Expression of Interest (EOI)

Study on the cooking energy systems of RECIC project beneficiaries.

Reference Number:83492969

Publication date: 09.07.2025

Introduction

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a federally owned international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations. The GIZ Office in Kigali covers GIZ’s portfolio in Rwanda and Burundi. GIZ Rwanda/Burundi implements projects on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the European Union and other commissioning authorities in the following priority areas: Sustainable Economic Development; Good Governance; Climate, Energy and Sustainable Urban Development; Digitalization and Digital Economy; and regional projects in the Great Lakes Region.

Contents

List of abbreviations. 2

Context 3

Tasks to be performed by the contractor 4

Concept 7

Technical-methodological concept 7

Project management of the contractor (1.6) 8

Further requirements (1.7) 8

Personnel concept 8

Team leader 8

Key expert 1. 9

Short-term expert pool with minimum 2, maximum 4 members. 9

Costing requirements. 10

Assignment of personnel and travel expenses. 10

Sustainability aspects for travel 10

Requirements on the format of the tender 12

Outsourced processing of personal data. 13

Annexes. 13

List of abbreviations

AG : Commissioning party

AN : Contractor

AVB : General Terms and Conditions of Contract for supplying services and work

FK : Expert

FKT : Expert days

KZFK : Short-term expert

ToRs : Terms of reference

Context

Brief information on the project

Energising Development (EnDev) is a multi-donor, multi-implementer energy access programme, financed by the governments of Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland. The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH serves as the lead implementing agency, working in close collaboration with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) at the global level and with various implementing partners at the country level.

EnDev Rwanda operates under the framework of the global programme, implemented by GIZ GmbH. In 2020, EnDev launched the Reducing Climate Impact of Cooking in Rwanda through Improved Cooking Energy Systems (ReCIC) project which is a five-year initiative co-financed by the European Union under the Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA+) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Through the RECIC project, EnDev aims to establish a sustainable production and distribution chain for improved biomass cookstoves (ICS) and alternative fuels. This is pursued through a threefold approach: 1) Strengthening production capacities, 2) Raising consumer awareness, and 3) Scaling up the dissemination of ICS and improved fuels.

Context

Through this project, EnDev contributes to addressing Rwanda’s pressing challenge of reducing reliance on inefficient cooking practices. Currently, nearly 70% of the population depends on three-stone fires and traditional stoves. The Government of Rwanda’s Energy Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) 2024–2029 sets ambitious targets to reduce the national dependence on traditional biomass (currently at 76% of households) by promoting improved cookstoves (Tier 3+) to reach 22% penetration and expanding access to clean cooking solutions, including eCooking, to 27%. As part of this strategy, Rwanda took a significant step forward in promoting clean cooking by introducing a national regulation in January 2024 that ensures all newly sold cookstoves meet at least Tier 3 standards, in line with ISO benchmarks for efficiency, emissions, durability, and safety.

While lab results are increasingly important for determining stove quality, gaining a deeper understanding of the holistic cooking energy system offers valuable insights into the real-life quality of access to clean cooking. To support more integrated and user-centered interventions, it is essential to assess how households interact with their cooking energy systems—including stove and fuel usage, kitchen conditions, user preferences, and household decision-making processes. To this end, the ReCIC project seeks to engage a consultant to conduct a small-scale case study in one selected district, involving detailed fieldwork with 30–50 households. The aim is to generate in-depth, context-specific evidence to inform future programme design, product development, and policymaking in the clean cooking sector.

Tasks to be performed by the contractor

The contractor will design and implement a qualitative, household-level case study, using a mix of methods (interviews, surveys, kitchen observations). The study is expected to generate rich, context-specific insights into cooking energy use and user experiences in a single district.

This is not a representative survey, but rather an exploratory field study focused on depth over breadth.

The contractor is responsible for providing the following services:

Work Package 1: Develop an Inception Report (Concept) for the study with a detailed workplan

The consultant will:

• Review relevant project documents provided by ReCIC/EnDev.
• Design the study approach, including sampling strategy for 30–50 households, appropriate to the case study format.
• Develop qualitative and quantitative data collection tools (e.g., interview guides, household survey).
• Describe how data will be collected, stored securely, and managed to ensure confidentiality and integrity.
• Submit an Inception Report with methodology, tools, timeline, and logistics for approval.
• Develop comprehensive survey questionnaires for households that will answer the following questions:

Stoves and technologies in use

• What types of cooking stoves are currently used by households in ReCIC intervention areas?
• To what extent do households practice “stove stacking” (use of multiple stoves)?
• How do users perceive the performance (efficiency, fuel saving, safety, durability) of improved cookstoves promoted by ReCIC compared to traditional stoves?
• Can all intended users (including people with disabilities or in remote areas) access the solution?
• Are there financial barriers that prevent some people from benefiting from the solution?
• Do they have received user and maintenance training?

