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TERMS OF REFERENCE

TUNISIA: TUNISIA WOMEN IN BUSINESS – TECHNICAL CO-OPERATION PROGRAMME

1. BACKGROUND

1.1 Women’s Access to Finance and Entrepreneurship in Tunisia

Women-led MSMEs remain an under-served segment in Tunisia and large gender gaps have been identified by EBRD-financed research with regard to access to finance and managerial experience for women entrepreneurs in Tunisia. These barriers tend to limit the growth potential of women-led MSMEs, constraining them to the micro and small segments, typically in low value-added, low productivity sectors, and mostly in the informal sector.

Access to finance is the main challenge cited by female entrepreneurs in Tunisia. More than half of women-led businesses do not have a dedicated bank account for their business (58% of formal and 96% of informal) of. Of all discontinued women-led businesses, 32 per cent did because of lack of financing. This is the second worst figure in a global sample of 74 countries, and 2.5 times worse than the MENA average. In addition, lack of finance drives women out of business 50 per cent more frequently than men, which is among the worst gap in the world. When they have development and growth projects planned for their business, women are more likely to meet their capital needs through private sources. In addition, while collateral barriers affect both men’s and women’s ability to access finance in Tunisia, women entrepreneurs are more likely to be impacted due to inheritance laws limiting their ability to accumulate assets and access collateral1. The other main factor behind the WiB gap is the lack of management skills and access to qualifications. Women entrepreneurs’ interests are under-represented in industry associations and dedicated bodies are not effective. In this respect, women entrepreneurs are a blind spot in public policy – partly a result of recent political upheavals. Entrepreneurship programmes reach women but are not tailored to the relevant needs of women entrepreneurs’ financing context.

1.2 Tunisia Women in Business Programme

In order to address the challenges described above, and improve Women MSMEs access to finance and know-how in Tunisia, EBRD has developed the Tunisia Women in Business Programme (“Tunisia WiB”). The ultimate objective of Tunisia WiB is to promote women entrepreneurship by improving women entrepreneurs’ access to finance and know-how, and promote a strong women-led MSMEs sector. Tunisia WiB has an integrated approach focusing on both the women-led MSMEs and the Partner Financial Institutions (“PFIs”) servicing them.

EBRD has so far identified three potential banks for inclusion in the Programme.

1.2.1 OBJECTIVES

1 Source: ConsumerCentrix WiB Market Overview, December 2017.1

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Tunisia WiB will aim to: Support women-led micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (“MSMEs”) in

accessing finance for their sustainable growth and job creation; Develop sustainable credit mechanisms targeted to women-led MSMEs through

technical assistance to financial intermediaries in Tunisia; and Support women-led MSMEs in accessing know-how, non-financial business

development services and networking opportunities.

Tunisia WiB includes four components: (i) the dedicated Women in Business Financing component; (ii) first-loss risk cover for banks; (iii) technical support to banks; and (iv) the WiB Advice for Small Businesses component.

(i) The Women in Business Financing component is established for the purpose of facilitating increased access to finance for eligible sub-borrowers. This will be achieved through up to EUR 30 million of finance to eligible partner financial institutions (“PFIs”) for on-lending to eligible women-led MSMEs.

(ii) Expected accompanying first-loss risk cover will enable PFIs to test the adaptation of terms and requirements to women-led businesses, thus improving their access to finance. First-loss risk cover will be provided to cover up to 70% of losses incurred on individual sub-loans for an amount up to 10% of the EBRD loan.

(iii) Technical Support to PFIs to strengthen their capacities to understand the financial needs of women-led MSMEs in Tunisia and effectively reach out to them through the introduction of new or improved products and processes.

(iv) The Women in Business Advice for Small Businesses component is established for the purpose of facilitating increased access to know-how and non-financial development services for women-led enterprises, as well as access to markets through networking opportunities. This, in turn, by promoting the sustainability of the assisted enterprises, shall put them in a better position to access finance and/or to make better use of it for growth and development.

