TERMS OF REFERENCE

Consultancy to Develop a Procedure Manual for Kigali Public Library

1. Background

Kigali Public Library (KPL) is a public library serving communities in Rwanda through access to books, information, learning opportunities, literacy programs, educational activities, partnerships, and community-based library services. KPL also implements a range of programs and projects in collaboration with government institutions, development partners, foundations, schools, private-sector organizations, and other stakeholders.

As KPL continues to grow and expand its services, programs, partnerships, and institutional responsibilities, there is a need to strengthen its internal systems and establish clear, consistent, documented, and efficient procedures for the management and delivery of its operations.

A number of KPL processes are currently guided by institutional policies, donor requirements, established practices, staff experience, and informal workflows. While these practices have enabled KPL to operate effectively, reliance on individual knowledge and informal processes can create risks related to institutional continuity, accountability, role clarity, efficiency, quality assurance, and staff transitions.

KPL therefore intends to develop a comprehensive Procedure Manual that will serve as a practical operational reference for management and staff.

The consultancy is not intended merely to document existing practices. It will also assess whether existing processes are appropriate, efficient, adequately controlled, clearly assigned, and aligned with KPL’s current and future institutional needs.

The consultant will therefore be expected to identify gaps, duplication, unnecessary approval layers, unclear responsibilities, operational bottlenecks, and opportunities for process improvement before developing the final procedures.

The resulting Procedure Manual should support KPL’s institutional growth, professionalization, accountability, operational efficiency, knowledge retention, staff development, and continuity.

2. Purpose of the Consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to undertake an institutional process review and develop a comprehensive, practical, user-friendly, and sustainable Procedure Manual for Kigali Public Library.

The Manual will establish standardized procedures for KPL’s core operations and clearly define:

• What needs to be done;
• Who is responsible;
• Who reviews and approves;
• When an action should take place;
• What documentation is required;
• What controls should apply;
• What happens when an issue or exception occurs;
• How information is reported and retained.

The consultancy will also establish a practical framework for delegation of authority, process ownership, standard operating procedures, documentation, workflow management, and periodic review of institutional procedures.

3. Specific Objectives

The consultancy will:

1. Review KPL’s existing policies, procedures, organizational structure, workflows, forms, systems, and operational practices.
2. Map key institutional processes from initiation to completion.
3. Identify gaps, duplication, inefficiencies, bottlenecks, unclear responsibilities, and operational risks.
4. Assess whether existing approval and authorization processes are proportionate and efficient.
5. Establish clear process ownership and accountability.
6. Develop standardized Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for key institutional processes.
7. Develop a clear Delegation of Authority and Approval Matrix.
8. Develop practical workflow diagrams and process maps for major cross-functional processes.
9. Develop or standardize forms, templates, checklists, registers, and other tools required to implement the procedures.
10. Strengthen segregation of duties and internal controls while avoiding unnecessary bureaucracy.
11. Ensure procedures are consistent with KPL’s policies, governance arrangements, strategic objectives, applicable Rwandan laws and regulations, and relevant good practice.
12. Strengthen institutional knowledge management and continuity by reducing reliance on individual staff knowledge.
13. Establish a mechanism for periodic review, amendment, approval, and version control of the Procedure Manual.
14. Provide staff orientation and practical guidance on implementation of the Manual.

4. Guiding Principles

The consultancy and resulting Procedure Manual should be guided by the following principles:

4.1 Practicality

Procedures should reflect KPL’s actual operational environment and capacity and should be practical for staff to implement.

4.2 Clarity

Every major process should clearly indicate the responsible person, reviewer, approver, required documentation, timelines, and expected output.

4.3 Efficiency

Procedures should eliminate unnecessary duplication, delays, and approval layers while maintaining appropriate controls.

4.4 Accountability

Each process should have a clearly identified owner and defined accountability mechanisms.

4.5 Risk-Based Controls

Controls should be proportionate to the level of financial, operational, reputational, safeguarding, or compliance risk.

4.6 Institutional Continuity

Procedures should enable KPL to maintain continuity when staff are absent, transferred, promoted, or leave the institution.

4.7 User-Friendliness

The Manual should be easy for both experienced and newly recruited staff to understand and use.

4.8 Continuous Improvement

The Manual should be treated as a living institutional document that can be reviewed and updated as KPL’s structure, systems, programs, technology, and operating environment evolve.

5. Scope of the Consultancy

The consultancy will cover all major institutional functions and, importantly, the intersections between departments and functions.

