Letter of Invitation
20 July 2026
14 Natal Road
Belgravia
Harare
Dear Sir/ Madam,
We hereby invite your entity to submit a proposal for a Mid-Term Learning and Harvesting Assessment consultancy under the Youth Employment & Entrepreneurship Project.
SNV intends to enter into a contract for these services with the winning bidders. In anticipation of an overarching project within which this assignment will sit shall be funded by The Embassy of Switzerland, Embassy of Sweden and Embassy of Ireland and thus subject to their terms and conditions in the Lead Contract with SNV.
Your proposals are due to SNV no later than 2 August 2026. Late bids will be disqualified. Bids must be submitted to zimbabweprocurement@snv.org
In the attached package you will find:
•
Instructions to Bidders
•
The Terms of Reference
We look forward to receiving your proposal,
Kind regards,
HR & Operations Manager
Technical Assessment PRF# YEE/MIDT/ZimZam/0034
Instruction to Bidders
Brief description of the assignment:
The Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship – Amplifying Enterprises and Trade (YEE-AET) Programme is a regional initiative implemented by SNV in Zambia and Zimbabwe to improve the livelihoods, employment prospects, entrepreneurship, and resilience of young women and men through inclusive and sustainable market systems in the agri-food, renewable energy, and green economy sectors.
The programme builds on the achievements, lessons, and evidence generated through the Opportunities for Youth+ (OYE+, 2019–2023) and Increasing Climate Resilience in Energy and Agriculture Systems and Entrepreneurship (INCREASE, 2020–2024) programmes. These programmes demonstrated effective approaches for promoting youth employment, enterprise development, financial inclusion, climate resilience, and market systems development. Building on these experiences, YEE-AET adopts a Market Systems Development (MSD) approach, operationalised through SNV's Pull–Match–Push–Enable (PMPE) framework. The programme combines market facilitation, skills development, enterprise support, access to finance, climate resilience, and policy engagement to address structural barriers limiting young women's and men's participation in productive economic opportunities. The programme strengthens resilience to climate and market shocks by promoting climate-smart agricultural practices, renewable energy technologies, climate-resilient inputs, climate-risk management mechanisms, and sustainable enterprise development. It also addresses Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) constraints through mentorship, leadership development, engagement with men and traditional leaders, and evidence-based advocacy to promote more equitable social norms and economic participation.
All work is anticipated to commence first week of September 2026.
Proposal Format
Bidders are free to use their own format for the technical (maximum of 10 pages) and financial proposals. Both must be entirely separate and there may be no financial data included in the technical proposal. Financial proposals must be submitted in USD. All payments will be made by SNV in USD.
The technical proposal should have both CVs for the key focal persons, which have to be annexed as attachments.
Contact Points
If bidders have any questions, they must be addressed to zimbabweprocurement@snv.org . Answers will be shared with all bidders by 27 July 2026.
Selection Process
Technical and financial proposals will be reviewed separately. Only those Technical proposals that pass the average minimum score of 70% will move forward for financial review. The reviews are a closed process and not open to the public.
The contract shall be awarded to the proposal that offers the best overall value, taking into account technical quality and the separately assessed financial proposal. Financial proposals may be negotiated to fit the available budget; the technical score shall take precedence in selecting the best consultant.
The Technical scores will be awarded as follows: Evaluation Area Assessment Criteria Weight
1. Understanding of the Assignment and TOR
Demonstrates a strong understanding of the purpose, scope, objectives, expected deliverables, learning focus, country contexts, programme outcomes, and the utilisation-focused nature of the assessment.
10%
2. Proposed Methodology and Technical Approach
Provides a rigorous, feasible, and context-appropriate mixed-methods approach, including document review, qualitative and quantitative data collection, stakeholder consultations, sampling strategy, data
25%
analysis plan, and triangulation of evidence across Zambia and Zimbabwe.
3. Results Harvesting, Contribution Analysis and Learning Orientation
Demonstrates a sound understanding of Results Harvesting or Outcome Harvesting principles, including outcome identification, formulation, verification, contribution analysis, synthesis of learning, and translation of findings into practical recommendations for adaptive management.
