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The Green Digital Innovation Hub Brief
The Green Digital Innovation Hub Brief
CALL FOR PROPOSALS: CONSORTIUM TO ESTABLISH AND RUN A GREEN DIGITAL
INNOVATION HUB (gDIH) IN KENYA
The GIZ Digital Transformation Centre (DTC) Kenya is an initiative of German Development
Cooperation co-financed by the European Union (EU) established to support the country’s
digital transition towards a sustainable and human-centred digital economy and society.
The goal of the DTC, on the one hand, is to strengthen the country’s digital economy. It does
so by strengthening the local digital innovation ecosystem, (up)skilling a tech savvy workforce,
assisting SMEs in their digital transformation, fostering data-sharing for value creation, and
working towards decent job creation in the gig economy.
On the other hand, the DTC seeks to strengthen an open and inclusive digital society. In this
realm, it explores how emerging technologies like AI can be used for socioeconomic benefit,
it builds capacities on data privacy and security to increase consumer trust in digital products
and services and works on digitalizing public service delivery in a user-centric way.
Across all its activities, the DTC focuses on bridging digital divides so that young and old,
women and men, rural and urban populations, persons with and without disabilities, etc. can
equally benefit from the Internet. Likewise, it strives to catalyse the twin green & digital
transition to help decarbonise the Kenyan economy and adopt a more circular development
model.
Against this backdrop, the DTC’s work can be structured into 2 components and 8 action
areas:
Digital Economy Component:
help start-ups and SMEs leverage the digital transformation. It is assumed that intermediaries
are willing to offer new / expand existing training approaches in the field of digitalisation and
innovation to that end.
The digital revolution and the rise of green technology are transforming the world. In Kenya,
there is a need to harness these developments to drive sustainable development, create jobs,
and spur economic growth. To this end, we are seeking proposals from consortia to establish
and operate a green digital innovation hub in Kenya.
The Green Digital Innovation Hub (gDIH) is designed to help micro, small and medium-sized
enterprises (MSMEs) in Kenya to access technology and innovation resources. The gDIH aims
to foster a culture of digital innovation and entrepreneurship by providing MSMEs with the
tools, skills, and networks they need to succeed in the digital economy. It will act as a platform
to collaborate, learn, and grow, while promoting environmentally sustainable business
practices.
The hub’s vision is to be a one stop shop that will contribute to the digital transformation of
Kenyan enterprises while promoting sustainable development, circular economy,
environmental protection and tackling climate change.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
The gDIH will operate as non-profit legal entity in Kenya and will be fully Kenyan-owned.
Also, to note is that any funding for the gDIH will ONLY go to it once it is registered as
a non-profit entity or if need be, only through the non-commercial entities that are part
of the consortium that will operate it.
The overall objective of the consortium is to establish and run a green digital innovation hub
in Kenya that will support the following key four pillars:
1. Access to Finance
2. Innovation & Ecosystem Building
3. Test Before Invest/Testing Facilities
4. Skills & Training
The gDIH must ensure its services are accessible to all MSMEs in Kenya, regardless of their
location.
The consortium will be responsible for the establishment and operation of the green digital
innovation hub. The Kenyan gDIH will offer a range of proposed 18 services to MSMEs,
including:
1. Test Before Invest: The gDIH will facilitate the development of digital and green
maturity tools to help MSMEs assess their needs and challenges throughout
their value chain. It will provide access to technology resources, testing,
experimentation, piloting, and demonstration facilities. The gDIH will promote
knowledge sharing and technology transfer via collaborations with test
centres/facilities and ensure regulatory compliance.
2. Skills Development and Training: The gDIH will offer skilling in green and digital-
enabling technologies, as well as promote the use of digital technologies to
support Agriculture, ICT, and Energy. It will provide ESG leadership trainings,
executive trainings, and trainings on certifications and standards, among others.
