Energy Access Institutions Facility (EAIF) Mid-Term Review

CLASP is the leading global authority on efficient appliances’ role in fighting climate change and improving people’s lives. With 25 years of expertise, CLASP collaborates with policymakers, industry leaders, and other experts to deliver clear pathways to a more sustainable world for people and the planet.

CLASP is a global non-profit with offices in Europe, India, Indonesia, Kenya, and the United States. We have worked in over 90 countries since our inception in 1999. We are mission-driven and committed to a culture of inclusion, transparency, collaboration, and impactful work. Find out more about CLASP.

The Energy Access Institutions Facility (EAIF, or ‘’The Facility”) is a joint-donor initiative to support and strengthen the institutions that are essential for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7, universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy by 2030. The Facility is supported by DOEN, British International Investment, Good Energies Foundation, the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida), and UK aid via the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) platform and is managed by CLASP.

EAIF aims to build institutional capacity, improve financial sustainability, and sharpen the strategic focus of key market actors, while contributing to ecosystem‑level outcomes such as policy influence, market coordination, investment facilitation, and improved data and knowledge generation.

This Request for Proposals (RFP) invites qualified independent consultants or consulting firms to conduct a Mid‑Term Review (MTR) of the EAIF. The review will assess EAIF’s progress, performance, and early outcomes against its stated objectives, Theory of Change, and Impact Assessment Framework, and will generate evidence‑based recommendations to inform strategic decisions on the Facility’s future direction, including continuation, adaptation, scale‑up, or exit.

Contract Timeframe: 3 months (April 2026-June 2026)

[INCLUDE ANY INFO ABOUT % OF FTE TIME THE CONTRACTOR WILL SPEND ETC.]

Deadline for Application: [22 MARCH 2026] at 23:59 ET

Application includes registering as a Consulting Partner and submitting the technical and financial proposals per the instructions below.

Deadline for Questions: [13 MARCH 2026] at 23:59 ET

All questions must be addressed in English to [Enid Nzisa] at [enzisa@clasp.ngo]. We request all inquiries be made to this e-mail address and not by phone.

The scope of work for this assignment covers the design and delivery of an independent Mid‑Term Review (MTR) of the Energy Access Institutions Facility (EAIF). The consultant will assess:

• Alignment of EAIF performance with objectives, Theory of Change, and Impact Framework
• Effectiveness of core funding and institutional health support
• Strength of coordination, governance, and decision‑making
• Early results at market‑institution and ecosystem levels
• Quality of MEL and adaptive management, informing next‑phase strategic decisions

Mid‑Term Review Evaluation Questions

Under this scope of work, the Mid‑Term Review will address the following core evaluation questions:

Relevance

• To what extent does EAIF’s design, Theory of Change, and portfolio remain relevant to current energy access and DRE sector needs and donor priorities?
• Are EAIF’s support modalities (core funding, institutional health support, coordination and joint action) appropriate for addressing the constraints faced by Market Institutions?

Effectiveness

•  To what extent has EAIF progressed toward achieving its stated objectives at the mid‑point of implementation?
• How effective has flexible core funding been in strengthening the institutional capacity, strategic focus, and sustainability of supported Market Institutions?
• How effective has institutional health support been in addressing identified organizational gaps?

Efficiency

• Are EAIF’s governance, management, and decision‑making processes functioning efficiently?
• Has EAIF reduced transaction costs and administrative burdens for donors and Market Institutions compared to more fragmented funding approaches?

Early Outcomes and Contribution

• What early outcomes are evident at the Market Institution level and at the broader ecosystem level (e.g. policy influence, market coordination, data availability, investment facilitation)?
• How and to what extent has EAIF contributed to these outcomes, recognizing the Facility’s contribution‑based role?

Learning and Adaptive Management

• How effectively are monitoring, evaluation, and learning processes supporting adaptive management and strategic decision‑making within EAIF?
• What key lessons are emerging regarding pooled funding and institutional support for market systems development?

Sustainability and Strategic Direction

• What is the likelihood that supported Market Institutions will achieve increased institutional and financial sustainability?
• What adjustments are needed to strengthen EAIF’s impact in the remaining implementation period?
• What implications do the findings have for EAIF’s next phase, including continuation, scale‑up, consolidation, or exit?

The consultant will be responsible for delivering the following milestones and outputs over the course of the assignment. All deliverables must be of publishable quality and suitable for sharing with EAIF donors and the Steering Committee.

