Designing and developing a Blue Economy Incubation Programme, IUCN Tanzania Country Office, Tanzania 87 views0 applications

Request for Proposals (RfP)

Designing and developing a Blue Economy Incubation Programme

IUCN Tanzania Country Office, Tanzania

RfP Reference: IUCN-25-5-P04809-01

Welcome to this Procurement by IUCN. You are hereby invited to submit a Proposal. Please read the information and instructions carefully because non-compliance with the instructions may result in disqualification of your Proposal from this Procurement.

1. REQUIREMENTS

A detailed description of the services and/or goods to be provided can be found in Attachment 1.

2. CONTACT DETAILS

During the course of this procurement, i.e. from the publication of this RfP to the award of a contract, you may not discuss this procurement with any IUCN employee or representative other than the following contact. You must address all correspondence and questions to the contact, including your proposal.

IUCN Contact: [email protected]

3. PROCUREMENT TIMETABLE

This timetable is indicative and may be changed by IUCN at any time. If IUCN decides that changes to any of the deadlines are necessary, we will contact you.

DATE-ACTIVITY

May 16, 2025-Publication of the Request for Proposals

May 20, 2025-Deadline for confirmation of intention to bid

May 23, 2025-Deadline for submission of questions

May 28, 2025-Planned publication of responses to questions

May 31, 2025-Deadline for submission of proposals to IUCN (“Submission Deadline”)

June 2-6, 2025-Review of completed proposals

June 9-10, 2025-Planned date for contract award

June 13, 2025-Expected contract start date

3.1. Please email the IUCN contact to confirm whether or not you are intending to submit a proposal by the deadline stated above.

4. COMPLETING AND SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL

4.1.Your Proposal must consist of the following three documents:

• Signed Declaration of Undertaking (see Attachment 2)
• Technical Proposal (see Section 4.3 below)
• Financial Proposal (see Section 4.4 below)

Proposals must be prepared in English.

**4.2.**Your Proposal must be submitted by email to the IUCN Contact (see Section 2). The subject heading of the email shall be [IUCN-2025-04- BAHARI YETU PROJECT -01– to design and develop a Blue Economy Incubation Programme. The bidder’s name is the name of the company/organisation on whose behalf you are submitting the proposal, or your own surname if you are bidding as a self-employed consultant. Your proposal must be submitted in PDF format. You may submit multiple emails suitably annotated, e.g. Email 1 of 3, if attached files are too large to suit a single email transmission. You may not submit your Proposal by uploading it to a file-sharing tool.

IMPORTANT: Submitted documents must be password-protected so that they cannot be opened and read before the submission deadline. Please use the same password for all submitted documents. After the deadline has passed and within 12 hours, please send the password to the IUCN Contact. This will ensure a secure bid submission and opening process. Please DO NOT email the password before the deadline for Proposal submission.

4.3.Eligibility

All consultancy firms registered in Tanzania are fulfilling the requirements stated in terms of reference are eligible.

4.4 Technical Proposal

Proposals in any other format will significantly increase the time it takes to evaluate, and such Proposals may therefore be rejected at IUCN’s discretion.

IUCN will evaluate technical proposals with regards to each of the following criteria and their relative importance:

The technical proposal must address each of the criteria stated in the table below explicitly and separately.

No-Criteria-%

1.Specific Experience of the consultancy firm Relevant to the Assignment-25%

The consultancy firm must demonstrate relevant experience in carrying out assignments of a similar nature and scope. Technical references should be supported by at least five (3) certificates of satisfactory completion for comparable assignments. These certificates must be issued by the respective clients and should clearly attest to the successful delivery of the services provided.

2.Relevance of the Work Plan and Proposed Methodology in Relation to the Assignment-30%

This criterion assesses the consultancy firm’s understanding of the Terms of Reference, including the clarity, feasibility, and coherence of the proposed approach and work plan. The evaluation will consider:

• The extent to which the proposed methodology aligns with the objectives of the assignment.
• The logical sequencing and practicality of the proposed activities.
• The consultant’s understanding of key challenges, risks, and mitigation strategies.
• The overall coherence and realism of the timeline and deliverables.

3.Qualifications and Experience of Key Personnel Proposed for the Assignment-45%

This criterion evaluates the suitability and expertise of the key personnel assigned to the assignment. The assessment will be based on the following:

• Academic qualifications relevant to the assignment’s scope.
• Professional experience, including the number of years and relevance of past assignments.
• Specific experience in similar projects or sectors.
• Roles and responsibilities assigned within the proposed team, and their alignment with individual qualifications and experience.
• Language proficiency and other competencies required for effective implementation of the assignment.