3. Access to Finance and Investment Opportunities: The gDIH will provide support
in finding and securing adequate financing options for the implementation of digital
and green technologies. It will organize curated matchmaking events with financial
service providers, investors, and other funding opportunities, as well as provide access
to carbon credits, government incentives, and subsidies.
4. Innovation and Ecosystem Development: The gDIH will organize events and
workshops to facilitate networking and collaboration among its stakeholders and
members. It will perform stakeholder and services mapping, establish linkages
with other hubs, labs, and research centres for open sustainable innovation,
conduct hackathons/makerthons, and provide acceleration and incubation
support. Additionally, it will provide advocacy and policy support, as well as
promote knowledge sharing and technology transfer through potential partners and
collaborators such as AEDIBNET, Consortium, ENRICH, STEINBEIS, among others.
The gDIH will be located in Nairobi but accessible to all MSMEs in Kenya, regardless of their
location. The hub will leverage digital technologies to ensure that MSMEs can access its
services anywhere in the country. The gDIH will also partner with other organisations,
including intermediaries, universities, incubators, accelerators, and other ecosystem
stakeholders, to expand its reach and impact. Moreover, it will collaborate with stakeholders
beyond its borders, including the European DIHs as well as the African DIH funded under the
AEDIB|NET initiative.
Sectors and technologies with high impact on the green and digital transformation (twin
transition) and, simultaneously, high importance to the Kenyan economy have been selected
as a focus for the gDIH. The sectors include Agriculture, Information and Communication
Technologies (ICT) and Energy, while the technology focus has been set to Automation
(AI, IoT/Sensor Networks), Cyber/IT Security and Cloud Computing. Knowledge of
Smart Cities is also required.
Interested consortia are required to submit a proposal that includes the following information:
1. A detailed description of the proposed Green Digital Innovation Hub, including its
governance structure, objectives, services, target beneficiaries, and expected
outcomes.
2. A description of the consortium's composition, roles and responsibilities of each
partner, their relevant experience, and expertise in the green tech sector that can be
leveraged to establish and operate the Hub.
3. A work plan and timeline for the establishment and operation of the hub.
4. A list of key stakeholders that the consortium plans to engage with, including
government agencies, industry partners, and academic institutions.
5. A description of the consortium's approach to addressing the selection criteria listed
below in section IX.
6. A detailed budget for the establishment and operation of the Green Digital Innovation
Hub, including funding sources and a sustainability plan.
7. A description of the expected impact of the Hub on the development of the green digital
economy in Kenya.
8. A monitoring and evaluation plan to measure the impact and effectiveness of the Green
Digital Innovation Hub.
9. Any additional information that the consortium believes is relevant to the proposal.
VII. Eligibility
10. Applicants must not be GIZ Staff, GFA Staff, or named SKIIVE Project Partners.
● The call for proposals (CfP) for the Green Digital Innovation Hub (gDIH) will be open
from 19th May 2023 to 16th June 2023. Applications submitted after the deadline will
not be evaluated.
● Information sessions regarding the CfP will be conducted in May and June 2023.
● Evaluation and shortlisting of proposals will be conducted between 17th June to the
23rd of June 2023.
● Shortlisted applicants will be notified by 23rd June 2023. The final selection and
announcement of the winning consortium will be made by 26th June 2023.
● The winning consortium will be supported to go on a DIH Study Trip in Europe from
the 10th-21st July 2023 (ensure that the 3 representatives have valid passports at time
of application)
● Thereafter, GFA will further support the successful consortium in developing a full
business plan, registering a non-profit operating vehicle and undergoing capacity
building activities.
● The establishment and operation of the Green Digital Innovation Hub will commence
in December 2023.
● The applicants will be contacted solely via email regarding their application throughout
the entire process via official GFA email, [email protected].
● Administrative Review: All proposals will be reviewed to determine their eligibility and
ensure that they meet the submission requirements and are complete.
● Applications that do not meet all or some of the eligibility criteria will not be accepted.