20%
4. Relevant Experience of the Firm or Consultant
Shows proven experience conducting mid-term reviews, learning assessments, outcome or results harvesting assignments, market systems development assessments, youth employment and entrepreneurship evaluations, and multi-country or donor-funded programme assessments.
15%
5. Team Composition, Qualifications and Country Context Knowledge
Presents a qualified, multidisciplinary team with relevant expertise in evaluation, results harvesting, youth employment, entrepreneurship, market systems development, climate resilience, GESI, data analysis, and fieldwork experience in Zambia and Zimbabwe.
15%
6. Workplan, Feasibility and Delivery Arrangements
Provides a realistic and well-structured workplan aligned to the September–October 2026 implementation period, with clear phases, timelines, roles, deliverables, fieldwork arrangements, and mechanisms for coordination with SNV and funding partners.
10%
7. Quality Assurance, Ethics and Risk Management
Includes credible quality assurance measures, ethical considerations, informed consent procedures, data protection arrangements, safeguarding considerations, risk mitigation measures, and mechanisms for validating findings with stakeholders.
5%
Total
100%
Technical Scores are weighted at 70%. Financial scores are weighted at 30%.
Financial evaluation will be conducted for those proposals passing the technical evaluation. The lowest price is awarded maximum points and all other bidders are ranked beside the lowest bid on the following basis:
Bidders Cost – Lowest Cost
_____________________ * 100 = Deduction
Bidders Cost
100-Deduction= Bidders score
Your Financial proposal shall include a statement indicating the following -
a)
whether or not your contract and personnel shall be tax-free or not; and if not,
b)
show separately what the tax burden will be. SNV upon payment will deduct 30% in the absence of a tax clearance.
c)
A realistic breakdown of costs required to deliver the assignment that demonstrates value for money (including clear units/unit costs, separating professional fees, per diems and other reimbursable costs) and any contributions towards project activities. The budget should be detailed enough to show number of days, involved professional, breakdown of office and field days etc
Data protection
SNV will maintain this proposal submission as part of its records for the purposes of evaluation and record keeping for a period of 7 years. Data will be maintained secured both electronically and in hard copy and only used for SNV programming purposes. It will not be shared outside of SNV.
Proposal Submission
Proposal must be received at zimbabweprocurement@snv.org by 23:59am on 2 August 2026. Proposals must be submitted in two separate emails – one containing the Technical Proposal and a separate one containing the Financial Proposal. Emails must be titled in the subject line as follows:
a)
YEE/MIDT/ZimZam/0034 - Technical Proposal (name of entity) maximum of 10 pages annex supporting documents
b)
YEE/MIDT/ZimZam/0034 - Financial Proposal (name of entity)
Terms of Reference
Organisation SNV Netherlands Development Organisation Project Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship – Amplifying Enterprises and Trade (YEE-AET) Programme Assignment Mid-Term Learning and Results Harvesting Assessment Location Zimbabwe and Zambia Duration Two Months Reporting to/working with SNV focal point(s) Multi-Country Project Manager Zambia and Zimbabwe MEL Focal Persons Starting date 1 September 2026
About SNV
SNV is an international development organisation with more than 60 years of experience strengthening capacities and fostering partnerships that transform agri-food, energy, and water systems across Africa and Asia. Working in partnership with governments, the private sector, civil society, and development partners, SNV supports locally led and sustainable development that improves livelihoods and creates lasting impact. SNV integrates Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), climate adaptation and mitigation, and inclusive governance across its programmes to ensure that development outcomes are equitable, resilient, and sustainable. Through evidence generation, innovation, and market systems development, SNV supports governments and partners to create opportunities that enable people to improve their livelihoods while strengthening the systems in which they operate. The Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship – Amplifying Enterprises and Trade (YEE-AET) Programme contributes to this vision by promoting inclusive employment, entrepreneurship, and enterprise development for young women and men through sustainable market systems, strategic partnerships, and evidence-informed programming.
Background and objectives of assignment
The Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship – Amplifying Enterprises and Trade (YEE-AET) Programme is a regional initiative implemented by SNV in Zambia and Zimbabwe to improve the livelihoods, employment prospects, entrepreneurship, and resilience of young women and men through inclusive and sustainable market systems in the agri-food, renewable energy, and green economy sectors.
