Office : UNCDF – UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Deadline : 30-Jun-23
Posted on : 22-Jun-23
Development Area : CONSULTANTS
Reference Number : 97845
Link to Atlas Project : Non-UNDP Project
Documents : Request for Proposal
Overview :
- Project Description
About uncdf
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 46 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.
About the Better Than Cash Alliance
Hosted by UNCDF, the Better Than Cash Alliance’s mission is to catalyze a global movement from cash to digital payments to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Specific benefits include efficiency, transparency, women’s economic participation and financial inclusion, helping build economies that are digital and inclusive.
The Alliance has 80 members, including national governments from Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America, companies and international organizations which have all committed to digitizing their payments.
The Secretariat works with the Alliance members on their journey to digitize payments by:
- Providing advisory services based on member priorities.
- Sharing action-oriented research and fostering peer learning.
- Conducting advocacy at national, regional, and global level.
Billions of dollars in cash payments and transfers are made daily in emerging and developing economies, including payment of salaries, social welfare and relief, payments to suppliers, remittances. The problems with these cash payments include a lack of transparency, accountability, and security, as well as inefficiency. Individuals who receive cash payments are often part of the 1.7 billion excluded from the formal financial sector, the majority of whom are women. This means they are excluded from access to a range of appropriate and affordable financial services to help them save safely take advantage of economic opportunities and reduce their vulnerability to risk. Shifting these payments from cash to digital has the potential to improve the lives of low-income people, particularly women, while giving governments, the development community, and the private sector a more transparent, time and cost efficient, and often-safer means of disbursing payments.
The Better Than Cash Alliance Team’s Core Values are the following:
- Achieving together
- Striving for excellence
- Service oriented
- Results oriented.
- Context
It is a great time to be working on payment digitization in emerging markets. The sector is evolving rapidly with Alliance member governments, companies and international organizations being some of the global leaders. Our focus of responsible payment digitization contributing to the SDGs, is recognized as a vital contribution to reducing poverty and inequality, reducing corruption and increasing women’s economic participation and much more.
There are many possible futures for our Alliance considering the rapid growth and also the challenges of climate change, migration, and cybersecurity, the need for digital public infrastructure in all its forms and the imperative of gender equality. Therefore, we are engaging in a scenario-planning to process to explore those futures in detail.
The Alliance Secretariat has already started this process and is now seeking a strategy consulting firm with deep experience in emerging markets that can expand this work with the Alliance leadership on this scenario planning. The firm will need global payments digitization and financial sector development experience to support an internal task force over three months from June to September 2023.
- Objective and Expected Outcome
With this TOR, The Better Than Cash Alliance is looking to commission a professional service provider to support the implementation of this initiative by achieving the following outputs:
- Assessment and categorization report of current and future global trends affecting responsible digitization of payments in emerging markets.
- Analysis report including the disruptive models of digital finance/ digital infrastructure emerging which will have the greatest impact on universal adoption of digital payments.
- Landscape the key thought leaders in digital financial inclusion and digital infrastructure in emerging markets and identify key gaps in the sector.
- Building these analyses into a scenario planning exercise with the leadership of the Alliance Secretariat.
- Indictive Methodology
Under the direction of the Scenarios Taskforce led by the Deputy Managing Director, the strategy consulting firm is expected to achieve the above-mentioned objectives through the following output and indicative list of activities: Assessment and categorization of future global trends affecting responsible digitization of payments in emerging markets.
The Alliance Secretariat has already started the scenario planning early 2023. The strategy consulting firm is expected to expand this work with the Alliance leadership on the scenario planning through developing an assessment including categorization of future and global trends that are affecting responsible digitalization of payments in emerging markets. The assessment should elaborate on internal challenges such as capacities or funding, as well as external challenges that could impact the design and delivery of digital financial service, such as climate change, migration, food security and conflict.
As part of the assessment, the consulting firm should:
- Develop analysis of the disruptive models of digital finance/ digital infrastructure emerging which will have the greatest impact on the universal adoption of digital payments.
