1. Background
The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) is implementing the "Strengthening African Leadership for Climate Change Adaptation" (SALCA) program, which aims to improve the performance of organizations working in the field of climate change adaptation for a sustainable climate change adaptation ecosystem on the African continent. The overall expected outcome of the program is to have a strong group of African-based and African-led organizations capable of shaping Africa's response to climate change through effective policy dialogue, advocacy, and the use of a common voice to raise awareness and influence policy.
More specifically, the SALCA program will strengthen the capacity of selected organizations to play a leading role in climate adaptation by improving their efficiency, effectiveness, relevance, and sustainability, while enhancing their ability to develop an organizational culture of excellence, with the overall aim of improving the continent's ability to undertake the actions needed to prepare for and adapt to the current and future impacts of climate change.
The program emphasizes a data- and evidence-based approach in its implementation, as well as gender sensitivity and social inclusion in the climate adaptation strategies of selected organizations. As part of its implementation strategy, the SALCA program supports target organizations including the African Center for Equitable Development (ACED), in implementing the customized institutional capacity improvement plans (CICIPs). These plans aim to address priority capacity challenges faced by target organizations working with marginalized African communities to develop sustainable and resilient climate adaptation strategies.
The African Centre for Equitable Development (ACED) is a think and do tank dedicated to fostering equitable development in Africa. ACED builds partnerships, shares expertise and develops sustainable solutions to support policymakers and practitioners in making fair, informed and inclusive decisions. As part of the SALCA 4-year program, ACBF is supporting ACED to strengthen its capacity as a research institution contributing meaningfully to the climate adaptation agenda in Africa. The specific objectives of the intervention are:
- To enhance the organization’s systems and processes for effective delivery of its mandate.
- To strengthen human capacity; and
- To enhance capacity for sustainable operations.
ACED’s work focuses on four thematic areas: food systems, nature economy, digital economy and human development. At the center of its work is an integrated approach that combines the production and utilization of evidence, political engagement and practical action on the ground.
As a first step to support ACED, ACBF conducted a Capacity Needs Assessment (CNA) of the institution between September and November 2022 to understand its strengths and needs. The CNA of ACED focused on the following ten key institutional capacity areas: Governance and Leadership, Strategic Planning and Innovation, Human Resource management, financial management, Program Planning and Implementation, Results management and Quality Assurance, Communication, Knowledge Management, Resource Mobilization and Partnership and Infrastructure.
It is in this regard that ACED, in collaboration with ACBF is seeking the service of an Individual Consultant to develop an Organizational Risk Management Framework and Manual for ACED.
2. Objectives of the Assignment
The objective of this consultancy is to engage an individual consultant who will collaborate with ACED in developing the Organizational Risk Management Framework and Manual tailored to the organization's specific needs and context. Additionally, the consultant will deliver training sessions to the institution’s staff, ensuring their understanding and effective utilization of the framework and manual's content.
3. Scope of work
The consultant will perform the following tasks in developing the Risk Management Framework and Manual:
a) Comprehensive need assessment:
- Collaborate with ACED staff to understand the organization's goals, operations, and existing risk management protocols.
- Assessing the risk probability and impact (e.g. minor, moderate, sever, critical) and identifying key indicators to monitor due to the combination of a risk’s probability and impact.
- Identify key stakeholders and their risk perspectives.
b) Framework development:
Develop a comprehensive Organizational Risk Management Framework tailored to ACED's specific context, addressing the following:
- Legal Compliance risk
- Donor Compliance
- Fiduciary risk
- Information risk
- Operational risk
- Reputational risk
- Strategic risk
- Human resource risk
- Health and safety risk
- Security risk.
The framework should include a clear and systematic approach for the identification and the management of risks in the organization. It should also include the process for the development of the risk register and the monitoring mechanism applicable for the follow up of mitigation actions and plans.
