Consultancy Service for National Financial Inclusion Diagnostic Study and Financial Inclusion of Forcibly Displaced Persons (FDPs) Roadma

1. Background

The Alliance for Financial Inclusion

The Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) is the world’s leading organization on financial inclusion policy and regulation. Currently, nearly 100 member institutions make up the AFI network including central banks, ministries of finance and other financial policymaking or regulatory institutions from over 85 developing countries and emerging markets. AFI empowers policymakers to increase the access and usage of quality financial services for the underserved through sustainable and inclusive policies and an effective use of digital technologies.

Policies developed and implemented by the members of the Alliance contribute to a range of the Sustainable Development Goals. by Setting their own agenda, AFI members harness the power of peer learning to develop practical and tested policy reforms that enhance financial inclusion with strategic support from both public and private sector partners.

AFI has 7 Working Groups (WGs): Consumer Empowerment and Market Conduct Working Group (CEMCWG), Digital Financial Services Working Group (DFSWG), Financial Inclusion Data Working Group (FIDWG), Financial Inclusion Strategy Peer Learning Group (FISPLG), Global Standards Proportionality Working Group (GSPWG), Inclusive Green Finance Working Group (IGFWG) and SME Finance Working Group (SMEFWG).

As the key source of policy developments and trends in financial inclusion and as the primary mechanism for generating and incubating technical content in the network, the Working Groups serve as “communities of practice”. Providing a platform for knowledge exchange and peer learning among policymakers to share, deliberate and deepen their understanding, the working groups offer leadership and expertise in their respective policy fields and support the network to monitor new developments in emerging fields.

The knowledge generated via the working groups is disseminated for implementation by a range of capacity building activities such as Joint Learning Programs, Member Trainings, Trainings by Private Sector Partners. The practical experience members garner from engaging in peer learning based capacity building is then applied by members as in country implementation projects which are supported by the provision of financial or technical support to AFI member institutions in conducting activities that aim to deliver financial inclusion policies, regulations, supervisory tools or enablers for the development of policies, such as national financial inclusion strategies

The working groups receive strategic guidance and insight from the High-Level Global Standards & Policy Committee, while the Gender Inclusive Finance Committee, supports WGs in integrating gender considerations into all aspects of their work and support members in fulfilling their Denarau Action Plan (2016) commitment to promote women’s financial inclusion.

AFI members have made further commitments in a range of other accords which can be read here.

The AFI’s five regional initiatives support policy implementation in Africa (AfPI), Latin America and the Caribbean (FILAC), the Pacific Islands (PIRI), Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ECAPI) and the Arab Region (FIARI).

2. Project Background :

BANQUE CENTRALE DE MAURITANIE

The Banque Centrale de Mauritanie (BCM) was created by law in 1973 and since then, the BCM has been achieving its sovereign goals of promoting a sustainable financial system, maintaining monetary value and controlling inflation, while staying open to payments and mobile money innovations. There is no digital money in Mauritania and the BCM is looking to update the banking sector to incorporate new technologies. Therefore, since 2019, the BCM has been engaged in the process of formulating and implementing a National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) to promote a sustainable financial sector and enhance financial inclusion, specifically targeting non-banked and vulnerable populations like women and forcibly displaced persons (FDPs). The NFIS has the following objectives:

• Strengthen and accelerate sustainable and inclusive economic growth
• Facilitate access to financial services for households and businesses
• Promote the development of financial products and services adapted to customer needs
• Promote financial education
• Promote the use of New Information and Communication Technologies (NTIC) for the provision of financial services
• Promote the emergence of a formal financial consumer protection framework

Towards that end, in 2021 the BCM undertook national financial inclusion demand-side surveys at household- and MSME- levels in order to determine a national baseline on financial inclusion for the formulation of Mauritania’s NFIS. In parallel, BCM also conducted a supply-side survey assessing specific indicators for access and usage of financial services by customers and users of regulated financial institutions – banks and non-banking financial institutions (leasing companies, microfinance institutions, etc.).

3. Overall Objective:

This assignment will support the formulation and implementation of Mauritania’s NFIS.

It has the objective of producing:

A national financial inclusion diagnostic study

This diagnostic study will use the already available data from the 2021 demand-side surveys (DSS), supply-side survey (SSS), and a comprehensive policy and regulatory review. It will assess the level of financial inclusion in Mauritania in terms of access, usage and quality and will later inform the formulation of Mauritania’s NFIS. The NFIS will be drafted through a different project, outside of the scope of this assignment.

A roadmap for the inclusion of FDPs into the NFIS and mainstream financial inclusion policy

The roadmap will involve analyzing data from the diagnostic study and feedback gathered from key informant interviews and national multi-stakeholder consultative workshops, with a focus on increasing financial inclusion of FDPs.

