PR, Marketing & Media Services

Ref: MU/CSQ/RFP/05

Issue Date: 10th July 2025

Due Date: 24th July (12 Noon East African Time)

1. Overview

CSquared Link Holdings (Mauritius) Ltd (“CSquared” or the “Group”) is a pan-African technology company, committed to a digitally connected Africa by making impactful investments into open-access broadband enabling infrastructure. CSquared provides wholesale broadband infrastructure and enables mobile network operators (MNOs), internet service providers (ISPs) and global telecommunications operators to deliver high-quality broadband access to businesses and consumers on the continent and beyond. With a mission to improve access to the Internet and drive economic growth, CSquared builds and operates reliable and resilient metropolitan fibre optic networks, fibre backbone infrastructure in Africa's largest and most dynamic markets and international connectivity through the Equiano submarine cable system.

CSquared currently owns and/or operates over 7,500km of fibre and delivers connectivity and/or capacity in Uganda, Ghana, Liberia, Togo, and DRC.  Additionally, as a strategic partner in the Equiano submarine cable system, including being the landing partner for the system in Togo - the first Equiano system landing station in Africa, CSquared has deployed infrastructure and is able to deliver connectivity on its own network in Portugal, Nigeria, and South Africa.  Thanks to relationships with other global carriers, CSquared can ultimately deliver connectivity to any location globally.

Collectively over 100 ISPs and MNOs across the continent now use these networks to offer high quality and affordable broadband services and 4G data to end users, with over 8,000 sites - towers, commercial buildings and residential estates connected directly to CSquared’s infrastructure.

The shared infrastructure model implies the company works alongside partners, building networks they can leverage to provide better services to end users. We have seen how internet infrastructure transforms countries, providing a foundation for rapid internet adoption and economic development.

CSquared is owned by three blue chip investors, namely Convergence Partners, IFC and Mitsui & Co. Ltd., each with complementary skill sets to support the continued development of the Group. 

2. RFP Purpose

The purpose of this RFP is to identify and select a strategic agency partner with proven experience in the technology and infrastructure sectors across Africa to deliver a full suite of integrated communications, public relations, media relations, digital marketing, brand strategy, and content development services.

The selected agency will work closely with CSquared’s internal team to:

• Refine and articulate our brand story and positioning
• Elevate our presence and visibility across key African and global markets
• Manage and grow all of CSquared’s social media pages and digital presence
• Develop and execute PR campaigns, media outreach, and thought leadership opportunities
• Provide strategic guidance for external and internal communications across traditional and digital platforms
• Support event communications, press releases, media kits, and stakeholder messaging
• Track performance through measurable KPIs and provide regular reporting

The ideal agency should demonstrate a strong track record of delivering impactful communications strategies for organizations operating in the connectivity, infrastructure, and digital transformation space across the continent.

3. Scope of Work

An agency may subcontract or respond to portions of the RFP, as long as all relationships are fully disclosed. The lead agency of record must manage subcontractors.

A. Public Relations & Strategic Communications

• Design and implement a continent-wide PR strategy tailored to our customers, policymakers, DFIs, and development stakeholders.
• Understand market trends and translate them into effective messaging.
• Engage top-tier media across Africa and globally (including tech, development, and investment outlets).
• Leverage analytics to optimize communication campaigns.
• Draft, distribute, and secure coverage for press releases, media advisories, opinion pieces, and thought leadership articles.
• Media training and messaging for CSquared executives.
• Support issues and crisis communication as needed.

B. DFI & Climate Funder Communications

• Translate technical infrastructure stories into outcomes aligned with SDGs and climate action.
• Package CSquared’s development impact and sustainability metrics for visibility among DFIs, bilateral donors, and green finance mechanisms.
• Craft compelling narratives for investment cases, grant proposals, and reports.

C. Brand Identity & Visual Assets

• Develop or refine CSquared’s brand kit, including:
  
  • Brand asset
  • Logo refresh (if necessary)
  • Typography, color palette, icons, and visual assets
  • Brand voice, tone, and messaging guidelines
  • Presentation templates and communication toolkits for partners

D. Content Development

• Create a pipeline of impactful stories that demonstrate CSquared’s on-the-ground influence (e.g., community WiFi, local partnerships, jobs created, digital literacy programs).
• Produce multimedia content: blogs, case studies, videos, infographics, and social media creatives.
• Develop content for donor and investor reports, brochures, and microsites.

