Terms of Reference for Recruiting a Consulting Firm for the development of National data Value Creation blueprints in Senegal and Kenya.

Client Address	Smart Africa Secretariat 10th Floor, Career Centre Building  KG 541 ST, Kigali, Rwanda, PO Box: 4913 Tel: +250784013646| +250 788-300-581 Email: tenderenquiries@smartafrica.org www.smartafrica.org
RFP#:	136/SAS-GIZ-Data Governance/RFP/11/2025
Release date:	04th November 2025
Budget	100,000 USD_Fixed Budget Selection
Closing date:	05th December 2025
Contact	For any questions or enquiries, please write to: tenderenquiries@smartafrica.org For Proposal Submissions: procurement@smartafrica.org

1. INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL BACKGROUND

1.1. Presentation of the Smart Africa Alliance

The Smart Africa Alliance is a bold and innovative commitment by African Heads of State and Government aimed at accelerating the continent’s sustainable socio-economic development, with the ambition of transforming Africa into a Single Digital Market by 2030.

The Smart Africa Manifesto is built on five key pillars:

• Placing ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) at the center of national socio-economic development agendas.
• Improving access to ICT, particularly broadband connectivity.
• Enhancing transparency, efficiency, and accountability through ICT.
• Prioritizing the private sector.
• Leveraging ICT for sustainable development.

As of June 2025, the Smart Africa Alliance comprises 40 member states, along with several international partner organizations, including the African Union Commission (AUC), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and private sector partners from across the globe. The Smart Africa Secretariat (SAS) is headquartered in Kigali, Rwanda.

1.2. Project background

Data governance has become a central issue in digital transformation strategies globally. The potential of data as a driver of economic development, improved public policy, enhanced transparency, and technological innovation is now universally recognized—from Silicon Valley to the most remote villages in Africa. Within this context, the issue of data value creation—i.e., transforming data into economic, social, or environmental value—has become a key strategic priority.

It is within this strategic framework that the “Data Governance in Africa initiative” was launched as a joint effort by the African Union and the European Union aimed at facilitating the implementation and domestication of the African Union Continental Data Policy Framework. One of its flagship projects, “Creating an African-Owned Data Governance Model,” is funded by GIZ and implemented by Smart Africa under the umbrella of the EU-AU Data Flagship program.

This project aims to support:

• SO1: The development of public policy instruments on data and the strengthening of the enforcement capacities of African Data Protection Authorities.
• SO2: The creation of national socio-economic development blueprints based on the value creation potential of data.
• SO3: The design of an innovative financing model for the digital economy.

As part of SO2, Smart Africa will support Senegal and Kenya in developing national roadmaps or strategic frameworks that serve as guides for data value creation. A specialized consulting firm will be recruited to lead this process, which will be based on:

• The guiding principles of the African Union Data Policy Framework.
• The recommendations of the Smart Africa Data Governance Blueprint.
• National priorities outlined in each country's socio-economic development plans.
• The identification and involvement of key national stakeholders, with a clear definition of their roles in the data governance value chain.
• The development of a five-year implementation plan for the data value creation roadmap, along with a monitoring and evaluation framework.

1.3. Context of digital governance in the two countries

1.3.1. Kenya’s digital landscape 

Kenya is positioning itself as a true leader in Africa’s digital economy, with a favorable political, regulatory, and technological environment for data value creation. It was among the first African countries to adopt a structured vision for digital transformation through the launch of its Digital Economy Blueprint (2019), which outlines five pillars for an inclusive digital economy: digital infrastructure, digital services, digital entrepreneurship, digital skills, and data governance.

Legally, Kenya adopted the Data Protection Act in 2019, establishing the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner and creating a robust data protection framework aligned with international standards such as the GDPR. The Act’s implementation is supported by technical regulations (Data Protection Regulations, 2021) covering data security, cross-border data transfers, and children’s data protection.

In terms of innovation, Kenya has finalized its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2025–2030), promoting ethical and inclusive use of AI in health, agriculture, public services, and governance. This complements the National Digital Master Plan (2022–2032), a ten-year roadmap for investments in e-government, connectivity, digital education, and critical infrastructure.