Fuel Use, Availability & Cost

• What are the primary fuels used for cooking, and how do their availability, cost, and seasonal fluctuations affect household choices?
• What barriers exist to the adoption of alternative fuels (e.g., pellets, briquettes) promoted by ReCIC?

Affordability & Decision-Making

• How do households assess the affordability of improved stoves and alternative fuels?
• What financing mechanisms (e.g., subsidies, microcredit, instalments) are perceived as most helpful for adoption?

Kitchen Characteristics & Environment

• What are the typical kitchen setups (e.g., indoor/outdoor, ventilation, space constraints) in ReCIC project areas?
• How do kitchen characteristics affect the adoption and use of improved cooking solutions?

Convenience & User Experience

• How do users evaluate the convenience, speed, and ease of use of ReCIC-promoted stoves and fuels?
• Does the solution reduce smoke in the kitchen, use less firewood?
• What cultural or practical cooking needs influence stove/fuel choice (e.g., type of dishes, cooking time, social habits)?

Impact & Behaviour Change

• What are the perceived health, time-saving, and economic benefits of switching to improved cooking solutions?
• What are the remaining barriers to full transition away from traditional fuels and inefficient stoves?
  • Submit an Inception Report outlining methodology, tools, timeline, and logistics for approval.

Work Package 2: Sampling and Data Collection

The consultant will:

• Define the sampling frame (e.g., district characteristics, socio-economic diversity).
• Select 30–50 households using a method appropriate for qualitative case study research (e.g., purposive, stratified, or clustered sampling).
• Pilot data collection tools with a small number of households for clarity and cultural sensitivity.
• Conduct household interviews, administer survey tools, and perform kitchen observations.
• Ensure ethical research conduct: informed consent, participant confidentiality, and respectful interaction.
• Monitor data quality through supervisor review of collected data for completeness and consistency.

Work Package 3: Conduct Comprehensive Data Analysis on cooking energy system

The consultant will:

• Clean and validate quantitative data and prepare it for basic statistical analysis.
• Transcribe and code qualitative data from interviews and FGDs to extract themes and user insights.
• Conduct integrated analysis combining narrative, observational, and numerical data.
• Present findings within the Rwandan context, highlighting drivers, barriers, and opportunities for clean cooking.
• Prepare a comprehensive draft report and finalize it based on feedback.
• Deliver a concise and engaging presentation of key findings and recommendations during the closing meeting.

Management Guidelines

• The contractor is responsible for selecting, preparing, training and steering the national, short-term experts assigned to perform the advisory tasks.

Milestones/process steps/partial services	Specific Tasks	Deadline	Expected Working Days
1. Inception Report Development (Work Package 1)	Kick-off meeting (1 day)	In 1st week after contract signing	Up to 7 days
	Review Documents (1 day)
	Inception Report describing the scope of the study (2 days)
	Develop and prepare the questionnaires (2 days)
	Review and submission of Inception report and Questionnairs (1 day)
2. Sampling & Data Collection Preparation (Work Package 2)	Determine sampling frame and conduct sampling (1 day)	In 2nd week after contract signing.	Up to 7 days
	Pilot test survey tools; refine tools (up to 2 days à 3 people (Key Expert 1 + 2 Enumerators) = 6)
3. Field Data Collection (Work Package 2)	Conduct data collection (interviews, surveys, observational kitchen visits with informed consent) (up to 10 days à 4 people (max) (Key Expert + 2-3 Enumerators = 40)	In 4th week after contract signing	Up to 11 days (a team of max 5 people is foreseen for data collection) = 41
	Ensure data quality control through supervision and spot checks (up to 1 day)
4. Data Analysis (Work Package 3)	Clean and prepare quantitative and qualitative data (up to 2 days)	In 6th week after contract signing	Up to 5 days
	Conduct quantitative analysis and qualitative thematic analysis (including quotes and user narratives) (up to 3 days)
5. Report Writing & Presentation (Work Package 3)	Draft final report including typologies, key barriers, drivers, and recommendations (4 days)	In 7th and 8th week after contract signing	Up to 6 days
	Present findings in stakeholder meeting; revise and submit final report (2 days)
Total: up to 66 days

