The AfDB hereby invites Firms to indicate their interest in the following Assignment: Developing and Enhancing a Women’s Market Program for Financial Institutions and Borrowers.

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

Immeuble CCIA, Avenue Jean Paul II, 01 BP 1387, Abidjan 01 Cote d’Ivoire [Gender Women and Civil Society Department (AHGC)

E-mail: r.ijimbere@afdb Telephone: +22520264246

1. The African Development Bank hereby invites Firms to indicate their interest in the following Assignment: Developing and Enhancing a Women’s Market Program for Financial Institutions and Borrowers.

2. The services to be provided under the Assignment include: Developing an advisory services component for women owned, led and managed MSMEs, working with selected AfDB partner banks to provide expertise in developing strategies, guidelines and products aiming to assist women entrepreneurs in accessing financial services; developing a training curriculum and implementing the training for women MSMEs. It is anticipated that the firm will work with at least five (5) partner financial institutions (FI’s) and their clients located within the East, West, Central, South and North Africa regions. The overall objectives of the assignment are to: (i) undertake needs assessments for eligible FIs and borrowers under the AFAWA Program; and (ii) ensure adequate implementation of a technical and advisory support program. The assignment has therefore been divided in two parts: TA Needs Assessment and TA Implementation.

• Objectives of TA Needs Assessment. The Firm is expected to undertake the TA needs assessments of selected FIs and borrowers and to propose a customized. Technical Assistance (TA) package tailored to the FI’s and borrower’s needs. This includes the identification of all operational bottlenecks/skills gaps faced by each. FI in its attempt to deliver adequate services to its Women’s SME clients. This may also include bottlenecks as regards the bankability of business plans and proposals of the FIs SME clients, and proposed solutions.
  

• Objectives of TA Implementation. Based on the outcomes of the TA Needs Assessment, the Consultant is expected either to implement the TA directly, or to subcontract its implementation, based on negotiations with the FI. The objectives of the TA Implementation include improvements at the FI level to areas such as, though not limited to: Credit Risk Management and Portfolio Management Framework, SME Credit scoring, IT and Information Management Systems, Corporate Governance, Environmental and Social Management systems, SME client Relationship, and SME credit analysis, with further details in TOR Attachment A. At the SME level, the objectives of the TA will include: to improve business plan preparation and financial literacy, through capacity building and engagement of appropriate business development services (BDS) providers.

3. The Gender Women and Civil Society Department (AHGC) invites Consulting Firms to indicate their interest in providing the above-described services. Interested eligible Consulting firms 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.). Additionally, this includes a summary of similar clients and projects undertaken as lead partners, a summary of projects covering the diverse regions and languages of Africa.

4. The eligibility criteria, the establishment of a short list and the selection procedure shall be in conformity with the Bank’s Procurement Policy framework for projects financed by the Bank Group, October 2015 Edition available on the Bank Website at http://www.afdb.org . Please, note that interest expressed by a Consulting Firm does not imply any obligation on the part of the Bank to include it in the shortlist.
   

5. The estimated duration of services is 12 months and the estimated starting date is 5 September 2018.

6. Interested Consulting Firms may obtain further information at the address below during the Bank’s working hours: 00 to 17.00.

7. Expressions of interest must be received at the address below no later than 22nd August 2018 at 17.00 local time and specifically mentioning “Developing and Enhancing a Women’s Market Program for Financial Institutions and Borrowers”

 

For the attention of:

Mrs. Makena Mwiti

African Development Bank

Gender Women and Civil Society Department

Immeuble CCIA, Avenue Jean Paul II

Abidjan Plateau

Cote d’Ivoire

Tel: +22520264246

E-mail: r.ijimbere@afdb.org and copy to m.mwiti@afdb.org; e.woldegeorgise@afdb.org