Individual consultancy to design the curriculum of the regional women's leadership institute and the Regional STEM skills Accelerator Institute — Accelerating Sustainable & Clean Energy Access Transformation Program Using the Multiphase Programma

Consultancy services on curriculum design of the regional women's leadership and regional STEM skills accelerator Ref: ZM-COMESA-555290-CS-INDV Date: 18 June 2026 Letter of Invitation (LoI) COMESA is inviting qualified individual consultants to submit their technical and financial proposal for the following services: Consultancy Services on curriculum design of the regional women’s leadership and regional STEM skills accelerator to be procured under the Contract reference number ZM-COMESA-555290-CS-INDV . The Terms of Reference defining the minimum technical requirements for these services are attached as Annex 1 to this RFP. Your proposal must be presented in English language and be accompanied by copies of all the indicated supporting documents (CV and Copies of Academic Certificates). If the supporting documents are not in English, these shall be accompanied by a certified translation into English. Submission of the technical and financial proposals must be in a written form to the email addresses below clearly quoting the reference number as stated. You are required to submit both your technical and financial proposals at the same time but in different folders/attachments. The Financial proposal should be in pdf format. Your proposal should be addressed and submitted to: tenders@comesa.int and copied to procurement@comesa.int The deadline for submission of your proposal, to the addressed indicated in Paragraph 4 is: 8 July 2026. Proposal submitted by Fax or hardcopies are not acceptable. It is not permissible to transfer this invitation to any person. The Technical Proposal will be evaluated against the following criteria. No Evaluation attribute Percentage Points 1 A minimum of a master’s degree in electrical engineering, Renewable Energy, Mechanical Engineering, Gender Studies (with an energy background), or a related field. A PhD in a relevant discipline will be an added advantage. 20 2 8–10 years of combined experience in gender equality and women’s empowerment, social inclusion, energy, education, and engineering, with a focus on leadership roles and technical project implementation 10 3 5 – 10 years in Human Resources (HR) in the energy industry as well as curriculum design 10 4 7+ years of demonstrated experience in promoting women in leadership roles, particularly in male-dominated sectors such as energy, engineering, or STEM fields. 10 5 Proven track record in successfully designing and implementing impactful and trackable leadership training programs and technical education initiatives that prepare women for senior management or decision-making roles. 15 6 Experience with the development of leadership institutes and STEM related institutes in Eastern and Southern Africa region 15 7 Experience working on energy projects, including renewable energy (solar, wind), energy distribution networks, or hybrid systems, with a focus on project design, implementation, and management 10 8 Experience integrating gender perspectives into technical solutions or collaborating with gender experts on engineering projects 10 Total 100 Note: The minimum technical score (St) required to pass is: 75% Your proposal should be submitted as per the following instructions, and in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of the Standard Contract attached as Annex 3 to this RFP: (i) PRICES: The financial proposal shall be inclusive of all expenses deemed necessary by the Consultant for the performance of the Contract and must not include any of the following taxes in Procuring Entity Zambia: value added tax and social charges or/and income taxes on non-resident personnel’s fees and benefits. (ii) EVALUATION AND AWARD OF CONTRACT: Proposals determined to be administrative and technical compliant to the requirement will be evaluated by comparison of their prices. A proposal is considered compliant to the requirements if: fulfils the formal requirements (see Paragraphs 2,3,4,5 and 6 above), has received minimum 75 points for the technical proposal. The award will be made to the candidate with the highest combined technical and financial score among the administrative and technical compliant proposals. (iii) VALIDITY OF THE PROPOSAL: Your proposal should be valid for a period of 120 days from the date for deadline for submission indicated in Paragraph 4 above. The assignment is expected to commence five (5) days after contract signing but not later than two weeks from the date of signature of the Contract. Additional request for information and clarifications can be requested, no later than 7 calendar days prior to the deadline indicated in the paragraph 5 above, from: Procurement Unit Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa Ground Floor, COMESA Centre, Ben Bella Road, P.O. Box 30051, Lusaka – Zambia, Telephone: +260 211 2297226/29. Web: http://www.comesa.int Email: procurement@comesa.int Contact person : Niva Chokwe E-mail : NChokwe@comesa.int ANNEXES: ANNEX 1: Terms of Reference ANNEX 2: Standard Contract/Terms and Conditions Sincerely, Signature ______________________ Name: Silver Mwesigwa Title : Head of Procurement and General services Unit ANNX 1: Terms of Reference ASCENT MPA CONSULTANCY ON CURRICULUM DESIGN OF THE REGIONAL WOMEN’’S LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE AND REGIONAL STEM SKILLS ACCELERATOR INSTITUTE TERMS OF REFERENCE Overview of ASCENT The Accelerating Sustainable & Clean Energy Access Transformation Program (ASCENT) objective is to increase access to sustainable energy services in East and Southern Africa. Today, 365 million people are without electricity access in the region and 558 million people without clean cooking access. Eastern and Southern Africa accounts for more than half of the world’s unelectrified population (675 million) and nearly a quarter of the global population without access to clean cooking (2.4 billion). Accelerating energy access progress in the region is essential not only to help unlock its potential and deliver on its development goals, but also to help the world achieve SDG7 (and other SDG goals) and address