Background

Making Access to Finance More Inclusive for Poor People” (MAFIPP) is a seven year UNCDF’s initiative founded by AusAID and implemented by the Bank of the Lao PDR (BOL) through a National Implementation Modality (NIM).  MAFIPP’s objective is to increase access to financial services to low income households and microentrepreneurs on a sustainable basis.  In this sector based programme, MAFIPP takes a role of market facilitator to advance financial inclusion in the Lao PDR.  Therefore, MAFIPP interventions are at micro, meso and macro levels.

At macro level MAFIPP introduces, for the first time in Lao PDR, a comprehensive financial diagnostic survey to improve the accuracy of information to market actors on financial inclusion in Laos, and then makes this information available to the market actors. At meso level MAFIPP, works with financial service support organizations to build capacity of selected institution to provide on – going technical assistance to the sector. Finally, at retail level MAFIPP supports and provides a set of incentives to market actors as a way to strengthen institutional capacity and facilitate the development of the actors that advances financial inclusion.

Duties and Responsibilities

The MAFIPP programme has setup the Fund for Inclusive Finance (FIF) to channel its support to institutions at the meso- and micro-level. It is using for the time being instruments such as loans, grants and direct technical assistance provision. See www.mafipp.org.

Scope of work:

The scope of work consists of the followings: 

 Assessment of FIF applicants and due diligence visits:

  • Develops check-lists for documentation to be submitted during due diligence and as attachment to the proposals, considering the respective cases of assistance required;
  • Builds-up the capacity of the FIF Manager and FISD project team and of the assigned national consultants to assess the business and strategic plans of FIF applicants;
  • Coaches the FIF Manager and FISD project team and the assigned national consultants in carrying out due diligence assessments (loans, grants);
  • Prepares with the FIF Manager and FISD project team and the assigned national consultants support applications (loans, grants, direct TA) in accordance with FIF guidelines, taking special care to the phasing of the intervention, the milestones and triggers for the next phases, the partnerships to be developed.These elements will form the basis of the Performance-Based Agreement (PBA) to be signed between UNCDF and the FIF partner following approval of the investment by the FIF IC.

 Supports in Coordination of Investment Committee (IC) activities:

  • Standardizes the documentation to be availed to IC ahead of the meetings.

 Monitoring of FIF partners performance 

  • Develops the tools to monitor and aggregate (in alignment with MAFIPP M&E framework): the outreach performance /operational & financial performance of FIF partners;the delivery progress of FIF partners in line with signed PBA and a grading system for the FIF assistance projects with redress mechanisms for non-performing or stalling assistance projects;
  • Trains and coaches the FIF Assistant and FISD project team in using these tools; monitors the quality of the implementation;
  • Develop the monitoring policies: Design of concise regular programmatic and financial reports and plan with FIF Manager the regular field monitoring visits, determine their specific objectives and the verification elements;
  • Ensures timely and accurate submission of monitoring reports (programme and financial) by FIF partners;
  • Develop FIF progress report format;
  • Assists in identification and execution of knowledge management activities in order to generate and disseminate learning from programmes/project activities and publicize results in close collaboration with International Technical Specialist and MAFIPP Project Manager.

Puts in place the direct Technical Assistance framework

The low maturity of most MFIs is likely to generate much assistance in the form of direct TA for which FIF is not yet prepared for

Determines the system for direct TA provision to FIF partners’ projects designated for this instrument: 

  • Procurement of direct TA associating the FIF partner, possibly using retainer basis contracts for economies of scale and fast deployment;
  • Management of TA contractors and tri-partite relationships focused on outcomes rather than outputs, mindful of the milestones and conditions set forth in the PBA with FIF partner;
  • Quality assurance mechanisms;
  • Puts in place the first implementation of ‘cluster training’ instrument: PBA with the TA contractor for training and mentoring services to clearly identified smaller FSPs.

