The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is looking for Strategic Advisory support for the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Adaptation Fund Pipeline Development and Capacity Development for Partners Further details of the assignment can be found in the Terms of Reference. Please request all tender documents by email from au_bidderquestions@giz.de by mentioning 10034435 Strategic Advisory support for (GEF)

Background Information

Background Information on the Project

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a global service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development dedicated to shaping a future worth living around the world. As a public-benefit federal enterprise, GIZ supports the German Government – in particular the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) – and many public and private sector clients in achieving their objectives in international cooperation in around 120 countries.

The Multi-Donor Action “Blue Africa” is jointly co-financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union and implemented by the GIZ project “Global Water Security for Resilient Development”. The Action is part of the overall EU Action Blue Africa, implemented by the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), and the GIZ. Blue Africa is part of and contributes to the Team Europe Initiative on Transboundary Water Management in Africa.

The Specific Objectives of the Action are:

1. Strengthen the African continental water governance architecture on transboundary water cooperation;
2. Stimulate investments in the African water agenda and improve financing for water priorities and transboundary investments, including in climate adaptation, natural resources management and nature-based solutions; and
3. Develop further African benchmarking and monitoring tools on water security.

Under this Action, GIZ works closely with Africa’s key continental water architecture actors, including the AUC, the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), the African Network of Basin Organizations (ANBO), Basin Organizations (BOs), Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and Member States. Blue Africa and the Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP) of the African Union seek to narrow the water investment gap and contribute towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 targets on water and sanitation by addressing systemic challenges in the preparation and delivery of water investments.

1.2 Nile River Basin Investment Program (NRBIP)

The overall objective of the Nile River Basin Investment Program (NRBIP) is to advance cooperative development of the Nile Basin. Specifically, to advance regional water, food, and energy security by ensuring reliable provision of quality water, boosting agricultural productivity and trade, expanding hydropower and renewable energy, protecting ecosystems and watersheds, and strengthening community resilience to climate change and water-related disasters. The NRBIP supports investments in four thematic areas:

requirements and procedures to assess their readiness.

2. Tasks to be Performed by the Contractor

The contractor is responsible for providing the following services:

Task 1: Screening of the NRBIP portfolio for GEF and Adaptation Fund and development of roadmaps for selected projects

The NRBIP is focused on promoting resource mobilization for investment projects that (a) have passed the feasibility stage and (b) have undergone screening and strategic integrated assessment at the program level regarding their alignment with the Basin cooperation agenda. Under this task, the Expert will work closely with the NRBIP Task Team to screen projects from the portfolio most suitable for GEF and Adaptation Fund and to prepare costed roadmaps and pitches for each project.

The Expert is expected to support the NRBIP task team in screening the projects for GEF and Adaptation Fund financing. This will include the following steps;

• Step one: Develop an NRBIP GEF and Adaptation Fund standard screening tool/criteria based on the key criteria for screening projects for GEF and Adaptation Fund through working sessions with the NRBIP task team
• Step two: Together with the NRBIP task team, apply the criteria to NRBIP portfolio projects to select the most suitable candidate projects in a workshop.
• Step three: Analyze existing documentation and information, such as feasibility studies, climate cases, stakeholder engagement plans, etc., on the selected projects, fit for GEF and Adaptation Fund, to identify key gaps
• Step four: Together with the NRBIP core team, develop costed specific roadmaps for each of the projects.
• Step five: Develop project pitches for each of the projects

Deliverable: up to 5 costed roadmaps and project pitches (Level of Effort up to 10 days)

Task 2: Regional Capacity Development and Technical Training on GEF and Adaptation Fund Readiness

The Expert will support Blue Africa’s regional capacity development efforts in climate-resilient water investment planning and climate finance. This includes technical support to the preparation and delivery of up to regional training courses for African countries and regional stakeholders.

The Expert is expected to contribute to training design, technical content development, facilitation, and practical exercises, with a focus on water investment planning and on the GEF project pipeline.

Deliverables: Technical support to up to two regional trainings on access to GCF Financing (Level of Effort 10 days)

Optional Services

After the services put out to tender have been completed, important elements of these tasks can be continued or extended. Specifically:

Option 1: Support GEF concept note development for selected project and trainings

Based on the roadmaps developed, high-profile projects will be selected for the preparation of concept notes for GEF funding. The contractor is responsible for providing the following optional services:

1. Review of documents and previous studies for selected project: The consultant will review the reports as per the list provided by NRBIP partners as a basis to understand the prior relevant work conducted. The consultant will further review the draft project documents (e.g., first draft ideas for Concept Note, Theory of Change, etc.)
2. Develop draft concept notes following the GEF standard template. Based on the review of key project documents, the consultant will draft a concept note following the GEF guidelines. The consultant should ensure that the proposed approach and activities address the GEF criteria for successful submissions.
3. Support and participate in stakeholder engagement during concept note development: As part of the concept development process, the consultant is expected to participate and help prepare the concept note during the stakeholder consultative meetings with stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, and local communities in the respective countries of the NRBIP partners.
4. Participate in concept note validation processes and support integration of feedback from stakeholders and GEF for the selected projects

5. The consultant is expected to participate in validation workshops Final concepts note: Based on the feedback from the stakeholder consultation, the consultant will be expected to finalize the concept note and the relevant annexes with the NRBIP partners for final approvals and submission to GEF.

