NE4CB Consultant

The World Resources Institute is seeking a short-term NE4CB Consultant in Kinshasa, Congo. The role involves developing an economy-wide modeling framework to support the Democratic Republic of Congo's development transition, focusing on natural resource management and sustainable growth. Key tasks include establishing partnerships, formulating economic policies, and conducting research to support government objectives in climate finance and development sectors.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

Recruitment of a short-term Consultant to carry out Model Scoping and Develop an Economy-Wide Modelling Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

SUMMARY OF PROCUREMENT
WRI intends to a fixed-price contract for economy-wide modeling for DRC as the country is ready for a development transition that harnesses the full potential of its natural resources and delivers for its 100 million people while preserving some of its 150 million hectares of evergreen forests. Over the past 20 years, the country has remained a champion in key nature and climate processes, culminating in 2024 by the appointment of a Minister-Delegate in charge of New Climate Economy (NCE). The government’s ambition is to attract unprecedented fluxes of carbon finance to be reinvested in key development sectors such as infrastructure, education, and energy. Through a 6-month exploratory process for how to boost this government agenda, World Resources Institute (WRI) and partners identified five key priorities: i) set-up a solid partnership to drive the DRC’s NCE (also labelled as an Institute) aiming to formulating a question to which New Economy for the Congo Basin (NE4CB) wants to answer, ii) The reformulation of the initial question through the construction of an analytical framework capable of addressing it; this implies that the consultant will develop an economy wide modeling framework or design of a blue-print or modelling for the NC4CB iii) calibrate model by confrontation with reality, in order to deduce both explanatory and predictive theories through fast-track research analysis on key subjects (carbon markets, the economic value of forests, sustainable energy for all, key sector development plans) iv) build a constituency of support in the country to help choose a collective goal, and v) Economic policy formulation to achieve the objective.

About the World Resources Institute
Founded in 1982, The World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global environmental think tank that goes beyond research to put ideas into action. We work with governments, companies, and civil society to build solutions to urgent environmental challenges. WRI’s transformative ideas protect the earth and promote development because sustainability is essential to meeting human needs and fulfilling human aspirations in the future. The World Resources Institute has worked in Africa for over 30 years on forest protection, landscape restoration and more recently, sustainable cities, energy access, and climate action. WRI Africa has built a reputation as a trusted partner on the continent. Our vision for Africa is an inclusive transformation so Africa’s people and landscapes flourish. There is a strong connection between climate action and economic growth and development. For countries to thrive, they must protect their ecosystems, invest in sustainable infrastructure, and ensure access to clean and reliable energy. This will unlock opportunities to create jobs and support equitable growth and resilient economies. Delaying climate action will mean missing opportunities for climate-resilient economic growth and development.
WRI Africa works on four main pillars with target impacts on people, nature and climate:
• Thriving Resilient Cities: WRI works to ensure the future of African cities by helping city administration, private and public investors, and donors make informed decisions on city planning and policy. Our goal is to transition Africa’s urban systems to provide a better quality of life and health through equitable access to jobs and core services for all residents, especially the underserved. At the same time, ensuring cities are more resilient and on a path to climate neutrality by 2050.
• Food, Land and Water: Achieve concrete and measurable outcomes that contribute to impacts on forest conservation and landscape restoration, food security and sustainable land use, and improved land governance. Our vision is to shift Africa’s food, land and water system to meet the needs of all people while protecting nature and halting climate change.
• Sustainable Energy Transition and Access: WRI vision for Africa is to provide clean, reliable, affordable power for all communities while reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. Access to clean, affordable and reliable power is essential for human health, education and economic prosperity. Africa requires a balance between urgently increasing access to electricity and building out low-carbon energy systems for the future.
• Climate Economics and Finance: WRI Africa supports advancing climate actions through integrated solutions that help countries drive systems change, data transparency and accountability, planning, and policy decisions and implementation. Our goal is to advance comprehensive and inclusive climate action across adaptation, mitigation, loss, and damage within focus countries, delivering benefits for people, nature, and climate.
About the Project or Program Name
As part of the larger WRI’s Strategic Program Fund (SPF-2025) proposal; SPF Africa Project aims to position WRI to support people, nature, and climate-aligned country transitions goals by (i) peer-reviewing and publishing key products on macro-economic modelling for country transitions (from SPF-24), (ii) expanding WRI's in-country modeling capabilities to create solid bridges and dialogue opportunities with key country decision-makers, and (iii) leveraging key political moments by showcasing examples of whole-economy transitions. The Project will focus on developing an economic modeling framework and analysis that can guide the next stage of development of WRI’s thinking and practice on the ‘economics of country transitions, building on the foundation of New Climate Economy, existing work in-country (e.g. New Economy of the Amazon, National Climate Action). This macro policy modeling work will also be expanded to the wider Congo Basin Economy in the next phases of WRI national climate action interventions based on the key learned and insights gained from this work in DRC and other WRI target countries in Africa and beyond.