5.1 Governance and Institutional Management

The consultant will review and document:

• Governance and decision-making processes;
• Roles and responsibilities of the Board, management, and staff;
• Delegation of authority;
• Approval and authorization processes;
• Management meetings and decision documentation;
• Acting arrangements;
• Handover procedures;
• Conflict of interest;
• Institutional records and document management;
• Internal communication and reporting;
• Escalation and exception management.

5.2 Human Resources and Staff Administration

Procedures should cover:

• Recruitment;
• Selection and approval;
• Onboarding;
• Staff induction;
• Personnel records;
• Leave and attendance;
• Performance management;
• Training and staff development;
• Staff reassignment and acting responsibilities;
• Staff conduct;
• Disciplinary processes;
• Grievances and complaints;
• Staff separation;
• Exit interviews;
• Handover;
• Management of interns, volunteers, consultants, and temporary staff.

5.3 Library and Information Services

Procedures should cover:

• Membership registration;
• User orientation;
• Borrowing and circulation;
• Returns and overdue materials;
• Lost and damaged materials;
• Collection development;
• Acquisition and receiving;
• Cataloguing and classification;
• Shelving;
• Inventory and stocktaking;
• Digital resources;
• Koha Library Management System;
• User complaints;
• Accessibility and inclusive services;
• Management of community libraries;
• Library outreach services.

5.4 Programs and Events

Procedures should cover the full program lifecycle:

Idea → Proposal → Approval → Budgeting → Planning → Implementation → Monitoring → Reporting → Evaluation → Documentation → Closure

This should include:

• Program identification;
• Concept development;
• Internal approval;
• Budget preparation;
• Partner coordination;
• Facilitator engagement;
• Participant registration;
• Logistics;
• Procurement;
• Communications;
• Child safeguarding;
• Photography and consent;
• Event implementation;
• Monitoring;
• Evaluation;
• Reporting;
• Documentation and archiving.

The consultant should pay particular attention to major KPL programs, competitions, literacy initiatives, summer programs, seminars, community outreach activities, and other large-scale events.

5.5 Partnerships and Resource Mobilization

Procedures should cover:

• Partner identification;
• Due diligence;
• Partnership assessment;
• Partnership approval;
• Proposal development;
• Sponsorship;
• Grant applications;
• MoUs and agreements;
• Partner deliverables;
• Partner visibility;
• Reporting;
• In-kind contributions;
• Partnership monitoring;
• Partnership evaluation and closure.

5.6 Finance

Procedures should cover:

• Budget preparation;
• Budget approval;
• Budget monitoring;
• Payment requests;
• Advances;
• Accountability;
• Petty cash;
• Bank transactions;
• Financial reporting;
• Funds utilization report
• Budget reallocations;
• Supporting documentation;
• Project/donor financial reporting;
• Financial approvals;
• Segregation of duties;
• Financial record keeping.

The consultant should ensure that finance procedures are properly linked to procurement, programs, partnerships, and management approval processes.

5.7 Procurement and Logistics

Procedures should cover:

• Procurement planning;
• Requisitions;
• Quotations;
• Supplier selection;
• Purchase orders;
• Contracting;
• Goods/services receipt;
• Verification;
• Payment;
• Supplier management;
• Asset management;
• Inventory;
• Transport;
• Vehicle use;
• Travel and missions;
• Event logistics.

5.8 Communications and Public Relations

Procedures should cover:

• Internal communication;
• External communication;
• Media engagement;
• Social media;
• Content approval;
• Photography and video;
• Branding;
• Partner visibility;
• Public statements;
• Crisis communication;
• Website and digital communication;
• Confidential information.

5.9 Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Learning

Procedures should cover:

• Data collection;
• Data verification;
• Program monitoring;
• Indicators;
• Reporting;
• Donor reporting;
• Management reporting;
• Program evaluation;
• Lessons learned;
• Institutional learning;
• Data storage and archiving.

5.10 Risk Management, Safeguarding and Compliance

Procedures should cover:

• Risk identification;
• Risk reporting;
• Incident management;
• Child safeguarding;
• Protection of vulnerable users;
• Health and safety;
• Data protection;
• Fraud and misconduct reporting;
• Whistleblowing;
• Conflict of interest;
• Complaints management;
• Emergency response;
• Business continuity;
• Compliance.

6. Cross-Functional Process Review

A critical component of this consultancy will be the assessment of processes that involve multiple departments or functions.