global challenges including climate change, resilience, and fragility. ASCENT is expected to provide life-transforming opportunities for 100 million people across 20 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa, placing the region on the path to universal energy access. It will align the comparative advantage of all parts of the World Bank (IDA, IFC, MIGA) and build on the proposed IDA funding envelope of $5 billion to leverage an additional $10 billion from public and private financing through strategic partnerships. ASCENT’s programmatic approach will allow the World Bank to dedicate significant resources over a longer time horizon (seven years) and to provide a platform across both national and regional levels that will offer opportunities for collaboration with development partners and a focus on unlocking private capital. ASCENT has become the leading vehicle for delivering the targets under Mission 300 (M300). In order to provide access to sustainable and clean energy to 300 million in Africa, the Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation, (ASCENT) (P180547): MPA (ASCENT MPA) project will continue to integrate gender-transformative approaches that will not only close gender gaps related to energy access but will also employ interventions to empower women to make meaningful contributions to the AFE energy sector in alignment with the WBG Gender Strategy 2024-2030. BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT A sustainable future for all people, including the 1.2 billion people in Africa, depends on the collective ability to tackle climate change, promote a rapid economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, including Sustainable Development Goal 7 – affordable and clean energy, and Sustainable Development Goal 5, gender equality. The rapid economic growth underway in Africa since 2000 has lifted millions out of poverty, and has supported expansion of the continent’s middle class, but better living, working, and social conditions have fuelled a surge in demand for energy. Nearly half of Africa’s 1.2 billion people still lack access to power (AfDB 2018, IRENA 2019) and the continent is home to the world’s fastest growing population. Thus, the demand for energy is expected to double by 2040 (OECD/IEA 2017, IRENA 2019). Africa’s Renewable Energy (RE) sector is just taking off as a major job creation vehicle. In 2020, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimated that the RE sector employed 219,000 people in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA), and about half of these jobs (110,000) were in the off-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) sector (IRENA 2020a). Also, according to a 2019 job census conducted in Kenya and Nigeria, decentralised RE solutions already employed as many people as the traditional utility power sector (Power for All 2019). By 2023, the number of jobs in the RE sector is expected to double in Kenya, and multiply more than tenfold in Nigeria. The good news is that although the SSA renewable energy companies are male-dominated, about 30 percent of RE company board members and CEOs are women, which outpaces G-20, as well as African averages. However, despite this positive trend, the RE workforce has substantial gender gaps, with strong occupational segregation that recruits women predominantly for corporate support functions, rather than in core business functions, which will impact future cohorts of RE leaders. The International Labour Organization (ILO) considers that a workforce is gender balanced when the composition is between 40 and 60 percent of either gender (ILO 2019). In RE companies in SSA, women comprised 27 percent of the members of boards of directors, 30 percent of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), 16 percent of vice presidents, and 26 percent of middle- and lower-level managers. Oftentimes, women are concentrated in corporate support functions, rather than in the core business functions that are critical for feeding the leadership pipeline. Highest proportion of female employees are represented in administration (38 percent), communications (public relations) (34 percent), and sales (31 percent).Women hold an estimated 13 percent of the positions that require a degree in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and 16 percent of non-STEM technical positions (such as environmental, health and safety, legal, and other standards) . To meet the energy sector’s significant skillset and labour demand, energy entities in SSA require a skilled workforce across the entire value chain, which includes project development, manufacturing, installation, operations, and maintenance. Energy access and gender are deeply entwined components of the global development agenda. Adopting a gender a perspective to affordable and clean energy development is critically important to ensure that diversified and increased skills and views – represent an integral part of the growing industry. The Regional STEM Skills and the Regional Women’s Leadership Accelerator ASCENT COMESA Project Implementation Unit (PIU) captures among the Project key actions the capacity building of women’s leadership skills and increased participation of females in the energy sector. The realisation of this result is earmarked to be attained through implementation of regional STEM Skills Accelerator and regional Women’s leadership, as critical pathways through which the gender gaps in leadership and increased visibility in STEM related fields will be ably secured. The Leadership capacity building and STEM related participation will be implemented by creating pivotal partnerships with robust and impactful institutions at regional level, institutions with pre-existing curricula and programmes with similar areas of focus of the Institutes’ objective. The partnership will equally entail possible expansion of current scope of the capacity building initiatives conducted and modalities for STEM participation by identified partner institutions, to enable the evidence-based findings of the planned Consultancy to be incorporated in the curricula and programmes designed. In this respect, Consultant will be hired, to conduct the gap analysis in relation to entry and retention of women in the energy sector, in attainment of leadership