Public procurement notice: Contract Award Notice
Published: 2022-09-02
Buyer: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Country: DE
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Competitive procedure with negotiation
CPV classification: 72000000 | 72224000: Project management consultancy services | 72227000: Software integration consultancy services | 72266000: Software consultancy services | 73220000
Estimated value: 1318790 EUR
Award criteria: The most economic tender

Technical requirements: Υπηρεσίες τεχνολογίας των πληροφοριών: παροχή συμβουλών, ανάπτυξη λογισμικού, Διαδίκτυο και υποστήριξη
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has been commissioned by  the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development to implement a technical cooperation project Digital Transformation for Sustainable Economic Development in Kenya. The overall objective of the project seeks to improve the structural capacities of intermediaries of the digital and innovation ecosystem to strengthen digital and entrepreneurial skills of SMEs and start-ups. Intermediaries are hereby defined as technology and innovation hubs, entrepreneurship and SME support organizations (ESO), support institutions of universities, research and technology organisations, as well as start-up and SME associations . The impact hypothesis is that the establishment and provision of tailor-made digital and entrepreneurial skills trainings and solutions through these intermediaries acting as catalysts within the tech ecosystem will help start-ups and SMEs leverage the digital transformation. It is assumed that intermediaries are willing to offer new / expand existing training approaches in the field of digitalisation and innovation to that end.
The project encompasses three work packages to be implemented by the contractor: First, the contractor is expected to support Kenyan entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs) in developing and deploying six digital solutions and approaches (such as e.g. online/blended learnings, training of trainers, development of curricula etc.) which contribute to the strengthening of the digital competences of their start-up and SMEs communities, hereby especially youth and women. Digital skills competence areas include device and software operation, information and data literacy, online communication and collaboration, digital content creation, online safety, problem-solving through digital tools as well as specific technology related skills. For each digital solution / approach developed the contractor shall, prior to implementation, outline in concept note how the solution works, the needs it addresses, an overview of its content, who its target group is, how it reaches the target group, how sustainability of the solution / approach is guaranteed, how it utilizes already existing solutions / approaches, how it makes use of open innovation and the way it addresses privacy and security issues.
Second and against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic having severely impacted the Kenyan digital innovation ecosystem, the contractor shall strengthen ESOs in providing assitance to their SME and start-up communities throughout their innovation cycle. Support measures in this context included (a) the provision of entrepreneurial skills trainings, e.g. with regards to legal and negotiating skills, crisis response strategies, market orientation etc., (b) support with regards to the digitizing of ESOs" service delivery to their start-ups and MSME communities, and (c) the expansion ESOs" networks to investors to strengthen access to finance. The contractor will also be requested to manage local subsidies to ESOs in this realm.
Third, the contractor shall build up a Kenyan Innovation Hub as part of the African-European Digital Innovation Bridge (AEDIB). Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) are one-stop shops for MSMEs within a specific sector or technology field that wish to become more competitive with regard to their business and production processes as well as products and services using digital and innovative technologies. As part of the process of building up a Kenyan DIH the contractor will be requested to (i) conduct needs assessment to determine the sector and technology field for which the DIH shall be set up, including the identification of already existing structures that could be used for and scaled into a DIH. (ii) Develop a first concept for the DIH based on the findings of the assessment. (iii) Conduct a call for proposal within the Kenyan digital innovation ecosystem for actors wishing to become the hosts of the DIH based on the developed concept. (iv) Develop a business model and plan, a marketing and communication strategy as well as an M&E framework with the winner of the call. (v) Organize a launch event for the new Kenyan DIH. (vi) Support the new DIH in its networking activities, especially with regards to other DIH in Africa and Europe. (vii) Provide capacity building and backstopping for the new DIH and its service portfolio.
GIZ may optionally commission contract amendments and/or increases based on the criteria in the tender documents to the successful bidder of this tender. For details, please see the terms of reference.
According to Article 160, Section 3 of the German Act Against Restraint of Competition (GWB), application for review is not permissible insofar as
1. the applicant has identified the claimed infringement of the procurement rules before submitting the application for review and has not submitted a complaint to the contracting authority within a period of 10 calendar days; the expiry of the period pursuant to Article 134, Section 2 remains unaffected,
2. complaints of infringements of procurement rules that are evident in the tender notice are not submitted to the contracting authority at the latest by the expiry of the deadline for the application or by the deadline for the submission of bids, specified in the tender notice
3. complaints of infringements of procurement rules that first become evident in the tender documents are not submitted to the contracting authority at the latest by the expiry of the deadline for application or by the deadline for the submission of bids,
4. more than 15 calendar days have expired since receipt of notification from the contracting authority that it is unwilling to redress the complaint.
Sentence 1 does not apply in the case of an application to determine the invalidity of the contract in accordance with Article 135, Section 1 (2). Article 134, Section 1, Sentence 2 remains unaffected


Winner: GFA Consulting Group GmbH
Award value: 1318790
Number of bids: 5