Request for proposal (RFP)

Consultancy for advisory services for the UPGI Tanzania Discovery Phase, supporting the Government of Tanzania (Mainland and Zanzibar) to develop Government-Led Graduation Strategies

1. Organisation background

BRAC International is a leading nonprofit organisation working to empower people and communities facing poverty, illiteracy, disease and social injustice. BRAC works with communities to develop demand-driven programmes that combine social development with market-based solutions, drawing on its roots in the Global South and a long record of learning and evidence.

BRAC’s Ultra-Poor Graduation Initiative (UPGI) supports governments to adapt and scale the Graduation approach for people living in chronic poverty and vulnerable situations. The approach combines support for basic needs with productive assets, livelihood skills and coaching to enable sustained socioeconomic progression.

2. Programme background

UPGI Tanzania is undertaking a Discovery Phase to examine how Tanzania’s existing institutional architecture can support Government-led Graduation strategies to end extreme poverty, in line with Dira 2050. The work is anchored in TAMISEMI, with TASAF as the primary implementation platform, and is carried forward through the Task Force appointed by the Minister for the Prime Minister’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government on 10 June 2026. The Discovery Phase covers Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.

The Discovery Phase must generate the evidence, institutional design and delivery readiness needed for Government decision-making, ahead of the Government’s December 2026 validation and decision milestone. Its top-line products are the UPGI Tanzania Country Strategy, the Tanzania Investment Paper and the Government-Led Graduation Approach Paper.

The Government owns the National Strategy and the Tanzania Graduation Pathways Approach (TGPA). UPGI’s products support the Government to develop and adopt Government-led Graduation strategies and are distinct from the Government’s own documents. Convening authority and institutional decisions rest with the Government and the Programme Director. The firm’s role is technical, advisory and analytical.

3. Objective of the assignment

The objective is to provide the strategy, institutional architecture and analytical direction for the UPGI Tanzania Discovery Phase, and to produce the evidence and strategic products needed to support Government-led Graduation across Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar.

The firm will provide a senior advisory team that will:

• Provide strategic and institutional advice across the Discovery Phase.

• Prepare the technical groundwork for the governance structures set out in the TGPA Concept Note.

• Deliver and integrate the four analytical strands of the Discovery Phase.

• Design, direct and quality-assure the primary and secondary research the strands require.

• Support the Programme Director to develop the UPGI Tanzania Country Strategy.

• Produce validation-ready versions of the Country Strategy, the Investment Paper and the Government-Led Graduation Approach Paper, and finalise them following Government review.

4. Scope of services

4.1 Strategy, institutional architecture and Government engagement

Advise on institutional anchoring, roles, coordination, delivery architecture and readiness for Government-led Graduation, including the mapping of Government stakeholders and the consolidation of TAMISEMI ownership.

• Work through the Ministry-led Task Force, contributing to its work plan and meeting programme, and supporting engagement with TASAF, finance and planning authorities, sector MDAs, LGAs, Zanzibar authorities and relevant partners.

• Prepare the technical groundwork for the Multi-Stakeholder Steering Committee, the Technical Working Group and the National Programme Coordination Unit set out in the TGPA Concept Note: draft terms of reference, membership options, reporting lines, meeting calendars and facilitation materials. Forming and convening these bodies remains with the Programme Director and the anchor ministry.

• Provide technical support to the Government-owned Concept Note, in Kiswahili and English.

• Identify practical institutional and delivery options that strengthen existing Government systems rather than create parallel structures.

• Provide day-to-day strategic advice to the Programme Director, including support to study tours and to preparing participants so that the learning feeds into the live analytical strands.

4.2 The four analytical strands

Each strand addresses a distinct question. Together they establish whether Tanzania’s existing systems, on the Mainland and in Zanzibar, can deliver Government-led Graduation, and what must be built where they cannot. Each strand must answer, at minimum, the questions below.

A. Institutional Landscape and Household Progression Assessment

Maps which institutions hold which Graduation functions, how they are mandated, financed and delivered, and at what scale. Assesses existing systems against the three Graduation Essentials, and clarifies the overlap between PSSN beneficiaries, the wider registry and un-served ultra-poor households, read alongside PSSN III.

