ADVERTISEMENT
Terms of Reference for a Consultancy to Train WAVES Programme Staff in Proposal Writing, Results-Based Project Design and SMART Indicators
Timeline for offers
| No | Description | Date |
| 1 | Publication date of the call | 04.08.2026 |
| 2 | Deadline for submission of offers | 11.08.2026 |
| 3 | Minimum validity period of offer from the closing date (No. 2) | 30 days |
| 4 | Opening date of offers | 12.08.2026 |
| 5 | Planned evaluation dates of offers | 12.-13.08.2026 |
| 6 | Notification of contract awarding | 14.08.2026 |
| 7 | Proposed date for contract signing | 17.08.2026 |
| 8 | Timeframe for the training consultancy | August 2026（3 consecutive days） |
Procurement/Tendering procedure
| Negotiation procedure without a call for competition |
Assessment Summary
| Organisation | Women Against Violence and Exploitation in Society Sierra Leone (WAVES-SL) |
| In-country partner organisation | N/A – consultancy commissioned directly by WAVES-SL for internal staff capacity building |
| Proposed methodologies | • Training Needs Assessment and Desk Review
• Interactive Classroom-Style Training with Group Work • Case Studies using WAVES Project Documents • Pre- and Post-Training Assessment |
| Proposed timeframe of training | August 2026（3 consecutive days）, exact dates to be proposed by the bidder |
| Anticipated submission date of draft training report | 02.09.2026 |
| Anticipated submission date of final training report | 09.09.2026 |
Consultancy Background
| Reference project | 6000230 (action medeor e.V. / BMZ – FGM/C Prevention Project, Bo District) |
| Commissioning organisation | WAVES-SL |
| Consultancy period | August 2026, maximum 8 working days (incl. 3 training days) |
| Sectors | SRHR / Organisational Development |
| Training location | WAVES-SL Office / training venue, Bo Town, Bo District, Sierra Leone |
| Training overall objective | WAVES-SL programme staff have strengthened capacities to independently design quality, results-based project proposals that meet institutional donor standards. |
| Training outcome / target | By the end of the training, participating staff can draft a complete outcome-output-activity results chain and formulate SMART indicators for a project proposal. |
| Training outputs / sub-objectives | 1. Staff understand and can differentiate the results chain: impact, outcome, output, process and activity.
2. Staff can formulate SMART indicators at outcome and output level. 3. Staff can draft a complete project proposal (narrative and log frame) aligned to donor requirements. 4. WAVES-SL has an internal proposal-writing and indicator-development toolkit for future use. |
| Training target group (direct) | 10–15 programme, project and M&E staff of WAVES-SL |
| Total consultancy budget | To be proposed by the bidder |
Table of Content
- About WAVES-SL……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3
- Background, Rationale and Description of the Consultancy………………………………………… 3
- Target Group of the Training……………………………………………………………………………………. 4
- Purpose, Objectives and Use……………………………………………………………………………………. 4
- Key Issues and Training Content………………………………………………………………………………. 5
- Scope of Work……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6
- Methodology…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6
- Outputs and Deliverables………………………………………………………………………………………… 7
- Quantity Structure, Process and Timetable……………………………………………………………….. 7
- Expert Profile and Qualifications……………………………………………………………………………. 8
- Management of the Consultancy……………………………………………………………………………. 8
- Application Process………………………………………………………………………………………………. 9
- Evaluation Criteria………………………………………………………………………………………………… 9
Appendices………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 9
1. About WAVES-SL
WAVES was founded in 2005 and is a legally registered NGO in Sierra Leone. Its objectives are the empowerment of women and girls, increased access for women and girls to justice, and the promotion of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). WAVES implements the organisation’s goals through project work in the areas of prevention and management of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), promotion of SRHR, education, child protection and income generation activities.
The organisation is mainly active in Bo District, but also at the national level through networking. Project strategies are mainly awareness raising, community mobilisation, advocacy and lobbying, as well as support to SGBV-affected people. The main topics are female genital mutilation/circumcision (FGM/C) and early marriage. WAVES-SL is part of the Civil Society Consultative Forum, Forum Against Harmful Practices (FAHP), Salone Adolescent Network, Coalition for Girls Education, DCF Working Group (I) NGOs, Sierra Leone Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (SLANGO), Child Rights Coalition, and National Election Watch (NEW)-SL.
WAVES-SL currently implements project work with support from international partners, including action medeor e.V. / BMZ (Project No. 6000230, FGM/C Prevention Project in Bo District). As WAVES-SL’s project portfolio grows, so does the need to diversify and secure additional funding through high-quality, competitive project proposals.
2. Background, Rationale and Description of the Consultancy
2.1. Background
WAVES-SL relies on project funding from international institutional donors to implement its programmes on SGBV prevention, SRHR promotion and child protection in Bo District and beyond. Sustaining and expanding this work requires a diversified funding base, which in turn depends on the organisation’s ability to develop competitive, well-structured project proposals that meet the technical standards expected by institutional donors.