Clear and detailed CVs must be provided for all proposed key personnel.

Total-100

The subsidiary Criteria and Points System for Evaluating the Qualifications of Personnel are as follows:

No-Criteria-%

1.General Qualifications, i.e., Professional Level and Education Received-15%

Required degree in the relevant field, along with the number of years of experience gained

2.Relevance to the assignment, namely the qualifications and competencies of the proposed experts in relation to the mandate (including the duration of their professional experience4, types of positions previously held, and demonstrated ability to perform the tasks associated with the proposed roles). All CVs must be duly signed by the respective experts and shall be considered exclusively dedicated to this mission. Certificates of service (as specified in the number required by the Terms of Reference) must be provided for each key personnel proposed-25%

3.Local and regional experience refers to the professional experience gained within the region, particularly in developing countries that share similar characteristics and conditions with the country in which the mission is to be performed.-3%

4.Language Proficiency-2%

Proficiency in English and/or Swahili is required, depending on the linguistic context of the mission. Language skills must be sufficient to ensure effective communication, reporting, and collaboration with stakeholders.

Total-45%

Proposals in any other format will significantly increase the time it takes to evaluate, and such Proposals may therefore be rejected at IUCN’s discretion.

Where CVs are requested, these must be of the individuals who will carry out the work specified. The individuals you put forward may only be substituted with IUCN’s approval.

4.5. Financial Proposal

4.5.1. The financial proposal must be a fixed and firm price for the provision of the services stated in the RfP in their entirety.

4.5.2. Prices include all costs

Submitted rates and prices are deemed to include all costs, insurances, taxes (except VAT, see below), fees, expenses, liabilities, obligations, risk and other things necessary for the performance of the Terms of Reference or Specification of Requirements. IUCN will not accept charges beyond those clearly stated in the Financial Proposal. This includes applicable withholding taxes and similar. It is your responsibility to determine whether such taxes apply to your organisation and to include them in your financial offer.

4.5.3.Applicable Goods and Services Taxes

Proposal rates and prices shall be exclusive of Value Added Tax but you need to confirm if you are registered In VAT.

4.5.4.Currency of proposed rates and prices

All rates and prices submitted by Proposers shall be in Tanzania Shillings.

4.5.5. Breakdown of rates and prices

For information only, the price needs to be broken down in the following Table. Kindly, add all related price information like daily rates, transport, logistics fees that will be used while conducting this study. The price quotes should be in Tanzania Shillings.

Description-Quantity-Unit Price-Total Price

1

2

3

4

5

6

TOTAL

4.6. Additional information not requested by IUCN should not be included in your Proposal and will not be taken into account in the evaluation.

4.7.Your proposal must remain valid and capable of acceptance by IUCN for a period of 90 calendar days following the submission deadline.

4.8.Withdrawals and Changes

You may freely withdraw or change your proposal at any time prior to the submission deadline by written notice to the IUCN Contact. However, to reduce the risk of fraud, no changes or withdrawals will be accepted after the submission deadline.

5. EVALUATION of PROPOSALS

5.1.Completeness

IUCN will firstly check your proposal for completeness. Incomplete proposals will not be considered further.

5.2. Technical Evaluation

5.2.1.Scoring Method

Your proposal will be scored for each of the criteria from 0 to the maximum for each criterion.

5.2.2.Minimum Quality Thresholds

Proposals that receive a score of ‘0’ for any of the criteria will automatically be disqualified.

5.2.3.Technical Score

Your score for each technical evaluation criterion will be multiplied with the respective relative weight (see Section 5.4) and these weighted scores added together to give your proposal’s overall technical score.

5.3.Financial Evaluation and Financial Scores

The financial evaluation will be based upon the full total price you submit. Your financial proposal will receive a score calculated by dividing the lowest financial proposal that has passed the minimum quality thresholds (see Section 5.2.2) by the total price of your financial proposal.

Thus, for example, if your financial proposal is for a total of CHF 100 and the lowest financial proposal is CHF 80, you will receive a financial score of 80/100 = 80%

5.4.Overall Score

Your proposal’s Overall score will be calculated as the weighted sum of your technical score and your financial score.

The relative weights will be:

Technical: 70%

Financial: 30%

Thus, for example, if your technical score is 83% and your financial score is 77%, you will receive a total score of 83 * 70% + 77 * 30% = 58.1% + 23.1% = 81.2%.

