Funding Opportunities

Request for Proposals: Program Implementation Partner, Clean Cooking Alliance Venture Accelerator

1. Summary

The United Nations Foundation’s Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA) is accepting proposals for a Program Implementation Partner to assist with the delivery of a Venture Accelerator program that will commence in Q3 2023. The first cohort of the Accelerator will be West Africa focused, with subsequent cohorts envisioned in different geographical regions.

The program implementation partner will work closely with the CCA team with the scope of work to include but not be limited to the following key areas of delivery for cohort 1: co-design of the final program structure and content; enterprise recruitment and due diligence; liaising with technical assistance (TA) and content delivery experts; day-to-day management of the program including online and in-person components; monitoring and evaluation of program objectives and reporting of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs); providing ongoing support to enterprises post-cohort in line with a structured mentorship structure.

2. Clean Cooking Alliance

The Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA) works with a global network of partners to build an inclusive industry that makes clean cooking accessible to the three billion people who live each day without it. Established in 2010, CCA is driving consumer demand, mobilizing investment to build a pipeline of scalable businesses, and fostering an enabling environment that allows the sector to thrive. Clean cooking transforms lives by improving health, protecting the climate and environment, empowering women, and helping consumers save time and money. In alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals, CCA is working to achieve universal access to clean cooking by 2030.

3. CCA Venture Accelerator Concept – Cohort 1: West Africa Carbon Finance

3.1 The Problem: Clean cooking enterprises are not yet getting their share of carbon capital.

As global carbon markets have accelerated through the growth in voluntary carbon markets (VCM) and the emergence of Article 6.2 bilateral agreements, the opportunity to deliver climate finance to the clean cooking sector through the carbon markets remains underutilized. Less than 5% of carbon credits generated in the VCM to date are from clean cooking. Less than ten project developers dominate the flow of clean cooking credits. This is especially true in Africa, a critical and large geographic area for the clean cooking sector. Fifteen project developers accounted for 73% of the carbon credits issued in Africa from 2010-2022 [1]. Over 60% of project developers have been engaged in single project and over 70 percent have been active in only one country.

[1] Africa Carbon Market Initiative Report 2022.

3.2 Addressing the Problem through the CCA Venture Accelerator

To tackle enterprise level challenges related to accessing carbon finance and to complement national and ecosystem level efforts, CCA will launch a venture accelerator to support small and growing clean cooking companies access to carbon finance. The program will build the operational and strategic capacity of these companies to develop high quality projects that are better integrated in the country-level planning for clean cooking and carbon finance and, where applicable, the international carbon markets.

The Accelerator intends to:

1. Identify and select high-potential clean cooking enterprises with promising technology and the ambition to structure carbon projects.
2. Provide technical assistance and capacity building support to selected enterprises in several areas:
   • Diagnosing venture-level gaps that impede them from developing bankable carbon projects
   • Developing strategies for the enterprises to access global carbon markets and buyers, and national-level programs where applicable (for example, connecting smaller companies with intermediaries, medium-sized with brokers, larger companies with direct buyers, and exploring aggregation facilities where applicable)
   • Providing access to technical expertise to assist companies with the process of structuring and registering carbon programs
   • Addressing other venture level gaps in targeted ways
3. Provide structured coaching and expert support to the selected enterprises to ensure their projects are successfully implemented and generate revenue streams.

3.3 Venture Accelerator Purpose and Intended Outcomes

The primary goal of the accelerator program is to drive carbon finance into clean cooking companies in support of country-level climate and carbon finance goals by diagnosing strategic and operational gaps in companies, making connections to the carbon finance value chain, and building enterprises’ capacity to reliably deliver on carbon contracts. The Accelerator intends to widen the opportunities for small and medium sized clean cooking companies to attract carbon financing commitments and reduce risks for pre-financiers and carbon buyers related to the timeliness and reliability of enterprise execution in terms of the flow and quality of carbon credits.

A working set of success and outcome metrics will be developed as part of the detailed design of the program.

3.4 Regional Focus and Cohort Structure

The first cohort of the Venture Accelerator will be focused on West Africa with a programmatic hub in Ghana and priority given to enterprises in Ghana and Nigeria. The regional priority reflects the potential for carbon projects in West Africa and the increasing number of clean cooking ventures operating in West Africa and is in line with CCA’s programmatic priorities. We envision a cohort of no more than ten enterprises carefully selected to align with the program objective and delivery structure.

4. Call for Proposals: Accelerator Program Implementation Partner

CCA seeks to partner with a suitably qualified and experienced firm with an established track record and verifiable expertise in venture acceleration and enterprise support programming in West Africa.

