Conducting a gender and social inclusion assessment of the student loan program and beneficiary experience evaluation — Project Preparation Assistance: Enhancing Access to Tertiary Education through Student Loan Mechanis

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 Conduct a gender and social inclusion assessment of the student loan program and beneficiary experience evaluation 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-12-CS-CQS EOI Submission Deadline September 15, 2026, at 18:00 hours Tashkent time BACKGROUND The Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan is implementing comprehensive reforms aimed at expanding equitable access to higher education, strengthening human capital, and improving the effectiveness and inclusiveness of public support mechanisms for students. As part of these reforms, the Student Loan Program has become one of the key financial instruments designed to reduce economic barriers to higher education and provide students with greater opportunities to pursue tertiary education. Since its introduction, the Student Loan Program has supported thousands of students in financing their education and has contributed to increasing access to higher education across the country. As the programme continues to expand, it is important to understand not only its operational performance but also its impact on the lives of beneficiaries and their families, particularly in terms of educational opportunities, financial well-being, social inclusion, and future employment prospects. While administrative data provide valuable information on programme implementation, they do not fully capture beneficiaries' experiences throughout the student loan journey, including the challenges encountered during the application process, access to information, interactions with participating institutions, financial and social circumstances before receiving the loan, and the changes experienced after obtaining financial support. In addition, there is a need to assess whether the programme effectively responds to the needs of different population groups and provides equitable access and benefits for women and men, students from different socio-economic backgrounds, and other vulnerable or underserved groups. DISBURSEMENT-LINKED RESULTS IN SCOPE DLI DLR Description and Formula Disbursement Value DLI 1 Inception Report and Work Plan Submission of the Inception Report describing the research methodology, implementation approach, sampling methodology, stakeholder engagement strategy, data collection instruments, quality assurance measures, ethical considerations, and detailed work plan. 10 % DLI 2 Beneficiary Profile and Gender & Social Inclusion Assessment Report Submission of the analytical report presenting the beneficiary profile, beneficiary segmentation, Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI) assessment, programme accessibility, socio-economic characteristics, financial vulnerability, drivers for applying for student loans, and baseline indicators for impact assessment. 20 % DLI 3 Beneficiary Journey Assessment Report Submission of the assessment report describing beneficiaries' experience throughout the Student Loan Program, including awareness, application and approval process, institutional interaction, digital service experience, post-loan experience, beneficiary satisfaction, and Beneficiary Journey Mapping. 20% DLI 4 Socio-economic, Educational and Employment Impact Assessment Report Submission of the impact assessment report covering educational outcomes, socio-economic impact, education-to-employment transition, financial preparedness, repayment readiness, long-term aspirations, and overall programme impact. 20 % DLI 5 Final Assessment Report and Policy Recommendations Submission of the Final Assessment Report consolidating findings from all components of the assignment, including evidence-based policy recommendations, stakeholder-specific recommendations, and supporting annexes. 30 % Total 100 % OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT The objective is to engage a qualified consulting firm to serve as to conduct a comprehensive Gender and Social Inclusion Impact Assessment of the Student Loan Program in Uzbekistan by evaluating the experiences, accessibility, inclusiveness, and socio-economic outcomes of student loan beneficiaries. The assessment shall examine beneficiaries' journey before, during, and after receiving a student loan, identify barriers and enabling factors affecting access to the programme, assess its impact on education and livelihoods, and develop evidence-based recommendations to strengthen the inclusiveness, responsiveness, and effectiveness of the Student Loan Program. SERVICES REQUIRED The selected firm will be required to perform the following main tasks, as detailed in the Terms of Reference (TOR) to be provided to the shortlisted firm: 1. Research Design and Inception including development of a comprehensive research framework and methodology for conducting the Gender and Social Inclusion Impact Assessment of the Student Loan Program. 2. Beneficiary Profile and Gender & Social Inclusion Assessment of the socio-demographic profile of Student Loan Program beneficiaries, evaluate the gender and social inclusiveness of the programme, and examine the socio-economic circumstances, needs, and factors that influenced beneficiaries' decision to apply for a student loan. 3. Beneficiary Journey Assessment of beneficiaries' experience throughout the entire Student Loan Program journey, from awareness of the programme and the decision to apply, through the application and loan approval process, to loan utilization, interaction with participating institutions, including access to complaints, grievance, feedback, and appeal mechanisms, and beneficiaries' expectations regarding their future education, employment, and loan repayment. 4. Assessment of the Socio-economic, Educational and Employment Impact of the Student Loan Program on beneficiaries' educational attainment, socio-economic well-being, financial resilience, and transition to employment. 