficient processes.
• Ensure IT systems are secure and comply with data protection regulations.

Human Resources + Safety and Security (In consultation with WRI Human Resources Team)

• Develop HR policies and procedures, including recruitment, performance management, and staff development, linking to the local WRI Restoration strategies and models.
• Develop guidelines and procedures to ensure the safety and security of staff and assets.
• Establish emergency response plans and protocols.

Risk Management:

• Develop a risk management framework to identify, assess, and mitigate potential risks to the Foundation's operations and personnel.
• Establish procedures for regular risk assessment and management, including financial, operational, and strategic risks.
• Create tools for risk monitoring and reporting.

Sustainability

• Develop policies and procedures to ensure the sustainability of operations.
• Integrate environmental considerations into all aspects of the foundation's operations and ensuring links to the WRI Restoration team operations.

TIMING

Procurement Timeline:

1. Deadline for Submission of Proposals: August 23, 2024
2. Proposal Evaluation and Shortlisting: August 24 - 30, 2024
3. Consultant Interviews (if needed): September 2 - 4, 2024
4. Contract Award Notification: September 6, 2024
5. Anticipated Contract Signing and Kickoff Date: September 9, 2024

Estimated time allocation until completion: 20 pays days over 3 months

BUDGET

An estimate of the number of days required to carry out the activities is to be provided by the vendors in their proposal and must be reflected in the estimate. However, once the budget has been validated, the payment of the service will be conditional on the delivery of the deliverables and not on the number of days worked. All expenses (equipment, vehicles, materials, supplies, consumables, means of communication, insurance, travel expenses, etc.) necessary for the performance of the service, including travel expenses, mission expenses, etc., are the sole responsibility of the vendor and must be quantified in the budget proposal. WRI also reserves the right to review and make recommendations for changes during the negotiation phase and prior to any agreement or award. Personnel recommended by any consultant should be vetted and approved by the lead consultant and any performance management is the sole responsibility of the lead consultant submitting the proposal

Please note that WRI is an IRS-registered 501(c)3, tax-exempt organization. WRI is not VAT exempt. All prices or quotes should include VAT and tax, as applicable.

GUIDELINES FOR PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

Requirements

Prospective vendors should submit or have the following competencies at a minimum:

- At least 10 years of proven experience in developing operational frameworks for foundations or similar organizations.

- Substantial knowledge of financial management, grant management, supervisory skills, organizational development, and risk management.

- Prior experience in setting up a new business and/or new office in market highly advantageous.

- Experience working with international organizations and understanding of donor requirements.

- Ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams and constructively incorporate feedback.

- Excellent communication and reporting skills.

- Knowledge of landscape restoration, conservation or natural resources management will be an advantage.

- Prior experience with and/or ability to create and build a successful management team and lead a new business through growth strategies valued.

Proposal content

• A statement of interest describing the proposed team and how it meets the above requirements.
• Your CV and CVs of any team members or consultants you are recommending as part of your bid.
• Examples of and references for similar previous work.
• An outline of the proposed methodology and workplan.
• A proposed budget with a breakdown of costs sufficient to assess reasonableness and compliance with our funder requirements. Please also include any start-up costs to onboard.

Expression of Interest, Deadline for Questions, and Proposal

All expressions of interest about this RFP must be sent by August 23rd, 2024, 11:50pm Nairobi time, in electronic PDF format to the contact below. Please also note that Answers to the questions will be shared will all parties who have asked questions or otherwise expressed interest.

- Name: Mrs. MAHAMOUDOU Salima

- Role: Blended Finance Manager for Restoration

- Email: [email protected]

EVALUATION AND SELECTION

Evaluation Criteria

The following elements will be the primary considerations in evaluating all proposals submitted in response to this RFP:

• of all required elements.
• The extent to which the vendor’s /consultant’s, etc. proposal fulfills WRI’s stated requirements as set out in the RFP;
• Experience with similar projects;
• Overall cost of the proposal from the candidate.

The bidder offering the best overall value will be selected. For this procurement, price and non-price aspects are considered to be of approximately equal importance.

Selection Process

No proposal development costs shall be charged to WRI / all expenses are to be borne by the bidders. WRI may award to the bidder offering best value without discussion. However, WRI reserves the right to seek bidder clarifications and to negotiate with those bidders deemed to be within a competitive range.

WRI may, at its discretion and without explanation to the prospective consultants, etc., choose to discontinue this RFP without obligation to such prospective consultants, etc. or make multiple awards under this RFP.

Important: Contracts will not be awarded to consultants, etc. debarred by the US government or named on restricted parties lists.

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Potential interview questions

Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: wri.org