Care International,RfP for a consultancy to conduct financial needs assessment for selected Saving Group (SG) members and the capacity of Financial Service Providers (FSPs) to meet the identified needs

East,
Central & Southern Africa

CARE
INTERNATIONAL IN RWANDA

P.O.
Box 550 Kigali City, KG 630,

Plot.
N0:669 Tel. Office: +250 788306241

+250
788304454 Email: Rwainfocacare.orq

www.care.orq

Advert
for a consultancy to conduct financial needs assessment for selected Saving
Group (SG) members and the capacity of Financial Service Providers (FSPs) to
meet the identified needs

1.
About Savings Groups and the Project

The
Government of Rwanda, has recognized Saving Groups as first entry financial
access points toward financial inclusion as their members receive basic
financial education (savings, loans, insurance) that can be leveraged on to
introduce them the formal financial market.

Based
on this understanding, AFR previously partnered with CARE International Rwanda
to implement a “Village Savings and Loan (VSL) Scale-Up Project” in
17 districts with the main goal of improving the livelihoods options, social
capital and financial capabilities of poor and vulnerable Rwandans (70% women)
by facilitating them to join community-based saving groups.5, 580 VSL groups
with 172,142 members were created.

In
view of the above, AFR and CARE have entered into a partnership to build the
capacity of 120,000 smallholder farmers in 8 districts of Rwanda organized into
Village Saving and Loan Groups on financial education, business and hands-on
agronomic skills and link them to formal FSPs.

Though
the problem statement seems to be well understood, CARE International in Rwanda
and AFR seek the services of an Expert consultancy firm to assess the financial
needs of the SG members and evaluate the capacity of selected FSPs to respond
to the identified needs with a focus on agriculture financial products.

2.
Scope of Work.

The
assessment will be conducted in the 8 districts (Rwamagana, Kayonza and Gatsibo
(Eastern Province); Rulindo; Gakenke, and Gicumbi (Northern Province) and
Nyamagabe and Huye (Southern Province) covered by PROFIFA project

3.
Required competences

The
following key competences are required for the consultancy firm to undertake
this assignment:

Significant
prior experience with conducting similar assignments in Rwanda or within
the region;
Demonstrated
familiarity with regard to research relating to financial inclusion or
access to financial services;
An
academically qualified team led by a principal with relevant Masters level
qualifications and a track record of at least minimum of 8 years in the
field of saving groups and microfinance;
Demonstrated
ability to work in a multicultural setting;
Excellent
report writing and communication skills in English and ability to
communicate in French and Kinyarwanda (local language) for some of the
team members.

4.
Timeline

The
consultant will be engaged for a period of 20 working days.

Interested
candidates or consultancy firms are requested to submit their application files
not later than July 20th, 2017 in a sealed envelope at the CARE
office in Kigali, to the attention of: CARE International in Rwanda, P.O .Box
550 Kigali, Rwanda with mention “Assessment for selected Saving Group
(SG) members and the capacity of Financial Service Providers (FSPs) to meet
the identified needs”

Technical
and financial offers can also be sent electronically only to the following
e-mail address: care.rw@care.org.

The
application file should contain the following documents:

A
detailed Curriculum Vitae of the individual(s) or firm who are proposing
to carry out the work (if a team is envisaged, ensure the repartition of
roles is clearly explained);
A
capacity statement demonstrating why the consultant (or consultancy firm)
is capable of doing the job based on academic qualifications and relevant
past professional experience (See selection criteria above). This should
include specific references to similar previous work;
A
technical and narrative proposal with a clear timeframe and a description
of the proposed methodology including the sampling, data collection and
analysis framework, detailing how the deliverables will be achieved;
A
financial offer detailing the various costs associated with the delivery
of the above services.