REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

Provision of Translation Services

RFQ Number: 008/TCPA/2026

Date: June 10, 2026

Terms of Reference

Provision of Translation Services

1. Background

The Commons Project Foundation, Africa (TCP Africa) is a regional initiative based in Kigali and operating across Africa, aiming to advance a person-centered model of healthcare by digitizing health records, empowering individuals to securely manage and share their data, and collaborating with partners such as Africa CDC and the Mastercard Foundation to expand access, improve outcomes, and create digital health jobs.

The KoraLink Program is a bold initiative designed to harness the tech-savvy energy of young people in Africa and revolutionize health in their communities. The program seeks to support and inspire a movement of young changemakers to serve as digital agents who sell health products and other services to their communities. Using digital innovation and enterprising spirit, the program places young people at the heart of health transformation, building a future-ready workforce committed to inclusive, equitable and sustainable health systems.

The program targets financially disadvantaged young people aged 18–35, particularly women, residing in rural and urban areas, who are often without full-time employment, with strong community ties, a high school or higher education, eager to acquire entrepreneurial digital skills, and are ready to work as sales agents to expand access to essential products and services, and transform health access and outcomes across Rwanda.

The KoraLink Program deploys a range of communications, learning, and program materials, including training manuals, e-learning modules, agent guides, website content, video scripts, audio content, program flyers, and various SBCC materials, and public communications, that must be accessible to agents, community members, and program stakeholders in Kinyarwanda. Accurate, contextually appropriate, and technically sound translation is essential to program quality, agent performance, and participant safety. TCP Africa will retain a professional translation service provider for a 12-month period, with the possibility of renewal based on performance and budget availability.

2. Objectives

TCP Africa seeks to engage a professional translation service provider on a retainer basis to translate program materials primarily from English to Kinyarwanda, and from Kinyarwanda to English where required, across the KoraLink Program and TCP Africa's wider organizational needs. The selected provider will:

• Deliver accurate, fluent, and culturally appropriate translations of a diverse range of program materials into Kinyarwanda (and French where required).
• Ensure all translated materials are technically sound, reflecting correct usage of health, digital health, and entrepreneurship terminology in Kinyarwanda.
• Develop and maintain a KoraLink Programme Terminology Glossary (English–Kinyarwanda) to ensure consistency across all materials over the contract period.
• Deliver time-coded subtitle files for video content and appropriately formatted translations for audio and e-learning content.
• Respond to ad hoc and urgent translation requests as required during the contract period.
• Provide interpretation services for program events and meetings, where requested (optional add-on).

This is a retainer-based engagement. Translation assignments will be issued and completed on a need basis, and only work formally assigned and delivered will be compensated.

3. Scope of Work

The selected provider will deliver translation services covering the following material types and language directions. All assignments will be issued via formal translation briefs by TCP Africa, specifying the document, turnaround time, and any specific terminology or register requirements.

The above list is indicative and not exhaustive. TCP Africa reserves the right to request translations of additional material types of a similar nature during the contract period.

Service Quality Standards

All translation services provided under this engagement must meet the following quality standards:

• Subject matter expertise: All assigned translators must demonstrate familiarity with the health sector and/or digital and entrepreneurship sectors and youth programming. TCP Africa may request translator profiles for specialist assignments.
• Revision rounds: Each assignment includes a minimum of two (2) revision rounds at no additional cost. Revisions will be submitted by TCP Africa within an agreed review window.
• Quality assurance process: All translations must undergo a minimum two-step process: translation by a qualified translator followed by independent editing/proofreading by a second qualified reviewer. The provider must describe their internal quality assurance workflow in the technical proposal.
• Back-translation: For training materials, health content, and other high-stakes documents, TCP Africa may request back-translation (Kinyarwanda → English) as a quality check. This will be requested per assignment and quoted separately if not included in standard rates.
• Glossary development and maintenance: Within 60 days of contract commencement, the selected provider will develop a KoraLink Programme Terminology Glossary (English–Kinyarwanda) covering key program, health, digital, and entrepreneurship terms. The glossary will be updated quarterly or as significant new terminology is introduced.
• Confidentiality: All program materials, participant information, and program data must be handled with strict confidentiality. Translators must not share, publish, or retain copies of TCP Africa materials without prior written authorization.

4. Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Specific items, quantities, specifications, and delivery deadlines will be outlined in individual purchase orders issued by TCP Africa for each engagement.

5. Pricing Structure

TCP Africa requires both a per-word rate and a per-page rate for all relevant service types, as the most appropriate billing unit varies by content type. Providers must complete the pricing table below in the financial proposal. All rates must be quoted in Rwandan Francs (RWF) and inclusive of all taxes and duties.

Providers are encouraged to indicate any volume discount structures available for high-volume or sustained translation work. All rates will be fixed for the duration of the 12-month contract, subject to written agreement from both parties.

6. Areas of Operation

TCP Africa's offices are in Kigali. Translation services are primarily delivered remotely. The selected provider must be able to receive source materials and deliver translated outputs electronically via Google Drive, email, or another agreed platform. In-person interpretation services may be required at events, and meetings in Kigali and, occasionally, in field locations across Rwanda where the program is operational – in 30 districts.

7. Duration of the Work

This is a retainer-based engagement for 12 months, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and budget availability. Translation assignments will be issued on a need basis and only work formally assigned and delivered will be compensated.

