Procurement of consulting services for an innovation partner to manage an innovation challenge and incubate participating startups.

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION)

COUNTRY: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

NAME OF PROJECT: Food Systems Resilience Program For Eastern And Southern Africa

Loan No. /Credit No. / Grant No.: IDA Credit - 71560 Assignment Title: Consultancy Services for Hiring an Implementation Partner to Manage the Second Cohort of the AgTech Innovation Challenge (ATIC) and Incubate Startups.

Reference No .: ET-MOA-479128-CS-QBS

The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Ministry of Finance (MoF), has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Ethiopia Food System Resilience Program (EFSRP) , and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consultancy services to hire an implementation partner to run the AgTech innovation challenge, competition, and incubate startups

Objective of the Consultancy Service

The consulting services (“the Services”) is to engage a qualified and experienced incubation center (implementation partner) to manage and coordinate the successful implementation of the second cohort of the AgTech Innovation Challenge (ATIC), nurturing homegrown digital solutions from initial startup sourcing through to commercial scaling. The assignment has the following specific objectives: Design and execute a comprehensive applicant scouting and outreach campaign. Design and implement a transparent, criteria-based selection process to screen applicants and shortlist the strongest DAEAS solutions aligned with prioritized farmer needs. Strengthen the innovation and business readiness of selected participants through delivery of the Innovation Sprint Support the growth and maturation of incubated startups through structured incubation services Facilitate the development, validation, and refinement of market-ready AgTech solutions Support the commercialization and investment readiness of high-performing startups Strengthening market access and strategic partnerships by facilitating linkages between startups and relevant investors, government institutions, development partners, private-sector actors, and agricultural value chain stakeholders

3. Scope of the Service

This consultancy service is aimed at hiring an implementation partner The selected service provider should have expertise in designing, executing, and supporting end-to-end innovation challenges, including participant recruitment, solution development, evaluation, and commercialization. The scope of work includes facilitating the entire ATIC process, from the initial pre-incubation to the incubation and scaling of winning AgTech solutions. 4.The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be obtained at the address given below. 5.The Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.

6.The shortlisting criteria are:

Core business and years in business Type of business Years in business

Qualifications in the field of the assignment General Experience Experience in project of similar nature and complexity

Technical and managerial organization of the firm Managerial and Technical Organization Setup of the firm

General qualifications and number of key Staff. Number of key experts of the firm (not proposed key staffs for the project) Staff composition and qualification 7. The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs,3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (July 1, 2016; Revised November 2017, August 2018 and November 2020, September 2023, February 2025, September 2025) (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

8. Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications, but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected. 9.A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Quality Based Selection (QBS) method set out in the Procurement Regulations. 10. Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM hours in the morning and 1:30 to 05:30 PM hours in the afternoon.

11. Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below in person, or by e-mail not later than September 4, 2026 , at 11:30 AM .

Address: Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI), Procurement Team

Bole, Off Meskel flower road, adjacent to school of commerce students’ association P.O.Box 708, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Tel: [contact details removed] or [contact details removed]

E-mail: [contact details removed] or [contact details removed]

Website: https://ati.gov.et/