positions and barriers to the increased participation of females in STEM related fields. The Consultant will conduct the assessment and identify opportunities and pathways to bridge skillsets in response to the existing constraints. The Consultancy will be undertaken in selected ASCENT countries, targeting national machinery such as public energy utilities, national private sector, academia, research institutions, national gender machineries, ASCENT PIUs, renewable energy developers, NGOs and CBOs. Regional STEM Skills Accelerator The Regional STEM Skills Accelerator under ASCENT COMESA is a new and innovative initiative that is critical for closing gender gaps related to the women’s employment in the energy sector and STEM related fields. The Institute is also expected to primarily provide and initiate mentoring, networking, internships, apprenticeship and coaching opportunities, in energy and STEM related fields, and other soft skills that will allow female engineers to advance career ladders and attain management positions within the energy sector. The Institute will also provide placement services and monitor the employment of the program participants and establish a feedback mechanism useful for keeping the Institute current with market trends. Regional Women’s Leadership The Regional Women’s Leadership accelerator under ASCENT COMESA is a new initiative to develop professional women expertise in leadership skills to foster opportunities for career advancement. The overall goal is to increase women's participation in decision-making by developing capabilities that enable women to rise in leadership roles, advance in their careers, engage in decision-making, and drive systemic change across the energy sector and institutions. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT The objective of the consultancy is to develop a foundational curriculum for the regional STEM Skills Accelerator and the regional Women’s Leadership for females in the energy sector in the Eastern and Southern Africa. The goal is to support specialised and technical skills development of women leadership in the sector, as well as females with STEM backgrounds who face challenges transitioning from graduation to entering the AFE energy sector. The core focus being to close the STEM skills gap females encounter tin the energy sector. The consultant will also support other areas of capacity building as deemed necessary by the PIU. While the institute will be outsourced, it is important that the curriculum aligns with the objectives of the ASCENT Project to ensure full participation of females in the AFE energy sector. The ASCENT COMESA PIU has identified the need for a technical consultant who is tasked with undertaking the assessment, identification of potential institutions to be outsourced and development of curricula that is aligned with identified institutions. This role will create the blueprint for the Institutes’ operations, programmes, and strategic partnerships to close the skills gap of women and men engineers by graduation and accelerate the increased and balanced integration of females into the energy sector. This role requires a deep understanding of STEM related labour markets dynamics in energy sector, gender issues and market-aligned skills within STEM fields, and innovation and creativity to build robust and impactful training programs. The Assessment will be conducted in four (4) countries ensuring geographical representation across all ASCENT countries, upholding the importance of ensuring balanced geographical representation of countries across the Eastern and Southern African region. Consultancy will entail undertaking the tasks outlined below: Conduct a Regional Assessment of Skill Gaps: The consultant is tasked with conducting an assessment, disaggregated by sex and age, to identify skill gaps in the regional energy sector, especially those of the graduates from STEM technical and tertiary institutions and mapping skills which the industry needs. The task will be conducted across both private sector, public energy utilities, rural electrification agencies, companies, selected academic institutions, Regional Energy entities as Central Africa Power Pool (CAPP), Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP) , Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP), West Africa Power Pool (WAPP),, North African Power Pool (NAPP ) with support from Country level ASCENT PIU gender focal persons where possible, for efficiency. Detailed Scope Assess the skills sets of University/TVET graduates with respect to Electricity and Renewable Energy Sectors, STEM related fields in AFE Region . Review and analyse current curricula, training modules, and skill development programmes offered by universities and TVET institutions. Assess the Energy Industry to Identify the Required Skills That Align with Current Energy Industry Needs. Analyse labour market trends impacted by the ASCENT project to determine skill demand, employment opportunities, and the potential need for new or revised educational programs. Assess the current labour and leadership participation trends/statistics of females and males in the Energy sector across diverse portfolios of senior level (i.e., directors, chief executive directors, vice presidents) middle-level and lower-level managerial roles, technical (STEM) and non-technical roles Assess leadership skills required to increase women’s participation in decision making in the energy sector including constraints women leaders currently face to succeed in the energy sector Map potential regional professional training centres and academic institutions to partner for the Leadership Institute and Skills Accelerator Institute Review the programme offered by the mapped institutions aligned with the Consultancy objective, and recommend the best initiatives that assist achieve the Leadership and Skills Accelerator goals Develop the Blueprint for the Design of the Institutes: The Consultant is tasked with developing a comprehensive blueprint for both the Skills Accelerator and Women’s Leadership Institutes. This blueprint will serve as the foundational curriculum outlining the structure, objectives, programme and methodologies of the institutes. Detailed Scope: Design a structured framework that addresses the identified