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R&D Group, in partnership with Hybrid Designs and the Mastercard Foundation under the EDGE Program, is seeking a qualified consulting firm to facilitate the development and implementation of supportive regulations and policies for Ethiopia's outsourcing i
Description
TENDER INVITATION: RE-ADVERTISEMENT
Assignment Title: Consulting Assignment: Outsourcing Regulation, Policy & Strategy Development
Tender Reference No.: R&D/EDGE/RFP/008/2026
Issuing Organization: R&D Group (in partnership with Hybrid Designs and the Mastercard Foundation under the EDGE Program)
Re-advertisement Date: August 17, 2026
1. Background & Purpose
The Entrepreneurship in the Digital and Gig Economy (EDGE) Program is seeking a qualified consulting firm to facilitate the development and implementation of supportive regulations and policies to drive the growth of Ethiopia’s outsourcing industry. The consultant will work closely with policy experts, public sector stakeholders, the Ethiopian Outsourcing Association (EOA), and program teams to identify regulatory gaps, benchmark global best practices, and draft policy recommendations.
2. Scope of Work
The 45-day consultancy assignment involves six primary tasks:
- Task 1: Conduct a comprehensive needs assessment across public and private sector actors.
- Task 2: Map out and engage key policy and industry stakeholders.
- Task 3: Research international best practices in established outsourcing markets.
- Task 4: Identify policy and regulatory gaps (e.g., Special Economic Zones for service export, subsector licensing).
- Task 5: Draft policy and recommendation documents aligned with global best practices.
- Task 6: Organize and deliver a high-level validation workshop with key policymakers and private sector representatives.
3. Key Deliverables & Payment Terms
| Payment % | Milestone / Deliverable | Disbursement Condition |
| 30% | D1: Inception Report (methodology, needs-assessment plan, stakeholder map, work plan) | Approval by R&D Group within 5 working days. |
| 30% | Mid-term report reflecting final research inputs | Approval by R&D Group within 5 working days. |
| 30% | D2: Final Policy & Recommendation Documents | Approval of submitted document. |
| 10% | D3: Delivery of High-Level Validation Workshop(s) & proceedings report | Acceptance of workshop proceedings. |
4. Qualification Requirements
- Legal Compliance: Valid business registration, trade license, and Tax Identification Number (TIN).
- Firm Experience: Minimum 7 years of experience in policy/regulatory development or sector strategy work. Strong knowledge of the outsourcing/BPO sector preferred.
- Team Leader: Master’s degree (PhD preferred) in Public Policy, Law, Economics, or related field, with a minimum of 10 years in policy/regulatory development.
- Team Members: Minimum 5 years of research and consulting experience, preferably in regulatory drafting in Ethiopia.
5. Submission Guidelines & Deadlines
- Clarification Questions Deadline: August 18, 2026, by 5:30 PM
- Proposal Submission Deadline: August 21, 2026, by 5:30 PM
- Submission Format: Technical proposal (max 10 pages in PDF format, excluding CVs/annexes) and Financial proposal must be submitted as separate files via email.
- Email Address: [email protected]
Tender details
- Deadline: 2026-08-21
- Bid closing time: 17:30
- Bid opening: 2026-08-21 17:30
- Bid opening (note): No Specific Opening Date and Time
- Region: Addis Ababa
- Publishing entity: R&D Group
- Published on: 2merkato.com (Aug 17, 2026)
- Posted at: 2026-08-17T13:19:03.000Z