RFP: Facilitation of Farmer Onboarding to Financial Products
Birrama Digital Commerce PLCAbout This Role
This is a short-term consultancy for someone who can bridge the gap between smallholder farmers and formal financial services. Birrama Digital Commerce is running an agri-tech programme that pairs sensor and satellite data with AI advisories, and they need a facilitator who can turn that technical setup into real uptake of loans and insurance among farmers in Oromia. It suits a development-sector practitioner who is comfortable in the field and understands how rural households actually make financial decisions.
What the Requirements Say About This Role
The profile being sought is less about technical agronomy and more about behavioural change on the ground — someone who has run farmer mobilisation or financial literacy work before and knows how to convene communities in Arsi and East Shewa. The mid-level experience expectation suggests they want a consultant who can work independently, manage sessions without hand-holding, and produce credible outputs on a tight consultancy timeline. Familiarity with microfinance or micro-insurance products is likely weighted heavily, since the consultant must translate unfamiliar financial concepts into language farmers trust.
How to Approach This Application
Lead with concrete evidence of past mobilisation or training work with rural communities, including numbers of farmers reached and any financial inclusion outcomes. The employer is a digital-first organisation working with an international partner and donor funding, so demonstrate that you can operate professionally within that reporting and accountability structure. Show that you understand the specific context of Oromia farming communities rather than offering generic facilitation experience.
Who This Role Suits
Best suited to a consultant with grassroots financial inclusion or agricultural extension experience who can move between field sessions and donor-facing reporting. Competition is likely moderate but narrow — candidates who can show both farmer engagement and financial product knowledge will stand out.
Background
IRIF is a climate-resilient, AI-powered agricultural advisory solution being deployed by Birrama Digital Commerce PLC in partnership with Farm Africa, with funding from Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals (P4G) and cost-share contributions. IRIF combines low-cost soil and micro-climate sensor capsules with satellite data and AI-generated advisories, delivered by SMS/USSD to smallholder farmers in Oromia Regional State, to improve irrigation decisions, input use and yields.
Objective
To help IRIF-registered smallholder farmers understand and access financial products (such as micro-loans and micro-insurance) offered by partner financial institutions.
Scope of work
- Mobilisation. Organise sessions with registered farmers in the project woredas (including Arsi and East Shewa zones), working with DAs and farmer groups.
- Financial literacy. Explain the products, costs, repayment duties and consumer rights in simple Afaan Oromo and Amharic.
- Onboarding support. Help eligible farmers prepare application documents and refer them to the partner institution, with farmer consent before any IRIF data is shared.
- Follow-up and reporting. Track referrals, applications and uptake, and give feedback to IRIF and partners on barriers.
- Partner institutions and products are agreed through a separate arrangement. This assignment does not design products or negotiate partnerships.
Standards and expectations
- Farmers must never be charged a fee by the contractor, and no product may be promoted unless Birrama and partners have approved it.
- Interest, fees and repayment duties are explained clearly before any farmer applies, and this is recorded.
- No farmer data is shared with a financial institution without the farmer’s informed consent.
Contract management and reporting
The successful applicant reports to the IRIF Project Manager at Birrama Digital Commerce PLC and attends regular progress meetings. A contract is signed with Birrama, and payment is made in instalments set out in the contract once Birrama accepts the completed work, less any tax required by Ethiopian law. All work products, data and materials belong to Birrama and the IRIF project. The applicant must keep project and farmer information confidential.
Eligibility
- A legally registered company with a valid trade licence and TIN, or an individual consultant with a CV and national ID.
- Applicants must declare any conflict of interest, including family or business links with Birrama, Farm Africa or P4G staff.
Qualifications and experience
- Experience in financial inclusion, microfinance or farmer financial-literacy work.
- Ability to work in Afaan Oromo and Amharic in rural woredas.
- Understanding of consumer protection and responsible-lending principles.
- Key staff must have the qualifications and experience needed for their role, shown in their CVs.
Technical proposal
- Profile of the firm or consultant, with a summary of similar assignments and two (2) references with contact details.
- Understanding of the assignment, proposed approach and work plan.
- Approach to mobilisation, literacy sessions and onboarding support.
- Experience working with financial institutions and farmers (two references).
- CVs of the key team members and their roles in the assignment.
Financial proposal
- Price schedule by activity, in ETB inclusive of all taxes.
- Prices in ETB, inclusive of all taxes, with unit rates and total price, valid for at least sixty (60) days from the deadline.
- The financial proposal is a separate document and must not appear in the technical proposal.
Evaluation
Applications are first checked for eligibility and completeness. Compliant proposals are then scored as shown below: 70% technical and 30% financial.
Evaluation criterion | Points |
Relevant experience and references | 20 |
Understanding of the assignment and proposed approach | 25 |
Qualifications of the proposed team | 15 |
Farmer protection and onboarding approach | 10 |
Technical proposal – total | 70 |
Financial proposal | 30 |
Total | 100 |
How To Apply
Submit your application by email to bids@irif.world by October 31, 2026. Use the subject line “RFP IRIF/PROC/2026/018 – Financial Product Onboarding” and attach the Technical Proposal and the Financial Proposal as two separate files, together with the supporting documents above. Late or incomplete submissions may not be considered. Questions may be sent to the same address up to three (3) working days before the deadline.
- Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
- Birrama Digital Commerce PLC reserves the right to cancel or amend this RFP at any stage, and to reject any or all proposals without obligation or explanation.
- Applicants bear all costs of preparing and submitting their proposals. No costs will be reimbursed.
Required skills
Financial inclusion and literacy • Community mobilisation • Afaan Oromo and Amharic • Reporting
Desired skills
Experience with microfinance or insurance providers • Gender-responsive outreach • Knowledge of digital credit scoring
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RFP: Facilitation of Farmer Onboarding to Financial Products
Birrama Digital Commerce PLC
