Deadline: 30 April 2020
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is seeking applications for Innovative digital solutions for the resilience of MSMEs in the COVID-19 context in Benin.
In the COVID-19 context, and in a period of uncertainty as to the duration and extent of containment measures, (UNCDF) is pleased to collaborate with private sector actors in Benin , by leveraging the power of digital technologies to help MSMEs to:
- Streamline their existing distribution channels;
- Optimize their inventory management;
- Create online and home distribution channels;
- Integrate digital payments; and
- Leverage other digital solutions and applications for greater efficiency and revenue generation.
These solutions will allow MSMEs to maintain lower activity levels during the containment period and prepare them to better exploit the opportunities in “post-COVID-19 digital economies”.
Solutions
The following non-exhaustive list of solutions would correspond to the objective of this call for proposals:
- Online shops for MSMEs (transition to electronic commerce);
- Home delivery services for MSMEs;
- Digital platform to provide instant credit lines to mobile financial agents, super agents and others;
- Cash-in / cash-out services at home;
- Electronic presale vouchers for MSMEs;
- Assistance to MSMEs to accept electronic money (transition to digital merchants);
- Mobile income protection insurance for MSMEs; and
- Payments of salaries electronically
Funding Information
- The available budget can vary from 10,000 to 60,000 $ US depending on the maturity of the solutions, the innovative nature of the proposed solution, the potential impact on the number of improved MSMEs, and the capacity of the applicant to manage the grant and / or the technical assistance.
- UNCDF will provide a contribution of between US $ 10,000 and US $ 25,000 in grants and / or technical assistance services to selected candidates who have already done a market size analysis / competitive analysis (total market available, usable market available, study feasible market accessible), have completed the analysis of the problem statement and validated the potential solution through market studies, tests with consumers of viable products.
- UNCDF will provide a contribution of between US $ 25,000 and US $ 50,000 in grants and / or technical assistance services to selected candidates who have already tested and validated the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) and / or the services and their business models.
- UNCDF will provide a contribution of between US $ 30,000 and US $ 60,000 in grants and / or technical assistance services to selected applicants who have completed a market size / competition analysis, have prototyped an MVP (minimum viable product) , validated value delivery (left side of the canvas), identify and validate the important indicators.
- Financial assistance will reach a maximum of USD 60,000 and will be eligible to cover the following costs:
- Project management cost for a dedicated project manager within the organization (mandatory)
- Communication / marketing to MSMEs selected for the project (compulsory)
- Additional operational costs for the implementation of the proposed project.
Duration
The maximum project completion date is December 31, 2020.
Languages
The products to be delivered, as well as all the related correspondence exchanged by the organization and UNCDF, must be written in French.
Eligibility Criteria
- In accordance with the priority field of application, the applicant must be properly constituted and registered in Benin;
- The applicant must operate in Benin for at least one year;
- Applicants must have at least one Minimum Viable Product (MVP) or a fully fledged product on the market that resolves the problem statement;
- The candidate must have audited financial statements for at least the last year;
- Not being in a state of repair or having been subject to bankruptcy, liquidation, legal settlement, safeguard, cessation of activity or any other similar situation resulting from a similar procedure
- Not appear on the UN financial sanctions list, in particular in the fight against financing of terrorism and against threats to international peace and security;
- Have fulfilled obligations relating to the payment of social security contributions or obligations relating to the payment of taxes in accordance with the legal provisions in force in Benin; financing of terrorism and against threats to peace and international security.
For more information, visit https://www.uncdf.org/article/5564/rfa-solutions-numriques-innovantes-pour-la-rsilience-des-mpme-dans-le-contexte-covid-19-au-benin