Business Advisory Services for Entrepreneur Fellows in CMU-Africa’s Industry Innovation Lab at Carnegie Mellon University | Kigali: Deadline: 28-04-2023

Request for Quotations

For Business Advisory Services for Entrepreneur Fellows in CMU-Africa’s Industry Innovation Lab

Quotation Submittal Due Date

April 28, 2023

(5:00 PM CAT) 

Overview 

Carnegie Mellon University Africa in Rwanda (“CMU-Africa”) is requesting quotations from qualified companies to provide business advisory services to startups supported by CMU-Africa’s business incubator – the Industry Innovation Lab(IIL). The IIL is a technology-focused hub at CMU-Africa, supporting startups that are developing and commercializing technology-enabled products that address well-defined market opportunities with potential for profitability, inclusivity, and scaling. The IIL runs a 12-month business incubation program exclusively focused on helping CMU-Africa students and alumni founders succeed with their entrepreneurial ventures. Startups entering the business incubation program have a proof-of-concept prototype for their product and a preliminary market assessment. The goal is for these startups to leave the program with a revenue generating product that is positioned to successfully compete for additional investment necessary for scaling.

Scope of Work  

CMU-Africa requires the purchase of business advisory services to assist IIL startups in achieving milestones critical to their success.  These services are part of the IIL’s startup support package. The advisory services will be delivered through in-person and virtual one-on-one or group sessions offered to approximately seven startups within the IIL’s 12-month business incubation program. Founders of the supported startups will include both first time and experienced entrepreneurs. Each of the IIL’s startups is entitled to receive a maximum of 16 hours of business advisory services a month, distributed across the four areas listed below. The selected business advisory firms will be expected to offer tailored advisory services to enable the seven startups to achieve milestones in the following areas:

• Product development and market research
• Legal and compliance requirements
• Marketing and sales
• Finance and accounting

Each bidder is limited to submitting quotations for not more than two areas from the list of services above.

Timeline & Selection Process  

This request for quotation is expected to be completed based on the following timeline:

• Issuance Date                        3 April 2023
• Response Deadline                 28 April 2023
• Selection                               15 May 2023
• Contract Implementation        1 July 2023

Any questions regarding this document must be submitted via email to africa-finance@andrew.cmu.edu. All questions will be answered via email to all bid participants.  Prospective vendors may communicate ONLY with the University Contact listed below (Chipiwa Zimbwa).  They may NOT communicate with any other university staff or with related third parties regarding this document or the selection process.  Any such communication may result in a firm’s immediate disqualification for consideration as a vendor.

Responses are due via email in PDF form by the deadline listed above.

University Contact

Chipiwa Zimbwa

Chief Operations Officer

Email: africa-finance@andrew.cmu.edu 

Submission

Prospective vendors must respond to each of the following points.  When doing so, repeat each bullet point first, then follow it with your answer.  The total submission must not exceed 10 pages.

General

• Provide a brief overview of your company, including its history, core values and strategy.
• Describe the advisory team that will be assigned to the university including experience in the industry and with your organization.
• Clearly describe the service offering under each area in which you will support the startups.
• In the ‘Pricing and Services’ table below, clearly state the hours required to deliver the services, and the cost for the services.
• Include a business advisory plan for each proposed service, with a clear schedule that will guide its provision over the duration of the program. The plan must include a schedule for both one-on-one advisory and group support. Keep in mind that each startup should receive no more than 4 hours of consulting services in a particular area per month.
• Indicate the activities that will be delivered in-person and those that will be delivered through virtual arrangements, if any.
• Include three current references and one past reference of clients similar to Carnegie Mellon University.

Pricing and Services

• Provide pricing for each of the services below separately:

Other Items  

• Include a copy of to your company’s audited financial statements.
• Include a copy of your RDB certificate.
• Include copies of CVs of all advisory team members
• Have you done business with Carnegie Mellon in the past? If yes, please provide details.
• Describe any competitive advantages your company has that should be considered.
• Carnegie Mellon is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) practices and principles which we strongly believe creates opportunity and drives value for our workplaces and communities. We seek partners and vendors who share our passion to these principles. We request all bidders detail their company’s policies, processes, and commitment to DEI practices.

Terms & Conditions 

Vendors providing a quote agree to the following terms and conditions:

• The University reserves the right to reject any or all quotations received, to request clarification of any Quotation, to waive informalities or irregularities; and to award a contract not based solely on the lowest cost.
• All information contained in this document is considered confidential and cannot be shared without permission by the University.
• Pricing included in your quote must be valid for at least sixty days and may not be modified, withdrawn or canceled.
• The University will not pay for any information requested herein, nor is it liable for any costs incurred by the participant in responding to this request. All quotations submitted become the property of the University; they will not be returned.
• None of the information released either verbally or in writing shall be deemed binding to the University in any manner.
• All quotations or offers must be signed by a duly appointed officer or agent of your company.
• The University payments terms are Net 30.

Should your company’s quote be accepted by the university, the standard terms and conditions of university purchase orders apply. To review the standard university terms and conditions, please request from Chipiwa Zimbwa at africa-finance@andrew.cmu.edu.