Request for Proposals : Adapting the Means Testing Methodology

About CHANCEN International

Submission Deadline: 21st September 2026

Chancen International is a non-profit financial institution providing ethical, fair, and responsible financing to help young Africans access quality tertiary education. Using an innovative Income Share Agreement (ISA) model, we cover students' tuition fees, allowing them to study without financial barriers. Graduates repay a portion of their income once employed, creating a sustainable funding cycle that supports future generations. By empowering young people with education, we enable their transition to meaningful employment, fostering economic mobility and strengthening communities.

Headquartered in Kigali, Rwanda, and operating in Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, and Ghana, Chancen International has helped over 11,000 young people access education leading to dignified work. Our focus on marginalized populations ensures these youth gain the skills needed to thrive and contribute to building strong economies and peaceful nations.

We are committed to creating an inclusive and positive working environment where each individual can flourish and achieve their full potential. Our actions are guided by our company values: Authenticity, Curiosity, Courage, Stewardship and Fairness.

Chancen's means testing methodology, developed and validated in Rwanda, is used to assess applicants' socioeconomic status and determine eligibility for our Income Share Agreement financing. As we expand our reach in South Africa and Kenya, we need this methodology Chancen invites qualified organizations and individual consultants with relevant expertise to apply to support this adaptation, ensuring the methodology remains rigorous, locally grounded, and fit for purpose in both countries. Applicants may apply to work on one country or both, please indicate clearly in your proposal which country/countries you are applying for.

The selected organization(s) or consultant(s) will adapt Chancen's existing methodology and scoring tool for South Africa and/or Kenya, preserving its overall structure and logic while ensuring indicators, thresholds, and data sources fit local realities.

The assignment includes:

• Reviewing the existing methodology and tool, and assessing fit and gaps for the country/countries applied for.
  

• Identifying appropriate national data sources to inform country-specific thresholds.
  

• Recommending and justifying adapted indicators and thresholds for each country applied for.
  

• Updating the scoring tool and methodology note for each country applied for.
  

• Supporting Chancen's MEL team to test and validate the adapted tool(s) ahead of roll-out.
  

Expected Deliverables

Per country applied for:

• Inception note confirming approach, data sources, and timeline
  

• Country methodology note documenting adapted thresholds and rationale
  

• Adapted scoring tool, mirroring the structure of the existing tool
  

• Validation summary and final handover, including a short presentation to Chancen's leadership and MEL team.
  

Requirements

• Experience designing or adapting means testing, targeting, or proxy means test methodologies — ideally in education, social protection, or development finance.
  

• Familiarity with household living standards, income/expenditure, or multidimensional poverty measurement, and with South Africa's and/or Kenya's household survey landscape.
  

Submit the following by 21st September 2026 combined into a single file:

1. A cover note stating whether you are applying for South Africa, Kenya, or both.
   

2. A brief technical proposal (max. 3 pages) outlining your proposed approach to means testing/proxy mean test methodology design, relevant data sources you would use, and how you would validate the tool for the country context. 
   

3. A CV (individuals) or company profile with team CVs (organizations).
   

4. At least two references or examples of similar past work, ideally relevant to the country/countries applied for.
   

5. A financial proposal / cost estimate (separate line items per country if applying for both).