Eastern Partnership Women in Business Technical Co-operation Programme Tender, United Kingdom - 32392535

Procurement Summary

Country : United Kingdom

Summary : Eastern Partnership Women in Business Technical Co-operation Programme

Deadline : 14 May 2019

Other Information

Notice Type : Tender

TOT Ref.No.: 32392535

Document Ref. No. :

Competition : ICB

Financier : European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)

Purchaser Ownership : -

Tender Value : Refer Document

Purchaser's Detail

Purchaser : EUROPEAN BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT-S (EBRD)
Aspasia Tsekeri (Ms.) - Associate Advisor One Exchange Square London EC2A 2JN
United Kingdom
Email :tsekeria@ebrd.com
URL :http://www.ebrd.com/

Tender Details

Expression of Interest are invited for Eastern Partnership Women in Business Technical Co-operation Programme.

Single Stage Open Competitive Selection - Request for Proposals

Project Description:

Economic empowerment of women is an issue that is now firmly on development agencies- agenda. The Global Banking Alliance for Women (the “GBA”) finds in a report on 25 of its member financial institutions globally (with a credit portfolio of US$ 88 billion combined) that, not only do women represent a smaller share of banks- customers - only 36% of those surveyed - and of total loans - 23% - but that women represent a disproportionately lower share of business banking. Women account for a significantly smaller portion of the business credit portfolio that decreased as business size increases, with women representing a 26% share of business credit among micro enterprises, but only 17% among small enterprises and 11% among medium-sized enterprises.

The countries of the Eastern Partnership (the “EaP”), which include Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, have made some economic and social progress over recent years, including in the area of gender equality. However, considerable challenges and barriers remain for women entrepreneurs that have kept de facto gender equality lagging significantly behind, with women-s entrepreneurship and employment tending to be concentrated in traditionally female occupations such as the public sector or services sector and more limited access to the finance and know-how they need to develop and grow their businesses.

In 2014, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the “EBRD” or the “Bank”)developed the Eastern Partnership Women in Business Programme (the “EaP WiB Programme” or the “Project”), with the goal of promoting a more inclusive and competitive banking market in the region by promoting women-s entrepreneurship.

The main objectives of the EaP WiB Programme are to:

- Support women-led MSMEs in accessing finance for their sustainable growth and job creation;

- Develop sustainable credit mechanisms targeted to women-led SMEs through technical assistance to financial intermediaries in the Eastern Partnership; and

- Support women-led SMEs in accessing know-how, non-financial business development services and networking opportunities;

The development of the Project builds on the Bank-s extensive experience with deploying its Women in Business Initiative across its countries of operations (now 18 countries).

To reach its goals the Project includes four integrated components structured to optimise the impact onpartner financial institutions (the “PFI”s) and small and medium sized enterprises (the “SMEs”) at the market level, promoting both finance and advice to the Women-led MSME segment (the “PFI Technical Cooperation Programme” or the “PFI TC Programme”):

- Dedicated credit lines;

- Risk mitigation and Local currency interest rate support instruments;

- A Technical Cooperation Programme; and

- The Advice for Small Businesses component (ASB).

The Bank now wishes to extend the PFI TC Programme in support of the EaP WiB Programme to principally address the needs of new PFIs (minimum six). Existing PFIs/repeat clients (up to four) will benefit from limited interventions based on a needs-assessment.

Assignment Description:

Following the decision to extend the PFI TC Programme, the Bank now intends to engage a consultant (the “Consultant”) in order to build the internal capacities and skills of approximately six new participating PFIs and four existing PFIs to more accurately understand and serve the financial needs of women-led MSMEs, assess the PFIs portfolio, business models and delivery mechanisms in order to implement the objectives of the EaP WiB Programme as described above (the “Assignment”).

The Assignment will build on the momentum achieved to date enabling new PFIs to assess the demand and opportunities of the WiB segment and provide them with support in developing their capacity to establish a long-term strategy, develop new product and service offers. Through TC, repeat PFIs will continue to be supported to further develop their capacity to effectively implement their strategy to target women SME segment.

The detailed scope of work and services (the “Services”) are further described in the full Terms of Reference (the “ToRs”) attached hereto: http://www.ebrd.com/documents/procurement/78044-tors.DOC

Consultant Selection Procedure:

Single stage open competitive selection

Interested firms or groups of firms are invited to submit a Technical and Financial Proposal.

