REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES)  

MULTINATIONAL 

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT FOR DIGITAL PAYMENTS AND E-COMMERCE POLICIES FOR CROSS-BORDER TRADE (IDECT) PROJECT 

Sector: ICT

Financing Agreement reference: 2100155041216

Project ID No.:P-Z1-G00-018 

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The Smart Africa Alliance has received financing from the African Development Fund toward the cost of the Institutional Support for Digital Payments and e-Commerce Policies for Cross-border Trade (IDECT) Project, and intends to apply part of the agreed amount for this grant to payments under the contract for Recruitment of a Consultancy Firm to conduct a gap analysis study, develop guidelines and a toolkit for harmonized digital payment policies to encourage cross border trade and regional integration in ten (10) selected Smart Africa Member States. 

The services included under this project are divided into 7 Work Packages (WP). The assignment will be carried out by the Consultancy firm in close collaboration with the Smart Africa Secretariat and members of the Smart Africa’s Alliance, and other relevant stakeholders that can be proposed by the consultant and approved by Smart Africa Secretariat. Among other relevant materials, the work of the consultants should consider input and alignments from Smart Africa Alliance blueprints, Triennial Strategy, SATA Strategy and any other relevant input that can be provided by Smart Africa Secretariat. All materials produced for this assignment should be available in both French and English.

The IDECT project seeks to foster cross-border trade and regional integration through the establishment and implementation of Digital Payments and e-Commerce Policies. A consultancy firm is being sought to work with the Smart Africa Secretariat (SAS) and ten selected African governments to establish governance arrangements for the project, which include steering committees, working groups, and implementation coordinators. The firm's responsibilities include developing terms of reference (ToRs) and other operational documents for these groups, conducting a gap analysis study on e-payment policies across five regional blocs, and developing harmonizing guidelines for e-payment policy frameworks based on the gap analysis results. The firm is also expected to create a platform for dialogue and exchange among stakeholders to advocate e-payment policies. 

Subsequent steps include developing a toolkit for harmonizing e-payment policies, in consultation with multiple stakeholders including government representatives, the private sector, and SMEs, particularly women and youth. The firm will also design capacity-building programs for relevant institutions in the ten selected countries, to support the development and implementation of action plans in line with the toolkit and guidelines. A proof of concept (PoC) proposal is expected from the consultancy firm to demonstrate the impact of the policy implementation on trade and e-commerce in Africa, with a focus on measuring increased digital trade, SME engagement, and efficiency of payment systems. Lastly, the firm will work with Smart Africa Secretariat (SAS) team to develop a theory of change for the project, outlining the project's goals, outcomes, assumptions, and KPIs, serving as a foundation for project monitoring and evaluation. 

This assignment is expected to be conducted and fully delivered within twelve (12) months from the contract signing date. 

The Smart Africa Alliance Secretariat now invites eligible consulting firms to indicate their interest in providing these services. Interested consulting firms must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (brochures, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc.). They should also demonstrate that they have the required staff with the requisite qualifications and relevant experience to perform the described services. consulting firms may constitute joint ventures to enhance their chances of qualification. 

Eligibility criteria, establishment of the short-list and the selection procedure shall be in accordance with the African Development Bank’s Procurement Policy for Bank Funded Operations, dated October 2015, which is available on the Bank’s website at http://www.afdb.org. 

Interested consultants may obtain further information by sending email to: tenderenquiries@smartafrica.org up to 5 days prior to the deadline. 

Expressions of interest must be delivered electronically to procurement@smartafrica.org  by 4^th September 2023 at 17:00 (Local time, Kigali) and mention “Consultancy Firm to conduct a gap analysis study, develop guidelines and a toolkit for harmonized digital payment policies”. 

 Attn: Smart Africa Alliance

10^th Floor, in Career Centre Building

KG 541 ST, Kigali, Rwanda

Tel: +250 788-822155/784013646

P.O. Box: 4 913

Email: procurement@smartafrica.org

www.smartafrica.org