skills gap and align it with the latest industry needs and educational (particularly STEM) best practices in alignment with the ASCENT COMESA project objectives. Outline the content and curriculum of the institutes programmes, ensure they are tailored to meet the specific gaps and needs of female engineers entering the energy sector. Incorporate feedback and insights from relevant stakeholders, including the ASCENT PIU gender specialist, and industry experts, public energy utilities, rural electrification agencies, private sector, companies, academic institutions, Regional Energy entities (EAPP, SAPP, NAPP), NGOs among others, to ensure alignment with industry standards and best practices. Establish a Programme Framework: The Consultant is responsible for formulating an overarching strategy and operational framework for the Institutes, aligned to current and future projected skills trends. Detailed Scope: Develop a comprehensive strategy and methodology for the institutes clearly defining their objectives, desired outcomes, and performance indicators. Design the operational framework of the institutes, including its organizational structure, programme structure, and service offerings. Ensure that the frameworks are flexible and adaptable to accommodate changes in the energy sector and evolving educational needs and aligned to the contextual variations of ASCENT Countries. Define the criteria and processes for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the Institutes programmes, with a focus on continuous improvement and impact measurement. Collaborate with Stakeholders: The Consultant is required to engage with key stakeholders to ensure the successful design and implementation of the Institutes. Detailed Scope: Foster collaboration and engagement with the ASCENT PIU gender focal persons, gender specialist, private sector, public energy entities, rural electrification agencies, companies, national gender machineries, academic institutions and regional training centres, Regional Energy entities (EAPP, SAPP, WAPP, CAPP, NAPP), NGOs and other relevant stakeholders to incorporate diverse perspectives into the design of the Institutes. Establish and map potential partnerships with energy sector employers, private sector, academic institutions, companies, Regional Energy entities (EAPP, SAPP, CAPP, NAPP, WAPP) and other stakeholders to align the objectives of the institutes with industry needs and best practices. Facilitate stakeholder workshops, focus groups, and consultations to gather input and feedback on the Institute’s design, ensuring broad-based support and buy-in from all stakeholders. Develop strategies for ongoing stakeholder engagement and communication to maintain momentum and support throughout the Institute’s implementation. Develop a Pilot Programme for Bridging Skills Gaps: The Consultant is tasked with designing and implementing a pilot programme to address skills gaps and provide capacity building training and mentoring/internship/apprenticeship opportunities for female engineers and employees. Detailed Scope: Design an admission system to identify and select eligible candidates for participation in the pilot programme, ensuring inclusivity and diversity. Develop a comprehensive technical training and mentoring strategy tailored to the specific needs of female engineers and employees, focusing on both technical skills and soft skills development. Design leadership and soft skills training programs to prepare female engineers for advancement into management roles within the energy sector. Collaborate with the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) team to design and implement a robust monitoring and evaluation system for the pilot programme, incorporating gender and sex disaggregated data collection and analysis mechanisms to measure its effectiveness. Establish an effective placement (internship, mentoring, apprenticeship) and tracking system to monitor the employment trajectory of programme participants and track their progress over time. Create a feedback mechanism to gather input from programme participants, mentors, and other stakeholders, informing the scaling strategy and enhancing programme offerings based on lessons learned. Map potential regional professional training centres and academic institutions to partner for the Leadership and STEM Skills Accelerator: Identify and map potential regional professional training centres and academic institutions positioned as potential institutes to partner to provide the required capacity building for women employers in the energy sector and accelerate the required market driven STEM skills for female graduates Detailed scope : Map specific regional professional training centres and educational (academic) centres to potentially collaborate with to provide the capacity and skills accelerator programmes Extensively assess and review the programmes and curricula of the mapped institutes Map potential entities to partner within the provision of apprenticeship, mentoring and internship placements Conduct in-depth consultative stakeholder sessions with the mapped professional institutions and educational centres in respect to the existing programmes and curricula and areas of demand-driven labour market skills Collectively with the mapped institutions, devise potential responsive strategies and mechanisms for resource mobilisation towards the identified demand-driven labour market skills Resource Allocation Planning: The Consultant is tasked with determining the resource requirements for the launch and sustained operations of the Women in Energy Institutes. Detailed Scope: Conduct a comprehensive assessment to identify the staffing, materials, and technology needed to establish and operate the Institutes effectively. Identify potential avenues to mobilise required resources for the full operationalisation of the Programme, work closely with the ASCENT PIU and other stakeholders to secure the necessary funding and resources for the successful implementation of the Institutes. Monitor resource utilization and make recommendations for adjustments as needed to ensure efficient and effective use of allocated resources throughout the project lifecycle. Engage other organizations in the energy sector, such as Association of Power Utilities’ Africa (APUA), EAPP, WAPP, APP) SAPP), CAPP, and NAPP that may have an interest in the Institutes to ensure continued funding beyond the initial project period in case the current funding is limited. DURATION The assignment will span 7 months, covering all technical responsibilities of the Institutes’ curriculum design and implementation, as well as capacity-building initiatives for females in the energy sector. The exact duration is subject to the scope and complexity of the assignment. REPORTING The consultant will report to the ASCENT COMESA PIU Coordinator and will be supervised by the PIU gender specialist, with the support of the World Bank ASCENT Gender Team and the COMESA Gender Affairs Division Director. QUALIFICATIONS OF THE CONSULTANT The individual expert should demonstrate the following qualifications and experience: Academic Background : A minimum of a master’s degree in electrical engineering, Renewable Energy, Mechanical Engineering, Gender Studies (with energy background), or a related field. A PhD in a relevant discipline will be an added advantage. Professional Experience : 8–10 years of combined experience in gender equality and women’s empowerment, social inclusion, energy, education, and engineering, with a focus on leadership roles and technical project implementation. 5 – 10 years in Human Resource (HR) in the energy industry as well as curriculum design; 7+ years of demonstrated experience in promoting women in leadership roles, particularly in male-dominated sectors such as energy, engineering, or STEM fields. Proven track record in successfully designing and implementing impactful and trackable leadership training programs and technical education initiatives that prepare women for senior management or decision-making roles. Experience with development of leadership institutes and STEM related institutes in Eastern and Southern Africa region Experience working on energy projects, including renewable energy (solar, wind), energy distribution networks, or hybrid systems, with a focus on project design, implementation, and management. Experience integrating gender perspectives into technical solutions or collaborating with gender experts on engineering projects. Skills and Competencies : Strong analytical skills to conduct energy, gender and technical analyses, addressing barriers to women’s leadership while optimizing technical project outcomes. Advanced project management skills, including program design, monitoring, and evaluation, particularly for gender-focused engineering initiatives. Track record in analysing STEM fields and approaches for increased inclusive approaches for balanced participation of female and male in STEM educational opportunities and STEM related professions. Widescale knowledge and familiarity with national and regional energy entities and academic institutions specialising in STEM fields. Extensive knowledge and experience in institution-building, professional and educational, particularly within the AFE region Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with experience leading workshops, focus groups, and stakeholder consultations. Technical proficiency in energy systems design and implementation, with an emphasis on renewable energy projects. Strategic planning and organizational capabilities to effectively coordinate multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders. Experience working on similar assignments within the ASCENT AFE region Fluency in English, and advanced knowledge of French and Arabic is an added advantage. Knowledge : In-depth understanding of gender equality issues, particularly in STEM and energy sectors. Familiarity with international and national policies on gender equality, women’s rights, leadership, ILO and energy sector standards. Awareness of the intersection between technical solutions and gender equality, with insights into how engineering projects can support women’s empowerment. Deliverables At the inception meeting, the consultant is tasked with several key responsibilities, development Inception report, situational analysis report, development of the Blueprint for the Design of the Institutes establishment of a Programme Framework, collaboration with stakeholders, presentation of the Resource Allocation Plan, and proposal of policy and best practices integration measures to ensure high-quality outcomes. The consultant is required to provide an indicative methodology for undertaking the assessment and engagement of key stakeholders, time schedule for the assignment activities and main deliverables, which will be outlined in the matrix provided below Deliverable Timeline (TBD) Inception Report 2026 Conduct a Thorough Situational Analysis of the data collected on Skills Gaps and labour force participation of female leadership roles in energy sector 2026 Draft Situational Analysis report, based on desk research and literature review 2026 Develop assessment data collection tools and circulate for approval 2026 Conduct the on-site comprehensive assessment exercise 2026 Conduct extensive consultative sessions with key stakeholders and mapped Institutions 2026 Develop the Draft Blueprint for the Design of Curriculum for both Institutes 2026 Establish a Draft Programme Framework 2026 Develop a Pilot Programme for Bridging Skills Gaps – Skills Accelerator and Capacity building framework 2026 Develop a feedback mechanism 2026 Resource Allocation Planning 2026 Validation workshop of ASCENT Countries and relevant stakeholders of the Blueprint of Design of Curriculum, Programme Framework, Pilot Programme, Feedback mechanism and Resource Allocation Plan 2027 Finalise, Draft Blueprint Curriculum, Draft Programme Framework, Draft Pilot Programme, Feedback mechanism and Resource Allocation Plan 2027 Initial capacity building of identified relevant stakeholders 2027 Final Report and Recommendations 2027 Success Metrics These metrics will determine what success looks like for the Regional Women’s Leadership Institute and Regional STEM Skills Accelerator Institute Project at the end of the consultancy. Women Being Seen Positively in the Energy Sector Success would mean that women in the energy sector, particularly those who have participated in the Institutes, are viewed with the same level of competence, leadership potential, and technical expertise as their