REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

1. The African Development Bank hereby invites Individual Consultants to indicate their interest in the following Assignment: Coordinator of the Africa SME Program

2. The services to be provided under the Assignment: 

Financial Intermediation and Inclusion Division (PIFD1) of the African Development Bank is implementing an Africa Small and Medium Enterprise Program (the SME Program) to support African Financial Intermediaries (FIs).  Launched in 2013, the SME Program partners with Tier 2 and Tier 3 FIs with a strong track record of serving local SMEs. It provides these FIs with a combination of medium- to long-term lending and Technical Assistance, so as to enhance their ability to effectively reach SMEs with financial services. 
The Financial Intermediation and Inclusion Division consultant to support the Coordination of the Africa SME Program with specific activities.

Under the overall guidance of the Manager – Financial Intermediation and Inclusion Division (PIFD1) and under the immediate supervision of the Task Managers, the consultant will be required to perform the following tasks: 

a) Coordination of Technical Assistance: Working closely with the TA provider, the Consultant will need to launch requests for specific assignments, review TA needs assessments and track the implementation of TA programs.  The consultant will also initiate and coordinate the engagement of E&S and IDD consultants if and where required.

b) Monitoring and reporting:  The Consultant will be responsible for tracking progress of Program approvals against the Program’s key performance indicators.  Progress will need to be reported on a regular basis to various stakeholders and captured in formal progress reports.  (S)he will also prepare or assist in updates for the Board on program implementation.

c) Communication:  The Consultant will lead the effective implementation of the Program website and the operation of the back-office system including the uploading of information by (potential) clients. (S)he will maintain the website application system and feedback and market communication. (S)he will also be required to prepare and issue press releases related to Program approvals, presentations and communiques on the Program and also be required to organize and coordinate press events. (S)he will introduce the program to various Bank field offices and undertake communications to other internal and to external parties, the latter in view of developing (co-financing and other possible) partnerships. 
d) Knowledge management:  The Consultant will serve as the focal point within the AfDB for questions related to the Africa SME Program.  The Consultant will also be required to maintain Program files on a central platform and to ensure all Program outputs (include TA reports and TA products) are collected and appropriately filed.

e) Support new business development: To support the Program’s pipeline development, the Consultant will be requested to undertake market research and identify potential partners for the Program. (S)he will also undertake initial communications with potential FIs and undertake preselection of possible clients.

f) Support transaction analysis: The consultant will support, from time to time, in searching financial sector related information as needed for general market analysis related to transactions, and/or collect documents from clients and assist in their analysis. 

g) Support transaction processing and administration: The consultant will support the transaction processing in particular aspects related to legal agreements (payments of legal counsels), disbursement, and administrative processing on AfDB systems such as BPPS, SAP, APPS, Baobab/OCS, coordination agenda, internal memorandum preparations related to legal and disbursement aspects, facilitate payment of fees clients, assist with project briefs, preparation of Project Status Reports, support work related to E&S and IDD of Program transactions, support the transfer of transactions to OPSD, etc. 

h) Perform other tasks relevant to the assignment as may be required from time to time by management. 

3. The Financial Intermediation and Inclusion Division invites Individual Consultants to indicate their interest in providing the above-described services. Interested Consultants shall provide information on their qualifications and experience demonstrating their ability to undertake this Assignment (documents, reference to similar services, experience in similar assignments, etc.). 

4. The eligibility criteria,

The establishment of a short list and the selection procedures shall be in conformity with the Bank’s procedures for the acquisition of consulting services funded by the administrative or capital expenditure.
Please, note that interest expressed by a Consultant does not imply any obligation on the part of the Bank to include him/her in the shortlist. 

5. The estimated duration of services is 12 months, on a fulltime basis and the estimated starting date is March 1st. 

6. Interested Individual Consultants may obtain further information at the address below during the Bank’s working hours: 08:00 AM to 17:00 PM. 

7. Expressions of interest must be received at the address below no later than February 1st at 18: PM local time and specifically mentioning Coordinator of the Africa SME Program

For the attention of: Mrs. Robert Zegers ([email protected]) and Kaz Numasawa ([email protected]) 
African Development Bank 
Financial Intermediation and Inclusion Division 
Immeuble du Centre de Commerce International d’Abidjan CCIA
Avenue Jean-Paul II 01 BP 1387 - Abidjan 01, Côte d'Ivoire

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SHORT LIST 

8. A shortlist of three to six individual consultants will be established at the end the request of expressions of interest. The consultants on the shortlist will be judged on the following criteria on the basis of their updated resume. 

Level of education in general  20% 
Educational level compared to the field of mission 20% 
Years of experience in general 20% 
Number of years of experience relevant to the mission 40%