Framework agreement for the services of an Individual Contractor Engaged on On-Call Basis, Senior Technical and Technical Experts on Responsible Digital Payments and Digital Financial Inclusion, Better Than Cash Alliance (BTCA)
Procurement Process
IC - Individual contractor
Office
UNCDF - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Deadline
27-Sep-22
Published on
20-Sep-22
Reference Number
95838
Overview
This is a re-advertisement of vacancy reference: 107364. Previous applicants need not re-apply. Applications to this re-advertisement shall be evaluated together with applications from the previous advertisement. “Experts from West Africa or have experience in West Africa are strongly encouraged to apply”. About UNCDF United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is the UN’s capital investment agency for the World’s 46 least developed countries (LDCs). It creates new opportunities for poor people and their communities by increasing access to inclusive finance and investment capital. Established by the General Assembly in 1966 and with headquarters in New York, UNCDF is an autonomous UN organization affiliated with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). About the Better Than Cash Alliance Hosted by UNCDF, the Better Than Cash Alliance’s mission is to catalyze a global movement from cash to digital payments to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Specific benefits include efficiency, transparency, women’s economic participation, and financial inclusion, helping build economies that are digital and inclusive. The Alliance has 75 members, including national governments from Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America, companies, and international organizations which have committed to digitizing payments. The Secretariat works with the Alliance members on their journey to digitize payments by:
Billions of dollars in cash payments and transfers are made daily in emerging and developing economies, including payment of salaries, social welfare, relief, payments to suppliers, and remittances. The problems with these cash payments include a lack of transparency, accountability, and security, as well as inefficiency. Individuals who receive cash payments are often part of the 1.7 billion excluded from the formal financial sector, the majority of whom are women. This means they are excluded from access to a range of appropriate and affordable financial services to help them save safely take advantage of economic opportunities and reduce their vulnerability to risk. Shifting these payments from cash to digital has the potential to improve the lives of low-income people, particularly women while giving governments, the development community, and the private sector a more transparent, time and cost-efficient, and often-safer means of disbursing payments. The Better Than Cash Alliance Team’s Core Values are the following:
The Alliance has been widely recognized as a leading global authority on the digitization of payments, a trusted source of evidence-based and tailored policy guidance, and a forceful advocate for responsible and inclusive digital ecosystems. It is credited with having catalyzed a global movement to drive the digitization of payments. More than 100 organizations have made commitments to move away from cash to digital payments from Government, private sectors, UN agencies and many more. The Better Than CASH Alliance has developed its strategy 2022-2025 focusing on scaling digital payments with a focus on Africa and women for COVID-19 post recovery using both advocacy and advisory services. Building on nine years of achievements, 2022-2025 Strategy will focus on scaling digital payments in emerging and developing economies with a focus on responsible practices and financial equality for women by:
The Alliance Secretariat provides demand-driven services to its members in payment streams that have the potential to scale, where the Secretariat has a unique value, and where they complement their partnership with the Alliance. During 2022-2025, the payment streams will be focusing on the following:
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Duties and Responsibilities | |||||||||||||
Specific Objectives The objective of this terms of reference is to find high- quality technical experts in digital finance that are capable of providing advisory and advocacy support to help achieve the Alliance’s goal of catalyzing a movement from cash to digital payments and support members of the Alliance to adopt digital payment instrument methods Individual Consultants are expected to provide advocacy, research, advisory services, capacity building, and technical assistance interventions in the following areas:
The Expert must prove knowledge and practical experience in one or more of the following themes:
Financial Inclusion experts are expected to provide technical assistance and support to Governments or companies members of the Alliance be called upon to support the Alliance activities across its three key verticals:
Expected Outputs:
Indicative Outputs:
Deliverables and Expected Results For each specific assignment, the UNCDF will develop a specific Terms of Reference (TOR) with detailed scope of work, expected deliverables and project timeline which will be sent to qualified partners. Upon receipt of the TOR, the consultant will be requested to share confirmation of interest for attending the assignment and submit a financial proposal based on the work requirements and timeline specified in the TOR. The indicated outputs and delivery schedules can be different in each assignment and will be detailed in each Term of Reference (TOR) specifies per assignment.
The Better Than Cash Alliance (BTCA) is looking to hire Experts and Senior Technical Experts to support the Alliance’s work to advance responsible digital payments and provide advisory services (including policy and regulatory advice, expertise in financial inclusion and digital payments, experience in promoting inclusive innovation processes and expertise in capacity/skill-building) to support the development of program interventions in the above-mentioned payment streams. This solicitation is for a long-term agreement (LTA) for three years. “LTA” refers to a mutual arrangement whereby the consultant will provide services as required, over a specific period. An LTA specifies the unit price, allowing for a framework agreement to be used when the contractors’ services are needed An LTA is a framework agreement between UNCDF and individual where the latter may, at any time within the duration of the LTA, be required to render the agreed services at deliverable-based prices for a minimum period of 12 months, with potential extension for up to three (3) additional years, depending on satisfactory performance of the individual. Under an LTA, Better Than Cash Alliance program does not guarantee that any specific quantity of services shall be purchased during the term of this agreement. The LTA does not form a financial obligation or commitment from UNCDF at the time the LTA contract is signed, and such an agreement is non-exclusive. Over the past three years, the Alliance has established rosters for experts and senior experts, table data below demonstrating the historical data trends under each roster:
For this LTA, UNCDF would like to reach a total of 80 entries in the combined roster of experts and senior experts. However, if this number is not reached, the creation of the roster will still proceed. Based on the objectives mentioned under section B “Specific Objective”, this TOR has been divided into 2 LOTS based on the preferred level of seniority, depth of knowledge, background, and years of experience. UNCDF seeks to establish Long Term Agreements (LTAs) with multiple experts and senior experts under the following LOTS:
Under both lots, the experts will support the Alliance’s goal of catalyzing a movement from cash to digital payments and support members of the Alliance to adopt digital payment instrument methods. Bidders must apply to only one lot that highly corresponds to their level of seniority, knowledge, background, and years of experience as reflected in the section Professional Qualifications of the Successful Consultants. Technical and Financial proposals must be submitted separately, for financial proposals, it should be password protected. For full details of this opportunity and the application process please refer to the UNCDF Jobs - 109212- Framework agreement for the services of an Individ (undp.org) and the attached terms of reference. |