● Evaluation of Proposals: All proposals will be evaluated by an independent jury
composed of experts from relevant fields. The jury will review the proposals based on
the selection criteria outlined under Section IX and assign scores to each proposal.
● Shortlisting: The top three proposals will be shortlisted based on their total scores.
● Due Diligence: The shortlisted consortia will be subject to due diligence, which may
include interviews with key personnel, verification of financial information, and other
checks as necessary.
● Final Selection: The consortium with the highest score after due diligence will be
selected to establish and operate the gDIH.
● Notification: All consortia that submit proposals will be notified of the outcome of the
evaluation process by 26th June 2023. The successful consortium will be notified in
writing and invited to commence negotiations with the relevant parties.
Applicants will receive an official response from GFA Consulting Group via email
([email protected]) regarding the status of their application. Successful applicants
will receive an email outlining the next steps, while unsuccessful applications will
receive a regret email.
● The decision of the jury will be final, and no correspondence will be entered into
regarding the outcome of the evaluation process.
To ensure that we select the most qualified consortium, we have developed a scoring criterion
based on the recommendations provided. The following criteria will be used to evaluate
proposals:
● Track Record: The consortium should have a convincing track record regarding green
digital innovation and strong partnerships with key stakeholders from industry,
government, and academia. (20 points)
● Infrastructure and Networks: The consortium should build on existing infrastructures
and networks, connect with related stakeholders, find synergies and
complementarities, and avoid duplication of efforts. (20 points)
● Alignment with Government Strategies: The consortium should align with
government strategies and link up with innovation agencies and intermediaries to
ensure broad reach. (10 points)
● Diversity of Expertise: The consortium should include complementary partnerships.
It should have a diverse set of experts with relevant skills and experience in areas such
as green technology, digital innovation, and sustainable business practices. (20 points)
● Sectoral Focus: Experience in these sectors: Agriculture, Information and
Communication Technologies (ICT) and Energy (10 points)
● Technological Focus: The consortium should have experience/interest in Automation
(AI, IoT/Sensor Networks), Cyber/IT Security and Cloud Computing. Smart cities are
also of importance. (10 points)
● Financial Capacity: The consortium should have a solid financial foundation and the
ability to secure funding for the project. (10 points)
● Vision and Goals: The consortium should have a clear and shared vision and goals
for the green digital innovation hub that align with the overall strategy of the project.
(10 points)
● Geographical Presence: A diverse geographical presence of the partners in the
consortium can provide a wider perspective and increase the chances of success. This
includes its potential impact on local communities, regional economies, and global
markets. (10 points)
● Kenyan Ownership: The consortium should be Kenyan-owned, bearing in mind the
face of Kenya (e.g ethnic diversity, regional balance). (20 points)
● Future Scalability and Sustainability: The consortium should have a plan for future
scalability and sustainability of the gDIH. This includes considerations such as cost-
effectiveness, resource efficiency, and social impact. (10 points)
● Traction refers to the level of customer adoption and engagement with the project, as
well as the degree to which it has achieved its goals and objectives. This can be
measured by metrics such as revenue, customer acquisition, and user engagement.
(10 points).
● Conflict of Interest: Conflict of Interest will be avoided by excluding GIZ Staff, GFA
Staff, Named SKIIVE Project Partners from bidding. Jury Members must not be from
bidding organizations/entities. (10 points)
X. Privacy Policy
GFA Consulting Group will use the personal information provided solely for the purpose of
this call for proposal application and will not use it for any other purposes without the
applicant's explicit consent.
Termination: GIZ reserves the right to terminate the agreement with the selected
consortium at any time, subject to agreed-upon termination clauses.
GFA Consulting Group reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received, and to
terminate or modify the selection process at any stage without incurring any liability to the
applicants.
Conflict Resolution: Any disputes arising from this call for proposal or the establishment
and operation of the gDIH will be resolved through mediation or arbitration.
XIII. Annexes
1. Call for Proposal Form to be completed by the applicants.
2. Budget Template to be completed by the applicants.