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Financial Access for Rural Markets, Smallholders and Enterprises (FARMSE),
Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs
P. O. Box 30049, Capital City, Lilongwe3. Malawi.
Tel: (265) 01 756932/33; Fax (265) 01 756930. Email: farmse@farmse.org
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
To Conduct Evaluations of FARMSE supported projects and Initiatives (FIRMS)
Country: Malawi
Name of Project: Financial Access for Rural Markets, Smallholders and Enterprises (FARMSE)
Project Number: 1501
Procurement Subject: Evaluations of FARMSE supported projects and Initiatives
Procurement reference numbers: FARMSE/381/382/383/2024/MW
1.0 INTRODUCTION:
The Government of Malawi has received financing from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (“the Fund” or “IFAD”) towards the cost of Financial Access for Rural Markets, Smallholders and Enterprises (FARMSE) and intends to apply part of the funding for payment of engaging of consulting firms to conduct evaluations of FARMSE supported projects and initiatives. The use of any IFAD financing shall be subject to IFAD’s approval, pursuant to the terms and conditions of the financing agreement, as well as IFAD’s rules, policies and procedures.
IFAD and its officials, agents and employees shall be held harmless from and against all suits, proceedings, claims, demands, losses and liability of any kind or nature brought by any party in connection with FARMSE.
2.0 BACKGROUND:
The Financial Access for Rural Markets, Smallholders and Enterprise Programme (FARMSE) is a ten-year Malawi Government Programme covering the period 2018 to 2028. The Programme was approved on 6th June 2018. The total cost of the programme is US$88.13 million, financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), NORAD, Government of Malawi and private sector participants. IFAD provides US$72 million (US$51 million of which is a loan at highly concessional terms, while the US$21 million of IFAD funds will be provided as a grant).
The Government of Malawi contributes US$9.6 million, out of which about USS3.1 million is financed from its social cash transfer fund and US$6.5 million comes from taxes and some duties. Domestic private sector contribution is US$6.1 million of total project costs while NORAD provides US435,000 to support nutrition interventions amongst FARMSE beneficiaries.
The overall goal of FARMSE is to reduce poverty, improve livelihoods and enhance the resilience of rural households on a sustainable basis. The Programme’s development objective is to increase access to, and use of, a range of sustainable financial services by rural households and micro, small, and medium enterprises.
FARMSE is a nation-wide programme thereby covers all the districts in Malawi targeting, 1,666,169 direct beneficiaries of which at least 45% will be women and 20% youth.
FARMSE is a Malawi Government program managed by a Programme Management Unit under Ministry of Finance. Actual programme delivery is primarily done by service providers who are awarded grants on competitive basis to implement agreed activities.
3.0 The programme has the following two targeting strategies: (i) Socio-economic based which focuses on concentrating and coordinating efforts to move households out of poverty on a sustainable basis; and (ii) self-selection through use of financial services. The programme has three key components.
Component 1: Ultra-poor graduation model development and scaling up: supports on-going government efforts in developing and delivering effective graduation programmes in rural areas to reduce extreme poverty levels among both ultra-poor labour constrained and non-labour constrained households. The component is based on the current GOM graduation concept, and is delivered by competent service providers identified through a competitive process and targets 50,000 rural households.
Component 2: Support to Financial Innovation and Outreach: aimed at overcoming numerous barriers to financial services to the rural poor. It supported the development of informal and formal financial services best suited to ultra-poor non-labour constrained, poor but food-secure, vulnerable to poverty, and low income but resilient to poverty households, emphasizing savings and credit for on and off farm enterprise. The component targeted to strengthen 23,000 existing and form 6,790 new VSL groups reaching 747,220 households. The component also supported Financial Service Providers (FSPs) wishing to enter and expand outreach to increase access to new and innovative financial services and low-cost delivery mechanisms for poor rural households and MSMEs; and support the scaling up of proven financial services and delivery mechanisms targeting 495,793 households.
Component 3 -Strategic Partnerships, Knowledge Generation, and Policy: aimed at strengthening macro level regulatory and financial sector policy and institutional capacity and produce/ distribute rural finance sector knowledge products which enhance the outreach and innovation potential of sector stakeholders.
4.0 The FARMSE programme in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs implemented various interventions at policy, regulatory and meso levels aimed at creating a conducive environment for rural finance in Malawi.
The program further engaged a number of service providers to implement various projects which are coming to an end in February 2025 under each of the three components as shown below.
Ultra poor graduation service providers: Concern World Wide, African Institute for Corporate Citizenship (AICC), Yamba Malawi, Christian Aid and World Relief
Community Based Financial Organisation Support service providers: Action Aid, Opportunity International Malawi, DAPP Malawi, Heiter International, Community Agribusiness partners (CAP) and African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP).
Innovation & outreach facility service providers: NBS bank, FDH bank, FINCOOP Malawi, TNM, Smile Life insurance and CUMO Malawi.
5.0 FARMSE would now like to conduct evaluations as the projects and initiatives are coming to an end in February 2025. The programme is therefore seeking three consultancy firms to undertake three separate evaluations for each component as follows:
- Ultra poor graduation development
- Community Based Financial Organisation Support
- Innovation & outreach facility
6.0 This request for proposals follows the general procurement notice that appeared inNation and Daily Times newspapers on 14th- 15th September and 17th September 2018, on the IFAD website and on DgMarket 15th and 14th September 2021 respectively.
7.0 The Financial Access for Rural Markets, Smallholders and Enterprises (FARMSE now invites Proposals from legally constituted consulting firms (NOT INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANTS) to conduct Evaluations of FARMSE supported projects and Initiatives.
More details of the consulting services are provided in the terms of reference (TORs) which are included in the request for proposal forms.
8.0 Before preparing the Proposals, the firms are advised to review the detailed terms of reference which describe the assignment and details the evaluation of the technical qualification of the firm.
9.0 All consultants are required to comply with the Revised IFAD Policy on preventing Fraud and corruption in its activities and operations (hereinafter, “IFAD’s Anticorruption Policy) in competing for, or in executing the contract.
10.0 The selection process will be conducted using Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS)” method as laid out in the IFAD procurement Handbook that can be accessed via the IFAD website at www.ifad.org/project-procurement. The client will evaluate the firms using the criteria provided in detailed TORs. The firms are requested to submit a detailed technical and financial proposal. The evaluation will include a review and verification of qualifications and past performance, including a reference check, prior to the contract award.
11.0 The estimated indicative budgets for these assignments is 45 to 50 billable daysand assignments are to be conducted within 60 calendar days.
12.0 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, it selected.
13.0 Interested firms should request for detailed TORs from gkabaghe@farmse.org or mmanganya@farmse.org
14.0 Any request for clarification on the submission of proposals should be sent via emails above no later than 18th November 2024 at 14:00 hours CAT. The client will provide responses to all claritication requests by 25th November 2024 at 17:00 hours CAT.
15.0 The proposal must remain valid for 90 (ninety) days after the submission date. During this period, the firm shall maintain the availability of professional staff nominated in the proposal.
16.0 The requested proposals should be submitted no later than 16th December 2024, in Lilongwe, Malawi before or at 15.00 hours local time, to the address below.
The National Programme Coordinator
FARMSE, Ministry of Finance & Economic Affairs
JAD Complex, Off Mchinji Road,
P.O. Box 30049 Lilongwe 3
Tel: (265)01-756932/3; Fax (265)01-756930
Email: gkabaghe@farmse.org or mmanganya@farmse.org
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