Consulting services: Component B. Business Engineering and Capacity Building (B.E.T.)

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) invites responses to the following: Consulting services: Component B. Business Engineering and Capacity Building (B.E.T.). Notice type: Expression of Interest. Project country: Uzbekistan. Responses close on 23 October 2026. Financed by the Islamic Development Bank; see the notice for eligibility and submission details.

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (CONSULTANT SERVICES – SELECTION OF FIRMS) Country: Uzbekistan Project: Strengthening the Economic Resilience of Vulnerable Enterprises (SERVE) Sector: Finance to MSMEs / Economic Empowerment Consulting services: Component B. Business Engineering and Capacity Building (B.E.T.) Mode of Financing: ISFD Loan Financing No.: UZB-1037 The Republic of Uzbekistan has received financing from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) toward the cost of the Strengthening the Economic Resilience of Vulnerable Enterprises (SERVE) Project and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services. The objective of the assignment is to support the Executing Agency in promoting the Economic Empowerment approach and Islamic finance by developing practical recovery solutions for selected vulnerable business activities, developing profitable business models for women wishing to start income-generating businesses, designing targeted training programs, providing relevant tools and recommendations for partner financial institutions, and supporting the initial implementation of Business Development Services (BDS). The Consulting Company, acting as the Business Engineering Team (B.E.T.), shall mobilize an appropriately qualified and adequately resourced team. The Consultant shall determine the number, mix and level of input of experts required, based on its proposed methodology, work plan and understanding of the assignment. Collectively, the proposed team should demonstrate adequate expertise in MSME and private sector development, business modelling, market and value-chain analysis, business recovery and growth support, BDS, women’s economic empowerment, Sharia-compliant MSME financing, monitoring and implementation support. The implementation period is up to 12 months, starting upon signature of the consulting contract between the PMU/Executing Agency and the Consultant. The assignment will be implemented in two phases: Phase I, with a duration of up to 6 months, focused on analysis, research, development, planning and formulation of the required tools, business models, recommendations and technical requirements; and Phase II, with a duration of approximately 6 months, focused on monitoring, guidance, coordination and oversight of the initial implementation of the proposed solutions under BDS. The actual delivery of BDS will be carried out by local service providers to be selected separately by the PMU/Executing Agency. The Consulting Company will support the PMU/Executing Agency, as required, in defining the technical requirements for such services and in facilitating the initial rollout of BDS. The assignment will primarily cover the Republic of Karakalpakstan and the Khorezm, Bukhara, Navoiy, Samarkand, Kashkadarya and Surkhandarya regions. The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment are available at the following link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FE1MtPLc3qEnt2yIBtrnksdw4FNVNv1q/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102883265367454794668&rtpof=true&sd=true The Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the services. The assignment will use an international shortlist; eligible Consulting Firms from any country may express interest, subject to the eligibility requirements of IsDB. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the services, including details of their organization, the availability of relevant professional skills and resources within the organization, company profile/brochures, descriptions of past and present assignments of a similar nature including for each reference assignment the client, country, assignment scope, contract value, dates, role of the Consultant and completion/status, experience in similar conditions, and any other information demonstrating their ability to carry out the assignment satisfactorily. The shortlisting criteria are: 9.1 Eligibility Compliance The Consultant must comply with the IsDB eligibility rules set out in Part 1, Chapter 1, Section 1.11 of the Procurement Guidelines. The Consultant must not be subject to any applicable restriction, sanction or debarment that would make it ineligible to be awarded or benefit from an IsDB-financed contract. The Consultant must be free from conflicts of interest that could give rise to a competitive advantage. 9.2 Professional Standing and Organizational Capacity The Consultant should demonstrate satisfactory professional standing, credentials and competence necessary to carry out the assignment. The Consultant should demonstrate adequate organizational and managerial capacity and the availability of relevant professional skills among its staff to undertake the assignment. 9.3 Relevant Experience and Performance The Consultant should demonstrate at least five (5) years of relevant consulting experience in MSME/private sector development, financial services, Islamic finance, business development/capacity building, or closely related fields. The Consultant should demonstrate successful implementation of at least two (2) similar or substantially comparable assignments during the last five (5) years. Experience in Central Asia or other comparable emerging markets will be considered an advantage. For shortlisting purposes, similarity will be assessed against the principal characteristics of the assignment, and the Consultant’s relevant experience may be demonstrated collectively across its portfolio. The Consultant should demonstra