• The contractor provides equipment and supplies (consumables) and assumes the associated operating and administrative costs.
• The contractor manages costs and expenditures, accounting processes, and invoicing in line with the requirements of GIZ.
• The contractor reports regularly to GIZ in accordance with the current AVB of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
• The contractor is in charge of its own transport, accommodation and allowances of its experts when travel is necessary.
• In addition to the reports required by GIZ in accordance with the AVB, the contractor provides the following:
  • Reports as set out in the milestone table below
  • Contributions to reports to GIZ’s commissioning party
  • Regular bi-weekly check-ins to report on the implementation status of the project
• The contractor works in close coordination with GIZ project managers and experts in Rwanda

Certain milestones, as laid out in the table below, are to be achieved during the contract term:

Period of assignment: from July 2025 until September 2025.

Concept

In the tender, the tenderer is required to show how the objectives defined in Chapter 2 (Tasks to be performed) are to be achieved, if applicable, under consideration of further method-related requirements (technical-methodological concept). In addition, the tenderer must describe the project management system for service provision.

Note: The numbers in parentheses correspond to the lines of the technical assessment grid.

Technical-methodological concept

Strategy (1.1): The tenderer is required to consider the tasks to be performed with reference to the objectives of the services put out to tender (see Chapter 1 Context) (1.1.1). Following this, the tenderer presents and justifies the explicit strategy with which it intends to provide the services for which it is responsible (see Chapter 2 Tasks to be performed) (1.1.2).

The tenderer is required to present the actors relevant for the services for which it is responsible and describe the cooperation (1.2) with them.

The tenderer is required to present and explain its approach to steering the measures with the project partners (1.3.1).

The tenderer is required to describe the key processes for the services for which it is responsible and create an operational plan or schedule (1.4.1) that describes how the services according to Chapter 2 (Tasks to be performed by the contractor) are to be provided. In particular, the tenderer is required to describe the necessary work steps and, if applicable, take account of the milestones and contributions of other actors (partner contributions) in accordance with Chapter 2 (Tasks to be performed) (1.4.2).

The tenderer is required to describe its contribution to knowledge management for the partner (1.5.1) under learning and innovation.

Project management of the contractor (1.6)

The tenderer is required to explain its approach for coordination with the GIZ project. In particular, the project management requirements specified in Chapter 2 (Tasks to be performed by the contractor) must be explained in detail.

The tenderer is required to draw up a personnel assignment plan with explanatory notes that lists all the experts proposed in the tender; the plan includes information on assignment dates (duration and expert days) and locations of the individual members of the team complete with the allocation of work steps as set out in the schedule.

Further requirements (1.7)

The tenderer is required to describe potential risks associated with the final evaluation and the corresponding mitigation strategies

Personnel concept

The tenderer is required to provide personnel who are suited to filling the positions described, on the basis of their CVs (see Chapter 7), the range of tasks involved and the required qualifications.

The below specified qualifications represent the requirements to reach the maximum number of points in the technical assessment.

Team leader

Tasks of the team leader

• Overall responsibility for the advisory packages of the contractor (quality and deadlines)
• Coordinating and ensuring communication with GIZ, partners and others involved in the project
• Personnel management, in particular identifying the need for short-term assignments within the available budget, as well as planning and steering assignments and supporting local and international short-term experts
• Regular reporting in accordance with deadlines

Qualifications of the team leader

• Education/training (2.1.1): University (Master's degree) in Renewable Energy, Environmental Science, Development studies, Econometrics or a related field
• Language (2.1.2): C1-level language proficiency in English and Kinyarwanda.
• General professional experience (2.1.3): 7 years of professional experience in the implementation of technical or advisory projects in relevant sectors (e.g. energy access, environment)
• Specific professional experience (2.1.4): 5 years of experience in projects related to cooking energy, household energy systems, or sustainable energy access
• Leadership/management experience (2.1.5): 3 years of experience in a team leadership or managerial position, and experience in coordinating short-term experts
• Regional experience (2.1.6): 3 years of work experience in East Africa
• Development cooperation (DC) experience (2.1.7): 3 years of experience working in development cooperation projects. Prior experience with GIZ or similar organizations is desirable.
• Other (2.1.8): Experience in coordinating short-term experts, managing teams, and ensuring quality and timely delivery of outputs.

Key expert 1

Tasks of key expert 1

• Design surveys, interviews, and data collection tools tailored to the study’s objectives.
• Develop detailed research plans and methodologies for the study.
• Coordinate and conduct the collection of data for the study and ensure ethical standards and data protection during collection processes.
• Monitor ongoing research activities to ensure they align with project goals and timelines.