The assignment will be undertaken by an independent consultant or consulting firm with the following minimum qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience conducting program evaluations, or strategic assessments of donor‑funded programmes, facilities, or pooled funding mechanisms
• Strong expertise in market systems development, ecosystem building, or private‑sector–led development approaches, preferably in energy access, climate, or related sectors
• Proven understanding of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) frameworks, including theory‑based and utilization‑focused evaluation approaches
• Experience working with multi‑donor initiatives and engaging diverse stakeholders,
• Ability to assess both institutional‑level performance and contribution to ecosystem‑level outcomes, recognizing attribution limitations
• Familiarity with OECD‑DAC evaluation criteria (relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability)
• Strong qualitative and analytical research skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with demonstrated ability to produce clear, concise, and actionable reports for senior decision‑makers

Register as a Consulting Partner

Interested parties must register as a CLASP Consulting Partner.

Submit Technical and Financial Proposals

Interested parties should submit separate technical and financial proposals electronically, in English, via this form link (preferably in PDF format). The files should be named as per the following example:

[CONTRACTOR_NAME] _Technical Proposal_ RFP YYYY-MM-DD[CONTRACTOR_NAME] _Financial Proposal_ RFP YYYY-MM-DD

The length of the technical proposal should not exceed 20 pages and should include:

• Detailed approach and methodology for the design, implementation, and management of the project
• Detailed timeline for all project activities, tasks, milestones, and deliverables for the project within the time frame indicated above
• Background and experience of conducting similar activities
• A summary of the qualifications and experience of key personnel that will execute the project
• Other relevant information

The financial proposal (in USD) should include a detailed budget with all direct and indirect cost estimates for executing the project, including a breakdown (in days) of the level of effort and costs associated with each team member that will be engaged in the project.

CVs and related summaries of experience and qualifications of proposed project team staff should be included in an Annex and should not exceed 10 pages.

Optional At This Stage – Fill Out Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ)

All contractors must complete the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) before they can begin work with CLASP. However, at the RFP stage, completing the PQQ is optional (i.e. you can decide to fill it out at a later stage, only if you are selected).

The PQQ is a comprehensive due diligence screening used to collect legal and financial information about potential partners or vendors. While not required at the RFP stage, it must be completed if a contract is awarded. Contracts are contingent on successfully passing this due diligence process.

If your organization has already completed the PQQ, you do not need to submit it again—unless there have been changes to your business structure and/or you submitted the PQQ more than two years ago. If you’re unsure, please contact Andrea Testa at atesta@clasp.ngo for guidance.

A committee appointed by CLASP will evaluate proposals received. Selection of qualified companies or organizations will be based upon the following criteria:

Technical Approach (35 points): The technical approach described in the proposals will be evaluated on:

• The demonstrated understanding of the overall project context (15).
• The detailed work plan and approach clearly defining the target objectives and the strategy to achieve the objectives as outlined in the scope of work (20).

Management Structure and Staff Qualification (25 points): The proposed management structure and staff will be evaluated on:

• The professional qualifications and the extent to which the requisite expertise and experience of the key personnel will directly contribute to the completion of the tasks (25).

Past Performance and Corporate Experience (20 points): The experience and capacities of the contractor will be evaluated based on:

• The past performance, familiarity, and experience in understanding policies and program related to standards and labelling (10).
• Extent of local expertise, including experience, qualifications, and track record in implementation of similar programs (10).

Cost Evaluation Factors (20 points): While the overall Technical Evaluation is the key factor in reviewing the proposal, the Cost Evaluation is also an essential factor in determining the final contract award. The entire proposal will be evaluated for feasibility, completeness, and practicality.

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As noted above, CLASP is a global nonprofit whose mission is to improve the energy and environmental performance of the appliances & equipment we use every day, accelerating our transition to a more sustainable world.  CLASP’s values and culture include transparency, collaboration, serving others, bringing positive impact to the world, providing equal opportunity, and fostering an inclusive environment without regard to individuals’ background, identity or circumstances.

CLASP has found that partnering with entities with a demonstrated commitment to its values and mission leads to the best outcomes.  Accordingly, we encourage you to include additional information you think shows why your organization would be a good partner for this project.

CLASP looks forward to reviewing your responses and would like to thank you in advance for your participation in this Request for Proposals. CLASP will notify all respondents who submit proposals when a decision has been made.