Subject to the requirements in Sections 4 and 7, IUCN will award the contract to the bidder whose proposal achieves the highest total score.

6.Explanation of procurement procedure

6.1.IUCN is using the Invitation Procedure for this procurement. This means that only invited bidders may submit a proposal. IUCN typically invites from four to six bidders to submit a proposal.

6.2.You are welcome to ask questions or seek clarification regarding this procurement. Please email the IUCN Contact (see Section 2), taking note of the deadline for submission of questions in Section 3.1.

6.3.All proposals must be received by the submission deadline indicated in Section 3.1. Late proposals will not be considered. All proposals received by the submission deadline will be evaluated in accordance with the evaluation criteria stated in this RfP. No other criteria will be used to evaluate proposals. The contract will be awarded to the bidder whose proposal received the highest Total Score. IUCN does, however, reserve the right to cancel the procurement and not award a contract at all.

6.4.IUCN will contact the bidder with the highest-scoring proposal to finalise the contract. We will contact unsuccessful bidders after the contract has been awarded and provide detailed feedback. The timetable in Section 3.1 gives an estimate of when we expect to have completed the contract award, but this date may change depending on how long the evaluation of proposals takes.

7.Conditions for participation in this procurement

7.1.To participate in this procurement, you are required to submit a proposal, which fully complies with the instructions in this RfP and the Attachments.

7.1.1.It is your responsibility to ensure that you have submitted a complete and fully compliant proposal.

7.1.2.Any incomplete or incorrectly completed proposal submission may be deemed non-compliant, and as a result you may be unable to proceed further in the procurement process.

7.1.3.IUCN will query any obvious clerical errors in your proposal and may, at IUCN’s sole discretion, allow you to correct these, but only if doing so could not be perceived as giving you an unfair advantage.

7.1.4.In order to participate in this procurement, you must meet the following conditions:

• Free of conflicts of interest
• Registered on the relevant professional or trade register of the country in which you are established (or resident, if self-employed)
• In full compliance with your obligations relating to payment of social security contributions and of all applicable taxes
• Not been convicted of failing to comply with environmental regulatory requirements or other legal requirements relating to sustainability and environmental protection
• Not bankrupt or being wound up
• Never been guilty of an offence concerning your professional conduct.
• Not involved in fraud, corruption, a criminal organisation, money laundering, terrorism, or any other illegal activity.

7.2.You must complete and sign the Declaration of Undertaking (see Attachment 2)

7.3. If you are participating in this procurement as a member of a joint venture, or are using sub-contractors, submit a separate Declaration of Undertaking for each member of the joint venture and sub-contractor, and be clear in your proposal which parts of the goods/services are provided by each partner or sub-contractor.

7.4. Each bidder shall submit only one proposal, either individually or as a partner in a joint venture. In case of joint venture, one company shall not be allowed to participate in two different joint ventures in the same procurement nor shall a company be allowed to submit a proposal both on its behalf and as part of a joint venture for the same procurement. A bidder who submits or participates in more than one proposal (other than as a subcontractor or in cases of alternatives that have been permitted or requested) shall cause all the proposals with the bidder’s participation to be disqualified.

7.5.By taking part in this procurement, you accept the conditions set out in this RfP, including the following:

• It is unacceptable to give or offer any gift or consideration to an employee or other representative of IUCN as a reward or inducement in relation to the awarding of a contract. Such action will give IUCN the right to exclude you from this and any future procurements, and to terminate any contract that may have been signed with you.
• Any attempt to obtain information from an employee or other representative of IUCN concerning another bidder will result in disqualification.
• Any price fixing or collusion with other bidders in relation to this procurement shall give IUCN the right to exclude you and any other involved bidder(s) from this and any future procurements and may constitute a criminal offence.

8.Confidentiality and data protection

8.1.IUCN follows the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The information you submit to IUCN as part of this procurement will be treated as confidential and shared only as required to evaluate your proposal in line with the procedure explained in this RfP, and for the maintenance of a clear audit trail. For audit purposes, IUCN is required to retain your proposal in its entirety for 10 years after the end of the resulting contract and make this available to internal and external auditors and donors as and when requested.

8.2.In the Declaration of Undertaking (Attachment 2) you need to give IUCN express permission to use the information you submit in this way, including personal data that forms part of your proposal. Where you include personal data of your employees (e.g. CVs) in your proposal, you need to have written permission from those individuals to share this information with IUCN, and for IUCN to use this information as indicated in 8.1. Without these permissions, IUCN will not be able to consider your proposal.

