Tenders are invited for Firm Selection to serve as Consultant Firm for the Development of the SBA MSMEs Online Database and Reporting Portal Provision of Consulting Services for the Development of the SBA MSMEs Online Database and Reporting Portal. NAME OF PROJECT: Program for Advancing Youth Entrepreneurship and Investment (Sub-Project A: Liberian Youth Entrepreneurship and Investment Bank Financing Agreement reference: 2100150043943 Project ID No.: P-LR-HB0-003 Issue Date: May 13, 2026 End Date: May 27, 2026 1. Background The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) has received UA $12 million from the African Development Bank (AfDB) for the Liberian Youth Entrepreneurship and Investment Bank(YEIB) and intends to apply part of the funds for the selection of a Consulting Firm to design, develop, and operationalize an Micro small and Medium enterprises(MSMEs) and Business development service providers (BDSPs) Online Database and Reporting Portal for the Bureau of Small Business Administration (SBA). The overarching goal of the project is to strengthen financial and non-financial business service to young women and men entrepreneurs in ways that ensure inclusion, decrease vulnerabilities, and prepare for resilience and long-term sustainability of service provision. Specifically, the project intends to youth-dedicated institutions, modeled on the AfDBs Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank framework that will provide affordable development and financing solutions to Liberias youth-led businesses; develops a Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank (YEIB), which is the soft infrastructure of the Program for Advancing Youth Entrpreneurship and Investment(PAYEI) ecosystem, delivering financial and business development services; and set up a Business Innovation and Development Center (BIDC) that is the hard infrastructure of the PAYEI ecosystem. The project has four components, with component 1 dealing with youth entrepreneurship oversight; component 2 focuses on establishing youth-dedicated institutions; component 3 deals with deploying YEIB services; and component 4 focuses on project management. The project intends to apply part of the proceeds of the funding for eligible payments under the contract to hire a consulting firm for the Development of the SBA MSMEs Online Database and Reporting Portal. The Consultant Firm will report directly to the Deputy Minister for SBA/MoCI, with oversight provided by a Technical Steering Committee comprising representatives from SBA, MoCIs IT Department, and selected stakeholders. In order to enhance the youth entrepreneurship ecosystem in Liberia, the Board of Directors of the African Development Bank has approved the Program for Advancing Youth Entrepreneurship and Investment (PAYEI) in Liberia. PAYEI is a project of the Youth Entrepreneurship and Investment Bank (YEIB) Initiative of the African Development Bank which aims to provide sustainable solutions to the critical challenges faced by SMEs. PAYEI will be a game changer in the youth entrepreneurship ecosystem in Liberia through the establishment and operationalization of sustainable vehicles for the provision of financial and non-financial services to SMEs. The Bureau of Small Business Administration (SBA) was established by an Act of the Liberian Legislature in 2014 and operates under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI). The SBA is tasked with promoting the effective participation of Liberian-owned Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the national economy through policy, capacity development, and enhanced access to markets and finance. A major constraint facing the SBA is the lack of a centralized, real-time, and reliable database to capture critical business information and Business development service providers profiles which should provide access to relevant stakeholders. This limits the ability of the government and development partners to make evidence-based decisions and design targeted interventions. To address this gap, the YEIB Project, with support from the AfDB, is funding the development of a modern MSMEs and BDSPs Online Database and Reporting Portal, which will serve as a national inventory tool for MSMEs. The portal will enable policymakers, financial institutions, MSMEs, and development partners to access real-time data to support decision-making, resource allocation, program design, and investments. 2. The Scope of the Services to be performed The Consulting Firm will be responsible for the end-to-end design, development, deployment, and operationalization of the MSMEs Database and Portal. Phase 1: Inception & Needs Assessment Conduct stakeholder consultations across Liberia. Review existing MSME databases, platforms, and frameworks. Develop and validate an Inception Report and System Requirements Specification. Phase 2: System Design & Development Design system architecture (frontend, backend, database schema). Develop the online portal with secure login, dashboards, and analytics. Integrate features for role-based access, (Admin, Data Entry Officer, Viewer) MSME registration, product management, order processing, and reporting. Test and validate the prototype with stakeholders. Report generation (monthly, quarterly, annual) Phase 3: Data Collection & Population Design data collection tools and templates. Conduct nationwide field data collection using Tablets verification, and cleaning. Digitize and integrate data into the system. Abilities to collect offline data Phase 4: Capacity Building & Knowledge Transfer Conduct training for IT, SBA, inspectorate staff and key stakeholders. Develop and hand over user manuals, technical documentation, and training materials. Phase 5: System Handover & Sustainability Final deployment of platform. Conduct final testing and stakeholder validation. Provide post-deployment technical support for transition Minimum Qualification, Skills and Experience: The consultant firm should meet the following requirements: At least 5 years of experience in web-based platform and database development Proven track record in developing digital platforms for government, development partners, or private sector Expertise in front-end and back-end development, cybersecurity, database management, cloud infrastructure Experience with data collection, cleaning, and integration at national scale Strong understanding of data protection, compliance, and digital governance Demonstrated capacity to deliver complex IT solutions in low-resource settings KEY PERSONNEL OF CONSULTING FIRM AND THEIR QUALIFICATIONS The firm must have the following key personnel with the relevant qualifications outlined herein: Position Required Skills/Qualifications Project Manager (Team Lead) Masters in IT, Computer Science, or related field 10+ years experience managing large IT projects Proven experience with government and donor-funded projects. Full-Stack Developer BSc/MSc in Computer Science 5+ years in front-end and back-end development Expertise in frameworks like React, Angular, Node.js, Laravel, etc. Database Administrator BSc/MSc in Information Systems 5+ years in relational databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL) Experience in database optimization and backups. Data Analyst Masters in Data Science, Statistics or related 5+ years in business intelligence tools, reporting dashboards, data visualization Cybersecurity Specialist Certified in cybersecurity (CISSP, CISM, etc.) Strong knowledge of encryption, secure coding, vulnerability assessment Training & Knowledge Transfer Expert At least 5 years in instructional design or capacity building Experience with adult training for IT systems Excellent writing and facilitation skills Duty Station: Monrovia Start Date: TBA End Date: TBA Duration of Assignment: 1 Year The Ministry of Commerce and Industry invites eligible consulting firm (s) to indicate their interest in providing these services. Interested consulting firm (s) must provide information indicating that that they are qualified to perform the services, (i) information detailing the companys existence and areas of expertise (ii) list of similar assignments and experience in similar conditions, (iii) list of overall permanent and temporary staff in fields related to the assignment (Qualification will be considered from one of two perspectives: a. firms qualification and b. staff and consultants qualification), (iv) evidence of past performance if any, and (v) any other relevant information that might be useful. Consulting Firm may constitute joint ventures to enhance their chances of qualification. Eligibility criteria and the selection procedure shall be in accordance with the African Development Banks Procurement Policy Framework for Bank Group Funded Operations October 2015 which is available on the Banks website at http://www.afdb.org. Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours, i.e. from 0900 to 1700 hours (GMT) on working days. Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below by email by 27th May, 2026 @ 1700 hours (GMT) and mention Provision of Consulting Services for the Development of the SBA MSMEs Online Database and Reporting Portal. Attn: Project Coordinator Project Implementation Unit Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministerial Complex, Congo Town Monrovia, Liberia. Email Address:
[email protected] 0770962142/0886962142 Tender Link : https://www.moci.gov.lr/opportunities/opportunities/procurement-notices