4.1 Scope of Work and Deliverables

The scope of work for the awardee will be to develop and execute the program’s work as follows:

4.1.1 Program Initiation (~8 weeks):

• Lead program structuring workshop(s) (co-design with CCA team)
• Support accelerator program launch and marketing activities
• Lead enterprise recruitment and due-diligence exercise
• Support development of program monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) plan
• Support key stakeholder management in-region, including aligning with CCA’s ongoing initiatives in West Africa

4.1.2 Program Delivery (~16 weeks):

• Lead the planning, management, and delivery of Accelerator boot camp (in-person program initiation, training workshops, networking, market immersion activities etc.)
• Conduct project management of enterprise carbon diagnostics – in co-ordination with technical partner
• Conduct general business diagnostic assessment for cohort enterprises
• Conduct project management of online learning curriculum
• Support identification, recruitment and contracting of third-party technical assistance (TA) providers
• Conduct project management of enterprise TA projects – in coordination with technical partner and/or third-party TA providers and enterprises
• Lead monitoring and evaluation of enterprises against individual TA plans
• Support management of third-party TA provider contracts
• Lead day-to-day liaison and relationship management with enterprises
• Support identification and recruitment of enterprise mentors

4.1.3 Enterprise Support & Evaluation (~12 weeks):

• Lead planning and establishment of structured mentorship relationships with enterprises
• Support post-program relationship management, evaluation and monitoring of enterprises
• Coordinate and execute data gathering for program MEL reporting

The timeframe shown for each phase of the scope of work is indicative, respondents are encouraged to refine and adjust these timelines according to their experience and proposed execution strategy. However, CCA envisions the engagement with the awardee to be in the region of at least nine months in total for this accelerator cohort.

5. Technical Requirements

Respondents should demonstrate the following capabilities:

• An excellent track-record in designing and managing enterprise accelerator programs for small and growing businesses in West Africa, ideally in the energy access sector
• Experience in managing and delivering technical assistance programs to small and growing businesses ideally in the energy access sector
• Understanding of the energy access and/or clean cooking sector in West Africa, including knowledge of market trends, consumer preferences, and regulatory frameworks, and national level policy priorities
• Existing relationships with stakeholders, including enterprises, investors, corporates, and foundations engaged or interested in the energy access/clean cooking sector in West Africa
• Experience in program monitoring and evaluation
• Capacity and skills to manage program finances to a high standard, including budgeting, financial reporting, and grant management
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and a proven track record of working with underrepresented enterprise founders
• Experience or knowledge of carbon finance markets, or climate action program delivery would be advantageous

6. Project Period of Performance

CCA will engage the services of a program implementation partner as soon as practically possible after the release of this Request for Proposal (RFP). The target date for commencing the Accelerator cohort is Q3 2023, and CCA will work with the selected partner to create a detailed timeline and roadmap of activities leading to the commencement of the cohort.

6.1 RFP Timeline

7. Budget

A detailed budget not exceeding $100,000 (one hundred thousand) in US Dollars must be submitted with the respondents’ proposal. The budget should include both pre-tax and net of tax values. The budget should include an estimated break-down of costs by the program phases indicated in the scope of work. Respondents are required to include direct costs (Personnel, Fringe Benefits, Travel, Sub-Agreements, Equipment, Supplies, etc.), as well as indirect costs (overhead). For indirect costs, please indicate a list of expenses covered by the indirect rate. For all direct cost, please include assumptions that were made to arrive at line-item costs (e.g., 2 trips @ $1,500/trip = $3,000 or 20 staff hours @ $40/hour = $800).

For budgeting purposes respondents should assume that the accelerator cohort will include eight enterprises the majority of which will be based in Ghana and Nigeria with the balance in the ECOWAS region.

Respondents should note that the budget required in the proposals is for staff time, direct costs and overheads for the accelerator program implementation support as indicated in the scope of work (section 4.1of this RFP) and excludes other programmatic costs such as provision of technical assistance to the cohort enterprises, engagement with carbon technical partners, and direct costs of running the accelerator bootcamp.

If a bid has a mathematical discrepancy, CCA may correct the discrepancy and notify the Consultant of the adjustment. In such circumstances, the consultant may choose to withdraw their bid.

8. Evaluation Process

CCA will review all written proposals and may request a virtual or in-person interview and/or updated submission to address questions or provide clarification. Respondents will be evaluated based on the selection criteria and weighting as specified below. Proposals that do not comply with the instructions outlined below may be subject to scoring reductions during the evaluation process or deemed non-responsive:

9. Intent and Disclaimer

This RFP is made with the intent to identify a consultant to deliver results as described in this RFP. UNF/the Clean Cooking Alliance will rely on the Consultant’s representations to be truthful and as described. The Clean Cooking Alliance assumes it can be confident in the Consultant’s ability to deliver the product(s) and/or service(s) proposed in response to this RFP.

• If the Clean Cooking Alliance amends the RFP, copies of any such amendments will be sent to all respondents to the proposal.
• Proposal Guidelines and Requirements
• This RFP is open to multiple partners and is a competitive process.
• Proposals received after 5 pm UTC on May 31, 2023, will not be considered.
• The price provided should be in US dollars and should contain both pre-tax and net of tax values. If the process excludes certain fees or charges, the applicant must provide a detailed list of excluded fees with a complete explanation of the nature of those fees.
• CCA prefers a single point of contact who manages deliverables. If the execution of work to be performed by the Consultant requires the hiring of sub-contractors, the Consultant must clearly state this in the proposal. Sub-contractors must be identified and the work they will perform must be defined. Subcontractors are subject to vetting and approval of UNF/CCA
• CCA will not refuse a proposal based upon the use of subcontractors; however, we retain the right to refuse the sub-contractors you have selected.
• Provisions of this RFP and the contents of the successful responses are considered available for inclusion in final contractual obligations.