9.Complaints procedure

If you have a complaint or concern regarding the propriety of how a competitive process is or has been executed, then please contact [email protected]. Such complaints or concerns will be treated as confidential and are not considered in breach of the above restrictions on communication (Section 2.1).

10. Contract

The contract will be based on IUCN’s template in Attachment 3, the terms of which are not negotiable. They may, however, be amended by IUCN to reflect particular requirements from the donor funding this particular procurement.

11.About IUCN

IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development, and nature conservation to take place together.

Headquartered in Switzerland, IUCN Secretariat comprises around 1,000 staff with offices in more than 50 countries.

Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,300 Member organisations and some 10,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments, and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards.

IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous people’s organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.

Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people’s well-being.

www.iucn.org

https://twitter.com/IUCN/

12. ATTACHMENTS

Attachment 1 Specification of Requirements / Terms of Reference

Attachment 2 Declaration of Undertaking (select 2a for companies or 2b for self-employed as applicable to you)

Attachment 3 Contract Template

Terms of Reference for IUCN Consultancy

Title: Design and Develop Community Regenerative Blue Economy Incubation Programme

Objective of the Consultancy

This consultancy has the following objective(s):

1. Map existing community blue economy enterprises in Mtwara and Unguja (North and South Regions) with potential positive impacts to the ocean conservation and social-economic development. The focus will be to the enterprises with growth potential.
2. Conduct training, technical, policy, legal and financial needs assessment of potential community blue economy enterprises to be able to up-scale and accelerate their businesses.
3. Develop a tailor-made blue economy incubation programme. Depending on the needs assessment findings, the programme should consider cover among other things business skills development (entrepreneurship, business planning, marketing, and financial literacy), ocean conservation and sustainability (integrating conservation into business models), access to finance and investment readiness (capital sourcing, pitching, and managing small grants or loans), value addition and innovation (product development, branding, and use of technology), mentorship and coaching, market access and linkages and communication skills.
4. Develop BEI programme implementation roadmap and associated budget/costs (direct and indirect costs). The roadmap will be validated by project stakeholders.

Background

Project Reference: P04809

Donor reference: Contract No. 700002168

About IUCN

IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.

Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member organisations and around 15,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards.

IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous people’s organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.

Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people’s well-being.

www.iucn.org

https://twitter.com/IUCN/

About the Project

The rampant state of coastal and marine ecosystems degradation, weak land use systems, poor marine and coastal resources governance, high dependence on marine resources and climate change are the biggest problems threatening long term productivity of Tanzania’s coastal and marine natural capital. Critical issues include: coastal development; mangrove destruction; marine pollution from surface run off and plastics waste; overfishing, damaging fishing practices and weak resources governance; targeting of juvenile and undersize fish and invertebrates (lobsters, crabs, sea cucumber); an uncoordinated and piecemeal approach to biodiversity and ecosystem-based fisheries management at the local level; poor advocacy skills and limited knowledge on environmental legislation for community conservation efforts; and unsustainable financing of coastal and marine resources.

The Bahari Yetu project’s development hypothesis is that the stewardship of the marine biodiversity and blue economy will be improved if: 1) science based natural resource management and governance at a landscape and seascape scale is improved; 2) economic benefits from conservation-based enterprises are increased for women and youth; 3) new technologies and approaches for increased climate resilience measures by communities are introduced and adopted; 4) knowledge management and capacity building on marine and coastal resources management (including forests) is improved; and 5) natural resource policy development, institutions, evidence-based research and monitoring, and implementation are enhanced.

The project builds on the foundation and opportunities established by current and previous programs and projects, increasing focus on the well-being of rural populations, biodiversity conservation and climate action while retaining blue economy strategy implementation as its core goal. The project rationale rests on the linkage between environment and economic growth and poverty alleviation, and the challenge of sustainable management of Tanzania’s biodiversity assets.

The Bahari Yetu Project is a 4-year initiative funded with 11 million euros from the European Union Delegation to Tanzania and the East Africa Community. This project is part of a broader effort, backed by the EU with 110 million euros, aimed at supporting the United Republic of Tanzania through a programme called the Blue Economy for job creation and adapting to climate change. The programme has three pillars: conservation of coastal and marine ecosystems, sustainable use of natural resources in the coastal areas and improved governance of coastal and marine resources.

1.1.Project goal, objectives, outcomes, and components

This project is designed to achieve the following goal and objectives:

1.1.1 Goal

The goal of the project is to improve environmental protection and biodiversity conservation of the coastal and marine ecosystems in Tanzania.

