Mid-term Review of the EBRD Women in Business Programmes in the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership Countries
Note: The EBRD is looking for services to be carried out by ONE individual expert ONLY
Project Description:
As per its Strategy for the Promotion of Gender Equality and Inclusion, the EBRD has pledged to increase support to women by providing, among others, access to financing, know-how and training. The Women in Business Programme is to allocate € 500 million in financing for women-led SMEs through local partner banks in countries as diverse as Croatia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Turkey, Eastern Partnership and Western Balkans countries.
In order to address the challenges faced by women-led SMEs’ to gain access to finance and know-how in the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries, EBRD has developed the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership Women in Business Programmes (“the Programmes”). The objective of the Programmes is to promote women’s entrepreneurship, and more broadly women’s participation in business, by assisting women-led SMEs to access finance, know-how and non-financial business development services The Programmes are being implemented in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), FYR Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia (the “Western Balkans” countries) and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine (the “Eastern Partnership” countries).
Assignment Description
The Bank now intends to engage a Consultant to assist in its assessment of the efficiency, relevance, and immediate impact of the Programmes which will include establishing recommendations on how the implementation of the Programmes could be further improved and/or impacts strengthened during the remaining years of the implementation period.
The Assignment will be split into two parts, first the review of the Western Balkans Women in Business Programme, followed by the review of the Eastern Partnership Women in Business Programme. Each part will consist of desk research, a review mission to the regions and the preparation of an assignment report.
In particular, the Assignment will provide the following inputs for each Programme:
- Evaluation of the quality of the Programme design, including its objectives, results and lessons learned to date.
- Description of the results achieved, compared to the expected results stated in the programme documents.
- Assessment of the Programme’s effectiveness in attaining its specific objectives to:
o Support women-led enterprises in accessing finance for their sustainable growth and job creation.
o Develop sustainable credit mechanisms targeted to women-led enterprises through provision of dedicated financing facilities and technical assistance to partner financial institutions (“PFIs”).
o Support women-led enterprises to access advice and know-how.
- Establishment of lessons learned to date and guidance on how to integrate such lessons into Programme implementation going forward.
- Assessment of risks and mitigation measures under the Programme.
- Recommendations for the ongoing implementation of the Programme and its potential expansion.
- To the extent possible, assessment of indirect impact of the Programmes (environmental, social, cultural etc).
Assignment Start Date and Duration: The Assignment is expected to start in September 2016 and has an estimated overall duration of 6-8 months. The assessment of the Western Balkans Women in Business Programme is expected to start in September and the evaluation of the Eastern Partnership Women in Business Programme in early 2017.
Cost Estimate for the Assignment: EUR 80,000 (EUR 40,000 for each Programme under evaluation (exclusive of VAT). Subject to availability of funding, the performance of the selected Consultant and the specific needs of the Bank the Assignment may be extended beyond the current scope.
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: It is expected that the Assignment will be funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Please note selection and contracting will be subject to the availability of funding.
Eligibility: There are no eligibility restrictions
Consultant Profile: Individual services are required. The Consultant shall be an individual expert (individual expert or an expert nominated by a firm) preferably with previous professional experience in the two regions regarding women’s access to finance and know-how and in particular in:
- SME lending and improving SME access to finance, including through capacity building and knowledge transfer. Expertise in the area of provision of finance to women-led SMEs through commercial banks will be an advantage;
- Managing and conducting project evaluations, including interim reviews and development of recommendations on implementation;
- Economic empowerment of women and gender analysis of programmes ; and
- Understanding how donor-funded programmes work.
The Consultant is expected to be fluent in English. Knowledge of any of the languages of the reference countries would be an advantage.
Submission Requirements: In order to determine the capability and experience of Consultant seeking to be selected for this Assignment, the information submitted should include the following:
- Details of previous project and other relevant experience addressing points 1-5 above 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.
- CV (not exceeding 4 pages) which should include full descriptions of responsibilities carried out, not just a job title, including information on contracting entity/client, project location/country, duration (mm/yy to mm/yy), expert months provided (if different from duration) , main activities, objectives.
- 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 7 pages excluding CVs and contact sheet.
The complete expression of interest (EoI) (including CVs, details of previous project and other relevant experience, 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 Individuals 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:
Julie Michel
Associate Advisor
Technical Co-operation
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
One Exchange Square
London EC2A 2JN
Tel: + 44 20 7338 7556
e-mail:michelj@ebrd.com (submissions should be sent through eSelection and NOT to this email address)
Notes:
1. The selection will normally be made from responses to this notification only. Consultants will not be asked to submit a proposal. The highest-ranked Consultant will be selected from a shortlist and be invited to negotiate the contract, subject to availability of funding.
2. The shortlist criteria are:
a) Individual’s previous project and other relevant experience in:
- SME lending and improving SME access to finance, including through capacity building and knowledge transfer. Expertise in the area of provision of finance to women-led SMEs through commercial banks will be an advantage;
- Managing and conducting project evaluations, including interim reviews and development of recommendations on implementation;
- Economic empowerment of women and gender analysis of programmes..
- Understanding how donor-funded programmes work (60%)
b) Relevant knowledge and project experience in the two regions (20%)
c) Fluency in English (and knowledge of any of the languages of the reference countries) (20%)