Kenya’s vibrant tech ecosystem, often referred to as "Silicon Savannah," is centered in Nairobi—one of Africa’s top tech hubs—home to prominent incubators such as iHub, Nailab, and the Kenya Innovation Agency (KENIA). According to StartupBlink (2023), Kenya ranks third in Africa for startup ecosystem strength, after Nigeria and South Africa.

The country also boasts growing internet connectivity, with an internet penetration rate estimated at 42% in 2024, and a particularly strong fintech sector led by M-Pesa, which serves over 30 million users.

In this context, Kenya’s national data value creation blueprint will:

• Fully leverage the existing legal and technological landscape.
• Structure high-impact use cases in priority sectors (health, agriculture, environment, education, public services).
• Support data driven decisions in select use cases.
• Build the capacity of public and private institutions to use data responsibly and innovatively.
• Align national initiatives with continental frameworks, notably the AU Data Policy Framework and the Smart Africa Data Governance Blueprint.

1.3.2. Senegal’s digital landscape

Senegal, guided by its long-term development vision outlined in the National Transformation Agenda 2050 and its new digital strategy, the 'New Deal Technologique,' is establishing itself as a key player in West Africa’s digital transformation. The country recently adopted two foundational instruments to structure its data ecosystem: the National Data Strategy (SND) and the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (SNIA). These documents form the pillars of a clear ambition: to leverage data for sustainable development, innovation, and performance in priority sectors.

Senegal has a solid legal framework for data protection, with the Commission for the Protection of Personal Data (CDP)—an independent authority safeguarding digital rights since 2008. Senegal was one of the first African countries to pass a dedicated personal data protection law (Law No. 2008-12), aligned with international standards such as the European GDPR.

In terms of digital infrastructure, Senegal continues to make significant progress. As of January 2024, 75.6% of the population was connected to the internet, representing approximately 12.8 million users. The country is also investing in smart cities, public service digitization (e.g., the “SenGouv” platform), open data, and a vibrant tech entrepreneurship ecosystem. Notable initiatives include Dakar Digital City, the DER/FJ incubator, and the AI Excellence Center at the Virtual University of Senegal (UVS).

The national data value creation blueprint will serve to operationalize the ambitions of the SND and SNIA by structuring data use to:

• Improve the performance of public policies.
• Strengthen evidence-based decision-making.
• Support data-driven startups.
• Generate innovative services in agriculture, health, education, finance, and public administration.

This strategic tool will also reinforce Senegal’s digital sovereignty while aligning the country with continental frameworks such as the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy (2020–2030) and the AU Data Policy Framework

2. MISSION OBJECTIVES

2.1. Main objective

The primary objective of this assignment is to develop national data value creation blueprints for Senegal and Kenya. These blueprints should be aligned with national development priorities as well as continental and international standards.

2.2. Specific objectives

The specific objectives are as follows:

• Conduct an in-depth diagnostic of the data ecosystem in each country (including infrastructure, regulations, stakeholders, data usage, etc.).
• Identify high-impact priority use cases for value creation (in economic sectors, public services, etc.) in alignment with national development plans.
• Propose concrete strategic directions and pilot projects for each country.
• Define an operational plan, a multi-stakeholder governance framework, and a monitoring and evaluation mechanism.

2.3. Expected deliverables

The following deliverables are expected at the end of the assignment:

• One inception report per country.
• A comprehensive diagnostic of the national data ecosystem.
• Two (02) national data value creation blueprints (one per country).
• Two (02) operational implementations plan.
• Two (02) monitoring and evaluation frameworks including performance indicators, timelines, and accountability plans.
• Two (02) validation workshop reports.
• Two (02) executive summaries and communication materials in both French and English.
• A comprehensive change management plan, incorporating a multi-stakeholder coordination mechanism (one per country).
• One (01) final mission report.