2.       OBJECTIVES OF THE TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO PFIS

The overall objective of the Assignment is to support the Programme by:

1) Strengthening PFIs’ capacities to effectively serve women-led MSMEs through facilitating a process for the PFIs to develop a strategy to target women-led businesses, including institutional strengthening of the PFI as well as new or improved financial and non-financial products, business models and delivery mechanisms to target them;

2) Ensuring effective synergies between the full range of activities provided under the Programme, including financial products, advisory services and other non-financial services (entrepreneurial training courses, Women in Business seminars, Business Lens et al.); and

3) Implementing relevant Programme management functions, including monitoring, marketing, visibility and reporting;

4) Support the EBRD with policy dialogue activities in related areas. In particular, the Project Consultant will coordinate with other EBRD consultants

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and applicable EBRD teams in the context of the ‘Gender-responsive Investment Climate Reform

3. SCOPE OF WORK

To achieve objectives of the Assignment the Project Consultant shall implement the following activities. The knowledge and experience of the EBRD project team, including the locally-based team, should be engaged in the review of design and delivery of all deliverables, including trainings to PFIs on gender, design of visibility activities et al.

3.1 Baseline Assessment

A baseline assessment of each PFI is the first phase of the support provided to PFIs. It will guide the design of specific technical cooperation packages for each PFI and will therefore take place at the beginning of the process of technical support provided to the PFI. The objective of the baseline assessments is to 1) systematically describe patterns in women and men-led MSMEs’ use and access to credit or lack thereof and on this basis recommend how PFIs can improve their delivery of financial and non-financial products and services to Women-led MSMEs, and 2) explain the reasons behind gender gaps in the use and access to credit and non-financial services. In order to validate a hypothesis that men and women access finance and non-financial services differently and to understand how any changes to the current lending practices would impact on female entrepreneurs seeking access to finance, the assessment should understand and document the challenges that women as well as men face seeking finance and non-financial services; understand if and what the challenges that they face are common across gender, what challenges are specific to them and why. To achieve this objective, the baseline assessments will analyse both supply and demand factors influencing Women-led MSMEs’ access to finance. Initial focus groups will be conducted as part of the baseline assessment with each new PFI in the first phase of the support. The results of the baseline will guide the design of specific technical cooperation packages for each PFI. The PFI-level baseline assessment will analyse the existing supply and demand factors influencing Women-led MSMEs’ access to finance. The baseline should cover the following areas at the PFI level:

1. Gender analysis of PFI’s portfolio

The consultant will access PFI-level data to characterise male and female-owned MSME’s access to finance in the Tunisian context. They will capitalise on the existing market baseline assessment to support their their work at the PFI level. The consultant should make every effort to provide gender-disaggregated information in line with the definition Women in Business under the Programmes. The assessment should:

Determine and record if/how each PFI defines firm ownership and the gender of the owner.

Determine whether and if/how each PFI collects information on firm ownership and/or managerial responsibility by gender.

Identify women-led MSMEs patterns of use of financial services and products of a given PFI as compared to other (non-women-led) MSMEs, including a gender-disaggregated breakdown of the bank’s MSME portfolio, product types, profile of women-led PFI clients (size, sector, etc.), and other indicators deemed relevant during the portfolio analysis;

Identify specific obstacles that women and men-led MSMEs find to access credit, compared both at the market level and at the PFI level, including but not limited to,

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an analysis of loan applications and rejections (if rejections are recorded), and qualitative descriptions of female and male clients’ views of obstacles to access credit;

Assess impact of existing design features of financial and any non-financial products which may be offered by PFIs on women-led MSME’s ability to access them in particular regarding length of tenure, collateral level, targeted marketing and other critical aspects identified in the literature as impacting women’s ability to secure commercial loans at different stages of their development and growth, including start-up and micro level;

Analyse and compare demand-side constraints to the growth of women and men-led MSMEs, including access to business education and training and their level of financial literacy, access to business development services, and access to markets and networking opportunities, both for existing MSMEs bank clients and MSMEs in general.

Fully utilise the opportunity of focus groups and face-to-face meetings with both men and women entrepreneurs in order to draw upon their attitudes, beliefs, views and experiences of the challenges that they face in seeking finance and non-financial services and to identify and document the reasons for the gender gap in their access to and use of finance and non-financial services.

2. Assessment of business models and delivery mechanisms

Perform an organisational analysis and institutional assessment for each PFI to identify existing business model/s, lending mechanisms, practices and procedures and their impact in delivering financial and non-financial products and services to women-led MSMEs. Suggested methodology: Desk reviews of organizational documents, interviews with PFI staff.

