Tender Ref: ACBF RFP/006/26/AfWASA
1. Contexte
À propos de l’ACBF
The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) was established in 1991 to build sustainable human and institutional capacity in support of Africa’s development. As the African Union’s Specialized Agency for Capacity Development, ACBF supports capacity development in Africa through investment in capacity building, knowledge sharing, and technical assistance to countries and regional and sub-regional organizations.
About the Project
ACBF is implementing the Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) Partnership in Sub-Saharan Africa, in collaboration with key partners, aimed at strengthening institutional capacity within the water and sanitation sector.
Under this initiative, ACBF is supporting the African Water and Sanitation Association (AfWASA) through a structured institutional strengthening program. This support is informed by a Capacity Needs Assessment (CNA) and a Customised Institutional Improvement Plan (CIIP), which identified critical gaps in governance, leadership, organizational effectiveness, and operational systems. AfWASA is currently undergoing significant institutional reforms, including strengthening governance frameworks, improving leadership effectiveness, refining operational systems, and enhancing overall organizational performance.
Given the scale and sensitivity of these reforms, there is a need for a structured and deliberate change management process to ensure alignment, stakeholder buy-in, and sustainable implementation of reforms. In this regard, ACBF seeks to engage a qualified consultant to provide organizational change management support to AfWASA.
2. Objectif
The main objective of this consultancy is to support AfWASA in effectively managing and implementing institutional change processes by fostering alignment, strengthening leadership engagement, minimizing resistance, and ensuring sustainable adoption of reforms.
Specific objectives include:
- Undertake a diagnosis of the institutional arrangements, organizational structures human resource management, readiness for change, drivers for change and constraints that could hinder delivery of results.
- Define a transitional restructuring process which will work effectively across AfWASA’s departments with appropriate checks and balances to ensure transparency and fairness.
- Develop and support implementation of a structured change management framework aligned to the CIIP.
- Refine the proposed new organizational structure, including updated roles, job descriptions, and workflows.
- Review and or establish a robust job grading framework to ensure fair, transparent, and equitable role evaluation and alignment with compensation structures.
- Revise AfWASA’s human resources policy handbook and a forward-looking human capital strategy
- Strengthen leadership and stakeholder alignment around reform priorities.
- Support the institutionalization of new governance, operational, and management systems.
- Build internal capacity to sustain change processes beyond the consultancy period.
3. Scope of Work
Whilst this is not exhaustive, the consultant will be expected to undertake the following:
- Conduct a diagnostic assessment of AfWASA’s institutional environment, including governance structures, leadership dynamics, organizational culture, and readiness for change.
- Develop a comprehensive Organizational Change Management Plan,
- including a clear change narrative, priorities, sequencing, and measurable milestones.
- Design and implement a stakeholder engagement and communication strategy to ensure transparency, ownership, and buy-in across key stakeholders.
- Support leadership in navigating governance and institutional reforms, including clarifying roles, decision-making structures, and accountability mechanisms.
- Identify risks associated with the change process and propose practical mitigation measures.
- Support the implementation of priority reforms under the CIIP, ensuring alignment between strategy, structure, and operations.
- Develop a Monitoring and Evaluation framework, including KPIs to track progress and effectiveness of the change process.
- Provide advisory and hands-on support to AfWASA leadership throughout the transition period.
- Facilitate targeted sessions, workshops, and engagements to strengthen internal alignment and ownership.
- Provide coaching and knowledge transfer to ensure sustainability of change management practices within AfWASA.
4. Key Deliverables and Timelines
The consultancy is expected to be completed within 70 working days over 6 months, covering July– December 2026.
| Key Deliverable | Completion Timelines | Daily Rate | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Inception Report | 3 days | ||
| 2. An Assessment Report: This report provides the results of the diagnosis undertaken to establish the most appropriate change management plan for AfWASA. | 7 days | ||
| 3. An Organizational Change Management Plan and Update- A clear action plan should be provided detailing what needs to be done, how it will be executed, and timelines set for delivery. This should come with a communication plan for the Change Management Plan | 15 days | ||
| 4. Monitoring and Evaluation framework with KPIs for the change management process | 5 days | ||
| 5. A new fit for purpose organization structure for AfWASA, with clear roles, responsibilities and job descriptions for all positions on the structure | 2 days | ||
| 6. Job Grading Framework and Compensation Structure – Framework for evaluating roles and corresponding salary recommendations. | 10 days | ||
| 7. Revised Human Resources Policy – integrating gender mainstreaming. | 8 days | ||
| 8. Succession Plan | 4 days | ||
| 9. Human Capital Strategy – that includes leadership development, talent acquisition, and retention strategies. | 10 days | ||
| 10. Implementation Support & Advisory (ongoing) | Throughout | ||
| 11. Capacity Building & Coaching Sessions | Ongoing | ||
| 12. Final Presentation | 2 days | ||
| Total (USD) |
** Please use the above table as a guide to submit your financial proposal
5. Qualifications et expérience requises
- Advanced university degree in Organizational Development, Business Administration, Public Administration, Strategic Human Resource Management, Industrial Psychology or related fields.
