Request for Prequalification of General Contractor for the Upgrade of Kagugu Water Spring and Sports Field Under the Kigali Urban Fabric Initiative (UFI)

The Kigali Urban Fabric Initiative (UFI)

About the UFI Project

The Kigali Urban Fabric Initiative (UFI) is an informal settlement upgrading project implemented in conjunction with the City of Kigali under the Kigali Informal Settlement Upgrading Project (KISUP). The aim is to fund small-scale public space upgrading and community infrastructure projects co-designed and co-produced by residents and urban stakeholders, implemented in close collaboration with local authorities, community representatives, and the City of Kigali. 

The project is sponsored by Agence Française de Développement (AFD) And European Union (EU). Urban Fabric Initiative (UFI) is a participatory project to create public spaces and social facilities in a collaborative manner, bringing together all stakeholders involved in the production of the city.

City of Kigali, as a major stakeholder in the UFI, plays a central role in project oversight and implementation. The City of Kigali monitors the execution of works in its capacity as:

• The local authority tasked with safeguarding community interests and ensuring compliance with applicable standards and regulations; and
• A direct beneficiary of UFI funds. 

Three partnering organisations have been appointed as a consortium to be the Kigali UFI Operator: Rwanda Women’s Network (RWN; based in Kigali), Bantu Studio Design & Research (Bantu; based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Espelia (based in France). RWN is a local non-profit organisation tasked with stakeholder and community engagement and project administration. Bantu is tasked with the co-design and co-construction of selected social facilities within the project, as well as quality control advising to the City of Kigali. Espelia is a French consulting firm with expertise in the design and implementation of economic, financial, institutional, and organizational aspects of public policies and projects in emerging and developing countries and is tasked with the development of operation & maintenance (O&M) strategies and a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework for the project.

Collectively, the RWN-Bantu-Espelia consortium (the UFI Operator) has been engaged by AFD for a three-year contract to execute the Kigali UFI within three informal settlements of Kigali. The UFI Operator sees this project as an opportunity to not only build positive interventions but also to establish real, measurable, and lasting socio-economic benefits to the surrounding communities. The UFI Operator, together with Sectors’ elected Community Upgrading Committees (CUCs), developed the ‘Impact Strategy’ that focuses on the positive change brought by the construction of the interventions. It has six goals, each of which considers the overall welfare of the communities and the ways small projects can make a larger impact:

• Keep project expenses in the community: The project aims to boost the local economy by prioritizing spending within the sectors where facilities are built. Community members will be actively involved in construction, with a focus on local contracting, and job creation.
• Develop tradecraft: The project aims to enhance the skills and experience of construction crew members, enabling them to take on more complex projects in the future. Workmanship quality will be assessed, with skill-building workshops provided as needed. 
• assist underrepresented and vulnerable groups: Economic benefits of the project expenditures should be equitably distributed amongst participants regardless of gender, age, religion, etc. Unemployed or under-employed individuals should be prioritised for work they are capable of performing. The participation of women disabled and/or other vulnerable groups shall make up at least 30% of the construction workforce. For Unskilled labour, the contractor shall prioritise the selection of individuals on the “List of Interest”, which is a regularly maintained registry of unemployed/under-employed individuals who have expressed interest in applying for Unskilled Labour positions within the project. This list will be created and maintained by the Construction Committee, determining its prioritisation criteria and rotational employment strategy, and keeping contact details and employment status up to date over time.
• Mainstreaming of environmental sustainability: The project will prioritize sustainable materials and practices in construction and maintenance while educating workers on sustainability considerations for future projects. This includes using low-carbon and locally sourced materials, integrating nature-based solutions, recycling, and planning for material maintenance and end-of-life treatment. 
• Create a fair, transparent structure for implementation: A transparent and fair selection process will be established for contractors and workers, incorporating input from all relevant stakeholders, including the UFI and Sectors’ elected Community Upgrading Committees (CUCs). Clear communication protocols will ensure broad access to opportunities, while defined roles and requirements will guide participation. A fair recruitment policy will be implemented, with flexibility for amendments as needed.
• produce a way of working for longer-term projects: The five outlined goals will be integrated into the public tendering process for the next phase of UFI, ensuring alignment with Rwandan public procurement regulations

1.2 The Construction Committee 

The UFI Operator, together with elected community representatives, formed sectors’ construction committees that will oversee labour selection and construction management. 