Perform organisational culture and attitudinal assessments for each PFI to identify how the existing organisational culture and individual behaviour of staff influences female beneficiaries’ access to the products and services of the PFI (test for gender biases). Suggested methodology: Interviews with PFI staff (both women and men), attitudinal surveys, and experiments.

Perform a capacity needs assessment for each PFI to identify critical capacity gaps in staff skills and capabilities to implement and roll out women in business initiatives at the PFI level, as well as critical capacity gaps in MIS system to design and implement women in businesses initiatives.

Provide recommendations in line with assessments to guide implementation of technical cooperation activities under the Programme. The recommendations should be as tailored to each PFI as possible as well as costed.

3.2 Capacity Building

3.2.1 Institutional strengthening for WiB business model

Capacity building and other measures will generally encompass some or all of the below elements and the specific work plans of capacity building measures will be designed in coordination with and tailored to the needs of individual PFIs. Specific implementation targets will also be established then for such tailored assignments. Where practical, a programme of centralised workshops, seminars, and roundtables on particular topics and subjects will be organised for groups of PFIs and other relevant stakeholders, as appropriate.

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Based on the assessment above, design and develop appropriate organisational structures, business models and strategies, and procedures to assist the PFIs to efficiently start or continue and expand lending to the target Women MSMEs group. This includes, among others, establishment of dedicated departments/groups in the PFIs’ HQs and branches with staff trained to specifically address the needs of the target women-led MSMEs group, strengthening of credit underwriting, risk management, sales and marketing functions of the PFIs, and the implementation of any other measures identified as international best practices in this area.

Develop and deliver capacity building strategies and tools for the PFIs to help them provide gender responsive financial products and services to the target Women MSMEs group, addressing their specific needs (new and existing clients). This will include but not be limited to training, including Training of Trainers capacity building measures.

As necessary (and as advised by EBRD), make recommendations to the credit committees of the PFIs on the terms and conditions of sub-loans (within the guidelines of a policy statement committed to as part of the loan agreement between EBRD and each individual PFI), oversee credit analysis of the end-borrowers and underwriting process (including verification of eligibility criteria), administration and monitoring of sub-loans; assist with problem loan analysis, administration of collection efforts, and administration of write-offs.

Develop a monitoring system for the PFIs to supervise their lending operations and monitor the implementation and application of the techniques transferred as part of the TC Assignment.

Within the domain of existing IT/MIS infrastructure of supported PFIs, review and, as necessary, propose solutions to develop, adjust, and enhance specific MIS elements (e.g. application processing systems, portfolio reporting systems, etc.), supporting decision-making, documentation and the monitoring of respective operations. All systems will need to cater to the specific requirements of the operations, including (i) tracking sub-borrower level information on the performance of women-led SMEs (including turnover and employment, disaggregated by gender as appropriate) at the time of the loan application and at the time of repayment, and (ii) overall gender-disaggregated data including loan applications, loan rejection rats and their determinants. More specific requirements as to the data collection/disaggregation will be provided to the Programme Consultant by EBRD as discussed with PFIs and stakeholders.

Global Banking Alliance for Women (“GBA”) Membership: In support of EBRD’s Women in Business initiative, it is proposed to further support developing partner financial institutions’ capacity to establish a long-term strategy for a WiB segment by offering to reimburse the costs of the first year of membership of PFIs to the Global Banking Alliance for Women with certain preconditions.

The  partial reimbursement of PFI(s) will be made from the TC budget.

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GBA annual membership for EBRD PFIs in 2017 is US$7,500 for banks <US$3B in assets and US$15,000 for banks >US$3B in assets.  No Annual Summit fee will apply, subject to confirmation by GBA.

EBRD partial reimbursement of first-year membership fee is limited to $5,000 for banks <US$3B in assets and US$10,000 for banks >$3B in assets.  The difference between the GBA membership fee and the EBRD reimbursement figures must be borne by the PFI.

Following payment by the PFI to GBA of the first-year membership fee and the completion by the PFI of two capacity building activities, the EBRD Project Consultant FSFM will arrange for the PFI to be partially reimbursed (see 2 above).