Additionally, it must outline precise decision-making and implementation protocols based on this risk assessment, integrate a systematic follow-up or audit process to ensure efficient implementation and knowledge acquisition. Furthermore, it should establish criteria for evaluating the urgency or criticality of actions to inform decisions regarding acceptable risk levels.
c) Review and recommend appropriate software for risk management. This will involve evaluating various risk management software options to identify the most suitable that aligns with ACED's specific needs for tracking, analysing, and mitigating risks efficiently, ensuring that the selected software supports the framework's objectives, including the risk register tool and audit processes, and facilitates effective decision-making and learning.
d) Identify both current and future risks across all sectors within ACED. This comprehensive risk assessment will ensure the development and Implementation of a robust risk management strategy that not only addresses existing challenges but also anticipates potential future risks, enabling ACED to maintain resilience and adaptability in its operations.
e) Risk Manual development:
- Develop a clear and concise risk manual outlining the Organizational Risk Management Framework.
- Provide practical guidance for staff at all levels on recognizing and reporting risks, engaging in risk assessments, and implementing risk mitigation strategies effectively.
- Provide templates and tools for efficient risk management activities.
f) Training and capacity building:
- Design training for relevant ACED staff involved in the Implementation of the Organizational Risk Management Framework and Manual.
- Deliver an engaging and interactive training sessions for ACED staff on the newly developed Organizational Risk Management Framework and Manual.
- Develop training evaluation framework or mechanisms designed to collect feedback from participants and guide future capacity building Initiatives.
- Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the training sessions.
- Offer post-training support to staff members, including access to additional resources, guidance on implementing manual guidelines, and clarification of any remaining queries.
- Conduct an assessment to analyse the impact of the training sessions on the capacity of staff members.
The consultant will also prepare comprehensive reports documenting the process, outcomes, and recommendations resulting from the development of the Organizational Risk Management Framework and Manual, as well as the training sessions conducted.
4. Methodology
The assignment will be conducted using various methods such as but not limited to:
- Conduct desk review of relevant documents.
- Conduct Interviews with ACED staff and relevant stakeholders.
- Focus group meetings and key informant interviews with identified staff members.
- Prepare training Materials and train ACED staff on the Risk Management Framework and Manual.
- Use other methodology deemed appropriate to achieving the objectives of the consultancy.
5. Expected deliverables
At the end of the assignment, the following deliverables are expected:
- An inception report outlining the methodology and proposed workplan.
- Need assessment report
- A draft version of the Organizational Risk Management Framework document for review and feedback.
- A draft version of the Organizational Risk Management Manual for review and feedback.
- A finalized versions of the framework and the manual incorporating stakeholder inputs and feedback.
- A risk appetite statement incorporating stakeholder inputs and feedback.
- A training plan outlining the key topics, activities, and duration of the staff member training sessions.
- Training materials for the Organizational Risk Management Framework and Manual, including presentation slides and handouts.
- A training report summarizing participant feedback and recommendations for ongoing capacity-building efforts.
- The final updated ACED Organizational Risk Management Framework and Manual suitable for distribution and reference by staff members.
The outputs must match quality standards. The text of the framework, training materials, reports should be illustrated as appropriate. The final delivery of the Framework and the training materials along with all other relevant attachments, is expected to be submitted by October 30th, 2024. The deliverables and tentative timeline are presented in Table 1.
Table1. Key Deliverables & Timelines
|
No. |
Milestones |
Timeline |
Proposed Fees US$ |
|
1. |
Presentation of the work methodology/Inception report. |
August 15th |
|
|
2. |
Submission of draft version of the organizational framework and manual for review and feedback |
August 30th |
|
|
3. |
Comments and revision from ACED |
September 10th |
|
|
4. |
Presentation of the revised report and validation |
September 20th |
|
|
5. |
Training of staff members |
September 20th to October 10th |
|
|
6. |
Submission of report and final version of the Organizational Risk Management Framework and Manual. |
October 30th |
|
***NOTE: Please include the above table as part of your Financial Proposal. All financial proposals should be submitted separate from the Technical Proposal and encrypted with a password
6. Academic Profile, Experiences, Skills
To fulfil the requirements of this consultancy, the candidate should possess:
Academic profile and experience:
- Hold a master’s degree in risk management, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a closely related field.
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in developing and implementing organizational risk management frameworks, preferably for non-profit organizations or research institutions.