SCOPE OF WORK AND OUTPUTS/DELIVERABLES

Key Activities
• Understanding the Climate Economy in DRC
The climate economy in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is shaped by the country's high vulnerability to climate change, its dependence on climate-sensitive sectors, and its rich natural resources that offer both challenges and opportunities for sustainable development. Key issue that the project may focus on include:
• Political Economy Analysis of climate change reveals a complex interplay of environmental vulnerability, resource wealth, governance challenges, conflict dynamics, and socio-economic development constraints.
• Climate vulnerability and economic impacts e.g sectoral productivity, GDP, employment, food security, poverty and inequality, cost of adaptation etc.
• Key sectors that are most affected by climate change and how this affects socio-economic and environmental performance.
• Strategic vision, policy landscape and institutional frameworks to address climate change and on-going efforts to mobilize climate finance.
• Natural resources and climate solutions.
• National Data, modeling and Policy Modeling Stocktaking
Conduct a whole-institute survey to understand existing data and modeling frameworks being used for Economic Planning and Projections for Growth and GHG Emissions, and current capabilities in the country:
• Collect information about climate and economic data at the national level and within the different sectors
• Identify priority policy questions, e.g. what sectors can drive green growth and/or are vulnerable to climate risks? What sustainable land and forest use policies are needed? How can extractive industries be more sustainable and climate-resilient?
• Identify Key players and stakeholders (state and non-state actors) relevant to the DRC’s New Climate Economy (NCE) in economic planning, Macroeconomic policy analysis and decision-making process including technical and financial support.
• Develop key macro policy level question that DRC seeks to answer for just and inclusive country transition.
• Development of an Analytical Framework
• Based on the outcome of the stocktaking and the key guiding questions, refine the key research questions through consultation and expert input.
• Propose and outline existing or new economy wide modelling and analytical framework that may suit DRC existing data needs, policy priorities aligned to the country’s transition pathways prospects.
• Based on proposed guiding questions, develop the Economywide Macro Level Simulation Modelling Framework that will inform the transition pathways of economic trajectories and GHG emission pathways including the design of a conceptual model or blueprint for the NCE for DRC.
• In consultation with the key policy stakeholders, frame the Modeling content structure, key data, parameters needed, and policy interventions/measures to be considered in the modelling work
• Outline the key development outcomes such as poverty level, unemployment, inequality equity, carbon market revenue, GHG emission reduction, and among others that should be assessed using the model to inform the transition pathways.
• Propose the next phase of Modeling and Analysis steps.
• Develop a clear communication strategy, including reports, visualizations, and presentations, to convey findings.
• Develop key messages and recommendations for DRC’s country transition.

TIMING

The duration of the service is 6 months between June and December2025 (start and end dates to be confirmed). WRI’s CEF technical team will provide support on all the deliverables and the consultant will give access to content, draft documents, policies, strategies etc to the CEF technical team.

No

Deliverable/Task/Activity

Date

1

Inception report detailing the assignment including the possible stakeholders and partnership to support the project

July 2025

2

Map out relevant stakeholders and set-up partnerships that will identify the relevant question to be addressed in this assignment

August 2025

3

National Data, modeling and Policy Modeling Stocktaking Assessment report

September 2025

4

Proposed Modelling and Analytical Framework

October 2025

5

Develop a clear communication strategy of findings through reports, visualizations, and presentations

November 2025

BUDGET

Contract value shall be decided in negotiation between WRI and the Consultant based on quote provided in the Consultant’s proposal but should ideally not exceed $25,000.00USD.

Deliverables

Proportional payment

Payment due date

Agreed inception report with clear work plan

20% (first installment)

One week after contact signature

Up on delivery activity 2 and 3

40% (second installment)

2 Months After signing the contract

Up on delivery of 4 and 5

40% (final installment)

1.5 Months After submitting deliverables activity 2and three

Please note that WRI is an IRS-registered 501(c)3, tax-exempt organization. WRI is not VAT exempt. All prices or quotes should include VAT and tax, as applicable.