5. Development of Policy Recommendations and Beneficiary-Centred Improvement Measures with consolidation of the findings from all the assessment’s results and develop practical, evidence-based recommendations to strengthen the effectiveness, accessibility, inclusiveness, and sustainability of the Student Loan Program. During this activity the Consulting Firm shall prepare presentation materials summarizing the assessment methodology, analytical findings, conclusions, and recommendations for different target audiences. The assignment shall be completed within 2 to 3 months from contract signing. Deliverables include: (i) Inception Report and Work Plan; (ii) Beneficiary Profile and Gender & Social Inclusion Assessment Report; (iii) Beneficiary Journey Assessment Report; (iv)Socio-economic, Educational and Employment Impact Assessment Report; (v) Final Assessment Report and Policy Recommendations and (vi) Supporting Annexes. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Entity Type This assignment is open to legally registered consulting firms, research organizations, and audit firms. Individual consultants are not eligible to apply. Registration in Uzbekistan Firms duly registered in the Republic of Uzbekistan or with a registered local presence (branch, representative office, or subsidiary) are encouraged to confirm this in their EOI. Foreign firms without local registration may still apply but must demonstrate a credible plan for establishing local registration or a teaming arrangement with a locally registered entity prior to contract award, in accordance with the applicable legislation of Uzbekistan. MEF reserves the right to require evidence of local registration or a signed teaming agreement as a condition of contract award. World Bank Eligibility The firm must not appear on the World Bank's list of debarred firms and individuals. Firms from all countries, except those subject to restrictions under applicable World Bank policies, may apply. Conflict of Interest Firms that have been involved, directly or through affiliated entities, in the design, development, or implementation of any of the systems or programs whose results are to be verified under this assignment are not eligible to apply. Any actual or potential conflict of interest must be disclosed in the EOI. SHORTLISTING CRITERIA Given the nature of this assignment, both the firm's organizational experience and the qualifications of the proposed key personnel are material to the shortlisting decision. Verification assignments under PforR instruments are highly dependent on the specific knowledge and competence of individual experts, and a strong institutional profile does not compensate for insufficiently qualified key staff. For this reason, ELFFMD will assess team composition at the shortlisting stage on a pass/fail threshold basis, alongside the firm-level criteria. The full scored evaluation of key personnel will be conducted at the proposal stage in accordance with the RFP evaluation criteria. The shortlisting criteria are structured in two parts: Part A covers firm-level qualifications assessed on a scored basis; Part B covers key personnel assessed on a pass/fail threshold basis. Only firms satisfying all Part B thresholds will be placed on the shortlist, regardless of their Part A score. Part A: Firm-Level Qualifications (Scored) # Criteri a Max Points Evidence Required A.1 At least three (3) successfully completed comparable assignments involving socio-economic research, beneficiary assessments, impact evaluations, education sector studies, or public policy analysis. 20 List of relevant assignments, including client, assignment title, scope, country, dates, and contract value, supported by references, completion certificates, or contracts where available. A.2 Demonstrated experience in Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) assessments, including analysis of gender, social and economic barriers to access and participation. 15 Description of relevant GESI assignments, scope, methodology, key outputs, and client; supported by reports, references, or contracts. A.3 Demonstrated experience in education sector analysis, student financing, financial inclusion, and/or related social sector programmes. 20 List and description of relevant assignments, including client, scope, role, country, dates, and key outputs; supported by references or contracts. A.4 Demonstrated experience in large-scale or nationwide surveys and primary data collection, including beneficiary surveys, sampling, interviews, focus groups, and stakeholder consultations. 15 Description of relevant survey assignments, including sample size, methodology, geographic coverage, target population, and role in implementation; supported by reports or references. A.5 Demonstrated experience in labour market analysis, youth employment, graduate outcomes, or related socio-economic research, with capacity to develop evidence-based policy recommendations. 15 Relevant assignment descriptions, analytical reports, policy recommendations, and client references. A.6 Experience working with government institutions, international financial institutions, development partners, or donor-funded programmes, preferably in Uzbekistan, Central Asia, or comparable socio-economic contexts. 