Framework Agreements to Support EIB Financial Sector Operations Inside and Outside of the European Union

Item Description:

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the European Union’s long-term financing institution. As the world’s largest multilateral lender, it focuses particularly on the value added it can bring to the projects it finances.

The EIB is launching a call for tenders (open procedure) with the aim of establishing multiple framework agreements [“FWA”] with specialised Service Providers to support the EIB, in particular the Advisory Services Department in collaboration with the Operations and Projects Directorate, to provide advisory services to financial intermediaries in the areas of SME and MidCap Finance and Climate Action Finance. The EIB, acting as the Contracting Authority, will choose the Tenders offering the best value for money assessed on the basis of their technical quality and price proposed (as per the award criteria mentioned under III).

The overall budget for this Agreement would be an maximum EUR 30,000,000 (Lot 1) and 20.000.000 (Lot 2) for the four-year period.

The detailed description of the tasks to be performed by the Service Provider under each Lot is indicated in article II below. These will primarily cover the following sectors:

• Lot 1: Access to Finance for SMEs and MidCaps
• Lot 2: Climate Action Finance

During the implementation period of the FWA, for each individual Assignment, and with due regard of the requirements included in the Assignment Terms of Reference, the Service Providers of each Lot will be invited to submit a Proposal. When submitting a Proposal for a specific Assignment, the Service Providers will respect the maximum prices/staff category on the basis of which they won the FWA.

The objective of the FWA is to mainly provide medium to long-term institutional support and capacity building for the Sectors referred to above. The individual Assignments will cover, but not limited to, the following activities:

• Conduct institutional assessments of financial institutions (FIs) that help to identify areas for improvement of operational and financial performance; loan portfolio quality and risk management systems; management capacity and organizational set-up;
• Assist FIs in the development of strategic and business plans, including action plans based on financial and operational performance metrics;
• Facilitate the implementation of operational improvements in FIs, such as the revision and adaptation of the credit risk assessment methodologies and processes, the development or improvement of adequate risk management processes, as well as efficiency enhancing and cost reduction measures,
• Advise on the development of financial products and services or enhancement of existing products and services for sub-sectors of SMEs and MidCaps (e.g. agribusinesses, tourism operators, women-led SMEs, SMEs investing in climate change mitigation and adaptation or other environmental objectives), including the development and implementation of marketing strategies for those specific SME segments;
• Advise FIs on improvements to their technological environment, including improvement and adaption of banks’ management information systems to the needs of the management of SME/MidCap portfolios, the introduction of new technologies in the operational process, and the development of strategies to stay competitive in the face of growing competition from new players within and outside of the financial system;
• Assist FIs in the building of pipelines and origination of loans promoting climate change mitigation and adaptation, including by providing Energy Assessment/Audits, Resource Efficiency Assessments/Audits, Water Assessment/Audits, Climate Vulnerability Assessments for clients;
• Conduct training to relevant FI staff on policy framework and sector aspects of climate action investments
• Support FIs in integrating climate action eligibility checks and EIB reporting requirements into their own systems, including adjusting/modifying existing tools with region/country specific content;
• Train and coach FI management and staff in areas relevant to the operational and strategic improvements and changes, including, if applicable, the development and implementation of training of trainers programs;
• Help FIs develop strategies and operational programs to provide non-financial services, such as training, coaching, networking, project development, training of existing or prospective SME customers of FIs.
• Assist the EIB in the development of instruments and/or services that contribute to sector-wide development, such as online training modules, sector wide training courses or conferences, toolkits or specific studies.

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