Consultancy Services for Capacity Building Training Programs in the Financial…

REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA

MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (MoCI)

Liberia Investment, Finance & Trade Project (LIFT-P)

INSURANCE BUILDING, 5TH STREET-SINKOR, OPPOSITE CONEX GAS STATION

MONROVIA, LIBERIA

P.O. Box 9041, 1000 Monrovia, 10 Liberia

Email: [email protected] /www.moci.gov.lr

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (REOI)

(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRM SELECTION)

Project ID: P171997

Credit Number:7037-LR

Grant Number: D9690-LR

Description of the Assignment:

Consultancy Services to Conduct Capacity Building

of Financial Institutions in Liberia in Lending to

Underserved Segments.

Ref No.: (LR-MOCI-486930508691-CS-QCBS)

Procurement Method: Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS)

Assignment Duration: Twelve (12) months

The Government of Liberia (Gol), through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), is implementing the Liberia Investment Finance and Trade Project (LIFT-P) with Project ID: P171997 financed by the International Development Association (IDA). The total project funding is US$40 million (US$20 million of IDA grant and US$20 million IDA Credit). This project was developed to support the government’s strategic objectives to promote private sector development.

The Access to Finance sub-component of the LIFT Project (2.2) is designed to provide a line of credit (LOC) to micro, small medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and deliver targeted technical assistance (TA) to the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) and Financial Institutions (FIs). Its overarching goals are to provide a line of credit to MSMEs, strengthen the institutional capacity of financial institutions and the CBL, enable effective service delivery to MSMEs, and support the underserved market segments.

To achieve these goals, the LIFT project plans to build resilience, enhance operational efficiency and expand “access to finance “by engaging FIs to design and implement specialized capacity-building programs such as:

Key Objectives of the Assignment

The primary objective of the capacity-building programs under the LIFT Project is to strengthen the institutional capacities of bank financial institutions (BFIs), non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs), and the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL). The programs aim to improve FIs' ability to serve MSMEs by equipping them with relevant skills and tools, enabling better access to finance, improved risk management, enhanced understanding of Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) issues, and fostering innovation in the design and delivery of financial products. To ensure maximum impact, the training will adopt an interactive and experiential approach focused on real-life problem solving in training activities (such as simulations, mini case studies, debates, and other activities carried out in the classroom environment).

Lot 1 – The Central Bank's capacity to supervise will be key, especially in the MFI sector and risk-based pricing. Ideally, this will help better supervise financial institutions on pricing issues.

Key areas of support will include:

• Building capacity in risk-based pricing to enable more effective oversight of financial institutions on pricing issues.

• Enhancing supervisory frameworks for SME financial sector management, with emphasis on rural and low-tiered financial institutions.

• Integrating the use of technology in regulation and supervision to improve efficiency and oversight of institutions serving the MSME sector.

Lot 2: Commercial Banks Programs: This lot is designed to enhance the ability of commercial banks to deliver inclusive and innovative financial services. Training and technical assistance will cover the following areas:

• Tailored product management for MSMEs, ensuring products meet the needs of diverse business segments.

• Women-owned MSME financing, promoting gender‑inclusive access to finance.

• Advanced credit risk analysis, equipping banks with tools to better assess and manage lending risks.

• Specialized modules on agricultural financing, housing financing, manufacturing, and technology, supporting diversification and sector-specific growth.

Lot 3: Non-bank Financial Institutions: This lot targets Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) and Rural Community Finance Institutions Programs (RCFIs) with a focus on strengthening their operations and risk management capacities: Training will include:

• Credit appraisals and reviews, ensuring sound lending practices.

• Loan monitoring techniques, improving repayment performance and portfolio quality.

• Innovative product development, tailored to community-based financial needs.

• Risk management in rural community finance, including agricultural financing and risk-based pricing.

• Given the number of participating NBFIs, delivery may be organized into two groups of five to six NBFIs for efficiency but will be treated as a single lot for bidding purposes.

Lot 4: Environmental and Social Governance (ESG): Focus on environmental and social risk management and sustainable loan practices. This should be tailored for a training session for all stakeholders and specific individual FIs follow-ups with staff of the Central Bank, Commercial Banks, and Non-bank financial institutions.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can found at the link below: hppt //: www.moci.gov.lr / www.emansion.gov.lr / www.cbl.org.lr

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry now invites eligible Consulting Firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The shortlisting criteria are listed as per the Terms of Reference provided below.

The Consulting Firm should have minimum qualifications and experience as follows:

• At least 5 years of experience in providing capacity-building programs or consultancy services in the financial sector and financial regulatory institutions.

• Demonstrated track record of SME lending process, rural financial institutions, and low-tiered financial entities.

• Demonstrated experience in designing and delivering training modules on product development, financial risk analysis, credit risk assessment, SME management, gender-focused financial products, specifically women-led businesses, and or (specific sector solutions) while fostering innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity

• Expertise in technology integration for financial regulation and supervision (e.g., RegTech and FinTech solutions).

• Experience working with international and local financial institutions in Liberia or similar contexts, comparable markets, demonstrating the ability to adapt global best practices to local realities.

• Expertise in areas such as financial risk management, SME financing, credit risk analysis, and rural finance.

Key Experts will not be evaluated at the shortlisting stage.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers dated July 2016, Revised November 2017, August 2018, November 2020, September 2023, February 2025 and September 2025 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected.

The Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) method set out in the Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (July 2016 as Revised in November 2017, August 2018, November 2020, September 2023, February 2025 and September 2025).

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours, i.e., 0900 to 1600 hours GMT, Monday to Friday.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by

mail, or by fax, or by e-mail) on or before Friday February 27, 2026, with subject:

“Re: Consultancy Services to Conduct Capacity Building of Financial Institutions in Liberia in Lending to Underserved Segments”.

Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade Project (LIFT-P)

Attn: Julius Y. Saye Keh-nel

Acting Project Coordinator

Insurance Building, 5th Street, Sinkor

Monrovia, Liberia

Tel: +231 88 682 2025 /886568641

Email: [email protected]/ [email protected]

Cc: /[email protected] /[email protected]

Terms of Reference

Post Title: Consultancy Services to Conduct Capacity Building of Financial Institutions in Liberia in Lending

Location of Post: Central Bank of Liberia (CBL)

Contract Duration: Twelve (12) Months

Reporting Line: Central Bank of Liberia and the LIFT Project through the Project Coordinator in collaboration with the technical staff at the LIFT-P

Procurement Method: Quality and Cost Based Selection Method

Type of Contract: Lump Sum

• BACKGROUND

The Government of Liberia (Gol), through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), is implementing the Liberia Investment Finance and Trade Project (LIFT-P) with Project ID: P171997 financed by the International Development Association (IDA). The total project funding is US$40 million (US$20 million of IDA grant and US$20 million IDA Credit). This project was developed to support the government’s strategic objectives to promote private sector development.

The Access to Finance sub-component of the LIFT Project (2.2) is designed to provide a line of credit (LOC) to micro, small medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and deliver targeted technical assistance (TA) to the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) and Financial Institutions (FIs). Its overarching goals are to provide a line of credit to MSMEs, strengthen the i