GOVERNMENT OF SIERRA LEONE NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL ACTION (NaCSA) ISLAMIC DEVELOPMENT BANK (IDB) REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR ISLAMIC MICROFINANCE CONSULTANCY FIRM Country: Republic Of Sierra Leone Name of Project: GIETRENK: Sierra Leone Community Driven Development Phase II Sector: Integrated Rural Development Consultancy Services: Islamic Micro- Finance Consultant Mode of Financing: Istisna’a and ISFD Loan Financing No. Sl-0084-85 The Government of Sierra Leone has received financing from the Islamic Development Bank towards the cost of the “GIETRENK: Sierra Leone Community Driven Development Phase II”, and intends to apply part of the proceeds for hiring an Islamic microfinance consultancy firm. Project will be implemented in the following six chiefdom clusters: Lower Bambara (Kenema), Dibia-BKM (Port Loko), Kholifa Mabang and Kunike Sanda (Tonkolili), and Bagruwa and Ribbi (Moyamba). The Specific Procurement Notice followed the General Procurement Notice (GPN) for this project that appeared in UN Business Development, NaCSA,Sierra Leone National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA) andIsDB websites on 2nd December 2015. The development objective of the project is to build the livelihoods of rural poor by providing them access to socio-economic opportunities and capacity building. The project will achieve this by providing communities access to deman driven social and productive assets and services, access to a package of business development services including microfinance and building local level institutions and governance structures. The Islamic Micro- Finance consultant will work within the overall framework of providing support for livelihood development and Micro and Small Enterprises (MSME) Development scheme implemented under the project. The livelihood development scheme is an essential element of the project to link the economic infrastructure provided with economic activities being undertaken in targeted areas. The project seeks to extend a line of financing of around US$3.00 million for the project beneficiaries under Islamic Modes of Financing with the aim to ease access to finance as well as to promote community managed rural financial services. The fund will be channeled through the Apex Bank Ltd Sierra Leone to the Community Banks (CBs) and Financial Services Associations (FSAs). The microfinance will mainly be used to undertake activities along the agricultural value-chains supported by the project. The key beneficiaries will be the self-help affinity groups, microenterprises groups, and individuals benefitting from project infrastructures. In this context, the project seeks the support of an Islamic Microfinance Consultancy firm for: (i) piloting the line of financing through FSAs, community banks and eligible commercial banks; (ii) assessment of the participating financial institutes to introduce and implement a program for (a) building capacity of Apex Bank/ commercial banks in Islamic microfinance methodology, (b) development of standard financing contracts, process design, mark-ups/ profits and manual of procedures, (c) study to determine the actual cost of lending to estimate appropriate lending rate for various modes, (d) identifying, selecting, and training other financial institutes eligible and capable of receiving IDBs line of financing using competitive process, (e) development and installation of MIS system for management of IDB funds, (f) building capacity of financial institutes in assessment and monitoring of beneficiaries; (g) Development of Islamic microfinance training plan including development of comprehensive modules and conducting training of master trainers; and (g) putting in place regulatory banking structures for operations of Islamic microfinance institutes in collaboration with the Bank of Sierra Leone (BoSL). The National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), executing agency of the Project, now invites eligible consultants to indicate their interest in providing the aforementioned consultancy services. Interested consultantsmust provide specific information which demonstrates that they are fully qualified to perform the services (brochures, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, updated and detailed curriculum vitea etc.). Experience, skills, qualification and expertise in the following area or tasks shall be the minimum requirement for the short listing of consultant: A minimum of 5 years of documented relevant work experience in the Micro-Finance sector with solid knowledge of the Islamic Micro-Finance modes and modalities; (ii) Expertise in sharia and Islamic lending principles; (iii) Extensive experience in the field of economic insertion and livelihood promotion and specifically in the field of Micro & SMEs financing and business development services; (iv) Extensive experience in the evaluation and design of Micro & SMEs financing products (including amongst others savings, insurances, money transfer, housing loans). A consultant will be selected in accordance with the procedures set out in the Guidelines for the Use of Consultants under Islamic Development Bank Financing (May 2009, amended February 2012) through open short listing of only the IDB Member country firms (PS: non-member country firms are not- eligible for this assignment). Interested consultants may obtain further information at the address below during office hours. 09:00 to 17:00 hours] (local time). Expressions of interest must be delivered to the address below by: 4th March, 2016. The EoIs may be submitted through postal mail or the email addresses indicated below. Attention: Mr. Kevin K.S. Dixon, Senior Director, Support Services Division National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), NaCSA House, 5th Floor 14-16 Charlotte Street, Freetown, Sierra Leone Mobile No: +232-76-632823 E-Mail: kevindixon@nacsa.gov.sl, kelviad1@yahoo.com Website: www.nacsa.gov.sl