male counterparts. Companies adopt and implement policies that actively combat gender biases, ensuring that females are judged based on their skills and contributions. Females are not being discriminated against in the sector by being assigned similar roles to male counterparts. Addressing Skills Gaps The Institutes would have successfully addressed skills gaps by Providing comprehensive capacity building training programmes tailored to the needs of female engineers, focusing on both technical skills (such as renewable energy systems, engineering software) and soft skills (like leadership, negotiation, Emotional intelligence, time management & prioritization, strategic thinking and project management). Pairing females with experienced mentors who can guide them through the technical and professional challenges they may face, helping them navigate understanding their worth and learning to build career meaningful relationships. Implementing a continuous feedback loop where participants can express their learning needs, and the Institutes can adapt their programs accordingly. Participation of females in career development opportunities in the energy sector, including inclusive Field based operations Employability and Equal Opportunities : Success for the Institutes would also be measured by their support to fostering an environment for gender equality in the workforce. This includes: Ensuring that women from the Institutes are given the same job opportunities and benefits as men. Women are hired for technical roles and promoted to leadership positions, with companies ensuring fair treatment and opportunities for everyone, regardless of gender. Female engineers, through the Institutes, are recognized for their skills and leadership potential, helping to create a more balanced and inclusive workforce in the energy sector. Increased percentage of female participation in the energy labour force in AFE Companies Engaged, Scale, and Impact Success will also be measured by the engagement and impact on companies and individuals: A significant number of energy consultants are actively participating, employing, and retaining participants from the Institutes’ programmes and implementing gender-inclusive practices. The Institutes successfully reach a broad audience, with a specific target of female engineers gaining employment or advancing in their careers. A high number of female engineers benefiting from the Institutes, with a measurable increase in the number of females in technical and leadership positions within the energy sector. Advocate for commitment from companies in the engineering sector to adopt gender-responsive recruitment practices by deliberately reserving a proportion of positions for qualified female engineers whenever new employment opportunities become available. Defining Success Success at the end of the consultancy would be marked by: Sustainable Programme Framework: The establishment of a robust, scalable Institutes framework that continues to support female engineers beyond the consultancy period. Measured Outcomes: Clear, quantifiable outcomes such as the number of females placed in jobs, the number of companies implementing gender-sensitive practices, and the overall improvement in gender diversity within the sector. Recognition and Replication: The Institutes are recognized as a model for similar initiatives in other sectors or regions, with a framework that can be replicated and scaled. Professional and academic institutions identified for potential partnerships to provide the required capacity building training for female professionals and placement opportunities for internship-mentorship-apprenticeship for female STEM students. ANNEX 3: Standard Terms and Conditions STANDARD CONTRACT FOR CONSULTING SERVICES THIS Contract is entered into between, [name of Procuring Entity] (hereinafter called the “Procuring Entity”), on the one hand and; [name of Consultant] (hereinafter called the “Consultant”) of the other part; WHEREAS COMESA wishes to have the Consultant perform the services hereinafter referred to, and WHEREAS the Consultant is willing to perform these services, NOW THEREFORE THE PARTIES hereby agree as follows: 1. Services (a) The Consultant shall perform the services specified in Annex A, “Terms of Reference and Technical Proposal,” which is made an integral part of this contract (“the Services”). (b) The Consultant shall provide the personnel listed in Annex B, “Consultant’s Personnel,” to perform the Services. (c) The Consultant shall submit to COMESA the reports in the form and within the time periods specified in Annex C, “Consultant’s Reporting Obligations.” 2. Term The Consultant shall perform the Services during the period commencing [insert the date] and continuing [insert the date] or any other period as may be subsequently agreed by the parties in writing. 3. Termination 3.1 By COMESA COMESA may terminate this contract in case of the occurrence of any of the events specified in paragraphs (a) through (g) of this Clause 3.1. In case of an occurrence specified in (a) to (g) COMESA shall give not less than seven (7) days’ written notice of termination to the Consultant (a) If the Consultant fails to remedy a failure in the performance of its obligations hereunder, within seven (7) days of period after the receipt of a registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt specifying the failure. (b) If the Consultant becomes (or, if the Consultant consists of more than one entity, if any of its members becomes) insolvent or bankrupt or enter into any agreements with their creditors for relief of debt or take advantage of any law for the benefit of debtors or go into liquidation or receivership whether compulsory or voluntary. (c) If the Consultant fails to comply with any final decision reached as a result of arbitration proceedings pursuant to Clause 15 hereof. (d) If the Consultant, has engaged in corrupt or fraudulent practices in competing for or in executing this Contract. (e) If the Consultant submits to COMESA a false statement which has a material effect on the rights, obligations or interests of COMESA. (f) If, as the result of Force Majeure, the Consultant is unable to perform a material portion of the Services for a period of not less than fourteen (14) days. (g) If COMESA, in its sole discretion and for any reason whatsoever, decides to terminate this Contract. Early termination shall not prejudice or affect the accrued rights or liabilities of the Parties. 