Assignment Start Date and Duration: The Assignment is expected to start in Q2 of 2019 and has an estimated overall duration of 53 months.

Cost Estimate for the Assignment: EUR 2, 200, 000 (exclusive of VAT). Any extension(s) will be issued subject to the availability of other donor funding, the performance of the selected Consultant and business needs.

The Consultant must determine whether any VAT would be chargeable on the services and the basis for that determination, without taking into consideration the special status of the Bank as an IFI and state this to the Bank in their response to the Invitation for Expressions of Interest. To the extent that a Consultant incurs input VAT on goods and services purchased in connection with the provision of services (e.g. VAT on airline ticket) which is not otherwise recoverable by the consultant from the local tax authority, the gross cost to the consultant of such expenses shall be treated as a reimbursable expense.

Funding Source:

It is anticipated that the Assignment will be funded by the Government of Sweden.

Extension(s) will be issued subject to the availability of funding and subject to the satisfactory performance of the selected Consultant and business needs.

Eligibility:

There are no eligibility restrictions based on the consultant's nationality.

Consultant Profile:

Corporate services are required.

The Consultant will be a firm or a group of firms preferably with substantial previous project experience in:

The implementation of multi-faceted MSME lending schemes at commercial banks in emerging markets and similar operating environments with the ability to upscale and downscale the level of engagement in the field depending on project needs;
The use of solid economic/econometric survey skills in order to establish baseline assessments using published data, client data and target group interview
Delivering institutional strengthening technical assistance to commercial banks in emerging markets aiming at improving their capacity to target women-led MSMEs, via the design and implementation of new or improved products processes, and trainings);
Working with women-led MSMEs directly;
Knowledge of the banking and MSME sectors and an office presence in EaP countries (will be an advantage but not an absolute requirement).
The Consultant's expert team is expected to include the following key experts (the 'Key Experts'):

1. Key Expert 1: Team Leader with preferably 10 years of experience in:

Successfully managing the implementation of MSME lending schemes at commercial banks in emerging markets and similar operating environments, including in managing multi country/complex programmes;
Negotiating with third parties including banks, associations, ministries, regulatory authorities and other stakeholders on behalf of International Financial Institutions;
Women entrepreneurship and women-s access to finance; and
Fluent spoken and written English is essential. Command of Russian is an advantage.
2. Key Expert 2: Senior Women in Business Financing Expert with preferably 10 years of experience in:

Working as a gender specialist in emerging markets and in similar operating environments, in particular in gender institutional development in the financial sector/commercial banks.
Conducting gender analysis of banks- portfolio, institutional strategies, business models and delivery mechanisms to reach out to women-led MSMEs;
Conducting qualitative research and gender institutional analysis;
Negotiating with a wide range of stakeholders, including associations, ministries, regulatory authorities and other stakeholders; and
Fluent spoken and written English. Command of Russian, although not and absolute requirement would be appreciated.
3. Key Expert 3: Senior Communications and Marketing Manager(s) with preferably 10 years of experience in:

Implementing marketing and sales initiatives in commercial banks;
Advising commercial banks on the factors contributing to successful product development or refinement based on market forces and strategic goals;
Facilitation of meetings and workshops; and
Fluent spoken and written English essential. Command of Russian, although not and absolute requirement would be appreciated.
4. Key Expert 4: Senior Banking Expert(s) with experience in:

Implementing SME lending schemes at commercial banks in emerging markets and similar operating environments, including in implementing multi country/complex programmes;
Liaising with bank staff and management on ongoing basis; and
Fluent spoken and written English is essential. Command of Russian, although not and absolute requirement would be appreciated.
5. Key Expert 5: Senior IT Expert & MIS Specialist with preferably 7-10 years of experience in:

Assisting commercial banks in emerging markets and similar operating environments in implementing IT and MIS Systems in relation to MSME lending schemes;
Previous project work involving tasks related to gender and women-s access to finance would constitute an advantage; and
Fluent spoken and written English is essential. Command of Russian, although not and absolute requirement would be appreciated
Submission Requirements:

Interested consultants are now invited to submit a completed Technical

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