Request Proposal; RFP) Proposal Development and Writing Consultant – East and Southern

Request for Proposal (RFP) – Proposal Development and Writing Consultant – East and Southern Africa and Asia (Retainer)

NATURE OF SERVICES:
Helen Keller International seeks an experienced proposal development and writing consultant to provide on‑call support for competitive funding opportunities across East and Southern Africa and Asia. The consultant will collaborate with technical, program, finance, and country teams to develop high‑quality, donor‑responsive concept notes, proposals, and related submissions for institutional donors. Services include proposal planning, technical writing and editing, compliance review, quality assurance, and production of submission‑ready documents for a range of public health and nutrition programs, including nutrition, food fortification, neglected tropical diseases, eye health, and integrated health services.

The consultant must be able to support both rapid‑response and complex multi‑country proposals while ensuring compliance with donor requirements and maintaining a consistent, persuasive narrative throughout proposal documents.

Guided by the remarkable legacy of its co‑founder, Helen Keller, Helen Keller Intl partners with communities striving to overcome longstanding cycles of poverty. By delivering the essential building blocks of good health, sound nutrition and clear vision, we help millions of people create lasting change in their own lives. Working in more than 20 countries – across Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States – and together with a global community of supporters, we are ensuring every person has the opportunity – as Helen did – to reach their true potential.

The anticipated period of the resulting contract is expected to be 9 months beginning on or about September 1, 2026.

Background Helen Keller International seeks to establish a retainer agreement with an experienced proposal development and writing consultant to support competitive funding opportunities across the East and Southern Africa and Asia portfolio. The portfolio includes Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, Nepal, Bangladesh, Cambodia, and the Philippines, and may also include opportunities in related sub‑regions. The consultant will provide as‑needed support for proposals to institutional donors with varied compliance frameworks, templates, timelines, and technical expectations, including rapid‑response bids and complex multi‑country or multi‑partner proposals in public health and nutrition.

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide professional proposal development and writing services on an as‑needed basis. The Manager, Project Management, East and Southern Africa and Asia, will serve as Helen Keller Intl’s contract manager and primary point of contact. The consultant will determine the manner, means, sequence, time, and place of performing accepted assignments, subject to the agreed deliverables, deadlines, donor requirements, acceptance criteria, and reasonable coordination requirements.

• Analyze solicitations, evaluation criteria, and donor guidance to identify proposal requirements, compliance needs, and win themes.
• Facilitate or take part in program design sessions with key staff to understand the context, needs and gaps, and proposed approach.
• Develop proposal outlines, writing plans, and storyboards, including section assignments and review cycles.
• Develop or review technical frameworks, including the theory of change, results framework, log frame, and work plan ensuring alignment with budget assumptions.
• Lead the drafting, turning technical inputs into clear, persuasive, and accurate narrative with a consistent voice across sections and contributors.
• Flag gaps, inconsistencies, and compliance risks to the proposal team early.
• Incorporate feedback from technical reviewers and keep the proposal responsive to the donor's evaluation criteria.
• Produce a submission‑ready document in the donor's required format and page limits, including editing, proofreading, and final quality checks.

Examples include proposals to:

• UNICEF, WFP, OCHA, and other UN…