TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF FIVE YEARS’ ORGANISATIONAL STRATEGIC PLAN (2026-2030)

1. ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND 

Caritas Gikongoro is a service of Gikongoro Catholic Diocese created in 1993 with the mission of assisting all people in need (poor, vulnerable, oppressed people) by improving their livelihood, improving their health, promoting social and charitable works, as well as promoting a culture of justice and peace. The vision of Caritas Gikongoro is to “Promote the human dignity according to the evangelical values such as mutual love, solidarity, transparency, honesty, justice, truth, complementarity and charity”; while its mission is “to assist people in need (poor, vulnerable and oppressed) by increasing their income, health improvement, accomplishment of social and charitable actions and promoting the culture of peace”.

To achieve this vision and mission, Caritas Gikongoro operates through three main departments such as “social department, Health department, and lastly Development department. Apart from those departments, Caritas Gikongoro collaborates with other diocesan services and commissions such as Economat General Gikongoro, Catholic schools Representation, Justice, and Peace Commission (CDJP) through different joint interventions. Gikongoro Diocese covers the districts of Nyamagabe and Nyaruguru plus a portion of Nyanza and Huye in Southern province and Karongi in Western province.

2. RATIONALE

Caritas Gikongoro intends to develop a new Five-years Organizational Strategic Plan for 2026-2030 to strengthen its institutional direction and respond effectively to emerging community needs and development priorities. The Strategic Plan will provide a clear framework for guiding programs, partnerships, resource mobilization, institutional development, monitoring, evaluation, learning, and sustainability during the five-year period.

3. OBJECTIVES OF THE ACTIVITY

This section outlines the overall and specific objectives that will guide the development of the Five-year Organizational Strategic Plan for Caritas Gikongoro. 

3.1. Overall objective

The overall objective of this activity is to facilitate a participatory process for the development of a comprehensive, realistic, and results-oriented five-Year Strategic Plan for Caritas Gikongoro.

3.2. Specific objectives

1. To assess the current organizational capacity, performance, programs, and operating context of Caritas Gikongoro;
2. To review the achievements, challenges, lessons learned, and recommendations from the previous strategic period;
3. To consult key internal and external stakeholders, partners, beneficiaries, and other relevant actors on the organization’s strategic direction;
4. To identify strategic priorities, opportunities, risks, emerging community needs, and development challenges that should inform the 2026-2030 Strategic Plan;
5. To review and, where necessary, refine the organization’s vision, mission, strategic objectives, priorities, and implementation approaches; 
6. To develop a results framework with clear, measurable, and appropriate indicators for monitoring the implementation of the Strategic Plan;
7. To propose practical strategies for resource mobilization, partnership development, institutional strengthening, organizational sustainability, and Programs effectiveness;
8. To develop a realistic implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and learning framework for the 2026-2030 Strategic Plan.

4. TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CONSULTANT 

The selected consultant or consultancy firm shall be responsible for the following tasks:

1. Prepare an inception report and a detailed work plan outlining the proposed methodology, activities, timelines, and deliverables;
2. Review relevant organizational documents, reports, policies, and previous strategic plans to inform the strategic planning process;
3. Conduct consultations with Caritas Gikongoro management, staff, beneficiaries, local authorities, Church leaders, development partners, and other relevant stakeholders;
4. Undertake an organizational and situational analysis using appropriate analytical tools to assess the organization’s current context, capacities, challenges, opportunities, and strategic needs;
5. Facilitate participatory strategic planning and validation workshops with relevant stakeholders;
6. Develop a draft Five-Year Organizational Strategic Plan for Caritas Gikongoro covering the period 2026-2030;
7. Incorporate agreed comments, feedback, and recommendations from stakeholders into the draft Strategic Plan;
8. Develop the final Strategic Plan, including a clear implementation plan, results framework, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning framework;
9. Present the final Strategic Plan to Caritas Gikongoro for validation and approval.

5. METHODOLOGY

The consultant shall apply a participatory, inclusive, evidence-based, and results-oriented methodology throughout the strategic planning process. The methodology shall include a desk review of relevant organizational documents, reports, policies, previous strategic plans, and other relevant Organizational documents; individual interviews; focus group discussions; stakeholder consultations; participatory strategic planning and validation workshops; and comprehensive organizational and situational analysis. The analysis shall use relevant analytical tools. The consultant shall clearly justify the selection and application of the analytical tools and demonstrate how the findings will inform the identification and prioritization of strategic issues, objectives, priorities, and interventions. The methodology shall also include the development of a Theory of Change, results framework, implementation framework, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning framework. In the technical proposal, the consultant shall clearly describe how stakeholders will be identified and selected, how consultations and data collection will be conducted, how the information collected will be analyzed and translated into strategic priorities, how the Theory of Change and results framework will be developed and how quality assurance will be maintained throughout the assignment. The proposed methodology shall be practical, context-appropriate, participatory, and aligned with the objectives, expected deliverables, mission, and operational context of Caritas Gikongoro.

