Request for Proposals: Integrated Institutional Transformation and Turnaround Strategy

Request for technical and financial proposals
Consulting services for an integrated institutional transformation and turnaround strategy (institution or consortium)

Background
The Higher Education Students’ Loans and Grants Board (HESLGB) has made provision in its 2026/2027 annual budget for consulting services to support the development of an integrated institutional transformation and turnaround strategy. HESLGB is mandated to administer student loans and grants and to support access to higher education through the effective, equitable and sustainable provision of student financing. It intends to engage a suitably qualified consulting institution or consortium to undertake a comprehensive institutional assessment and develop a costed, prioritised and implementable transformation and turnaround roadmap.

Objective
To assess HESLGB’s institutional, operational, financial, organisational, governance and technological capacity and develop an integrated transformation and turnaround strategy that strengthens institutional effectiveness, improves delivery of its mandate, enhances loan portfolio performance and supports long-term financial and operational sustainability.

Scope of work
– Loans and grants disbursement: review the end-to-end process, eligibility and targeting, and opportunities for automation and digitalisation
– Loans recovery and portfolio management: review recovery processes, portfolio performance, borrower data and tracing, and recommend measures to improve recovery
– Financial sustainability and funding model: assess the funding model, sources of funding and projections
– Governance, risk management and internal controls
– Organisational and human capital assessment, including a functional review
– ICT and digital transformation roadmap
– Integrated, costed and time-bound turnaround and transformation roadmap

Expected deliverables
Inception report; institutional diagnostic and assessment report; integrated transformation strategy; Board-ready three-year turnaround plan; financial sustainability and loan portfolio improvement framework; organisational and functional review report; ICT and digital transformation roadmap; costed and sequenced implementation roadmap; performance monitoring and evaluation framework; final report and presentation.

Duration
A maximum of six (6) months from the effective date of commencement.

Minimum requirements
– At least eight (8) years’ experience in institutional consulting, organisational transformation, strategic management or related advisory services
– At least two (2) comparable assignments involving higher education financing, student loans and grants administration, development finance or other specialised public financing institutions
– Proven experience in turnaround strategies, functional reviews, business process re-engineering, financial sustainability, loan portfolio management and credit risk
– A multidisciplinary team with CVs, qualifications and defined roles
– Corporate profile, comparable assignments in the past eight years with evidence, and at least three client references
– Certificate of incorporation, PPDA registration as applicable, valid MRA tax clearance and, for consortiums, evidence of the consortium arrangement

Submission
Proposals must be clearly marked “Request for Proposal to Provide Consulting Services for an Integrated Institutional Transformation and Turnaround Strategy for HESLGB” and deposited in the tender box at the reception area of HESLGB offices on or before Friday 4th December 2026 at 10:00hrs local time. Financial proposals must be sealed in separate envelopes marked with the bidder’s name, the name of the procuring entity and “Financial Proposal”. Only technical proposals will be opened at the opening.

Address for submission
The Chairperson, Internal Procurement and Disposal Committee
Higher Education Students’ Loans and Grants Board
Mbulo Complex, Plot No. A47/1/1184
Off Lilongwe/Mchinji Road, opposite National AIDS Commission
P/Bag B417, Lilongwe 3

Clarifications
The Procurement and Disposal Unit, HESLGB (same address)
Attention: Procurement and Disposal Officer
Email: [email protected]