Payment Service Provider (PSP) - Institutional Consultant

UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND IN THE GAMBIA

TERMS OF REFERENCE

January 2017

Terms of Reference for contracting a Local Financial Institution to deliver cash transfers within the EU project

"Building Resilience through Social Transfers for nutrition security in the Gambia (BReST)"

1.      BACKGROUND

The Gambia, was ranked 172 out of 187 countries in the 2014 UN Human Development Index. With an annual growth rate of 3.3 per cent, the projected population stands at 1.9 million (National Census, 2013).

Poverty rates in The Gambia fell from 58 percent in 2003 to 48.4 percent in 2010 (ibid). However, extreme poverty remains widespread, with nearly 40 percent of the population existing on less than US$1 per person a day (GBoS, 2010).

The DHS 2013 showed that 24.5 percent of children under five were stunted while the MICS 2005 reported 22.4 percent stunting. Worryingly, wasting among children under five has also significantly worsened from a rate of 6.4 percent (MICS 2005) to 11.5 percent (DHS 2013). Indicative preliminary data from the recently commissioned SMART survey in The Gambia undertaken by the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA) also suggests that both chronic and acute malnutrition rates are on the increase.

Evidence shows that almost all stunting takes place before a child's second birthday, or a period commonly referred to as the first 1000 days (from conception to 24 months old). Stunting is a key marker of inequity. Children worldwide have the same capacity to reach their highest potential, according to the international standard.^[1] Therefore targeting children in the first 1000 days of their life will have a direct impact on reducing malnutrition and the likelihood of stunting.

Because of growing concern on nutrition issues UNICEF is mobilizing an EU grant of 3 million EURO to implement a Cash Transfer programme "Building Resilience through Social Transfers for nutrition security in the Gambia (BReST)". The BReST programme which aims at improving nutrition status of lactating women and children under 2 in Central River Region (CRR), North Bank Region (NBR) and Upper River Region (URR) in The Gambia.

2.      PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

UNICEF Country Office is currently seeking a local financial institution to perform the role of the Payment Service Provider (PSP) that will deliver the cash transfers to the programme beneficiaries in the mentioned three regions.

Under the general guidance of the Social Protection Officer (NOB) the PSP is accountable for delivering the cash transfers to about 11,700 beneficiaries in the target regions. It is about 5,850 beneficiaries per year. A monthly transaction will be about 3,510,000 Dalasi. These are estimated figures and the final figures may change based on the programme implementation progress and exchange rate of Dalasi to USD.

The programme will be implemented through a UNICEF partnership with the NaNA and will last a total of 2.5 years (2016-2019, with 2 years of household payments plus a half year for set-up and evaluation time). The NaNA will be the major implementing agency and accountable for overall implementation of the programme. The NaNA will be partnering with the Department of Social Welfare (DSW) of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW) given its important role in promoting social protection policy. A Project Management Team (PMT) will be set up under NaNA including respective experts from the DSW.

The PSP will closely work with the NaNA, DSW, and other stakeholder for the smooth implementation of the programme.

3.      OBJECTIVES

The following are the main object of the assignment:

-        Delivering cash transfers to the beneficiaries on monthly basis;

-        Setting up all necessary arrangements for the payment delivery, including the availability of security personnel to administer pay-outs;

-        Preparing and maintaining necessary information on payment records;

-        Working closely with the NaNA and DSW at national and local levels;

-        Submitting periodical reports to UNICEF Country Office.

4.      KEY END-RESULTS

1.       Cash transfers delivered to the registered beneficiaries on time;

2.       Periodical reports submitted to UNICEF Country office about the cash transfer payments;

3.       Provide all necessary information and documents to liquidate financial transactions according to Harmonised Approach to Cash Transfer (HACT) requirements;

4.       A final report about the completed assignment.

5.      KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the PSP may be assigned the primarily, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of major duties and key end-results.

1.      Effective Implementation of the cash transfer delivery

Set up, maintain and manage a safe, effective and efficient mechanism of cash transfer/distribution.  The PSP will mobilise necessary experts and staff for the smooth implementation of this assignment.

The payments will be made in cash at multiple points in each region.

2.      Ensure the compliance to Project Guidelines and Requirements

While delivering the cash transfers the PSP will be responsible to follow the key operational guidance and requirements of the BREST programme. The PSP will establish procedures for control, oversight, monitoring and accounting for cash distributions.

3.       Ensure effective management of necessary information related to the beneficiaries

Provide comprehensive and timely reporting on cash transfer and beneficiary account activity in a mode to be mutually agreed upon in a future Cash Transfer Agreement. All information should be treated as confidential and cannot be disclosed to public or other parties without written consent of UNICEF Country office.

Arrange on-line reporting facilities for real-time transaction monitoring by UNICEF Country office.

4.      Other additional arrangements

Designate experienced customer support focal team for programme implementation, monitoring, facilitating and coordinating with UNICEF Country office dedicated to the programme.

Provide financial literacy training to the beneficiaries;

Provide faculties such as help desk and call centre help line to facilitate beneficiaries to get guidance or communicate any complaints they may have on cash transfer payments.

The institution should have staff with the capability of working with a digital system of registering the payments to beneficiaries during the payment days. 

6.      KEY DELIVERABLES

·       Deliver the cash transfer to beneficiaries on monthly basis.

·       Submit to UNICEF Country office regular reports on payments and other activities on the programme;

·       End of assignment report.

7.      REQUIREMENTS

The local financial institution should have existing presence in the mentioned regions and demonstrate its readiness to deploy and train banking agents in remote areas. The financial institution's prior experience in cash delivery to vulnerable populations, and a corporate pro-poor strategy, could be an advantage.

The first payment delivery is scheduled in the beginning of March 2017. Therefore, the contracted local financial institution has to be able to mobilise its staff and other resources to meet the schedule.

8.      INTELECTUAL PROPERITY RIGHTS

UNICEF and the NaNA retain the right to patent and intellectual rights, as well as copyright and other similar intellectual property rights for any discoveries, inventions, production or works arising from the implantation of the project under this Agreement with UNICEF. Neither the contractor nor its personnel shall communicate to any other person or entity any confidential information made known to it by UNICEF and the NaNA or other key partners in the course of the performance of its obligations under the terms of this Agreement nor shall it use this information to private or company advantage. This provision shall survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement. The right to reproduce or use materials shall be transferred with a written approval of UNICEF based on the consideration of each separate case.

The core reports will be issued by UNICEF and the NaNA noting in the acknowledgements sections institutions and persons who have made major contributions to the authorship of the report. The consultant will provide UNICEF and the NaNA with raw data, corrected/verified data once cleaned and programming files that permit replication of results from core research/survey/evaluation reports.

Data collected for the assignment is the property of the UNICEF and NaNA. Master versions of the data, coding protocols and programming code permitting replication of results of core survey/evaluation reports will be kept by UNICEF and the NaNA. Copies of the data will be distributed to researchers with the permission of UNICEF and the NaNA with a view to helping to disseminate learning derived from the data sets.

9.      APPLICATIONS AND DOCUMENTS

Interested local financial institutions must  attach technical and financial proposals with cover letters in the application.