Consulting Services for supporting Business Plan Competition in evaluation of applications, selection, M&E and capacity building of the BPC awardees

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (REOI)

Country: REPUBLIC OF SOUTH SUDAN

Project: South Sudan Private Sector Development Project (PSDP)

Grant No: SSTF: TF011812

Project ID: P128239

Issue Date: January 24th, 2013

Consulting Services for supporting Business Plan Competition in evaluation of applications, selection, M&E and capacity building of the BPC awardees

Reference No: ­MCII/PSDP/BPC/002

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The Republic of South Sudan has received financing from the South Sudan Transitional Trust Fund (SSTTF) administered by the World Bank towards the cost of the South Sudan Private Sector Development Project (PSDP), and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

The consulting services ("the Services") include catalyzing entrepreneurship through a Business Plan Competition (BPC) for existing businesses and start-ups from all ten States of South Sudan, based upon best practice models to encourage innovative business ideas. A total of 100-150 BPC winnerswill receive financial support in a competitive and transparent process. The process of competition would provide potential entrepreneurs with training and mentoring throughout. The key elements of the BPC implementation will be:

• National Awareness Campaign covering all the ten states.

• Training and Business Development Support incorporating local business development services providers

• Selectionand Financing of BPC Winners

• After Care and Creation of Entrepreneur Networks

• Monitoring and Evaluation, including Social and Environmental Safeguards Compliance

The anticipated completion period for the assignment is twelve (12) months.

The South Sudan Private Sector Development Project (PSDP) of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Investment 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 as follows:

a. Experience in managing Business Plan CompetitionPrograms

b. Experience in Business Development services

c. Experience in working in a developing and/or post conflict environment.

d. The technical and managerial organization of thefirm. (Provide only the structure of the organization, general qualifications and number of key staff. Do not provide CVs of staff.)

The attentionof interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.9 of the World Bank's Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers dated January 2011 ("Consultant Guidelines"), setting forth the World Bank's policy on conflict of interest.

Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture or a sub consultancy to enhance their qualifications. The nature of association, whether it is a joint venture or a sub consultancy, should clearly be stated. In case of joint venture the firm leading the joint venture should be mentioned...

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Quality and Cost based Selection method (QCBS) set out in the Consultant Guidelines.

Interested Consultant may obtain further information at the address below during office hours from 10:00 to 16:00 hours East AfricanTime (GMT + 3) on all working days.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form tothe address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by February 15, 2013

Attn: Mary Akech Milla

Director of Private Sector Development

Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment

P.O. Box 73, Juba-South Sudan

Tel: +211 (0) 955059678/+211 (0) 977164717

Email: [email protected]