The programme builds on the achievements, lessons, and evidence generated through the Opportunities for Youth+ (OYE+, 2019–2023) and Increasing Climate Resilience in Energy and Agriculture Systems and Entrepreneurship (INCREASE, 2020–2024) programmes. These programmes demonstrated effective approaches for promoting youth employment, enterprise development, financial inclusion, climate resilience, and market systems development. Building on these experiences, YEE-AET adopts a Market Systems Development (MSD) approach, operationalised through SNV's Pull–Match–Push–Enable (PMPE) framework. The programme combines market facilitation, skills development, enterprise support, access to finance, climate resilience, and policy engagement to address structural barriers limiting young women's and men's participation in productive economic opportunities. The programme strengthens resilience to climate and market shocks by promoting climate-smart agricultural practices, renewable energy technologies, climate-resilient inputs, climate-risk management mechanisms, and sustainable enterprise development. It also addresses Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) constraints through mentorship, leadership development, engagement with men and traditional leaders, and evidence-based advocacy to promote more equitable social norms and economic participation.
Access to finance is strengthened through Youth Savings and Loan (YSL) groups, partnerships with financial institutions, blended finance mechanisms, challenge funds, and public financing opportunities. Digital technologies are integrated across programme interventions to improve access to training, business development services, financial products, market information, and employment opportunities.
The programme is implemented through partnerships with national and local government institutions, private sector actors, financial service providers, vocational training institutions, producer organisations, and civil society organisations. Through evidence generation and policy engagement, the programme seeks to strengthen policies, institutions, and market systems that promote inclusive youth employment and entrepreneurship.
The programme targets 30,000 young women and men across Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In Zambia, the programme supports 19,300 young women and men across 20 districts in Eastern, Central, Northern, North-Western, and Southern Provinces, focusing on high-potential value chains including horticulture, soybeans, beans, aquaculture, honey, oilseeds, small livestock, renewable energy, and other green economy opportunities.
In Zimbabwe, the programme supports 11,700 young women and men across 10 districts in four provinces, focusing on priority agricultural value chains, renewable energy, and other green economy opportunities with strong potential for employment creation, enterprise development, and climate-resilient livelihoods. Across both countries, the programme seeks to increase youth employment and self-employment, strengthen the productivity and competitiveness of youth- and women-led enterprises, improve access to finance and markets, and enhance resilience to climate and economic shocks. The programme also invests in human capital development through green basic life skills, entrepreneurship, business management, financial literacy, digital skills, and technical training while addressing the social and gender barriers that constrain inclusive economic participation. The programme contributes to four mutually reinforcing Intermediate Outcomes,
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Intermediate Outcome 1: Youth-inclusive market systems are strengthened to improve market access, trade, enterprise competitiveness, employability, and (self-)employment opportunities.
•
Intermediate Outcome 2: Young women and men acquire green basic life, business, financial, and technical skills that improve their employability and entrepreneurial opportunities.
•
Intermediate Outcome 3: Youth gain access to appropriate financial products and services, including Youth Savings and Loan (YSL) groups, youth-friendly finance, digital financial services, and climate-smart insurance (Zambia only).
•
Intermediate Outcome 4: Local government authorities and communities strengthen their capacity to fulfil their mandates through evidence generation, learning, knowledge management, and policy engagement, creating an enabling environment for inclusive youth employment and entrepreneurship.
A harmonised baseline study was conducted in both countries at programme inception to establish reference values for the programme logframe indicators. The baseline provides the foundation for monitoring programme performance and assessing progress towards the intended outcomes and impact.