1.1.2 Specific objectives

a. Strengthen institutional frameworks and governance mechanisms for coastal and marine biodiversity conservation.

b. Promote institutional strengthening, adaptive management, and community engagement for the protection of coastal and marine resources.

c. Strengthen effective research, monitoring, and surveillance systems for coastal and marine biodiversity conservation.

1.1.3 Outcomes

The project is designed to achieve the following expected intermediate outcomes.

a. Improved biodiversity conservation of the marine resources.

b. Community-led management of coastal forests strengthened.

c. Plastic leakage into the environment, waterways and the ocean reduced.

d. Institutional capacity for research and monitoring of coastal resources improved.

1.1.4 Project components

To achieve the project goal, objectives and outcomes, the interventions are organised into five interrelated work packages to deliver specific the following outputs:

a. Protection of Marine Resources and Biodiversity.

b. Strengthen Community-led Management of Coastal Forests.

c. Combat plastic litter in marine and estuary water bodies.

d. Improve institutional capacities for research, monitoring, surveillance, and management of coastal and marine resources.

e. Project management, Coordination and Acceleration of Impact.

1.2. Project sites

In mainland Tanzania the project is executed in four regions (Mtwara, Coastal, Lindi and Dar es Salaam) while in Zanzibar the project is executed in two regions (North and South Unguja). IUCN team up with FORUMCC, WWF, WCS and TNC Tanzania program Offices as key project implementing partners (IPs). IUCN and TNC support implementation of component 1; IUCN, WWF and WCS support implementation of component 2; IUCN and FORUMCC support implementation of component 3; IUCN supports implementation of components 4 and 5. IUCN and the main IPs work with relevant public institutions, NGOs and CBOs to implement the project.

2.0 Description of the Assignment

Tanzania’s Indian ocean coastal regions hold vast potential for a regenerative blue economy, comprising fisheries, aquaculture, ecotourism, renewable energy, and cultural tourism and ocean conservation. Despite many blue economy opportunities available to coastal communities, the communities continue to face poverty due to various reasons. Some of the contributing factors include taping blue economy opportunities for subsistence rather than business purposes, lack of entrepreneurship knowledge and skills, and limited access to capital. The project aims to develop and implement an incubation programme to build the capacity of women and youth to enable them to accelerate and upscale their blue economy businesses. The focus will be on blue economy businesses with the potential positive impacts to ocean conservation and socio-economic development.

It is in this regards that, the IUCN Tanzania Office is seeking a consultancy firm to design, develop and manage a Blue Economy Incubation (BEI) programme that supports the community regenerative blue economy and sustainable management of marine and coastal resources in Mtwara and North and South Regions in Unguja Island. This initiative will play a key role in advancing community engagement in blue economy activities while playing part in the conservation of marine and coastal ecosystems. The BEI programme will also create economic opportunities, particularly for youth and women, by improving their income through program participation. The consultancy will develop a roadmap for establishing the bleu economy incubation programme, aligning with Tanzania’s Blue Economy Development Strategy and international sustainability goals.

The main objective of this consultancy is to develop and manage a tailor-made community regenerative blue economy incubation programme that promotes sustainable economic growth, creates jobs and support effective conservation of marine and coastal resources. It will support innovative startups in sectors such as fisheries, aquaculture, marine biodiversity conservation, renewable energy, and ecotourism by providing them with necessary technical and financial assistance to grow their businesses.

2.1 Duration of the Assignment

The consultancy is expected to last for 1 year, starting from the date of contract signature.

2.2 Deliverables and Activities

The consultant will provide the following deliverables and carry out the following activities:

Deliverable/Activity-Description-Deadline

1. Inception Report

Description

Detailed with understanding of the assignment, proposed methodologies, work plan and detailed budget.

Deadline

2 months after the sign of the contract

2. Draft report

Description

Detailing.

1. Situation analysis report.
2. Blue Economy Incubator framework and operational model.
3. Business and sustainability plan.
4. Analysis of the business potential including business growth, market and job creation, environmental protection potential, technical, governance and financial gaps and other opportunities
5. Final consultancy report with recommendations.

Deadline

6 months after the validation of the inception report

3. Final validated report

Description

Final assignment report

Deadline

1 month after the validation of the final draft report.

2.3 Payment Schedule

The Timetable below summarises the chronological order of deliverables and indicates milestones at which IUCN will pay the Consultant.

