Request For Proposals: Brand Positioning, Narrative & Visual Identity

BACKGROUND

VillageReach transforms health care delivery to reach everyone. We are driven by a vision of a world where each person has the health care needed to thrive. VillageReach’s goal is to reduce inequities in access to quality primary health care for 350 million people by 2030. We work with governments, the private sector, partners and communities to build responsive primary health care systems that deliver health products, information and services to the most under-reached. As a locally driven and globally connected organization, VillageReach has offices in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and the United States.

As VillageReach has grown, our portfolio and impact have become more complex—creating challenges in clearly communicating what VillageReach does, how it is differentiated and why it matters to funders, governments and partners.

Through this Request for Proposals (RFP), VillageReach is seeking an experienced strategic branding partner to help (1) clarify our organizational positioning, strengthen our narrative and (2) evolve our visual identity to better reflect our mission, impact and future direction.

OBJECTIVE

Select a partner to:

• Define a clear and differentiated organizational value proposition
• Develop a compelling, simplified narrative
• Strengthen VillageReach’s positioning within global health
• Recommend and develop a refreshed visual brand identity
• Provide practical, right-sized guidance for implementation

SCOPE OF WORK

VillageReach has structured this engagement into two phases.

Phase 1 is our priority.

Phase 1: Value Proposition & Narrative (Priority)

Activities may include:

• Stakeholder interviews (leadership, program teams, country offices)
• Select donor and partner insights
• Competitive/peer landscape analysis
• Audit of current messaging, value proposition, materials, and brand use

Expected Outputs:

• Clear organizational value proposition
• Distinct positioning statement
• Simplified, compelling organizational narrative
• Core messaging framework (tailored to priority audiences such as donors, governments and partners)

Bidders may propose refinements to this scope based on their methodology but must deliver these core outputs.

Phase 2: Visual Identity & Brand System

Phase 2 should be scoped following completion of Phase 1, with bidders proposing an appropriately right-sized approach based on remaining capacity and their recommended prioritization.

Should include:

• Visual identity refresh (evolution or selective redesign)
• Brand guidelines (voice, tone, visual system)
• Templates (e.g., presentations, proposals, reports)

Important Instructions:

Bidders must:

• Clearly define what level of visual identity work is feasible
• Identify trade-offs, sequencing, and assumptions
• Prioritize elements that will deliver the greatest organizational value

IMPLEMENTATION & ROLLOUT CONSIDERATIONS

VillageReach is not seeking a fully resourced transformation program. Instead, proposals should include practical, right-sized guidance, such as:

• Recommended rollout approach
• Key “quick wins” and priority actions
• Suggested sequencing of brand updates
• Considerations for internal adoption and resourcing

BUDGET

Total available budget for this project is up to $100,000 USD. While we are prepared to invest this amount for the right solution, competitive proposals are encouraged.

BIDDERS MUST:

• Propose a clear allocation of budget across Phase 1 and Phase 2
• Define deliverables included at that level
• Identify any optional or additional work that could be delivered with increased funding

VillageReach welcomes tiered or scoped options (e.g., strategy-focused vs. strategy + expanded visual identity).

TIMELINE

• Estimated duration: 4-6 months
• Desired start date: August 2026

Requirements

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

All bids must include:

• APPROACH & METHODOLOGY
• How you will deliver Phase 1 (required)
• How you propose to scope Phase 2
• RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
• Work with nonprofits, global health, or complex organizations
• Experience in brand positioning and narrative development (not just design)
• EXAMPLES OF WORK
• Narrative simplification
• Brand strategy and positioning
• Visual identity development (if applicable)
• Implementation or rollout guidance
• PROJECT PLAN
• Timeline and key milestones
• Team structure and roles
• BUDGET / FINANCIAL PROPOSAL
• Clear breakdown across phases
• Deliverables tied to cost
• Any optional add-ons
• ADDITIONAL REQUIRMENTS
• Explicit articulation of trade-offs and assumptions
• Clarity on what is included vs. not included

SELECTION CRITERIA

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

• Strength of strategic thinking (especially value proposition and narrative clarity)
• Experience with complex, multi-country nonprofit organizations
• Balance of strategy and creative capability
• Ability to translate strategy into practical, usable outputs
• Relevant regional or Africa-based experience (preferred)

Proposal Validity

Submitted proposals should remain valid for a period of 90 days following the submission deadline.

SUBMISSION DETAILS:

Interested firms should submit their proposals through the VillageReach Workable application portal – https://apply.workable.com/j/4AD3928BF1

For general enquiries regarding this RFP, please contact: Apply Now