Key programme targets under the harmonised logframe are summarised below. Key Harmonized Result Zambia Target Zimbabwe Target Overall Target Impact: % youth trained that successfully attain (self-) employment 80% 70% see per country Impact: % youth and women reporting more inclusive policy and market decisions 50% 50% 50% Outcome 1: % increase in average yearly earnings of target youth 70% 70% 70% Outcome 1: Average yearly earnings target per youth $720 USD $720 USD $720 USD Outcome 2: % youth earning above decent wage threshold ($720/year) 60% 60% 60% Outcome 3: youth with new or improved (self-) employment (50% F, 50% M) 13,537 5,810 19,347 Output 2.1: youth completing (green) BLS training 19,300 (revised) 10,700 (revised) 30,000 (revised)
Key Harmonized Result Zambia Target Zimbabwe Target Overall Target Output 2.2: youth completing technical skills training 11,926 (revised) 7,000 (revised) 18,926 (revised) Output 1.1: # new youth and women-led enterprises (YLEs) established 2,122 (revised) 650 2,772 (revised) Output 3.1: youth in YSLs generating start-up capital 11,095 (revised) 4,648 (revised) 15,943 (revised) Output 2.4: youth coached or mentored by champions and LSPs 5,432 (revised) 4,532 (revised) 9,964 (revised)
Country-Specific Considerations
Although Zambia and Zimbabwe share the harmonised logframe, the following contextual differences will shape the assessment design and field approach in each country: Dimension Zambia Zimbabwe Country-specific outputs Output 1.5: SME and Association strengthening. Output 3.3: Climate Smart Insurance products (Zambia only). Output 1.2: Cross-border and export trade linkages (target: 30 YLEs). Urban-rural value chain connections. Funders Embassy of Switzerland; Sida Zambia; Irish Aid Sida Zimbabwe; Embassy of Switzerland Baseline figures (from YEE baseline study) Employment: 8,927; Technical trainees: 7,376; BLS trainees: 10,494; YSL members: 622; Youth in advocacy: 0 Employment: 6,626; Technical trainees: 8,690; BLS trainees: 11,771 YSL members: 498; Youth in advocacy: 0 Employment target (Outcome 3) 13,537 youth (50% female, 50% male); revised overall target 13,537 5,810 youth (50% female, 50% male); revised overall contribution 5,250
Assignment overview and scope of work / deliverables
The Mid-Term Learning and Results Harvesting Assessment is a utilisation-focused assessment designed to generate credible evidence, strategic learning, and practical recommendations to inform implementation during the remaining period of the Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship – Amplifying Enterprises and Trade (YEE-AET) Programme. The assessment serves three complementary purposes. First, it will support adaptive programme management by generating evidence on progress, emerging outcomes, implementation challenges, and areas requiring adjustment. Second, it will provide robust evidence to inform programme accountability and reporting to the Embassy of Switzerland, Sida, Irish Aid, and SNV. Third, it will generate actionable learning to strengthen programme implementation, inform decision-making, and contribute to future youth employment and entrepreneurship programming in Zambia and Zimbabwe. Using a Results Harvesting approach, the assessment will identify, verify, and analyse significant changes that have emerged during programme implementation and assess the extent to which programme interventions have contributed to these outcomes. It will also explore the contextual, institutional, market, and social factors that have influenced observed changes, recognising that development outcomes are shaped by multiple interacting actors and conditions.
The assessment will document intended and unintended outcomes, identify lessons on what is working well and where implementation challenges remain, and generate practical recommendations to strengthen programme effectiveness, sustainability, and opportunities for scale during the remaining implementation period. The assessment is intended to support learning and adaptive management and does not replace any future end-of-programme evaluation.
3.1 Specific Objectives
a.
Assess the significant changes in youth employment, livelihoods, enterprise performance and resilience that have emerged during programme implementation and identify the key factors influencing these outcomes and the extent to which these changes can be attributed to programme interventions or other factors.
b.
Assess how programme interventions have influenced market systems, institutional actors, gender norms and the broader enabling environment, and identify emerging evidence of sustainability and systemic change.
c.
Generate actionable learning and recommendations on what is working, what is not working, and what adaptations are required to strengthen programme effectiveness, sustainability and scale during the remaining implementation period.
4. Methodology
1.
