Up-Scaling Portfolio Management 4. Phase Abschluss Vergabebekanntmachung

DEG under its "Up-scaling Programme" finances early-stage SMEs to scale innovative business models with high development impact. The funding is repayable once the companies reach predefined success criteria, such as a certain revenue, gross profit or amount of new funding raised. The programme is part of the "Partners in Transformation" …

CPV: 66171000 Diensten voor financieel advies
Plaats van uitvoering:
Up-Scaling Portfolio Management 4. Phase Abschluss Vergabebekanntmachung
Toekennende instantie:
DEG Impulse gGmbH
Gunningsnummer:
024/2025

1. Buyer

1.1 Buyer

Official name : DEG Impulse gGmbH
Legal type of the buyer : Public undertaking, controlled by a central government authority
Activity of the contracting authority : Economic affairs

2. Procedure

2.1 Procedure

Title : Up-Scaling Portfolio Management 4. Phase Abschluss Vergabebekanntmachung
Description : DEG under its "Up-scaling Programme" finances early-stage SMEs to scale innovative business models with high development impact. The funding is repayable once the companies reach predefined success criteria, such as a certain revenue, gross profit or amount of new funding raised. The programme is part of the "Partners in Transformation" initiative by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Since 2013, it has invested approximately EUR 55 million in 88 innovative young businesses. Since 2024 the active investment phase of the Up-scaling Programme has come to an end. This means, no new companies are financed but the existing portfolio still has to be actively monitored. In 2025, DEG has entrusted DEG Impulse with the management of the remaining Up-Scaling Programme on behalf of DEG. At the beginning of 2026, the portfolio will consist of approx. 50 companies, with two-thirds based in Sub-Saharan Africa and the remainder in South and Southeast Asia, Mexico and Peru. The agreements with these portfolio companies and their obligation to repay usually extends over a period of five years and has been occasionally extended. The number of portfolio companies will decrease each year by on average 12 companies per year as the monitoring phase for the investments ends and final reports are being prepared. DEG Impulse intends to hire a consultant to support the management of the Up-Scaling Progamme. The consultant will conduct a proactive portfolio monitoring with the key goal to ensure maximum repayment of the approx. EUR 24,5 million in outstanding commitments at the beginning of 2026. The role also involves ensuring the programme"s positive impact on the companies and the wider start-up ecosystem, supporting the growth of portfolio companies, and exploring potential follow-on financing opportunities with DEG or the broader DFI ecosystem.
Procedure identifier : 1e7ba70d-9f8d-4b77-ab74-8e39c499a7bb
Internal identifier : 024/2025
Type of procedure : Negotiated with prior publication of a call for competition / competitive with negotiation
The procedure is accelerated : no

2.1.1 Purpose

Main nature of the contract : Services
Main classification ( cpv ): 66171000 Financial consultancy services

2.1.2 Place of performance

Postal address : Kämmergasse 22
Town : Köln
Postcode : 50676
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Köln, Kreisfreie Stadt ( DEA23 )
Country : Germany
Additional information : Services can be provided at the consultant"s office, using the DEG Impulse IT infrastructure, as well as at the DEG Impulse offices in Cologne.

2.1.3 Value

Estimated value excluding VAT : 1 500 000 Euro
Maximum value of the framework agreement : 2 000 000 Euro

2.1.4 General information

Additional information : #Bekanntmachungs-ID: CXP4DR851WP#
Legal basis :
Directive 2014/24/EU
vgv -

