REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR AN INDIVIDUAL SENIOR CONSULTANT AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK GROUP Rue Joseph Anoma, 01 BP 1387 Abidjan 01, Cote d Ivoire Syndication, Co-financing and Client Solutions Department Finance Vice Presidency Email:fist2@afbd.org 1. The African Development Bank (the Bank ) hereby invites Individual Consultants to indicate their interest in the following Assignment: Technical Assistant, Co-Guarantee Platform The Assignment will entail working with the Client Solutions Division ( FIST2 or the Division ) of the Syndication, Co-Financing, and Client Solutions Department, and other Departments concerned across the Bank, to support the launching of a Co- Guarantee Platform. 2. The services to be provided under the Assignment by the Technical Assistant include but are not limited to the following: 1. Assist with the preparation of research, presentations and reporting documents related to the development of the Co-Guarantee Platform presentation and reporting; 2. Assist with the development of training, communication and marketing materials and provide logistical and administrative support for staff working on the Co-Guarantee Platform; 3. Preparing requests for information to prospective co-guarantee participants; 4. Leading the organization of the 2018 Abidjan Union meeting; 5. Organizing, participating in and recording the minutes of consultation meetings with potential co-guarantors; 6. Researching to identify business case scenarios reflecting different business models for the feasibility study of the Co-Guarantee Platform 7. Fulfilling scheduled/assigned reporting requirements (to management as well as to external partners, as applicable); 8. Preparing a variety of other documents and materials as may be required from time to time, e.g., for promotion and public relations, training, achievements reporting and development results attained through co-financing and; 9. Other relevant tasks, as may be assigned Given the aforementioned, the Technical Assistant Consultants will need to be familiar with: (a) Risk mitigation instruments and guarantees as a risk mitigation instrument in project finance and financial intermediation 1
(b) The African Development Bank (or other comparable Multilateral Development Bank) procedures and policies as well as those of bilateral partners. (c) English fluency is a must, French a very strong plus; (d) Prior experience with senior level reporting, external communications, event management; (e) Demonstrated experience in planning large-scale workshops. Main activities and deliverables Technical Consultant key responsibilities will include but are not limited to: Meeting scheduling and taking of minutes Development of supporting documents for the Co-Guarantee Platform Planning of the Abidjan Union Conference 2. The Client Solutions Division invites individual Consultants to indicate their interest in providing the above-described services. Interested Consultants shall provide information on their qualifications and experience demonstrating their ability to undertake this Assignment in accordance with the attached Terms of Reference. 3. The eligibility criteria, the establishment of a shortlist and the selection procedure shall be in conformity with the Bank s Rules and Procedure for Corporate Consultants. Please note that interest expressed by a Consultant does not imply any obligation on the part of the Bank to include him/her in the shortlist. 4. The estimated duration of services is six (6) months and the estimated starting date is 15 February 2018 at the Bank s headquarters in Abidjan, Cote d Ivoire. 5. Interested Individual Consultants may obtain further information and clarifications from n.spio-garbrah@afdb.org or fist2@afdb.org on or before January 22, 2018. 6. Expressions of interest must be submitted to: Syndication & Co-Financing Division, Email: fist2@afdb.org with a copy to Nana Spio-Garbrah, Email: n.spiogarbrah@afdb.org and must be received no later than January 24, 2018 at 17:00 local time and specifically mentioning in the subject of the email: Technical Assistant, Co- Guarantee Platform. 2
Terms of Reference Technical Assistant Consultant Development of Co-Guarantee Platform 1. Introduction About AfDB The African Development Bank (the Bank) is a Multilateral Development Bank established in 1964 to catalyze sustainable economic development and social progress in its regional member countries (RMCs), thus contributing to poverty reduction. The Bank has 80 members consisting of 54 regional and 26 non-regional countries. The Bank Group undertakes its operations through three windows: the African Development Bank (ADB), a commercial lending window that lends to middle-income sovereigns and private sector entities on market terms; the African Development Fund (ADF), which lends to low-income sovereigns on concessional terms; and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF), which lends both on concessional and non-concessional terms. The Bank also administers bilateral and multilateral grants and funds on behalf of various donors. About the Co-Financing, Syndications and Client Solutions Department (FIST) The Syndications, Co-financing and Client Solutions Department ( FIST or the Department ) was created in January 2017 to assist the Bank to crowd-in investments, leverage its capital base, manage co-financing resources, and efficiently use and deploy the full range of its products to effectively drive developmental impact in the RMCs. The Department is responsible for the syndication and co-financing of transactions as well as for providing integrated financial solutions through cost effective and innovative financial products and services. FIST is also responsible for facilitating the management of the Bank s balance sheet through balance sheet optimization mechanisms. About the Co-Guarantee Platform Initiated as a concept during the 2017 Abidjan Union meeting of the top guarantee providers to Africa-based transactions, the Co-Guarantee Platform aims to serve as one-stop shop to lower transaction costs for developers and lenders to infrastructure projects. If feasibility is proven, it is hoped to catalyze additional private sector capital and increase the overall volume of lending by private sector into Africa. Essentially, the Platform will attempt to scale up the level of risk coverage available to transactions by pairing guarantee instruments (extending coverage from ~50% implicit comfort level of most MDBs and guarantors to >80% risk coverage) through the co-guarantee where individual parties retain only the portion that their institution can bear. It is believed that such an instrument will improve effective lending terms such that financing is availed to infrastructure projects, especially Public-Private Partnerships at significantly better terms than what the projects would otherwise have accessed through commercial lenders and capital markets in the absence of the guarantees. It is also expected that the Platform will achieve economies of scale and 3
efficiency by aggregating the guarantees from multiple institutions into a single facility with improved coordination to support riskier infrastructure projects without consuming all the risk capital of a single institution. 2. Scope of Work The Department is seeking a consultant (Technical Assistant) to assist the Bank in: (a) Preparing for the 3 rd edition of the Abidjan Union conference and; (b) Supporting a Senior Consultant in development of a new financial initiative called the Co-Guarantee Platform. The Technical Consultant will lead on the organization and event planning of the Abidjan Union scheduled for the end of 1Q18 during which the findings of the feasibility study on the Co-Guarantee Platform will be presented and a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the potential participating institutions who wish to continue to work on a technical level to push the initiative forward. Specifically, the Technical Assistant will work to assist a Senior Consultant with research, documentation of relevant case studies, the building of a robust contacts database, and meetings management activities in support of the development of this new financial initiative. However, the Technical Assistant will be the main point of contact for the Abidjan Union workshop. Other relevant tasks may be assigned, as needed. 3. Staffing Requirements Under the supervision of the Director of the Syndications, Co-Financing and Client Solutions Department, the following individual consultant is required: Technical Assistant The qualifications required for the Technical Assistant are the following: Minimum M.Sc. degree in Economics, Finance or MBA with concentration in Business Administration, Corporate Banking, Marketing, Finance or Accounting. Minimum of 3 years post-qualification experience in project management and/or finance Working knowledge of project finance and/or bank-related concepts and key project risk allocation and mitigation Ability to convert large amounts of complex data into digestible infographics Ability to prepare and deliver actionable analysis to support the Bank s proposals and recommendations on the co-guarantee Platform Knowledge of the development finance players, typical financing terms for projects in Africa Experience with conference planning or marketing (i.e. high level events/workshops of 100 participants or more) 4
Ability to develop, revise and maintain Excel spreadsheets, VBA databases, Word documents, and animated PowerPoint presentations Must be fluent in English with working knowledge of French or vice versa Prior experience with Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) or international commercial banks preferable 4. Administration/reporting The Technical Assistant will be under the overall supervision of the Division Manager, FIST2 but direct oversight of responsibilities and activities will be under the supervision of a the Senior Consultant designated by management to lead work on the Co-Guarantee Platform. 5. Duration of the Assignment Six (6) months based in Abidjan, Cote d Ivoire. Start date is February 15, 2018. 6. Remuneration The retained Consultants will be paid based on experience and qualification in reference to the directives of the Bank Group concerning the procedures for the acquisition of consulting services. 7. Evaluation Criteria The selection criteria will be primarily based on the evaluation of the submission of a curriculum vitae in either English or French, and a table of relevant experience in undertaking similar activities to the Assignment above. The candidate may be invited to a telephone or in-person interview. Women are strongly encouraged to apply. 5