Assessment Approach
The Mid-Term Learning and Results Harvesting Assessment will adopt a utilisation-focused, mixed-methods approach that combines Results Harvesting, Outcome Harvesting principles, targeted quantitative verification, qualitative inquiry, and document review. The assessment is designed to generate credible evidence, practical learning, and actionable recommendations to inform programme adaptation during the remaining implementation period. Results Harvesting will serve as the primary analytical approach, enabling the assessment to identify, verify, and interpret significant changes in behaviours, relationships, practices, policies, investments, institutional performance, and market systems that have emerged during programme implementation. Rather than measuring progress solely against predefined indicators, the assessment will work backwards from observed results to determine what changed, who changed, when and where the change occurred, why it is significant, and how the programme contributed to that change. Recognising the complexity of market systems development, the assessment will adopt a contribution analysis perspective rather than attempting to establish direct attribution. It will assess the programme's plausible contribution to observed outcomes while considering the influence of contextual, institutional, market, policy, and socio-economic factors. The assessment will apply a mixed-methods approach, drawing on both primary and secondary data sources. These may include, amongst others :-
•
Programme documentation and monitoring data;
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Baseline and survey datasets;
•
Key informant interviews;
•
Focus group discussions;
•
Outcome harvesting interviews;
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Case studies and success stories;
•
Stakeholder consultations;
•
Field observations; and
•
Secondary literature and policy documents.
The consultant is expected to propose the most appropriate methodological design, sampling strategy, and data collection methods during the inception phase, ensuring that the approach is robust, feasible, and aligned with the objectives of the assessment.
2.
Results Harvesting Process
The assessment will follow a structured Results Harvesting process comprising the following steps: The assessment will adopt a contribution-oriented approach to causality. Rather than attempting to isolate attribution, the evaluation will focus on establishing credible and evidence-based explanations of how programme interventions influenced observed outcomes in interaction with other contextual and systemic factors. The assessment will apply a structured six-step Outcome Harvesting process:
Step 1: Outcome Identification
Identify significant outcomes that have emerged during programme implementation by documenting observable changes in behaviours, relationships, practices, actions, policies, investments, and institutional performance among key programme stakeholders.
Step 2: Outcome Formulation and Refinement
Review and refine harvested outcomes in consultation with SNV and relevant stakeholders to ensure that outcome statements are accurate, evidence-based, and clearly describe who changed, what changed, when the change occurred, and why the change is significant.
Step 3: Outcome Verification
Verify harvested outcomes through triangulation using programme monitoring data, document review, stakeholder consultations, field verification, and other appropriate evidence sources to strengthen the credibility of findings.
Step 4: Contribution Analysis
Analyse contribution and assess plausible causality, mapping contribution pathways between programme activities, identifying other enabling and constraining factors, and establishing the relative significance of the programme’s contribution to the observed chances in comparison to other factors. Assess the programme's contribution to each harvested outcome by analysing the pathways through which programme interventions influenced observed changes while considering other enabling and constraining contextual factors.
Step 5: Synthesis and Learning
Analyse patterns across harvested outcomes to identify key lessons, enabling factors, implementation challenges, sustainability considerations, and opportunities for scaling successful approaches.
Step 6: Recommendations and Knowledge Uptake
Develop evidence-based recommendations to strengthen programme implementation, adaptive management, sustainability, and future programming, while identifying opportunities for knowledge sharing across both countries.
3.
Quality Assurance and Analytical Framework
To strengthen the credibility of findings, the consultant will triangulate evidence from multiple qualitative and quantitative sources and validate key findings with relevant stakeholders. The assessment will examine both intended and unintended, positive and negative, and expected and emerging outcomes to provide a balanced assessment of programme performance. The findings will be analysed using the OECD-DAC evaluation criteria of:
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Relevance
•
Effectiveness
•
Sustainability
•
Emerging Impact
These criteria will serve as analytical lenses for interpreting findings and generating practical learning rather than as a standalone evaluation framework. Throughout the assessment, the consultant will maintain a strong focus on learning, utilisation, and evidence-informed decision-making to ensure that findings directly support programme improvement during the remaining implementation period.
4.
MID-TERM LEARNING AND RESULTS HARVESTING SCOPE AND KEY LEARNING QUESTIONS
1.
Indicative Learning Questions
The assessment will be guided by the following indicative learning questions (Consultant open to include other questions of inquiry). These are intended to provide a framework for the assessment and may be refined during the inception phase in consultation with SNV and the funding partners to accommodate emerging issues, unintended outcomes, and country-specific contexts.