• What is the current end-to-end pathway through which households in extreme poverty are identified, stabilised, connected to productive and economic-inclusion support, monitored and supported toward sustained progression?

• Which national, sector, local-government and Zanzibar institutions hold the relevant mandates, delivery functions, data, budgets and accountability relationships?

• Where do coordination, referral, sequencing, continuity and accountability break down between institutions and across levels of Government?

• How do current programme and administrative systems capture household status, progression and exit, and what is required for a practical progression framework?

• Which institutional arrangements can realistically support a coherent Government-led Graduation pathway, including the roles of TAMISEMI, TASAF, sector institutions, LGAs and Zanzibar authorities?

B. Productive Systems Groundtruthing

Tests, at LGA and ward level, what programmes such as ASDP II extension, agricultural and livestock support, SIDO enterprise support and PSSN livelihood enhancement grants deliver in practice against their design, including how the PSSN III Enhanced Support tier performs on the ground.

• What productive, livelihood and economic-inclusion services are available to poor and vulnerable households, from whom, at what level, and with what reach and quality?

• How effectively do households connect to productive assets, skills, coaching, extension, finance, markets and other services needed for sustained livelihoods?

• What practical constraints do households and frontline delivery systems face at local level, and how do these differ across selected Mainland and Zanzibar contexts?

• Which existing productive-sector systems can be mobilised or strengthened to support household progression, and where are the critical service gaps?

• What sequencing, intensity and combination of support appear feasible for different household circumstances and local economic contexts?

C. Political Economy Analysis

Examines the incentives, mandates, power relations and institutional dynamics that shape how the systems operate, and identifies where reform is feasible and where it is not.

• Which institutions and actors hold formal and informal authority over the policies, resources and delivery systems relevant to Government-led Graduation?

• What incentives, interests, mandates and institutional relationships are likely to enable or constrain coordinated delivery?

• Where are the strongest sources of ownership and potential resistance, and what do these imply for the sequencing and framing of reform?

• How do budget, accountability and performance incentives affect collaboration across national, sector and local-government levels?

• What political and institutional risks must be managed for Government-led Graduation to be adopted, financed and sustained in Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar?

D. Dira 2050 and Planning Architecture Assessment

Locates Government-led Graduation within the national planning and budget architecture, including Dira 2050, the Long-Term Perspective Plan, FYDP IV (2026/27–2030/31), the Annual Development Plan 2026/27 and the National Social Protection Policy 2023, and sets out the fiscal and institutional conditions for financing and sustaining it through Government systems.

• Where can Government-led Graduation be anchored within Dira 2050 and the associated national, sector and local planning architecture?

• What existing planning, budgeting, implementation, performance-management and monitoring mechanisms can carry Graduation objectives and accountabilities?

• How can Graduation be integrated into Government systems and programmes rather than set up as a parallel programme?

• What are the practical entry points for financing, annual planning, sector convergence, local implementation and performance tracking?

• What decisions, institutional actions and sequencing are required to move from Discovery to Government adoption and implementation?

4.3 Research and analytical approach

Four commissioned research assignments are expected, one per strand, delivered by the two Research Assistants under the Senior Advisor’s technical direction. For each, the Senior Advisor scopes what the strand needs to prove, prepares or approves the terms of reference, supervises the work, assures quality against the analytical framework, and integrates the output into the strand and the strategic products.

The firm shall apply a proportionate mixed-methods design, rigorous enough to support national strategic decisions and deliverable within the assignment period. It shall cover:

• Desk review of existing Government, programme and research evidence.

• Stakeholder and institutional mapping, with clear criteria for selecting respondents.

• Key informant interviews and other qualitative methods at national, sector and local levels.

• Fieldwork in selected Mainland and Zanzibar locations, with a stated site-selection logic.

• Any household- or community-level enquiry needed, with its sampling logic and limits of inference.

• Triangulation of quantitative and qualitative evidence.

• A practical framework, led by the MEL Expert, for measuring household progression and linking findings to monitoring systems.

• Data quality assurance, research ethics, informed consent, confidentiality and secure data management.

• Testing findings with Government and other stakeholders without transferring ownership of Government decisions to the consultancy team.

