Inclusion Technical Assistance Framework: Lot C: Services and technologies

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD or the Bank) has launched an Inclusion Technical Assistance Framework (the Framework) to strengthen its on-going and expanding efforts to achieve an inclusive transition process in the EBRD regions. The Framework provides targeted technical assistance for investment projects (Projects) that seek to achieve systemic inclusion impact and policy reform in relation to improving the economic opportunities of young labour market entrants and populations in economically less developed regions.

The Framework is structured into three lots:

1. Skills transfer, training, and employment
2. Finance and entrepreneurship
3. Services and technology

In this context, EBRD is now seeking to contract up to five consultancy firms (the Consultants or Framework Consultants) for lot C: Services and technologies.

Background

Since 2013, EBRD has integrated economic inclusion considerations into the assessment of transition impact at the Project level as well as EBRD’s country and sectoral strategies.

The EBRD believes that economic inclusion – the opening up of economic opportunities to previously under-served social groups – is integral to transition. If people are given a chance to succeed, they are more likely to participate in the workforce, pursue higher skills and education, or engage in activities that lead to economic growth. This helps address unintended consequences of market reforms that leave certain groups behind and, in turn, strengthens wider public support for economic reforms and the transition process.

Improved access to services and technology can create potential inclusion impact by addressing systemic barriers that prevent market participation particularly for populations in remote regions and vulnerable groups. For example, the lack of access to basic services, such as the water infrastructure can create substantial financial burdens and potential loss of time to be spent on economically productive activities. Lack of access to essential communications technology such as the Internet can prevent small businesses from expanding their customer base and geographic reach to the market. The Bank requires specialist consultancy advice to assess the potential inclusion impact of projects that create access to such services and technologies and recommend measures to improve access to services that will lead to improved economic opportunities for the inclusion target group

Framework Implementation Arrangements

The EBRD intends to enter into Framework Agreements with up to five consultants to enable the Bank to call upon a shortlist of pre-qualified firms from which it can quickly and efficiently obtain reliable services.

The Framework Agreement will establish, in advance, fee rates for experts, contract terms and agreements, and procedures that will govern individual assignments (Assignments or Call-offs) to be required to implement the Framework.

The Bank is not under any obligation to issue any Call-Off Notice(s) for Assignment(s) under this Framework Agreement and may at its sole discretion select another consultant for parts of services described in this notice or related activities in line with its Procurement Policies and Rules.

It is envisaged that for each individual Assignment the Framework Consultant(s) will be selected in accordance with EBRD Procurement Policies and Rules, i.e. EBRD may directly award Assignments estimated to be below EUR 75,000, whilst for Assignments above EUR 75,000 request for mini-proposals would be launched between Framework Consultants.

EBRD will then evaluate the proposals, select the Consultant for each Assignment and agree on the Specific Terms of Reference, budget and experts for the assignment(s).

The Framework Consultant(s) would be expected to begin working within 10 working days from EBRD’s acceptance of its proposal for individual Call-offs.

Description of individual assignments (Call-offs) under the Framework

Under lot C: Services and technologies, the Framework Consultants will support EBRD and its clients in the EBRD countries of operation to develop tailored inclusion models across energy, infrastructure, information technology and water sectors and to engage effectively with relevant public sector authorities in order to provide improved economic opportunities for youth (including young women) and local population in disadvantaged regions through services and technologies that result in improved economic opportunities for target groups (individually Assignments or Call-offs).