Deliverable-Milestone payment

After inception report delivery-30%

After draft report delivery-30%

After final report delivery-40%

3. Skills and Experience

3.1.Required qualifications and experience of key personnel to be mobilised for phase 1: (year 1) Design and develop a tailored blue economy incubation programme for each of 18 community enterprises. The objective is to design a comprehensive and context-appropriate Blue Economy Incubation Programme that aligns with national/regional priorities, blue economy sectors, sustainability, and entrepreneurial capacity development.

3.1.1.Team Leader

Role summary

The Team Leader will be responsible for providing strategic leadership, technical guidance, and overall coordination in the design and development of a comprehensive Blue Economy Incubation Programme, ensuring cross-cutting integration (climate, gender inclusion, etc). This includes overseeing stakeholder engagement, programme structuring, sustainability planning, and alignment with national and regional blue economy strategies.

Minimum Qualifications

Advanced University degree (Masters /PhD) in Business Management, Environmental Science, Climate Change, Marine Conservation, Biodiversity Conservation, Natural-Resource Management, or any other related field.

Key experience

• At least 15 years of relevant professional experience in the design and implementation of economic development programmes, with a minimum of 10 years in blue economy-related sectors (e.g., fisheries, aquaculture, marine renewable energy, coastal tourism, ocean health, marine conservation, sustainable business development, etc. with proven expertise in gender-responsive approaches).
• Proven experience in leading the design or implementation of incubation or innovation programmes, especially those targeting sustainable development, ocean-based industries, or climate-resilient livelihoods.
• Demonstrated track record of working with or advising public sector institutions, development agencies, or regional bodies on blue economy or entrepreneurship ecosystem development.
• Experience conducting stakeholder consultations, facilitating multi-stakeholder processes, and developing participatory planning tools.
• Strong understanding of innovation systems, incubation models, and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) support mechanisms in developing country contexts.
• Demonstrated experience working with women- and youth-led enterprises or community-based initiatives.
• Familiarity with national and regional blue economy frameworks, particularly having strong knowledge of Tanzania’s coastal and marine sector.
• Previous leadership roles in multidisciplinary teams with responsibility for deliverables, team coordination, and quality assurance.
• Excellent spoken and written communication skills in English; working knowledge of Kiswahiliis an asset.

3.1.2. Blue Economy Sector Specialist

Role summary

The Blue Economy Sector Specialist will provide thematic expertise to ensure the incubation programme is aligned with sector-specific opportunities, constraints, and potential innovation within the blue economy. The specialist will guide the identification of priority sectors, value chains, and market-driven incubation pathways that contribute to sustainable ocean-based economic development.

Minimum Qualifications

A university degree (master’s or equivalent) in Marine Sciences, Ocean Economy, Environmental Economics, Fisheries, Coastal Resource Management, Maritime Studies, or a related field. A PhD is an asset.

Key Experience

• At least 7 years of professional experience in blue economy sectors, such as sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, maritime transport, marine biotechnology, ocean energy, coastal tourism, or marine conservation.
• Demonstrated experience in sector analysis, value chain development, or policy advisory work within the blue economy context.
• Experience in designing or supporting innovation, incubation, or entrepreneurship programmes targeting ocean-based or coastal enterprises is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with climate-resilient livelihoods, circular economy principles, and sustainable use of marine and coastal resources.
• Proven ability to work with governments, coastal communities, private sector actors, and/or development partners to promote sustainable blue economy initiatives.
• Proven experience in conducting technical and financial assessments and integrating gender-sensitive methodologies.
• Understanding of key challenges faced by MSMEs and startups in the blue economy space, particularly in Tanzania’s coastal and marine sector.
• Experience conducting market studies, opportunity assessments, or feasibility studies in ocean-related sectors is a plus.
• Strong analytical and research skills, with the ability to translate technical findings into actionable recommendations.
• Ability to contribute to programme design and cross-sector collaboration.
• Demonstrated commitment to environmental sustainability, gender inclusion, and community resilience.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English. Knowledge of Kiswahili is an asset.

3.1.3. Business Incubation Expert

Role summary

The Business Incubation Expert will lead the technical design of the incubation model, including service offerings, operational frameworks, governance structure, and sustainability strategies tailored to targeted community enterprises in the blue economy. The expert will ensure that the incubation programme is demand-driven, inclusive, and aligned with global best practices in innovation and entrepreneurship support.

Minimum Qualifications

A university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Business Administration, Innovation Management, Entrepreneurship, Economics, or a related field. Certification in incubation management or enterprise development is an asset.