- Landscape the key thought leaders in digital financial inclusion and digital infrastructure in emerging markets and identify key gaps in the sector. For example, the AfCFTA Secretariat is one such key thought leader.
- Building these analyses into a scenario planning exercise with the leadership of the Alliance Secretariat.
As the Assessment will feed into the scenario planning, the consulting firm is expected to convene a meeting by 15th July 2023 with the Scenario Taskforce either virtually or in person and agree on key questions for the scenario planning workshop with the Alliance Leadership.
The Scenario Taskforce in agreement with the consulting firm and the Alliance Leadership will convene a border workshop on the third week of August to present and agree on the scenario planning. The consulting firm should propose a minimum of three scenarios.
Upon finalizing the workshop with the Alliance Leadership, the consulting firm shall develop the final report that includes the agreed scenarios. The report shall be submitted by 1st September.
- Expected Outputs and Reporting:
Deliverables
Delivery target date
Payment terms in % of the total contract price
Review and Approvals Required
Develop analysis Report including the disruptive models of digital finance/ digital infrastructure emerging which will have the greatest impact on the universal adoption of digital payments.
July 15th, 2023, or within 2-3 weeks from contract signing
10%
Secretariat review and approval of Deputy Managing Director
Landscape the key thought leaders in digital financial inclusion and digital infrastructure in emerging markets and identify key gaps in the sector
July 15th, 2023, or within 6-8 weeks from contract signing
35%
Secretariat review and approval of Deputy Managing Director
Develop possible scenarios (minimum three scenarios) and present them at a workshop with Alliance Secretariat leadership.
August 20th, 2023, or within 10-12 weeks from contract signing
35%
Secretariat review and approval of Deputy Managing Director
Final assessment report including the challenges, the agreed planning scenarios and a roadmap moving forward.
September 30, 2023, or within 14 weeks from contract signing
20%
Secretariat review and approval of Deputy Managing Director
- Institutional Arrangement
Given the global nature of the Alliance’s work, under the direction of the Scenario Taskforce led by the Deputy Managing Director, the consulting firm:
- Will be responsible for ensuring high quality delivery of the outputs as described above.
- It is expected that the firm will need to convene a meeting with the Scenario Taskforce and a workshop with the Alliance Leadership, as well as interviews with Alliance members and partners (e.g., donors, and other development organizations)
- There is a possibility that the workshop will be conducted either virtually or in person. If the Worksop takes place in person, the Alliance Secretariat will be responsible for managing and covering the costs that will be borne from organizing it.
- The Consulting Firm will report on a fortnightly basis to the Deputy Managing Director and the Scenario Taskforce. The draft will be shared with the Alliance Leadership during the workshop. There is a possibility the company will be asked to make an additional presentation to the Alliance ExCom in Q3.
- Duration of the Work
- The implementation of the initiative should be completed over a period of three months, starting from June to October 2023.
- The Secretariat Scenarios Taskforce will aim to provide responses to any questions within a week of requests.
- Duty Station
- The duty station of this assignment is home based but the contractor is expected to report virtually to the Task force on a fortnightly basis.
- If travel is required as part of the workshop, the Secretariat will arrange and cover the travel cost in accordance with the UNDP/UNCDF rules and regulations which state that consultants shall only be paid the most direct and most economical ticket, as will be quoted by the official UN travel agency.
- Any amount more than the said quotation, such as class and airline preference of the consultant, shall be borne by the consultant and the daily living allowance will be paid in amounts not exceeding the UN-established Rate.
- Minimum Requirements for Contractor and Eligibility Criteria
- Qualification for the company:
- Minimum 10 years of relevant proven successful expertise, in strategy consulting and scenario planning, with UN, foundations, IFIs, or multilateral agencies based or operating in emerging markets
- Minimum 10 years of a proven track record in digital payments, digital financial services, digital financial inclusion, or financial sector development and economic development in emerging markets.
- Minimum 10 years of successful practical experience in leading evidence-based analytical assessments of initiatives/projects in digital payments, digital financial services, digital financial inclusion, and financial sector development and economic development in emerging markets.
