REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
Delivery of capacity building program for FIs, Private Sector Clients and Regional Task Managers
African Development Bank
Avenue Joseph Anoma
01 BP 1387 Abidjan 01 Côte d’Ivoire
Téléphone : +225 20 26 38 31
- Introduction :
The African Development Bank (AfDB) Bank hereby invites Consulting Firms to indicate their interest in the following Assignments as Environmental and Social Safeguards training provider.
- Background :
The African Development Bank Group’s Integrated Safeguards System (ISS) is a cornerstone of its strategy to promote growth that is socially inclusive, environmentally sustainable. It is suite of tools used for identifying and managing risks, reducing development costs and improving project sustainability, thus benefiting affected communities and helping to preserve the environment. At this crucial period when the Bank is updating existing frameworks to support the acceleration of development impacts through the high fives, the ISS would equip the institution and its clients to better understand and address emerging environmental and social challenges that come with these interventions. Since board approval in July 2014, the ISS is now a mandatory requirement for both sovereign and non-sovereign transactions.
Following the publication of the Private Sector Development Policy in 2013, the Bank acknowledges that in promoting private sector development, it aims to contribute to strong and inclusive economic growth that will lead to economic transformation and sustainable development. The role of the private sector has been illuminated further in the New Business Development and Delivery Model, as it is set to become a force for transformation and growth. However, the Safeguards and Compliance Department (SNSC) has realized through the analysis of due diligence reviews, assessments and compliance audits between 2014 to 2018 that most non-sovereign operations (by commercial banks, micro-financial institutions, insurance companies, private companies, private equity firms etc.) do not have the requisite capacity to effectively manage environmental and social issues and risks arising from projects and sub-projects financed under these loans. This is resulting in project preparation delays, implementation challenges, non-compliance and an undesirable level of reputational risk for the Bank.
Against this background, and in order to support private sector organizations and other non-sovereign operations to better understand, identify and manage the environmental, social risks of Bank-funded projects, SNSC proposes to collaborate with a specialized consulting firm to carry out a Regional Training and Consultancy Program on “Environmental and Social Safeguards in Private Sector Projects in Nigeria. Specifically, the training and consultancy is aimed at the following:
- Strengthening the knowledge and skills of the private sector clients and Regional staff to enable the growth of the Bank’s business and support growth in Africa ;
- Reinforcing the Bank’s approach to project due diligence through proactive, rather than reactive measures, using risk management to drive and sustain quality throughout the project cycle ;
- Upskilling the participants’ knowledge and ability to mainstream Safeguard quality at entry, during implementation and at exit ;
- Enhancing participants’ knowledge on project (E&S components) risks identification, mitigation and resources management ;
- Enhancing their knowledge and skills to blend the key components of successful delivery of project; assessment of quality at entry; delivery of complex projects and programs in a mature project circle and an integrated approach at the business level.
To achieve an impactful outcome, the assignment will be carried out through the following project components with specific objectives and outcomes:
- Component 1: Training on the Bank’s ISS in general and the specific requirements for private sector operations (Financial intermediaries – FIs, private companies, special purpose vehicles, risk guarantees etc) ;
- Component 2; Regional training workshop for Bank Task Managers and FIs – in Nigeria ;
- Component 3; Individual training of selected FIs – banks and private companies; and
- Component 4; Documentation of results, lessons learnt.
- Objectives of the assignment :
The specific objectives are outlined below are based on the components of the assignment:
Component 1 :
- Provide an overview for clients on the Bank’s policies, sectorial guidance and general requirements.
Component 2 :
- Raise participants’ awareness of the strategic relevance of mainstreaming environmental and social measures into projects and programs ;
- Enhance participants’ abilities to evaluate E &S risks and to identify and implement effective mitigation and enhancement measures throughout the project cycle ;
- Introduce participants to methods of cost effective environmental and social management techniques and tools such as Best Available Technology (BAT) ;
- Upskill participants with the ISS requirements for FIs as well as the private sector requirements of other MDBs involved in project co-financing.
Component 3 :
- Coach 4 FI/private sector clients in developing, implementing, monitoring and reporting their bespoke, value-added ESMSs throughout their organizations.
Component 4:
- Document and disseminate crucial lessons learnt to a target group to be decided by the Bank’s management.
- Scope of the assignment :
Component 1: Training on the Bank’s ISS and OSs, the ESAP, sectorial and thematic guidance, and specific requirements for FIs
he scope of the work of the selected consulting firm will include but not limited to the following tasks:
- Training on the ISS, OSs and related reference documents, such as the ESAP. This will also include sectorial guidelines. The requirements of FIs will be mapped out and case studies covering relevant aspects of the high fives prepared ;
- Review relevant safeguard requirements of multilateral development banks and other international donor organizations and benchmark against the AfDB’s ISS. This will provide clarity on various institutional arrangements where projects/programs are funded by multiple donors ;
- Review and analysis of FIs and other private sector transactions. Evaluation of compliance and lessons learnt ;
- Based on the analysis: draft generic ESMS for FI/private sector operations (including sub-sectors such as construction, transportation, energy, mining, agriculture, agribusiness, water & sanitation etc). The draft document will be circulated for review and any comments from such review will be incorporated into the training program ;
- Prepare relevant training materials for Bank staff (project teams, task managers and field officers) and for FIs. private sector – training material –
- Project cycle/ case studies.