- Minimum 10 years of experience in change management and/or HR management advisory services. Experience in the non-profit sector is an advantage.
- Proven experience working with regional or international organizations, preferably in Africa.
- Strong expertise in governance and leadership reforms.
- Demonstrated experience in stakeholder engagement and facilitation.
- Experience in capacity building, training, and coaching.
- Excellent communication and report writing skills.
- Fluency in French and English required. If the candidate is not bilingual- their proposal will not be considered.
6. Reporting and Supervision
The consultant will liaise with ACBF for oversight and guidance. The key person(s) to whom the consultant will report to and who will provide the necessary support in the implementation of the activity from AfWASA will be specified in the contract. The consultant/firm shall have reporting obligations to the person(s) on all work carried out as part of the Terms of Reference.
7. Evaluation Criteria
The selection of the successful individual will be based on the individual Consultants’ selection. The evaluation committee shall evaluate the technical Proposals based on their responsiveness to the Terms of Reference, applying the evaluation criteria, and point system specified below.
| Critères | Points maximum (100) |
| 1.Advanced university degree in Organizational design, Strategic Human Resource Management, Industrial Psychology, Business administration, social sciences, or other related disciplines | 10 |
| 2. Minimum 10 years of relevant work experience in providing change management and/or HR management advisory services. Experience in the non-profit sector is an advantage | 20 |
| 3. Demonstrated experience with organizational change management in a consultancy setting, including real participatory methodologies evidenced by at least 3 (three) assignments carried out within the last 5 (five) years. | 20 |
| 4. Demonstrated ability to develop and implement job grading and salary alignment frameworks | 10 |
| 5. Demonstrated Experience in training and coaching with approaches that spark creativity and new thinking. | 15 |
| 6. Fluency in French and English is a must. | 10 |
| 7. Demonstrated familiarity with local labour laws and global HR best practices | 15 |
| Total des points | 100 |
A technical proposal shall be rejected at this stage if it does not respond to important aspects of the Terms of Reference or if it fails to achieve the minimum technical score indicated. The minimum technical score required to pass is: 70 Points.
At financial evaluation, the most competitive financial proposal will be selected. The consultant should detail how their payments are structured and any related terms thereof.
8. Application Process
The application should include:
- The Consultant’s CV and cover letter including three references with full contact details. If applying as a team, CVs for all the team members should be provided, and a clear detail of the roles they will play, is essential.
- A technical proposal detailing the proposed approach and methodology for the assignment.
- A financial proposal detailing the consultancy fee and other related costs encrypted with a password (The financial proposal should have budget breakdown as per the deliverables depicted in table 1 above). Please note that this assignment is being implemented within a restricted budget; therefore, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit efficient, realistic, and competitive financial proposals to enhance their chances of success.
- Three examples of similar assignments undertaken in the past 5 years.
- The name and contact information of three referees for contact regarding relevant experience of the consultancy firm.
9. Other relevant information
- The assignment is for a duration of seventy (70) working days during the period commencing on the July 2026 to the 30th of December 2026
- Shortlisted candidates may be requested to deliver a presentation on the proposed methodology and workplan as part of the assessment process
- All rights of copyright concerning the material produced by consultant for this assignment will remain the property of AfWASA.
9. Other relevant information
- The assignment is for a duration of seventy (70) working days during the period commencing on the July 2026 to the 30th of December 2026
- Shortlisted candidates may be requested to deliver a presentation on the proposed methodology and workplan as part of the assessment process
- All rights of copyright concerning the material produced by consultant for this assignment will remain the property of AfWASA.
Submission Process
- Email: submission@theacbf.org
- Subject Line: “Consultancy Services for Organizational Change Management Support – AfWASA”
- Deadline: 20 May 2026 at 17:00 CAT