Background

The main objective of this consultancy is to provide technical and advisory support to UNDP Djibouti and the national counterparts concerned with development of special funds and enhancement of financial inclusion to contribute to poverty eradication and sustainable development. The consultancy should assess the need for establishing an independent/ special funding mechanism for financing. Setting up specialized funds is among the common development strategies planned in multiple ongoing UNDP projects across various sectors.

The specialized funds are expected to support national development priority such as climate finance, Small and Medium businesses for livelihood and social protection. The national counterparts for these projects include: The Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Women and Family, Ministry of Finance and Economic planning and the Central Bank of Djibouti.

The design should take into consideration the particularity of the development issues in Djibouti (poverty, environment, disparity) the consultant should provide multiple case scenarios for the management and institutional arrangement of the specialized fund, recommend the optimal scenario for the context of Djibouti and develop set of standard operating procedures for managing the fund taking into consideration the prevailing economic opportunities and challenges in Djibouti. The consultancy is two phases that may interact or overlap:

Phase1: Designing of the national financial inclusion strategy and specialized funds

1.            Design and setup a specialized national funds for Climate issues, SMEs and Livelihood development

2.            Development of Financial inclusion strategy

Phase 2: Implementation support for the specialized funds and the National Financial Inclusion strategy 

1.            Support to the operationalization of the funds and the financial inclusion strategy.

Duties and Responsibilities

Phase 1:  Designing of the national financial inclusion strategy and specialized funds:

The expert will provide support throughout the process of Fund establishment including partnership development, ensuring legal contexts, and assessing the institutional capacity to operate the Fund. The expert is expected to develop a detailed sustainability strategy as well as a capacity development plan for the Fund, based on the final agreement reached among stakeholders on the institutional arrangement of the Fund. The scope of work will be:

1. To promote and facilitate understanding and interest about the specialized Funds to key stakeholders and potential partners through presentations, meetings, and workshops when necessary;
2.  To provide advisory and technical support throughout the chain of establishment process in areas of partnership building, partnership agreements, identifying appropriate legal advisory service, and other relevant areas;
3. To provide strategic inputs necessary for the sustainable operation of the Fund, by reviewing, revising, and fine­tuning the draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and sustainability strategy of the Fund; and to provide strategic inputs necessary for development of appropriate and relevant capacity to manage financial service provisions and operate the Fund, through capacity assessment, analysis, and drafting capacity development plan for the Fund.
4. Utilizing the inputs and the data collected in phase one ,the consultant should work with the national counterparts to develop financial inclusion strategy. The consultant may collect further data needed to support Djibouti government commitment to improve the financial inclusion through unleashing the digital technology opportunities. This may include areas of development for mobile money transfer and payments that will support financial inclusion of the population in the fast-developing economy.

Specific activities:

•  The consultant should carry out consultation with potential specialized fund suppliers, relevant government institutions, partners in the financial sector and clients implying various research methods such as focus groups or survey               
• The consultant should conduct assessment of the demands for establishing a lending facility and or grant facilities in Djibouti, taking into consideration currently existing business financing and climate response in Djibouti, potential fund recipients and the size and scale of the funds requested by clients accessing the facility. 
• The consultant should provide UNDP, Ministry of Environment and Urban housing and other national institutions a full review/analysis report of the demand side. 
• Conduct extensive consultation with the government counterparts, the current financial intuitions, banks, private sector and SMEs business owners and beneficiaries to assess potential risk and how to mitigate the risk that may threat specialized funds in Djibouti. 
• The consultant should review all possible scenarios for the financing tools offered by the fund (guarantee, loans, leasing, and equity) and the institutional arrangements for administering the specialized funds. 
• Also, asses and analyze the pros and cons of each possible administrative arrangement of the specialized funds
• The consultant is expected to recommend to UNDP and the national counterparts of the project the optimal scenario that will create a breakthrough in the impediments of access to funding for strengthening/establishing of the funds. 
• The consultant should review the potential sources/opportunities for further mobilizing resources to increase the capital of the specialized. 
• The consultant should recommend minimum standard operating procedures for the funds including the governance mechanism that maintains flexibility, accessibility of the poor, transparency, sustainability of the fund and risk mitigation.
• Utilizing the situation analysis demand and supply data, key informant interviews , global and regional best practices consultant will draft a national strategy for financial inclusion
• Conduct consultation with the relevant stakeholders to endorse and validate the strategy