Qualifications of key expert 1

• Education/training (2.2.1): master’s degree in social science, development studies, renewable energy or any other related field
• Language (2.2.2): C1 -level language proficiency in English and Kinyarwanda
• General professional experience (2.2.3): 5 years of experience in applied research, monitoring and evaluation or data analysis
• Specific professional experience (2.2.4): 3 years of experience designing and conducting household surveys or qualitative field research
• Leadership/management experience (2.2.5): 1 year of experience in coordinating data collection teams and managing fieldwork logistics
• Regional experience (2.2.6): 3 years’ experience in research projects in Rwanda
• Development Cooperation (DC) experience (2.2.7): -
• Other (2.2.8): Evidence of participation in research and studies related to clean cooking

Soft skills of team members

In addition to their specialist qualifications, the following qualifications are required of team members:

• Team skills
• Initiative
• Communication skills
• Socio-cultural skills
• Efficient, partner- and client-focused working methods
• Interdisciplinary thinking

Short-term expert pool with minimum 2, maximum 3 members

For the technical assessment, an average of the qualifications of all specified members of the expert pool is calculated. Please send a CV for each pool member (see below Chapter 7 Requirements on the format of the bid) for the assessment.

Tasks of the short-term expert pool

• Support the conduction of surveys, interviews, focus group discussions, and data collection with participants as per the study protocol.
• Ensure proper and accurate transcription of information gathered through interviews and Focus Group Discussion (FGDs). 
• Ensure completeness of forms for accuracy and consistency after the data collection.
• Perform regular checks on the data collected to ensure accuracy and completeness.
• Conduct follow-up visits or calls with participants if additional information or clarification is needed.

Qualifications of the short-term expert pool

• Education/training (2.6.1): university degree (Diploma or Bachelor’s) in social science, development studies, econometrics or related field
• Language (2.6.2): 4 experts with C1-level language proficiency in English and C2-level in Kinyarwanda
• General professional experience (2.6.3): 2 - 4 experts with 1 year of experience in the data collection and data analysis.
• Specific professional experience (2.6.4): experience with household survey, conducting interviews, focus-group discussions, and using digital data collection tools
• Development cooperation (DC) experience (2.6.6): not required
• Other (2.6.7): Experience and understanding of the clean cooking, energy sector and environmental impact of clean cooking solutions and alternative fuel technologies.

The tenderer must provide a clear overview of all proposed short-term experts and their individual qualifications.

Costing requirements

Assignment of personnel and travel expenses

Per diem allowances are reimbursed as a lump sum up to the maximum amounts permissible under tax law for each country as set out in the country table in the circular from the German Federal Ministry of Finance on travel expense remuneration (downloadable from the German Federal Ministry of Finance – tax treatment of travel expenses and allowances for international business travel as of 1 January 20242025 (GERMAN ONLY)).

Accommodation allowances are reimbursed as detailed in the specification of inputs below.

With special justification, additional Accommodation costs up to a reasonable amount can be reimbursed against evidence.

All business travel must be agreed in advance by the officer responsible for the project

Sustainability aspects for travel

GIZ has undertaken an obligation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (CO₂ emissions) caused by travel. When preparing your tender, please incorporate options for reducing emissions, such as selecting the lowest emission booking class (economy) and using means of transport, airlines and flight routes with a higher CO₂ efficiency. For short distances, travel by train (second class) or e-mobility should be the preferred option.

CO₂ emissions caused by air travel must be offset. GIZ specifies a budget for this, through which the carbon offsets can be settled against evidence.

There are many different providers in the market for emissions certificates, and they have different climate impact ambitions. The Development and Climate Alliance (German only) has published a list of standards (German only). GIZ recommends using the standards specified there.

