Background

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s 49 least developed countries. It creates new opportunities for poor people and their communities by increasing access to microfinance and investment capital. UNCDF focuses on Africa and the poorest countries of Asia and the Pacific, with a special commitment to countries emerging from conflict or crisis.

UNCDF also has expertise in forming partnerships to spur innovation and convening stakeholders to coordinate activities, exchange insights, and scale impact. UNCDF has built expertise in Inclusive Finance programs, reaching unbanked populations, particularly women, as well as building financial capabilities through innovative delivery channels.

UNCDF is developing several financial inclusion interventions in Tanzania as part of the UN Kigoma Joint Programme: 1) Targeting smallholder farmers involved in the maize and cassava value chains, UNCDF will partner with a financial service provider to develop a post-harvest loss financial product, 2) Ensuring that women are prioritized and there is an increase in uptake and usage by women of digital financial services through enhanced service delivery and capability training,  3) Piloting a programme to accelerate refugee’s access to finance through savings groups in Nyarugusu Camp, with long-term goals of expanding to additional camps in Tanzania as well as the wider community in Kigoma District.

1)    Access to Finance for Smallholder Farmers:  The major objective of the agriculture theme will be to increase farm income of small holder farmers in the Kigoma region, leading to agriculture development in the region. By offering a value chain-centric approach, the program will address the various bottlenecks in maize and cassava value chains to increase the investment from smallholder farmers in agriculture, while lowering the associated risk of such investments and increasing private sector engagement. Increasing access to finance for smallholder farmers is one of the four programme outcomes.  

2)    Economic Empowerment for Women and Girls: Access to finance has a clear and direct impact on livelihoods, economic growth, and inclusive social and economic development. When women, in particular, are financially included, they are more empowered, more resilient, and better prepared to respond to economic shocks.  While financial inclusion in Tanzania has increased by 26% from 2013 to 2015, the gender gap persists standing at 9% in 2015.

Improving financial inclusion for women is key for their economic empowerment. After conducting a country assessment in Tanzania to understand the country-specific constraints that women and young girls face, UNCDF has developed a global gender strategy to improve the financial inclusion gender gap and drive women’s economic empowerment by addressing issues related to access, usage, and agency. UNCDF will combine financial and digital literacy with technical support to financial service providers and partner institutions in Tanzania under its gender-focused strategy.

3)    Access to Finance & Digital Literacy for Refugees in Nyarugusu Camp: UNCDF is piloting a program that will expand access to finance through savings groups, which will also serve as an entry point for digital and financial literacy. Over the long-term, UNCDF will expand the program activities to the host community; engage in policy advocacy to create a more enabling environment for refugees’ financial inclusion; and work to accelerate refugees’ linkage to the formal financial sector.

Duties and Responsibilities

UNCDF Tanzania seeks the services of a consultant with demonstrated expertise in the design and roll-out of financial services and products to act as a technical resource and to support the implementation of UNCDF Tanzania’s programming activities for a duration of two years, from April 2018 – March 2020:  

Designing and Delivering Agricultural Financial Products

• Perform a review of the agricultural financial sector landscape in Kigoma;
• Provide technical guidance and assistance to financial service providers (FSPs) to design, prepare, test and launch appropriate digital agricultural products and services;
• Manage and lead customer research to evaluate user experience and needs;
• Support the strengthening and expansion of a financial service provider’s agent network to ensure product and service delivery;
• Identify opportunities to ensure women are targeted and served by financial products;
• Design and oversee trainings.

Deliverables/Results:

• Perform a financial sector landscape analysis focusing on agricultural products and services;
• Draft a call for proposal for financial service providers to develop digital agricultural product;
• Design, pilot and roll-out delivery of post-harvest loss, financial product for smallholder farmers;
• Ensure product portfolio reaches at least 50% women;
• Identify opportunities for the partner FSP to increase access to financial services for women;
• Organize workshop to share results and lessons learned.

Technical Support to Refugee Pilot

• Assess implementation of financial and digital literacy programs;
• Identify opportunities to deepen access to finance for refugees;
• Support the expansion of programming to host communities;
• Identify topics of research to design and inform women-focused interventions;
• Support the team with financial inclusion-related policy advocacy;
• Support with fundraising and stakeholder engagement.

Deliverables/Results:

• Pilot evaluation and recommendations;
• Draft proposal building on pilot to expand services to host community;
• Identify FSP partner to serve host community savings groups;
• Design, pilot and roll-out delivery of digital financial products for host community;
• Ensure product portfolio reaches at least 50% women;
• Organize workshop to share results and lessons learned.

