Serbia Accelerating Innovation and Growth Entrepreneurship: Selection Committee Member

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT

Republic of Serbia

Serbia Accelerating Innovation and Growth Entrepreneurship (SAIGE)

Project ID No. P170185

Assignment Title:

• Selection Committee Member (part time)- two individual consultants, Reference No. SER-SAIGE-IC-CS-21-22

Serbia has received a loan from the World Bank (Bank), through the “Serbia Accelerating Innovation and Growth Entrepreneurship Project” (Project), to contribute to the country’s growth and competitiveness by improving (i) relevance and excellence of scientific research and (ii) innovative entrepreneurship and access to finance for enterprise growth.

The Innovation Fund (IF) needs to engage two individual Selection Committee Members (part-time consultants).

Objective of the assignment

The IF is launching an Enterprise Acceleration Program (EAP), with two-stream program and co-financing mechanism for start-ups that are able to secure further funding. Selection of start-ups for the EAP will go through one funnel, through which start-ups will be directed to either Ideation or Scale-up stage.

The IF Co-Investment mechanism will provide EAP participants with non-dilutive co-investment grants following the program period. Co-investment grants will require prior matching investment from an accredited private investor.

In support of the process of evaluation of applications and selection of the best start-ups to EAP, the IF needs the services of two international consultants (Selection Committee Member, hereinafter: The SC Member).

Scope of Work

The Selection Committee of the EAP is composed of 3 members of which one member is nominated by the IF as chairperson. The mandate of the Selection Committee is to review and evaluate applications and to select around 20 start-ups for EAP cohorts (to include Ideation and Scale-up streams). The EAP will include bi-annual cohorts, to be spaced out approximately six months.

Specifically, the SC Member will have the following roles and responsibilities:

• Familiarization with the assessment procedures and start-up evaluation criteria of the EAP as provided in the Review Guidelines;
• Conduct evaluation of the assigned applications and provide scores with justifications according to the evaluation criteria and considering assessments provided by subject matter experts;
• Take part in joint meetings with other members of the Selection Committee to discuss evaluation scores of applications passing the pre-screening and make decisions on short-listed applications to invite live pitch;
• Prepare written evaluations for the applications that fail to pass the pre-selection phase;
• Sit on the selection committee for live pitch events and assign scores after each pitch session;
• Actively participate in the final selection of start-ups selected to EAP, including determining the designation of Ideation or Scale-up stream;
• Prepare written evaluation for the start-ups that were not selected to EAP;
• Assistance to the IF in regards to EAP implementation, including capacity building for selected startups in the areas of expertise of a particular SC Member.

Timing and Duration

The SC Member is expected to be engaged for the period of around 6 months for the selection of the first cohort of start-ups. This contract can be extended, subject to satisfactory performance and specific Project needs, according to future selection cycles.

The assignment is envisaged to start in November 2021.

The Selection Committee’s work will be performed remotely through the IF online portal. The live pitch event is typically held in Belgrade, but this will be organized either live or remote depending on the Covid 19 restrictions.

Generally, the SC Members are expected to provide their services upon timely notification by the IF coordination team.

The SC Members are expected to be engaged for approximately 15 working days (1 working day equals 8 working hours) in the selection process. It is expected that the SC Members will come to Belgrade for approximately 5 days during the final decision meeting and the live pitch event. This is dictated by travel restrictions which may be in force due to Covid 19 pandemic situation.

The following breakdown of time effort is envisioned:

•           For the preselection phase – 8 working days (done remotely);

•           For the final decision phase including the final pitch event – 7 working days (combination of remote work and around 5 days in Belgrade, or fully remote);

•           Up to 30 working days for other activities in regards to EAP implementation.

Required experience and qualifications

•           Relevant Bachelor’s Degree;

•           Excellent understanding of the Serbian tech community, or similarly young tech/entrepreneurial ecosystems;

•           Experience sitting on private or public investment committees and/or startup accelerator selection panels;

•           At least 10 years of relevant start-up investment experience, of which at least 5 years of an angel investor, VC, corporate investor or other related early-stage investment experience (Seed to Series B, e.g.);

•           Excellent understanding of technology startup business development lifecycles and related key performance indicators gained through experience as an investor, founder and/or operator; and

•           Familiarity with businesses based on digital technologies and in related sub-sectors (ICT, food/agriculture tech, health, biotech, education and gaming, etc.).

The detailed Terms of Reference for the above referenced consulting services is posted on the website of the Innovation Fund https://www.inovacionifond.rs//cms/files//ostale-nabavke/TOR_for_SAIGE_Selection_Committee_member_SER_SAIGE_IC_CS_21_22_final_formatiran.docx

The Central Fiduciary Unit (CFU) of the Ministry of Finance now invites eligible Consultants to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. 

The evaluation criteria for the assignment:

•           Qualifications and Competence relevant to the Assignment   ( 40 Points)

•           Specific Experience relevant to the Assignment                      ( 60 Points)

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 3.14, 3.16 and 3.17 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers – Procurement in Investment Project Financing Goods, Works, Non-Consulting and Consulting Services (July 2016, revised November 2017 and August 2018) (“the Regulations”) setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. 

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Open Competitive Selection of Individual Consultants as set out in the Regulations.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 09:00 to 15:00 hours.

Expressions of interest in English language must be delivered in a written form to the email below, by September 20, 2021, 12:00 hours, noon, local time. Interested consultants must provide Cover Letter and CV representing description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions and availability of appropriate skills.