4.4 Integration and strategic products

The four strands are not separate studies. The firm shall synthesise them into one set of choices on institutional architecture, household progression, productive support, financing, delivery and monitoring.

The integrated analysis shall directly inform:

• UPGI Tanzania Country Strategy: How UPGI will support the Government to develop and implement Government-led Graduation strategies. It becomes the basis for the Investment Paper.

• Tanzania Investment Paper: The investment case, priority areas, delivery requirements and financing considerations.

• Government-Led Graduation Approach Paper: The proposed Government-led approach, institutional roles, delivery pathway, governance, sequencing and implementation principles. It includes the Discovery Phase report, the political economy analysis, an implementation framework and a systems-readiness assessment.

5. Deliverables and indicative timing

The timetable below may be refined at inception and confirmed in the Inception Report, but it must protect the December 2026 Government validation and decision milestone and complete the assignment by March 2027.

All deliverables are submitted to the Programme Director.

Deliverable 1: Inception Report and mobilisation plan

Minimum content:

• Refined methodology.

• Analytical framework.

• Work plan.

• Consultation plan.

• Fieldwork and data plan.

• Risk register.

• Quality-assurance arrangements.

Indicative timing: Within 7 working days of contract signature.

Deliverable 2: Discovery analytical framework and research package

Minimum content:

• Integrated research questions.

• Tools.

• Respondent and site selection.

• Evidence matrix.

• Progression measurement framework.

• Data-management and ethics protocols.

Indicative timing: Immediately after inception.

Deliverable 3: Four draft analytical strand reports

Minimum content:

• Draft findings.

• Evidence.

• Gaps.

• Implications.

• Actionable options for each strand.

• Supporting evidence annexes and the commissioned research.

Indicative timing: In time to inform November synthesis and December validation.

Deliverable 4: Integrated Discovery Synthesis and governance package

Minimum content:

• Cross-strand synthesis.

• Institutional and delivery options.

• Draft governance TORs.

• Membership options.

• Reporting lines.

• Implementation arrangements.

Indicative timing: Before preparation of validation-ready strategic products.

Deliverable 5: Validation-ready strategic package

Minimum content:

• Draft Country Strategy.

• Investment Paper.

• Government-Led Graduation Approach Paper.

• Concise Government-facing presentation materials.

Indicative timing: Ahead of the December 2026 validation and decision milestone.

Deliverable 6: Validation support and revision memorandum

Minimum content:

• Technical support to Government validation.

• Record of decisions.

• Issues requiring resolution.

• Agreed revisions.

Indicative timing: December 2026.

Deliverable 7: Final strategic products and close-out package

Minimum content:

• Final three strategic products.

• Final analytical reports.

• Clean evidence annexes and data as agreed.

• Handover note.

• Priority next steps.

Indicative timing: By February 2027.

Throughout the assignment the firm shall also provide periodic strategic advisory notes and briefings to the Programme Director, and technical support to the Task Force.

6. Deliverable standards

• Deliverables are written in clear professional English. Consultation and fieldwork are conducted in Kiswahili where appropriate.

• Government-facing products are concise, practical and written for policy and implementation use, with technical detail in annexes.

• Analytical claims are traceable to evidence, with limitations and uncertainty stated clearly.

• Outputs distinguish evidence, interpretation and proposed options, and do not present consultancy recommendations as Government decisions.

• Final deliverables are provided in editable Microsoft Office formats, with clean PDF versions and the agreed data and evidence annexes.

7. Qualifications

This section sets out the minimum eligibility requirements and the technical qualification criteria for the firm and the proposed team. Eligibility requirements are assessed on a pass or fail basis. A submission that does not meet every eligibility requirement will not proceed to technical evaluation. The technical qualification criteria are scored under the evaluation section.

A. Eligibility (pass or fail)

The consultancy firm must:

• Be a consulting firm registered in the United Republic of Tanzania, with valid business licence, Certificate of registration (BRELA), a Taxpayer Identification Number and VAT registration certificates.

• Have been in continuous operation as a consulting firm for at least 5 years as at the closing date.

• Have an average annual turnover of at least USD 250,000 over the last 3 financial years.

