Programme Description
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the EBRD or the Bank) aims at establishing a Programmatic SEFF Support Programme (the Programme) to develop an enhanced set of tools to promote a common implementation approach to Sustainable Energy Financing Facilities (SEFFs).
SEFFs are a key component of the Bank's Sustainable Resource Initiative and consist of credit lines to local banks, specifically dedicated to on-lending for energy efficiency and small-scale renewable energy investments. Through SEFFs, the EBRD leverages its network of relationships with banks, reaching smaller projects to which it cannot lend directly. Each credit line is supported by a substantial and complex technical cooperation (TC) package that builds capacity in the local market and helps investors and local banks overcome some of the barriers that hinder the implementation of these investments.
Following an internal evaluation of the EBRD SEFF programme as a whole since 2004, it was concluded that while the success of the SEFFs led to a clear plan to replicate the SEFF model in the region, there remains a tendency to regard each facility as a stand-alone project. The internal review identified the need for a more programmatic approach (a shift from implementing SEFFs as stand-alone projects towards formalised support for programme-level activities) as having the potential to improve consistency and efficiency in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of SEFFs.
Framework Contract for the Programme
The Bank intends to enter into a Framework Contract with one (1) consultant (Framework Consultant or Consultant) to enable the Bank to call upon a firm from which it can quickly and efficiently obtain reliable services.
The main objective of the Framework Contract is to provide support in the scaling-up of SEFFs through standardisation of existing approaches and tools, resulting in a set of programme-level templates, guidelines and workflows to be adapted for use in local markets under a unified implementation approach.
The Framework Contract will establish, in advance, fee rates for experts, the contract terms and agreements, and procedures that will govern individual assignments (Assignments or Call-offs) to be required to implement the Programme. Under the Framework Contract the Bank will have the option, but not the obligation, to place individual Assignments with the selected Framework Consultant.
The Bank may send to the selected Framework Consultant specific Terms of Reference for the Assignment (Specific ToR). The Specific ToR will include a description of the tasks to be performed, time-schedules and reporting instructions. The Framework Consultant should respond by sending to the Bank a technical and financial proposal for the Assignment together with details of the Expert(s) proposed to carry out the work. The Bank will then assess the response(s) and – subject to successful negotiations - issue a call-off notice (Call-Off Notice) for the individual Assignment.
Description of individual Assignments (Call-Offs)
Consultancy services for individual Assignments are expected to include the following:
- Standardisation of existing business processes and tools, and adaptation for use in local markets. The Consultant will review the existing best practice processes and tools, bringing them into a common format and design and making them available in the form of a standard SEFF toolkit accessible to all SEFFs.
- E-learning module creation. The Consultant will review, collate and update existing training material content into two E-learning training courses targeting a) local financial institutions and b) local technical experts. They will work with the EBRD Learning and Development and local financial institutions' own training departments to produce high-quality, engaging and easy to follow and smartphone display friendly modules. The Consultant will translate the modules into the languages applicable to SEFFs and present the training to the relevant audience.
- Best practice guide e-platform. The Consultant will review, collate and update existing materials and experience for guidance to develop a range of e-modules, suitable for web-based access. The best practice guide e-platform will complement the E-learning modules on the one hand, but will also be publicly accessible to reach a wider range of stakeholders, specifically potential sub-borrowers of the SEFFs facilities.
- Face-to-face training expertise. The Consultant will review, collate and update existing training material content and develop advanced face-to-face training which follow the successful participation in the E-learning models. The training will consist of different modules for different target groups (e.g. sales, project finance, risk) and include practical project examples and on-the-job cooperation between local financial institutions and local experts.
- Programme-level SEFFs website design. The Consultant will review the existing content and structure of the individual SEFFs facility websites and common content from programme level sources. Based on this review, the Consultant will create a template for a facility-level common structure and content, and transfer existing content to harmonised facility-level microsites.
- Production of generic marketing content for local financial institutions and target market clients. The Consultant will develop a range of generic marketing contents which will be adapted to stimulate the origination and uptake of loans under the SEFFs in the specific countries.
- Video case study production / guidance. The Consultant will support the EBRD communications department with the production of a range of video case studies of successful SEFF projects. This may include selection of successful SEFFs projects, writing of the story lines and logistical support.
- SEFFs conference / award ceremony coordination. The Consultant will coordinate the organization of all SEFFs conferences, award ceremonies and other events in accordance with existing best practices and in line with EBRD SEFFs guidelines. In close cooperation with the individual SEFFs facility consulting teams and the EBRD, the Consultant will plan each event, select award categories and winners, prepare marketing materials and maximise press and media coverage.
Status of Selection Process:
Interested firms or groups of firms are hereby invited to submit expressions of interest.
Programme Start Date and Duration:
The Programme is expected to start in January 2016. The selected Framework Consultant will be engaged via a Framework Contract with a validity period of up to 3 years.
