Terms of Reference (ToR) for Consulting Services – Accountant
Background
The Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECPCGC) was created to increase the amount of financing available to MSMEs in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU). The programme provides guarantees of up to 80% on loans made by private-sector lenders to qualifying micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). ECPCGC became operational in 2020 and its staff is working with banks in the 6 nations that comprise the ECCU. In general, both banks and MSMEs are unfamiliar with guarantee schemes and the credit enhancement that they can provide. The process is that the entrepreneurs approach the financial institutions for loans, armed with their financial documents, projections, business history, and a clear idea of the purpose of the loan. The institutions would review the documents, adjudicate the loan, and if approved, send an application to ECPCGC for a guarantee to make up for the collateral deficit. In the absence of proper records, the financial institutions are unable to complete their assessments.
The Current Issue
The banks have cited the following issues that are prevalent among the customers:
- A high level of informality among the businesses
- Incomplete financial records
- Unrealistic business projections
Consequently, the institutions have requested that the clients get their files organised so that proper assessments may be made of the businesses and the need for financing. Many clients are cash-constrained and are unable to afford the fees for an accountant to prepare the requisite statements. They, therefore, do not return to the banks with the documentation and so lose out on the opportunity to participate in the guarantee programme.
As the economies rebound from Covid-19, it is expected that the demand for guarantees will pick up, and there may be many more underprepared clients trying to access the guarantees. ECPCGC will send referrals to the accountant so that the required reports can be prepared for submission to the financial institutions.
The Purpose of the Assignment
ECPCGC is looking to obtain the services of an experienced accountant who has worked with MSMEs nationally and has experience in creating financial reports and projections from incomplete records.
The consultant would have the following responsibilities:
- Facilitate meetings with the clients for whom referrals are made
- Retrieve records from the client – invoices, receipts, bank statements, and other records, depending on the type of business that the client owns
- Use the records provided and other information obtained from the client, to compile financial records that would provide a clear indication of the financial standing of the business
- Provide business projections, supported by the statements that were compiled above
Fees will be paid on a “per client” basis.
Requirements
The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 10-15 years of accounting experience and would have substantial prior engagement with MSMEs.
Terms of the Engagement
The engagement will last between 6 and 12 months beginning in June 2022.
Expression of Interest:
Interested applicants whose qualifications and experience are in line with the Terms of Reference are invited to submit their CV, a letter of application stating suitability for the position, two professional references on or before 24 May 2022 at 11:59 Atlantic Standard Time (AST) to [email protected] with the job reference number KN-ECPCGC-293785-CS-IDV in the subject line of the email.
Key Personnel
The following are key organisational staff that you may contact regarding any questions on the position:
- Bernard Thomas, Chief Financial Officer, 869-466-8251, [email protected]
- Carmen Gomez-Trigg, Chief Executive Officer, 868-620-8144, [email protected]
