Service Provider on developing a Country prioritisation methodology

Date: 16.03.2026

Subject: Technical Consulting Firm on developing a Country prioritisation methodology - Fiscal Financing Gap modelling tool

Simulation and Gamification for Climate- and Disaster Risk Management and Financing

The Global Shield against Climate Risks aims to increase more and better pre-arranged protection for vulnerable people and countries and contribute to effectively responding to loss and damage from climate change. The Global Shield Secretariat (GS Sec) hosted at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management (FS) fosters collaboration and ensures communication among all actors of the Global Shield against Climate Risks, including the Global Shield Financing Vehicles. It facilitates knowledge management and tracks progress in achieving the objectives of the Global Shield against Climate Risks.

As part of the Global Shield’s capacity-building efforts, this project aims to create a gamification and simulation tool to support training on climate and disaster risk financing and insurance (CDRFI). The tool will simulate real-world scenarios to help stakeholders such as governments, NGOs, businesses, and local communities understand and manage disaster risks.

As part of this effort, FS seeks to contract a qualified service provider for designing, developing, testing and deploying a web-based gamified fiscal financing gap modelling simulation that allows users to experience simulated climate disaster risk finance and insurance instruments under different scenarios.

The GS Sec will provide expert knowledge on the design of the game, including: disaster risk and financial logic, scenario narratives, content text drafts and sample datasets for simulation inputs. The selected company will be responsible for the full technical design and development of the digital simulation engine, graphical user interface (GUI) and hosting setup and handing over all intellectual property rights and code to FS.

The overall goal is to develop a gamified fiscal financing gap modelling simulation tool that will:

• Provide users with a practical understanding of the economic damages caused by climate and disaster risks.
• Demonstrate the financial tools available for risk management (e.g., insurance, disaster funds).
• Simulate fiscal planning across pre-defined time horizons to help users identify their room for decision-making in manging climate risks.
• Support stakeholders in formulating strategies to respond to and recover quickly from disasters (risk layering).
• Visualization of results and user interactions in decision making.

As part of the capability development with stakeholders, we would like to introduce gamification to help address questions such as:

• What does climate and disaster risk mean for me? 
• Who owns the risk and who has the capacity to effectively manage it?
• To what extent are portfolios (i.e. agriculture, infrastructure) and assets exposed to climate-related disaster risks?
• What financial/fiscal damage is caused by climate-related disasters?
• What financial tools and combination of tools are available to manage and minimise the financial impact of climate and disaster risk? (Risk Retention and Risk Transfer)

At the end of the capability development programme, users should:

• Understand the importance of proactive risk management and financing.
• Be familiar with the main financial tools to manage physical risks 
• Understand the complementarity of different financial tools.

The selected service provider will design, develop and test a fully digital gamified fiscal financing gap modelling simulation tool integrated into an online training environment. The game should feature interactive scenarios that challenge users to manage and finance responses to simulated disaster events.

Specific Elements to Cover:

1. Sense of Urgency:
   • Simulate the likelihood of experiencing a disaster (e.g., A "100-Year Flood" doesn't only happen once every 100 years).
   • Purpose: Create urgency around disaster preparedness.
2. Financial Tools for Disaster Risk:
   • Showcase the financial instruments available to manage disaster risks, including how to layer tools like insurance, disaster funds, and other risk retention strategies.
   • Purpose: Help users explore which financial tools to manage physical risk are most appropriate for different disaster scenarios.

Tasks to be Performed:
3.1 Design & Architecture Deliverables

• Game Design Document (GDD) in collaboration with GS Sec Team 
• UX/UI wireframes (desktop + mobile responsive design)
• Data model and API specification 
• Design and development of graphical user interface (GUI) 
• Ensure the game is intuitive, user-friendly, and visually engaging.

3.2 Software Development
Frontend Application: 

• Responsive web-based interface
• Separate roles and views for Admin, Host and Participants
• Interactive dashboards with real-time feedback

Backend Simulation / Development (Inputs provided by GS Sec Team)

• Translation of technical, stochastic and parameter inputs into game logic
• Turn-based gameplay loop design (i.e., as outlined in Annex 4 - lllustrative Functional Concept and Gameplay Logic)

3.3 Roles & Access Control
System Administrator:

• Manage users and access rights
• Configure system settings

Session Administrator:

• Manage scenarios and presets
• Upload or edit structured scenario files

Host:

• Create and manage sessions
• Select scenario and preset parameters
• Adjust hazard settings within the parameter ranges
• Launch, pause, resume, terminate sessions

Participants:

• Access via link
• Make decisions within assigned role (adjusting parameters within ranges, financial allocations)

3.4. Security and Data Protection 

• HTTPS encryption
• Role-based access control
• Secure session management

3.5 Accessibility

• WCAG 2.1 AA compliance
• Colour-blind friendly UI
• Clear typography and high readability

3.6 Collaboration and Training

• Collaborate with the GS Sec team to develop realistic and engaging scenarios focused on disaster events (e.g., flooding, drought).
• Refine the gamified simulation based on feedback from in-person prototype testing.
• Transfer the gamified simulation into a user-friendly online environment.
• Train GS Sec staff on using and supporting the online tool to ensure sustainability and knowledge transfer.

