Call for Expression of Interest (EOI)

for

                                 Business Case Study on Housing Microfinance

Habitat for Humanity Great Britain, Humanity for Humanity Nepal and Sahara Nepal are jointly implementing the project entitled, “Financial Inclusion for Marginalized Women in Nepal” in support of Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA). The project, pertaining to financial inclusion, is being implemented for four years duration (August 2020 to April 2024) in three districts of Province-1 and one district of Province-2; namely, Jhapa, Morang, Saptari and Udayapur. The project aims to improve marginalized, low-income women’s financial security, and support build safe housing through improved access to financial services in the project district by 2024.  The project opts to achieve two major outcomes:

1)      Increased access to housing microfinance services  to the targeted 112,000 women from low-income households through the five MFI partners’ network. The capacity to access financial services from microfinance will be enhanced through financial literacy, knowledge on available microfinance products, and awareness building on safe housing. Also, the project will capacitate 800 frontline workers from the project districts to support the women group having financial and housing services under the project scope.

2)      Increased financing capacity of Five MFIs to offer client-centric housing loans that meet the needs of clients from marginalized, low income communities. The capacity of MFIs will be enhanced through support in developing marketing strategies for safe housing financing.

Eventually, an estimated number of 448,000 people from those marginalized, low-come households will be benefited from the project.

In light of these accomplishments, Sahara Nepal has formulated this Terms of Reference (ToR) to develop the business cases for two specific MFIs, namely Sahara Nepal SACCOS and Unique Nepal Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha. The primary objective of this assignment is to evaluate the outcomes and impacts of enhanced housing conditions (including new constructions, incremental improvements, or house repairs) on the health, education, and socioeconomic status of clients benefiting from housing microfinance loans.

 B.    OBJECTIVES

The main objectives of the assignment is:

·         To prepare two business cases on housing microfinance of Sahara Nepal SACCOS and Unique Nepal Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha and

·         Assess the outcomes and impacts of improved housing conditions on health, education and socioeconomic status of micro housing loan clients.

 C.      Method and Tools

 The consultant shall prepare the detail methodology and tools with the consultation to Sahara Nepal; Financial Inclusion team and Habitat for Humanity International Nepal. Furthermore, the data for business case studies will be collected from MFIs MIS report, periodic plan and progress reports, review policies and strategies based on predeveloped formats and checklists. Similarly, required information will also be collected through interview with MFI’s board, management and staff using predesigned checklist for KII.   

 The consultant needs to design the detail households survey questionnaire to collect data for assessing outcomes and impacts on health, education and socioeconomic status of housing micro loan clients in close coordination and consultation with Sahara Nepal and Habitat for Humanity International Nepal.

 D.      Sample size and unit

 The sample size will be computed taking 05% margin of error and 95% level of confidence from the total number of households (i.e. around 12,000) taken housing micro loans during FY 2021 and FY2022 from two MFIs. For the case studies four districts i.e. Jhapa, Morang, Banke and Bardiya have been selected for survey. The total sample size will be distributed proportionately based on number of clients in districts, purpose of loans (i.e. new /incremental/repair & home improvement) along with  caste/ethnicities.     

 E. ACTIVITIES

The assignment would include two types of data collection, analysis and report preparation as below.

1. Data on housing loan portfolio of two MFIs that includes following activities:

·         Review literatures on the successful business cases of housing microfinance.

·         Collect historical housing loan disbursement and outstanding loan data from respective SACCOS/MFI.

·         Review historical housing loan portfolio quality.

·         Analyze revenue generation from housing loan to the institution.

·         Analyze profitability from the housing loan product and its contribution in overall profit of the institution.

·         Review potential to grow housing loan to scale as a part of overall loan portfolio.

·         Data analysis and visualization

·         Draft report preparation and sharing.

·         Finalization of report and sharing

2. Data on outcomes and impacts on health, education and socioeconomic status of housing micro loans clients that includes following activities     

·         Design data collection plan for 200 housing micro loan clients from four districts (Jhapa, Morang, Banke and Bardiya) of two institutions proportionately by district and purpose of loans.

·         Developed households survey questionnaire to collect data on outcome and impacts of safe, adequate and affordable housing on health, education and socioeconomic status on housing micro loans clients jointly with Sahara Nepal/Habitat Nepal.

·         Provide orientation on household survey questionnaires to enumerator.

·         Digitize questionnaire in Kobo Toolbox.

·         Data cleaning, analysis visualization and sharing to Sahara Nepal for feedback.

·         Draft report preparation and sharing to Habitat Nepal and Sahara Nepal for feedback.

·         Finalization of report.

3. The finding should answer the following questions:

·         What demand-side factors create a compelling case for offering a housing microfinance product?

·         What is the nature and extent of the market demand, and what is a viable value proposition that partner MFI can provide in response to this demand?

·         What are these two MFI’s competitive advantages in offering this HMF product?

·         What are the differentiating features that make it a strategic product within the institution and the broader housing finance market?

Elaborate a report with the key findings on the profitability, potentiality to grow the loan portfolio and the outcome and impact of safe, adequate and affordable housing on health, education and socioeconomic status of housing micro loan clients.

 F.  DELIVERABLES

 The consultant will deliver both a hard and electronic copy of the following documents:

1.       Cleaned household survey datasets.

2.       Case study plan with timeline.

3.       Plan for household survey.

4.       Quality control assurance.

5.       The report with the key findings on the profitability, potentiality to grow the loan portfolio and outcome and impact of safe, adequate and affordable housing on health, education and socioeconomic status of housing micro loan clients.

 G.   SPECIFIC INPUTS FROM Sahara Nepal and Habitat for Humanity International Nepal    

       ·         Provide housing loan disbursements data received from partner MFI during the last three years.

·         Coordinate with partner MFI and link the consultant with them.

·         Facilitate the consultant’s access to all the necessary information and will provide the consultant with the necessary administrative, physical and logistical support for an efficient implementation of the assignment.

 H.      QUERIES ON TOR

In case of any confusion or clarification in this TOR, the firm/individual can send their issues at Email: [email protected] or call at 9801920538

I. FINANCIAL PROPOSAL SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING

J. PAYMENT

 The assignment fee will be paid in two installments in the following manner:

1st installment:    40% providing the detailed workplan and methodology of the assignment

Final installment:  60%- After the approval of final report

 Note: Please be informed that Sahara Nepal will withhold applicable Tax Deduction at Source (TDS).

 K.    DOCUMENTS REQUIRED

        •            Technical and financial proposal

•            CV of expert involved.

•            Updated Organizational documents along with relevant experience

 L.     QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCES REQUIRED

 The consultant should have:

•      Minimum of 5 years of experiences in financial inclusion related work experience

•      Strong understanding of the impact of financial services on disadvantaged client segments – including low income people, women, rural villagers

•      Have experiences of conducting research, preparing business case studies.

•      Sound knowledge on data management, research design and report production 

M. TO APPLY

Interested individual should submit their Technical and Financial Proposal including testimonials/certificates to [email protected] Please write Business Case Study Proposal in the subject line of the email and submit the proposal no later than 22 January 2024. Those individuals interested to submit their proposal in a separate sealed envelope as hardcopies, please send to Sahara Nepal, Birtamode-2, Charpane Jhapa.