6.EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

The consultant shall submit the following deliverables in accordance with the agreed work plan and timelines:

1. Inception report, including the proposed methodology, detailed work plan, stakeholder engagement approach, analytical framework, timelines, and expected deliverables;
2. Organizational and Situational Assessment Report, presenting the findings from the organizational assessment, contextual analysis, and application of appropriate strategic analysis tools, including SWOT and PESTLE where relevant; 
3. Stakeholder Consultation and analysis report, documenting the stakeholders consulted, consultation methods used, key findings, stakeholder perspectives, identified needs, strategic issues, and implications for the Strategic Plan;
4. Draft Strategic Framework and Results Framework, including the proposed strategic priorities, strategic objectives, interventions, Theory of Change, results chain, indicators, and means of verification;
5. Draft Five-Year Organizational Strategic Plan (2026-2030) in English, incorporating the findings of the organizational and situational assessment, stakeholder consultations, and strategic planning process;
6. Stakeholder Validation Workshop and Validation Report, documenting the key feedback, recommendations, decisions, and agreed revisions arising from the validation of the draft Strategic Plan;
7. Final Five-Year Organizational Strategic Plan (2026-2030), incorporating agreed stakeholder feedback and recommendations and including a clear implementation plan, results framework, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning framework, for approval by Caritas Gikongoro;
8. Electronic and hard copy versions of the approved Final Five-Year Organizational Strategic Plan and other agreed final deliverables.

7. REQUIRED PROFILES OF THE CONSULTANT AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS

The selected consultant or consultancy firm shall meet the following minimum requirements:

1. Demonstrate at least five years of proven professional experience in developing strategic plans, organizational strategies, institutional development frameworks, or related assignments, with evidence of successfully completed similar assignments;
2. The Lead Consultant shall possess at least a Master’s degree in Strategic Management, Development Studies, Business Administration, Social Sciences, Project Management, or another relevant field. Additional qualifications or professional certifications relevant to strategic planning and organizational development will be an added advantage;
3. Demonstrate proven experience in facilitating participatory and inclusive strategic planning processes, particularly for non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations, civil society organizations, development organizations, or similar institutions;
4. Demonstrate strong knowledge of community development, humanitarian and development programming, organizational development, and the socio-economic context of Rwanda;
5. Demonstrate experience in conducting organizational assessments, stakeholder analysis, and comprehensive situational analysis, including the application of appropriate strategic analysis tools;
6. Demonstrate practical capacity to develop strategic frameworks, theories of change, results frameworks, implementation plans, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning frameworks.
7. Demonstrate strong analytical, communication, report-writing, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement skills, supported by evidence of previous assignments;
8. Demonstrate a good understanding of donor requirements, partnership development, resource mobilization, institutional sustainability, and programs development;
9. Demonstrate the ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders, including Church institutions, local government authorities, development partners, organizational staff, beneficiaries, community representatives, and other relevant actors;
10. Demonstrate experience in developing strategic plans that are results-oriented, practical, measurable, and aligned with organizational missions, stakeholder needs, and relevant national development priorities;
11. To be fluent in English and Kinyarwanda. Knowledge of French will be considered an added advantage.

8. TIMELINE 

The consultancy exercise is expected to be completed within 30 working days from the date of contract signature. The consultant shall propose a detailed work plan and timeline in the technical proposal, which shall be reviewed and agreed upon with Caritas Gikongoro at the beginning of the assignment.

9. BID DOCUMENTS

Interested bidders must provide the following documents:

1. Technical proposal with a detailed methodology demonstrating an understanding of ToRs, a clear timeframe showing how the deliverables will be achieved, team composition, and three evidence of the consultant’s experience in conducting similar assignments;
2. Updated, signed curriculum vitae for all proposed team member for the assignment, accompanied by relevant academic and professional certificates; 
3. Financial Proposal in Rwandan Francs (RWF), including a clear work breakdown structure of the tasks and a detailed, itemized breakdown of all estimated costs associated with the assignment;
4. Company registration certificate;
5. Valid tax clearance certificate;
6. Valid social security clearance certificate;
7. Proof of VAT registration.

10. APPLICABLE POLICIES AND COMPLIANCE

The selected consultant or consultancy firm shall comply with all applicable policies, procedures, standards, and requirements of the Catholic Diocese of Gikongoro and Caritas Gikongoro throughout the implementation of the assignment. These shall include, but are not limited to the Safeguarding for all Programs Participants Policy, Gender Policy, Child Protection Policy, Data Protection Policy and other applicable organizational policies.

The consultant or consultancy firm shall ensure that all information, documents, data, and other materials obtained during the assignment are treated as confidential and used solely for the purpose of this consultancy. The consultant shall also ensure that all consultations, interviews, focus group discussions, and other engagements are conducted in accordance with applicable Safeguarding, Ethical, Gender, Child protection, and Data protection requirements.

The consultant or consultancy firm shall work closely with the designated Caritas Gikongoro Strategic Planning Team and comply with reasonable organizational procedures and requirements communicated by Caritas Gikongoro during the assignment.

11. APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested consultants or consultancy firms shall submit their applications electronically by email to Caritas Gikongoro at info@caritascdjpgikongoro.org no later than October 16, 2026, at 5:00 pm. The application shall include all documents specifiedunder Section 9: Bid Documents of these Terms of Reference. TheTechnical Proposal and Financial Proposal shall be submitted in one PDF file

The email subject shall beapplication for consultancy services for the development of the Five-Year Organisational Strategic Plan (2026-2030). Late, incomplete, or non-compliant applications will not be considered.

Requests for clarification regarding these Terms of Reference shall be submitted on the email: info@caritascdjpgikongoro.org no later thanOctober 13, 2026.Caritas Gikongoro reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal, in whole or in part, and to cancel the procurement process.

Contact for clarification and submission:
Email:  info@caritascdjpgikongoro.org    
Telephone: +250 796 269 049

Done at Nyamagabe, October 7, 2026

Father Alexis NDINDABAHIZI

Director of Caritas Gikongoro