Specification of inputs

Fee days	Number of experts	Number of days per expert	Total	Comments
Designation of Team Leader	1	3.5	3.5	The assignement of team leader will inlcude the quality assurance and communication activities, as well as the oversight of the implementation
Designation of key expert 1	1	28.5	28.5	The 28.5 days will include the preperation of the questionnaire, inception report, data sampling, data collection and analysis and the preperation of the final report.
Designation of short-term expert pool	Up to 3	12	34	The 34 days will be based on the field data collection activities supported by the short-term expert pool
66
Travel expenses	Quantity	Number per expert	Total	Comments
Per-diem allowance in country of assignment If an on-site assignment takes place over the weekend, per diem allowances for weekends can be reimbursed between the fee days.	12	Up to 4	Up to 48 Days	Per-diem allowance for the tasks in the country of assignment.  The assignment foresees a maximum of 48 expert-days for fieldwork or equivalent activities, assuming a full team of up to four experts (e.g., one key expert and up to three short-term experts). This is the overall cap for the assignment. If fewer than four experts are proposed for data collection, the total number of fieldwork days must be adjusted proportionally. The allocation and distribution of expert-days across the team is the responsibility of the team leader, provided that the corresponding maximum based on team size is not exceeded.
Overnight allowance in country of assignment If an on-site assignment takes place over the weekend, overnight allowances for weekends can be reimbursed between the fee days.	12	4	48 Days	Overnight stays in the field:  Note: Under the GIZ travel expense regulations, overnight allowances not exceeding 100% of the lump sum amounts can be submitted for reimbursement against evidence. Up to 75% of the maximum rates specified in the travel expense regulations can be submitted for reimbursement on a lump-sum basis.  Please indicate in the price schedule whether your offer is on a lump-sum basis.
Transport	Quantity	Number per expert	Total	Comments
Travel expenses (train, car)	4	12 days	Travel within the country of assignment, transfer to/from planned field data collection in different location regard to the assignment in selected households.
Other Costs	Number	Price	Total	Comments
Flexible Remuneration	1	NA	Rfw 1,300,000	A maximum budget up to Rwf 1,300,000 is foreseen for flexible remuneration. Please incorporate this budget into the price schedule. Use of the flexible remuneration item requires prior written approval from GIZ.

Requirements on the format of the tender

The structure of the tender must correspond to the structure of the ToR. In particular, the detailed structure of the concept (Chapter 3) should be organised in accordance with the positively weighted criteria in the assessment grid (not with zero). The tender must be legible (font size 11 or larger) and clearly formulated. It must be drawn up in English (language).

The complete tender must not exceed 10 pages (excluding CVs). If one of the maximum page lengths is exceeded, the content appearing after the cut-off point will not be included in the assessment. External content (e.g. links to websites) will also not be considered.

The CVs of the personnel proposed in accordance with Chapter 4 of the ToRs must be submitted using the format specified in the terms and conditions for application. The CVs shall not exceed 4 pages each. They must clearly show the position and job the proposed person held in the reference project and for how long. The CVs can also be submitted in English (language).

Please calculate your financial tender based exactly on the parameters specified in Chapter 5 Quantitative requirements. The contractor is not contractually entitled to use up the days, trips, workshops or budgets in full. The number of days, trips and workshops and the budgets will be contractually agreed as maximum limits. The specifications for pricing are defined in the price schedule.

Outsourced processing of personal data

The company must ensure that the data handling meets standards of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union. This implies that personal information must not be shared with third parties and that the necessary measures are taken to ensure data protection. Any data transmitted to the contractor is to be treated as confidential and not to be disclosed to any third parties. 

As personal data will be processed on behalf of the client, an agreement on “Outsourcing of data processing (AuV)” will be concluded with the contractor in accordance with Art. 28 GDPR. For this purpose, the technical and organizational measures (TOM) for compliance with the data protection requirements must be outlined prior to conclusion of the contract. If the contractor has already been audited by GIZ in the past, an update in accordance with GDPR must nevertheless be sent. After a positive check, the contract is concluded with the AuV attachment. 

The AuV will be shared only with the company selected prior for completion and submission before the contract can be signed. 

Submission of offer: The Expression of Interest should contain the following:

Technical Proposal:

• A cover letter expressing your interest in this assignment
• Technical Proposal (attached template for technical proposal MUST be used)
• Company registration certificate (RDB)
• VAT-Registration Certificate
• Latest tax clearance certificate
• Up to date CVs of proposed experts
• Self-declaration of eligibility

Financial Proposal: Financial offer indicates the all-inclusive total contract price, supported by a breakdown of all costs as described in the specification of inputs.

Your EoI has to be submitted in 2 separated emails to RW_Quotation@giz.de until 20/07/2025

1.The technical offer has to be submitted in PDF format and as attachment to the email with the subject: Technical offer 83492969

2.The financial offer has to be submitted in PDF format and the price must be in Rwandan Francs and VAT excluded (if applicable) and as attachment to the email with the subject: Financial offer 83492969

If the emails exceed the default email size of 30MB, offers can be exceptionally submitted through https://filetransfer.giz.de/

Offers submitted through any other sharing platform, as google documents or similar will not be considered.

Offers submitted in hard copy will not be considered.

GIZ reserves all rights.

Annex:

• Technical Proposal template
• Technical assessment grid
• Self-declaration of eligibility