Assessment for Promoting Digital Financial Inclusion of the Poor in Lao Pdr Tender

Procurement Summary

Country : Lao PDR

Summary : Assessment for Promoting Digital Financial Inclusion of the Poor in Lao Pdr

Deadline : 05 Sep 2024

Other Information

Notice Type : Tender

TOT Ref.No.: 106178120

Document Ref. No. : 0002010802

Competition : ICB

Financier : World Bank (WB)

Purchaser Ownership : Public

Tender Value : Refer Document

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Tender Details

Lao PDR launched its first conditional cash transfer (CCT)program, Helping Hand, in 2020. The program aims to improve the livingconditions of poor and vulnerable households in villages across 12 districts infour northern provinces (Xieng Khouang, Houaphan, Phongsaly, and Oudomxay). In its first phase, the programtargeted over 20, 000 beneficiary households. Due to its success, the governmenthas decided to expand the program to additional districts in the northernprovinces and to three southern provinces (Savannakhet, Saravanh, and Sekong).Despite the program's achievements, the transition todigital payments has been sluggish. As of early 2024, only about 1, 100beneficiaries, representing 4.6 percent of the 24, 000 beneficiaries, receivepayments electronically through mobile wallets. The government, under RRPM II, aims to increase this to 20 percent in the coming years, a goal that reflectsthe current low availability of cash-in/cash-out points within the targetareas, with only 20 percent of villages having such access.Most CCT recipients are women from rural villages, presenting a significant opportunity to enhance financial inclusion among thisdemographic. While beneficiaries can choose between various paymentmethods—including cash, mobile money accounts, or interbank transfers—mostcontinue to receive payments in cash due to barriers such as a lack of mobilenetwork coverage, low mobile phone ownership, limited digital literacy, andinsufficient awareness of financial access points.A recent survey to CCT beneficiaries revealed that 52percent of the interviewed beneficiaries would be interested in receivingpayments via bank or mobile money accounts if supported in account opening, highlighting the need for stronger digital and financial literacy efforts.Objectives:The main objectives of this Procurement are to hire a firm which:1. Conduct a qualitative survey to understand thechallenges faced by CCT beneficiaries in transitioning to digital payments; and 2. Analyze the curre...

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