Consultants – Request for Expressions of Interest

Background & Scope: The Hailemariam & Roman Foundation (HRF), financed by Agence Française de Développement (AFD), invites qualified Applicants (firms) to develop three strategies for Maze National Park (MzNP):

1. Finance Strategy: Identify alternative park revenues (ecotourism, carbon sequestration, ecosystem services, donor funding) and fund the Community Development strategy.
2. Communication & Promotion Strategy: Define MzNP’s visual identity; raise awareness locally, nationally, and internationally; leverage media channels; and integrate tourism promotion.
3. Tourism Development Strategy: Map untapped attractions; propose sustainable infrastructure investments (ESMF/ESMP–compliant); design community benefit-sharing (focus on youth and women).

Duration & Activities

• Length: 6 months; Team: Experts in qualitative/quantitative field research; Key Tasks: Develop data-collection tools; conduct field studies in surrounding woredas. Engage local communities, park management, and government stakeholders, Compile a single, comprehensive strategy document

Qualifications & Evidence of Experience: Applicants must provide documented evidence of recent and similar services to demonstrate their ability to perform these tasks. Similarity will be judged on:

• Contract Size: Proven experience developing strategic documents (Finance, Communication, Tourism) for organizations or protected areas.
• Nature of Services: Prior delivery of “Finance strategic documents,” “Communication strategic documents,” and “Tourism strategic documents.”
• Technical Expertise: Team members hold advanced degrees (MSc/PhD) in Media/Communication, Tourism Promotion, Economics, Business Management, Rural Development, Development Studies, Gender Studies, or related fields; ≥ 5 years of similar strategy-development experience in Ethiopian parks/Protected Areas.
• Skills & Tools: Strong qualitative data-analysis and document-analysis capabilities; excellent communication/presentation skills; proficiency in English and the local language; understanding of regional culture.
• Personnel: Assign qualified personnel across all three areas (Finance, Communication, Tourism).

AFD Eligibility: Applicants must comply with AFD’s “Procurement Guidelines for AFD-Financed Contracts in Foreign Countries” (sub-clause 1.3): http://www.afd.fr.