REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (REOI)

• Country: Ethiopia
• Program: Rural Financial Intermediation Program III
• Assignment:: Consultancy Service for Preparation of the Impact Study of the Rural Financial Intermediation Program
• Selection Method: Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS)
• IFAD Grant No. 2000003210
• Reference No. IFAD/RUFIPIII/DBE/NCB/CS/09/2025/26

1. The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has received financing from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for the Rural Financial Intermediation Program III (RUFIP-III), under which a portion of the funding will be utilized towards qualified payments on assignments for the consultancy services.

The Development Bank of Ethiopia (DBE) is one of the state- owned financial institutions engaged in providing project finance for projects and lease financing for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to support the overall economic development of the country. DBE has received finance from Intemational Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) towards the cost of RUFIP III and intends to apply part of the proceeds for the requirement of consulting service, for which this REOI is issued.

2. DBE would like to receive expressions of interest (EOIs) from legally formed consulting firms to conduct Consultancy Service Preparation of the Impact Study of the Rural Financial Intermediation Program III (RUFIP III).

3. Objective of the Consultancy:

The planned study aims at carrying out a Impact survey, which will consist of quantitative and qualitative methodologies and will compare the situation with and without the project. This study constitutes one of the stages of the project evaluation. The assessment aims at establishing and measuring the project’s outcomes and impacts on its target population and measure the effectiveness of the project in achieving its objectives. This will allow measuring the changes in project outcomes and impact attributable to the project’s interventions and the degree to which the programme reached its objectives by comparing changes between beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries using a mixed-methods approach, and by assessing progress against baseline values.

4. The assignment is expected to be completed within six consecutive months starting from the signing agreement.

5. Before preparing its EOIs, the consultant is advised to review the preliminary terms of reference which describe the assignment and details the evaluation of the technical qualifications which is summarized hereunder:

No.	Description	Weight (100%)
1	Specific experience, applicants must submit at least Two Certificates of satisfactory execution (Testimony) of contracts related to the assignment provided by contracting parties to the contracts Successfully completed in the course of the last [insert required number of years] five (5) years.	45%
2	General experience of the consulting firm	20%
3	Presence of long-term staff in the consulting firm with hands-on experience in the development of impact study	10%
4	Long term profitability as is evidenced by positive net income in each of the past 3 years (2023, 2024 and 2025).	15%
5	Average annual turnover in the years 2023, 2024 and 2025 of at least 200,000.00 ETB or equivalent;	10%

6. The consultant shall not have any actual, potential or reasonably perceived conflict of interest. All consultants are required to comply with the Revised IFAD Policy on Preventing Fraud and Corruption in its Activities and Operations (hereinafter, “IFAD’s Anticorruption Policy”) in competing for, or in executing, the contract. (Refer https://www.ifad.org/en/w/corporate-documents/policies/policy-on-preventing-fraud-and-corruption-in-its-activities-and-operations   
for IFAD’s Fraud and Corruption including Conflict of Interest matters and https://www.ifad.org/en/document-detail/asset/40738506  for IFAD’s Policy to Preventing and Responding to Sexual Harassment, Sexual Exploitation and Abuse).

7. The Fund requires that all beneficiaries of IFAD funding or funds administered by IFAD, including the client, any consultants, implementing partners, service providers and suppliers, observe the highest standards of integrity during the procurement and execution of such contracts, and commit to combat money laundering and terrorism financing consistent with IFAD’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Policy. (Refer https://www.ifad.org/en/document-detail/asset/41942012).

8. The selection process will be conducted using Quality and Cost Based Method of Selection (QCBS) as laid out in the IFAD Procurement Handbook that can be accessed via the IFAD website at www.ifad.org/project-procurement . The client will evaluate the EOIs using the criteria provided above. The shortlisted consultant(s) will be provided with the detailed TORS and asked to submit a detailed technical and financial offer. The evaluation will include a review and verification of qualifications and past performance, including a reference check, prior to the contract award.

9. The 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.

10. Consultants/Applicants shall submit the required documents for the EOI consideration including business registration certificate, trade license, VAT registration certificate, past work experience related documents including supporting documents such as completion certificates, client testimony. Audit report (2023-2025) conducted by independent auditor, CVs and credential of the long term staff and organizational structure.

11. Interested applicants many obtain further information from DBE Head Office, Procurement Directorate, in front of DBE head office (Kiyamed Building 1st floor), Tel. +251 11 5578088, ext. 364; Fax +251 11 553 7982.

12. The Expression of Interest/ Eols shall be submitted in English, one original and one copy, Eols shall be submitted into the tender box prepared for the purpose on or before February 24,2026 at 4:00 P.M (in the afternoon) at the Development bank of Ethiopia, in front of front of DBE head office (Kiyamed Building 1st floor).

The applicants shall submit EOIs as per the formats. The applicants can obtain these forms from DBE website.  dbe.com.et    
DBE reserves the right to accept or reject a part/all of the entire bid.

Development Bank of Ethiopia