Terms of Reference (ToR) for Consultancy for Climate-Sensitive Financial Product Customization and Rollout for Saccos Under the Congo Nile Divide Project

TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)

CONSULTANCY FOR CLIMATE-SENSITIVE FINANCIAL PRODUCT CUSTOMIZATION AND ROLLOUT FOR SACCOS UNDER THE CONGO NILE DIVIDE PROJECT

1. About Cordaid

Cordaid is an internationally operating value-based emergency relief and development organization, working in and on fragility. We stand with those who are hardest hit by poverty and conflict. We assist them in their struggle to move beyond survival and to fully participate in equitable and resilient societies.

In Rwanda, Cordaid focuses on strengthening food security, climate resilience, and inclusive economic development by collaborating with government institutions, local communities, and private sector actors. Interventions include supporting smallholder farmers through market system development, facilitating access to finance, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and integrating climate change adaptation strategies into building resilient communities. 

Cordaid’s vision is a world where people live with dignity and peace and enjoy equal access to resources and opportunities that promote sustainable development.

2. Background and context

Cordaid Rwanda, with other implementing partner guide by the Rwanda Forestry Authority (RFA) are implementing the project “Building Resilience of Vulnerable Communities to Climate Variability in Rwanda’s Congo Nile Divide Through Forest and Landscape Restoration (CND Project)”. The project is co‑financed by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Government of Rwanda through the Ministry of Environment. It aims to addressing climate variability by strengthening the resilience of vulnerable communities in Rwanda’s Congo Nile Divide districts namely Nyabihu, Ngororero, Rutsiro, Karongi, Nyamasheke, Rusizi, Nyamagabe, and Nyaruguru, through sustainable forest and landscape restoration, biodiversity conservation, and improved livelihoods.

Within this context, the project focuses on opportunities including horticulture and beekeeping value chains, ecotourism and clean cooking technologies, alongside other sustainable and climate-resilient livelihood opportunities identified through project implementation. 

It is against this background that Cordaid seeks to engage a qualified consultancy firm to deliver technical assistance to selected D-SACCOs for the development, customization, institutionalization, and rollout of inclusive and climate-sensitive financial products supporting sustainable and alternative livelihood opportunities under the Congo Nile Divide Project. 

This assignment will deliver targeted technical assist to strengthen the capacity of participating D-SACCOs to assess client needs, create and customize appropriate climate-sensitive financial products, and enhance their delivery of financial services. assist will include practical training, product development, and the provision of environmental and climate risk assessment tools in addition to the existing risk management framework, alongside guidance on product validation, piloting, and rollout. This will enable the institutions to better serve smallholder farmers and cooperatives, expand access to finance for the selected value chains, and promote inclusive, commercially viable, and climate-resilient investments.

3. Overall Objective

To strengthen the capacity of the four selected D-SACCOs to create, customize, institutionalize, and roll out inclusive and climate-sensitive financial products that enhance access to appropriate and affordable finance for smallholder farmers, cooperatives, and other value chain actors involved in horticulture, beekeeping, ecotourism, clean cooking technologies, and other sustainable and climate-resilient livelihood opportunities. The assignment will assist the development of financially viable products that respond to clients’ financing needs while strengthening environmental and climate risk management in line with applicable national regulatory requirements.

4. Specific Objectives

The specific objectives include: 

• Train D-SACCO staff and relevant governance representatives on climate-sensitive finance, financial product development, and environmental and climate risk management.
• Assess clients’ financing needs and create or customize inclusive, affordable, and commercially viable financial products for the project’s target value chains.
• Facilitate the validation, institutional adoption, piloting, and rollout of customized financial products by selected D-SACCOs.
• assist selected D-SACCOs to create or strengthen environmental and climate risk management strategies, systems, and tools in line with applicable BNR requirements and integrate them into lending decisions.
• Establish a framework for monitoring financial performance, inclusion, climate resilience and livelihood outcomes associated with the products

5. Scope of Work

The consultant shall undertake the following tasks in close collaboration with Cordaid Rwanda and the four selected D-SACCOs in Ngororero, Rutsiro, Karongi, and Nyamagabe Districts.