Cost Estimate for the Programme and Assignments:
EUR 1,960,000 (exclusive of VAT). The cost estimate for individual Assignments will vary depending on their specific scope, but individual budgets are expected to be in the region of EUR 25,000 – 500,000 (exclusive of VAT).
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:
This Programme is expected to be funded by Austria Fund for supporting the scaling up of EBRD Sustainable Energy Financing Facilities. Please note that selection and contracting will be subject to the availability of funding.
Eligibility:
Consultancy firms shall be entities registered in Austria and all experts proposed by the entity to work under the Framework Contract must be either Austrian nationals or permanent residents of Austria. However, up to a maximum of 40% of the maximum Framework Contract amount may be used to finance services of experts who are citizens of or registered consultancy firms in the country or countries of operations in respect of which each Assignment is to be carried out or the project is located.
For the avoidance of doubt, the geographical scope of the Framework Contract (i.e. where any Assignment is to be carried or where each 'project' is to be located) will be any EBRD country of operation.
Framework Consultant Profile:
Corporate services are required. The Consultant will be a firm or a group of firms with demonstrable experience in the development, communication and management of business processes (preferably for the financial sector). The lead firm will provide (either themselves or through nominated sub-contractors) the necessary expertise to carry out the Assignments and will ensure the synergies between the Assignments implemented under this Framework Contract and the related Frameworks (see Note 3 below). The lead firm will include specific expertise for project management and delivering work to high quality standards.
Lead firm and/or sub-contractors will have the following core-expertise:
- Financial administration and reporting, preferably for financial institutions;
- Expertise in website development, graphic design and implementation and operation of web-based information;
- Training expertise including adult training and learning methods; training and development (ideally of financial institution staff), E-learning;
- Expertise in managing high-level events;
- Marketing expertise for financial products, on-line promotion expertise and ability to write content for on-line platforms in good international English language; and
- Proven experience with transaction and monitoring systems.
The Consultant's expert team is expected to include key experts as follows:
· A Project Manager with preferably 5-10 years of previous experience and expertise in managing parallel projects with multiple synergies in development, communication and management of business processes (preferably for the financial sector); excellent English skills (oral and written);
· Pool of Training Experts with preferably expertise in adult training and learning methods; training and development (ideally of financial institution staff), e-learning, excellent English skills (oral and written);
· Pool of Marketing Experts with preferably expertise in financial product marketing/marketing successful projects in business to business as well as consumer marketing contexts, event management, online promotion expertise, excellent English skills (oral and written);
· Pool of IT Experts with preferably expertise in implementation and operation of web-based information, excellent English skills (oral and written) and website development; and
· Pool of Monitoring and Reporting Experts with preferably expertise in Financial administration and reporting, preferably for financial institutions, proven experience with transaction and monitoring systems.
Non-key experts are likely to cover non-core expertise or activities that require local market knowledge or capability and may be nominated on an Assignment-by-Assignment basis subject to prior approval by the EBRD.
Submission Requirements:
In order to determine the capability and experience of Consultants seeking to be shortlisted for the Framework, the information submitted should include the following:
1. Company/group of firms' profile, organisation and staffing (max. 2-4 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 Assignments 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.
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.
5. A copy of the Consultant's valid company registration certificate confirming that the firm is registered in Austria.
The above information should not exceed 20 pages excluding CVs and contact sheet.
Expressions of Interest should be submitted in English electronically through e-Selection, to reach the Bank not later than the closing date. The complete expression of interest (including cover letter, CV, declaration and contact sheet etc.) shall be one file (pdf) to be uploaded to eSelection. The EBRD reserves the right to reject applications of experts submitting more than one file. Only if the permissible file size (4 MB) is exceeded, the Consultant may split the expression of interest into further files.
Bank Contact Person:
Paula Alegria
Senior Advisor, Technical Co-operation
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
One Exchange Square
London EC2A 2JN
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7338 7589
e-mail: AlegriaP@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 firms will be formally invited to submit proposals. Consultant selection and contracting will be subject to availability of funding.
2. The shortlist criteria and weightings are:
a) Previous experience of the Consultant (lead firm and nominated subcontractors combined) with regard to the core expertise required for the Framework – 40%
b) Relevant qualifications and experience of proposed key experts – 20%
c) Lead firm's relevant experience in the development, communication and management of business processes (preferably for the financial sector) – 20%
d) Lead firm's relevant experience in project management and delivering work to high quality standards in comparable assignments – 20%
3. As part of the Programmatic SEFF Support Programme, there are two additional related frameworks currently being procured: (i) 49586 SEFF Market Readiness and (ii) 49588 Resource Efficiency Integration into SEFFs.
In order to ensure maximum market participation for the Programme, a lead firm may apply for one, several or all frameworks but they will only be eligible to be awarded one framework. There are no such restrictions at the sub-contractor level.
Following the evaluation of proposals received during the second stage of the competition, if a lead firm is ranked in such a manner that it becomes eligible for the award of more than one framework, such firm will be asked to confirm their preferred choice for award.
