REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTANT SERVICES – SELECTION OF FIRMS)

 

Country: KYRGYZ REPUBLIC

Project Name: LINE OF FINANCING FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE MECHANIZATION IN KYRGYZ REPUBLIC (ISLAMIC FINANCE COMPONENT)

Project Code: KGZ1037 (Islamic Finance Component)

Sector: AGRICULTURE

Mode of Financing: ISLAMIC FINANCE GRANT

Financing No: KGZ1037

 

The Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic (MWRAPI) has received Technical Assistance (TA) from the Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI). This TA supports the project, “Line of Financing for Promoting Agriculture Mechanization in the Kyrgyz Republic.”

 

Primary Objective: The overarching goal of this assignment is to support the project by providing comprehensive training and consulting services. This will enhance stakeholders' understanding and application of Islamic banking principles, enabling government authorities to improve the regulatory framework to align with these principles.

 

Specific Sub-Objectives: The specific sub-objectives of the TA are to:

 

1. Targeted Bank Implementation Support: Provide direct assistance to the participating financial institutions, Ayil Bank and Eldik Bank, in implementing the IsDB Line of Financing. This includes focusing on the introduction of new Islamic banking products that align with state agricultural development programs.
2. Sustainable Capacity Building: Develop a specialized "train-the-trainer" cadre to meet the local market demand for expertise in Islamic finance principles, thereby ensuring long-term, sustainable knowledge dissemination.
3. Educational Delivery: Design and deliver a tailored curriculum, including a full range of online and offline educational programs and consultations on key aspects of Islamic banking and finance, as defined within the IsDBI Technical Assistance framework.

 

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment are available at the address below or upon request by email.

 

The MWRAPI now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the listed services in the draft ToR. Interested Consultants must provide specific information that demonstrates that they are fully qualified to perform the services (availability of appropriate experience and skillful staff confirmed by brochures, description of similar assignments in analogous conditions, etc.) including expertise in developing similar studies.

 

The shortlisting criteria / sub-criteria are:

These criteria are designed to evaluate the Expression of Interest (EOI) from consulting firms, focusing on their capacity to deliver the specialized training and consulting services detailed in the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the IsDB-financed project in the Kyrgyz Republic.

• Institutional Experience and Longevity: The firm must be an established educational/consulting firm with a minimum of 10 years' experience specializing in Islamic banking and finance training and consulting. This longevity must be backed by a stable organizational structure capable of managing multi-year, multi-component technical assistance programs without service disruption.
• Adherence to Global Standards and Certifications: Proven track record of delivering at least three (3) similar assignments that explicitly align with or are certified by recognized Islamic financial standards bodies, specifically the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) or the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB). Bidders must demonstrate the specific technical capacity to translate these global standards into practical internal audit checklists and compliance frameworks tailored to the project’s unique requirements.

• Geographic and Contextual Experience: Demonstrated experience in conducting similar projects in Central Asia or other OIC member states with developing Islamic finance sectors. This shows an understanding of localized regulatory and implementation challenges. This regional expertise is critical to ensuring that proposed Sharia-compliant solutions are compatible with civil law frameworks and the specific macro-prudential environment of the Kyrgyz Republic.

• Practical Product Implementation Experience (Component 2 Focus): Prior experience in providing hands-on assistance to financial institutions for the practical design, rollout, and troubleshooting of specific Sharia-compliant banking products (e.g., Mudaraba, Musharaka, Istisna, Salam, Ijarah) in a credit line or financing context. The firm must provide evidence of having moved products from the conceptual "Fatwa" stage to full operationalization, including the development of core banking system requirements and front-office sales protocols.

• Specialized Technical Scope Experience (Component 3 Focus): Specific expertise covering the diverse advanced training topics, including Islamic accounting and reporting, taxation/customs implications of Islamic contracts, Sharia governance, and Sharia-compliant monetary policy instruments. Critically, the Consultant must demonstrate the technical capacity to align the taxation and customs implications of Islamic contracts specifically with the current tax code and regulatory requirements of the Kyrgyz Republic. The Consultant must demonstrate the ability to translate these complex regulatory requirements into actionable operational manuals and reporting templates that ensure institutional compliance with AAOIFI standards. Evidence of past success in obtaining regulatory "no-objections" for these instruments from Central Banks or Tax Authorities will be highly prioritized to ensure the training leads to actual market adoption.

 

Key Experts will not be evaluated at the shortlisting stage.

 

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Part 01, Chapter 01, Paragraphs 1.12.1 and 1.12.2 of the Guidelines for Procurement of Consultancy Services under Islamic Development Bank Project Financing, April 2019, revised in February 2023 (the “Procurement Guidelines”), setting forth IsDB’s policy on conflict of interest, available at https://www.isdb.org/project-procurement/documents.   

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 Quality- and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS) method through a shortlist of firms from IsDB Member Countries as set out in the Procurement Guidelines.

Interested consultants may obtain further information at the address below during office hours 09:00 to 17:00 hours Kyrgyzstan Local Time or by email.

Expressions of interest must be delivered on a written form or electronically to the address below (in person, by courier such as DHL, or by e-mail) by 27 February 2026.

PMU for the Line of Financing for Promoting Agriculture Mechanization in Kyrgyz Republic Project

Attention: M. Imarov, PMU Director           

4 V, Toktonaliev Str.

720055, Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic

Tel: + 996 (312) 540537

E-mail: agrimechpmu@gmail.com