The consultant should specifically map and assess processes such as:

Program → Finance → Procurement

For example:

Program request → budget confirmation → procurement requisition → quotations → approval → purchase → delivery → payment → accountability

Partnership → Program → Finance

For example:

Partner identification → due diligence → proposal → approval → agreement → implementation → partner reporting → financial accountability

Event → Procurement → Communications → Finance

For example:

Event concept → approval → budget → procurement → communications → implementation → documentation → payment → reporting

HR → Management → Finance

For example:

Recruitment → approval → appointment → onboarding → payroll → performance management → training → exit

Library → Finance → Procurement

For example:

Collection need → acquisition request → budget confirmation → procurement → receipt → cataloguing → shelving → inventory

The consultant should identify where these interfaces create delays, duplication, unclear responsibilities, or accountability gaps and recommend improved workflows.

7. Required Core Outputs

In addition to the final Procedure Manual, the consultant shall produce the following institutional tools:

7.1. Institutional Process Map

A high-level map showing KPL’s major institutional processes and how they interact.

The map should identify:

• Core processes;
• Supporting processes;
• Management processes;
• Process owners;
• Key dependencies.

7.2. Detailed Process Maps

Detailed workflow diagrams should be developed for key processes.

Each process map should show:

• Starting point;
• Responsible person;
• Activity;
• Decision point;
• Approval;
• Documentation;
• Output;
• Next person responsible
• Escalation point;
• End point.

7.3. Delegation of Authority and Approval Matrix

The consultant shall develop a clear matrix showing who has authority to:

• Initiate;
• Review;
• Recommend;
• Approve;
• Authorize;
• Execute;
• Verify;
• Monitor;
• Report.

The matrix should cover, at minimum:

• Financial transactions;
• Procurement;
• HR decisions;
• Partnerships;
• Program activities;
• Communications;
• Contracts;
• Asset management;
• Travel and missions;
• Emergency decisions.

The matrix should clearly distinguish between responsibility and approval authority to avoid situations where staff assume that performing an activity automatically gives them authority to approve it.

8. Standard Operating Procedures

For each major process, the consultant shall develop a Standard Operating Procedure containing, where applicable:

1. Procedure title;
2. Purpose;
3. Scope;
4. Process owner;
5. Responsible staff;
6. Definitions;
7. Inputs;
8. Required documents;
9. Step-by-step procedure;
10. Approval requirements;
11. Timelines;
12. Internal controls;
13. Risks;
14. Escalation procedures;
15. Exceptions;
16. Outputs;
17. Records to be retained;
18. Related policies;
19. Relevant forms/templates.

9. Forms, Templates and Operational Tools

The consultant should identify all documents required to operationalize the procedures and develop or standardize them where necessary.

These may include:

• Request forms;
• Approval forms;
• Procurement requisitions;
• Event planning checklists;
• Program proposal templates;
• Partner assessment forms;
• Handover templates;
• Staff onboarding checklists;
• Exit checklists;
• Asset handover forms;
• Incident reporting forms;
• Risk registers;
• Meeting templates;
• Reporting templates;
• Evaluation forms;
• Procurement evaluation tools;
• Travel request forms;
• Accountability templates;
• Document control registers;
• Process checklists.

The objective is that staff should not only know what procedure to follow, but also have the correct tool to execute it.

10. Institutional Document and Records Management

The consultant shall establish procedures for:

• Document creation;
• Document review;
• Document approval;
• Version control;
• File naming;
• Physical and electronic filing;
• Access rights;
• Confidential records;
• Records retention;
• Archiving;
• Disposal;
• Handover of institutional records.

11. Risk and Internal Control Assessment

As part of the process review, the consultant should identify key operational risks associated with major processes.

For each significant process, the consultant should consider:

Area	Key Question
Financial risk	Could the process result in financial loss or misuse?
Operational risk	Could the process cause delays or service disruption?
Compliance risk	Could the process result in non-compliance?
Reputational risk	Could the process damage KPL’s reputation?
Safeguarding risk	Could users, particularly children or vulnerable persons, be exposed to harm?
Information risk	Could sensitive information be lost or improperly disclosed?
Continuity risk	Would the process stop if one staff member were unavailable?

The final procedures should incorporate proportionate controls to address identified risks.

12. Institutional Continuity and Handover

The Manual should specifically address continuity of operations when:

• A staff member is on leave;
• A staff member is transferred;
• A staff member resigns;
• A staff member is promoted;
• A staff member is acting in another position;
• A new employee joins;
• A key person is temporarily unavailable.

The consultant should develop standardized handover procedures and templates for key positions and responsibilities.

The Manual should ensure that institutional knowledge belongs to KPL and is not retained solely by individual staff members.

13. Review of Existing Processes Before Standardization

The consultant should not automatically formalize every existing practice.

