RFP-Concept Development for Energy Access De-Risking Fund Facility to Unlock End User Financing from Local Financial Institutions

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RFP - Concept Development for an Energy Access De-Risking Fund Facility to Unlock End User Financing from Local Financial Institutions

About the Organization:

SELCO Foundation was founded in 2010 as an open source, not for profit, public charitable trust. SELCO Foundation is a collaborative that strives to inspire and support champions of sustainability across the world.  SELCO Foundation envisions a world where sustainable energy is a part of the approach to development and not an afterthought. Their mission is to create a platform of solutions that uses sustainable energy as a catalyst to link environmental sustainability and poverty alleviation. With holistic development as the primary base, the organization strives to inspire the formation of an equitable society.

Terms of Reference:

• Duty Station - Work from Home or Bangalore (preferred)
• Type of Contract - Short term
• Contract Duration - 2 months
• No of Positions - One
• Contract Supervision - Sr. Advisor, SELCO Foundation

Description:

Under SELCO Foundation, one of its flagship programs is The Global Ecosystem Hubs for Sustainable Energy- an international platform to position UN’s SDG 7 as a critical catalyst for a sustainable and equitable future. The idea of the Global Ecosystem Hubs is to facilitate productive transfers of local knowledge, local expertise and networks to catalyze implementation of pro-poor sustainable energy solutions - all through South-South cooperations. The platform is proposed to become a cross-learning platform for sustainable energy and development practitioners across Global South.

SELCO Foundation works closely with TAMFI (The Association of MFIs) in Tanzania as a knowledge partner to conceptualize and develop a capacity building & awareness program for local MFIs inclined to develop energy access financing portfolios targeted at under-served populations. The program design draws heavily from similar initiatives and partnerships in India that leverages existing pro-poor financial schemes or new ones such that energy access is integrated appropriately.

Goal:

Support ongoing capacity building efforts by TAMFI with the development of a de-risking fund facility that increases the risk appetite of select MFIs to unlock domestic end user financing for decentralized energy solutions targeted at under-served populations.

Scope of Work:

It will involve close coordination with the SELCO Foundation Global Hubs and partner in Tanzania. It will include the following:

1. Collate existing documentation available via secondary research on end user financing landscape. Particular focus on:

• Existing financial products on agriculture and energy sectors
• Review and summarize key financial inclusion schemes or policies related to energy and agriculture and/or any other social safety net agenda.
• Conduct stakeholder analysis of key institutions and actors/individuals in the financial inclusion space
• Overview of financial and governance structures of main financial bodies

2. Assess and analyse existing and preferred financing channels available to under-served populations via primary research including via cooperatives, MFIs, informal groups etc.

3. Develop recommendation to:

• Indicate intervention areas where decentralized energy can be incorporated under existing schemes/policies.
• Identify notional structures of the fund facility: what kinds of instruments, how it will be deployed, for what kinds of purposes etc.

4. Validate findings with a few key African champions/advisors

Deliverables:

• Develop work plan to outline key milestones and activities towards completion of task (within 1 week of contract signing)
• Submit a final report that includes the main components outlined above. There needs to be at a minimum of 2 drafts that are sent in for review before finalisation.
• Submit a summarized PowerPoint deck of the final report
• Submit a summarised PowerPoint deck of proposed de-risking fund

Competencies:

• Proven experience in designing financial products or funds for the development sector
• Ability to perform cross country secondary research analysis and conduct remote interviews or consultations to collect required data.
• Ability to present information in clear and presentable formats. Sample of reports and presentations previously prepared by the consultant (preferably financial products) should be shared.

Qualifications:

• Experience in conducting research or a practitioner in financial inclusion
• Knowledge of global contexts of financial inclusion
• Knowledge of India’s financial inclusion journey including milestone policies, history of agriculture financing, related infrastructure and other support that propelled financial inclusion.
• Knowledge on concepts of decentralized renewable energy Consultants having direct experience of working on developing financial products for energy access will get preference.

Interested consultants/organization are requested to send in their detailed proposal with financial quotation, supporting documents mentioned above and a brief note (maximum 2 pages) on their understanding of this assignment, their fit for the same and how they intend to approach the assignment. apply@selcofoundation.org

Deadline: 10 Feb 2021