 Improve the existing processes of FIF and its Operation manual

  • Procedures verifying the fulfillment of all conditions for the next disbursement or phase of Direct TA, documenting clearance of some conditions when necessary;
  • Completion of the Work-In-Progress revision of the FIF Operations manual with inclusion of the ‘cluster training’ new instrument;
  • Filing system(Soft and hard-copy)f for all Eols submitted, Minutes of Eol shortlisting committees, IC decisoins, FIF partner follow- up.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

  • Demonstrates commitment for team development and values;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Shares knowledge and experience;
  • Plans and produces quality results to meet established goals;
  • Generates innovative, practical solutions to challenging situations;
  • Conceptualizes and analyzes problems to identify key issues, underlying problems, and how they relate;
  • Demonstrates strong oral and written communication and educational skills;
  • Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
  • Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view.

Corporate Competencies:

  • Demonstrates integrity by modeling the standard implementation and ethical standards;
  • Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
  • Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment;
  • Demonstrated technical knowledge in access to finance for the poor, microfinance or inclusive finance;
  • A demonstrated ability to take initiative, work independently and with minimum guidance and oversight;
  • Demonstrated ability to speak and write well in English is a pre-requisite;
  • High proficiency in Microsoft Excel, database management capabilities are an asset.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Master’s degree in Social Sciences, Economic Development, Economics, Finance, Accounting or related fields.

Experience:

  • At least 2 years of professional experience in investment in or grant support to Financial Service Providers; working experience with a Microfinance Investment Vehicle, Development Finance Int’l organization or a microfinance rating agency is preferred; Working knowledge of business and strategic plans assessment, practice of financial models and accounting will be seen as an advantage.

Language: 

  • Fluency in both written report and spoken English;
  • Lao language proficiency is a strong advantage;
  • Strong oral and written communication skills use of simple and clear language.

All interested and qualified candidates should apply on-line using the following links: 

In order to make submission please read the attached relevant documents which are also avalable on our web-site at http://www.la.undp.org/content/lao_pdr/en/home/operations/jobs/:

  • TOR (Annex I);
  •  Individual Contract & General Terms and Conditions (Annex II);
  • Offeror’s Letter to UNDP (Annex III);
  • Reimbursable Loan Agreement (for a consultant assigned by a firm) & General Conditions (Annex IV).

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals: 

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications: 

Technical Proposal as per Annex III “Offeror’s Letter to UNDP”

  • Explaining why you are the most suitable for the work;
  • Providing a brief methodology on how they will approach and conduct the work including the work schedule for the delivery of outputs/deliverable;
  • CV including past experience in similar project and contact reference of at least 3 references for whom you have rendered preferably the similar service.

Financial proposal:

  • Detailed financial proposal: Lump sum offer with clear cost breakdown against each deliverable.

Note:

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days). All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. UNDP accept travel costs not exceeding of an economy class air ticket. 

Instructions for on-line submissions:

  • Step 1: Please prepare all required documents electronically;
  • Step 2: Combine all documents in  one single file (preferably in PDF however Word format can be also accepted) and upload to the UNDP Jobs using the links above;
  • Step 3: After that you will receive an auto reply from the UNDP jobs if your offer is received successfully.

Incomplete proposals or proposals received after the deadline will be rejected.

Please kindly refer to the Terms of Reference Annex I for detailed information on:

  • Project’s background;
  • Scope of work and Responsibilities;
  • Timeframe for the work;
  • Deliverables.

Requirements for Experience and Qualifications

Cumulative analysis: The award of the contract will be made to a consultant who offer has been evaluated and determined as:

  • Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
  • Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria:

Technical Criteria weight; [0.7]

 Financial Criteria weight; [0.3]

Only a consultant obtaining a minimum of 50 points in the technical rating would be considered for the financial evaluation.

Note:  Any request for clarification must be sent in writing to the following e-mail: cedric.javary@uncdf.org or thilaphong.oudomesine@uncdf.org and CC to phadthakone.sophavilay@undp.org

UNDP Lao PDR will respond in writing by standard electronic mail and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all consultants.

The copies of the response will be also placed on our web-site at:   http://www.la.undp.org/content/lao_pdr/en/home/operations/jobs/ and linked to the current Procurement Notice.

All interested candidates are encouraged to visit the above web-site for updates.

Please note that only short-listed candidates will be notified.

Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

For more detailed information about UNDP Lao PDR please visit our website at http://www.la.undp.org/lao_pdr/en/home.html.