Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises Project

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES– FIRMS SELECTION)

UGANDA

Grant No. 0920-UG

Assignment Title: Due Diligence assessment of Financial Institutions selected to implement the GROW Project Financing Facility

Reference No.: UG-PSFU-376868-CS-CQS

The Government of the Republic of Uganda has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project, and intends to apply part of the proceeds for Consulting Services.

The Project Development Objective is to increase access to entrepreneurial services that enable women entrepreneurs to grow their enterprises in targeted locations, including host and refugee communities. The Project is being implemented jointly by Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development (MGLSD). PSFU is implementing Sub-Components 1c, 2b, 2c and 4b of the Project, through a Project Coordination Unit (PCU).

The project will support establishment of an integrated program of customized services that empower women entrepreneurs’ growth and transition their enterprises from micro to small and from small to medium as well as improve their productivity. This will include among others: (i) provision of enterprise development services for women through training (technical, life-skills, digital), business advisory services, and enhanced networks for women through platforms that facilitate market linkages and value chain development and seek to change negative social norms that prevent women from engaging in business activities; and (ii) facilitating access to finance for women entrepreneurs to transition from micro enterprises to small and medium enterprises. This component will address the key constraint of access to larger scale finance for women entrepreneurs to expand their business.

The Project will provide a grant facility that incentivizes women to access the credit they need from public and commercial financial institutions utilizing either their existing capital as well as a credit line under the project to the financial institutions. The grants will be provided to eligible women-owned enterprises as a package to complement loans offered by the project’s PFIs.

PSFU will implement key project interventions and play a critical role in liaising with private sector institutions, including training providers, banks, and entrepreneur associations by providing support for (i) the demand-driven sector-specific and technical training and mentoring; (ii) the complementary grants mechanisms; and (iii) the financial products.

The consulting services ("the Services") include due-diligence assessment of the Financial Institution’s policies, governance structures, capital position, and portfolio performance among others, to verify, validate, and assess the accuracy, integrity and completeness of the information required to make a well-informed funding decision and avoid waste, fraud, and abuse. The due diligence will ensure that the information and documentation regarding the application is relevant to the funding decision and that the FIs seeking to participate in the granting scheme are honest, dependable, and fully capable and committed to the executing of the assignment.

Click to download the detailed Terms of Reference

Private Sector Foundation Uganda through the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project now invites eligible consulting firms ("Consultants") to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The shortlisting criteria are : (1) At least 15 years’ experience in undertaking related assignments; (2) Evidence of having implemented at least 3 similar/ related assignments, one of which should have been undertaken in a Sub-Saharan country, or country with similar economic conditions to Uganda; (3) Demonstrable experience in working on financial inclusion and Micro- Enterprise Development Projects; (4) Comprehension of Environmental, Gender and Inclusion policies of the World Bank; (5) Submit the firm’s organogram to demonstrate the firm’s technical and managerial capability (6) Availability of appropriate skills/expertise among the consultant's team including expertise in Financial/Banking Sector; Monitoring & Evaluation and Information Systems, among others. Individual experts' bio-data is not required at this stage.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank Procurement Regulations for Investment Project Financing (IPF) Borrowers dated November 2020 (Procurement Regulations).

Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications, but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Consultant’s Qualifications-based Selection (CQS) method set out in the Procurement Regulations.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours (0800 to 1700 hrs.)

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by Friday September 22 2023. Consultants may make arrangements to have their Expressions of interest delivered by courier services. However, no liability will be accepted for loss or late delivery.

The Project Coordinator

Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises Project

Private Sector Foundation Uganda

Plot 43 Nakasero Road

P O Box 7683

KAMPALA

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES– Individual Consultant SELECTION)

UGANDA

Grant No. 0920-UG

Assignment Title: Due Diligence assessment of Financial Institutions selected to implement the GROW Project Financing Facility

Reference No.: UG-PSFU-376867-CS-INDV

The Government of the Republic of Uganda has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project, and intends to apply part of the proceeds for Consulting Services.

The Project Development Objective is to increase access to entrepreneurial services that enable women entrepreneurs to grow their enterprises in targeted locations, including host and refugee communities. The Project is being implemented jointly by Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development (MGLSD). PSFU is implementing Sub-Components 1c, 2b, 2c and 4b of the Project, through a Project Coordination Unit (PCU).

The project will support establishment of an integrated program of customized services that empower women entrepreneurs’ growth and transition their enterprises from micro to small and from small to medium as well as improve their productivity. This will include among others: (i) provision of enterprise development services for women through training (technical, life-skills, digital), business advisory services, and enhanced networks for women through platforms that facilitate market linkages and value chain development and seek to change negative social norms that prevent women from engaging in business activities; and (ii) facilitating access to finance for women entrepreneurs to transition from micro enterprises to small and medium enterprises. This component will address the key constraint of access to larger scale finance for women entrepreneurs to expand their business.

The Project will provide a grant facility that incentivizes women to access the credit they need from public and commercial financial institutions utilizing either their existing capital as well as a credit line under the project to the financial institutions. The grants will be provided to eligible women-owned enterprises as a package to complement loans offered by the project’s PFIs.

PSFU will implement key project interventions and play a critical role in liaising with private sector institutions, including training providers, banks, and entrepreneur associations by providing support for (i) the demand-driven sector-specific and technical training and mentoring; (ii) the complementary grants mechanisms; and (iii) the financial products.

The consulting services ("the Services") include due-diligence assessment of the Financial Institution’s policies, governance structures, capital position, and portfolio performance among others, to verify, validate, and assess the accuracy, integrity and completeness of the information required to make a well-informed funding decision and avoid waste, fraud, and abuse. The due diligence will ensure that the information and documentation regarding the application is relevant to the funding decision and that the FIs seeking to participate in the granting scheme are honest, dependable, and fully capable and committed to the executing of the assignment.

Click here to download the detailed Terms of Reference. Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours (0800 to 1700 hrs.)

Private Sector Foundation Uganda through the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project now invites eligible individual consultants ("Consultants") to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the following minimum qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services:

1. A Masters’ degree Finance, Banking, Business Management or related field.
2. 15 years experience in the Micro finance/Banking sector, particularly lending and risk management.
3. Experience in working on financial inclusion and enterprise development projects.
4. Experience in due diligence assessment of financial service providers in Uganda.
5. Knowledge of gender financing challenges and social risks.
6. Previous experience heading a recognized Financial Institution will be an added advantage.

The selection will be conducted in accordance with the procedures for selection of Individual Consultants set out in the World Bank Procurement Regulations for Investment Project Financing (IPF) Borrowers dated November 2020 (Procurement Regulations).

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the Procurement Regulations setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by Tuesday September 19, 2023. Consultants may make arrangements to have their Expressions of Interest delivered by courier services. However, no liability will be accepted for loss or late delivery.

The Project Coordinator

Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises Project

Private Sector Foundation Uganda

Plot 43 Nakasero Road

P O Box 7683

KAMPALA

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.