Graduation: By the end of the TC Assignment implementation period, the PFIs’ centralised functions and/or lending departments established in the new (or pilot) branches are expected to be able to operate without further guidance and advice from the Consultant. This will include ensuring that lending to the target women-led MSMEs group is incorporated into their daily operations, that the PFI’s senior management is made aware of their impact and profitability, and advising the PFI on how to best provision and fund lending to the target women-led MSMEs group. Whereas the needs of PFIs in the Programme Consultant support will vary, it is expected that on average, the PFIs will graduate from the active phase of support within one year from its commencement. “Graduated” PFIs will still be involved in Tunisia WiB and may benefit from further support, e.g. through centralized seminars and workshops organised under Tunisia WiB.

3.1.3 Product development

The Programme Consultant shall develop, test, and roll out new products/adjust existing product to tailor them to the women-led MSMEs target group, taking account of specific barriers faced by women to access to finance identified by the baseline assessment. Consideration will be given to adoption of international best practices in co-operation with local / regional associations and agencies.

3.1.4 Awareness-raising, Business Lens and the Women in Business Seminars

The Programme Consultant shall deliver the following activities in close coordination with the EBRD Advice for Small Businesses team:

1) Awareness-raising Assist the PFIs to build awareness of demand of target women-led MSMEs

group for finance and in the design and adoption of effective delivery strategies and mechanisms to specifically target the women-led MSMEs.

2) Women in Business Seminars Develop and organise a series of seminars (the “Women in Business Seminars”

or the “Seminars”), drawing on and adapting the concept of the Women in Business Seminars provided by the EBRD to the local context and identifying topics of interest to the target group. These Seminars, often undertaken in partnership with local Chambers of Commerce, women’s business associations and PFIs, serve to bring together women entrepreneurs to learn about the full offer of the Programme

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(both financial and non-financial services) and strengthen their business network, as well as providing an introductory training on topics relevant to the target group such as ‘My business in numbers’, ‘What are banks looking for?’ and ‘Leadership in action’. The Seminars are organised in coordination with the EBRD Advice for Small Businesses team. The Consultant will be expected to source appropriate trainers and speakers (e.g. successful local women entrepreneurs as keynote speakers to present their experience). PFIs are engaged as part of a ‘smart marketing’ approach under the Programme.

3) Business Lens Promote Business Lens, a unique online self-diagnostic tool available to women

entrepreneurs under the Programme, which enables women-led SMEs to better understand their business operations and to evaluate their managerial capacity based on a number of areas such as financial management, operations, strategic management, risk management etc., connecting users to the appropriate tools available under the Programme and also providing a source of information on women entrepreneurs’ banking habits in the country.

Translate existing Business Lens content into French for the Tunisian market in conjunction with EBRD’s Advice for Small Businesses team.

Source and translate relevant data for the adaptation of Business Lens to the Tunisian market, namely lists of: legal business entities; administrative regions; and financial institutions active in the country.

Provide information to update the Programme website (www.ebrdwomeninbusiness.com) with information on upcoming events and Seminars and links to key news coverage.

Ensure the agreed targets in terms of uptake of Business Lens. The Seminars are a primary mechanism for promoting Business Lens, however the Programme Consultant should also consider appropriate additional mechanisms for marketing Business Lens to women entrepreneurs, including through local women’s business associations and Chambers of Commerce, web banners and online marketing, and synergies with PFI’s own marketing efforts. The Programme Consultant is expected to report on a monthly basis on progress against the target for Business Lens completions as well as seminars held and participant numbers (see template report in Annex III).

Analyse and report on the Business Lens data from Tunisia as part of an aggregated report provided to PFIs and EBRD on a semi-annual basis (to begin once a sufficient mass of user data has been obtained), within a format to be agreed with the EBRD.

Market Business Lens and the Programme website to PFIs, partner institutions and stakeholders.

3.2 Programme Support

3.2.1 Overall project management

The Programme Consultant will design the effective and efficient project management taking account of diverse situations among clients (e.g. business environment, cultural/social norms by region and the barriers for women entrepreneurs to access to finance identified by the baseline assessment). The expected roles of the Programme Consultant include but not limited to as follows:

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Reporting management: The Programme Consultant will work with the PFIs and other Programme stakeholders to establish standardised reporting and monitoring procedures. This will include to design templates, loan application forms, APS interfaces to support the PFIs with analysing women-led MSMEs’ loan applications, compliance of the women-led MSMEs’ with eligibility criteria, capturing and recording baseline data, and then collection at the time of loan repayment, consolidation and analysis of the outcome data. The Programme Consultant will also be required to assist the PFI in substantiating and submitting proof of client contributions (in-kind, parallel and/or cash) as defined in each PFI’s policy statement. Respective Policy Statements annexed to each PFI’s loan agreement will define exact parameters and types of information required.

