Clarification Requests – RFP for Consultancy Services – A2A Digital MSME Engagement Platform

1. Experience in Digital Business Management and Financial Literacy Interventions

Reference: RFP Page 78 – Eligibility Criteria

The RFP specifically requires:

“Experience of delivering business management and financial literacy interventions digitally. (Please provide project contract agreement / award of work / completion certificate)”

In case of a Joint Venture/Consortium, please clarify whether this experience may be demonstrated by any one of the consortium members, or whether the Lead Member must independently possess and demonstrate this experience.

Further, where one consortium member has demonstrated experience in digital business management interventions and another has demonstrated experience in digital financial literacy interventions, please clarify whether these may be collectively considered to satisfy the requirement.

In case of a Joint Venture/Consortium, please clarify whether this experience may be demonstrated by any one of the consortium members, or whether the Lead Member must independently possess and demonstrate this experience.

Further, where one consortium member has demonstrated experience in digital business management interventions and another has demonstrated experience in digital financial literacy interventions, please clarify whether these may be collectively considered to satisfy the requirement.

2. Experience Across the Four Digital Outreach Components

Reference: RFP Pages 78–79 – Demonstrated Experience

The RFP requires experience in designing and deploying all of the following:

Mobile-based IVR surveys

Targeted SMS campaigns

Social media/messaging chatbots

Digital outreach campaigns

The RFP further requires verifiable documentary evidence in the form of a project contract agreement, award of work or completion certificate.

In case of a Joint Venture/Consortium, please clarify whether these four areas may be demonstrated collectively by different consortium members, or whether the Lead Member must independently demonstrate all four areas.

3. Minimum Average Annual Revenue

Reference: RFP Page 78 – Eligibility Criteria

The RFP requires an average annual revenue of PKR 100 million during the previous three years, supported by audited financial statements, tax returns or bank statements.

In case of a Joint Venture/Consortium, please clarify whether this requirement may be met through the combined revenue of the consortium members, or whether the Lead Member must independently meet the PKR 100 million threshold.

4. Minimum 10 Years of Verifiable Experience

Reference: RFP Page 78 – Eligibility Criteria

The RFP requires the bidder to have at least 10 years of verifiable experience, with supporting evidence as per Annexure-A.

In case of a Joint Venture/Consortium, please clarify whether the 10-year experience requirement may be demonstrated collectively by the consortium members, or whether the Lead Member must independently demonstrate at least 10 years of experience.

We would appreciate clarification on the above points to ensure that the proposed consortium structure and supporting documentary evidence are fully aligned with the RFP requirements.

Thank you for your guidance.

Clarification Requests – RFP for Consultancy Services – A2A Digital MSME Engagement Platform

1. Experience in Digital Business Management and Financial Literacy Interventions

Reference: RFP Page 78 – Eligibility Criteria

The RFP specifically requires:

“Experience of delivering business management and financial literacy interventions digitally. (Please provide project contract agreement / award of work / completion certificate)”

In case of a Joint Venture/Consortium, please clarify whether this experience may be demonstrated by any one of the consortium members, or whether the Lead Member must independently possess and demonstrate this experience.

Further, where one consortium member has demonstrated experience in digital business management interventions and another has demonstrated experience in digital financial literacy interventions, please clarify whether these may be collectively considered to satisfy the requirement.

In case of a Joint Venture/Consortium, please clarify whether this experience may be demonstrated by any one of the consortium members, or whether the Lead Member must independently possess and demonstrate this experience.

Further, where one consortium member has demonstrated experience in digital business management interventions and another has demonstrated experience in digital financial literacy interventions, please clarify whether these may be collectively considered to satisfy the requirement.

SMEDA Response

Yes. References and past projects of all JV members will be evaluated collectively under Evaluation Criterion 3.2.3, subject to the scoring caps stated there.

Only verifiable projects supported by a scanned contract agreement, award of work or completion certificate will be counted. The same project may not be counted more than once.