10. Format for Proposals

Each respondent should submit a clear and concise proposal in one consolidated document that provides all the information requested below and adheres closely to the RFP instructions and requirements. Submitted proposals must include:

• The full legal name of applicant, as well as legal formation and ownership structure (e.g., incorporation certification, tax status and ID, etc.)
• A response to the services and capabilities requested (see section 4: ‘Scope of Work and Deliverables’ and section 5: ‘Technical Requirements)
• Credentials that speak to the respondent’s experience and capability to deliver the scope of work including key staff that will execute the program and engage with enterprises and CCA
• Program Budget (see section 7: ‘Budget’)

Proposals should not exceed five pages with an additional provision for attaching biographies/CVs of the proposed delivery team in an appendix.

11. Contracting and Compliance

CCA will negotiate contract terms upon selection. A copy of the contract terms and conditions will be provided upon selection. All contracts are subject to review by the UN Foundation’s Business Services and Budget Reporting team. The project will start upon the complete execution of the contract. The contract will outline terms and conditions, scope, budget, and applicable flow down terms. Selected recipient(s) must comply with CCA, United Nations Foundation, and funder compliance requirements. The selected recipient(s) must also undergo detailed legal, financial, and commercial due diligence.

11.1 Release

The Consultant understands that the Clean Cooking Alliance has chosen to solicit an RFP for consulting services, and that the Consultant’s response does not guarantee that the Clean Cooking Alliance will enter a new contract with the Consultant or continue any current contract(s) with the Consultant.

The Consultant agrees that Clean Cooking Alliance may, at its sole discretion:

• Amend or cancel the RFP, in whole or in part, at any time
• Extend the deadline for submitting responses
• Determine whether a response does or does not substantially comply with the requirements of the RFP
• Waive any minor irregularity, informality or nonconformance with the provisions or procedures of the RFP
• Negotiate with all Consultants UNF deems acceptable
• Issue multiple awards
• Photocopy the responses for evaluation/review

This RFP is not an offer to contract. The Clean Cooking Alliance assumes no responsibility for Consultant’s cost to respond to this RFP. All responses become the property of the Clean Cooking Alliance.

The Consultant, by submitting a response to this RFP, waives all right to protest or seek any legal remedies whatsoever regarding any aspect of this RFP.

The Consultant represents that it has responded to the RFP with complete honesty and accuracy. If facts provided in the Consultant’s response change, the Consultant agrees to supplement its response in writing with any deletions, additions, or changes within ten (10) days of the changes. The Consultant will do this, as necessary, throughout the selection process.

The Consultant understands it may receive proprietary and confidential information from the Clean Cooking Alliance during the RFP process (“Confidential Information”). The Consultant and CCA agree to not use Confidential Information for any purpose other than the Consultant’s participation in the RFP process, and to not reveal Confidential Information directly or indirectly to any other person, entity, or organization without the prior written consent of the other party. The Consultant and CCA further agree to exercise all reasonable precautions to maintain the proprietary and confidential nature of Confidential Information where it can best demonstrate its value and capacity to delivery ecosystem-wide, meaningful value.

11.2 Grounds for Exclusion

• Material misrepresentations, including omissions, may disqualify the Consultant from a contract award.
• Submissions will be rejected in the Clean Cooking Alliance’s sole discretion if it finds that the Consultant has engaged in any illegal or corrupt practices in connection with the award.
• The Consultant will be excluded from participation for the reasons below. By submitting a proposal in response to the RFP, the Consultant confirms that none of the below circumstances apply:
• The Consultant is bankrupt or being wound up, is having their affairs administered by the courts, has entered an arrangement with creditors, has suspended business activities, is subject of proceedings concerning those matters, or is in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure provided for in national legislation or regulations.
• The Consultant or persons having powers of representation, decision-making or control over them have been convicted of an offence concerning their professional conduct by a final judgment.
• The Consultant has been found guilty of grave professional misconduct; proven by any means which CCA can justify.
• The Consultant has not fulfilled obligations relating to the payment of social security contributions or taxes in accordance with the legal provisions of the country in which they are established, or within the United States of America, or those of the country where the contract is to be performed.
• The Consultant or persons having powers of representation, decision-making or control over them have been convicted for fraud, corruption, involvement in a criminal organization or money laundering by a final judgment.
• The Consultant makes use of child labor or forced labor and/or practice discrimination, and/or do not respect the right to freedom of association and the right to organize and engage in collective bargaining pursuant to the core conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

12. Principal Point of Contact

Simba Mudimbu is the primary point of contact for this assignment. Please reach out to smudimbu@cleancooking.org email address with any questions.

12.1 Submission Details

It is advised that Respondents carefully read and comply with all instructions contained in this RFP.

Please submit proposal materials related to this RFP to ventures@cleancooking.org with the subject line “Proposals for Venture Accelerator Program Implementation Partner.”

The deadline for submission is May 31, 2023, at 5 PM UTC.