- Proven experience in conducting risk assessments, identifying potential threats and opportunities, and evaluating their likelihood and impact.
- Demonstrated success in developing and implementing risk mitigation strategies, including avoidance, reduction, transfer, and acceptance strategies.
- Proven experience facilitating training on risk management within development/research institutions.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills in French.
Skills and knowledge:
- Strong understanding of risk management principles and methodologies (e.g., COSO Framework, ISO 31000).
- Experience working in the development sector or a similar context to ACED.
- Understanding of the specific risks faced by think tanks and research institutions.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Proficient in project management methodologies.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with diverse stakeholders at all levels.
- Strong writing and editing skills, with the ability to develop clear, concise, and user-friendly manuals.
- Experience in facilitating training sessions and workshops.
- Proficiency in relevant software tools for risk management (if applicable).
- Fluency in French (required).
Additional desirable skills:
- Experience conducting risk assessments in a similar organizational setting.
- Proven ability to adapt risk management frameworks to specific organizational needs.
7. Supervision and duration of the assignment and remuneration
The provisional start date for this assignment is August 10th, 2024, with an expected end date of October 30th,2024 spanning a maximum of 60 calendar days. The consultant will submit a financial proposal in their application for this assignment. The consultancy fee excludes travel expenses and per diems which will be paid by ACBF.
8. Location and working arrangement
This assignment will be predominantly carried out remotely with some travel missions primarily to Benin. The Consultant may work in his own office or that of the ACED regional coordination office in Cotonou. The Consultant will be given access to the relevant information required to carry out the tasks set out in this assignment. The consultant will be required to provide his/her own workstation (laptop, Internet, telephone, scanner/printer, etc.) and have access to a reliable Internet connection.
ACED, in collaboration with ACBF, will review draft reports for quality assurance and provide feedback on the deliverables. Approval of the documents and reports by ACED as deliverables will be a prerequisite before any payment to be made to the consultant.
9. Language
All reports and documents must be presented in French and English.
10. Evaluation
The proposals will be evaluated based Consultant’s Qualifications Selection. The technical evaluation committee shall consider the technical proposals based on their responsiveness to the Terms of Reference, with a minimum technical score required of 70 points. The evaluation of applications will be based on the criteria presented in the table below.
|
N° |
Criteria |
Maximum Points |
|
01 |
Hold a master’s degree in risk management, preferably in the development sector, or Business Administration, Public Administration, or a closely related field. |
15 |
|
02 |
Minimum of 5 years of experience in developing and implementing organizational risk management frameworks, preferably for non-profit organizations or research institutions. |
30 |
|
03 |
Proven experience in conducting risk assessments, identifying potential threats and opportunities, and evaluating their likelihood and impact. |
20 |
|
04 |
Demonstrated success in developing and implementing risk mitigation strategies, including avoidance, reduction, transfer, and acceptance strategies |
10 |
|
05 |
Proven experience facilitating training on risk management within development/research institutions. |
10 |
|
06 |
Excellent written and oral communication skills in French |
15 |
|
Total |
100 |
11. Submission Process
The Submission should include:
- A cover letter outlining how the Consultant meets the above qualifications.
- Technical proposal to ACED interpreting the terms of reference and elaborating the consultancy methodology and design, level of effort required to fully deliver the assignment, and with a work plan for undertaking the assignment.
- Brief overview of consultant or and the skills and experience they would bring to assignment.
- The consultant resume
- Copies of two similar assignments undertaken in the last 5 years and contacts of the clients, contact details of three referees from organizations that have recently contracted the consultant to similar or related work for in the last 5 years.
- A financial proposal with an encrypted password – Financial proposals must include a detailed breakdown of the costs of the services proposed to be offered in response to Table 1. Delivery Schedule.
Interested Individual consultants are requested to submit their bid with the subject marked RFP Process No.: ACBF/REOI/014/24/ACED/SALCA “Consultant to develop an Organizational Risk Management Framework and Manual for ACED” to email address submission@acbf-pact.org on or before 17.00 hours (local Harare time), on 2nd August 2024.
