Engagement of Existing Agribusiness Incubators and Enterprise Support Organizations in Kenya and Nigeria, Washington

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Engagement of Existing Agribusiness Incubators and Enterprise Support Organizations in Kenya and Nigeria

Project: Capacity Building to Support the Implementation of the CAADP Strategy and Action Plan (2026–2035)

Executing Agency: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

Financing Partner: Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA)

Reference No.: [To be inserted] | Issue Date: [To be inserted] | Closing Date: November 30, 2026

1. Background

IFPRI, with financing from BADEA, is implementing the project “Capacity Building to Support the Implementation of the CAADP Strategy and Action Plan (2026–2035)” in Kenya and Nigeria. One component of the project will support agribusiness incubation and enterprise development, with particular attention to promising youth- and women-led agribusinesses.

For this component, IFPRI intends to partner with established agribusiness incubators, accelerators, innovation hubs, enterprise support organizations, university-based incubation centers, or comparable institutions that already possess the infrastructure, systems, networks and practical experience required to incubate and accelerate agribusiness enterprises. The intention is not primarily to hire an individual consultant to create an incubator from the ground up, but to engage an established organization that can provide both the institutional and technical platform required to host and deliver the agribusiness incubation programme in Kenya and Nigeria.

IFPRI therefore invites proposals through an open and competitive process from qualified existing organizations capable of hosting and delivering a structured agribusiness incubation programme. Following IFPRI’s technical and financial evaluation, the top three qualified candidates will be submitted to BADEA for review and non-objection before final selection and contracting.

2. Objective of the Assignment

The objective is to engage an established incubation or enterprise-support organization in each project country, or another eligible arrangement determined through the competitive process, to provide both the institutional and technical platform required to host and deliver a structured agribusiness incubation programme. The selected provider will be responsible not only for the incubation environment, facilities, systems and networks, but also for substantive technical delivery, including enterprise diagnostics, training, business advisory services, mentoring and coaching, market and finance linkages, investment-readiness support, and monitoring of enterprise progress and results.

The selected organization will be expected to build on its existing facilities, systems, staff, technical expertise, mentor networks and incubation model, while adapting its programme to the specific objectives, target beneficiaries and monitoring requirements of the BADEA–IFPRI project. The provider must therefore demonstrate capacity to both host and technically deliver the programme.

3. Geographic Scope

The assignment covers Kenya and Nigeria. Applicants should clearly identify the country in which they are established and propose to deliver the incubation programme. They must demonstrate an operational presence, existing incubation or enterprise-support infrastructure, and relevant local networks in that country.

IFPRI may select an existing incubator or comparable organization in each country, subject to the outcome of the competitive process and BADEA review and non-objection.

4. Scope of Services

• Provide both the institutional and technical platform for implementation of the programme, including an established incubation environment, appropriate facilities and systems, qualified technical staff and mentors, enterprise-support services, and the operational capacity to host and deliver the full incubation programme.
• Work with IFPRI and relevant national stakeholders to refine beneficiary eligibility and selection criteria and support transparent outreach, screening, selection and onboarding of participating agribusinesses.
• Undertake a diagnostic assessment of selected enterprises to identify business-development, technical, market, finance and management needs.
• Adapt the organization's existing incubation methodology and curriculum to the needs of the selected enterprises and the objectives of the BADEA–IFPRI project.
• Deliver practical incubation support covering business models, financial management, record keeping, market analysis, value-chain positioning, operations, digital tools, investment readiness and other needs identified through enterprise diagnostics.
• Provide individualized mentoring, coaching and business advisory support using qualified in-house staff and/or the organization's established mentor and expert network.
• Facilitate access to relevant buyers, off-takers, financial institutions, investors, technology providers, research organizations, government programmes and other ecosystem actors.
• Support participating enterprises to strengthen business plans, financial projections, market strategies, pitch/investment materials and other business-development outputs as appropriate.
• Provide opportunities for peer learning, networking, business clinics, demonstration or pitching events where appropriate within the approved programme.
• Track enterprise participation, services received, progress and agreed results indicators, and maintain adequate supporting documentation.
• Document lessons, enterprise case studies, success stories and recommendations for replication or scale-up.
• Provide periodic implementation and financial reports and a final report in formats agreed with IFPRI.

5. Expected Deliverables

6. Required Qualifications and Experience

Applicants should be established organizations rather than newly constituted teams created solely for this assignment. Eligible applicants may include agribusiness incubators, accelerators, innovation hubs, enterprise development centers, university-based incubators, business-development organizations or comparable institutions.

Applicants should demonstrate the following minimum qualifications:

• Legal registration and an established operational presence in Kenya or Nigeria, depending on the country proposed.
• An existing and functioning incubation, acceleration or structured enterprise-support programme, with the institutional infrastructure and technical capacity to both host and deliver substantive agribusiness incubation services.
• Demonstrated track record supporting agribusinesses, agri-SMEs, startups or growth-oriented enterprises through incubation, acceleration, mentoring or business-development services.
• Evidence of previous cohorts or enterprise portfolios and the results achieved, preferably including support to youth- and women-led businesses.
• Existing qualified staff, mentors, coaches and technical/business experts capable of delivering the assignment.
• Established relationships with relevant market actors, buyers, financial institutions, investors, government agencies, universities/research organizations or other ecosystem partners.
• Adequate systems for enterprise selection, diagnostics, mentoring, progress tracking, safeguarding of information and results reporting.
• Demonstrated financial and administrative capacity to manage a donor-funded assignment and provide required supporting documentation.

7. Proposal Requirements

• Organizational profile describing the applicant's mandate, history, governance, legal status, location(s), facilities and existing incubation/enterprise-support model.
• Evidence that the applicant currently operates an incubation, acceleration or structured enterprise-support programme, including information on previous/current cohorts and services provided.
• Technical proposal explaining how the existing incubation model will be adapted to the BADEA–IFPRI project, including beneficiary outreach/selection, enterprise diagnostics, training, mentoring, market/finance linkages, monitoring and sustainability.
• Description of existing facilities, digital systems, mentor/expert networks, partnerships and other resources that will be made available to the project.
• Evidence of relevant past performance, including at least three comparable assignments or enterprise-support programmes where available, with client/partner references.
• Proposed team structure and CVs/profiles of key personnel and mentors.
• Financial proposal with a clear cost breakdown, distinguishing programme delivery costs from any proposed use of existing facilities or services and identifying applicable taxes.
• At least two client/partner references and disclosure of actual or potential conflicts of interest.
• Any additional documentation required by IFPRI's solicitation instructions.

8. Evaluation and Selection

Proposals will be evaluated competitively. The final solicitation may refine the weights below while retaining the same core criteria.

Only proposals meeting the required technical threshold will proceed in the selection process. Following IFPRI's evaluation, the top three qualified candidates will be submitted to BADEA for review and non-objection before award.

9. Duration

The assignment will be implemented within the project's 24-month implementation period. The precise contract duration and mobilization schedule will be confirmed in the final solicitation and contract.

10. Submission Instructions

Proposals should be submitted electronically to [procurement email/portal] by [date and time], quoting reference [reference number]. Technical and financial proposals should be submitted in the format specified by IFPRI. Late or incomplete submissions may be rejected in accordance with IFPRI procurement procedures.

11. Reservations

IFPRI reserves the right to amend or cancel the call, request clarifications, verify information submitted, negotiate within applicable procedures, or decide not to award a contract. Issuance of this call does not constitute a commitment to contract or reimburse proposal-preparation costs. Any award is subject to completion of IFPRI's procurement process and BADEA review/non-objection as applicable.