1. About SNV

SNV is a global development partner rooted in the African and Asian countries where we operate. With 

60 years of experience it is our mission to strengthen capacities and catalyse partnerships that transform the agri-food, energy, and water systems to enable sustainable and more equitable lives for all.

2. Background and objectives of assignment

SNV is convening the Power for Food Partnership, a movement that seeks to strengthen the nexus of food and energy systems in Africa. By integrating regenerative agriculture with renewable energy solutions, the Partnership aims to harness the powerful benefits that arise when both systems work collaboratively for people and the planet. By catalysing partnerships and strengthening the capacities of ecosystem actors, the Power for Food Partnership seeks to transform the agri-food system in Eastern Africa. Specifically, it seeks to achieve systems transformation within the Regenerative Agriculture-Productive Use of Renewable Energy (RA-PURE) nexus space. It aims to do this via three interlinked pathways: 

• LEARN: practice-based learning and evidence

• LINK: action-oriented collaboration among system actors

• LEVERAGE: embedding ways of working in policies and practices

Figure 1: Rwanda Theory of Change

A central feature of the Partnership is that it will work primarily with and through key partners at strategic, national, and subnational level, in line with the LEARN-LINK-LEVERAGE approach to ensure localised buy-in and long-term commitment beyond the programme’s duration. The Partnership’s principles are Equity, Transparency, and Mutual Benefit. 

The Partnership seeks to engage a consultancy firm to lead in carrying out a baseline assessment of a set of 12 quantitative Partnership Harmonised Indicators (PHI) that were developed across the four Partnership countries. These 11 indicators are additional and supportive to the qualitative outcomes the Partnership is tracking through outcome harvesting to assess progress towards systems transformation (which is out of scope for this assignment).

For this baseline assessment of the 12 PHIs, there is a need to apply a consistent measurement approach across the four countries. SNV has therefore developed a harmonised data collection methodology. The consultant will utilise the initial desk review that has been completed as a starting point and is expected to triangulate findings using primary qualitative evidence. The inception phase can be used by the consultant to make suggestions for limited contextualisation – but it is important data collection methodologies are aligned to ensure comparability. The baseline has the following objectives.

2.1 Specific Objectives of the Assignment

1. Establish quantitative baseline values for the identified Partnership Harmonised Indicators (PHIs) through the collection and analysis of primary data using agreed qualitative collection methods.

2. Provide a narrative analysis for each indicator value, explaining its significance, context and relevance to theprogramme objectives. For example, where an indicator captures the number of knowledge products, the analysis should specify what those products are, who are the authors, include references or copies obtained from the organisations engaged by the consultant, and provide links to those that are publicly available or formally published, where applicable.

3. Review, validate, and where necessary refine the preliminary quantitative PHI indicator values generated through the initial desk review, which are primarily based on SNV’s current partnership knowledge, by triangulating them with field-generated evidence collected through Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and update the values where necessary to ensure they accurately reflect the broader agro-energy ecosystem in Rwanda.

3. Assignment overview and scope of work

The consultant’s core objective is to conduct the Partnership’s baseline assessment of the PHIs and deliver a comprehensive baseline assessment report. The baseline study provides a robust reference point against which progress on the PHIs can be measured. The consultant will work closely with the Power for Food Partnership country teams, especially the MEL Advisors.

4. Methodology

A desk review of the status of the PHIs has already taken place. To complement this desk review, and due to the nature of the PHIs, the Partnership intends to use a mix of Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and a comprehensive desk review to measure and validate the baseline values for the PHIs. 

This approach is intended to maximise the depth and breadth of insights, enable triangulation of findings across different stakeholder groups, and strengthen the validity of results, while ensuring efficient use of time and resources. The preliminary PHI values generated through the initial desk review will serve as the starting point for the assignment. The consultant will review these preliminary values, collect additional field-based evidence through Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and use the findings to validate, refine, or update the existing values where necessary. The consultant will also establish baseline values for indicators where no preliminary values currently exist. 

The final number of KIIs and FGDs will be determined and agreed upon during the inception phase; however, the assessment is expected to include up to 25 KIIs and three (3) FGDs. Consultants are therefore expected to propose a realistic sampling approach that balances methodological rigor with available resources. 

The process will also include two validation workshops: one virtual workshop with SNV and the implementing partners of the Power for Food partnership, and one in-person workshop, which may involve a limited number of external stakeholders. The consultant should anticipate revising the draft report following each validation workshop to incorporate feedback, insights, and any additional information emerging from these engagements.