For each major process, the consultant should assess:

Does the current process need to be:

• Retained;
• Simplified;
• Combined;
• Redesigned;
• Digitized;
• Delegated;
• Eliminated; or
• Strengthened with additional controls?

This assessment should form part of the gap analysis.

The consultant should specifically identify procedures that create unnecessary administrative burdens or delays and recommend more efficient alternatives.

14. Procedure Manual Structure

The final Manual should, at minimum, include:

1. Cover Page
2. Document Control
3. Approval and Authorization
4. Revision History
5. Table of Contents
6. Introduction
7. Purpose and Scope
8. Definitions and Acronyms
9. Institutional Structure
10. Roles and Responsibilities
11. Delegation of Authority
12. General Administrative Procedures
13. HR Procedures
14. Library Services Procedures
15. Programs and Events Procedures
16. Partnerships and Resource Mobilization Procedures
17. Finance Procedures
18. Procurement and Logistics Procedures
19. Communications Procedures
20. Monitoring and Reporting Procedures
21. Risk Management Procedures
22. Safeguarding Procedures
23. Records Management Procedures
24. Emergency and Business Continuity Procedures
25. Cross-Functional Workflows
26. Standard Operating Procedures
27. Forms and Templates
28. Review and Amendment Procedures
29. Annexes

15. Document Control and Version Management

The consultant shall establish a document control system that includes:

• Manual version number;
• Effective date;
• Approval date;
• Approving authority;
• Review date;
• Responsible custodian;
• Revision history;
• Procedure owner;
• Distribution/access arrangements.

Each major procedure should have its own review date where appropriate.

16. Review and Updating Mechanism

The consultant shall develop a formal mechanism for reviewing and updating the Procedure Manual.

The recommended approach is:

Annual Review

KPL should conduct a formal review of the Manual at least once every year.

Trigger-Based Review

A procedure should also be reviewed when there is:

• A significant organizational restructuring;
• A change in applicable law or regulation;
• A major change in technology or systems;
• Introduction of a new service;
• Significant operational risk or incident;
• Change in financial controls;
• Change in donor requirements;
• Significant change in KPL’s strategic direction.

Ownership

KPL should designate a Procedure Manual Custodian responsible for:

• Maintaining the master version;
• Coordinating revisions;
• Maintaining the revision history;
• Ensuring approved changes are communicated;
• Ensuring obsolete versions are removed from active use.

17. Change Management and Staff Adoption

The consultant should recognize that the effectiveness of the Manual will depend on staff adoption.

The assignment should therefore include:

• Staff consultation;
• Validation workshops;
• Explanation of changes;
• Staff orientation;
• Practical demonstrations;
• Q&A sessions;
• Guidance on where staff can access the Manual;
• Recommendations for incorporating procedures into staff induction and performance management.

Where significant changes to existing practices are proposed, the consultant should clearly explain the rationale and expected benefits.

18. Deliverables

The consultant will provide the following deliverables:

Deliverable 1 – Inception Report

Including:

• Understanding of the assignment;
• Methodology;
• Work plan;
• Stakeholder consultation plan;
• Proposed Manual structure;
• Information requirements.

Deliverable 2 – Institutional Process Assessment and Gap Analysis

Including:

• Existing processes;
• Process owners;
• Key gaps;
• Risks;
• Bottlenecks;
• Duplication;
• Unclear responsibilities;
• Approval issues;
• Recommendations for process improvement.

Deliverable 3 – Institutional Process Map

A high-level map of KPL’s core and supporting processes.

Deliverable 4 – Detailed Process Maps

Workflow diagrams for priority institutional processes.

Deliverable 5 – Delegation of Authority and Approval Matrix

A comprehensive matrix defining authority, responsibility, review, recommendation, approval, execution, and monitoring roles.

Deliverable 6 – Draft Procedure Manual

A comprehensive draft covering all agreed institutional functions.

Deliverable 7 – SOPs and Operational Tools

A package of standardized:

• SOPs;
• Forms;
• Templates;
• Checklists;
• Registers;
• Workflow diagrams;
• Reporting tools.

Deliverable 8 – Validation Workshop

A facilitated workshop with KPL management and relevant staff.

Deliverable 9 – Final Procedure Manual

A professionally formatted and validated Manual incorporating all agreed feedback.

Deliverable 10 – Staff Orientation

A practical orientation session for KPL staff.

Deliverable 11 – Implementation and Review Framework

A short implementation plan setting out:

• Priority procedures;
• Responsible persons;
• Implementation timeline;
• Staff orientation needs;
• Review mechanism;
• Procedure ownership;
• Recommended monitoring arrangements.