Programming Support for Country Office

• Contribute to program development, rollout and formulation of activities for the scale up of new projects in Tanzania;
• Draft program documents, communication and knowledge-sharing materials;
• Identify opportunities for partnerships building on UNCDF Tanzania’s programming experience and gender strategy;
•  Assist with scoping missions for agriculture and refugee projects in other UNCDF countries;
• Support UNCDF colleagues in other countries on key topics related to agriculture, gender and refugees.

Deliverables/Results:

• Develop at least 2 concept notes to scale or pilot access to finance programs;
• Develop one case study highlighting lessons learnt in reaching women;
• Develop 3 blogs documenting lessons learnt from concept to implementation of digital finance for small hold farmers and refugees;
• Scoping mission reports with programming recommendations.

Duration

Activities are expected to start in April 2018 and they will be finalised by March 2020. The consultants will be required to travel frequently to Kigoma District, Nyarugusu Camp and other areas of Tanzania.

Monitoring and Payment

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the UNCDF Tanzania Programme Specialist.

Monitoring of progress shall be measured both according to the activities of the contractor as well as the performance of the UNCDF partners.

Payment will be made on a periodic basis in accordance with the number of days worked and upon satisfactorily achieved deliverables, subject to the clearance and approval of the consultant’s direct supervisor.

Travel

In general, UNDP does not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the Consultant wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

For any travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed according to UNCDF Policy.
 

Competencies

• Understanding and/or background in financial inclusion, microfinance, or access to finance
• Strong ability to communicate and function effectively in local/international/multicultural environment;
• Excellent networking with a demonstrated ability to build and maintain professional relationships;
• Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure;
• Project management skills;
• Excellent  powerpoint and excel skills;
• High level planning, organizational and time management skills, including flexibility, attention to detail and the ability to work under pressure to meet changing deadlines;
• Well-developed interpersonal skills, including the ability to liaise effectively at senior levels, including central banks;
• Analytical and problem solving skills of a high order, including the ability to formulate recommendations and advice;
• Pro-active, constructive attitude, open to feedback.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Master’s degree in Economics, Finance, Banking, Development, Education or related fields.

Experience

• At least five years of demonstrated experience working in digital financial services with financial service providers;
• Track record or successful development and implementation of DFS projects;
• Demonstrated experience managing or conducting research;
• Experience training financial services provider staff;
• Previous work in Sub-Saharan Africa and Tanzania, in particular;
• Familiarity working in refugee settlement camps;
• Previous publications in the field of access to finance (curricula, communications) is a plus;

Languages

• Fluent in English, Swahili an asset;  
• Excellent analytical and writing skills demonstrating fluency in English;
• Demonstrated written and oral communication skills in English (technical writing sample may be requested);

Evaluation

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis methodology (weighted scoring method), where the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Technical Criteria weight: [70%]
Financial Criteria weight:  [30%]

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% on technical part will be considered for the financial evaluation.

Key criteria for selecting the consultant:

• Profile and CV of the candidate: 40%
• Interview
• Financial proposal: 30%

Criteria and scores for Technical Evaluation, max 70 points

• Criteria 1: Extent of relevant previous experience – 35 points;
• Criteria 2: Proposed approach to work – 20 points;
• Criteria 3: Familiarity and experience with microfinance and financial inclusion – 10 points;
• Criteria 4: Relevance of academic qualifications – 5 points.

The top 3 high scored candidates will be invited for the interview.

The following formula will be used to evaluate Financial Proposal:
p = y (µ/z), where
p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated: y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal
µ=price of the lowest priced proposal
z = price of the proposal being evaluated

Contract Award

The contract shall be awarded to the applicant whose offer have been evaluated and determined as Responsive/compliant/acceptable and having received the highest combined weight (technical proposal & Interview) 70% + financial 30%= 100%.

Both individual consultants and individual employed by a company or institution are welcome to apply.  

Any individual employed by a company or institution who would like to submit an offer in response to a Procurement Notice for IC must do so in their individual capacity (providing a CV so that their qualifications may be judged accordingly). Please note that in such case the company institution will be asked to issue an  RLA http://www.undp.org/content/dam/vietnam/docs/Legalframework/Reimbursable%20Loan%20Agreement.doc.   

Application Guidelines

Interested candidate should submit the following information as part of the application package:

• When applying for this consultancy position, please apply with your official name as shown in the government issued identification document (e.g. passport and/or driver license). Contract award is subject to this verification;
• Detailed updated CV including past experience in similar projects or P11 link: http://sas.undp.org/documents/P11_Personal_history_form.doc;
• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application;
• Confirmation of availability to take up assignments for the whole period;
• Three professional references including name, affiliation and email addresses;
• Financial proposals will be requested only from the shortlisted candidates.

Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when traveling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org

References

UNDP’s Individual Consultant’s General Terms and Conditions are provided here:
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf