Proposal Writing Consultant(s) for World Bank-funded Projects

1. Background

SNV is a not-for-profit international development organization. Founded in the Netherlands nearly 50 years ago, we have built a long-term, local presence in 38 of the poorest countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Our global team of local and international advisors work with local partners to equip communities, businesses and organizations with the tools, knowledge and connections they need to increase their incomes and gain access to basic services – empowering them to break the cycle of poverty and guide their own development.

SNV has been working in Vietnam since 1995. Using market-based approach, SNV is committed to reducing poverty by catalysing environmentally - sustainable solutions for the poor in Agriculture, Energy, Water & Sanitation, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation.

SNV’s Inclusive Business Accelerator Program (IBA) is the first one-stop shop in Vietnam for various services needed by businesses which include low-income groups in their operation. We use innovative acceleration models to make the businesses investor-ready. Our scope of services including Market Intelligence & Opportunity Identification, Business Design & Readiness, Investor – Investee Match making, Impact Measurements & Scalability.

There will be primarily two kinds of businesses who would be attracted to its service offerings, one of which is Acceleratee (Young and growing SMEs). They will enrol in the IBA's fixed 9-12 month acceleration program. The other type of businesses is mature SMEs and IB ventures by Large Businesses, who need customized services. Prioritized sectors include agriculture, sustainable energy, water and ICT.

The World Bank-funded projects’ objectives are either to foster Innovation through Research, Science and Technology or to adopt, upgrade and develop inclusive innovations for the benefit of the people at the "Base of Pyramid" (BoP population). This will be achieved by strengthening Vietnam's capacity to undertake inclusive innovation, including financing development, adaptation, adoption, scaling up and commercialization of inclusive technologies, and improving Research and Development Institutions’ (RDIs’) and Small and Medium Enterprises’ (SMEs’) technological and innovation capabilities thereby enhancing their competitiveness.

IBA is currently supporting an enterprise specialized in providing clean water in the South of Vietnam that needs support in writing a detailed project proposal to submit to World Bank-funded projects.

2. Objectives of the consultant’s work

The Consultant(s) is to analyze the background and potential growth of the Applicant and then write a project proposal for the Applicant to submit to the World Bank-funded projects.

Detailed description of work:

The Consultant(s) will work closely with IBA members who coordinate with technology/innovation experts and peer review for the proposals.

The Consultants’ work includes:

a. Conduct an analysis of applicants so that the Funder can see the following key selling points:

• The innovation of applicants’ R&D or business ideas;
• The effectiveness and application in reality for the people at the Base of Pyramid;
• The feasibility of applicants;
• The sustainability of applicants;
• The commercial viability of applicants; and
• The applicants’ commitment to impact on livelihoods, health, environment, gender…

b. Develop Project Proposals to submit to World Bank-funded projects to optimize the financing structures for the applicants;

c. Develop Project Proposals to submit to World Bank-funded projects based on currently available templates including, but not limited to:

• Technical aspects of the innovations, Intellectual property status, its potential competition and the effectiveness of science and technology aspects;
• The adaptation of innovations/renovation to BoP market (if requested by Funder)
• Environmental and social impact issues in the proposal;
• A set of expected Monitoring and Evaluation activities covering impact, outputs, activities to achieve indicators to measure applicants’ performance and sustainability;
• The analysis of commercial viability of the innovation/renovations including potentiality analysis, market competition, distribution and marketing channel and commercialization;
• The analysis of applicants’ capacity on human resources, finance, cooperation amongst parties;
• Risk analysis and mitigation solutions;
• Budget including grant and/or loan, equity in compliance with guidance from the Ministry of Finance (Circular 219/2009-TT-BTC) and the Funder; and
• For Applicants applied to VIIP Component 2, loan repayment plan and loan related documents must be prepared.

d. The Consultant(s) will be responsible for ensuring all related documents required in the Checklist of deliverables are properly monitored and checked to ensure the quality needed before submission.

e. The Consultant(s) will work closely with IBA members who will recruit technology/ innovation experts to peer review the proposals.

3. Qualifications of Consultant(s)

Essential Qualification:

• Master’s in Business Administration / Finance / Technology/Innovation/Economics or related fields;
• Ideally a small group of consultants with Proposal writing experience; Business, technology and social innovation background/experience given the multifaceted requirements in the proposal;
• Familiar with World Bank-funded Project’s approach and its requirements for funding applications;
• Familiar with financial guidance and regulations from the Ministry of Finance;
• Experience  in project management using log-frame  approach, social impact assessment;
• At least 5 years of experience working with companies in water, energy, agriculture, aquaculture, medicinal plants or ICT;
• Having experience in finance and budgeting; and
• Excellent analytical and writing skills.

Desirable Experience:

• Ten years’ experience in Programmes for SMEs;
• Managerial Strategy Development experience with Private Sector;
• Consulting experience in developing Innovative Business / Market Development initiatives for SMEs; and
• Having experience in business, technology and social innovation.

4. Outputs and deliverables:

The consultant(s) needs to deliver the following outputs in both Vietnamese and English:

• Full sets of grant (or loan) applications to World Bank-funded projects in accordance with their provided formats and templates including:
  
  • The analysis of the applicants’ capacity in project implementation (background, capacity in R&D or innovation and technology, Intellectual property status, human resource, business capacity in commercializing the technology/innovations) based on currently available information to be provided by IBA and the consultant’s meetings with the applicants and working with the applicants to produce all documents required by World Bank-funded projects;
  • The technical analysis of its innovation and technology;
  • The analysis of adaptation to BoP market (if requested by Funder);
  • The brief analysis and commitment to environmental protection according to Environment Management Template from the Funder; and
  • Loan repayment plan and loan related documents for those applicants who apply for VIIP Component 2 must be prepared (Please provide separate quotation for this).

• Submitting the proposals by email with scanned full set of application as required by World Bank-funded projects, in addition to hard copies in accordance with IBA guidance;

• Collection of all needed documents needed for the application, such as company profile, certified business registration, financial reports and other reports as a part of World Bank-funded projects application; and

• Taking photos to show evidence of whatever important mentioned in the application.

5. Application Templates (will be varied upon Funders)

• Executive Summary Template;
• World Bank-funded Projects Proposal Template;
• World Bank-funded Projects Activities Plan, Procurement and Budget;
• World Bank-funded Projects Environmental Protection Commitment (EPC) or Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or Environmental Management Plan (EMP);
• Full set of application forms from Funders (will be provided to the appointed Consultants);
• Checklist of deliverables (to be provided to the appointed Consultants);
• Progress report and work plan measurement (to be provided to the appointed Consultants); and
• Scoring sheet to measure the proposal’s merits versus World Bank-funded Project requirements (to be provided to the appointed Consultants).

6. Application

Consultant(s) are invited to submit a competitive proposal for this assignment, including:

• Technical proposal to conduct the assignment (understanding, team structure and profiles, summary approach, and draft work plan should be included);
• Financial proposal; and
• Relevant qualifications and experience, including CVs and at least 3 references.

Please submit your proposals and questions to [email protected] by March 14th, 2016 with the title “Proposal Writing to World Bank-funded project”.

SNV Netherlands Development Organization
Address:  3rd Floor, Building D, La Thanh Hotel, 218 Doi Can Street, Ba Dinh, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel:        84 43 8463 791/2
Fax:       84 43 8463 794

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.