• Confirm the availability of the three proposed key experts for the duration of the engagement.

• Propose key experts who are each fluent in written and spoken Kiswahili and English.

B. Qualification criteria for the consultancy firm (scored)

The firm should evidence each of the following, with named clients, dates, role, value and verifiable outputs:

• At least 5 assignments of similar nature, scale and complexity completed in the last 10 years, covering high-level policy research, institutional review or strategic planning for Government ministries or agencies or for multilateral or bilateral development partners.

• At least 2 such assignments were delivered in Tanzania at national policy level, and at least 1 assignment covering Zanzibar.

• Demonstrated experience across at least 4 of the following fields: agricultural economics, rural development, social protection, livelihoods, financial inclusion, private sector development, and national planning and budget analysis.

• At least 2 assignments involving political economy analysis, and at least 2 involving monitoring and evaluation, completed in the last 10 years.

• In-house professional capacity supported by a network of associate consultants, evidenced by the firm’s staffing and its use of associates on the assignments cited.

C. Qualification criteria for the team (scored)

The firm should propose three key experts and two research assistants. Each key expert should be evidenced by a signed curriculum vitae demonstrating the requirements below.

1. Senior Advisor (Lead Expert)

• Qualification: A doctoral degree in economics, agricultural economics, development economics or a closely related field.

• Experience: At least 20 years of senior professional experience in economic and social policy, institutional analysis or development in Tanzania.

• Policy Contribution: At least 3 assignments in the last 15 years contributing to national policy or planning instruments, for example national development plans, long-term perspective plans, sector strategies, or investment and development policy, at the level of drafting, advising or formal review.

• Senior Advisory Experience: At least 3 assignments in the last 10 years advising Government at ministerial, permanent-secretary or equivalent senior level, evidenced by the counterpart institution and the nature of the advisory role.

• Technical Authority: A record of published research in institutional analysis, agricultural or rural finance, social protection, livelihoods or financial inclusion, evidenced by at least 3 peer-reviewed or commissioned publications.

• Team Direction: Experience as team leader or principal on at least 3 multidisciplinary analytical assignments, with responsibility for the quality of the outputs.

• Language: Fluency in written and spoken Kiswahili and English.

2. Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Expert

• Qualification: A Master’s Degree or equivalent in economics, statistics, development studies, monitoring and evaluation or a related field. A doctoral degree is an advantage.

• Experience: At least 10 years of professional experience in monitoring, evaluation and learning, including at least 3 assignments designing or leading MEL systems for complex, multi-component programmes, and at least 1 in social protection, livelihoods or economic inclusion.

• Technical Competence: Demonstrated command of theory of change design, indicator and results-framework development, baseline and progression measurement, and both quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods.

• Government Systems: Experience aligning MEL frameworks with national or programme monitoring systems, and familiarity with Tanzania’s social protection or poverty-monitoring data environment.

• Team Contribution: Experience leading MEL workstreams within multidisciplinary teams and integrating MEL evidence into strategic or policy products.

• Language: Fluency in written and spoken Kiswahili and English.

3. Zanzibar-based Resource Person

• Qualification: A Master’s Degree in economics, development studies, public administration, social policy or a closely related field.

• Experience: At least 10 years of senior professional experience in Zanzibar’s institutional, policy and development context.

• Institutional Knowledge: Demonstrable command of Zanzibar’s governance architecture, including the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, the Second Vice President’s Office, sector ministries and local government, and of Zanzibar’s social protection, livelihoods and poverty-reduction landscape.

• Government Engagement: At least 3 assignments in the last 10 years engaging Zanzibar Government authorities at senior level, evidenced by the counterpart institution and the nature of the role.

• Analytical Contribution: A record of policy, institutional or research work specific to Zanzibar, evidenced by named assignments or publications, sufficient to lead the Zanzibar dimension of each of the four analytical strands.

• Standing to Convene: The credibility and relationships to support engagement with Zanzibar institutions and partners, evidenced through the seniority of past Zanzibar assignments.

• Language: Fluency in written and spoken Kiswahili and English.

4. Research Assistants (two)

The two research assistants deliver the four commissioned analytical assignments, working under the Senior Advisor’s technical direction.

