Request for Expressions of Interest
Consultancy Services for the Development of the PWDAC Strategic Plan 2027–2031
Organisation: Persons with Disability Advisory Council (PWDAC)
Location: Maseru, Lesotho
Assignment Duration: 30 working days
Application Deadline: 20 November 2026, at 12:00 midnight
1. Background
The Persons with Disability Advisory Council (PWDAC) invites qualified and experienced consultants to submit proposals for the development of its first-ever Five-Year Strategic Plan for the period 2027–2031.
PWDAC is established under Section 4 of the Persons with Disability Equity Act No. 2 of 2021, with the mandate to promote, protect, and monitor the rights of persons with disabilities in Lesotho. Its establishment gives effect to Article 33(2) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which requires States Parties to maintain, strengthen, designate, or establish an independent framework to promote, protect, and monitor the implementation of the Convention at the national level.
The Council was inaugurated in February 2023, while its Secretariat was operationalised on 1 April 2025. Since commencing operations, PWDAC has been implementing its mandate through annual work plans. However, the absence of a medium- to long-term strategic framework limits the Council’s ability to establish clear institutional priorities, strengthen organisational capacity, mobilise resources, and systematically measure progress in fulfilling its statutory mandate.
PWDAC therefore intends to engage an independent consultant to lead a participatory process for developing its first Five-Year Strategic Plan for 2027–2031.
2. Objective of the Consultancy
The overall objective is to develop a comprehensive, evidence-based, inclusive, and results-oriented Strategic Plan to guide PWDAC’s institutional development and implementation of its statutory mandate during the period 2027–2031.
The process shall involve consultations with the Council, Secretariat, organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), persons with disabilities, relevant government ministries and public institutions, development partners, civil society organisations, the private sector, and other stakeholders.
3. Scope of Work
The consultant shall:
- Review the legal, policy, and institutional frameworks relevant to PWDAC’s mandate.
- Assess PWDAC’s institutional capacity, achievements, challenges, opportunities, and strategic needs.
- Conduct accessible and participatory consultations with the Council, Secretariat, persons with disabilities, and relevant stakeholders.
- Facilitate the formulation of the Council’s vision, mission, institutional values, strategic objectives, and priority areas for 2027–2031.
- Develop a results-based implementation framework containing activities, outputs, outcomes, performance indicators, targets, timelines, institutional responsibilities, and estimated resource requirements.
- Develop a monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning framework.
- Develop a resource mobilisation and partnership framework to support implementation of the Strategic Plan.
- Prepare and present a draft Strategic Plan for review and validation.
- Facilitate a one-day validation workshop and incorporate the comments and recommendations received into the final Strategic Plan.
4. Expected Deliverables
The consultant shall deliver the following:
- Inception Report: A report setting out the methodology, work plan, stakeholder mapping, consultation strategy, and proposed approach to developing the Strategic Plan.
- Draft Strategic Plan 2027–2031: A comprehensive draft based on the institutional assessment, document review, and stakeholder consultations.
- One-Day Validation Workshop: Preparation, facilitation, and documentation of the validation workshop, including a record of stakeholder comments and recommendations.
- Final Strategic Plan 2027–2031: A revised document incorporating comments from the validation workshop and submitted to PWDAC for consideration and adoption through its appropriate institutional processes.
Important: The consultant’s financial proposal shall exclude the costs of organising and holding the one-day validation workshop. PWDAC shall make separate arrangements and provide the necessary budget for the workshop.
5. Qualifications and Experience
Applicants must have:
- A postgraduate qualification in strategic management, development studies, public administration, law, human rights, disability studies, social sciences, or a related field.
- At least five years of relevant professional experience in strategic planning, institutional development, organisational assessment, or policy development.
- Demonstrated experience in developing strategic plans for public institutions, statutory bodies, independent human rights institutions, or civil society organisations.
- Proven experience in facilitating participatory planning processes and stakeholder consultations.
- Demonstrated understanding of disability rights, disability inclusion, and the CRPD.
- Excellent analytical, report-writing, facilitation, and communication skills.
Experience working with organisations of persons with disabilities, persons with disabilities, or independent human rights mechanisms will be an added advantage.
6. Duration
The assignment is expected to be completed within 30 working days, spread over an agreed period following commencement of the contract.
7. Evaluation Criteria
Proposals shall be evaluated in accordance with the PWDAC Procurement Policy.
- Technical Proposal: 80% of the total score.
- Financial Proposal: 20% of the total score.
Only proposals achieving a minimum technical score of 70 out of 100 shall proceed to financial evaluation, subject to the procedures and requirements of the PWDAC Procurement Policy.
8. Submission Requirements
Interested consultants must submit:
- A cover letter expressing interest in the assignment.
- A detailed curriculum vitae or consultancy profile.
- A technical proposal outlining the understanding of the assignment, proposed methodology, stakeholder consultation approach, and work plan.
- A separate financial proposal detailing professional fees, taxes, and other consultancy-related costs.
- Evidence of previous relevant assignments, including samples of strategic plans or similar work where available.
- Contact details for at least three professional referees.
Note: The financial proposal must exclude the costs of the one-day validation workshop. Workshop venue, catering, participant transport, interpretation, accessible materials, and other workshop logistics shall be budgeted and arranged separately by PWDAC.
9. Submission of Applications
Applications shall be submitted electronically to:
Email: [email protected]
Email Subject: “Consultancy for the Development of the PWDAC Strategic Plan 2027–2031.”
Closing Date and Time: 20 November 2026, at 12:00 midnight.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. PWDAC reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal in accordance with its Procurement Policy and applicable requirements.
Further Information
For further information, contact:
The Administration and Finance Manager
Persons with Disability Advisory Council
Maseru, Lesotho
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +266 22320116