Programme staff currently design and implement projects but have limited formal training in results-based project design. In practice, this creates challenges in clearly distinguishing between impact, outcome, output, process and activity levels, and in formulating indicators that meet SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). These gaps can weaken the quality of funding applications and complicate downstream monitoring and reporting.
This training responds directly to Output 4 of the ongoing BMZ-funded FGM/C Prevention Project (Project No. 6000230), which foresees that “the local project executing agency, WAVES, has strengthened organizational capacities (strategies, systems, policies and structures) as well as appropriately trained staff.” It is also informed by the recommendations of the project’s midterm evaluation, which highlighted the importance of a robust internal monitoring and evaluation system and of building WAVES-SL’s independent capacity to track and report on project indicators.
WAVES-SL is therefore commissioning a short, practical training consultancy to strengthen programme staff’s skills in proposal writing, results-based project design and the formulation and interpretation of SMART indicators.
3. Target Group of the Training
The target group of the training consists of WAVES-SL programme, project and M&E staff who are directly involved in project design, proposal development and indicator tracking, including project officers, programme coordinators and the M&E Officer.
| Total | |
| Direct target group (training participants) | 10–15 |
Participants will directly apply the skills gained to future proposal development and to the ongoing monitoring of project indicators, including those tracked under the current FGM/C Prevention Project. Trained staff are also expected to act as internal resource persons, sharing knowledge with colleagues not directly participating in the training.
4. Purpose, Objectives and Use
The overall purpose of the consultancy is to strengthen the technical capacity of WAVES-SL programme staff to independently design and write quality, results-based project proposals that meet institutional donor standards, and to correctly formulate and interpret SMART indicators.
Specific objectives of the training are to enable participants to:
- Distinguish clearly between impact, outcome, output, process and activity levels within a results chain;
- Develop a coherent theory of change and logical framework for a project idea;
- Formulate SMART indicators at outcome and output level, and interpret existing indicators correctly;
- Draft a complete project proposal narrative aligned with the requirements of institutional donors.
The skills and tools developed through this training will be used by WAVES-SL to strengthen future funding applications, to diversify its donor base, and to improve the organisation’s internal monitoring and evaluation practices, including the continued tracking of indicators recommended in the midterm evaluation of the FGM/C Prevention Project. The training findings (needs assessment results and post-training assessment) will also inform WAVES-SL’s broader organisational development strategy.
5. Key Issues and Training Content
The training should cover, at a minimum, the following topics:
- Understanding donor priorities, funding cycles and typical proposal structures;
- The Results Chain: definitions and practical differences between impact, outcome, output, process and activity levels;
- Developing a Theory of Change and a logical framework (log frame) for a project idea;
- Formulating SMART outcome and output indicators, including baselines and targets;
- Linking activities to outputs and outputs to outcomes in a coherent narrative;
- Basic budgeting principles aligned to a project proposal;
- Review of strengths and weaknesses in previous WAVES-SL proposals and log frames (using anonymised or de-identified examples);
- Practical group work: drafting a sample log frame and SMART indicator set for a current WAVES-SL project idea.
6. Scope of Work
Timeframe: August 2026; concrete dates (3 consecutive days) to be suggested by the bidder.
Location: WAVES-SL Office / a suitable training venue, Bo Town, Bo District, Sierra Leone.
Activities
The consultancy should comprise of:
- Online inception meeting with WAVES-SL management and M&E Officer;
- Desk review of relevant documents (past project proposals, log frames, the FGM/C Prevention Project log frame and Indicator Tracking Table, and prior training reports, where available);
- A short training needs assessment among prospective participants;
- An inception note outlining the training needs assessment findings, proposed agenda, methodology and training materials outline;
- Delivery of a 3-day, in-person, interactive training for 10–15 WAVES-SL programme staff covering the content in Section 5;
- Practical exercises and group work using real or sample WAVES-SL project ideas;
- A pre- and post-training assessment to measure the change in participants’ knowledge and skills;
- Development and hand-over of a simple proposal-writing and SMART indicator toolkit / template for WAVES-SL’s future independent use.
7. Methodology
The training should apply adult-learning, participatory methods, combining short presentations with group work, case studies and practical exercises. Real or sample WAVES-SL project documents, including the FGM/C Prevention Project log frame, should be used as case-study material wherever appropriate.
Following principles should be applied:
- Participatory Approach: Ensure active engagement of all participants through group work, discussion and hands-on exercises rather than lecture-style delivery alone;
- Plain Language: Training materials and facilitation should avoid unnecessary technical jargon and be accessible to staff with varying levels of prior exposure to proposal writing;
- Assessment of Learning: A short pre- and post-training assessment should be applied to measure knowledge gained;
- Approval of Materials: All training materials, agenda and toolkit must be shared with WAVES-SL for review and approval before the training is delivered;
- WAVES-SL will facilitate logistics for the training venue, invitation of participants and any related administrative arrangements. Leading coordination role is done by the WAVES-SL M&E Officer.