• Qualification: At least a Bachelor’s Degree in economics, development studies, social sciences, statistics or a closely related field. A Master’s Degree is an advantage.

• Experience: At least 5 years of applied research experience, including at least 2 assignments involving primary field data collection at community or local-government level in Tanzania.

• Methods: Demonstrated competence in quantitative and qualitative data collection, key informant interviews, institutional and stakeholder mapping, and structured data management and analysis.

• Field Capability: Experience conducting fieldwork at LGA and ward level, including in rural and hard-to-reach areas, and the ability to work across Mainland and Zanzibar sites.

• Language: Fluency in written and spoken Kiswahili and English, sufficient to conduct interviews and community-level consultation in Kiswahili and to report findings in English.

The Research Assistants work under the Senior Advisor’s direction, who scopes each assignment, approves its terms of reference, supervises the fieldwork and assures the quality of the output against the analytical framework.

Knowledge of the Graduation approach, or of comparable economic inclusion and social protection programmes, is an advantage for all key experts.

8. Management and working arrangements

• The assignment is managed by the Programme Director, UPGI Tanzania, to whom the firm reports.

• The Senior Advisor is the firm’s technical lead and the primary point of accountability for the quality and coherence of all outputs. The Senior Advisor works under the direction of the Programme Director and alongside the Ministry’s institutional leadership.

• The MEL Expert and the Zanzibar-based Resource Person are accountable to the Programme Director. The firm on-boards them to UPGI; they are not line-managed by the Senior Advisor.

• The team works alongside Government counterparts and through Government-led structures, and does not substitute for Government convening or decision-making authority.

• Any significant change to scope, methodology, fieldwork plan, team composition or delivery schedule requires BRAC’s prior written approval.

• The firm keeps a clear evidence trail for all major findings and recommendations, and hands over the underlying non-confidential research materials to BRAC at close-out.

9. Level of effort and duration

The assignment requires approximately 320 person-days:

• Senior Advisor: 80 person-days.

• MEL Expert: 60 person-days.

• Zanzibar-based Resource Person: 60 person-days.

• Research Assistants: 120 person-days in total.

The firm may propose a justified change to the distribution of effort without reducing the required team or scope.

The assignment runs from contract signature through February 2027 and involves travel within the Mainland, to LGA and ward level, and to Zanzibar.

10. Mandatory administrative and compliance documentation

This is an open tender, limited to firms registered in Tanzania.

Firms must submit:

• Valid 2026–2027 business licence.

• TIN and VAT certificates.

• Certificate of Incorporation.

• Current Tax Clearance Certificate.

• BRELA Register of Companies detailed information / Search Report.

• Memorandum and Articles of Association, where applicable.

• Legible audited financial statements for the latest two completed financial years.

• A turnover statement distinguishing advisory/consulting fee income from pass-through, reimbursable and cost-recovery income.

• Confirmation of availability of all five proposed experts for the required period and an undertaking not to substitute them without prior written approval.

• Signed declaration of compliance with applicable Anti-Terrorism Laws, including the Anti-Terrorism Act of the United Republic of Tanzania.

• Any additional documentation or clarification requested in the firm-specific schedule issued with the RFP.

10. Evaluation criteria

10.1 Compliance check

Proposals are first checked for completeness and for the mandatory documents listed in the TOR. Incomplete or non-compliant proposals are not evaluated further.

10.2 Technical evaluation

Compliant technical proposals are scored out of 100 against the criteria below. The main weight is on the quality and feasibility of the methodology and the strength of the Senior Advisor.

The minimum technical score is 70. Only proposals that reach this score proceed to final evaluation.

1. Understanding and overall methodology — 10 points

What will be assessed:

• Understanding of the assignment.

• Analytical coherence.

• Feasibility and rigour of the overall approach.

2. Methodology for the four analytical strands — 25 points

What will be assessed:

• Strength of the methods for each strand.

• Evidence sources.

• Fieldwork design.

• Triangulation.

• Analytical depth.

3. Integration into strategic products — 10 points

What will be assessed:

• Clear logic for moving from strand-level evidence to institutional choices.

• The Country Strategy.

• Investment Paper.

• Government-Led Graduation Approach Paper.