3. WORKING METHODOLOGY

The consulting firm will operate under the supervision of the Smart Africa Secretariat and in close collaboration with the national task forces of each country (Senegal and Kenya). The methodology will follow a participatory approach, structured around the following steps:

• Inception report: preparation of a detailed inception report outlining the understanding of the assignment, the proposed methodology, timeline, and expected deliverables. This report will be validated by Smart Africa and national stakeholders.
• National consultations: organization of regular meetings with the national task forces, relevant ministries, regulators, the private sector, civil society, and technical partners.
• Multi-Stakeholder workshops: facilitation of co-creation workshops to gather input, validate diagnostics, and refine the blueprint drafts and operational plans.
• Deliverables production: Preparation of all expected deliverables, including:
  • National diagnostics,
  • Data ecosystem mapping,
  • Draft blueprints,
  • Operational action plans,
  • Change management plan including a coordination mechanism,
  • Monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
• Collaborative revisions: Systematic incorporation of feedback from stakeholders at each iteration, following a continuous improvement approach.
• Final validation and dissemination: Presentation and final validation of deliverables in each country. Delivery of all documents in Word, PDF, and PowerPoint formats, ready for public dissemination, and in compliance with Smart Africa branding guidelines.

4. DURATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The estimated duration of this assignment is four (04) months from the date of contract signature, distributed as follows:

Period	Key Deliverables
T0	Official launch, kick-off meeting
T0 + 2 weeks	Validated inception report (inception report + detailed work plan)
T0 + 4 weeks	Co-creation workshops and mapping of the data ecosystem
T0 + 6 weeks	Diagnostic report, international benchmarking, analysis of the legal framework
T0 + 10 weeks	First draft of the blueprint and implementation plan
T0 + 12 weeks	Monitoring & evaluation framework, capacity-building plan, institutional recommendations
T0 + 14 weeks	National validation workshop
T0 + 16 weeks	Final deliverables (Blueprint, action plan, executive summaries)

The assignment will mainly take place in the two target countries, with remote coordination provided by the global lead consultant.

5. PROFILE OF THE FIRM

Smart Africa is seeking to recruit a consulting firm with proven experience in developing national policies in Africa around the digital economy, and preferably in data governance. This experience must be demonstrated by at least three (03) similar assignments in data governance (technical, institutional, regulatory, capacity building, cooperation), carried out in collaboration with or within African governments and organizations that are members or partners of the Smart Africa Alliance.

The composition of the project team must be clearly detailed and supported by duly signed and stamped letters of recommendation or a portfolio of projects demonstrating the team's professional experience in the planning, management, and implementation of data governance initiatives.

As the selected firm will work with the two target countries (Senegal and Kenya) to support the development of national data value creation blueprints, the firm must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Be based in one of the two countries.
• Propose at least three (03) national consultants as part of each country team.
• Submit a joint proposal as a consortium with local firms and include supporting documentation related to the local partner.

The consulting firm is required also meet the following additional criteria:

• Be a legally established consulting firm with at least seven (7) years of experience in data governance, the digital economy, or digital public policy.
• Have led at least three (03) similar projects in Africa within the last five (5) years.
• Demonstrate experience working with African governments, regional or international organizations.
• Possess the ability to manage multidisciplinary and multi-location teams.
• Provide letters of recommendation and a documented portfolio of previous work.

The work shall be carried out by a team of five (05) highly qualified consultants / experts in the requested specialties, namely:

1. Lead Consultant/Global Project Lead – 1 expert

• Master’s degree or PhD in digital economy, public governance, or a related field.
• At least 10 years of experience coordinating multi-country projects.
• Led at least three (03) projects related to data or digital transformation.
• Experience managing teams.
• Experience working in Africa.

• Excellent communication skills (in French and English) and stakeholder engagement abilities.

2. Project Manager (one per country) – 2 experts

• Master’s degree in digital governance, public policy, economics, or a relevant field.
• At least 7 years of experience in the respective country.
• Proven experience in developing data/digital policy or regulation.
• Strong experience in facilitating public-private partnerships and fostering collaboration between governments, academia, the private sector, and civil society for innovation and data-driven growth.
• In-depth knowledge of the national and regional digital private sector landscape, including key players in data infrastructure, tech startups, research institutions, and innovation hubs.
• Strategic understanding of emerging technologies (such as AI, Big Data, IoT) and their application in socio-economic development.
• In-depth knowledge of the local context (regulation, culture, language).
• Involved in at least two (2) similar projects in the country.
• Project management certification is a plus.

3. Data Infrastructure and Innovation Expert – 1 expert

• Master’s degree in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Innovation Management, Public Policy, Digital Transformation, Technology Policy, Business Management, or a related field.

