INDIVIDUAL CONSULTING SERVICES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF COST-RECOVERY POLICY AND GUIDELINES FOR AN ACBF PARTNER INSTITUTION-AFRICAN INSTITUTE OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), the African Union’s Specialized Agency for Capacity Development in Africa, is invested in supporting African institutions to improve their capacity to efficiently and effectively leverage the continent’s expertise and resources to realise real and lasting change for its people.

In line with this mandate, ACBF is implementing the Program on “Strengthening Capacity of Strategic Partner Institutions in Africa” (SPIA) which is designed to provide capacity improvement support to targeted new and existing Africa-based institutions operating in bio-medical research and development areas. The program seeks to promote innovation and transformative ideas, co-created, translated, accepted, and adopted to specific local needs, with the understanding that this approach will lead to more excellent scientific, technical, and fiduciary capabilities, greater administrative and logistical capacities, and greater nimbleness to respond to the ever-changing Research & Development landscape for strategic institutional partners.

Under the SPIA Program, ACBF is supporting the African Institute for Biomedical Sciences and Technology (AIBST Foundation), in enhancing its institutional capacity to effectively deliver on its mandate. AIBST Foundation is a pan-African, non-profit, public charitable organisation created to support, strengthen, and promote science and innovation in Africa. By enhancing AIBST Foundation’s institutional capacity, ACBF believes that this will promote scientific innovation that can address Africa’s development challenges.

Against this background, ACBF seeks services of an individual consultant to develop a of Cost-Recovery Policy and Guidelines for AIBST Foundation, that will support the implementation of its programs and operations during the period covered by its strategic plan (2023-2027) and beyond. AIBST will also require capacity-building training session for its staff on the implementation of the developed Framework.

Objective of the assignment

The main objective of the consultancy is to assess the partner institution’s finance and budgetary methodologies in view of developing a comprehensive cost recovery framework and cost allocation toolkit (policy, model, and guidelines) that allows the institution to visualise the actual financial impact of its activities and make better and informed decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

• Review the current cost recovery framework, relevant financial policy documents, key processes, and major cost drivers to understand how the institution classifies and apportions costs across activities.
• Develop the appropriate cost definitions and classifications and recommend appropriate cost-recovery rates using international best practice.
• Develop cost allocation toolkit that will aid the institution in aallocating costs that areincurred to the proper appropriations and funding accounts.
• Use appropriate methodology (“work distribution study”, interviews, etc.) to estimate cost of personnel time and other resources required for effective project management activities.
• Develop and document the principles and methodologies for cost recovery and guidelines that ensure that all eligible costs associated with project management activities are properly captured.
• Develop and document the rationale for the cost allocation method.
• Bench mark the cost recovery rates calculated and assess if they are too low or too high. Develop and recommend practical strategies for either outcome including rationalization, and management of costs.
• Training of relevant staff members on the cost recovery with a Training of Trainers (ToT) approach as well as develop tools which can be updated in the future.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree in business, finance, accounting, or a professional accounting qualification certificate from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy.
• At least 10 (ten) years’ experiences in financial analysis, business analysis, accounting or related field in a government, public sector, or non-profit environment.
• Experience in internationally applicable costing methodologies which include, Cost Accounting or Cost/Price Estimating based on at least 3 (three) previous assignments carried out in the last 7 (seven) years.
• Proven experience in financial policy and procedures formulation preferably in a consultancy setting in multiple organizations.
• Ability to actively engage key leaders throughout the process to ensure buy-in of internal stakeholders.
• Strong writing and presentation skills demonstrated in the application documents.
• Experience in training and coaching teams

How to Apply

A proposal responding to the points in this ToR, with reference list of at least 3 previous similar assignments. A time plan in accordance with the table in point 3 above should be included. Candidates are welcome and even encouraged to propose a different process/timeline should other models be considered more effective or complete. The proposal should not exceed 5 pages.*A copy of Curriculum Vitae (CV) for the individual(s) conducting the consultancy. * A financial proposal with a detailed breakdown of costs, disclosing all relevant budget items for completing this assignment. Your final proposal should be passworded. Your financial proposal should be informed by deliverables – use table 1 to prepare your financial proposal . The deadline for submission is 17 April 2026 at 1700 CAT. The proposals together with the requested documents above is to be sent to the following e-mail address: [no email address provided]