The Construction Committees will oversee recruitment, project management, and compliance to ensure fair and inclusive employment practices. It will document meetings, and update stakeholders. The committees will oversee the List of Interest (registry of individuals who have expressed interest in applying for Unskilled Labour positions), prioritizing and rotating employment opportunities while maintaining applicant records. The committees will evaluate contractor bids, and organize training sessions on skills, inclusivity, and sustainability where needed. Additionally, it will enforce safety standards on construction site and ensure contractor compliance with recruitment policies. 

1.3 Scope of work

The UFI Operator is seeking a general contractor, inclusive of all relevant subcontracts as necessary, to execute the upgrade of the Kagugu Water Spring and Sports Field in Kinyinya sector, Kigali.

This is a prequalification based on contractor’s qualifications. Detailed drawings, specifications and a bill of quantities (BoQ) will be made available only to shortlisted bidders following the first stage of evaluation. 

Basic information on the scope of work is given below: 

Preliminary schematic drawings are included below to enable the bidding entities to understand the proposed size and characteristics of the project. These are preliminary only and will not be used for construction. A full construction documentation drawing set, specifications, and bill of quantities will be shared with the shortlisted candidates.

1.4 Application for Prequalification 

1.4.1 Submission Format & Deadline

All must meet the requirements set out in section 2 below according to the following provisions: 

• Documentation shall be submitted in separate files in .pdf format, including:
  • A copy of the RDB business registration certificate. 
  • A signed declaration from the bidder demonstrating commitment to Environmental and Social (E&S) standards, as well as Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements.
  • A bank statement or equivalent financial document demonstrating the bidder’s financial capacity or access to funds of a minimum of 12,000,000 Rwandan Francs.
  • Certificates of good completion from at least 3 projects of similar or greater scope. 
  • Proof of relevant professional liability insurance for construction works, or, if not currently active, a written statement from the applicant verifying the means and capacity to obtain such insurance if awarded the contract.
  • Form A: Bidder Information & Project Experience Details (see Form A below and download at the link below).
  • Form B: Bidder’s Commitment to Monitoring, Evaluation, and Data Provision (see Form B below and download at the link below).
  • Form C: Bidder’s Declaration on Environmental, Social, Health and Safety (see form C below and download at the link below).
• The relevant forms (A, B, & C) may be downloaded as Word files from this link. Samples of them are included in this .pdf as a reference.
• All documentation must be submitted by email to rwawnet@rwanda1.rw with kigali@bantustudio.co.za in copy, not later than 13th July 2026, 17:00pm.
• Please note that because photos of work are requested, file sizes may be large and may need to be sent separately.

1.4.2 Additional information

Questions, requests for clarity, or requests for additional information may be addressed to: rwawnet@rwanda1.rw with kigali@bantustudio.co.za in copy. 

Disclaimer message

RWN recognizes that we have a responsibility to protect people we collaborate with, and who work for us.RWN has a zero-tolerance toward sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, and child abuse. Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) is everyone’s responsibility and all staff are required to adhere to the Code of perform, that enshrines principles of PSEA, at all times (both during work hours and outside work hours). We make very clear that sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, and child abuse in any form, perpetrated by our staff, interns, volunteers, consultants and other contractors and suppliers or other related personnel, towards anyone, will not be tolerated.

2. Qualification & Bidding Process

2.1 Process Overview

Procurement will be done based on a 2-stage submission method:

1. Prequalification: applicants will be screened in a prequalification process. Applicants deemed underqualified to perform the work will be eliminated. Evaluation is intended to be completed in early July 2026.
2. Invitation to Bid:Only shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit full proposals (RFP). At this stage, the complete set of construction documents, BoQ, and standard form of contract will be released to the shortlisted candidates. This submission will include both a proposed methodology and work plan, guide personnel (CVs and qualifications), and a financial proposal.

Following the evaluations, any proposed changes to personnel indicated in the application must be approved by the UFI. 

2.2 Stage 1: Pre-qualification

All entities meeting the minimum requirements outlined below are invited to submit applications to the prequalification stage.

The UFI Construction Committee in Kagugu will evaluate the applications. Minimum requirements must be met to remain eligible. Any candidate who does not meet the minimum requirements will be immediately disqualified. Remaining candidates will be evaluated based on the criteria and breakdown described below.

