Surveys, Research and Advocacy - Consulting Firm Investment Policy Project South Asia Regional Trade and Investment Program
SELECTION FOR CONSULTANTS BY THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCE CORPORATION (IFC)
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (REOI)
Electronic Submissions through World Bank Group eConsultant2
https://wbgeconsult2.worldbank.org/wbgec/index.html
ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW
Assignment Title: 1090811 - Surveys, Research and Advocacy Consulting Firm for Investment Policy Project, South Asia Regional Trade and Investment Program
Assignment Countries:
- Bhutan
- India
- Nepal
- Bangladesh
ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION
1. Background and Context:
Countries in South Asia (including India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan) have diverse preconditions for attracting FDI and promoting economic development through cross-border trade and investment. In the absence of an effective regional organization, bilateral economic treaties and agreements have proliferated, with India being the focal point of the economic activity in the region. However, regional integration that is more than the sum of all bilateral relations remains to be strengthened for the benefit of all partners.
A range of different reasons exist for the current low levels of regional economic integration:
- The remoteness and landlocked character of the mountainous Nepal and Bhutan makes it difficult for these countries to link up to international markets.
- The difficult economic and financial situation particularly in Bangladesh and Nepal has been the reason that capital account restrictions remain in place prohibiting, among other transactions, outward foreign direct investment.
- Excessive red tape characterizes trade- and investment-related rules and regulations in the region.
Despite the existing difficulties, recent years have shown increasing awareness of the opportunities offered through stronger regional cooperation. The following are some of the main, recent developments:
- There is increasing awareness that regional economic integration offers unique opportunities to address some of the key economic challenges. For example, all countries in the region suffer from unstable and insufficient power supply. Hydropower potential of the mountainous Nepal and Bhutan offers opportunities to overcome these shortages in a sustainable manner if investments in hydropower can be realized and the necessary regional cooperation is in place.
- Significant efforts are underway to address infrastructure constraints in the region. The SAARC Development Fund, Asian Development Bank, World Bank and other donors plan to provide billions of USD in infrastructure financing in the region. In another example, the Indian government earmarks 10% of its annual budget for developing its North-Eastern region, mostly through investments in infrastructure such as roads and railways.
- Several stakeholders have requested support from the World Bank Group (WBG) in improving countries' investment policies and their implementation. Foremost, the SAARC Secretariat and the SAARC Chamber of Commerce have welcomed the WBG's proposals to support their efforts through awareness raising and technical assistance.
FDI policies are more or less liberal in these countries. However, business sector finds several gaps in post entry stages especially in associated laws in conducting business in the countries. Labor laws, equity transfer, trading permits, profit repatriation regulation, visa, work permits, power crisis, infrastructural bottlenecks, lack of transparency in land title etc. have been identified as major areas where companies face difficulties. Interpretation of several laws and regulation also require clarity. Capacity development is necessary to equip government officers to handle these issues. Approval process for FDI is quite fast in the selected countries but in post entry situation decision on companies' request/application on business related issues takes unusually long time. Speediness and transparency in government procedure are highlighted among the most warranted requirements by companies.
The project will be undertaken as a pilot initiative guided by the re-structured Investment Policy product where a regional approach to investment policy making and coordination is being incubated and tested in a select number of countries and regions. As a result, some of the areas of this project such as the details of the advisory work offered to the client governments in South Asia are not yet specifically defined for all countries; the team will use the first year of the project to continue to further refine its planned activities in all countries.
2. Assignment Objectives:
IFC South Asia is seeking to procure the services of a consultancy firm to support surveys, research, events and advocacy for the SARTI IP project. The overall goal of the SARTI IP project is to promote Private sector expansion through cross border trade and investment in South Asia. Specific activities are provided in the Scope of Work section below.