E. Digital Strategy & Media Buying

• Plan and execute digital campaigns across LinkedIn, YouTube, Google, and relevant platforms.
• Recommend and manage paid media buys targeting investors, policymakers, and ecosystem partners.
• Monitor, report, and optimize campaign performance.

F. Event Visibility

• Support CSquared’s participation at industry events (AfricaCom, ITW, WTISD, etc.).
• Coordinate speaking engagement applications, booth branding, media kits, and executive visibility campaigns.

4. Target Audiences

The selected agency will be expected to tailor messaging and outreach strategies to effectively engage the following key audiences:

1. Government & Policy Makers
   
   • Ministries of ICT, Telecommunications, Infrastructure, Energy, and Finance
   • Regulatory bodies and Universal Access Funds across African markets
   • Regional and continental bodies (e.g., Smart Africa, AU, ECOWAS)

1. Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) & Donor Agencies
   

1. • Organizations such as the World Bank, USTDA, AfDB, IFC, and other grant and funding partners
   • Foundations and impact investors focused on digital inclusion and infrastructure

1. Enterprise Customers & Wholesale Partners
   

1. • Mobile network operators (MNOs), Internet service providers (ISPs),  cloud service providers, and Hyperscalers.
   • Global carriers and technology infrastructure companies
   • Local and regional businesses seeking affordable and reliable connectivity

1. Strategic & Technology Partners
   

1. • Equipment vendors, software providers, and infrastructure engineering firms
     Content delivery networks and platform partners (e.g., Microsoft Airband)

1. Investors & Shareholders
   

1. • Existing and potential institutional investors
   • Board members and key financial stakeholders

1. Media & Industry Influencers
   

1. • Technology, business, and infrastructure journalists across Africa and globally
   • Analysts, bloggers, and influencers in the telecom, broadband, and digital innovation space

1. Local Communities & Beneficiaries
   

1. • Community leaders, schools, SMEs, and entrepreneurs are benefiting from CSquared’s broadband rollouts
   • End users of CSquared-supported WiFi and access networks

1. Internal Stakeholders
   

1. • Employees and project teams
   • Country-level leadership and regional management

5. Deliverables

Please outline your proposed deliverables based on the scope above, including:

• Monthly and quarterly PR/media activities.
• Periodic and ad hoc press releases and media pitches.
• Creative content production timelines.
• Reporting formats and frequency.

6. Agency Requirements

Proposals should demonstrate:

• Experience working with technology, telecom, infrastructure, or impact-driven companies, not limited to Africa.
• Knowledge of the media landscape across key CSquared markets (Liberia, Ghana, Togo, Uganda, DRC.).
• A strong portfolio of past work, including case studies.
• Multilingual capability (English and French required; Portuguese is a plus).
• Ability to work cross-functionally and remotely with distributed teams.
• A strong track record with infrastructure, telecoms, or DFI-funded projects in Africa
• Fluency in regional dynamics across West, East, and Southern Africa
• Understanding of development impact, climate funding, and ESG communications
• Capacity to deliver across digital and traditional platforms
• Experience working across time zones with remote teams
• Multilingual communications (English required; French highly preferred)

6. Proposal Submission Guidelines

Please include the following in your response:

1. Agency Overview – Company history, team bios, office locations.
2. Relevant Experience – Industry-specific work and clients.
3. Proposed Approach – Strategy and methodology based on the scope of work.
4. Team Structure – Who will be assigned to our account.
5. Sample Work – Press releases, campaigns, media plans, etc.
6. Proposed Fees – Retainer and/or project-based pricing model.
7. Client References – Minimum of three.

7. Timeline

8. CSquared PR/Marketing Agency Evaluation Matrix 

Total Score: 100 Points

These are mandatory criteria that do not carry a score but are prerequisites for full evaluation:

• Submission before the deadline
• All requested documents provided (overview, bios, references, sample work, fees, etc.)
• Demonstrates compliance with multilingual and regional requirements

Shortlisted agencies will be invited to a second-stage evaluation, which may include a live presentation, Q&A, and a campaign exercise to assess strategic fit and team capability.

9. Contact for Clarifications & Submissions

All inquiries and final proposals should be submitted electronically to:

To: Group Procurement Manager,

Name: Andrew Oburu

Email: procurement@csquared.com