3.2 By the Consultant The Consultant may terminate this contract, by not less than seven (7) days’ written notice to COMESA, in case of the occurrence of any of the events specified in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this Clause 3.2. (a) If COMESA fails to pay any money due to the Consultant pursuant to this contract (which is not subject to dispute pursuant to Clause 15 hereof) within seven (7) days after receiving written notice from the Consultant that such payment is overdue. (b) If, as the result of Force Majeure, the Consultant is unable to perform a material portion of the Services for a period of not less than fourteen (14) days. (c) If COMESA fails to comply with any final decision reached as a result of arbitration pursuant to Clause 15 hereof. (d) If COMESA is in material breach of its obligations pursuant to this Contract and has not remedied the same within thirty (30) days (or such longer period as the Consultant may have subsequently approved in writing) following the receipt by COMESA of the Consultant’s notice specifying such breach. Early termination shall not prejudice or affect the accrued rights or liabilities of the Parties. 4. Payment A. Ceiling For Services rendered pursuant to Annex A, COMESA shall pay the Consultant an amount not to exceed US$ [insert the amount in figures and letters] . This amount has been established based on the understanding that it includes all of the Consultant's costs and profits as well as any tax obligation that may be imposed on the Consultant. B. Schedule of Payments The schedule of payments is specified below:1 maximum 20% of the contract value upon COMESA's receipt and acceptance of the inception report signed by the Consultant. 50% upon COMESA’s receipt of the draft final report , acceptable to COMESA; and maximum 30% of the contract value upon COMESA’s receipt and acceptance by COMESA of the final report. Total: 100% C. Acceptance The Deliverables, meaning Reports or Services submitted to an Acceptance (either formal or not), are listed in the Annex C thereof. Acceptance means express or tacit acknowledgment that the Deliverables comply with the Contract. The following principles are always applicable: Unless COMESA makes reservations within fourteen (14) working days from the submission, the Deliverables are deemed accepted; In case of reservations by COMESA during the Acceptance Period, the Deliverables are deemed accepted once the reservations are withdrawn; It is expressly agreed that the use of any Deliverables or any phase of the Contract means the final Acceptance of the phase or the corresponding Deliverables; and The Acceptance is definitive and cannot be doubt for any reason whatsoever. D. Payment Conditions Payment shall be made in US$ no later than 30 days following submission by the Consultant of an acceptable invoice accompanied by prove of Acceptance (implicit or explicit) of Deliverables associated to the invoice, in duplicate, to the coordinator designated in paragraph 4. If the Consultant does not receive payment by the time stated, then the Consultant shall be paid interest at the overdraft interest rate the Consultant is charged by its bank calculated from the due date of payment. 5. Payment upon Termination Upon termination of this Contract pursuant to Clauses 3.1 or 3.2 hereof, COMESA shall make the following payments to the Consultant: (a) The cost of all accepted Deliverables performed prior to the effective date of termination and any interest rate due to the Consultant as a result of previous delays in payment of invoices; and (b) Except in the case of termination pursuant to paragraphs (a) through (e) of Clause 3.1 hereof, reimbursement of any reasonable out-of-pocket demobilization or other direct costs incidental to the prompt and orderly termination of this Contract, including the cost of the return travel of the Consultant’s Personnel. 6. Project Administration A. Coordinator COMESA designates the [insert de full name, the title, department and organization ] , as Procuring Entity's Coordinator; the coordinator will be responsible for the coordination of activities under this Contract, for acceptance and approval of the reports and of other deliverables by COMESA and for receiving and approving invoices for the payment. B. Reports The reports listed in Annex C, “Consultant's Reporting Obligations,” shall be submitted in the course of the assignment and will constitute the basis for the payments to be made under Clause 4 thereof. Information COMESA shall timely provide to the Consultant, free of cost, all information that may be reasonably required for the provision of the Services. The Consultant shall be entitled to rely on the accuracy and completeness of such information furnished by or on behalf of COMESA. D. Decisions COMESA shall give his decision on all matters properly referred to him in writing by the Consultant within a reasonable time so as not to delay the Services. Where there is a misunderstanding between COMESA’s Coordinator and the Consultant, the Consultant can bring the issue into the attention of the SADC Secretariat Executive Secretary, which is entitled to express COMESA’s final decision on the issue brought into attention. E. Assistance COMESA shall co-operate with the Consultant and shall not interfere with or obstruct the proper performance of the Services. COMESA shall as soon as practicable: (a) Provide the Consultant’s personnel with work permits and such other documents as shall be necessary to enable them to perform the Services; (b) Arrange for the Consultant’s personnel and, if appropriate, their eligible dependents to be provided promptly with all necessary entry and exit visas, residence permits, exchange permits and any other documents required for their stay in the Government’s country; (c) Facilitate prompt clearance through customs of any property required for the Services and of the personal effects of the Consultant’s personnel and their eligible dependents; (d) Issue to officials, agents and representatives of the Government all such instructions as may be necessary or appropriate for the prompt and effective