- Minimum 10 years of successful practical experience in managing dynamic workshops/training programs.
- Minimum 10 years of proven extensive and deep experience with international development thought leaders in the public and private sectors focused on digital financial services and financial inclusion, with a strong gender lens is required. Climate change expertise is desirable.
- Excellent workshop moderation and convening skills.
- Preferred language?
- Qualification for Individuals
The composition of the individuals should not be more than 2-3 members including a team leader.
Team Leader:
- Master’s degree in public /business administration, finance, economics, international affairs, development, political science, or other relevant fields. Relevant work experience will be considered in lieu of the master’s qualification.
- Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience, in strategy consulting and scenario planning with UN or multilateral agencies in emerging markets
- Minimum 10 years of proven extensive and deep experience with international development thought leaders in the public and private sectors focused on digital financial services and financial inclusion, with a strong gender lens is required. Climate change expertise is desirable
- Proven Experience in understanding of key frontier issues international good practice relating digital payments with a focus on inclusion and challenges i.e., climate risk and adaptation, in rural areas and underserved customer segments such as women, farmers, merchants, and MSMEs.
- Excellent skills in policy analysis, market research, and data analysis/management (spreadsheets, data visualization tools like Tableau, etc.) and ability to review data, and identify and adjust discrepancies.
- Impeccable diplomatic skills, particularly in working with governments of emerging economies.
- Excellent presentation and representation skills in multicultural contexts
- Proven excellence in writing, editing, and communications skills to an international standard including correspondence, reports, talking points, and briefing material is essential.
- Experience in organizing high-level scenario planning and strategy development
- Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
Team member
- Master’s degree in public /business administration, finance, economics, international affairs, development, political science, or other relevant fields. Relevant work experience will be considered in lieu of the master’s qualification.
- Minimum 10 years of experience in digital payments, financial services, financial inclusion, and economic development.
- Minimum of 7 years of experience in current developments in digital payment technologies, including innovative payment methods and digital financial inclusion is essential.
- Minimum 10 years of successful practical experience in leading evidence-based analytical assessments of initiatives/projects in digital payments, digital financial services, digital financial inclusion, and financial sector development and economic development in emerging markets
- Proven experience in demonstrating analytical skills and developing research.
- Proven knowledge in digital financial trends in the emerging market
- Demonstrates a high degree of initiative and independence in delivering required outputs within tight timeframes, exercising problem-solving skills while at the same time demonstrating flexibility and the ability to get the job done effectively.
- Familiarity with spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations is essential.
- Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments
The contractor will provide a detailed budget for the purposes of implementing designated interventions. The Budget must cover all project-related expenses. In accordance with the budget and schedule of payment, the contractor must prepare and submit invoices. Expenditures will be reimbursed after the submission of the report and after their endorsement by the Deputy Managing Director of the Alliance.
Total costs for Services include all expenses which are relevant to the implementation of all works stated in the ToR, for example, expenses for transportation services, expenses relating to organization and provision of consultations and trainings, conducting of research and assessments and all other related expenses associated with implementation of this assignment etc., as per provided budget.
The Financial Proposal will indicate the all-inclusive cost per deliverable and the Payments will be made based on the percentage of contract price corresponding to the deliverables stated in Section C above, and upon confirmation of UNCDF that the individual has delivered on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner.
The contractor is responsible for any tax payments resulting from the Contract to be signed between the contractor and UNCDF. No cost increases or additional payments will be made to the contractor for any reason whatsoever.
UNCDF will make the payments according to the Contract and will transfer to the bank account of the contractor. The rate of exchange should be the official rate applied by UNCDF on the date UNCDF affects the payment.
For the RLA: If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNCDF under a 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 UNCDF.
All costs arising from the official travel and , as deemed relevant by UNCDF, will be approved and arranged by UNCDF, following UNDP/UNCDF Travel Policy.