Assignments are expected to include, but not be limited to the following tasks:

• Establish relevant baselines of existing service provision and indicators for impact measurement. This can include, for example, assessments of the current household connection rates for water, waste water, Internet, transport or other municipal services; household level surveys to identify potential time losses and gains in access to economic opportunities as a result of investments; assessment of water quality levels and occurrence of water related diseases or yield of land and related economic costs; and setting project benchmarks in relation to international best practice;
• Recommend measures to improve access to services that will lead to improved economic opportunities for the inclusion target group;
• Conduct stakeholder mapping in relation to service provision in the region, including the identification of respective priorities, quality and frequency of services, accessibility of facilities, security/safety issues, pricing/affordability, and willingness to pay;
• Develop inclusion models and implementation plans to address the respective needs of inclusion target group, and support the implementation process as appropriate;
• Work closely with the potential client and other key stakeholders to form partnerships as necessary;
• Develop monitoring and evaluation tools and indicators;
• Assess the project and systemic impacts against the baselines and indicators;
• Conduct policy engagement to improve relevant national policy standards.

The Consultant(s) will liaise closely with the EBRD project team in London and EBRD clients for each Assignment. To this end the Consultant(s) will appoint a Project Manager/Team Leader to be the main contact with EBRD.

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

Programme Start Date and Duration: The Framework is expected to commence in March 2016. The selected Framework Consultants will be engaged via Framework Agreements with a validity period of up to 36 months.

Cost Estimate for the full Framework of Assignments: EUR 740,000 for up to five Framework Agreements (exclusive of VAT). Subject to availability of funding, the performance of the selected Framework Consultant(s) and the specific needs of the Bank, the Framework Agreements may be extended beyond the current scope. The cost estimate for individual assignments will vary depending on their specific scope, but typically individual budgets are expected to be in the range of EUR 30,000 – EUR 100,000.

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 Framework is expected to be funded by the EBRD’s donor funded Technical Cooperation Funds Programme. Please note that selection and contracting will be subject to the availability of funding.

Eligibility: There are no eligibility restrictions.

Framework Consultant Profile:

Corporate services are required. A Framework Consultant will be a firm, or a group of firms with previous project experience in at least one or more of the Bank’s countries of operation related to:

1) the assessment of the economic impact related to access to services and technology in energy, infrastructure, information technology and water sector for youth (including young women) and local population in disadvantaged regions by working with corporate sector, local governments or municipalities through household surveys, data analysis and other methodologies;

2) policy-dialogue, provision of technical advice to public authorities, and facilitation of public-private engagement on the improvement of national policies in relation to access to services and technologies;

3) experience in working on similar assignments in EBRD countries of operation;

4) relevant previous experience in working with International Financial Institutions, such as EBRD, World Bank or ADB or equivalent.

The Consultant’s expert team is expected to include Key experts as follows:

- Team Leader with preferably 15 years or more of previous professional experience in the assessment of the economic impact (at household / user level) of access to services and technologies for remote regions and vulnerable groups with comprehensive experience of similar assignments in EBRD regions. The expert should demonstrate management and administration experience, including experience with procedures of international financial agencies.

- Lead experts for the promotion of the following services and technology: water, waste management, energy and information technology. Each expert should preferably have 10 years or more of international experience working on the baseline/impact assessment, financial evaluation of tariff costs and benefits of relevant services, developing innovative models for expanding the services to vulnerable groups, capacity building of local stakeholders and service users, and providing policy advice for relevant public authorities.

Submission Requirements: In order to determine the capability and experience of Consultants seeking to be shortlisted for the Programme, 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 ten 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 ten 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.

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:

Maria Haugh

Technical Co-operation

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

One Exchange Square

London EC2A 2JN

Tel: + 44 20 7338 7185

e-mail: haughm@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 are:

1) Firm’s experience in assessing the economic impact of access to services and technology in energy, infrastructure, information technology and water sector for youth (including young women) and local population in disadvantaged regions by working with corporate sector, local governments or municipalities through household surveys, data analysis and other methodologies (30%)

1) Firm’s experience in policy-dialogue, provision of technical advice to public authorities, and facilitation of public-private engagement on the improvement of national policies in relation to access to services and technologies (10%)

2) Firm’s experience in working on similar assignments in EBRD countries of operation (10%)

3) Firm’s relevant previous experience in working with International Financial Institutions, such as EBRD, World Bank or ADB or equivalent (10%)

4) CVs of Key experts (40%)