8. Institutional Arrangement

• The selected provider will report to the Brand Design and Communications Lead at TCP Africa for all communications and program materials translation assignments.
• For e-learning content and training material assignments, the selected provider will also liaise with the Learning Management and Instructional Design Lead.
• All translation assignments will be issued by TCP Africa via a formal translation brief. No work should commence without a formal written assignment.
• Translated documents must be submitted via Google Drive or other agreed platform within the turnaround time specified in the assignment brief.
• The selected provider will submit a brief quality confirmation note with each delivery, confirming that the internal review process has been completed.
• The selected provider will be expected to liaise and coordinate with TCP Africa team members and, where relevant, with partners such as SFH Rwanda and the Rwanda ICT Chamber.
• The selected provider will be expected to use its own equipment, translation tools, and software to deliver the above.

9. Required Expertise and Experience

Company Requirements:

• A minimum of 5 years of demonstrated experience providing professional translation services, preferably to international organizations, NGOs, development-sector program, or comparable institutional clients.
• Demonstrated specialization in or strong familiarity with the health sector and/or digital and entrepreneurship sectors in the English–Kinyarwanda and French language pair.
• Registered business or individual professional translator with valid operating credentials as applicable.

Experience

• Proven ability to translate a broad range of content types, including technical training materials, health communications, e-learning scripts, video subtitles, audio scripts, programme reports, and public communications.
• Experience working with institutional clients on glossary development, terminology management, and translation consistency across large programmes.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent assignments and respond to urgent translation requests.
• Excellent communication and coordination skills with the ability to work effectively with TCP Africa's programme teams.

Language Skills:

• Native or near-native Kinyarwanda language proficiency.
• High professional proficiency in written and spoken English.
• French language capability is an advantage, particularly for regional and partner-facing materials.

Accessibility Competence: 

• Experience producing translations accessible to low-literacy audiences (for participant-facing materials) is an advantage.

• Familiarity with inclusive language practices relevant to health and development programming is an advantage.

10. Proposal Requirements

• Company or individual profile and overview of translation capabilities and capacity, with at least three (3) professional references from relevant institutional or NGO clients.
• CVs of lead translators and editors who will be assigned to this engagement, including language qualifications and sector experience.
• Sample translations: at least two (2) samples of previous translation work in the English–Kinyarwanda language pair, covering different content types (e.g., health communications and a training/technical document).
• Description of quality assurance workflow, including the review and revision process for each translation assignment.
• Proposed approach to turnaround time management, including how urgent requests are handled.
• Proposed approach to glossary development, including draft structure and maintenance plan.
• Description of confidentiality and data protection protocols for handling TCP Africa programme materials.
• Indication of interpretation service availability and capacity, if applicable (optional add-on).

Financial Proposal

The financial proposal should include:

• Completed pricing table (see Section 5) with unit rates in Rwandan Francs (RWF) for all applicable service types, presented both per word and per page (A4, approximately 250 words) where relevant.
• Indication of volume discount structures, if applicable.
• Indication of express/urgent delivery surcharge policy.
• All rates inclusive of all taxes and duties.

11. Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated using a cumulative analysis model. Only proposals that are responsive, compliant, and complete will be evaluated. Proposal weights are:

• Technical Criteria Weight: 70%
• Financial Criteria Weight: 30%

translation assignments involve participant

12. Intellectual Property and Usage Rights

All translated materials produced under this engagement shall be the exclusive property of the KoraLink Program and TCP Africa. The selected provider may not use, publish, reproduce, or share any translated materials produced under this contract without prior written authorization from TCP Africa.

13. Confidentiality

The selected provider must adhere to TCP Africa's data protection and confidentiality protocols. All programme materials, participant information, and programme data shared for translation purposes must be handled with strict confidentiality. The selected provider shall not share, retain, or disclose any TCP Africa materials or programme information to third parties without prior written authorisation. Where -facing documents or any materials containing personal data, translators must operate in compliance with applicable data protection regulations.

14. Intellectual Property and Usage Rights

All printed and branded materials produced under this engagement — including artwork files, design adaptations, and production outputs — shall reflect the intellectual property of TCP Africa and the KoraLink Program. The selected provider may not use, reproduce, publish, or share any TCP Africa or KoraLink branded materials for its own promotional purposes without prior written authorization from TCP Africa.

15. Confidentiality and Participant Consent

The selected company must adhere to TCP Africa’s participant consent and data protection protocols. All photography, videography, and visual content involving programparticipants must be conducted with informed consent, provided by the programin the assignment brief. The company must handle all materials, participant information, and program data with strict confidentiality.

16. Submission of Proposal

Interested firms are invited to submit electronically via email to procurement@thecommonsproject.org no later than June18, 2026 by 5pm a technical and financial proposals including relevant experience, proposed methodology, and cv. The selection will be based on technical competence, understanding of the assignment, proposed methodology, relevant experience, and cost-effectiveness.Proposal reviews begin immediately. For best consideration, please submit as early as possible.

15. Equal Opportunity Employer

TCP Africa is an equal opportunity employer. We value a workplace that is diverse in terms of gender, race, class, age, geographic origin, sexual orientation, and other differences that enrich our society. We encourage offerors from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law, and those who may not meet every requirement listed in the scope of work.

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