5.1 Inception and Institutional Engagement 

produce and submit an inception report detailing the methodology, work plan, timeline, and tools (including training materials, templates, and evaluation forms) to guide the assignment.

evaluate existing financial products, policies, procedures, institutional capacity, and readiness to finance the project’s targeted value chains.

Assess the financing needs of smallholder farmers, cooperatives, women, youth, and other relevant value-chain actors, identifying gaps and opportunities for climate-sensitive financial products based on values chain need assessment conducted.

5.2 Training Delivery and Capacity Building

Refence to an agreed training plan at the inception, the consultant shall 

• Deliver tailored training to D-SACCO staff and relevant governance board members on climate finance, climate-sensitive financial product development, and environmental and social risk management. At least 15 staff shall be trained in each D-SACCO for different sessions.
• Strengthen participants’ capacity to assess environmental and climate-related financial risks and integrate relevant considerations into lending and product implementation.
• Facilitate workshops to present and validate proposed prototype and final financial products (customized or new).

Training sessions will be coordinated with Cordaid and D-SACCOs management.

5.3 Environnemental & Social Management (ESM) system development 

• Assess the existing environmental and social risk management practices, policies, procedures, and tools of each selected D-SACCO.
• detect institutional gaps and requirements for strengthening environmental and climate risk management in line with applicable BNR requirements.
• create an ESMS policy and accompanying practical tools for the selected D-SACCOs to guide environmental and social risk screening, assessment, management, monitoring, and reporting.
• Facilitate sessions for the evaluate and validation of the ESMS policy and tools by staff and appointed management team of D-SACCOs.

5.4 Financial Product Development 

In an institutional participatory approach, the consultant shall : 

• evaluate existing financial products and assess their suitability for the financing needs of the targeted value chains, including horticulture, beekeeping, ecotourism, clean cooking technologies and other relevant sustainable and climate-resilient livelihood opportunities.
• collaborate with each selected D-SACCO staff to create or customize at least one financial product fo identified value chain, based on the institution’s context and the financing needs of its target clients.
• assist the team in financial product presentation and engagement of relevant authority for approval.
• Integrate inclusive features that respond to the financing needs of women, youth, and groups into the proposed products or create dedicated products for these target groups.
• make sure that the proposed products are affordable, commercially viable, operationally feasible, and responsive to clients’ financing needs and relevant environmental and climate risks.
• create financial product documentation, including but not limited to target clients, eligibility criteria, loan conditions, pricing considerations, credit appraisal procedures, risk assessment measures, and monitoring indicators.
• Recommend measures for integrating the customized products into the D-SACCOs’ lending portfolios and operational systems

5.5 Product Piloting, Validation, Approval, and Rollout Planning

• assist each selected D-SACCO to pilot the proposed financial products and assess their operational feasibility, suitability for target clients, and potential uptake.
• Document feedback and lessons from the piloting process and refine the products accordingly.
• Facilitate product validation with the respective D-SACCOs, supporting submission to the relevant institutional management and governance structures for approval in accordance with their procedures.
• Following product approval, produce a practical rollout plan for each D-SACCO, outlining target clients, implementation activities, responsibilities, timelines, marketing approaches, and monitoring arrangements.

6. Key Deliverables

The consultant shall deliver the following deliverables: 

7. Timeline and Duration

The assignment shall be completed within six (6) months from the date of contract signing, covering the provision of technical assistance to all four selected D-SACCOs in Ngororero, Rutsiro, Karongi, and Nyamagabe Districts.

The consultant shall submit a detailed work plan and deliverable schedule as part of the technical proposal, indicating the activities, sequencing, timelines, milestones, and expected outputs for each phase of the assignment. The work plan shall make sure that all activities, including institutional assessments, training and capacity building, development of the Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) policy and tools, financial product customization, piloting, validation, institutional approval, rollout planning, and final reporting, are completed within the six-month period.