15 List of relevant contracts/assignments identifying the client, country, scope of work, dates, and role; supported by references or contracts. Total — Part A 100 Part B: Key Personnel Threshold Assessment (Pass / Fail) Firms must submit brief CVs (maximum two pages each) for the proposed Team Leader and Research Methodology and Survey Expert. These two positions are assessed on a pass/fail basis against the minimum thresholds below. A firm that does not meet all thresholds for both positions will not be shortlisted, regardless of its Part A score. CVs for the Monitoring, Evaluation and Data Analysis Expert, Field and Logistics Coordinator and Enumerators are not required at the EOI stage but will be required in full at the proposal stage. Position Minimum Threshold Pass / Fail Evidence B.1 — Team Leader / Senior Research Expert Qualifications Master’s degree or higher in Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, Education, Development Studies, or related field. Pass / Fail Signed CV + degree certificate General experience Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience in socio-economic research, impact assessment, programme evaluation, or policy analysis. Pass / Fail Signed CV Leadership experience Demonstrated experience leading comparable assignments for governments, international financial institutions, or development partners, including management of multidisciplinary teams. Pass / Fail CV + contract / reference Analytical capacity Demonstrated experience preparing high-quality analytical reports and policy recommendations. Pass / Fail CV + relevant assignment / reference B.2 — Research Methodology and Survey Expert Qualifications Master’s degree or higher in Statistics, Sociology, Economics, Public Policy, Social Sciences, or related field. Pass / Fail Signed CV + degree certificate General experience Minimum 7 years of professional experience in survey design, mixed-methods research, impact assessment, or statistical analysis. Pass / Fail Signed CV Survey methodology Demonstrated experience in questionnaire development, sampling methodology, research instruments, data collection protocols, and analytical reporting. Pass / Fail CV + contract / reference Note: The pass/fail thresholds above are minimum eligibility requirements for shortlisting purposes only. Firms that pass all thresholds will proceed to Part A scoring. The full scored evaluation of all five key personnel positions will be conducted at the proposal stage in accordance with the detailed criteria set out in the RFP. CONTENT OF THE EXPRESSION OF INTEREST Interested firms must submit their Expression of Interest in English. The EOI shall not exceed 30 pages, excluding CVs and supporting annexes, and must include the following: Cover letter on firm letterhead, signed by an authorized representative, confirming the firm's interest and eligibility. Firm profile: legal name, country of incorporation, registration number, year of establishment, and description of core business activities. Evidence of legal registration in Uzbekistan or a registered local presence, if applicable; or a statement of intent to establish registration or a teaming arrangement with a locally registered entity prior to contract award. Summary of relevant experience: a table listing at least two completed contracts of similar nature within the last seven years, with client name, assignment title, contract value, dates, and description of scope including DLR or RBF elements where applicable. Supporting documentation (completion certificates, client reference letters, or contract excerpts) is encouraged. CVs of the proposed Team Leader and Research Methodology and Survey Expert, each not exceeding two pages, demonstrating compliance with the Part B thresholds in Section 7. CVs must be signed by the proposed expert. Declaration signed by an authorized representative confirming: (a) no conflict of interest as defined in Section 6.4; (b) the firm is not listed on the World Bank debarment list; and (c) the firm is not registered in any jurisdiction on the list of offshore zones under Uzbek law. CVs for the Data Analyst and IT Systems Specialist are not required at the EOI stage. All four key personnel CVs will be required in full at the proposal stage. SELECTION PROCESS AND BANK REVIEW ARRANGEMENTS This assignment is procured using the Consultant Qualification Selection (CQS) method under the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers. The estimated contract value of US$160,000 falls below the applicable prior review threshold; accordingly, this assignment is subject to World Bank post review only. MEF is responsible for conducting the selection process in accordance with the Procurement Regulations, and the World Bank may review procurement records at any time during post review supervision. The selection process will proceed as follows. ELFFMD will evaluate all EOIs received against the shortlisting criteria in Section 7. Firms that do not meet all Part B pass/fail thresholds will be excluded from further consideration. Among the remaining firms, ELFFMD will rank them against the Part A scored criteria and identify the firm with the best overall qualifications. The highest-ranked qualified firm will be invited to submit a combined technical and financial proposal and, if found satisfactory, to enter into contract negotiations. MEF reserves the right to approach the next-ranked firm if the first-ranked firm's proposal is found unsatisfactory or if negotiations are unsuccessful. MEF reserves the right to annul this selection process at any stage without incurring any obligation to applicants. SUBMISSION DETAILS Attention PCO Coordinator, Education Loan Financing Fund Management Department (ELFFMD) Organization Ministry of Economy and Finance, Republic of Uzbekistan Physical Address 1, Niyozbek yo'li Street, Yunusabad District, Tashkent 100017, Republic of Uzbekistan Telephone +998 97 447-86-11 Email gfppp181956@gmail.com Submission Deadline September 15, 2026, at 18:00 hours Tashkent time Submission Format Electronic submission by email (PDF, with signed cover letter scanned) or hand delivery in a sealed envelope marked with reference UZ-MEF-12-CS-CQS Language English EOIs received after the specified deadline will not be considered. MEF shall not be responsible for any costs incurred by firms in the preparation and submission of an Expression of Interest. This notice does not constitute a commitment by MEF to proceed with procurement or to contract any firm. APPLICABLE REGULATIONS This selection is governed by the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (Seventh Edition, September 2023). The World Bank Anti-Corruption Guidelines applicable to Program-for-Results Financing (dated February 1, 2012, revised July 10, 2015) apply to all aspects of this process. Interested firms and their personnel are expected to observe the highest standards of ethics throughout.