Assessment of the digital student loan platform in Uzbekistan

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST ASSIGNMENT PARTICULARS

Country Republic of Uzbekistan

Client / Borrower Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF)

Implementing Agency Education Loan Financing Fund Management Department (ELFFMD) within MEF

Program

EduImkon: Redesigning Opportunity, Delivering Education Equity Program

Grant Number Grant . TF0C8875

Assignment Title Assessment of the digital student loan platform in Uzbekistan

Selection Method Consultant Qualification Selection (CQS) — World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers

Assignment Duration 2 to 3 months from the date of contract signing

REOI Reference UZ-MEF-16-CS-CQS

EOI Submission Deadline

September 17, 2026, at 18: 00 hours Tashkent time

BACKGROUND

The Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan is implementing reforms to expand equitable access to higher education and strengthen the effectiveness and inclusiveness of student financing. In this context, the US$2 million World Bank-financed Grant Facility for Project Preparation (GFPP) supports the preparation and implementation readiness of the Student Loan Program through analytical work, institutional capacity building, implementation support, and policy development. As the Student Loan Program increasingly relies on digital processes, a comprehensive assessment of the Digital Student Loan Platform is required to evaluate its functionality, usability, accessibility, interoperability, data governance, privacy, cybersecurity, and technical and operational performance. The assessment will identify key gaps and bottlenecks and provide practical, prioritized recommendations to improve the platform, strengthen digital integration and data management, enhance security and user experience, and support efficient, inclusive, and user-centred delivery of student financing services. To this end, the Government intends to engage a qualified Digital/IT Consulting Firm or specialized technology company to conduct the assessment and develop an evidence base and roadmap for the further digital transformation and development of the Student Loan Program. DISBURSEMENT-LINKED RESULTS IN SCOPE

DLI DLR Description and Formula Disbursement Value

DLI 1 Inception report and Work plan Inception Report presenting the detailed methodology, assessment framework, data and information requirements, stakeholder engagement approach, quality assurance procedures, risk management measures, and detailed work plan for the assignment. The report shall confirm the proposed approach to assessing platform functionality, accessibility and user experience, interoperability and data governance, privacy and cybersecurity, technical and operational performance, and international benchmarking. 10%

DLI 2 Digital Student Loan Platform Assessment Report A comprehensive assessment report presenting the findings of the review of the Digital Student Loan Platform. The report shall cover platform functionality and digital business processes; accessibility, usability, user experience and inclusive digital services; system integration and interoperability; data governance, data ownership, data quality, data retention and data sharing; privacy and data protection; cybersecurity and information security; technical architecture, system performance, operational resilience and business continuity; and key technical, operational and user-related challenges. The report shall also include the results of international benchmarking against relevant GovTech good practices and comparable digital student financing platforms, where appropriate.

30%

DLI 3 Digital Transformation Recommendations and Reform Priorities Based on the assessment findings, the Consulting Firm shall prepare a consolidated set of evidence-based recommendations for improving the Digital Student Loan Platform and supporting digital processes. The recommendations shall address functional, technical, operational, accessibility, user experience, interoperability, data governance, privacy, cybersecurity, institutional, and capacity-related improvements. The deliverable shall include a prioritized implementation framework covering short-term (1–2 years), medium-term (3–5 years), and long-term (5+ years) measures, including proposed sequencing, institutional responsibilities, implementation dependencies, indicative timelines, resource and capacity requirements, and key implementation risks. The recommendations shall incorporate relevant stakeholder feedback received through the validation process.

40%

DLI 4 Final Assessment Report and Policy Recommendations Consolidated Final Report incorporating the findings and recommendations from the preceding deliverables and comments received from the Client, MEF, PIU, the World Bank, and other relevant stakeholders. The Final Assessment Report shall include an executive summary, key assessment findings, identified gaps and risks, international benchmarking results, prioritized recommendations, and conclusions regarding the future development and improvement of the Digital Student Loan Platform.

15%

DLI 5 Capacity Building Workshop and Presentation of Final Results Documentation of the structured knowledge-transfer workshop for government staff, including workshop materials, participant list, and summary note. The Consulting Firm shall prepare and deliver: Technical Presentation (up to 30 slides ) summarizing the assessment methodology, analytical findings, conclusions, recommendations, and supporting evidence for technical stakeholders. Executive Presentation (up to 10 slides ) including an Executive Summary for consultations with international experts, senior government officials, the World Bank, and other development partners. 5%

OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The objective is to engage a qualified consulting firm to serve as to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the Digital Student Loan Platform and the digital processes supporting the Student Loan Program in the Republic of Uzbekistan. The assessment will examin