About the Organization
Development Gateway seeks to establish a roster of qualified individual consultants to provide business development and proposal development support across a range of technical and operational areas.
This RFP is intended to support surge and ongoing proposal needs across Development Gateway’s portfolio. Offerors may submit qualifications for one or more functional areas. Development Gateway anticipates awarding multiple contracts and establishing a pre-qualified pool of consultants.
Job Summary
Consultants will provide support across the full proposal lifecycle, including capture, design, drafting, costing, and submission. Specific assignments will be issued on a task-order or call-down basis.
Anticipated Final Contract Signature Date:
October 16, 2026
Key Responsibilities
Core responsibilities may include:
Supporting proposal development processes from pre-positioning through submission
Producing high-quality, donor-compliant deliverables aligned with solicitation requirements
Participating in proposal design workshops, review cycles, and coordination processes
Collaborating with internal staff, partners, and subject matter experts
Delivering work under compressed timelines with strong quality control
This is a remote (work-from-home) role.
Areas of Expertise
Offerors may apply to one or more of the following categories:
A. Technical Writing / Proposal Writing
Draft technical narratives, including technical approach, implementation, and management sections
Translate design inputs into clear, compelling proposal language
Ensure responsiveness to solicitation requirements and evaluation criteria
Support concept notes, executive summaries, and narrative revisions
B. Proposal Management
Lead proposal planning, timelines, and deliverable tracking
Coordinate inputs from internal teams, partners, and consultants
Ensure compliance with donor requirements (formatting, page limits, submission)
Facilitate review processes and decision points, ensuring a competitive and compliant bid
C. Cost and Pricing
Develop detailed budgets and cost narratives
Ensure accuracy, competitiveness, and compliance with donor regulations
Align technical design with cost assumptions
Conduct cost realism checks and budget validation
D. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL)
Design results frameworks, indicators, and learning approaches
Integrate MEL into proposal design and technical approaches
Develop MEL plans aligned with donor expectations
Support adaptive management and evidence-based programming frameworks
E. Proposal Coordination
Manage document control, formatting, and version management
Coordinate annexes, attachments, and submission materials
Manage logistical and administrative support for proposal teams including meeting scheduling and note-taking
Support copyediting, formatting, and final packaging
Ensure submission readiness and compliance checklists
F. Technical Subject Matter Expertise
Provide sectoral expertise across DG-relevant sectors as per the 2026-2028 Strategic Plan.
Contribute to program design, theory of change, and technical approaches
Draft or review specialized sections of proposals
Ensure approaches reflect current best practice and evidence
G. Copyediting
Copyedit proposal narratives
Donor Expertise
Offerors should highlight experience working with donors, including (but not limited to):
Bilateral donors:
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
European and multilateral institutions:
European Union (EU) institutions and instruments
KfW Development Bank
Other European bilateral agencies
Development banks and multilateral financing institutions:
World Bank Group
Regional development banks (e.g., EBRD, ADB, AfDB, IDB)
USG: e.g. DOS, MCC
Philanthropy:
Company-sponsored foundations
Family Foundations
Independent Foundations
Philanthropic Collaboratives
Relevant experience may include:
Leading or contributing to successful proposals for these donors
Demonstrating understanding of donor-specific requirements, formats, and evaluation criteria
Experience with procurement modalities (e.g., framework agreements, tenders, competitive dialogue)
Familiarity with priority technical sectors and thematic requirements
Required Qualifications
Applicants should demonstrate:
Proven experience in one or more functional areas listed above
Strong track record supporting proposals for major donors
Ability to work independently and as part of fast-paced, distributed teams
High attention to detail and ability to meet tight deadlines
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Minimum Qualifications:
Applicants must demonstrate:
At least 10 years of proposal experience for technical writers and proposal managers;
Experience across a variety of donors;
Ability to meet compressed deadlines and participate in rapid review cycles;
Professional English writing/editing proficiency (other languages are an advantage).
Required Skills and Competencies
Proven experience in one or more functional areas listed above
Strong track record supporting proposals for major donors
Ability to work independently and as part of fast-paced, distributed teams
High attention to detail and ability to meet tight deadlines
Strong written and verbal communication skills