5. Lot

5.1 Lot technical ID : LOT-0001

Title : Up-Scaling Portfolio Management 4. Phase Abschluss Vergabebekanntmachung
Description : - Directly engage with the respective portfolio companies and be the primary touch point for the communication with the clients; - monitor deadlines for reporting and repayment; - evaluate and assess progress reports and financial statements of portfolio companies especially concerning development of financial and impact KPIs; - check if repayment triggers have been met based on financial statements and implement steps for timely repayment of DEG /BMZ funds, including preparation of repayment call notice and follow up on delayed repayments; - assist in operations necessary to restructure debt repayment or discuss measures to increase probability of repayment; - support companies with sparring, investor introductions and other network support - follow up and monitor potential insolvency cases; - finalise projects, prepare project end reports; - assist in communications with various stakeholders, e.g. DEG, BMZ, and others where necessary; - Interaction with other DEG Impulse divisions and DEG financing business in order to unlock portfolio synergies and facilitate follow-on investments - assist in the planned evaluation of the program and possible evaluations of individual investments. Deliverables: - Per portfolio company, starting with 50 companies in year 1 (decreasing by approx. 12 companies per annum). a. Ensure companies comply with reporting requirements (1. Audited financial statement, 2. half-yearly progress reports) b. Annual Financial Statement summaries incl. current vs prior year comparison and check whether repayment triggers have been met c. Timely issuance of repayment call notices if triggers have been met d. Review of half-year reports prepared by the companies in DEG template e. Per company annual short report listing all value added activities such as introductions, fundraising support, in-person visits f. Written closing report on each project with lessons learned - Annual repayment report with plan vs. actual comparison until respective year end - Maintain and update dashboard to provide portfolio transparency - Min. 1 portfolio company to be presented to DEG for follow-on investment and high-quality hand-over - Suggest 3 impactful stories/highlights p.a. and prepared for internal or external publishing (e.g. full repayments, sizable follow-on rounds, exits, etc.) - Support of external evaluators with of all requested information and introductions - Best practice guide on lessons learned from 15y impact investing through UPS program until 2028 The above list does not constitute a complete list of tasks but is a guideline of the expected contribution of the respective assignment. The consultant will assume the required tasks independently and under his/her own responsibility on the basis of the operational flowcharts, the associated handbooks and organizational instructions as well as the relevant written regulations of DEG Impulse. Nonetheless, a need-base support by DEG Impulse staff does not affect performing the tasks independently. The consultant carries out his/her activities in close coordination with the DEG Impulse responsible staff and will be assigned coordinators as professional contacts.
Internal identifier : 024/2025

5.1.1 Purpose

Main nature of the contract : Services
Main classification ( cpv ): 66171000 Financial consultancy services

5.1.2 Place of performance

Postal address : Kämmergasse 22
Town : Köln
Postcode : 50676
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Köln, Kreisfreie Stadt ( DEA23 )
Country : Germany
Additional information : Services can be provided at the consultant"s office, using the DEG Impulse IT infrastructure, as well as at the DEG Impulse offices in Cologne.

5.1.3 Estimated duration

Duration : 48 Month

5.1.6 General information

Procurement Project not financed with EU Funds.
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) : yes
Additional information : The estimated total order value is EUR 1,5 million and the maximum volume of the framework agreements is EUR 2 million.

5.1.7 Strategic procurement

Aim of strategic procurement : No strategic procurement

5.1.10 Award criteria

Criterion :
Type : Price
Description : Price according to the daily rate
Category of award threshold criterion : Weight (points, exact)
Award criterion number : 40
Criterion :
Type : Quality
Description : Quality of the bidder"s approach to deliver the tendered services, as demonstrated by the quality of the bidder"s approach in the offer
Category of award threshold criterion : Weight (points, exact)
Award criterion number : 25
Criterion :
Type : Quality
Description : Organisation, qualification and experience of the bidder"s envisaged team
Category of award threshold criterion : Weight (points, exact)
Award criterion number : 25
Criterion :
Type : Quality
Description : Sustainability Concept
Category of award threshold criterion : Weight (points, exact)
Award criterion number : 10

5.1.15 Techniques

Framework agreement :
Framework agreement, without reopening of competition
Information about the dynamic purchasing system :
No dynamic purchase system

5.1.16 Further information, mediation and review

Review organisation : Vergabekammer des Bundes beim Bundeskartellamt
Information about review deadlines : Petition for review on grounds of alleged violations of procurement law are inadmissable according to Sec. 160 para. 3, sentence 1, No 4 of the Federal Act against Restraints of Competition (Gesetz gegen Wettbewerbsbeschränkungen - GWB) if more than 15 calendar days have passed since the economic operator has received a notification by the contracting authority that it will not remedy the economic operator's objection.
Organisation providing additional information about the procurement procedure : DEG Impulse gGmbH