The consultant shall organize and organize activities across the four D-SACCOs to ensure efficient use of time and resources while allowing adequate time for stakeholder consultations, evaluate of deliverables, product testing, and institutional decision-making.

The final schedule shall be agreed upon with Cordaid during the inception phase. Any proposed adjustments to the agreed work plan shall be subject to Cordaid’s evaluate and approval.

8. Qualifications and Experience of the Consultant firm

8.1 Consultant Experience

The consultancy firm shall meet the following minimum requirements:

•  Hold a valid Rwanda Development Board (RDB) company registration certificate covering the relevant field of services and a valid tax clearance certificate.
• At least eight (8) years of proven experience in developing and delivering climate finance training to financial institutions, of which two are in climate finance and related risks management, preferably microfinances in Rwanda.
• Demonstrated expertise in climate risk assessment, climate-smart financing, and the management of climate-related and environmental financial risks in financial institutions, supported by at least two (2) references or certificates of satisfactory completion of similar assignments from clients including microfinance institutions in Rwanda.
• Proven experience in developing, customizing, or harmonizing financial products *in the agriculture value chain within the microfinance subsector.
• Strong understanding of Rwanda’s financial sector, particularly microfinance institutions operations, with excellent facilitation, communication, and reporting skills.

8.2 Proposed Team Composition

The consultancy firm shall propose a multidisciplinary team with an appropriate number of qualified professionals to complete the assignment within six months. 

The team shall collectively demonstrate expertise in financial product development, climate finance, environmental and social risk management, and training and capacity building. The technical proposal shall include the proposed team structure, roles and responsibilities, level of effort, and signed CVs of key personnel, demonstrating adequate capacity to assist all four selected D-SACCOs. One expert may cover multiple areas where their qualifications and experience justify this.

Note:The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the CND Project Coordinator, with technical assist from the Access to Finance Advisor at Cordaid, who will deliver day-to-day guidance and collaboration throughout the assignment.

9. Submission Guidelines

Interested consultancy firms shall submit a complete proposal comprising a signed submission cover letter, a technical proposal with supporting annexes, and a separate financial proposal.

• The technical proposal shall be submitted as a separate PDF document, including all supporting documents demonstrating the firm's eligibility, technical capacity, and experience.
• The financial proposalshall be submitted as a separate PDF document and shall deliver a clear, itemized budget covering all costs associated with completing the assignment. It shall be expressed in Rwandan Francs (RWF) and indicate the total proposed contract price including all applicable taxes, professional fees, travel, accommodation, training, and other costs necessary to deliver the assignment consistent with the proposed methodology, work plan, and deliverables.

The two documents with a signed cover letter shall be submitted electronically in one email torwanda.procurement@cordaid.org, with the email subject line: " Climate-sensitive financial product development- CND".

Proposals must be received no later than7 November 2026 at 5:00 PMRwanda local time. It is the responsibility of the applicant to make sure that all required documents are complete, readable, and submitted before the deadline. Late or incomplete submissions shall be rejected.

10. Ethical Considerations

The consultant must comply with Cordaid’s safeguarding, code of perform, integrity, anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, child protection, environmental responsibility, and data protection policies throughout the assignment.

11. Confidentiality and Proprietary Rights

All deliverables, including the developed solutions, will become the property of Cordaid and its partners. The service provider must keep strict confidentiality regarding any proprietary or sensitive information obtained during the assignment.

12. Right to cancel the procurement processes

Cordaid reserves the right to withdraw or cease the advertisement for this consultancy at any time prior to the signing of a contract. This decision may be made at Cordaid's discretion and without obligation to deliver reasons for such withdrawal. All interested parties will be promptly notified if the advertisement is cancelled.

Done in Kigali, on27/10/2026

Approved by: 

Patrick BIRASA

Country Manager