4. Work plan and delivery management — 15 points

What will be assessed:

• Sequencing.

• Mobilisation.

• The December milestone.

• Mainland and Zanzibar coverage.

• Risk management.

• Quality assurance.

5. Senior Advisor / Lead Expert — 20 points

What will be assessed:

• Depth and relevance of national policy, institutional, Government advisory, research and multidisciplinary leadership experience.

• Ability to lead synthesis.

6. MEL Expert — 7 points

What will be assessed:

• Strength in complex MEL.

• Progression measurement.

• Mixed methods.

• Alignment with national and programme systems.

7. Zanzibar-based Resource Person — 7 points

What will be assessed:

• Depth of Zanzibar institutional knowledge.

• Senior Government engagement.

• Relevant policy and research record.

8. Research Assistants and team deployment — 4 points

What will be assessed:

• Applied field research capability.

• Complementary skills.

• Kiswahili and English capability.

• Realistic deployment.

9. Relevant firm capacity and references — 2 points

What will be assessed:

• Evidence of comparable delivery.

• Ability to manage a multi-location, time-bound analytical assignment.

Total: 100 points

BRAC may seek written clarification, or invite bidders to a technical presentation or interview, to verify the methodology, team leadership, availability or delivery plan.

Clarification will not be used to allow a material change to a proposal after the deadline, unless a replacement or correction was expressly required through the RFP-stage schedule.

10.3 Financial evaluation

Financial proposals are opened only for firms that reach the minimum technical score.

The lowest evaluated price receives 100 points, and other proposals are scored as follows:

Financial score = (lowest evaluated price ÷ price of the proposal) × 100

10.4 Combined score and ranking

Technical and financial scores are combined using the weights below. The firm with the highest combined score is ranked first and may be invited to negotiate before award.

Combined score = (technical score × 0.80) + (financial score × 0.20)

11. Payments

Professional fees are paid in four instalments, each against delivery and acceptance of the deliverables shown.

Instalment 1 — 20% of fees

Deliverables:

• Inception Report and mobilisation plan.

• Discovery analytical framework and research package.

• Deliverables 1 and 2.

Indicative timing: October 2026.

Instalment 2 — 30% of fees

Deliverables:

• Four draft analytical strand reports.

• Integrated Discovery Synthesis and governance package.

• Deliverables 3 and 4.

Indicative timing: November 2026.

Instalment 3 — 30% of fees

Deliverables:

• Validation-ready strategic package.

• Validation support and revision memorandum.

• Deliverables 5 and 6.

Indicative timing: December 2026.

Instalment 4 — 20% of fees

Deliverables:

• Final strategic products and close-out package.

• Deliverable 7.

Indicative timing: March 2027.

Total: 100%

Additional payment and cost provisions

• The Consultancy firm will be responsible for obtaining personal health insurance at their own cost. The coverage should include all medical expenses, including those resulting from illness or injury incurred during the duration of the assignment.

• Any in-person meetings or travel required for the assignment will be taken care of by BRAC along with suitable accommodation for the consultants as per BRAC’s policy and will be reimbursed on actuals.

• The consultant will quote the amount including local taxes and VAT.

12. Submission instructions

Proposals must be submitted electronically to:

Email: [email protected]

Submission deadline: 23rd October 2026.

Email subject: UPGI Tanzania Discovery Phase – Advisory Services

The submission should contain two clearly labelled files:

• Technical Proposal: Including all technical, team and compliance documentation required under this RFP.

• Financial Proposal: Containing the complete financial offer and assumptions.

Late submissions may be rejected in accordance with BRAC procurement procedures.

Any questions regarding this RFP should be submitted in writing to:

Clarification email: [email protected]

Deadline for questions: 16th October 2026.

13. Confidentiality and compliance

• Information supplied through the procurement and during the assignment is confidential unless otherwise agreed in writing.

• All reports, tools, datasets and other outputs are subject to the ownership and use provisions of the final consultancy agreement.

The firm and its personnel shall comply with applicable BRAC policies and legal requirements, including safeguarding, ethical conduct, anti-fraud, anti-corruption and anti-terrorism obligations, including the Anti-Terrorism Act of the United Republic of Tanzania.

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