Purpose of the RFA

The purpose of this request for applications (RFA) is to support the Government of India, as a member of the Better Than Cash Alliance, in strengthening the implementation of key Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes in the states of Manipur and Tripura in India’s North Eastern Region (NER). At the request of the Government of India, the Alliance is focusing its efforts in the country on the NER to achieve the Government’s goals for catalytic shift from cash to digital payments. Digitization of payments (1), digitization of DBT (2) and the development of the North-Eastern Region (3) are three central priorities for the Government of India.

The objective of this project is to work with the state governments of Manipur and Tripura to help them implement solutions to address key gaps and challenges in the implementation of key DBT schemes in these states to increase the delivery rate to eligible recipients. A broader knowledge-sharing goal is also to help inform other states in the NER on how to accelerate DBT implementation, thus helping the Indian government achieve the benefits of digitization including cost-reduction, cost-efficiency and reduction of leakages.

Minimum qualification criteria

• Any type of organization (commercial for-profit firms, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations) is eligible to compete.
• Proven track record of effectively working with the state governments of Manipur and Tripura, to help them deliver government/public services to eligible recipients.
• Proven excellent results of working with state governments of Manipur and Tripura at both senior and lower levels of state bureaucracy and across both at state and district geographical levels.
• Demonstrated experience of working with India’s Direct Benefit Transfer reforms and the infrastructure that underpins it (i.e. Aadhaar, bank account penetration, among others).
• In-state presence in Manipur and Tripura with local teams having the capacity to deliver on ground programs in both urban and rural areas.
• Demonstrated experience and deep understanding in conducting rigorous data mapping activities to effectively inform government entities on future strategies/way forward.
• Having successfully conducted full project lifecycle assignments from analysis, design, implementation to evaluation, by working closely with a diverse set of stakeholders.
• Excellence in technical writing and fluency in speaking in English, Hindi and Bengali (Tripura).
• Ability to translate technical terms into actionable language and recommendations.
• Evidence of high quality of documentation, packaging, and disseminating technical knowledge in English to a wide range of audiences (both political and technical).
• Have confirmed human resources to cover all planned/required activities.
• Provide written confirmation (Annex 1) that the organization has reviewed the UNCDF Grant Agreement template, is prepared to sign it by September 30th, 2018 without revision to standard language.
• Submit a complete application.

Submission of the application

• Applications and any consultation about this RFA should be submitted via email at to dianne.rajaratnam@uncdf.org; copying in (cc) amela.cosovic-medic@uncdf.org.
• The subject line of the email should be: RFA Submission: Strengthening implementation and increasing delivery to eligible recipients of key Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes in Manipur and Tripura, India.
• Applications should be submitted to the Better Than Cash Alliance Secretariat by email no later 23:00 Eastern Standard Time (GMT -5) on 7th September, 2018.