First-loss risk cover administration: Tunisia WiB includes a credit enhancement provided to PFIs in the form of a first-loss risk cover for sub-loans funded from the proceeds of the Facility. Applicability of the instrument and claims procedures will be defined in the loan agreements EBRD will sign with the PFIs. The Programme Consultant may be required to assist the PFIs with setting up necessary compliance and documentary procedures for portfolio and claims management. The Consultant may also be required to assist EBRD with claims administration.

Coordination with other consultants and stakeholders related to the Programme: Close cooperation and coordination of the Programme Consultant with the WiB Advice for Small Businesses component, in particular, is vital to achieve the Programme’s objectives. Cross-referrals from/to the EBRD and the PFIs will help to ensure that the target women-led MSME groups are provided with the necessary know-how and finance to grow their businesses. The Programme Consultant will conduct a semi-annual matching analysis of beneficiaries to each component under the Women in Business Programme to identify effective synergies in the form of women entrepreneurs that have accessed two or more components under the Programme, understanding that the primary synergies under the Programme are identified at the market level rather than the MSME level (see template matching analysis in Annex IV). It is important to stress out that flexibility in product choice and sequencing is key to better reaching and servicing MSMEs according to their needs and that these Programmes do not intend to necessarily bundle or cross-sell the use of financial tools with advisory ones. The link foreseen between advisory and financing components has been designed from the outset as complementary and not one in which one component is a pre-requisite or a necessary outcome of the other. The Programme Consultant will ensure co-operation and co-ordination with other Programme Consultants active under the Programme as appropriate and will also include key outcomes shared into consolidated reports to EBRD.

Visibility: The Programme Consultant will be required to contribute to the design and implementation of Tunisia WiB’s visibility plan. The Programme Consultant also must comply with the provision of the visibility plan and in any case ensure appropriate donor and TC Programme visibility. The EBRD’s guidance shall be requested and approvals obtained in specific cases, e.g., for activities not covered in the visibility plan. The visibility activities shall include but not limited to as follows:

Tunisia WiB Programme launch event. The Women in Business Seminars, providing a platform for Tunisia WiB

Programme visibility.8

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In addition, high-profile thematic conferences with participation of country and regional authorities, donors of grant finance, PFIs, women-led MSMEs and other stakeholders will be planned and organised with the support of the Programme Consultant.

Delivery of training materials, manuals, presentations, instruction, brochures, factsheets and other materials produced for the benefit of the PFIs must contain proper visibility references, as well as appropriate disclaimers. The Programme Consultant must timely seek EBRD guidance on appropriate visibility and disclaimer requirements.

Co-ordination of activities with a separate Website Consultant assisting with the development of an online solution to host both Business Lens and www.ebrdwomeninbusiness.com

The Programme Consultant will not be required to develop a separate website.

However, the Programme Consultant will:

Translate and customise country-specific web and Business Lens content (list of regions, PFIs, etc.) for Tunisia in French.

Market Business Lens and the website to PFIs, partner institutions and stakeholders to ensure the agreed targets in terms of uptake of Business Lens and other Programme deliverables.

Analyse and report on Business Lens data concerning Tunisia including in support of the TC programme with PFIs.

Provide relevant translations, content and updates on the Programme to the EBRD team coordinator appointed for Tunisia WiB liaising with the Website Consultant.

It is important to note that EBRD has designed standard visibility and communications guidelines which will be applicable to all TC WiB Programmes in its countries of operation. Also, stemming from such general guidelines, a specific Tunisia WiB Visibility and Communications Plan will be designed. The Plan will be shared with the Programme Consultant and the Programme Consultant shall adhere to provisions of the Plan.

3.2.2 Impact assessment assistance

The Programme Consultant will assist EBRD’s results framework assessment process by regular measuring and tracking of key indicators set at PFI-level as well as at the level of women-led MSMEs (as appropriate). EBRD’s loan agreement with the PFIs carries conditions for the PFIs that require them to direct funding to desirable (i.e. oriented towards sustainable growth) or under-served populations (identifiable by sector, geography, size, product et al.). The Programme Consultant will assist PFIs to collect and track accurate data on sub-borrower financial performance changes as well as other information pertaining to women-led MSMEs as advised by EBRD.

