The appointed consultant shall be awarded a contract that will be effective for up to 4 months
Background
Launched in 2013, the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Youth Business and Agriculture Loan Scheme (PMYBALS) provides financial support to young entrepreneurs and farmers through subsidized loans. The scheme aims to encourage self-employment, business creation, and growth in the agriculture sector by offering subsidized loans. To date, approximately 54,000 loans amounting to Rupees 73.55 billion have been disbursed, promoting youth-led business development and agricultural growth. The scheme allocates 10 billion rupees for the fiscal year 2023-24, aiming to provide interest-free and subsidized loans to over 150,000 young entrepreneurs.
To ensure its effectiveness, transparency, and sustainability, a comprehensive review and evaluation of the scheme is required. This evaluation seeks to assess the impact and outcomes of PMYBALS, guiding future policy development and program improvements for youth empowerment in Pakistan and the broader Commonwealth. As such, the Government of Pakistan through the Prime Ministers Youth Programme has requested the Commonwealth Secretariat for technical assistance to conduct this review and evaluation. The Commonwealth Secretariat seeks to engage a qualified consultant or consulting firm to conduct an independent review and evaluation of the scheme.
Objective of the consultancy
The primary objective of the consultancy is to assess the overall performance of the PMYBALS, focusing on its impact, effectiveness, challenges, and future potential. The consultant will provide a set of recommendations to improve the scheme’s design, implementation, and sustainability. In particular, the evaluation seeks to:
- Assess the overall impact of PMYBALS on youth entrepreneurship, agricultural productivity, and employment generation.
- Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the scheme’s design and implementation, including stakeholder management and coordination.
- Analyze the scheme’s contribution to economic empowerment, particularly in rural areas, and its alignment with national and Commonwealth youth development goals.
- Examine the differences in focus between bank approaches and PMYP, particularly concerning Non-Performing Loans (NPL) and the promotion of high-yield business sectors.
- Address the need for improved inclusion of women entrepreneurs and marginalized youth, considering the fixed quota of 25% for women.
- Provide recommendations to enhance the design, delivery, and sustainability of future youth-focused loan schemes in Commonwealth member countries.
Project timeline
It’s expected that the project will commence on 6 January 2025 and be completed by 6 May 2025.
How to apply
Bidders must submit all documents as set out in Part1 – Part 5 ‘Quote’ of the attached Request for Quotes document no later than Noon GMT on 10 December 2024.
The quote documents are to be returned to the following email address: [email protected].