implementation of the Services; (e) Exempt the Consultant and its personnel from any requirement to register or obtain any permit to practice their profession or to establish themselves either individually or as a corporate entity according to the Applicable Law; (f) Grant to the Consultant and its personnel of either of them the privilege, pursuant to the Applicable Law, of bringing into the Government’s country reasonable amounts of foreign currency for the purposes of the Services or for the personal use of the personnel and their dependents and of withdrawing any such amounts as may be earned therein by the personnel in the execution of the Services; (g) Authorize the Consultant and its personnel to act as his agent as may be necessary for the performance of the Services; (h) Procure the Consultant’s ready access to the necessary sites; and (i) Designate in writing a person to act with his complete authority to give instructions for and to receive information on his behalf. 7. Performance Standards The Consultant undertakes to perform the Services with the highest standards of professional and ethical competence and integrity. The Consultant shall promptly replace any employees assigned under this Contract that COMESA considers unsatisfactory as a result of their incompetence to render the Services or their misconduct. 8. Confidentiality (a) The Consultants shall not, during the term of this Contract and within two (2) years after its expiration, disclose any proprietary or confidential information relating to the Services, this Contract or COMESA's business or operations without the prior written consent of COMESA. (b) Where necessary, the parties may enter into a non-disclosure agreement that shall form an integral part of this contract. 9. Ownership of Material Any studies reports or other material, graphic, software or otherwise, prepared by the Consultant for COMESA under the Contract shall belong to and remain the property of COMESA. The Consultant may retain a copy of such documents and software but shall refrain from using it without the prior written consent of COMESA. 10. Consultant Not to be Engaged in Certain Activities The Consultant agrees that, during the term of this Contract and after its termination, the Consultant and any entity affiliated with the Consultant, shall be disqualified from providing goods, works or services (other than the Services and any continuation thereof) for any project resulting from or closely related to the Services. 11. Insurance The Consultant will be responsible for taking out any appropriate insurance coverage, in the limit indicated in the Clause 14 hereof. 12. Amendments Any modification of the Terms and Condition of the Contract shall be through a written Amendment signed by both parties. The procedures for modification of the Contract shall observe the COMESA Secretariat principles of modifying contracts as lay down in the COMESA Secretariat Procurement Guidelines of February 2014 . Only the addition or the replacement of key experts shall be considered a modification of the Contract. In case of replacement of a key expert, this shall be done only with an expert having equal or better qualification than the expert replaced. The Consultant shall not assign this Contract or sub-Contract any portion of it without COMESA's prior written consent. 13. Law Governing Contract and Language The Contract shall be governed by UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts (2011) as developed by the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law and the language of the Contract shall be English . 14. Liability Limitation of the Consultants’ Liability towards COMESA: (a) Except in case of gross negligence or wilful misconduct on the part of the Consultant or on the part of any person or firm acting on behalf of the Consultant in carrying out the Services, the Consultant, with respect to damage caused by the Consultant to COMESA ’s property, shall not be liable to COMESA: (i) For any indirect or consequential loss or damage; (ii) For any direct loss or damage that exceeds by two times the value of the fees of this Contract (reimbursable expenses will not be taken into consideration for determining the value of Consultant’s liability); and (iii) For loss or damage caused as a result of any Force Majeure Event. This limitation of liability shall not affect the Consultants’ liability, if any, for damage to Third Parties caused by the Consultant or any person or firm acting on behalf of the Consultants in carrying out the Services. Any action by either party must be brought within one (1) year after the cause of action arose. 15. Dispute Resolution Any dispute arising from, or in connection with the interpretation or operation of this Contract shall be resolved amicably by both parties through a process of negotiation. Where the Parties fail to reach an amicable solution within a period of 30 (thirty) day period, or such longer period as they may agree, the parties have failed to resolve their dispute or differences by any mutual consultation, either party may submit the dispute before the COMESA Court of Justice for arbitration upon written notice to that effect (a “Notice of Arbitration”) and the dispute shall finally be determined in accordance with the Arbitration Rules of the COMESA Court of Justice as amended from time to time Each party agrees that any decision or award in any arbitration made by the COMESA Court of Justice shall be final and binding and shall not be subject to appeal to any court of law. Annexes: Annex A: Terms of Reference and Technical Proposal Annex B: Financial Proposal Annex C: Consultant’s Reporting Obligations IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the Parties’ representatives, being so duly authorized, have caused this Contract to be signed in four originals in the English language in their respective names as of the day and year first below written: Signed today [insert the date] For COMESA Signature For the Consultant Signature Name: [insert full name] Name: [insert full name] Title: [insert the title] Title: [insert the title] Place: [insert the city and country] Place: [insert the city and country] Date: [insert the date] Date: [insert the date] 1 Modify, in order to reflect the output required, as described in Annex C.