R&D Group invites eligible and qualified marketing and event agencies to submit proposals for the Global Outsourcing Event in Ethiopia under the Entrepreneurship in the Digital and Gig Economy (EDGE) program (Tender No: R&D/EDGE/RFP/019/2026).

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) 1. Tender Overview Issuing Entity: R&D Group (under the Entrepreneurship in the Digital and Gig Economy (EDGE) program, partnered with the Mastercard Foundation and Hybrid Designs). Consulting Assignment: Marketing & Event Agency for the Global Outsourcing Event in Ethiopia. Tender Number: R&D/EDGE/RFP/019/2026 RFP Reference: RFP: GLB-EVENT | WP Ref. 3.1.1 Date Issued: October 14, 2026 2. Key Deadlines Questions Deadline (Q&A): October 19, 2026, at 5:30 PM (Send inquiries to inquiry@randd-group.com). Submission Deadline: October 23, 2026, at 5:30 PM. 3. Scope & Objective Summary Objective: Hire an experienced marketing and event agency to manage and execute a large-scale, international two-day Global Outsourcing Event in Ethiopia. Key Components: Master event plan, budget management, risk/contingency planning, timeline tracking, speaker program, policy dialogue, tech talks, best practice sessions, B2B matchmaking, and an AI hackathon. 4. Submission Guidelines Format: Technical Proposal: PDF format, maximum 12 pages (excluding CVs and annexes). Financial Proposal: Submitted as a separate file. Currency: Quoted strictly in Ethiopian Birr (ETB). Submission Method: Email both technical and financial proposals as separate files to Procurement@randd-group.com. Email Subject Line: RFP: R&D/EDGE/RFP/019/2026_[Firm Name] Body Requirements: Include contact person, mobile number, and office address. 5. Evaluation Criteria & Scoring (Total: 100 Points) Proposals are evaluated in two stages (eligibility check followed by technical & financial evaluation): Technical Evaluation (70 Points): Understanding of the assignment (5 pts) Approach and Methodology (15 pts) Team composition & key personnel qualifications (15 pts) Past performance & references (35 pts) Note: Bidders must score a minimum of 49% on the technical evaluation to qualify for the financial evaluation. Financial Evaluation (30 Points): Weighted against the lowest-priced technically complian