Egypt Women in Business Technical Cooperation Programme: Strengthen PFIs' Capacities

Country:Egypt

Business sector:Financial institutions

Project number:71501

Funding source:Not Yet Determined

Contract type:Consultancy Services

Notice type:Invitation for expressions of interest (CSU)

Issue date:14 Nov 2017

Closing date:05 Dec 2017   at  17:00   London

Project Description:

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the 'EBRD' or the 'Bank') has recently developed an innovative holistic approach to contribute stimulating both credit supply and demand sides in the SEMED Region. The Egypt Women in Business Programme ('Egypt WiB') has the ultimate goal of promoting women entrepreneurship by improving women entrepreneurs' access to finance and know-how, and promoting a strong Women-led Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (Women-led MSMEs) sector in these countries.
Women-led MSMEs remain an under-served segment in Egypt benefiting only from a relatively low proportion of overall banking sector loans. Large gender gaps have been identified by EBRD research with regard to access to finance and managerial experience. These barriers limit the growth potential of women-led MSMEs, constraining their ability to move out of the micro and small segments, typically in low value-added, low productivity sectors.
The objectives of the Programme are to:
• Support women-led MSMEs in accessing finance for their sustainable growth;
• Develop sustainable credit mechanisms better adapted to women-led MSMEs through technical assistance to financial intermediaries ('PFIs'); and
• Support women-led MSMEs in accessing know-how, non-financial business development services and networking opportunities;

Following a first pilot project in 2015, the Bank has recently developed EgyptWiB, the first initiative of its kind in Egypt. The Programme includes four components: (i) the dedicated Women in Business Financing component for up to USD 80 million; (ii) the EgyptWiB Technical Co-operation Programme designed to provide capacity building to PFIs; (iii) first-loss risk cover of up to 10% on a portfolio basis; and (iv) the Advice for Small Businesses component.

Assignment Description:
The Bank wishes to engage a consulting company (the 'Consultant') for the Technical Cooperation Component of the Programme to strengthen PFIs' capacities to effectively reach out to women-led MSMEs through new or improved products and processes; ensuring synergies between each component of the programme and supporting management functions, including monitoring, marketing, visibility and reporting. (The 'Assignment').

The selected Consultant(s) is expected to provide the following services:
(a) Baseline Assessments at the PFI level including portfolio, product, process, business model and organizational reviews. Both supply and demand factors influencing women-led SMEs' access to finance should be analysed and aimed at providing recommendations how PFIs can improve their delivery of financial and non-financial products and services to women-led SMEs. Programme impact will be monitored and measured against these baselines.

(b) Capacity Building of PFIs to include institutional strengthening, product development, marketing and outreach aspects to enable development and delivery financial products and services tailored to women-led SMEs. This will include training to bank staff to specifically address the target group need; developing, testing and delivering products tailored the target group and assisting the PFIs in marketing and outreach to the target group.

(c) Programme Support to include reporting management, coordination with other programme stakeholders, designing and implementing a visibility plan for the programme as well as assisting with impact assessment to allow regular measuring and tracking of key indicators set at PFIs and women-led MSME level.

Status of Selection Process:
Interested firms or groups of firms are hereby invited to submit expressions of interest.

Assignment Start Date and Duration:

It is expected that the EgyptWiB assignment will commence in February 2018. The TC Assignment(s) may be extended subject to project needs, satisfactory performance of the Programme Consultant(s) and the availability of donor funding.

Cost Estimate for the Assignment:

EUR 2,000,000 (exclusive of VAT) for both Programmes.

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:

EBRD Shareholder Special Fund (SSF) for up to EUR 2,000,000

Contracting will be subject to donor funding availability, project needs and the performance of the selected Consultant(s).
It is expected that an initial contract will be issued in respect of the first PFI to join EgyptWiB. Further extension contracts will be issued in line with scheduling for newl PFIs to join the Programme.

Eligibility:
There are no eligibility restrictions.

Consultant Profile:

Corporate services are required. The Consultant(s) will be a firm or a group of firms preferably with previous project experience in:

• Implementing large-scale multi-faceted MSME lending schemes at commercial banks in emerging markets with the ability to upscale and downscale the level of engagement in the field depending on project needs;
• Designing and implementing institutional strengthening and product development initiatives that address women’s access to financial products/services at commercial banks in emerging markets;
• Banking and MSME sectors in Egypt will constitute an advantage.