4.         IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS The estimated TC Assignment duration is 36 months, during which the programme of capacity building and other measures will be implemented. The TC Assignment horizon may be extended for implementation and continuation of particular functions, such as assistance with monitoring, recoveries, and reporting – on a limited scale.

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The Programme Consultant will report to the EBRD Project team led by the designated Operation Leader (“OL”) The Assignment will be closely monitored by the EBRD Project team which will be in regular contact with the Consultant and the PFIs through regular electronic communications, field visits, and thematic events.

Close cooperation and coordination of the Programme Consultant with the WiB Advice for Small Businesses component shall be assured and the Consultant may consider the Advice for Small Businesses team as a potential pool of expertise on provision of non-financial services to MSMEs, including a wide pool of proven trainers both local and international and experience in conducting awareness-raising events within the local context.

PFIs will ensure full management buy-in and designate staff to work in close cooperation with the EBRD and the Consultant to oversee the implementation of the Programme activities and underlying financing operations. The PFI may also decide to establish a working group comprised of representatives from respective teams within the PFI organisations (e.g. risk, sales, marketing, IT, HR training, etc.). PFIs will be requested to allocate necessary human resources, time and other needed resources to fully benefit from the TC Project activities. If a PFI fails to fulfil its part of the TC Assignment implementation, its participation may be reconsidered.

The Programme Consultant may be required to have a permanent presence in Tunis, Tunisia to oversee the overall project implementation for the entire duration of the TC Assignment unless this requirement is waived by EBRD depending on operational priorities. Given that the locations of PFIs may be spread across Tunisia and they are expected to join the Programme at different points in time during the Assignment implementation, the Programme Consultant must maintain flexibility and be prepared to move at the discretion of the EBRD to the location where there is the greatest demand for Progamme support. To reflect TC Assignment needs, the Programme Consultant must also be available to scale up or scale down the level of its engagement, e.g. the number of experts involved in the TC Assignment implementation, during the lifetime of the TC Assignment.

The Programme Consultant will discuss and agree with the EBRD project team and respective PFIs, as and when appropriate, the set of measures for PFIs participating in the Programme as well as typical themes and scopes of centralised and individual training measures prior to their implementation.

It is expected that the Programme Consultant will designate different co-ordinators (bank advisers) for each PFI and key staff assigned to implement tasks with that PFI will be available for the entire period of respective (sub-) assignments. EBRD reserves the right to accept or reject substitutes offered and/or to reduce the contract amount accordingly should the Programme Consultant’s staff not remain throughout the agreed period.

PFIs will provide the Programme Consultant access to their sites and information. It will be expected that PFIs will contribute “in-kind” to optimise TC Assignment costs, where possible, by providing working/office space to the Programme Consultant, access of the Consultant to communications, printing/photocopying facilities, support with local transportation and accommodations, etc. – particularly when the Programme Consultant will be temporarily based in locations outside their main base, working at PFIs’ branches for example. “In-kind” contribution will also ensure the clients’ buy-in.

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The EBRD requests and encourages clients’ participation in sharing costs of TC assignments through financial cash, “parallel” or “in-kind” contributions by clients in the financial sector. The Programme Consultant, with support from EBRD project team, shall specifically agree with each PFI on the forms and level of contributions (“client cost-sharing”).

The Programme will be implemented in stages as per approved work plan(s) which may be modified from time to time within the broader parameters of the Programme based on the outcomes of Phase I and on an on-going basis to reflect the priorities and needs of PFIs as well as the pace of implementation of recommendations provided.

PFIs will assign counterparts to work with the Framework Consultant’s experts throughout the Assignment and give full access to all relevant information for the implementation of the Assignment. PFIs will also provide office space, access to equipment and communications facilities necessary for fulfilment of the duties by the Programme Consultant.

Regional travel may be required for implementation of the Assignment. Key experts will be required to be available for implementation of respective tasks and the Programme Consultant will be requested to have a continuous presence in Tunisia throughout the assignment duration unless this requirement is waived by EBRD depending on operational priorities.

