REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
CONSULTANCY FOR REVIEW OF EABC ICT POLICY, DEVELOPMENT OF AI GUIDELINES, AND DELIVERY OF AI ONLINE TRAINING FOR THE PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION UNIT (PIU)
Summary of the Assignment
Nature of assignment: Short-term consultancy
Location: EAC Region
Eligibility Criteria: Only firms based in EAC Partner States are eligible to apply
Project Title
Accelerating Sustainable and Inclusive Industrialization in the East African Community (EAC)
(EABC–AfDB Project)
1. Background
The East African Business Council (EABC), with support from the African Development Bank (AfDB), is implementing the project “Accelerating Sustainable and Inclusive Industrialization in the EAC.” The project seeks to strengthen private sector competitiveness, promote value addition, and enhance access to regional and continental markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
As part of project implementation, EABC is strengthening its digital infrastructure, including the development of a Market Intelligence System and B2B digital platforms to support private sector engagement, analytics, trade facilitation, and evidence-based advocacy.
To ensure the sustainability, security, resilience, and ethical use of digital systems and emerging technologies, EABC seeks to review and update its ICT Policy, develop AI Guidelines, and build the internal capacity of the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) through structured AI online training.
2. Objectives of the Consultancy
2.1 Overall Objective
To strengthen EABC’s digital governance framework by reviewing and updating the ICT Policy, developing AI Guidelines, and delivering AI capacity-building training to support secure, resilient, and ethical digital transformation under the EABC–AfDB Project.
2.2 Specific Objectives
The consultancy aims to:
- Review and update the EABC ICT Policy to align with emerging digital technologies, cybersecurity standards, and best practices;
- Ensure the ICT Policy includes detailed backup, restoration, and disaster recovery procedures;
- Review and update the EABC AI Guidelines to ensure ethical, secure, and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence;
- Align ICT and AI governance frameworks with regional and international best practices, data protection standards, and AfDB requirements;
- Support the development and implementation of the Market Intelligence System and B2B Platform;
- Build the capacity of the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) through practical AI online training.
3. Scope of Work
The consulting firm will undertake the following tasks:
3.1 Review and Update of EABC ICT Policy
The firm shall:
- Conduct a comprehensive review of the existing EABC ICT Policy and related digital governance documents;
- Update the ICT Policy to support modern digital systems, including the Market Intelligence System and B2B Platform;
- Incorporate detailed and practical provisions on:
- System restoration and recovery procedures;
- Off-site and cloud-based backup procedures;
- Backup verification, testing, and audit mechanisms;
- ICT governance roles, responsibilities, and access controls;
- Develop or strengthen a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and/or Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) within the ICT Policy framework;
- Ensure compliance with data protection, privacy, and cybersecurity standards.
3.2 Review and Development of AI Guidelines
The consulting firm shall:
- Review and update the EABC AI Guidelines to ensure alignment with:
- Ethical and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence;
- Data protection and confidentiality requirements;
- Transparency, accountability, and bias mitigation;
- Regional and international best practices on AI governance;
- Ensure the AI Guidelines support the ethical use of AI in:
- Market intelligence and analytics;
- B2B digital platforms;
- Project monitoring, reporting, and decision-making;
- Align the AI Guidelines with AfDB integrity, digital transformation, and governance principles.
3.3 Development and Delivery of AI Online Training
The consulting firm shall:
- Design and deliver an AI Online Training Programme tailored for the EABC Project Implementation Unit (PIU);
- Develop training modules covering:
- Introduction to AI and digital transformation;
- Ethical and responsible AI use;
- AI applications for market intelligence and B2B platforms;
- Data protection, cybersecurity, and AI risk management;
- Practical use cases relevant to EABC operations;
- Deliver training through online platforms and provide training materials, recordings, and user guides.
4. Deliverables
The consulting firm is expected to deliver:
- Inception Report with methodology and workplan;
- Updated EABC ICT Policy (including BCP/DRP);
- Updated EABC AI Guidelines;
- AI Online Training Curriculum and Materials;
- Delivery of AI Online Training sessions for PIU staff;
- Final Consultancy Report summarizing activities, outputs, and recommendations.
All deliverables shall remain the property of EABC.
5. Duration
The assignment is expected to be completed within 30–40 working days from contract signing.
6. Qualifications and Experience of the Consultancy Firm
The consulting firm should demonstrate:
- At least one expert with a Master’s degree in ICT, Computer Science, Information Systems, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, or related fields;
- Minimum 5 years of experience in ICT policy development, digital governance, or AI frameworks;
- Proven experience developing ICT policies, AI guidelines, or digital governance frameworks;
- Experience delivering AI or digital capacity-building training;
- Familiarity with data protection, cybersecurity, and disaster recovery planning;
- Experience working with donor-funded or regional integration projects is an added advantage.
- Company profile highlighting relevant expertise and experience and proof of business registration and tax compliance (for firms)
7. Evaluation Criteria
| Criteria | Description | Max. Points |
| Technical Proposal (70 pts) | ||
| Qualifications of Key Personnel | Relevant academic qualifications and expertise | 10 |
| Relevant Experience | ICT policy, AI governance, digital transformation assignments | 30 |
| Methodology and Approach | Soundness and clarity of proposed methodology and workplan | 30 |
| Financial Proposal (30 pts) | ||
| Cost Effectiveness | Value for money | |
| Cost Realism and Justification | Clear and realistic budget | |
| Total | 100 |
Minimum technical score to qualify for financial evaluation: 60/70
8. Reporting and Coordination
The consulting firm will report to the Executive Director, EABC, and work closely with the EABC–AfDB Project Management Team and the ICT and Communications Units.
9. Ethical Considerations
The consulting firm shall:
- Maintain confidentiality of all information obtained during the consultancy;
- Acknowledge EABC and AfDB ownership of all deliverables;
- Avoid conflicts of interest;
- Ensure ethical, inclusive, and gender-sensitive approaches;
- Comply with EABC and AfDB integrity, data protection, and anti-fraud guidelines.
10. Application Process
Interested firms should submit:
- Technical Proposal (maximum 20 pages);
- Financial Proposal (submitted separately and password-protected).
Applications should be submitted electronically to:
📧 procurement@eabc-online.com with copy to info@eabc-online.com
By 30th January 2026, 5:00 PM EAT, clearly marked:
“Consultancy: Review of EABC ICT Policy, Development of AI Guidelines, and AI Online Training – EABC–AfDB Project”
EABC is an equal opportunity organization and encourages applications from qualified firms regardless of gender, age, or background.
END