4. Project Components:

4.1 National Financial Inclusion Diagnostic Study for Mauritania

In 2021, BCM and the Agence Nationale de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Demographique , – ANSADE (National Agency for Statistics and Demographic and Economic Analysis), conducted a national DSS to assess the level of financial inclusion in Mauritania. In parallel, the BCM undertook a national SSS to assess financial services offered by a range of providers including banks, microfinance institutions, leasing companies and etc.

This assignment involves the development of a diagnostic study based on the data of the DSS, SSS and a policy and regulatory review. The diagnostic study should present the level of financial inclusion in Mauritania (highlighting any financial inclusion gaps in terms of products, region, population, services) and include specific indicators and targets for FDPs and women, to ensure these target groups are appropriately integrated into the NFIS at a later stage.

These are the main activities under this component:

• Analysis of raw DSS data: Analyze raw DSS data; corroborate findings against Mauritania’s NFIS pillars as presented in the NFIS Concept Note; assess access and usage of quality formal financial services for the NFIS target groups including women and FDPs; and the constraints and barriers faced by NFIS target groups including women and FDPs.
• Analysis of raw SSS data: Analyze raw SSS data; draw conclusions; and formulate recommendations for building a sound and sustainable financial sector that enables access to finance and offers appropriate financial services for target groups especially women, FDPs and MSMEs.
• Policy and regulatory review: Undertake a desk-based research and key informant interviews to review current policies and regulations that are relevant to Mauritania’s financial inclusion agenda including ones related to MSME finance, women-owned businesses, the general ecosystem and policies currently supporting the uptake and usage of digital financial services, financial consumer protection regulations (transparency, redress mechanisms, fairness of contracts, data protection, etc.) and policies related to market conduct supervision, financial and digital education and awareness, as well as specific policies to financially include vulnerable groups such as FDPs, women, youth, persons with disabilities, MSMEs, among others.
• Diagnostic study: Draft the diagnostic study using the DSS data, SSS data and policy and regulatory review. The study will be instrumental in informing the formulation of Mauritania’s NFIS at a later stage. It should provide important baseline data, and proposed objectives, targets and indicators for the NFIS. It must also define objectives, targets and indicators for women and FDPs, in addition to the other target group of the NFIS.
• Support to a high-level workshop: The diagnostic study will be presented at a dedicated high-level workshop gathering main national stakeholders with the assistance of BCM. Consolidate comments at the workshop and inform the finalization of the diagnostic study post-workshop.

4.2 Roadmap for the Financial Inclusion of FDPs

This assignment also involves the development of a roadmap for the financial inclusion of FDPs using the analysis from the diagnostic study (the DSS includes key insights on FDPs).

The main activities under this component:

• Focused assessment on the financial inclusion of FDPs in Mauritania: Use the diagnostic study and other primary research to draft a report on the current situation, barriers to, and enablers for FDP financial inclusion.
• Roadmap for the financial inclusion of FDPs: Develop a roadmap for the financial inclusion of FDPs based on the analysis from the diagnostic study. The roadmap should present a vision, objectives, targets, specific enablers and foundations to financially include FDP, and an action plan including the leads and implementers, a results framework within a specific timeframe for national stakeholder implementation at a later stage.
• Support to a national multi-stakeholder consultative workshop: The roadmap will be discussed at a dedicated national multi-stakeholder consultative workshop gathering main national stakeholders**.** Consolidate comments and propose a final roadmap at the workshop for endorsement by national stakeholders.

5. Scope of Work:

The consultant is expected to produce a national diagnostic study and a roadmap for the financial inclusion of FDPs in Mauritania.

The following sets out the scope of work and specific deliverables under this assignment:

• Inception meeting: preliminary consultations with the BCM team to agree on the scope of work, timelines, deliverables, partners (e.g., ANSADE, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Development, Ministry of the Interior and Decentralization, UNHCR), support needed, and reporting process.
• Analysis of DSS raw data: report on key financial inclusion indicators from the users and potential users of formal financial services in Mauritania.
• Analysis of SSS raw data. Report on key financial inclusion indicators from the financial providers perspective.
• Policy and regulatory review. Report of desk-based research on relevant policies and regulations related to financial inclusion.
• Key informant interviews with stakeholders (facilitated by BCM).
• Support to a high-level financial inclusion diagnostic workshop: The diagnostic study will be presented at a dedicated high-level workshop gathering main national stakeholders. Consolidate comments at the workshop and inform the finalization of the diagnostic study post-workshop.
• Diagnostic study: Outline, draft and final reports defining the current situation, main barriers and opportunities on financial inclusion for different target groups including women and FDPs. The report should define objectives, targets and indicators for women and FDPs, in addition to the other target group of the NFIS.
• Roadmap for the financial inclusion of FDPs: Outline, draft, and final report identifying the enablers, policies and regulations needed to support FDPs financial inclusion (based on the diagnostic study).
• Support to a high-level workshop: The diagnostic study will be presented at a dedicated high-level workshop gathering main national stakeholders. Consolidate comments at the workshop and inform the finalization of the diagnostic study post-workshop.
• Support to a national multi-stakeholder consultative workshop to support FDPs: The roadmap will be discussed at a dedicated national multi-stakeholder consultative workshop gathering main national stakeholders. Consolidate comments and propose a final roadmap at the workshop for endorsement by national stakeholders.

