SELECTION OF CONSULTING FIRMS BY THE WORLD BANK GROUP
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI)
Electronic Submissions through WBGeProcure RFx Now
ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW
Assignment Title: LAMU CREATIVE & CULTURAL INDUSTRIES: TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK & REFORM
Assignment Countries:
ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION
INTRODUCTION:
The World Bank Group is seeking a consulting firm to: (i) develop a strategic framework for Creative and Cultural Industries (CCIs) in Lamu County, hereafter referred to as a master plan, and (ii) support the design and initiation of prioritized reforms. This initiative is part of the EU-World Bank CreatiFi Program, which supports CCIs in Africa, the Caribbean, and Pacific countries. It is jointly managed by the Competitiveness for Jobs and Economic Transformation (C-JET) Umbrella 2.0 MDTF and the Finance for Development (F4D) Umbrella Trust Funds. C-JET promotes the growth of competitive firms and sectors that drive economic transformation and job creation, while F4D focuses on building deep, inclusive, efficient, and resilient financial systems.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of this consultancy is to develop a strategic framework (master plan) for the Creative and Cultural Industries (CCIs) in Lamu County and support the design and initiation of prioritized reforms. CCI firms are engaged in wood carving, boat making/Lamu dhows, Lamu Arts & Herbal medicine, weaving, Lamu ‘Kofia’/Shela Hats, Henna painting, Theatrical Arts and Lamu cuisine. The master plan will provide a roadmap for unlocking the economic potential of CCIs, fostering sustainable growth, and enhancing competitiveness within Lamu’s creative economy. The specific objectives of the assignment are two-fold. Firstly, to inform reform implementation with a focus on business enabling environment and related issues within county reform purview and, secondly to shape mobilization of financial and non-financial services to spur CCI growth. Lessons learned will guide future efforts at county and national levels.
SCOPE OF WORK
The selected firm will be responsible for the following tasks, working closely with the World Bank task team and the Lamu County Government technical team:
- Activity 1: Conduct a comprehensive mapping and assessment of Lamu’s creative and cultural industries, analyzing legal, policy, and institutional frameworks, identifying ecosystem bottlenecks, and profiling sub-sectors. Include stakeholder consultations, tech platform reviews, global best practices, and actionable recommendations to strengthen regulatory reforms and link local and national CCI stakeholders.
- Activity 2: Prepare the Creative and Cultural Industries Master Plan (CIMP) that is informed by the assessment. The plan should identify strategic actions, timelines, and risk mitigation to unlock sector growth. Also, it should emphasize cultural tourism, private sector engagement, and development partner support. Include digital marketing strategies, and present the plan with supporting materials for feedback and dissemination to county government, WBG, and stakeholders.
- Activity 3: Technical Assistance for Initiating Reform Work through design a one-year action plan to kick-start CIMP reforms, with clear timelines, responsibilities, and indicators. Advisory support should focus on quick-win, high-impact, and feasible actions, plus a sustainable, private sector-led model to support CCI creators and leverage existing government and partner resources for implementation.
DELIVERABLES AND TIMELINES
The assignment is expected to be completed within 6 months, including both on-site and remote work.
SELECTION CRITERIA QUALIFICATIONS
The assignment should be undertaken by a multidisciplinary team combining international and local expertise with competence and experience in CCI. Excellent written and verbal communication, interpersonal, analytical, and organizational skills are required across board. A team composition that includes members with relevant prior experience in Lamu or the region is preferred but not mandatory. The precise head count and organization of the team is at the discretion of the consulting firm, though a suggestion for skill mix includes: Team Leader and Experts in Culture, MSME Development, Community Engagement & Communication.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
The World Bank Group invites eligible firms to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested firms must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (brochures, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc. for firms; CV and cover letter for individuals). Please note that the total size of all attachments should be less than 5MB. Firms may associate to enhance their qualifications unless otherwise stated in the solicitation documents. Where a group of firms associate to submit an EOI, they must indicate which is the lead firm. If shortlisted, the firm identified in the EOI as the lead firm will be invited to the request for proposal (RFP) phase.
Expressions of Interest should be submitted, in English, electronically through WBGeProcure RFx Now
NOTES
Following this invitation for EOI, a shortlist of qualified firms will be formally invited to submit proposals. Shortlisting and selection will be subject to the availability of funding.
Only those firms which have been shortlisted will be invited to participate in the RFP phase. No notification or debrief will be provided to firms which have not been shortlisted.
If you encounter technical difficulties while uploading documents, please send an e-mail to the Help Desk at corporateprocurement@worldbank.org prior to the submission deadline.