Key Experience

• At least 8 years of professional experience in the design, management, or evaluation of business incubation or acceleration programmes.
• Proven track record in setting up or operating incubators, innovation hubs, or enterprise support organizations, particularly in developing or resource-constrained environments.
• Experience tailoring incubation models to sector-specific contexts, preferably including or adjacent to blue economy sectors (e.g., fisheries, aquaculture, eco-tourism, marine tech, circular economy).
• Demonstrated ability to design and implement incubation services such as:
  • Business development training
    • Mentorship and coaching
    • Investment readiness and fundraising support
    • Networking and market linkages.
• Strong understanding of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) ecosystems, startup lifecycle stages, and the barriers to growth faced by early-stage community enterprises.
• Familiarity with performance measurement frameworks for incubators (e.g., KPIs, impact indicators, client tracking systems).
• Experience integrating digital tools, green innovation, and/or climate resilience in enterprise support services is desirable.
• Expertise in incubator design, entrepreneurship support, and policy advisory.
• Excellent research, analytical, and report-writing skills.
• Ability to work closely with a wide range of stakeholders including government agencies, development partners, academia, and the private sector.
• Strong facilitation and co-design skills, especially in participatory programme development.
• Strategic thinking and results-oriented mindset.
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusion, gender equality, and youth entrepreneurship.
• Excellent communication skills in English. Knowledge of Kiswahili is an advantage.

3.1.4. Finance and Investment Specialist

Role summary

The Finance and Investment Specialist will play a critical role in ensuring that the programme incorporates robust financial mechanisms, attracts diverse investors, and supports incubatees to become investment ready. He/she will provide technical expertise in financial structuring, investment planning, and sustainable financing mechanisms relevant to early-stage ventures in the blue economy sector. The specialist will contribute to designing financially viable incubation models and developing funding strategies for incubates.

Minimum Qualifications

Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Finance, Investment Management, Development Economics, Business Administration, or a related field. Additional training or certification in impact investing, sustainable finance, or climate finance is an asset.

Key Experience

• Minimum of 7–10 years of progressively responsible experience in finance**,** investment analysis, or venture capital, preferably with a focus on early-stage businesses or SMEs.
• Map existing financial instruments, impact investors, funds, and blended finance mechanisms relevant to the blue economy.
• Identify gaps and opportunities for financing early-stage ventures in marine/coastal sectors.
• Develop a financial model for the incubation programme, including cost structure, revenue sources, and funding flows.
• Propose innovative financing mechanisms (e.g., blue bonds, blended finance, concessional loans, catalytic capital) to support incubatees and the programme itself.
• Design templates, tools, and training content to support startups in financial planning, valuation, and pitch preparation.
• Outline a framework for assessing investment readiness of incubatees.
• Identify and recommend suitable public and private investors, philanthropic organizations, and development finance institutions.
• Provide input into the development of investor engagement strategies and investment prospectuses.
• Contribute to defining the financial sustainability model of the incubator, including long-term funding and revenue generation options.
• Participate in the development of programme KPIs related to financial performance and impact.
• Provide inputs to programme concept notes, business plans, fundraising proposals, and operational guidelines.
• Ensure alignment of financial aspects with the programme’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles.
• Demonstrated knowledge of blue economy sectors (e.g., fisheries, aquaculture, maritime transport, ocean energy, marine biotechnology, coastal tourism).
• Experience working with climate or ocean-related funds, green/blue bonds, blended finance mechanisms, or impact investors.
• Experience working with incubators, accelerators, or startup advisory services.
• Familiarity with multilateral development banks, philanthropic foundations, and development partners funding sustainability and blue economy initiatives.
• Excellent communication skills in English. Knowledge of Kiswahili is an advantage.

3.1.5. Support personnel for specific tasks to be mobilised when needed for very short time:

• Policy and Institutional Advisor: To ensure policy coherence and institutional readiness (review legal/policy frameworks impacting startups, recommend policy incentives or regulatory reforms, map institutional stakeholders and support networks, etc.)
• Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Specialist: To embed a results-based framework from the start (develop Theory of Change and logical framework, propose performance indicators (economic, social, environmental), design tools for baseline data and impact measurement).
• Communications and Knowledge Management Expert: Support stakeholder engagement and knowledge tools (facilitate knowledge-sharing platforms, design branding and outreach for the incubation programme, package lessons learned and promote visibility)
• GIS Specialist: to provide spatial analysis and mapping to support blue economy sector diagnostics, to develop GIS layers and datasets relevant to marine/coastal resources, infrastructure, and risks, to assist startups in using geospatial tools for business planning (e.g., identifying optimal aquaculture sites, to contribute to the programme’s knowledge products, such as interactive maps or geo-portals, etc.).