6. Travel:

This consultancy work requires domestic/regional/international travelling to Nouakchott, Mauritania to support the interviews and national multi-stakeholder consultative workshops. This will be discussed in further detail after the award decision notification. Please include budgeting for workshop-related travel in your financial proposal.

7. Timelines:

[The scope and tentative timelines for this assignment is detailed below]:

Activity

Output/ Deliverable

Timeline

1.Appointment of Consultant – Early April 2022

• Signed Agreement with Consultant

2.Inception Meeting – April 2022

• Agreement scope, expected deliverables, support needed, reporting and related timelines.

3.Analyze raw DSS data – April 2022

• Data analysis

4.Analyze raw SSS data – April 2022

• Data analysis

5.Undertake policy and regulatory review – April 2022

• Policy and regulatory review

6.Develop diagnostic study – May – June 2022

• Diagnostic study draft

7.Develop roadmap for the financial inclusion of FDPs – May – June 2022

• Roadmap draft

8.Present draft diagnostic study to stakeholders and gather feedback – June 2022

• Gather feedback and comments on draft diagnostic study

9.Consult stakeholders on draft roadmap – June 2022

• Consolidate comments and propose a final roadmap at the workshop

10.Prepare a final report (diagnostic study) on the level of financial inclusion in Mauritania as well as policy recommendations, and submit to the BCM for approval – June 2022

• Final report produced and approved

11.Finalize the roadmap for the financial inclusion of FDPs – June 2022

• Roadmap finalized and approved

12.Support to the HL and consultative workshop – June 2022

• PowerPoints for the presentations and reports consolidating comments

During the assignment, the BCM and AFI teams will closely oversee, guide and support the consulting firm by sharing internal expertise; linking them with key stakeholders; assisting in arranging the consulting firm’s communications; and providing inputs to deliverables.

This assignment is expected to involve extensive data analysis and interaction with key stakeholders.

8. Consultant Experience:

• The applicant should be a consultant or consulting firm with more than 7 years of experience in conducting research relating to financial sector development, financial inclusion or related field.
• The consultant or consulting firm should have expertise in statistics, data analysis and public policymaking with a working knowledge of financial institutions and a good understanding of existing financial policies and innovations.
• Good understanding of the Mauritanian financial sector (Banking, MFIs, MNOs, SACCOs and etc), existing products and Mauritania’s financial inclusion journey.
• Proven skills and experience in addressing disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in financial inclusion policymaking, particularly women and FDPs.
• To have done similar exercises for similar group (s) of people and institutions is an added advantage.
• The team leader should have at least 7+ years of relevant experience and hold a master’s degree in a relevant field.

• Excellent written and presentation skills in English and French. Knowledge in Arabic is an advantage.

• Experience working with governmental institutions and public authorities.

• Ability to maintain and keep confidential information within the scope of the project.

9. Reporting:

Throughout the contract period, the consultant will be reporting to the Project Lead from the BCM supported by the Technical Lead from the AFI team supporting this assignment**.**

10.Proposal Submission Information:

• Conflict of Interest acknowledgement & sign off [Mandatory]
• Workplan [Mandatory – if stated/required]
• Company Registration [Mandatory]
• Company Profile
• Full CVs of lead and support consultant highlighting relevant work
• List of previous or current clients with whom similar work has been conducted
• At least one (1) sample (link or attachments) of a published technical paper on financial inclusion authored exclusively by the lead consultant.
• Reference letter (if any);
• Disclosure statement, if individual has full time or part time employment contract with any organization or government official or indirect involvement in this tender;[Mandatory – for individual participant]

Submission of Technical and Financial Proposals:

• Kindly submit technical proposal using the template given in annexure 1 and financial proposal using the template given in annexure 2, along with the documents listed above
• Technical and financial proposal must be submitted in two separate PDF files, using the given
• The two proposals are to be submitted to the designated email

AFI reserves the right to disqualify incomplete submission and

non-compliance to the above requirements. Notification result will only be sent to shortlisted candidates upon completion.

11. Criteria for Evaluation

Technical Scoring : Total – 100%

1. Academic Qualification – 20%

2. Experience and technical competence of the key staff for the assignment – 40%

• *Adequacy for the assignment (*20%)

• *Regional/Global experience (*20%)

3. Adequacy of the proposed work plan and methodology in responding to the Terms of Reference – 40%

• *Technical approach and Methodology (*20%)

• *Workplan (*20%)

Evaluation of technical and financial proposals

The evaluation and decision on the best proposal will be made based on the combined criterion, where companies are qualified by means of a score that takes into account the combined valuation of the technical and financial proposals, with the following weights:

a) Technical Proposal: 70% (Seventy percent).

b) Financial Proposal: 30% (Thirty percent).