Objective 1
Assess the significant changes in youth employment, livelihoods, enterprise performance, and resilience that have emerged during programme implementation and identify the factors influencing these outcomes.
2.
What significant changes have emerged in youth employment, enterprise performance, livelihoods, and resilience during programme implementation, and what evidence demonstrates these changes?
3.
To what extent have programme interventions contributed to these observed outcomes, and what contextual, institutional, market, or socio-economic factors have enabled or constrained progress?
Objective 2
Assess how programme interventions have influenced market systems, institutional actors, gender norms, and the broader enabling environment, and identify emerging evidence of sustainability and systemic change.
1.
What significant changes have occurred in the behaviours, relationships, capacities, practices, investments, and collaboration of market actors, institutions, communities, and other stakeholders that influence youth employment and entrepreneurship?
2.
What evidence demonstrates the sustainability of programme outcomes and the emergence of systemic change beyond direct programme support?
Objective 3
Generate actionable learning and recommendations on what is working, what is not working, and what adaptations are required to strengthen programme effectiveness, sustainability, and scale during the remaining implementation period.
1.
Which programme approaches, partnerships, implementation strategies, and delivery models have been most effective, and what factors explain their success or limitations?
2.
What strategic adaptations and priority actions are required during the remaining implementation period to strengthen programme effectiveness, sustainability, and opportunities for scale?
4.
TARGET AUDIENCE
The primary audience for the Mid-Term Learning and Results Harvesting Assessment is SNV, the Embassy of Switzerland, Embassy of Sweden, and Embassy of Ireland. The assessment will provide evidence to support programme oversight, accountability, strategic decision-making, and adaptive management during the remaining implementation period. Secondary audiences include national and local government institutions, implementing partners, private sector actors, financial service providers, vocational training institutions, civil society organisations, and participating young women and men in Zambia and Zimbabwe. The findings will also inform broader learning, knowledge sharing, and future programme design across the youth employment and entrepreneurship sector. SNV will lead the dissemination of assessment findings through appropriate knowledge products, learning events, and stakeholder engagement processes. Detailed stakeholder mapping and consultation plans will be finalised during the inception phase in consultation with SNV and the funding partners.
5.
ACTIVITIES AND DELIVERABLES
1.
Scope of the Assignment
The consultant will undertake the Mid-Term Learning and Results Harvesting Assessment in three sequential phases, culminating in the submission of evidence-based findings and recommendations to inform programme implementation during the remaining implementation period.
Phase 1: Inception
The consultant will undertake a comprehensive review of programme documentation and consult with SNV, funding partners, and other key stakeholders to refine the assessment approach. This phase will include:
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Review of programme documentation and monitoring data;
•
Refinement of the assessment methodology and learning questions;
•
Development of the sampling strategy and data collection tools;
•
Preparation of a detailed workplan and assessment schedule; and
•
Submission of an Inception Report for review and approval.
Phase 2: Data Collection, Analysis and Results Harvesting
The consultant will undertake fieldwork in Zambia and Zimbabwe to collect, verify, and analyse evidence using the approved methodology. This phase will include:
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Collection of qualitative and quantitative evidence;
•
Results Harvesting and verification of significant outcomes;
•
Stakeholder consultations;
•
Analysis and triangulation of findings;
•
Preparation of country-level and cross-country findings; and
•
Debriefing sessions with SNV at the conclusion of fieldwork in each country.
Phase 3: Reporting and Validation
The consultant will prepare draft and final assessment reports and facilitate validation of the findings. This phase will include:
•
Submission of the Draft Mid-Term Learning and Results Harvesting Assessment Report;
•
Presentation of preliminary findings to SNV and funding partners;
•
Incorporation of comments received during the review process; and
•
Submission of the Final Assessment Report and presentation.
6.
EXPECTED DELIVERABLES
The consultant will be expected to produce the following deliverables.