The Programme Consultant must demonstrate internal capacity to oversee the assignment and provide a strategic input as and when needed.

The Programme Consultant will become familiar with and take into account the “EBRD Environmental and Social Policy and Performance Requirements”http://www.ebrd.com/downloads/research/policies/esp-final.pdf

6.         DELIVERABLES  The Programme Consultant shall be aware of the Tunisia WiB Programme context and expected results. The TC Assignment, being part of the overall Tunisia WiB effort will contribute to achieving of Tunisia WiB results and the Consultant shall work towards such results and propose ways of how specific targets can be effectively met under the TC Assignment, and the broader Programme.

The Programme Consultant will address all areas specified in the Scope of Work in line with other provisions, e.g., Implementation Arrangements, set forth herein and, as a minimum, deliver the following (quantifiable indicators):

PFI-level baseline assessment for each PFI. Based on the findings and recommendations from the baseline assessment,

develop work plan for the technical support for discussion with PFIs and approval by EBRD.

If not already conducted ahead of the Technical Assistance, conduct Strategic WiB Planning session with PFI management and staff from SME department to discuss findings of the baseline and support the bank in planning a women’s banking strategy.

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Other to be determined based on baseline and action plan, including but not limited to: Improve the PFI’s MIS to track/account for gender-disaggregated data/ Develop and introduce specific products and/or processes targeting women-led

MSMEs at each PFI, as well as monitoring and reporting procedures/ Support PFI in developing the necessary institutional capacity for the

implementation of the WIB (department/staff assigned to the WiB). Train at least 20 staff in each assisted PFI, including 15 trainers in each PFI,

with demonstrated capacity to implement necessary knowledge-replication functions within their organisations;2

Organise a series of Women in Business Seminars in cooperation with PFIs and the EBRD Advice for Small Businesses team and provide basic diagnostic services (Business Lens) to at least 50 women-led MSMEs including Sub-borrowers and potential sub-borrowers.

Organise a programme of centralised training workshops and thematic roundtables (primarily for PFIs) and hold at least 3 events with 50 participants in total.

Organise at least one thematic conference for Tunisia WiB stakeholders and broader audiences.

Produce case studies documenting experience and lessons learned based on implementation for the TC using template provided by EBRD.

7. REPORTING The Programme Consultant reports will serve as a monitoring and management tool for EBRD, but also represent the material to build respective parts of the EBRD reports to the relevant donors.

Reporting will include specific reports (inception and final reports) and regular reports (monthly and quarterly/semi-annual reports) to cover the whole spectrum of activities throughout Tunisia WiB and ensure proper monitoring and steering of the implementation, as follows:

(a) Baseline exercise should include the following deliverables and schedules:Deliverables based on 1 PFI Deadline Deliverable 1 Inception report including

methodology for the assessment and work plan.

1 week after starting assignment based primarily on desktop research

Deliverable 2 Draft baseline assessment following outline provided by EBRD

3 weeks after starting assignment

Deliverable 3 Final report including feedback from EBRD and client bank.

3 working days following the receipt of EBRD’s feedback

Deliverable 4 Power point presentation on report findings.

3 working days following the receipt of EBRD’s feedback

(b) An Inception Report reflecting results of a field mission and discussions with relevant stakeholders five weeks following the start of the TC Assignment. The Report will also propose the concrete plan of actions for each PFI (as indicated by

2 Final number to be determined relative to size of PFI and in consultation between client, PFI and EBRD, taking into consideration findings from the survey.

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EBRD) for the first half year of TC Assignment implementation (to be subsequently reviewed on a semi-annual basis). Baseline measurements should be presented in the report (Annex V).

(c) Depending on the condition that PFIs provide sufficient loan portfolio data to the Consultant, quarterly lending statistics recording activity in the previous period plus aggregate figures to date. This should include on a bank-by-bank basis the amount and number of eligible sub-loans disbursed broken down by categories compatible with Tunisia WiB’s indicators of achievement.