The Partnership is using the following 11 PHIs for the baseline assessment:

1. Number of knowledge products on RA-PURE co-created through multi-actor learning platforms 
2. The number of active learning platforms on RA-PURE integration
3. Number of joint initiatives developed (pilots) by multiple system actors to support the early scaling of RA-PURE practices
4. Number of joint initiatives implemented (wide scale expansion) by multiple system actors to address key barriers to scaling RA-PURE solutions
5. Number of RA-PURE products or services adapted by system actors
6. Number of farmers and agribusinesses adopting RA-PURE innovations and practices, including accessing RA-PURE services
7. Number of awareness, demonstration and promotional activities implemented by system actors to convince others like them to adapt their services and products in line with the RA-PURE nexus
8. Number of inclusive evidence-based advocacy initiatives influencing policies on RA-PURE integration
9. of farmers and agribusinesses adopting RA-PURE innovations and practices, including accessing RA-PURE services
10. Number of individuals (champions) who actively try to convince others to adjust their practice in line with RA-PURE objectives. 
11. Value and type of investments leveraged to support RA PURE initiatives
12. Number of policies, strategies, or regulatory frameworks integrating RA-PURE nexus principles.

4.1 Detailed Scope of Work and Deliverables

The consultant will lead the implementation of a baseline assessment in consultation with the Rwanda Power for Food team. The Power of Food Partnership envisions several key processes to be undertaken by the consultant during the baseline assessment, resulting in a number of key deliverables and results. These services and deliverables are presented in the table below. The timeframes provided are indicative and will be finalised and agreed with the selected supplier during the inception phase.

Table 1: Consultancy milestones, detailed process and deliverables and indicative timeframe.

5. Roles and responsibilities

The SNV MEL team leads on the design of the baseline methodology, including KII and FGD interview guides, to ensure consistency across the four implementing countries. The consultant is asked to provide feedback with a focus on contextualising the guides to the local setting.

The consultant will lead the data collection, analysis and reporting of the baseline in consultation with SNV team. The main points of contact will be the in-country MEL Advisor. 

6. Required Skills and Expertise

We are looking for a consultant/consultancy firm with demonstrable experience of carrying out qualitative, participatory data collection methodologies in complex systems. The ideal candidate has the following experience and expertise:

• Demonstrates deep understanding of agri-energy context, including Regenerative Agriculture, Productive Use of Renewable Energy (RA–PURE) as separate and integrated systems.
• Demonstrates personal network and familiarity with the agri-energy sector
• Good understanding of the country’s policy environment around agriculture and energy. 
• Proven experience designing and facilitating participatory assessments, including FGDs and KIIs.
• Strong qualitative research and data collection skills, including experience designing and facilitating Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and other participatory research approaches.
• Stakeholder engagement and facilitation – Demonstrates strong professional experience and established working relationships with key actors in Rwanda’s agriculture and energy sectors such as government farmers, financial institutions, private sector, etc. It is recommended to have a solid understanding of the country’s agro-energy landscape and stakeholder ecosystem
• Project coordination – ability to manage timelines, collaborate with country teams, and deliver within programme realities
• Strong analytical and report-writing skills in English, including the ability to triangulate findings from multiple data sources. 
• Strong knowledge of Kinyarwanda. 

7. Proposal Process and Deadline

The proposal should not exceed 7 pages (excluding annexes) and should follow the below outline: 

Proposals will be evaluated based on the understanding of the assignment, the track record and expertise of the consultancy team, the relevance and quality of the technical proposal, Team composition and the cost-effectiveness of the financial proposal. The selection of the consulting firm will follow a quality and cost-based evaluation approach. Proposals will be assessed based on their technical quality (70%) and financial competitiveness (30%). The below table will be used to score the received proposals:

8. Submission requirements

Applicants are required to submit a technical and financial proposal by Friday 5 June 23:59 2026 to rwandaprocurement@snv.org, with the subject “Proposal for MEL PHI baseline consultancy”.

• Technical proposal as per the criteria set under Section 7.

• Financial proposal (budget breakdown in RWF).

• Profiles and CVs of proposed team members.

• Evidence of relevant assignments (at least 3 references).

For any queries, please contact rwandaprocurement@snv.org not later than Monday 01 June 2026, with the subject “Query - MEL PHI baseline consultancy”.

ANNEX 1: Type of Actors/ stakeholders in the Power for Food RA PURE Nexus ecosystem