8. Outputs and Deliverables
The consultancy will produce the following deliverables:
- An inception note (max. 5 pages, in English) including a short training needs assessment summary, proposed agenda, methodology and outline of training materials. The inception note needs approval from WAVES-SL prior to the start of the training.
- Complete training materials (slides / handouts) and a proposal-writing and SMART indicator toolkit / template for WAVES-SL’s continued use.
- Delivery of the 3-day training to 10–15 WAVES-SL programme staff.
- Pre- and post-training assessment results.
- A comprehensive final training report (approx. 12–15 pages, excl. annexes).
The report should include (but is not limited to) the following:
- Executive summary (max 1–2 pages)
- Training purpose, objectives and scope
- Methodology and training needs assessment findings
- Summary of sessions delivered and content covered
- Pre- and post-training assessment results and analysis of learning gained
- Participant feedback
- Conclusions and recommendations, including proposed follow-up or mentoring support
- Appendices (incl. ToR, training agenda, attendance list, training materials, assessment tools)
The language of the report is English. It is to be handed in as a signed PDF document after final approval.
9. Quantity Structure, Process and Timetable
The consultant has maximum 8 working days to complete the below listed tasks.
| Date (preliminary) | Activity | Days |
| 10.08.2026 | Inception meeting (online) | ¼ day |
| 11-12.08.2026 | Desk review and training needs assessment | 1 day |
| 13-14.08.2026 | Development of training curriculum, materials and toolkit | 2 days |
| 24-26.08.2026 | Delivery of 3-day training (Bo, Sierra Leone) | 3 days |
| 27.08.2026 | Post-training assessment and debrief | ½ day |
| 28-31.08.2026 | Preparation and submission of training report | 1¼ day |
| Total | 8 |
10. Expert Profile and Qualifications
Qualifications and Experience
Essential:
- Relevant degree (Bachelor, Master) in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Project Management or a similar field.
- Minimum 3 years’ working experience in project proposal writing and/or results-based project design.
- Proven experience designing and delivering training on log frames, SMART indicators and results-based management, preferably for NGOs.
- Familiarity with the proposal and reporting requirements of major institutional donors (e.g., BMZ, EU, UN agencies).
- Working experience with NGOs, INGOs or community-based organisations, preferably in a West-African country context.
- Excellent facilitation skills and experience with adult-learning / participatory training methods.
- Excellent communication and report writing skills in English.
- No Conflict of interest regarding WAVES-SL.
Desirable:
- Experience in the SRHR/SGBV sector.
- Knowledge of the socio-cultural context of Bo District / southern Sierra Leone.
- Experience developing simple, user-friendly M&E tools or templates for local partner organisations.
Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
11. Management of the Consultancy
The selected consultant will work as a freelancer under the overall guidance of the Executive Director of WAVES-SL and in close cooperation with the WAVES-SL Programme Manager/M&E Officer and programme staff.
12. Application Process
Applications should be submitted electronically in a non-changeable format such as PDF, duly filled and signed, to WAVES-SL (wavesrights@gmail.com) before Tuesday, 11 August 2026 at 5pm (Sierra Leone Time). Please indicate the tender reference “Tender WAVES-2026-01-Training-Proposal Writing and SMART Indicators”.
The procurement procedure is a negotiation procedure without a call for competition. WAVES-SL reserves the right to ask the bidders for further documentation.
Content of offer:
Expert Profile / Bidder Eligibility
- Company’s or personal profile (experience in the sector, experience in training/facilitation, business registration, valid NASSIT and NRA Tax Clearance certificate, where applicable)
- CV (s) indicating all relevant experience
- Copies of relevant academic degrees and certificates
- Contacts of at least 2 professional references related to similar training assignments
- Self-declaration of non-exclusion grounds （Annex 2）
Technical Offer
- Technical offer including training design concept, proposed agenda, training methodology and materials outline （approx. 5 pages）
- Proposed timeframe
- One sample of similar training materials, a training report, or a project proposal/log frame developed by the consultant （confidentiality is guaranteed）
Financial Offer
- Financial offer with clear distinction of daily honorarium, travel expenses and taxes in SLE （New Leones）
- The budget should present consultancy fee costs over the entire period of max. 8 working days
Deadline for submission of offers is 11 August 2026 at 6pm local time.
13. Evaluation Criteria
Submissions will be assessed according to the qualifications of the consultant, the quality of the technical proposal, and the financial proposal. The technical proposal is evaluated on the basis of its responsiveness to these Terms of Reference.
The short-listed consultants may be asked for a presentation prior to the final selection.
The contract will be awarded to the successful bidder following completion of the offer evaluation process, including negotiation (only in exceptional cases, if necessary). The successful bidder will sign a contract with WAVES-SL to undertake the assignment.
During the rating process the technical offer will be rated 40% quality and the price offer 60% price.
