Consultancy for Assessment of MESPT Financial Inclusion to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) at Micro Enterprises Support Programme Trust (MESPT)

The objective of this consultancy is to assess the effect MESPT debt has had in influencing key social and economic results at SME and small holder farmer levels as per the agreed results in the contracting document (Offer letter). The contracting documents will be shared to the successful bidder.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives of the consultancy are to:

• Validation of the nature of business of the identified SMEs.
• Validation of approved and disbursed loan amounts to identified SMEs.
• Review of the contracting document (offer Letter) to validated agreed results for each identified SME.
• Establish the baseline position of each result for identified SME and the achievement level to date.
• Establish any challenges or barriers that could have inhibited achievement of the results and proposed mitigation to address the challenges and the barriers.
• Establish what the SMEs have done to manage the barriers and the challenges.
• Establish the level of debt utilization from MESPT and its contribution to the current enterprise position.
• Establish any gaps that were unforeseen and require further support either by way of technical support or financial debt with justification.
• Establish whether the financing from MESPT was aligned to any of the four thematic focus and how has it contributed to harnessing the thematic focus areas.
• Establish any additionality of financing from other sources influenced by MESPT partnership with SME.
• Make recommendations on future engagements and partnership between MESPT and SMEs.
• Clearly establish and document lessons learnt from MESPT partnership and have a case study.

SCOPE OF WORKS

• Working closely with MESPT Credit and the Business Development Manager, the consultant will be required to engage the management and technical teams of SMEs and the farmer co-operative and sample some of their partnering farmers for comprehensive feedback. The consultant shall be expected to undertake the following:
• Hold inception meeting with MESPT Credit and Business Development Manager and his team for fine tuning the expectations and work plan and sign non-disclosure agreement.
• Desk review of MESPT contracting document-offer letter and loan agreements for the identified clients and draw key expected results. This shall be done within the MESPT offices, and no copies shall be taken in compliance to MESPT data protection policy.
• Develop and administer assessment templates upon approval by MESPT M&E Manager.
• Undertake both online and onsite interviews with the business owners and farmers (where necessary)
• Prepare consolidated report with specific chapters per client covering approach and methodology; findings (successes, challenges), mitigation; and recommendations.
• Present the report to MESPT Management and the Board

KEY DELIVERABLES

Milestone 1:

Inception report highlighting harmonized understanding of the assignment in respect to objectives and expected output, agreed work plan with MESPT, schedule of engagements with SMEs, logistical support, list of documents for desk review (from both MESPT), introductory letters, and commencement timelines for the field engagements and the officer incharge.

Milestone 2:

• Desk review of MESPT contracting document for the loans with SMEs.
• Development of assessment tools for approval by MESPT M&E Manager.
• List of documentation required from the SMEs
• Report on desk review and assessment tools

Milestone 3

• Kickoff of the assessment through administering assessment tool.
• Hold online and physical meetings with SMEs and Farmer co-ops.
• Draft 1 report on the assessment presented to MESPT Management.
• Presentation of final consolidated report to MESPT Management including case study.

ASSIGNMENT TIMELINES

The assignment will commence immediately after signing the contract with MESPT and will be for a period of 20 working days covering 7 Small and Medium Enterprises and 1 Farmer Co-operative Society Ltd in 6 Counties.

CONSULTANT REQUIREMENTS

• Master’s degree in relevant field- (Agricultural Economics, Business Management, Finance, Economics, Accounting, Statistics, Mathematics, Sustainable Business).
• In-depth knowledge and experience in Agri-enterprise development, Agri value chain finance, Climate/Green finance, Development finance, financial inclusion, Enterprise development and/or Agricultural Value Chain Development.
• Demonstrable experience in undertaking surveys and assessments within the agricultural sector including developing tools for data collection.
• Have a at least 5 years’ experience in enterprise development and implementing sustainable finance in Kenya.