(d) A quarterly performance report with the following information:

i. Brief overview of the economic situation, changes in the regulatory landscape and other such factors directly affecting the financial sector and performance or operational modalities of PFIs.

ii. A comparison of actual results with the expected results including the deliverables noted above per each PFI.

iii. Reasons why established goals were not met, if appropriate.iv. An analysis of the adoption of procedures and the ability of PFI personnel

to continue best practice lending, expand client base, introduce new products/services, and effectively implement portfolio analysis, reporting, recovery procedures as compared to the baseline report for each PFI.

v. A review of how many trainers have been fully trained and are playing the role of trainers, under and without supervision.

vi. Outline of main objectives for next quarter. More detailed work plan and HR allocation matrix may also be required by the OL.

vii. Assessment of supervisory and control procedures and implementation; Evaluation of risk management procedures.

(e) A semi-annual report summarising results of the past six months of TC and providing an outline of activities for the next six months. Each second quarterly report will complement the semi-annual report. Each semi-annual report will have the following structure:

i. Executive Summary.ii. Detailed information on activities.

iii. Results achieved including current situation on indicators (see Section “Deliverables” above).

iv. By each PFI, list of Sub-borrowers and the summary of tracking data of Beneficiaries including financial performance (turnover, profit) and other indicators (as appropriate) .

v. By each PFI, project as a whole, a portfolio review including quality analysis (including the list of all problem loans, and an analysis of arrears) and an analysis of sub-loan sector distribution, tenor, collaterals (nature of collateral and coverage ratio).

vi. Financial and budget breakdown both on the level of PFIs and credit borrowers.

vii. Supporting documents.

A semi-annual report will also have a summary of cumulative achievements under the TC Assignment from its commencement, particularly the results achieved and status of indicators.

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(f) A final report within sixty (60) calendar days after the end of the Assignment, containing the following information:

i. A comparison of actual results with the expected results established for the period to include the deliverables noted above.

ii. Reasons why established objectives were not met, if appropriate.iii. Reports covering lending and operating activity for the whole period of the

contract, broken down by quarter.iv. An analysis of the adoption of procedures and the ability of PFIs’ personnel to

continue best practice lending, expand client base, introduce new products/services, effectively implement portfolio analysis, reporting, recovery procedures as compared to the baseline report for each PFI.

v. A portfolio review by each PFI and by the TC Assignment as a whole with sub-loan portfolio analysis. The analysis must include quality analysis (analysis of arrears and the list of all problem loans) and an analysis of sub-loan sector distribution, tenor and collateral (nature of collateral and coverage ratio). The final report also requires comparative analysis from the project implementation stage to the completion stage.

vi. An analysis of the women-led MSMEs’ financial performance (turnover, profit) and other indicators, as agreed with EBRD, including the comparison between at the time of sub-loan application to the time of sub-loan repayment or at the time of the end of the assignment. The analysis must be done by each PFI and by the Programme as a whole.

vii. An analysis of the adoption of procedures and the ability of PFIs’ personnel to continue best practice lending to target groups, portfolio analysis, reporting, and recoveries.

viii. Assessment of supervisory and control procedures and implementation.ix. A final assessment of the assignment in each of the PFI. The report should

include a description of any issues/problems that have arisen that require resolution and any other points the Consultant would like to bring to the attention of the EBRD project team.

The Consultant shall in a timely manner request EBRD to provide additional guidance on the format and scope of the semi-annual and final reports to ensure compatibility with the Programme’s reporting requirements.

Quarterly, semi-annual and final reports on TC measures should be specific about the results achieved and tasks performed during the reporting period and also contain cumulative data summarising results from the beginning of the period/project. The reports shall contain a balanced mix of textual information, tables and charts suitable for analysis and management decision making. All reports shall be presented in electronic formats without password and copy protection. Standard formats include Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Adobe PDF. Paper or digital copies on CDs may also be requested.

Results of market surveys and researches will be provided separately or as annexes to respective periodic/final reports.

The Programme Consultant will be required to include in its quarterly report a summary of disbursements by area of activity. An indicative list can be found hereafter:

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Baseline AssessmentsInstitutional strengthening for PFIsProduct developmentBusiness Lens supportWomen in Business SeminarsAwareness-raising activitiesFLRC Administration & SupportFLRC Administration & reporting support to PFIsProgramme Management Support & ReportingSub-loan portfolio reporting of the PFIs (quarterly)Business Lens output report (semi-annual)Business Lens performance reports (monthly)Support on Interim Reports for donors (semi-annual)

Additional ad-hoc reports may be requested by EBRD. Certain deliverables under the Assignment may need to be produced in Arabic language. All reports to EBRD shall be in English.

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