Short-Term Consultancy to Assess the Demand for Water Supply & Sanitation MSME Financing Opportunities for Financial Institutions in Vietnam

Water.org is partnering with financial institutions to finance WSS MSMEs across existing markets while expanding into new markets (Asia, Africa and Latin America).

As an initial step, Water.org seeks to contract a third-party organization (a consulting/research agency or firm, ‘’Consultant’’) to conduct a market assessment on the demand and supply for water and sanitation MSME loan products and services in the Vietnam financial sector, specifically focusing on financial institutions willing to lend to this segment. This will provide insights into the unserved market for water and sanitation, encouraging the adoption of financial products that facilitate improvements in these areas and highlight investment opportunities for financial institutions.

The Consultant will be responsible for conducting research, collecting and analyzing primary and secondary data, and preparing an assessment along with the related documentation as outlined herein. This document outlines the Terms of Reference (TOR) that Water.org anticipates for this market assessment.

Objectives:

Water.org seeks to engage a consultant with expertise in complex market assessments, particularly in the financial and Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) markets in Vietnam. The consultant should be capable of analyzing these markets within prescribed timelines. The market assessment will focus on analyzing enterprises in the water and sanitation in Vietnam to:

• Assess the water and sanitation markets with a focus on WSS MSME entrepreneurs (Manufacturers, Traders, contractors of products and services).
• Examine the existing WSS MSME products and evaluate the potential demand for new WSS products in the Vietnamese Market.
• Identify Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) within the WSS value chain.
• Assess the financial needs of WSS MSMES, service providers and small utilities. 
• Evaluate the interest of financial institutions in lending to WSS MSMEs.
• Assess the demand for commercial and/or blended financing of water and sanitation infrastructure projects implemented by both private and public water utilities to improve water supply and sanitation services in low-income areas.