Yes. Key Experts may be drawn from any JV member, and from sub-consultants approved in advance in accordance with GCC Clause 20.1.3, provided each proposed expert is named in FORM TECH-6 with a signed confirmation of availability.

Note that under BDS Clause 4 (ITB 6.1), participation of sub-consultants, Key Experts and Non-Key Experts in more than one Proposal is not permitted.

2. Experience Across the Four Digital Outreach Components

Reference: RFP Pages 78–79 – Demonstrated Experience

The RFP requires experience in designing and deploying all of the following:

Mobile-based IVR surveys

Targeted SMS campaigns

Social media/messaging chatbots

Digital outreach campaigns

The RFP further requires verifiable documentary evidence in the form of a project contract agreement, award of work or completion certificate.

In case of a Joint Venture/Consortium, please clarify whether these four areas may be demonstrated collectively by different consortium members, or whether the Lead Member must independently demonstrate all four areas.

SMEDA Response

Yes. References and past projects of all JV members will be evaluated collectively under Evaluation Criterion 3.2.3, subject to the scoring caps stated there.

Only verifiable projects supported by a scanned contract agreement, award of work or completion certificate will be counted. The same project may not be counted more than once.

With reference to convergence of all four areas please review the relevant section of ‘Evaluation Criteria’ provided in the RFP, the marks/score will be awarded as per the evaluation criteria. 

3. Minimum Average Annual Revenue

Reference: RFP Page 78 – Eligibility Criteria

The RFP requires an average annual revenue of PKR 100 million during the previous three years, supported by audited financial statements, tax returns or bank statements.

In case of a Joint Venture/Consortium, please clarify whether this requirement may be met through the combined revenue of the consortium members, or whether the Lead Member must independently meet the PKR 100 million threshold.

SMEDA Response

This requirement may be met through the combined revenue of the JV/ consortium members

4. Minimum 10 Years of Verifiable Experience

Reference: RFP Page 78 – Eligibility Criteria

The RFP requires the bidder to have at least 10 years of verifiable experience, with supporting evidence as per Annexure-A.

In case of a Joint Venture/Consortium, please clarify whether the 10-year experience requirement may be demonstrated collectively by the consortium members, or whether the Lead Member must independently demonstrate at least 10 years of experience.

We would appreciate clarification on the above points to ensure that the proposed consortium structure and supporting documentary evidence are fully aligned with the RFP requirements.

SMEDA Response

Yes. References and past projects of all JV members will be evaluated collectively under Evaluation Criterion 3.2.3, subject to the scoring caps stated there.

Eligibility Criteria for Consultancy Services Bid

The letter of request is attached for your kind review.

This is to formally bring to your kind attention an issue identified in the eligibility criteria of the recently
advertised bid on PPRA 2.0 titled “Procurement of Consultancy Services for Design, Configuration and
Deployment of a Web-Based Project Monitoring and Performance Dashboard for SMEDA Business Plan
(Consultancy Services)” which requires reconsideration.

As per the bidding document, the eligible bidder types include Partnership Firm or Company (Private
Limited). However, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), being a not-for-profit
educational institution, does not formally fall within the aforementioned categories despite possessing the
relevant institutional expertise and technical capacity required for the assignment.

It is pertinent to mention that LUMS has extensive experience in undertaking research, policy, regulatory,
and consultancy assignments through its highly qualified faculty and professionals. Upon review of the
scope of work, we believe that the institution is fully capable of successfully carrying out the subject
assignment and can make a valuable contribution to the project. 

In view of the above, it is respectfully requested that the eligibility criteria may kindly be reconsidered to
allow participation of not-for-profit educational institutions such as LUMS, or any other appropriate
category as prescribed under PPRA guidelines, so that the institution may be given a fair opportunity to
participate in the bidding process.

Eligibility Criteria for Consultancy Services Bid

The clarification has already been taken up by LUMS with PPRA to seek clarification requiring legal interpretation on specific point whether a non-profit organization (LUMS) can participate in a commercial activity or otherwise. The matter may be further processed in the light of clarification received by LUMS from PPRA and sharing of the same with SMEDA.