Many young conservationists (particularly those who have found it difficult to serve the house of Windsor and other paranoid avenues of ‘Whiteness’) have often asked me about how they can do this, and how I have managed. First, you need to understand that the conservation civil society in Kenya is a miasma of corruption that defies belief. There is a reason why when Kenyans bemoan corruption, you won’t hear any voices from this sector.
In 2016, when I was still naïve, I got on the website of African Wildlife Foundation, put my name on the ‘prequalification list’ (yes, they did have prequalification) and did a technical and financial proposal for the next consultancy advertised. I got no response, but a couple of weeks later, almost at the deadline, I received an email from a random ‘management’ firm telling me they got my contact from someone at AWF and complimenting me on my qualifications and asking me to join their team! He attached their proposal and I easily recognized the technical elements from the proposal I had submitted. I refused, but I woke up.
TAKE HOME LESSON:- Any Conservation NGO who asks you to do (a) A financial proposal and (b) A technical proposal are dishonest. They have funding, but zero brains or skills to do the work, so they are looking to steal your skills. These 2 proposals are the key parts of any project, and if you submit them, the project can easily be done by any overpaid high school dropout. The email string below is one I did last week for sport, and to demonstrate this lesson to a friend of mine.
Water Quality Consultancy
Inbox
| Mordecai Ogada <mordecai@ogada.co.ke> | Wed, Apr 7, 10:53 AM (6 days ago) | ||
Good Morning, I am writing to you in reference to a consultancy being offered by XXX for Mapping Of Water Quality and Quantity in Laikipia, Isiolo and Samburu Counties. I am a conservation policy expert with over 10 years’ experience in the said area (See CV attached) and I am offering my services for this project.
Please contact me if XXX would like to procure my services and we can take the discussion forward from there.
Kind regards
Mordecai Ogada
—
Dr. Mordecai O. Ogada
P.O. Box 880-10400
NANYUKI, KENYA
| XXX | Wed, Apr 7, 10:59 AM (6 days ago) | ||
| to me |
Hello Ogada,
Kindly use below link to make application;
Mapping Of Water Quality and Quantity in Laikipia, Isiolo and Samburu Counties – https:xxxxxx
Regards,
xxxx
| Mordecai Ogada <mordecai@ogada.co.ke> | Wed, Apr 7, 11:28 AM (6 days ago) | ||
Dear XXX thanks for the prompt reply. I had actually written to you because I had looked at the link, and I was surprised to see that it asked for applicants to prepare 2 crucial components of the study:
1. Financial Proposal (detailed itemized budget)
2. Technical Proposal (Technical and analytical methodology)
As a scientist I can tell you that these are the 2 most difficult and taxing parts of any study because it determines performance and outcomes. Am I supposed to donate this to XXX as a free service before being recruited? That is like asking a contractor to build you a house as an application for a contract. If you dont award him the contract, you remain with the house.
As a professional, I find that unethical. If XXX needs my services, I have given my CV and I am available, but if I take my profession seriously, I cannot offer technical services for free, while knowing that the client has received a grant for the same.
Kind Regards
Mordecai Ogada
| XXX | Wed, Apr 7, 11:34 AM (6 days ago) | ||
| to me |
Hello Ogada,
The Technical proposal is a basic document (Max 10 pages) to detail how you intend to carry out the assignment. We use this to evaluate the different consultants expressions of interest and if we find your proposal matching our needs, then we will engage you to implement the assignment.
If not suitable, we discard and will not use it according to the EU GDPR regulations.
| Mordecai Ogada <mordecai@ogada.co.ke> | Wed, Apr 7, 11:44 AM (6 days ago) | ||
| to XXX |
Hi Again, Thanks for your response. Information/ data is the new ‘gold’ in today’s world. This is highly technical and valuable information and nobody in the world (least of all SNV) is going to ‘discard’ it because they aren’t using it at this time. Actually, once I give the technical proposal, its like an architectural design, and the consultancy + my methodology + my budget can be given to anyone. You would not need to hire me.
No thank you. When XXX want a serious consultant for this assignment, you have my contacts.
Good day to you,
Mordecai Ogada
| XXX | Wed, Apr 7, 11:52 AM (6 days ago) | ||
| to me |
Your email is not in good taste Dr. Ogada.
If how SNV does it’s business does not please you as a professional, just ignore the advert and move on, there’s no need to go to the below extent.