The travel cost includes:
- Airfare economy for the ticket
- Per diem following the ICSC
- Terminal cost
Any cost for upgrading the ticket or per diem that is more than the standard cost as published by the organization “rates as published here https://icsc.un.org/Home/DailySubsistence”, the extra cost will be borne by the contractor.
- Recommended Presentation of Offer
Technical Proposal shall be submitted separately from the financial proposal. Applicants who will provide the technical proposal along with the financial proposal will be disqualified from the selection process
- The technical proposal shall detail the methodology of how the project will be implemented. Along with the technical proposal, the contract shall submit:
- Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability.
- Certificate of registration for the firm.
- Personal CV or P11, indicating all experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
- Technical Proposal of why the individual considers him/herself the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how they will approach and complete the assignment.
- Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive per deliverable. If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNCDF under a 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 UNCDF.
- Proposals may be submitted on or before Friday, 30 June 2023, no later 23:59 pm EST (New York Time) via email to the address below:
United Nations Capital Development Fund Uncdf.procurement@uncdf.org
- Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer
Consultants will be evaluated based on UNDP’s cumulative analysis method. When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract shall be made to the consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
- Responsive/compliant/acceptable vis-à-vis the requirements of the TOR and the project operating environment; and
- Having received the highest score from a pre-determined set of weighted technical (70%) and financial (30%) criteria.
The evaluation criteria will be scored through two stages:
- Stage I: Technical Evaluation Weight – 70%
- Stage II Financial Evaluation Weight – 30%
Stage I: Technical Evaluation (70%):
Technical proposal = Review of a profile through desk review
- Step 1: Profile Review for applications is (70%) = 100 points
The technical evaluation panel will conduct a joint profile review for the applications using the criteria below, only successful candidates with a minimum of 70 points will be qualified, the profile review will be focusing on the following key criteria: Evaluation Criteria
Max. Score
Technical expertise in management consulting, scenarios planning and digital payments.
50
The first has a minimum of 10 years of a proven track record in digital payments, digital financial services, digital financial inclusion, or financial sector development and economic development in emerging markets.
15
The firm has a minimum of 10 years of experience in creation, implementation, research and statistical analysis of digital payments programs, financial inclusion, field data gathering, as well as qualitative and quantitative statistical analysis.
15
The firm has a minimum of 10 years of practical experience in leading evidence-based analytical assessments of initiatives/projects in digital payments, digital financial services, digital financial inclusion, and financial sector development and economic development in emerging markets
20
Policy and regulatory efforts in priority Alliance countries (30 points).
30
The applicant’s understanding of the objectives of the assignment, highlighting the problems being addressed and their importance
10
Minimum 10 years of proven extensive and deep experience with international development thought leaders in the public and private sectors focused on digital financial services and financial inclusion, with a strong gender lens is required. Climate change expertise is desirable.
10
Excellent skills in policy analysis, market research, and data analysis/management (spreadsheets, data visualization tools like Tableau, etc.) and ability to review data and identify and adjust discrepancies.
10
Program development and implementation management.
20
Minimum 10 years of relevant proven successful expertise, in strategy consulting and scenario planning, with UN, foundations, IFIs, or multilateral agencies based or operating in emerging markets.
5
The technical team members have adequate exposure and experience in sector level research, networking and ecosystem building through knowledge management and stakeholder engagement.
5
The firm has minimum 10 years of experience of personnel who have successful practical experience in managing dynamic workshops/training programs.
5
The firm has a minimum of 10 years of experience of personnel who are managing workshop moderation and convening skills.
5
Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% on the technical proposal will be considered as technically qualified and will be reviewed further for the financial evaluation.
Stage II: Financial Evaluation (30%): the following formula will be used to evaluate the financial proposal:
The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal is allocated to the lowest price proposal.
Lowest priced proposal/price of the proposal being evaluated x 30%.
Annexes to the TOR
- 2021 Annual Report – Responsible digital payments: accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals and rebuilding inclusive economies
- Better Than Cash Alliance
- Igniting progress on the SDGs 2023 version
- UN Principles for Responsible Digial Payments
- Reaching Financial Equality for Women