GUIDELINES FOR PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
Requirements
The selected individual consultant will be able to demonstrate capacity in similar work, particularly:
• Demonstrated management capacity, work experience and knowledge of macroeconomy policy instruments; climate mitigation, adaptation, and financing; environment; and institutional issues in sub-Saharan Africa (particularly experience in DRC is preferred). In this regard, the consultant to be contracted is expected to bring together a balanced level of national and international expertise.
• A minimum, of master-level experts and 10 years of experience in economic policy, Planning climate adaptation and mitigation, specifically in the fields climate resilience, forestry, agriculture & rural economy, livestock, industry, transport, urban/green cities, and energy with experience in Africa and DRC
• Demonstrated understanding of the Paris Agreement, associated decisions related to Carbon Market and other decisions enacted by the UNFCCC, and how DRC can achieve its commitments, considering the sectors/areas covered and the opportunities laid down for the implementation of the NDC.
• Professional experience in delivering high profile mitigation and adaptation analytical products and consultative projects in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly DRC, including management of the process and consultations required.
• Experience assembling complex, high level analytical reports should be demonstrated through examples, including the ability to incorporate technical inputs from multiple sources, while also keeping Government ownership.
• Specific national or international experience and expertise in the preparation of Economic analysis Mitigation assessment and GHG Inventories for DRC, and related activities.
• Recent knowledge of the institutional and policy environment of DRC in the context of the development plans and other related national documents would be an advantage. Knowledge of the context of climate finance in DRC is also required.

The candidate must prepare and submit the following documents:
• Statement of Interest:
• A concise description of the consultant’s expertise, relevant experience, and alignment with the project objectives.
• Explanation of how the consultant plans to contribute to the project's success.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV):
• A detailed CV that highlights the consultant’s qualifications, past projects, and professional achievements.
• Technical Proposal:
• Description of the proposed methodology and approach to deliver the scope of work.
• A detailed work plan with activities, timelines, and resource allocation.
• Risk management strategies to address potential challenges during consultancy.
• Financial Proposal:
• A comprehensive budget breakdown, including consultancy fees, travel costs, and other anticipated expenses.
• A competitive payment schedule tied to key deliverables and milestones.
• Work Samples and References:
• Examples of similar projects completed in the past three years, including contact details for references.
• Any published reports or papers that demonstrate expertise in the relevant field.
• Compliance Statement:
• Confirmation of the consultant’s ability to comply with WRI’s ethical and sustainability standards.
• Statement affirming that the consultant is not debarred or included on any restricted parties’ lists.
Submission Process:
• Proposals must be submitted electronically in PDF format to the email address provided below.
• All submissions must include the subject line: "Proposal Submission: NE4CB Consultant"
• Incomplete or late submissions will not be considered.

Expression of Interest, Deadline for Questions, and Proposal

All expressions of interest and questions about this RFP must be received via email to the contact below by 10 June 2025. Answers to the questions will be shared will all parties who have asked questions or otherwise expressed interest.

Name: Bora Masumbuko
Title: DRC Country Manager - [email protected]
With CC to: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
.
All proposals must be sent by 10 June 2025 in electronic format to the same contact listed above.

EVALUATION AND SELECTION
• Evaluation Criteria
The following elements will be the primary considerations in evaluating all proposals submitted in response to this:
• Completion Completeness of required elements.
• Quality and relevance of the proposed methodology.
• Consultant’s experience and record of accomplishment in similar projects.
• Cost-effectiveness of the financial proposal; overall cost of the consultants’, etc. proposal.
• Debarment and sanctions – WRI will not consider proposals from consultants, etc. that are presently debarred by the U.S. government or named on any restricted parties lists.
• Sustainability – WRI values sustainability and all other factors being equal, will favor a proposal to perform the work more sustainably.

The bidder offering the best overall value will be selected. For this procurement, price and non-price aspects are considered about equal importance.
• Selection Process
No proposal development costs shall be charged to WRI / all expenses are to be borne by the bidders. WRI may award the bidder offering best value without discussion. However, WRI reserves the right to seek bidder clarifications and to negotiate with those bidders deemed to be within a competitive range.

WRI may, at its discretion and without explanation to the prospective consultants, etc., choose to discontinue this RFP without obligation to such prospective consultants, etc. or make multiple awards under this RFP. Contracts will not be awarded to a consultant, etc. debarred by the US government or named on restricted parties lists.