• At least 7 years of professional experience in the design, implementation, and evaluation of innovation strategies within data ecosystems and the digital economy, preferably in developing countries.
• Proven experience in data infrastructure projects, including data platforms, cloud computing solutions, and data interoperability systems.
• Demonstrated expertise in data modelling, data analysis, and digital transformation initiatives.
• Capacity to design and deliver capacity-building programs for government officials, private sector stakeholders, and civil society on data governance, digital infrastructure, and innovation ecosystems.
• Ability to advise on policy frameworks that support data-driven innovation, digital entrepreneurship, and value creation from data assets.
• Excellent communication skills (in French and English).
• Additional certifications in Design Thinking, Digital Innovation, or Emerging Technologies would be an asset.

4. Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Expert – 1 expert

• Master’s degree in Monitoring & Evaluation, Development Economics, Public Policy, Statistics, Social Sciences, or a closely related field.
• At least 7 years of progressive professional experience in the design, implementation, and management of MEL frameworks, specifically within governance, digital transformation, data governance, or public policy programs in developing country contexts.
• Proven expertise in developing and operationalizing MEL systems, including the definition of indicators, baseline surveys, performance monitoring plans, logframes, and evaluation methodologies aligned with international standards.
• Familiarity with data-driven policy development, digital governance frameworks, and capacity-building evaluation methods.
• Proven ability to synthesize complex information and present findings effectively to diverse audiences, including government officials, donors, and civil society actors.
• Excellent communication and writing skills in both English and French.
• Experience working in African contexts, especially with regional or continental institutions, is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of the African Union Data Policy Framework and related continental initiatives would be a strong asset.

Cross-cutting Assets for All Profiles

• Knowledge of continental strategies (AU Data Policy, African Digital Compact, Malabo Convention);
• Fluency in English and/or French; knowledge of local languages will be considered a major asset.

6. EVALUATION METHOD AND CRITERIA

The evaluation method employed is the Fixed Budget Selection. The bidders will be evaluated on their technical offers and the highest-ranked among responsive technical proposals that fits within the fixed budget will be selected.

a. Technical Evaluation Criteria 

Technical Criteria	Maximum Score
Firms’ experience and profiles	/35 pts
Field of activity of the firm  Understanding of the Terms of Reference  Relevance of the methodology and work plan  Firm’s experience (similar projects)  Identification of risks and proposed mitigation solutions	2 pts
	3 pts
	20 pts
	5 pts
	5 pts
Expert experience and profiles	/50 pts
Lead Consultant/Global project lead – 1 Expert Master’s or PhD in Digital Economy, Public Policy, Economics, or related field – 1 pt 10 years of experience coordinating multi-country projects – 2 pts Led at least three (3) projects related to data or digital transformation – 2 pts Experience working in Africa – 2 pts Excellent communication skills (French and English), and partnership management – 1 pt	/8 pts
Project Manager (per country) Master's in digital/Data governance, Public Policy, Economics, or relevant sector – 1 pt 7 years of experience in the target country – 2 pts Strong experience in facilitating public-private partnerships and fostering collaboration between governments, academia, the private sector, and civil society for innovation and data-driven growth – 2 pts In-depth knowledge of the national and regional digital private sector landscape, including key players in data infrastructure, tech startups, research institutions, and innovation hubs – 2 pts Strategic understanding of emerging technologies (such as AI, Big Data, IoT) and their application in socio-economic development – 2 pts Strong knowledge of the local context (regulations, culture, language) – 2 pts Two (02) similar projects in the country – 2 pts Good understanding of key stakeholders in the data ecosystem and public administration – 1 pt	/14 pts
Data Infrastructure and Innovation Expert – 1 Expert Master's in data science, Statistics, Innovation management, public policy, Digital transformation, Technology policy, Business management, or related field – 1 pt 7 years’ experience in designing and implementing innovation strategies within data ecosystems and the digital economy, preferably in developing countries – 4 pts Proven experience in data infrastructure projects, including data platforms, cloud computing solutions, and data interoperability systems – 4 pts Capacity to design and deliver capacity-building programs for government officials, private sector stakeholders, and civil society on data governance, digital infrastructure, and innovation ecosystems – 4 pts Two (2) similar experiences – 2 pts Excellent communication skills (French and English) – 1 pt	/16 pts
Monitoring & Evaluation Expert – 1 Expert Masters in M&E, Development Economics, or Statistics – 1 pt At least 7 years of progressive professional experience in the design, implementation, and management of MEL frameworks, specifically within governance, digital transformation, data governance, or public policy programs in developing country contexts – 3 pts Proven expertise in developing and operationalizing MEL systems, including the definition of indicators, baseline surveys, performance monitoring plans, logframes, and evaluation methodologies aligned with international standards – 3 pts Familiarity with data-driven policy development, digital governance frameworks, and capacity-building evaluation methods – 2 pts Two (2) similar experiences in designing M&E plans for public policy – 2 pts Excellent communication skills (French and English) – 1 pt	/12 pts
Firms previous references/recommendation  At least 3 Certificates or Recommendation letters of successful completion for similar past assignments, duly signed	15 pts
Total	100 pts