The Consultant(s)'s expert team is expected to include key experts as follows:

• Key Expert 1: Team Leader with experience in
o Successfully managing the implementation of SME lending schemes at commercial banks in emerging markets and similar operating environments, including in managing multi country/complex programmes;
o Negotiating with third parties including banks, associations, ministries, regulatory authorities and other stakeholders on behalf of International Financial Institutions;
o Women entrepreneurship and women's access to finance;
o Fluency in English is essential. Command of Arabic is desirable.

• Key Expert 2: Senior Women in Business Financing Expert with experience in
o 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.
o Conducting gender analysis of banks' portfolio, institutional strategies, business models and delivery mechanisms to reach out to women-led MSMEs;
o Conducting qualitative research and gender institutional analysis; and
o Negotiating with a wide range of stakeholders, including associations, ministries, regulatory authorities and other stakeholders.
o Fluency in English is essential. Command of Arabic is desirable.

• Key Expert 3: Senior Communications and Marketing Manager(s) with experience in
o Implementing marketing and sales initiatives in commercial banks;
o Advising commercial banks on the factors contributing to successful product development or refinement based on market forces and strategic goals.
o Facilitation of meetings and workshops.
o Fluency in English is essential. Command of Arabic is desirable.

• Key Expert 4: Senior Banking Experts with experience in
o Implementing SME lending schemes at commercial banks in emerging markets and similar operating environments, including in implementing multi country/complex programmes;
o Liaising with Bank staff and management on ongoing basis.
o Fluency in English is essential. Command of Arabic is desirable.

• Key Expert 5: Senior IT Expert & MIS Specialist with experience in
o Assisting commercial banks in emerging markets and similar operating environments in implementing IT and MIS Systems in relation to SME lending.
o Previous project work involving women's access to finance related tasks would constitute an advantage.
o Fluency in English is essential. Command of Arabic is desirable.

Submission Requirements:
In order to determine the capability and experience of Consultants seeking to be selected for this Assignment, the information submitted should include the following:

1. Company/group of firms' profile, organisation and staffing (max 4 pages).

2. Details of previous project experience or similar assignments particularly undertaken in the previous five years, including information on contract value, contracting entity/client, project location/country, duration (mm/yy to mm/yy), expert months provided (if different from duration) main activities, objectives.

3. CVs of key experts who could carry out the Assignment detailing qualifications, experience in similar assignments, particularly assignments undertaken in the previous five years, including information on contracting entity/client, project location/country, duration (mm/yy to mm/yy), expert months provided, assignment budget, main activities, objectives. Consultants shall identify in which capacity from the list of key experts each CV is presented.
4. Completed Consultant Declaration Form and Contact Sheet, the template for which is available from the following web-link:

http://www.ebrd.com/pages/workingwithus/procurement/notices/csu/contact_sheet.doc.

The above information should not exceed 20 pages excluding CVs, project references and contact sheet.

The complete expression of interest (including CVs, Consultant Declaration and Contact Sheet) should be submitted, in English electronically through e-Selection, to reach the Bank not later than the closing date. The expression of interest shall be one file (pdf). The EBRD reserves the right to reject applications of firms submitting more than one file. Only if the permissible file size is exceeded (4MB), the Consultant may split the expression of interest into further files.

Bank Contact Person:

Sevi Simavi
Associate Director
Procurement Operations and Delivery Department (PODD)
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
One Exchange Square
London EC2A 2JN
Tel: + 44 20 73388409
e-mail:SimaviS@ebrd.com (submissions should be sent through eSelection and NOT to this email address)

Notes:

1. Following this invitation for Expressions of Interest, a shortlist of qualified consultants will be formally invited to submit proposals.

2. The shortlist criteria and weightings are:

a) Firm's experience in successfully managing the implementation of SME lending schemes at commercial banks in emerging markets and similar operating environments, including in managing multi country/complex programmes and the development and marketing of financial products 25%

b) Firm's experience in designing and implementing institutional strengthening and product development initiatives that address women’s access to financial products/services at commercial banks in emerging markets – 25%

c) Firm's experience working in the Region mainly in Egypt or similar environment – 20%

d) Qualifications and Competence of key experts with relevant experience as per the key expert descriptions give above. – 30%

Shortlisting and selection will be subject to the availability of funding (from an appropriate donor - dependent on whether or not donor has approved funding).