3. Scope of Work:
The Firm will provide support to -
a. Conduct a stakeholder perception survey on information needs and gaps.
b. Collect information for the online portal for countries' investment and trade information -- laws, process maps, tax info, incentives, etc.
c. Collect information and develop a regional integration benchmarking scorecard to monitor and stimulate progress towards regional cooperation in policy- and-rule-making, and towards increased cross-border trade and investment flows. This can include a case study on other regions' experiences in regional integration (e.g. ASEAN), feeding into efforts to strengthen SAARC's operations and initiatives, such as a regional PPD/working group for advocacy and prioritization of reform implementation proposed by this project.
d. Enrich diagnostics conducted by the IFC team and implement investment climate reforms in the targeted countries. This can include preparing position papers, case studies, other inputs into IFC diagnostics and facilitating advocacy for updating FDI legislation, FDI approval, investment policy, foreign exchange regulations, , expatriate work permit and other investment related issues. In addition to that the Firm will provide implementation support for the recommendations made by IFC through facilitating high-level stakeholder engagement and advocacy. The Firm will conduct any follow-up surveys to capture results and success-stories of implemented recommendations.
e. Organize workshops, seminars and meetings jointly with local partner institutions such as chambers of commerce to disseminate key insights from commissioned reports and studies, stimulate reforms through peer-to-peer learning, and inform policy dialogue.
4. Deliverables
The Firm will submit the following specific deliverables:
a) Analytical report on Stakeholder Perception Survey
b) Report containing required information for the online portal
c) Report on the regional integration benchmarking scorecard
d) 3-8 policy papers and associated reports for country specific implementation support;
e) Periodic progress reports (every six months) and final report at assignment closure
f) Organize workshops and meetings (as required)
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
The IFC now invites eligible consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested consultants 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. for firms). Please note that the total size of all attachments should be less than 5MB. Consultants may associate to enhance their qualifications.
Interested consultants are hereby invited to submit expressions of interest.
Expressions of Interest should be submitted, in English, electronically through World Bank Group eConsultant2 (https://wbgeconsult2.worldbank.org/wbgec/index.html)
NOTES
Following this invitation for Expression of Interest, a shortlist of qualified firms will be formally invited to submit proposals. Short-listing and selection will be subject to the availability of funding.
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (REOI)
Electronic Submissions through World Bank Group eConsultant2
https://wbgeconsult2.worldbank.org/wbgec/index.html
ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW
Assignment Title: 1090811 - Surveys, Research and Advocacy Consulting Firm for Investment Policy Project, South Asia Regional Trade and Investment Program
Assignment Countries:
- Bhutan
- India
- Nepal
- Bangladesh
ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION
1. Background and Context:
Countries in South Asia (including India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan) have diverse preconditions for attracting FDI and promoting economic development through cross-border trade and investment. In the absence of an effective regional organization, bilateral economic treaties and agreements have proliferated, with India being the focal point of the economic activity in the region. However, regional integration that is more than the sum of all bilateral relations remains to be strengthened for the benefit of all partners.
A range of different reasons exist for the current low levels of regional economic integration:
- The remoteness and landlocked character of the mountainous Nepal and Bhutan makes it difficult for these countries to link up to international markets.
- The difficult economic and financial situation particularly in Bangladesh and Nepal has been the reason that capital account restrictions remain in place prohibiting, among other transactions, outward foreign direct investment.
- Excessive red tape characterizes trade- and investment-related rules and regulations in the region.
Despite the existing difficulties, recent years have shown increasing awareness of the opportunities offered through stronger regional cooperation. The following are some of the main, recent developments:
- There is increasing awareness that regional economic integration offers unique opportunities to address some of the key economic challenges. For example, all countries in the region suffer from unstable and insufficient power supply. Hydropower potential of the mountainous Nepal and Bhutan offers opportunities to overcome these shortages in a sustainable manner if investments in hydropower can be realized and the necessary regional cooperation is in place.
- Significant efforts are underway to address infrastructure constraints in the region. The SAARC Development Fund, Asian Development Bank, World Bank and other donors plan to provide billions of USD in infrastructure financing in the region. In another example, the Indian government earmarks 10% of its annual budget for developing its North-Eastern region, mostly through investments in infrastructure such as roads and railways.