The top 6 ranked candidates will be invited to submit a full proposal in the second stage. 

Prequalification Criteria

Non-compliance with the minimum requirements will result in disqualification. All other bidders will be evaluated as indicated above.

Bidders successfully prequalified will be invited to submit a full proposal with additional bid criteria.

3. Sample Forms

Please refer to the sample forms on the following pages. These are available as Word documents at the following link: 

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1sP9wFsTr_1ISNB-_4LjSCsAibEwBUUjf?usp=sharing

FORM A:

BIDDER INFORMATION & PROJECT EXPERIENCE DETAILS 

One single .pdf file to be submitted with all relevant projects in the same file. The file should be named Bidder_UFI_Form_A.pdf, where “Bidder is replaced with the company name.

On the following pages, complete 1 form per relevant project. The table may be copied as many times as is needed to present all relevant projects.

Bidder's Name ____________________________________________________________________________________

Authorized Representative: ____________________________Designation: _______________________________

Signature: ___________________________________________Date: _______________

FORM B:

BIDDER'S COMMITMENT TO MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND DATA PROVISION

(to be submitted as a .pdf file with the file name Bidder_UFI_agreement.pdf, where “Bidder is replaced with the company name)

I, the undersigned, representing [Bidder's Name in case of company, cooperative, or legal entity], hereby confirm our willingness to participate in the monitoring and evaluation activities (tracking studies) of the Kigali Urban Fabric Initiative (UFI) Project, as required.

We acknowledge the importance of ongoing assessment and commit to:

• Providing necessary data and information relevant to project evaluation;
• Conducting an honest self-assessment of our knowledge and experience in sustainability practices;
• Responding to questions related to sustainability before, during, and after the project implementation;
• Cooperating with designated project evaluators and stakeholders to ensure transparent and effective monitoring.

We understand that this commitment is essential for the continuous improvement of the UFI Kigali project and agree to comply with requests for information and participation in evaluation processes.

Bidder's Name ____________________________________________________________________________________

Authorized Representative: ____________________________Designation: _______________________________

Signature: ___________________________________________Date: _______________

FORM C:

BIDDER’S DECLARATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, HEALTH AND SAFETY (ESHS), OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY (OHS), AND LABOR COMPLIANCE

(to be submitted as a .pdf file with the file name Bidder_ESHS&OHS_agreement.pdf, where “Bidder is replaced with the company name)

Declaration

I, the undersigned, representing [Bidder's Name in case of company, cooperative, or legal entity], hereby confirm our commitment to comply with all applicable Environmental, Social, Health and Safety (ESHS) requirements in the upgrade of the Kagugu water spring D1 & Sports field H under the Kigali Urban Fabric Initiative (UFI) Project.

We confirm that our company shall execute all works in accordance with applicable laws and regulations of the Republic of Rwanda, including:

• Labor Law and related regulations
• Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements
• Environmental protection and management regulations

Environmental and Social Commitments

We commit to:

• Minimize environmental impacts through proper waste management, pollution control, and resource efficiency
• Prevent soil erosion, and damage to surrounding ecosystems
• Respect the rights, dignity, and safety of local communities, including vulnerable groups
• Avoid any form of child labor, forced labor, or discrimination
• Ensure fair treatment and working conditions for all workers
• make sure that project activities are conducted in a socially responsible and inclusive manner

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)

We commit to:

• deliver a safe and healthy working environment for all workers
• Supply and enforce the use of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• execute site safety procedures, including risk assessments and method statements
• Ensure workers are trained and supervised on safety practices
• Establish procedures for incident reporting and emergency response
• Community Health and Safety

We commit to:

• make sure that construction activities do not pose risks to the surrounding community
• Secure the site and oversee access to prevent accidents
• Control dust, noise, and traffic impacts
• Prevent and address any risks of gender-based violence (GBV), sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), and harassment
• keep clear communication with local authorities and community representatives
• Implementation and Accountability

We confirm that:

• We will designate a responsible person for ESHS and OHS compliance on site
• We will comply with all monitoring and reporting requirements set by the Client
• We understand that non-compliance may result in sanctions.

We hereby certify that we fully commit to complying with the stated requirements throughout the duration of the project.

Bidder's Name ____________________________________________________________________________________

Authorized Representative: ____________________________Designation: _______________________________

Signature: ___________________________________________Date: _______________