6. Results

Maximum value of the framework agreements in this notice : 1 500 000 Euro
Approximate value of the framework agreements : 990 000 Euro

6.1 Result lot ldentifier : LOT-0001

At least one winner was chosen.
Framework agreement :
Maximum value of the framework agreement : 1 500 000 Euro
Re-estimated value of the framework agreement : 990 000 Euro

6.1.2 Information about winners

Winner :
Official name : Blue Acacia Ltd
Tender :
Tender identifier : 024/2025
Identifier of lot or group of lots : LOT-0001
Value of the tender : unpublished
Justification code : Other public interest
The tender is a variant : unpublished
Justification code : Other public interest
Subcontracting : No
Contract information :
Identifier of the contract : 024/2025
Title : Up-Scaling Portfolio Management
Date on which the winner was chosen : 07/10/2025
Date of the conclusion of the contract : 15/10/2025

6.1.4 Statistical information

Received tenders or requests to participate :
Type of received submissions : Tenders
Number of tenders or requests to participate received : 3
Type of received submissions : Tenders submitted electronically
Number of tenders or requests to participate received : 3
Type of received submissions : Requests to participate
Number of tenders or requests to participate received : 4
Type of received submissions : Tenders from micro, small or medium tenderers
Number of tenders or requests to participate received : 3
Type of received submissions : Tenders from tenders registered in countries outside of the European Economic Area
Number of tenders or requests to participate received : 2
Type of received submissions : Tenders verified and inadmissible
Number of tenders or requests to participate received : 0
Type of received submissions : Tenders for which it has not been verified if they are admissible or inadmissible
Number of tenders or requests to participate received : 0
Type of received submissions : Tenders verified and inadmissible because of an abnormally low price or cost
Number of tenders or requests to participate received : 0
Range of tenders :
Value of the lowest admissible tender : 990 000 Euro
Value of the highest admissible tender : 1 320 000 Euro

8. Organisations

8.1 ORG-0001

Official name : DEG Impulse gGmbH
Registration number : DE21458531808
Postal address : Kämmergasse 22
Town : Köln
Postcode : 50676
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Köln, Kreisfreie Stadt ( DEA23 )
Country : Germany
Contact point : Claudia Oberdörster, DEG - Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH
Telephone : +492214986-1870
Fax : +492214986-931870
Roles of this organisation :
Buyer
Organisation providing additional information about the procurement procedure

8.1 ORG-0002

Official name : Vergabekammer des Bundes beim Bundeskartellamt
Registration number : t:022894990
Postal address : Villemombler Straße 76
Town : Bonn
Postcode : 53123
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Bonn, Kreisfreie Stadt ( DEA22 )
Country : Germany
Telephone : +4922894990
Roles of this organisation :
Review organisation

8.1 ORG-0003

Official name : Blue Acacia Ltd
Size of the economic operator : Small
Registration number : C21178311
Postal address : Ground Floor Ebene House, 33 Cybercity
Town : Ebene
Postcode : 72201
Country : Mauritius
Telephone : +230 5455 4864
Internet address : http://www.blue-acacia.com
Roles of this organisation :
Tenderer
Winner of these lots : LOT-0001

8.1 ORG-0004

Official name : Datenservice Öffentlicher Einkauf (in Verantwortung des Beschaffungsamts des BMI)
Registration number : 0204:994-DOEVD-83
Town : Bonn
Postcode : 53119
Country subdivision (NUTS) : Bonn, Kreisfreie Stadt ( DEA22 )
Country : Germany
Telephone : +49228996100
Roles of this organisation :
TED eSender

Notice information

Notice identifier/version : 1f08b5f2-e26c-4266-84ba-035e372ca69b - 01
Form type : Result
Notice type : Contract or concession award notice – standard regime
Notice dispatch date : 16/10/2025 17:17 +02:00
Languages in which this notice is officially available : English
Notice publication number : 00690426-2025
OJ S issue number : 201/2025
Publication date : 20/10/2025