- Several stakeholders have requested support from the World Bank Group (WBG) in improving countries' investment policies and their implementation. Foremost, the SAARC Secretariat and the SAARC Chamber of Commerce have welcomed the WBG's proposals to support their efforts through awareness raising and technical assistance.
FDI policies are more or less liberal in these countries. However, business sector finds several gaps in post entry stages especially in associated laws in conducting business in the countries. Labor laws, equity transfer, trading permits, profit repatriation regulation, visa, work permits, power crisis, infrastructural bottlenecks, lack of transparency in land title etc. have been identified as major areas where companies face difficulties. Interpretation of several laws and regulation also require clarity. Capacity development is necessary to equip government officers to handle these issues. Approval process for FDI is quite fast in the selected countries but in post entry situation decision on companies' request/application on business related issues takes unusually long time. Speediness and transparency in government procedure are highlighted among the most warranted requirements by companies.
The project will be undertaken as a pilot initiative guided by the re-structured Investment Policy product where a regional approach to investment policy making and coordination is being incubated and tested in a select number of countries and regions. As a result, some of the areas of this project such as the details of the advisory work offered to the client governments in South Asia are not yet specifically defined for all countries; the team will use the first year of the project to continue to further refine its planned activities in all countries.
2. Assignment Objectives:
IFC South Asia is seeking to procure the services of a consultancy firm to support surveys, research, events and advocacy for the SARTI IP project. The overall goal of the SARTI IP project is to promote Private sector expansion through cross border trade and investment in South Asia. Specific activities are provided in the Scope of Work section below.
3. Scope of Work:
The Firm will provide support to -
a. Conduct a stakeholder perception survey on information needs and gaps.
b. Collect information for the online portal for countries' investment and trade information -- laws, process maps, tax info, incentives, etc.
c. Collect information and develop a regional integration benchmarking scorecard to monitor and stimulate progress towards regional cooperation in policy- and-rule-making, and towards increased cross-border trade and investment flows. This can include a case study on other regions' experiences in regional integration (e.g. ASEAN), feeding into efforts to strengthen SAARC's operations and initiatives, such as a regional PPD/working group for advocacy and prioritization of reform implementation proposed by this project.
d. Enrich diagnostics conducted by the IFC team and implement investment climate reforms in the targeted countries. This can include preparing position papers, case studies, other inputs into IFC diagnostics and facilitating advocacy for updating FDI legislation, FDI approval, investment policy, foreign exchange regulations, , expatriate work permit and other investment related issues. In addition to that the Firm will provide implementation support for the recommendations made by IFC through facilitating high-level stakeholder engagement and advocacy. The Firm will conduct any follow-up surveys to capture results and success-stories of implemented recommendations.
e. Organize workshops, seminars and meetings jointly with local partner institutions such as chambers of commerce to disseminate key insights from commissioned reports and studies, stimulate reforms through peer-to-peer learning, and inform policy dialogue.
4. Deliverables
The Firm will submit the following specific deliverables:
a) Analytical report on Stakeholder Perception Survey
b) Report containing required information for the online portal
c) Report on the regional integration benchmarking scorecard
d) 3-8 policy papers and associated reports for country specific implementation support;
e) Periodic progress reports (every six months) and final report at assignment closure
f) Organize workshops and meetings (as required)
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
The IFC now invites eligible consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested consultants 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. for firms). Please note that the total size of all attachments should be less than 5MB. Consultants may associate to enhance their qualifications.
Interested consultants are hereby invited to submit expressions of interest.
Expressions of Interest should be submitted, in English, electronically through World Bank Group eConsultant2 (https://wbgeconsult2.worldbank.org/wbgec/index.html)
NOTES
Following this invitation for Expression of Interest, a shortlist of qualified firms will be formally invited to submit proposals. Short-listing and selection will be subject to the availability of funding.
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