6. Undertaking additional regional training on climate resilient financing

Proposed deliverable: A concept note developed for GEF submission and one training delivered (Anticipated Level of Effort: 25 days)

Exercising the option will depend on the deliverables from the main tasks and resource availability. The decision on continuation is expected to be made in the period January -March 2027. If the option is exercised, the contract term is expected to be extended to October 2027.

Option 2: Support Adaptation Fund concept note development for selected project and trainings

Based on the roadmaps developed, high-profile projects will be selected for the preparation of concept notes for the Adaptation Fund submission. The contractor is responsible for providing the following optional services:

1. Review of documents and previous studies for selected project: The consultant will review the reports as per the list provided by NRBIP partners as a basis to understand the prior relevant work conducted. The consultant will further review the draft project documents (e.g., first draft ideas for Concept Note, Theory of Change, etc.)
2. Develop draft concept notes following the Adaptation Fund standard template. Based on the review of key project documents, the consultant will draft a concept note following the Adaptation Fund guidelines. The consultant should ensure that the proposed approach and activities address the Adaptation Fund criteria for successful submissions.
3. Support and participate in stakeholder engagement during concept note development: As part of the concept development process, the consultant is expected to participate and help prepare the concept note during the stakeholder consultative meetings with stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, and local communities in the respective countries of the NRBIP partners.
4. Participate in concept note validation processes and support integration of feedback from stakeholders and the Adaptation Fund for the selected projects

5. The consultant is expected to participate in validation workshops Final concepts note: Based on the feedback from the stakeholder consultation, the consultant will be expected to finalize the concept note and the relevant annexes with the NRBIP partners for final approvals and submission to the Adaptation Fund

6. Undertaking additional regional training on climate resilient financing

Proposed deliverable: A concept note developed for Adaptation Fund submission and one training delivered (Anticipated Level of Effort: 25 days)

Exercising the option will depend on the deliverables from the main tasks and resource availability. The decision on continuation is expected in August 2027. If the option is exercised, it is anticipated that the contract term will be extended, depending on the project timelines

Assignment Details

Number of expert days: 70 days in phases (Phase 1: 20 days, Optional phases: Phase 2: 25 days, Phase 3: 25 days)

Period of assignment: September 2026 to October 2027

Required qualifications:

Tasks of the expert

• Overall responsibility for the tasks (quality and deadlines)
• Coordinating and ensuring communication with GIZ, partners, and others involved in the project
• Regular reporting in accordance with deadlines
• Support high-level engagement on the assignment

Qualifications of the expert

• • Education/training (2.2.1): university degree – Master's in any of the following fields: finance, environmental policy, water sciences (with a strong financial and policy focus in the African water and environment sectors).
  • Language (2.2.2): C1-level language proficiency in English.

General professional experience (2.2.3):10 years of professional experience in water resources management and environmental management. Technical expertise in public investment in the African water and environment sectors is required to align water and environment project pipelines with broader economic development agendas, with experience in developing climate resilience finance strategies. 10 years of experience in cooperation with continental, regional, and national organizations in the African water sector, and a good understanding of the broader financing perspective

• • Specific professional experience (2.2.4): 10 years of experience in structuring impact and blended finance instruments tailored to the African context. The expert must demonstrate experience in writing fundable GEF/Adaptation Fund projects or delivering GEF/Adaptation Fund Trainings- up to five examples should be provided in the context of Africa.
  • Leadership/management experience (2.2.5): 5 years of management/leadership experience as a project team leader or manager in a company.
  • Regional experience (2.2.6): 10 years of experience working on projects in Africa
  • Development Cooperation (DC) experience (2.2.7): 10 years of experience in DC projects.
  • Other (2.2.8): 5 examples of transboundary projects in Africa with a focus on water and environment sectors

Soft skills of the expert

In addition to specialist qualifications, the following qualifications are required of the Consultant:

• • Team skills
  • Initiative
  • Communication skills
  • Socio-cultural skills
  • Efficient, partner- and client-focused working methods
  • Interdisciplinary thinking

How to apply

Please request all tender documents via email from au_bidderquestions@giz.de by mentioning 10034435 Strategic Advisory support for (GEF and Adaptation Fund) on your subject email.

Tender documents include:

• Terms of reference (ToR) with description of tasks,
• Price sheet for submission of financial offer,
• Evaluation grid for technical evaluation of the offers,
• GIZ invitation letter,
• Bidding conditions,
• General Terms and Conditions of Contract (AVB local),
• Eligibility self-declaration,
• Extract from act against restraints on competition.