REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

CONSULTANCY TO SUPPORT COOPERATIVE UNIONS IN SACCOS REGISTRATION, LICENSING AND FINANCIAL PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Consultant Job at DSIK Tanzania August 2026 – RFP

Background and Overview.
German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation (DSIK) is a German development organisation and the development-policy arm of the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe. DSIK promotes sustainable financial inclusion by strengthening financial institutions and supporting them to provide appropriate, accessible and sustainable financial services, particularly to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), SACCOS, low-income households and other underserved groups. DSIK has been implementing financial development initiatives in Eastern Africa for more than a decade, working with financial institutions, SACCOS, microfinance institutions, cooperative organisations and other sector stakeholders.

In Tanzania, DSIK has been active since 2012 and has worked with key institutions in the financial and cooperative sectors, including the Tanzania Association of Microfinance Institutions (TAMFI), the Tanzania Cooperative Development Commission (TCDC), the SELF Microfinance Fund and the Savings and Credit Co-operative Union League of Tanzania (SCCULT). DSIK’s support in Tanzania focuses on strengthening financial service providers, improving institutional capacity, promoting financial inclusion, developing appropriate financial products and strengthening the overall cooperative and microfinance ecosystem.

The SAFI Start-Up Fund is an initiative of DSIK Tanzania implemented in partnership with SCCULT to strengthen cooperative-based financial systems and expand access to sustainable financial services for members of Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Societies (AMCOS). The initiative supports selected AMCOS to establish and operationalise SACCOS that can provide appropriate savings, credit and other financial services to their members.

The SAFI initiative responds to the need for stronger linkages between agricultural cooperatives and formal financial services. Through the initiative, selected AMCOS will be supported in areas including SACCOS registration and formalisation, governance and management capacity, establishment of basic operational systems, development of appropriate financial products, and strengthening the sustainability of the newly established SACCOS. The initiative is designed to help participating institutions move from establishment to practical operations and ultimately provide reliable financial services to their members.

The SAFI Start-Up Fund therefore contributes to DSIK’s broader objective of strengthening local financial structures and increasing access to inclusive financial services, particularly for rural communities and members of agricultural cooperatives. It also supports the development of stronger, member-owned financial institutions that can contribute to savings mobilisation, access to credit, agricultural value-chain financing and improved economic opportunities for cooperative members.

2. Objectives of the Assignment
2.1 The General Objective
The general objective of the assignment is to provide support to Seven supported Cooperative Unions/Societies in the establishment, registration and licensing of SACCOS and in the development of appropriate financial products tailored to the needs of their members and target value chains

2.2 Specific objectives
a. Conduct a diagnosis of the current status and readiness of each participating Cooperative Union/Society in establishing, registering and licensing a SACCOS, identifying key gaps and priority actions
b. Provide technical support guiding each participating Cooperative Union through the full SACCOS registration and licensing process
c. Develop practical, member-centred financial products — including savings products, credit products, and green finance products — tailored to the agricultural, fisheries, and value-chain contexts of each participating Cooperative Union.
d. Develop accompanying financial product operating manuals and credit policies that define the terms, eligibility, procedures, risk controls, and monitoring requirements for each product.

3. Scope of the Assignment
The consultant shall be responsible for undertaking the assignment in accordance with the objectives of these Terms of Reference. The scope of work shall include, but not be limited to, the following activities.

3.1 Diagnostic Assessment
The consultant shall conduct a participatory diagnosis of Cooperative Union current organization capacity including financial readiness, member mobilization, share capital readiness, governance structures, and operational capacity to identify strengths, gaps and priority improvement areas.

3.2 SACCOS Registration and Licensing Support
The consultant shall provide hands-on technical support to each participating Cooperative Union to complete the full SACCOS registration and licensing process under TCDC. For unions that have already commenced registration, the consultant shall identify outstanding requirements and support completion.
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For unions at an earlier stage, the consultant shall guide the full process from initiation. Support shall include the following areas:
i. Bylaw development or review: drafting or reviewing the SACCOS constitution and bylaws to ensure compliance with TCDC requirements, incorporating appropriate provisions for governance, membership, share capital, loan policy, supervisory committee, and annual general meetings
ii. Registration documentation: preparing, reviewing, and submitting all required registration documents to TCDC, including application forms, meeting minutes, member registers, and declaration documents
iii. Governance structures: supporting the establishment of a functioning board of directors, credit committee, and supervisory committee, including the drafting of terms of reference for each governance body

3.3 Financial Product Development
Based on the institutional readiness assessment and in parallel with registration support, the consultant shall facilitate a participatory financial product development process with each Cooperative Union. The process shall ensure that products are grounded in member needs, viable within the SACCOS’s financial capacity. The consultant shall:
i. Assess the financial needs and preferences of potential SACCOS members.
ii. Identify priority savings and credit needs.
iii. Facilitate participatory financial product design with SACCOS leadership and relevant stakeholders.
iv. Develop product specifications, including eligibility criteria, loan amounts, repayment periods, pricing, collateral/security requirements, and other relevant terms.
v. Support the development of relevant documents including operating manuals and procedures, credit policy and internal controls.