Reference No: DCA/29/07/2024

Subject: Consultancy Services – Innovation Journey Learning Initiative Consultancy.

Contracting Authority: DanChurchAid (DCA) Kenya

DanChurchAid’s (DCA) vision is to strengthen the world’s poorest people in their struggle for a life in dignity. DCA is one of the largest and oldest humanitarian organizations in Denmark, working both with long-term development projects and humanitarian action since 1922.

Innovation is a fundamental part of DCA’s future; it is a mainstreamed throughout DCA’s Global Strategy, critical to our survival, evolution and relevance as an organization tackling some of the world’s most complex social and environmental challenges.

For us at DCA, innovation is our intentional and systematic approach—combining creative thinking, shared values, and collaborative tools – to discover new or improved solutions that address critical social and environmental challenges. It’s our commitment to Save Lives, Build Resilient Communities, Fight Extreme Inequality, and Create Engagement. For DCA, Innovation is ‘a process of developing and deploying effective solutions to challenging and often systemic social and environmental issues in support of social process in new ways which creates larger and more sustainable impact than previously.’

A key part of DCA’s innovation journey is learning; however much of this is focused on celebrating successes, with less time invested in reflecting on (missed) opportunities and key reflections on cultural and organizational systems and structures needed to fully support DCA’s innovation ambitions.

Consultancy services needed: Innovation Journey Learning Initiative Consultancy

The consultancy is aimed at reviewing and interrogating:

1. The process undertaken at CO level – by DCA and partners; how innovation projects are have been identified, designed and framed. Are there examples where a scaling eye from the outset could better have been applied? What barriers to generating proof of concept have been experienced?
2. Strengths and challenges: looking at past innovation initiatives undertaken, examine the partnerships; technical support/expertise; approach; communication pathways; funding levels; implementation methodologies. What do these tell us about considerations for future innovation initiatives and partnerships?
3. Complexity and viability: Looking at levels of ambition versus reality, what can we learn about the pathway needed to fully assess innovation potential – whilst also embracing the level of risk needed to spearhead innovation?
4. Innovation management capacity: What does it take at CO level, SLT level, technical level and project level to spearhead a successful innovation initiative? How well are DCA’s internal systems and processes suited to support successful innovation initiatives; with a specific focus on procurement, finance and partnerships systems. How could DCA’s systems be adapted to better support innovation ambitions, both at CO and at global levels? To what extent are the principles from the ISO standard for innovation management known and utilized by DCA and partner staff in Kenya, and how could these better be applied?

Geographical area of the assignment is Nairobi main Country office and, Nakuru & Turkana field offices.

Interested firms should provide the following information to the Contracting Authority using the contact details below:

Provide the following information (mandatory documents)

• Brief company profile with the company’s brief background, name, contact details and physical address.
• Company’s statutory documents (Certificate of registration or incorporation, CR12 and KRA Pin )
• A brief word document summary of the skills and experience of the proposed lead consultant and the consultant(s) showing briefly the relevant previous assignments and education level. Maximum, 3 pages.
• At least two recommendation/reference letters.

Below is the required education level and years of experience;

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in one or more of the following, in the Kenyan context: innovation scaling, innovation management, or planning of innovation activities/projects supporting scale, solution or service design.
• Experience in innovation management in the international social development and/or humanitarian fields.
• Experience in measuring impact through design or implementation of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning frameworks or other impact measurement models.
• Experience in designing and implementing innovative concepts for improved impact and service offering.
• Knowledge of innovation scaling in theory and in practice and knowledge of the most recent best practices. Familiarity with and application of the ISO standard for innovation management preferred.
• Proven track record of successfully managing innovations through prototyping, piloting and towards successful scaling is a plus.

This is purely information on business opportunities and does not constitute a commitment to purchase/service provision or any other form of contractual commitment with the Contracting Authority.

A detailed request for proposal (inclusive of a detailed terms of reference) will be shared to the shortlisted firms.

Only Kenyan firms/companies will be considered.

Individual consultants will not be considered.