Deliverable 1: Inception Report (Maximum 20 pages excluding annexes)
The Inception Report will provide the detailed roadmap for the assessment and shall include:
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Assessment objectives and scope;
•
Refined methodology;
•
Results Harvesting framework;
•
Refined learning questions;
•
Sampling strategy;
•
Data collection tools;
•
Data analysis plan;
•
Quality assurance procedures
•
Detailed workplan and timeline; and
•
Roles and responsibilities of the assessment team.
The Inception Report shall be submitted to SNV for review and approval before commencement of fieldwork.
Deliverable 2: Draft Mid-Term Learning and Results Harvesting Assessment Report
(Maximum 30 pages excluding annexes)
The Draft Report shall present preliminary findings from Zambia and Zimbabwe and include:
•
Executive Summary;
•
Introduction;
•
Assessment methodology;
•
Findings organised by learning questions;
•
Cross-country comparative analysis;
•
Conclusions;
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Lessons learned;
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Emerging good practices;
•
Recommendations; and
•
Proposed actions for programme adaptation.
The Draft Report will be reviewed by SNV and the funding partners, who will provide consolidated comments for incorporation into the final report.
Deliverable 3: Final Mid-Term Learning and Results Harvesting Assessment Report
(Maximum 30 pages excluding annexes)
The Final Report shall incorporate all agreed comments received from SNV and the funding partners and shall include:
•
Final assessment findings;
•
Validated Results Harvesting outcomes;
•
Cross-country synthesis;
•
Conclusions;
•
Lessons learned;
•
Evidence-based recommendations;
•
Executive Summary; and
•
Annexes.
Deliverable 4: PowerPoint Presentation
The consultant shall prepare and present a professional PowerPoint presentation summarising:
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Assessment approach;
•
Key findings;
•
Significant harvested outcomes;
•
Lessons learned;
•
Conclusions; and
•
Strategic recommendations.
The presentation will be delivered to SNV and funding partners during the final dissemination meeting.
GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE MID-TERM LEARNING AND RESULTS HARVESTING ASSESSMENT
The Mid-Term Learning and Results Harvesting Assessment will be managed by SNV in close collaboration with the Embassy of Switzerland, Sida, and Irish Aid. SNV will provide overall contract management, technical oversight, quality assurance, and coordination throughout the assignment.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Consultant
The Lead Consultant will be responsible for the overall delivery and quality of the assessment. This includes:
•
Refining the assessment methodology and preparing the Inception Report.
•
Managing and supervising the assessment team.
•
Conducting data collection, analysis, and Results Harvesting.
•
Ensuring the quality, credibility, and integrity of the assessment process and findings.
•
Facilitating stakeholder debriefings and validation sessions.
•
Preparing and submitting all deliverables within the agreed timelines.
•
Presenting the final findings and recommendations to SNV and funding partners.
Where a team is engaged, the Lead Consultant shall remain responsible for the quality assurance and timely delivery of all outputs.
SNV
SNV will:
•
Provide overall technical oversight and contract management.
•
Facilitate access to programme documentation, monitoring data, and relevant stakeholders.
•
Coordinate field logistics with country teams where appropriate.
•
Consolidate and provide technical feedback on all deliverables.
•
Review and approve the Inception Report and final deliverables.
•
Coordinate dissemination of the assessment findings.
Funding Partners
The Embassy of Switzerland, Embassy of Sweden and Embassy of Ireland will provide strategic oversight by reviewing key deliverables and providing technical comments to strengthen the quality and usefulness of the assessment findings. Consolidated feedback will be coordinated through SNV.
Quality Assurance
The assessment will follow SNV's quality assurance procedures. All deliverables will be subject to technical review by SNV and funding partners before acceptance. The Inception Report will serve as the agreed technical framework for the assessment. Any significant revisions to the methodology or workplan following its approval shall be agreed in writing with SNV. Final acceptance of the assessment will be based on the satisfactory completion of all agreed deliverables and incorporation of consolidated review comments.
TENTATIVE TIMELINE
The assignment is expected to commence following the signing of the consultancy contract. The anticipated implementation period is September to October 2026.The consultant shall submit both a technical proposal (including the proposed methodology, workplan, and team composition) and a financial proposal by the deadline specified in the Request for Proposals (RFP). The indicative timeline is presented below: -
Activity
Indicative Timeline
Procurement and contracting
August 2026
Inception Phase
September 2026
Fieldwork and Data Collection
September–October 2026
Draft Report Submission
October 2026
Validation and Review
October 2026
Final Report Submission
October 2026
The detailed workplan and submission dates for all deliverables will be finalised during the inception phase and agreed between the consultant and SNV.
