Forum for African Women Educationalists in Malawi (FAWEMA)

    “Supporting Girls and Women to Acquire Education for Development”

Strategic Plan Consultancy

Terms of Reference for Review and Updating of Strategic Plan for The Forum for African Women Educationalists in Malawi (FAWEMA)

1. Summary

The following are Terms of Reference for the Review and Development of Strategic Plan for FAWEMA.  FAWEMA has seen the need to engage the services of a consultant to facilitate review and updating of strategic plan. This includes desk review, consultation meetings, consolidation of strategic plan and report writing.

2. Background

FAWEMA is a registered non- governmental organization which brings together educationalists in order to support and promote education for girls and women in Malawi. We work in close partnership with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Gender, Ministry of Youth, Ministry of Health and other Ministries and partners to support girls and women to acquire education and training for development through advocacy and demonstrative interventions.

FAWEMA’s Vision: A just and inclusive society in which girls and women have necessary skills, competencies and values they need to achieve their potential.

FAWEMA’s Mission: In partnership, FAWEMA fosters innovations, promote positive policies/practice, and provide opportunities for girls and young women, especially the vulnerable, to develop skills, competencies and values that will allow them to be productive members of their societies.

FAWEMA had a strategic plan which was implemented from 2019 – 2023. FAWEMA would therefore like to engage Institution or Individual consultant that provide capacity development services to local organizations in reviewing and updating of strategic plan.

Potential consultants should put forward their qualifications, technical and price quote to support FAWEMA in the review and updating of FAWEMA strategic plan.  The assignment will be facilitated in Lilongwe with some limited engagements in Blantyre and Mzuzu.

3. Objective of the Assignment

The objective of the assignment is to review and update FAWEMA strategic plan.

4. Scope of Work

FAWEMA seeks an individual, organization or firm to provide consultancy services in reviewing and updating strategic plan. The Scope of Work is as follows:

• Prepare a work plan (before the development of Strategic Plan begins) which should be reviewed and approved by FAWEMA.
• Design and develop strategic planning facilitation materials.
• Facilitate consultation meetings with strategic partners and FAWEMA members
• Provide onsite orientation and guidance to strategic planning core team on the steps to be followed, facilitation modalities, and frequency of consultative meetings.
• Conduct a desk review of FAWEMA’s strategic documents including the current Strategic Plan and FAWE Africa strategic plan which will heavily influence the local plan.
• Facilitate participatory development of the FAWEMA Strategic Plan which may include facilitating discussions, key informant interviews and/or focus group discussions.
• In consultation with FAWEMA, facilitate and compile contributions from the different participants into a coherent Strategic Plan for FAWEMA.
• Prepare and submit Final Process Report with follow up recommendations

The bidders are expected to propose a participatory methodology for reviewing and updating FAWEMA strategic plan.  The methodology should outline the bidder’s approach to coaching and mentorship, as well as specify the youth/adult-engagement methodologies that will be utilized throughout strategic plan development.

6. Assignment Duration, Place of Performance, and Other Conditions.

The anticipated period of performance for this scope of work is approximately two  months. The assignment is planned to take place at the FAWEMA office located in Lilongwe with at least a day long meeting in Mzuzu and Blantyre.The final process report will be submitted within the consultancy period.

7. Staff Structure.

Personnel proposed for the assignment must have relevant experience as demonstrated through CVs, and the proposal must demonstrate the applicant’s ability to mobilize the appropriate personnel to complete the assignment.

8. Expected Results, Deliverables.

The consultant/firm, once contracted, is expected to provide FAWEMA with the following deliverables:

• Situation Analysis Report: The comprehensive desk analysis report shall include a review of the current plan, organizational annual and project reports, organizational policy documents and other pertinent documents relevant to the completion of the exercise. The Situation Analysis Report should not be more than 25 pages including annexes. The consultant/firm should submit the final, detailed situational analysis report and detailed work plan with timelines no later than 2 weeks after contract start date.
• Detailed Strategic Plan: The consultant/firm in close collaboration with FAWEMA will compile and present comprehensive Strategic Plan for the organization. The Strategic Plan document which at least should include executive summary, background information, literature review, environmental scan, strategic priorities, action plan, M&E Plan, budget and references. The consultant/firm will submit two (2) bound strategic plan documents and soft copy in a portable device. The consultant/firm should submit Strategic Plan documents for FAWEMA no later than six (6) weeks after submission of the Situation Analysis Report.
• Final Process Report: The consultant is required to submit five pager summary of work done. The report should include, at minimum: (1) A concise summary of the findings from the Situation Analysis Report; (2) Highlights and challenges of Strategic Plan development process and results achieved; (3) Recommendations for successful implementation of the strategic plan. Final payment will not be rendered until the summary of work is approved, in writing, by FAWEMA.

9. Evaluation and Award Criteria

FAWEMA will award the consulting agreement or vendor contract to the Bidder whose proposal is deemed acceptable and which offers the best value based upon the evaluation criteria below. In order for a bid to be deemed acceptable, it must comply with all the terms and conditions of the RFP without material modification.  In addition, the successful bidder must be determined to be responsible. A responsible bidder is one who has the technical expertise, management capability, workload capacity, and financial resources to perform the work. FAWEMA may, at its option, accept or reject any or all bids.

Proposals will initially be evaluated and shortlisted based on how well demonstrated experience and capacity align with the required qualifications below.

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum of five (5) years’ experience successfully conducting similar Strategic Plan assignments (outline recent experience on assignments of similar nature).
• Master’s degree in relevant subject areas.
• Legally registered and/or eligible to work in Malawi

Only shortlisted applications will move forward for further processing. Applicants may be asked to provide additional or clarifying information and details on the services requested. Applicants may also be asked to participate in a follow-up phone interview. These follow-up requests will be used to further evaluate how well the applicant meets the criteria.

Shortlisted offers will be evaluated against the evaluation criteria below. The award will be made to a responsible bidder whose offer follows the RFP instructions, meets the eligibility requirements, and is determined via a trade-off analysis to be the best value based on application of the following evaluation criteria. The relative importance of each individual criterion is indicated by the number of points below:

Criterion	Description	Points
Technical Approach	Responsiveness, relevance and customized to civil society organizations (CSO) strategic management	30
Qualifications and Experience	Demonstrated experience of undertaking similar assignments and meeting minimum qualifications prescribed for this assignment.	20
Methodology	Practical, participatory and innovative methodologies and approaches to be used aiming at skills transfer.	30
Price	The overall cost presented in the offer.	20
Total:		100

10. Price Quote

Bidders shall prepare a fixed-price price quote in a workable Microsoft Excel document specifying the detailed cost breakdown by deliverable and the total price of the services, including delivery and all other costs, being offered in response to this RFP. The Bidder shall indicate the price quote in Malawi Kwacha.

The cost of consultation workshops will be managed by FAWEMA.

11. Deadline for submission of bids

It is the Bidder’s sole responsibility to ensure that bids are received by FAWEMA on or before the offer deadline of 9^th September, 2024. Electronic submissions are strongly encouraged.

            A Bid received after the deadline for submission of bids shall be rejected. Bidders will be held responsible for ensuring that their bids are received in accordance with the instructions stated herein.

12. Submission of Bids

Electronic or hard copy submissions will be accepted. All bids with technical, price schedule, and required legal documents must be received by 17:00 hours CAT on September 9, 2023 by:

 Email: administration@fawema.org

Addressed to:

The Executive Director,
FAWEMA
P.O. Box 30886,
Lilongwe
Malawi

Submissions may also be hand-delivered to FAWEMA Office, Area 47, sector 3.