The gamified simulation tool should meet the following technical specifications:

• Platform: Web-based and accessible via popular browsers (e.g., Chrome, Firefox).
• Compatibility: Responsive design for different devices (PCs, tablets, mobile phones).
• Hosting: Vendor to provide hosting environment or collaborate with Frankfurt School Team for hosting.
• Language: English (with the possibility of expansion into other languages).
• Security: Adherence to standard data protection and security measures (GDPR compliance).
• Performance: Fast load times and reliable performance, even in low-bandwidth settings.
• Access modalities: Accessible only via link while hosting a session for group of participants, password required.
• Website Capacity: should be able to host up to 100 participants at the same time
• Access and editing rights: Four (4) levels: System Administrator, Session Administrator, Host and Participants
  • System Administrator: able to make changes in the code
  • Session Administrator: manage presets and scenarios
  • Host: able to change the parameters of the gamified simulation and define pre-sets (seeds) for games
    • Set ranges for participant parameters (entry level and advanced options)
    • Set game parameters (i.e., hazards, frequency, severity, tools, and perspective (ministry level, farmer level, etc.) and number of years to be played / simulated, among others)
  • Participants: only able to change values of parameters in a pre-defined range (e.g., 1-10)

The project should be completed in a maximum of four (4) months from the contract award. Key milestones include:

• Months 1-2: Initial scenario development and prototype delivery.
• Month 3: In-person testing and prototype adjustments.
• Month 4: Final development of the online tool, training of GS Sec Staff and final handover of all deliverables.

The contractor is expected to deliver the following:

• Prototype: A playable beta version of the game to be used for in-person testing and feedback loops.
• Final Online Tool: An interactive, web-based version of the game hosted and fully operational.
• Training Sessions: Train GS Sec Staff on how to facilitate the gamification tool with stakeholders and how to set the parameters.
• User Documentation: Provide a user / game manual for the tool, including technical support guidelines.
• Final code script and backend documentation to GS Sec.

Tasks of the contractor’s team include:

• Oversee the delivery of all aspects of the project and act as the point of contact with GS Sec
• Coding and implementing the online gamification tool.
• Collaborate with GS Sec to ensure the game scenarios are accurate and align with disaster risk financing principles.

The payment schedule will be linked to the delivery of the following milestones:

• 40% upon submission of the prototype, completed testing by GS Sec and required adjustments being implemented by the contractor.
• 40% upon delivery of the final online tool after successful testing by GS Sec and required adjustments being implemented by the contractor.
• 20% upon completion of provision of training to GS Sec and handover of all deliverables.

All intellectual property rights, including the gamified simulation tool and all related materials, will be transferred to the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management gGmbH upon project completion. The vendor agrees that Frankfurt School will hold rights to use, modify, and distribute the tool as needed.

The selected service provider should demonstrate the following qualifications, skills and experience:

Professional Experience:

• 5-10 years' experience in developing interactive web-based simulations or serious games
• Proven experience in simulation engines, multi-user web platforms, educational or capacity-building tools

The Service Provider must demonstrate experience with:

• Modern web fronted frameworks
• Backend API development
• Real-time communication systems
• Role-based access control systems
• Cloud deployment and containerization and Infrastructure security
• Data visualisation
• UX Design experience for non-technical users
• Implementation of simulation logic

Desirable but not mandatory:

• Experience in development cooperation and or climate disaster risk finance fields

Languages:

• Excellent command of English (written and spoken)

The applicant needs to provide the CV(s) of the expert(s) foreseen to provide the services. A CV must cover: 

• Full name
• Education and professional qualifications
• Detailed employment history (company / role / dates)
• Relevant assignments and outputs (with client references: name, email addresses or phone number)
• Language skills and availability.

(CVs shall be submitted using the format as in Annex 2) 

12.1 Technical Proposal

The technical proposal should contain:

• Understanding of assignment & approach / methodology
• Critical assessment of ToRs
• Deliverable descriptions and quality assurance approach
• Estimated timeframe for completing the tasks (as outlined in section 3)
• Team composition and CVs of team members
• Organisational profile
• Copy of business registration and permits.

12.2 Financial Proposal 

• Itemised cost breakdown (unit price, quantity, unit description)
• Subtotals per cost category (labour, materials, travel, other)
• The financial proposal must show VAT separately (if applicable) and must be in EUR
• Offer validity: Minimum thirty (30) calendar days.

(Use Financial and Technical Proposal Template as in Annex 3)

12.3 Submission Instructions

• Submit electronic copies to: opportunities@fs.de
• Submission deadline (date / time CET): 24^th April 2026 / 18:00 CEST.
• Clarification requests: contact opportunities@fs.de. Any questions on the ToR must be submitted four (4) business days before the end of the deadline.
• Answers will be circulated to all Bidders.

12.4 Evaluation Criteria & Weighting 

All proposals will be evaluated using the following weighted criteria:

• Technical quality (experience & capacity of the service provider) 70%.
• Financial offer (cost competitiveness) 30%.

The service provider is responsible for all relevant taxes and social security contributions in their home country.