19. Expected Outcomes

At the end of the consultancy, KPL should have:

1. A comprehensive and approved Procedure Manual.
2. Clearly documented institutional processes.
3. Clearly assigned process ownership.
4. A practical Delegation of Authority and Approval Matrix.
5. Standardized SOPs for key functions.
6. Clear cross-functional workflows.
7. Standardized forms and operational templates.
8. Stronger segregation of duties and internal controls.
9. Reduced dependence on individual staff knowledge.
10. Improved institutional continuity.
11. Reduced unnecessary approval layers and operational bottlenecks.
12. Better coordination between programs, finance, procurement, communications, HR, library services, and partnerships.
13. Improved accountability and documentation.
14. A structured mechanism for updating institutional procedures.
15. Staff who understand and can practically apply the procedures.

20. Expected Standard of the Final Manual

The final Procedure Manual should be:

Comprehensive but not unnecessarily lengthy.

It should provide sufficient detail for a staff member who is new to a particular responsibility to understand what needs to be done, while avoiding unnecessary administrative complexity.

The consultant should therefore prioritize:

• Clarity over technical language;
• Practicality over theory;
• Process efficiency over excessive controls;
• Accountability over bureaucracy;
• Standardization over individual practice;
• Institutional knowledge over individual dependency.

The Manual should ultimately answer five questions for every major process:

Who does it?
What do they do?
How do they do it?
Who approves or verifies it?

What evidence or documentation is retained?

21. Consultancy Duration

The consultancy is expected to be completed within approximately 4–6 weeks, subject to the consultant’s proposed methodology and KPL’s availability for consultations and validation.

An indicative schedule is:

Phase	Activity	Indicative Duration
1	Inception and document review	3–5 days
2	Staff consultations and process assessment	5–7 days
3	Process mapping and gap analysis	3–5 days
4	Drafting SOPs and Procedure Manual	7–10 days
5	Internal review	2–3 days
6	Validation workshop	1–2 days
7	Finalization	3–5 days
8	Staff orientation and handover	1 day

22. Consultant Qualifications

The consultant/firm should demonstrate:

• An advanced degree in Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, Organizational Development, Operations Management, Library and Information Science, or a related discipline.
• At least 7 years of relevant professional experience.
• Demonstrated experience developing institutional procedure manuals, SOPs, operational manuals, or organizational systems.
• Experience in process mapping and business process improvement.
• Experience developing delegation of authority frameworks and internal controls.
• Experience developing forms, templates, workflow diagrams, and operational tools.
• Experience working with NGOs, public institutions, educational institutions, libraries, or development organizations is an advantage.
• Strong understanding of organizational governance, risk management, accountability, and change management.
• Strong facilitation, analytical, writing, and communication skills.

Experience with organizations that operate through multiple programs, partnerships, donors, community services, and decentralized operations will be considered an added advantage.

23. Proposal Requirements

Interested consultants/firms should submit:

Technical Proposal

• Understanding of the assignment;
• Proposed methodology;
• Proposed approach;
• Detailed work plan;
• Proposed timeline;
• Description of relevant experience;
• At least three relevant references;
• CVs of key personnel;
• Examples of similar assignments, where available;
• Proposed approach to staff consultation and change management.

Financial Proposal

The financial proposal should clearly indicate:

• Professional fees;
• Applicable taxes;
• Facilitation/workshop costs;
• Travel and other relevant expenses;
• Any other consultancy-related costs;
• Total cost.

24. Evaluation Criteria

Criteria	Weight
Understanding of the assignment	15%
Methodology and approach	20%
Relevant institutional/process improvement experience	20%
Qualifications and experience of key personnel	15%
Quality and relevance of previous similar assignments	10%
Financial proposal	20%
Total	100%

KPL may invite shortlisted consultants to make a presentation or participate in an interview before final selection.

25. Reporting and Coordination

The consultant will report to the Director and will work closely with relevant KPL staff.

KPL will designate a focal person to coordinate:

• Access to institutional documents;
• Staff consultations;
• Meetings;
• Feedback;
• Validation;
• Approval of deliverables.

The consultant will be expected to maintain regular communication with KPL throughout the assignment.

26. Confidentiality and Ownership

All information, documents, processes, data, templates, and institutional materials shared by KPL shall be treated as confidential.

The consultant shall not disclose or use KPL information for any purpose other than the assignment without prior written authorization.

All materials and deliverables developed under this consultancy shall remain the property of Kigali Public Library.

27. Submission Method

All proposals should be submitted in hard copy in a sealed envelope to the KPL Reception Desk, Monday to Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., no later than September 30, 2026.