4.0 Supervision and coordination

The consultant will report to and work under the supervision of Regional Programme Manager – Coastal & Ocean Resilience (COR) and or Chief of Party

Declaration of Undertaking in relation to RfP Designing and developing a Blue Economy Incubation Programme, IUCN Tanzania Country Office, Tanzania

I, the undersigned, hereby confirm that I am an authorised representative of the following organisation:

Registered Name of Organisation (the “Organisation”): _______________________

Registered Address (incl. country): _______________________________________

Year of Registration:__________________________________________________

I hereby authorise IUCN to store and use the information included in the attached Proposal for the purpose of evaluating Proposals and selecting the Proposal IUCN deems the most favourable. I acknowledge that IUCN is required to retain the Proposal in its entirety for 10 years after then end of the resulting contract and make this available to internal and external auditors and donors as and when reasonably requested.

Where the Proposal includes Personal Data as defined by the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), I confirm that the Organisation has been authorised by each Data Subject to share this Data with IUCN for the purposes stated above.

I further confirm that the following statements are correct:

1. The Organisation is duly registered in accordance with all applicable laws.
2. The Organisation is fully compliant with all its tax and social security obligations.
3. The Organisation and its staff and representatives are free of any real or perceived conflicts of interest with regards to IUCN and its Mission.
4. The Organisation agrees to declare to IUCN any real or perceived emerging conflicts of interests it or any of its staff and representatives may have concerning IUCN. The Organisation acknowledges that IUCN may terminate any contracts with the Organisation that would, in IUCN sole discretion, be negatively affected by such conflicts of interests.
5. None of the Organisation’s staff has ever been convicted of grave professional misconduct or any other offence concerning their professional conduct.
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8. The Organisation is a going concern and is not bankrupt or being wound up, is not having its affairs administered by the courts, has not suspended business activities, is not the subject of proceedings concerning those matters, or in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure provided for in national legislation or regulations.
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11. The Organisation has not been, is not, and will not be involved or implicated in any violations of Indigenous Peoples’ rights, or injustice or abuse of human rights related to other groups or individuals, including forced evictions, violation of fundamental rights of workers as defined by the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Declaration on the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, child labour, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment.

__________________________________________________

< Name and position of authorised representative of the Proposer>

DECLARATION in relation to RFP Designing and developing a Blue Economy Incubation Programme, IUCN Tanzania Country Office, Tanzania

I, the undersigned, hereby confirm that I am self-employed and able to provide the service independent of any organisation or other legal entity.

Full name (as in passport):

Home or Office (please delete as appropriate) Address (incl. country):

I hereby authorise IUCN to store and use the information included in the attached Proposal for the purpose of evaluating Proposals and selecting the Proposal IUCN deems the most favourable, including Personal Data as defined by the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). I acknowledge that IUCN is required to retain my Proposal in its entirety for 10 years after then end of the resulting contract and make this available to internal and external auditors and donors as and when reasonably requested.

I further confirm that the following statements are correct:

1. I am legally registered as self-employed in accordance with all applicable laws.
2. I am fully compliant with all my tax and social security obligations.
3. I am free of any real or perceived conflicts of interest with regards to IUCN and its Mission.
4. I agree to declare to IUCN any real or perceived emerging conflicts of interests I may have concerning IUCN. I acknowledge that IUCN may terminate any contracts with me that would, in IUCN sole discretion, be negatively affected by such conflicts of interests.
5. I have never been convicted of grave professional misconduct or any other offence concerning my professional conduct.
6. I have never been convicted of fraud, corruption, money laundering, supporting terrorism or involvement in a criminal organisation.
7. I acknowledge that engagement in fraud, corruption, money laundering, supporting terrorism or involvement in a criminal organisation will entitle IUCN to terminate any and all contracts with me with immediate effect.
8. I am not included in the UN Security Council Sanctions List, EU Sanctions Map, US Office of Foreign Assets Control Sanctions List, or the World Bank listing of ineligible firms and individuals. I agree that I will not provide direct or indirect support to firms and individuals included in these lists.
9. I have not been, am not, and will not be involved or implicated in any violations of Indigenous Peoples’ rights, or injustice or abuse of human rights related to other groups or individuals, including forced evictions, violation of fundamental rights of workers as defined by the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Declaration on the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, child labour, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment.

______________________________________________________