The financial proposals will be opened for only those ICs which secure a minimum score of 75/100 in the technical evaluation and the highest-ranked among responsive technical proposals that fits within the fixed budget will be selected.

B. Financial Criteria 

 The highest-ranked among responsive technical proposals that fits within the fixed budget will be selected.

7. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR TECHNICAL & FINANCIAL PROPOSALS 

A specific outline must be followed to facilitate the Smart Africa Secretariat’s review and evaluation of the responses received. 

A response to this RFP must include the following sections in the order listed:

1. A cover letter confirming the firm’s interest to provide the services required

2. Mandatory Administrative documents

• Company registration certificate
• Tax clearance certificates

3. A technical proposal containing the following content: 

• Executive summary
• Business experience/Profiles
• Understanding of the Term of Reference, risk assessment, and suggestions for improvement
• Approach and Methodology
• Work Plan / Schedule
• Mission team experience/profiles
• Updated and certified Curriculum Vitae for and by the team and CEO of the firm, and academic certificates required
• Company/Firm Certificates or Recommendation letters of successful completion for similar past assignments, duly signed.

4. Financial Proposal containing the following tables.

• Summary of Costs. 
• Breakdown of price per user group on daily rate.
• Breakdown of remuneration user group on daily rate.
• Reimbursable expenses user group applicable.
• Miscellaneous Expenses if any

Notes:

1. All Financial Offers should be quoted and submitted in USD Currency.
2. All Financial Proposals/offers should be password protected, and Smart Africa will request for it for bidders who have been qualified in the technical evaluation 
3. A withholding tax of 15% will be deducted from payments for Firms not VAT-registered with Rwanda Tax Administration (RRA) and 18% VAT will be applicable for registered firms in Rwanda. 
4. Indicate your preferred payment terms under financial proposal 

8. SUBMISSION PROCESS

Soft copies of both Technical and financial proposals must be sent to: procurement@smartafrica.orgshowing each the nature of the offer concerned (technical or financial offer), not later than 05th December 2025 at, 5:00 PM local time (Kigali), addressed to Procurement Office of Smart Africa Secretariat, with subject marked: 136/SAS-GIZ-Data Governance/RFP/10/2025: National data value creation blueprints for Kenya and Senegal.

9. RIGHTS RESERVED

1. This RFP does not obligate the Smart Africa Secretariat (SAS) to complete the RFP process. 
2. SAS reserves the right to amend any segment of the RFP prior to the announcement of a selected firm. 
3. SAS also reserves the right to remove one or more of the services from consideration for this contract should the evaluation show that it is in SAS’s best interest to do so. 
4. SAS also may, at its discretion, issue a separate contract for any service or groups of services included in this RFP. 
5. SAS may negotiate a compensation package and additional provisions to the contract awarded under this RFP. 
6. Smart Africa reserves the right to debrief the applicants after the completion of the process due to expected high volume of applications and avoiding compromise of the process.

Late proposals will be rejected.

10.  VALIDITY

Proposals and quotes must remain valid for 180 days after the date of closing noted above. After, the closing date and time, all proposals received by the Smart Africa Secretariat become its property

11. ENQUIRIES

Any inquiries will only be received at least 5 working days before the bid submission deadline. Prospective respondents who may have questions regarding this RFP may submit their inquiries to tenderenquiries@smartafrica.org

12. ANTI-CORRUPTION 

Smart Africa is committed to preventing and not tolerating any act of corruption and other malpractices and expects that all bidders will adhere to the same ethical principles.