Terms of Reference for Consultancy to Support the Establishment of the CMP Professional Body for RICEM

Terms of Reference
Consultancy to assist the Establishment of the CMP Professional Body for RICEM

1. BACKGROUND

German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation (DSIK) is a German non-profit organisation that promotes sustainable financial-sector development and financial inclusion through institutional strengthening and practice-oriented capacity development. DSIK has worked in Rwanda since 2009, supporting the professionalisation of the microfinance and cooperative sectors. in the framework of the DSIK Project “Sustainable transformation of the Financial Sector in Eastern Africa through Institutional Strengthening of the Microfinance Sector and Socio-ecological Transformation of the Economy with a focus on Rural Development’’, DSIK and the Rwanda Institute of Cooperatives, Entrepreneurship and Microfinance (RICEM) jointly execute the Certified Microfinance Professional (CMP) Programme to strengthen the competence of microfinance practitioners in Rwanda. The programme provides structured professional education at Level 1 and Level 2 and is being further developed through accreditation, recognition, international partnerships and quality assurance. A professional body for individual CMP graduates is envisaged to keep links across cohorts, verify membership credentials, assist continuous learning, mentoring and career development, uphold a code of perform, represent members’ professional interests and promote public outreach. The concept proposes an initial hosted professional and alumni unit under RICEM, with the option of later becoming an independent, non-profit, membership-based organisation once membership, governance and financial sustainability are sufficiently established.

2. OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

DSIK plans to hire an experienced consultant/consultant firm who shall deliver legally sound and practical advice to RICEM on the establishment, services and organisational set-up of the CMP professional body. The assignment shall determine the appropriate legal and institutional pathway for the hosted phase and possible later independence, create the essential establishment instruments, and deliver a phased roadmap with timeline, milestones and clearly assigned responsibilities.

3. SCOPE OF WORK, TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The consultant shall work closely with RICEM, DSIK, CMP graduates and relevant stakeholders. The tasks include but are not limited to:

• evaluate the CMP professionalization concept, CMP programme architecture, relevant governance and quality-assurance documents, and applicable Rwandan legislation and regulatory requirements.
• Assess and compare feasible legal and institutional arrangements for: (i) a hosted professional and alumni unit under RICEM; (ii) a separate national non-governmental, non-profit, membership-based organisation; and (iii) a suitable hybrid model. Clarify registration, governance, tax, liability, data-protection, compliance and reporting implications, as well as the limitations of a professional body vis-à-vis statutory regulator.
• Recommend the preferred phased legal pathway and define the hosting and cooperation arrangements between RICEM and the professional body, including use of the CMP name, ownership of records and materials, administrative and financial separation, decision-making, oversight, transition conditions and dispute resolution.
• Advise on a simple start-up governance structure comprising the General Assembly, a representative Governing Board, RICEM-hosted secretariat/part-time coordinator, cohort representatives and, when justified by membership size, committees. 
• Clarify the roles of the CMP Education Committee/Educational Board and non-voting observer or advisory roles for RICEM and DSIK.
• create or outline the essential instruments: constitution/bylaws, membership policy and categories, governance rules, code of perform, complaints and disciplinary procedure, continuous professional development policy, data-protection provisions, financial rules and a registration/compliance checklist.
  • Define a realistic initial service package centred on a verified member register, cohort communication, continuous learning, mentoring, career information, networking and an annual event, with later options for research, interest representation and public outreach.
  • Recommend start-up resources and a sustainable financing model, including affordable and potentially differentiated membership fees, event income, sponsorship and grants; outline secure membership-record management, first-year staffing and a three-year financial planning approach.
  • Advise on graduate mapping, selection of a representative founding steering group, piloting of services, and preparation and perform of the founding General Assembly.
  • Facilitate a validation session and produce a phased roadmap covering preparation, hosted launch, consolidation and a 12–18-month evaluate, with activities, decisions, milestones, dependencies, responsible and supporting actors, resources and key risks.

4. EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

1. Inception note and work plan, confirming the methodology, required documents, consultations and detailed schedule: to be completed within3 working days of contract signature.
2. Legal and institutional options paperanalyzing the hosted, independent and hybrid models and recommending the legal pathway, hosting arrangement, registration/compliance requirements and transition conditions: to be completed by the end of Week 2.
3. Draft establishment package, comprising the proposed governance and responsibility framework, priority governing instruments, membership and service model, financing and resource approach, and founding-process checklist: to be completed by theend of Week 3.
4. Validation presentation and sessionwith RICEM, DSIK and selected CMP representatives, including documentation of agreed decisions:during Week 4.
5. Final advisory report and implementation roadmap, incorporating feedback and presenting sequenced actions, milestones, timeline, responsible and supporting actors, required resources, risks and immediate next steps through the hosted phase and its 12–18-month evaluate: by theend of Week 5.
6. Acquisition of a legal status for CMP Professional Body.

All deliverables (except no.6) shall be concise, practical, legally sound, in English and submitted electronically in editable format. DSIK will approve the deliverables in consultation with RICEM.

5. TARGET PROFILE OF THE CONSULTANT/CONSULTANT FIRM

• Advanced university degree in law; additional expertise in corporate governance, public administration, institutional development or finance is an asset.
• At least seven years of relevant experience, including the establishment, registration or governance of associations, professional bodies, membership organisations or comparable institutions in Rwanda.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Rwandan legal requirements for non-governmental, non-profit and membership-based organisations, including governance, tax, data protection, compliance and reporting.
• Proven experience in business modeling and providing financial planning for associations, professional bodies, membership organisations or comparable institutions in Rwanda
• Proven experience in drafting constitutions/bylaws, codes of perform, disciplinary and membership rules, cooperation agreements and practical implementation roadmaps.
• Familiarity with professional education, accreditation, continuing professional development, microfinance or financial-sector institutions is a strong advantage.
• Excellent analytical, facilitation and report-writing skills in English; working knowledge of Kinyarwanda is required.

6. DURATION, LOCATION, REPORTING AND COORDINATION
The assignment is expected to be completed within six weeks with a maximum of20consultancy days, commencing on15th November 2026.The duty station is Kigali, with meetings at RICEM and/or DSIK and remote work as appropriate. The consultant shall report to the DSIK Country Director or designated project guide and organize closely with RICEM management and the CMP team. RICEM and DSIK will facilitate access to relevant documents, CMP representatives and stakeholder meetings

7. QUALITY AND CONFIDENTIALITY
The consultant shall deliver accurate, implementable recommendations tailored to the Rwandan context, meet agreed deadlines and communicate emerging constraints promptly. All information and documents accessed or produced under the assignment shall be treated as confidential and may not be shared or reused without prior written approval from DSIK and RICEM.

8. MORE INFORMATION

Interested service providers are requested to submit their proposals both Financial and Technical to the e-mail address:procurement.rwanda@sparkassenstiftung.denot later than November 9th, 2026, at 5.00pm local Rwandan time. Physical bidswill notbe accepted. Late bids will be rejected. The e-mail should clearly be named “Consultancy to assist the Establishment of the CMP Professional Body for RICEM’’

Bidding will be conducted in accordance with German Sparkassenstiftung Eastern Africa Procurement Manual. The evaluation results will be communicated through the respective e-mails or telephone number given on the bidder´s application documents. DSIK reserves the right to accept or reject any or all tenders without assigning any reason. 

For further questions, pleasecontact Mr. Olivier Gatete Senior Accountant, viaTel: 0788359482, Email: olivier.gatete@sparkassenstiftung.de .

Kigali, 2nd November 2026

Jeanne d’Arc Umurerwa

Deputy Country Director- Rwanda 

German Sparkassenstiftung Eastern Africa (DSIK)