Rwanda is currently experiencing one of the fastest rates of urbanisation in Africa. Between 2002 and 2016, the urban population grew from 9 % of the total Rwandan population to 18.4 %, and to 27.9 % in 2022. Further growth is politically desired. Since the first strategy cycle of the National Strategy for Transformation (NST1, 2017 - 2024), the government has been pursuing the goal of developing Rwanda into a middle-income country; cities are considered a driving force for economic growth. The urban population share is set to increase to 70% by 2050. However, urban development is not progressing as intended. Over 60 per cent of the urban population - some 3.7 million people - live in unplanned settlements without adequate access to infrastructure, services or housing. The majority of urban households are low-income, and most residents cannot afford to own property. Instead, they live in poor conditions in rented accommodation. Some 57% of urban households live at a monthly household income of less than 200,000 Rwanda Francs (roughly EUR 130), which exacerbates the issue of inadequate living conditions. Compounding the challenge, Rwanda currently faces a shortfall of more than two million homes.

The project "Climate-Sensitive and Socially Just Planning and Housing" (CSPH), has started in September 2024 as the first bilateral project of the Rwandan-German Technical Cooperation in the area of urban development. It runs until August 2027 and intends to strengthen the institutional and planning framework conditions for better access to climate-resilient, socially-just housing for poor households in Rwandan cities (module objective). Its main political partner in Rwanda is the Ministry of Infrastructure of the Government of Rwanda. Furthermore, the project works together with the Rwanda Housing Authority, the National Land Authority, the City of Kigali, the District of Kamonyi and the NDC Partnership.

To establish the necessary institutional and planning frameworks for improved access to climate-resilient and socially-just housing, the project addresses three priority areas:

- Integrated urban planning: The project supports participatory urban planning processes in selected cities (City of Kigali and District of Kamonyi) and implements them in a climate-sensitive and socially equitable manner. Together with the two cities and the residents of the neighbourhoods, the project will develop detailed physical plans, identify and implement climate-sensitive communal small-scale infrastructure for the direct benefit of the community.

- Social housing: The project develops a conceptual framework for climate-resilient rental housing for low-income households, especially taking the needs of women into account. The project will develop a targeting mechanism and criteria for the definition of the target group for low-income rental housing and design two models for the financing, climate-sensitive construction, operation & management of rental housing for low-income groups. The goal is to draw up a new structure for socially inclusive, climate-sensitive housing in Rwandan cities.

- Capacity development: The project provides trainings to enable Rwandan urban planners to pursue integrated urban planning and housing development that is both socially-just and climate-resilient. To achieve that the project will design and implement practice-related trainings/curricula in climate-sensitive planning & housing and together with its partners implement technical urban development conferences and seminars.

The project "Climate-Sensitive and Socially Just Planning and Housing" (CSPH) seeks continuous support throughout the project life span and across its three outputs: integrated urban planning, social housing, and capacity development.

Output 1 consists of participatory and climate-sensitive spatial planning processes in two unplanned neighbourhoods: one neighbourhood in the City of Kigali, the second one in the District of Kamonyi. This work package requires regular presence of the contractor's team in the respective cities throughout the duration of the contract. The contractor together with the GIZ project team, the respective districts and residents, will develop a detailed physical plan for each neighbourhood in a participatory, inclusive, climate-resilient and integrated manner. The activities to be implemented involve an assessment of existing regulations, master plans and urban structures of each neighbourhood, several workshops with neighbourhood development committees to develop a neighbourhood development strategy and respective vision. A needs assessment shall be conducted with the residents of the neighbourhood and result in a priority list of small-scale infrastructure ideas as well as mid-to-longer term project ideas that the community needs. The goal is to have a detailed physical plan for each neighbourhood that factors in climate and gender considerations ready for approval by the district council. Additionally, these planning processes shall further inform the updating or development of policies, guidelines or instructions.

Furthermore, the tender involves tasks related to the construction of small-scale infrastructure in the neighbourhoods. The tasks that are part of the tender relate to the spatial and architectural planning for altogether six small-scale infrastructure interventions for communal use. The tenderer will prepare all necessary regulatory documents for the construction and draft the ToR for local subcontractors that will be responsible for the construction process itself. Additionally, for each neighbourhood, the contractor shall develop two business plans for mid-to-longer term infrastructure interventions including but not limited to cost estimation, preliminary designs, pre-feasibility studies such as climate risk assessment, environmental & social impact assessments etc.) as a basis for discussion with national or international financiers.

Under Output 2, the contractor will contribute to ongoing conceptual work on social rental housing. Activities relate to the set-up of a targeting mechanism to define potential beneficiaries of social rental housing, the development of two models for low-income rental housing as well as the design of a new structure for socially inclusive, climate-sensitive housing in Rwandan cities. This also involves process advice on establishing the new structure and PR advice on public awareness campaigns to inform beneficiaries of their eligibility and the new programme/body.

The 3rd Output focuses on capacity development for urban practitioners Here the current tender foresees support in defining the specific target group for capacity development activities, developing a capacity development strategy, developing curricula for trainings as well as the implementation of specific trainings or practical field trips related to the project's main focus.

Overarchingly, the tender also involves activities around monitoring and evaluation activities as well as support to the mandatory reporting in line with the requirements of the project's commission party.

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.

All communication takes place in English via communication tool in the project area of the procurement portal.

GIZ asks the applicant or bidder to submit, complete or correct documents, within the framework laid down by law.

The execution conditions result from the information given in the contract notice and the tender documents.