Evaluation criteria
Technical and financial proposals will be reviewed separately. Only those Technical proposals that pass the average minimum score of 70% will move forward for financial review. The reviews are a closed process and not open to the public.
The contract shall be awarded to the proposal that offers the best overall value, taking into account technical quality and the separately assessed financial proposal. Financial proposals may be negotiated to fit the available budget; the technical score shall take precedence in selecting the best consultant
Evaluation Area Assessment Criteria Weight
1. Understanding of the Assignment and TOR
Demonstrates a strong understanding of the purpose, scope, objectives, expected deliverables, learning focus, country contexts, programme outcomes, and the utilisation-focused nature of the assessment.
10%
2. Proposed Methodology and Technical Approach
Provides a rigorous, feasible, and context-appropriate mixed-methods approach, including document review, qualitative and quantitative data collection, stakeholder consultations, sampling strategy, data analysis plan, and triangulation of evidence across Zambia and Zimbabwe.
25%
3. Results Harvesting, Contribution Analysis and Learning Orientation
Demonstrates a sound understanding of Results Harvesting or Outcome Harvesting principles, including outcome identification, formulation, verification, contribution analysis, synthesis of learning, and translation of findings into practical recommendations for adaptive management.
20%
4. Relevant Experience of the Firm or Consultant
Shows proven experience conducting mid-term reviews, learning assessments, outcome or results harvesting assignments, market systems development assessments, youth employment and entrepreneurship evaluations, and multi-country or donor-funded programme assessments.
15%
5. Team Composition, Qualifications and Country Context Knowledge
Presents a qualified, multidisciplinary team with relevant expertise in evaluation, results harvesting, youth employment, entrepreneurship, market systems development, climate resilience, GESI, data analysis, and fieldwork experience in Zambia and Zimbabwe.
15%
6. Workplan, Feasibility and Delivery Arrangements
Provides a realistic and well-structured workplan aligned to the September–October 2026 implementation period, with clear phases, timelines, roles, deliverables, fieldwork arrangements, and mechanisms for coordination with SNV and funding partners.
10%
7. Quality Assurance, Ethics and Risk Management
Includes credible quality assurance measures, ethical considerations, informed consent procedures, data protection arrangements, safeguarding considerations, risk mitigation measures, and mechanisms for validating findings with stakeholders.
5%
Total
100%
Contract project fees
The budget should be inclusive of professional fees, travel, accommodation, subsistence, data collection, reporting, taxes, and all other costs associated with the successful delivery of the assignment. The consultant is expected to propose the most cost-effective technical approach while ensuring that the assessment objectives and expected deliverables are achieved.
Payment terms
Payments will be made upon satisfactory completion and written acceptance of the agreed deliverables by SNV.
Milestone
Deliverable
Payment
Milestone 1
Approved Inception Report, detailed workplan, refined methodology, data collection tools, and assessment framework
30%
Milestone 2
Submission of the Draft Mid-Term Learning and Results Harvesting Assessment Report and presentation of preliminary findings
40%
Milestone 3
Submission and acceptance of the Final Assessment Report and PowerPoint presentation incorporating all agreed comments
30%
Due diligence instructions
SNV shall carry out an advanced due diligence for the top bid.
Submission requirements
Proposal must be received at zimbabweprocurement@snv.org by 23:59am on 2 August 2026. Proposals must be submitted in two separate emails – one containing the Technical Proposal and a separate one containing the Financial Proposal. Emails must be titled in the subject line as follows:
c) YEE/MIDT/ZimZam/0034 - Technical Proposal (name of entity) maximum of 10 pages annex supporting documents
d) YEE/MIDT/ZimZam/0034 - Financial Proposal (name of entity)
See attached link below Request for Proposals- Mid-Term Learning and Harvesting Assessment - Zimbabwe | SNV