The Main Expected outputs for Component 1 include :
- Analysis of safeguards policies and requirements of the AfDB and other MDBs, including benchmarking information ;
- Generic RCMs ESMSs, ESMPs, RAPs etc. of FI/private sector operations ;
- An approved workshop agenda and complete set of training materials for Bank staff and for FI/private sector (English) ;
- Component 2: Regional training workshop for Bank Task Managers and FIs – in Nigeria :
The workshop will be organized for FIs private sector operators and Task Managers. The proposed location is Abuja. These events will enable participating institutions to understand the safeguard requirements of the AfDB and other donors; enhance their ability to identify potential risks of their operations and build their capacity to identify and implement mitigation and enhancement measures.
Generally, the suggested approach is meant to be practical, flexible and result oriented. The workshop will be structured as interactive sessions, delivered in English, and will draw on the experiences and insights of participants as well as SNSC staff and the consulting company. The workshop will consist of lectures and presentation appropriate for FIs/private sector and will use practical case studies of environmental and social risk management scenarios and methods.
The training will focus on (but not limited to):
- The ISS and safeguard policies of other donors such as the WBG and the IFC ;
- E&S risk screening and classification ;
- The ESMS process – policy, risk management, monitoring and reporting ;
- Selected case studies ;
- Developing, implementing and monitoring an ESMS ;
- Disclosure requirements for the AfDB and other donors.
The Main Expected outputs include :
- Marketing leaflet (100 copies) ;
- About 50 participants from over 30 organizations will benefit from this training ;
- The events hope to pull cross-functional participation – commercial banks, micro-financial institutions, private companies, private equity companies, leasing companies, insurance companies etc.
- Component 3: Individual consulting of selected FIs/private sector organizations
It is suggested that four FIs be offered an individual consulting service to enable them develop new ESMSs or improve existing management systems. In order to be eligible, participating FIs should be current clients of the AfDB or must have made a loan application before the commencement of the training.
The Main expected outputs include:
- The need for E & S risk management throughout the project cycle to gain top management support;
- It will result in action plans on how to set up an ESMS ;
- Participants will be able to come up with brief summary reports indicating results achieved and necessary future steps ;
- Overall, it will result in improved E & S risk management awareness by the selected FIs.
- Component 4: Documentation of results and lessons learnt :
The final project report will summarize key achievements and the main findings from the workshops and associated events. It will also document lessons learnt and recommendations for future interventions, which could inform the design, preparation and delivery of future initiatives. The final report will be submitted three weeks before the end of the contract and will be discussed during a 1-day workshop in Abidjan.
The main expected outputs shall be :
- Final project report ;
- Dissemination of project concerns, results and recommendations.
- Qualifications and selection criteria :
The Assignment will be undertaken by a consulting firm. The selection of the firm shall be based on the following criteria:
- The firm or its lead consultant(s) shall have demonstrable prior experience and knowledge of AfDB’s environmental and social safeguards; sound knowledge of the AfDB Safeguards System, and demonstrate experience with the application of the system on non-sovereign operations. S/he must have at least a Masters’ degree in Environmental Management, Social Development Studies, natural resources management or related discliplines ;
- The Team leader should have proven experience in leading sector or national reviews or assessments of public policies or development strategies that bear on private sector E&S risk management ;
- The firm or its lead consultant should have at least 15 years’ overall experience in E&S risk management of which at least 5 years must have been gained in developing countries ;
- Priority will be given to consulting firms with experience in Nigeria ;
- All trainers involved in the program must be fluent in English.
- Outputs and Timelines :
This capacity building program will be implemented in the month of June 2019. The preparation of training materials is expected to be completed no later than 31 May 2019.
The Consulting firm shall prepare and submit five (5) copies of the following to the Bank (reports and documents are to be presented in English):
| i. | Inception Report | – 1 month after mobilization; | |
| ii. | Progress Report | – By the 15th day of the second month after the commencement of the assignment. | |
| iii. | Project Completion Report | – 3 weeks before the end of the assignment; | |
- Final Assignment Completion – No later than 1 month after the end of the assignment.
- Reporting obligations :
Monthly Progress Report (MPR): Monthly progress reports shall be prepared on the execution of activities. This will include detailed information about training and consulting efforts (training schedule, training material, participant’s list, observations, recommendations etc)
Month 1 report shall consist of the following :
- Approach, activities/results and recommendations from the training of AfDB staff ;
- Approach, activities/preliminary results and recommendations for the training workshop for FIs/ the private sector.
Month 2 report shall contain at least the following:
- Progress and results from training workshop for FIs ;
- Progress and results from individual consulting for selected FIs/the private sector as well as recommendations for necessary future steps ;
- Results, conclusion and recommendations from the training workshops for FIs/the private sector ;
- Progress and results of individual consulting for selected FIs ;
- Preliminary documentation of results of the assignment and lesson learnt.
- Inputs :
The Bank Shall:
- Provide all necessary and relevant contacts, addresses and information to the selected consultant ;
- Provide the necessary information with regards to internal procedures ;
- Provide meeting rooms and facilities for the workshop ;
- Organize the internal training program.
- Submission of applications and Supervision :
This program will be delivered under the supervision of Dr. Bakia Mbianyor, Chief Safeguards and Compliance Coordinator, African Development Bank.
All applications and/or enquiries should be made by email to: M.BAKIA@AFDB.ORG copying
The deadline for all applications is Friday May 24, 2019 at 17.00PM GMT.