Phase 2: Technical assistance to the implementation of the financial inclusion strategy and specialized funds:

• Contribute to the Financial Inclusion Strategy Implementation, based on the national stakeholders’ priorities, and continue update of Action Plan
• Establish the Financial Inclusion Strategy Implementation Committees
• Analysis and Recommendations to the national stakeholder as requested
• Support the operationalization of the specialized fund schemes
• Inform and regularly update UNDP and national stakeholder on potential risks and challenges facing the implementation of the specialized funds and the financial inclusion strategy
• Propose an recommend policy solution for challenges facing the implementation phase 
• Regularly provide periodic update on the performance of the fund, the achievement and the implementation of the finance strategy 

Key Deliverables:

1. Detailed demand study for special financing for Climate response, social protection and SMEs,
2. Multiple case scenarios for specialized funds institutional/administrative arrangement with tools offered; with detailed information on the pro and cons of each possible scenario and recommend optimal scenario in Djibouti.
3. Resource mobilization and sustainability strategy/mechanism for the specialized funds
4. Set of standard operating procedures for specialized funds management.
5. Draft national financial inclusion strategy
6. Action Plan for the implementation of the Financial Inclusion Strategy
7. Financial Inclusion Strategy Implementation Committees – ToR and Structure
8. Policy briefs, briefing notes, memos and necessary presentations to support senior management and the relevant staff of UNDP and the national stakeholders.
9. Implementation support and recommendation for the financial inclusion strategy
10.  Implementation support and recommendation for the

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

While the Financial Inclusion Advisor will report to the Governor of the Central Bank, UNDP will ensure Quality Assurance on the Advisor’s work.

Competencies

• Excellent writing and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated analytical skills.
• Proven great communications skills with high level officials
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• MBA, CFA, JD or an advanced degree in a relevant field from a recognized university/institution.

Skills & Experience:

Years of Experience:

• At least 10 years of experience working on SME financing issues—both supply and demand side.
• At least 10 years of working experience in a senior leadership or advisory role in a government,

development institution, or other relevant body.

• In depth grasp of the regulatory/ institutional arrangements for private sector development.
• Demonstrated understanding on the functional role of a central bank, specialized funds and SMEs development.
• Significant experience working in a developing country.
• Procedures for submission of applications

Failing to comply with the application submission requirements may result in disqualifying the application. Applications received after the deadline may be rejected.

Application Procedures:

Interested qualified individuals must submit their applications by providing the following information to demonstrate their qualifications:

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability and Submission of Financial Proposal using the template provided by UNDP; (which can be obatined from this link http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=5520 
2. Personal CV , indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
3. Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment; 

The financial proposal must be expressed in the form of Daily Fee “all inclusive” supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided (see Section A of the Financial Proposal Template).

In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket and most direct route.  Should the IC wish to travel on a business class he/she should do so using their own resources. In case of unforeseeable travel, payment of such travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective UNDP and the Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

If an Offeror is employed by an organization or company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.

Please group all your documents into one single PDF document. Incomplete applications may be rejected.

Any requests for clarifications may be sent to proc.dji@undp.org before 09 May 2019. UNDP Djibouti will respond via e-mail and publish the clarifications without identifying the source of inquiry at the same procurement notice

NB: Due to the large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful applicants about the outcome.

Evaluation, selection criteria and process

Criteria for Selection of ICs

All applicants will be initially screened against the minimum requirements as specified in section 4. Only those applicants who meet the minimum level of education (Master), relevant years of experience requirements (10 years minimum) and minimum languages requirements (English) will be longlisted and considered for the technical evaluation against the following criteria:

ONLY the applicants obtaining the minimum of 49 points (70% of total 70 points) for the technical

criteria shall be considered for the Financial Evaluation:

Financial proposals must indicate a daily fee, as per Annex II (which can be obatined from this link http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=5520 

Award will be made based on Combined scoring method (Technical Proposal will be weighted a maximum of 70% (max 70 points) and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a maximum of 30% (max 30 points).

Only consultants whose offer has been evaluated and determined as responsive / compliant / acceptable; and are in compliance with criteria above, will be considered for the contracting.

To apply for this Individual consultancy, please complie your CV, Cover letter and applicant form in one file and attached it. to get the required forms please follow this link

http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=5520