European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

• African Development Bank
• Asian Development Bank
• Caribbean Development Bank
• European Bank for Reconstruction & Development
• Inter-American Development Bank
• World Bank
• Other IFIs & Institutions

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is the largest single investor in the region that extends from central Europe to central Asia. It is owned by 65 countries and two intergovernmental institutions and, despite its public-sector shareholders, it invests mainly in private enterprises, usually in cooperation with commercial partners. Visit our EBRD Fact Sheet.

The EBRD provides project financing for banks, industries and businesses, and funds both new ventures and investments in existing firms. It also works with publicly owned companies to support privatization, the restructuring of state-owned businesses and improvement of municipal services. In addition, the Bank also uses its close relationship with governments in the region to promote policies that can strengthen the business environment.

The mandate of the EBRD stipulates that it must work only in countries that are committed to democratic principles. Respect for the environment is part of the strong corporate governance attached to all EBRD investments. Canada has a voting share of 3.4 percent in the EBRD.

Skip directly to the section on:

• Country Strategies
• Project Cycle
• Project and Procurement Information
• The Enterprise Growth Programme (EGP) and Business Advisory Service (BAS)
• Other Ways of Working with the EBRD

Country Strategies

Each EBRD Country Strategy document contains the priorities for a particular country for the coming three years. These documents can be accessed through the individual country pages of the EBRD website.

Project Cycle

The EBRD project cycle consists of the following stages:

Concept Review: The EBRD's Operations Committee (OpsCom) approves the project concept and overall structure, including the proposed financing structure and its supporting obligations. At this stage, the EBRD and the client sign a mandate letter, which outlines the project plan, development expenses and responsibilities. For private sector investments, the Concept Review is preceded by the submission of a business plan by the investing company.

Final Review: Once the basic business deal (including a signed term sheet) has been negotiated and all investigations substantially completed, the project receives a Final Review by OpsCom.

Board Review: The EBRD President and the operations team present the project to the Board of Directors for approval.

Signing: The EBRD and the client sign the deal and it becomes legally binding.

Disbursements: Once repayment conditions are agreed and the Bank's conditions met, the funds are transferred from the Bank's account to the client's account.

Repayments: The client repays the loan amount to the EBRD under an agreed schedule.

Sale of equity: The Bank sells its equity investments on a non-recourse basis.

Final maturity: The final loan amount is due for repayment to the Bank.

Completion: The loan has been fully repaid and/or the EBRD's equity investment divested.

Project and Procurement Information

Unlike other IFIs, the EBRD focuses on private sector investment rather than lending to foreign governments. However, EBRD financing still presents many procurement opportunities in the region for Canadian firms. Information needed to pursue EBRD-funded business on specific projects, is available from the Bank's procurement overview on their website. Potential suppliers can consult the following pages:

• Project summary documents (PSDs): disclosed for each project prior to Board consideration, they contain project descriptions, financial and client information, environmental issues, contact details and more.
• Procurement notices: search by 'Consultancy services', 'Corporate goods works and services' or 'Project goods, works and services'.
• Case studies: highlight features and analysis of selected projects.
• Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs): of environmentally sensitive projects are available for public review.
• Procurement Policies and Rules (PDF*, 462 Kb).

Suppliers of Goods, Works and Non-Consulting Services

Approximately 20 percent of EBRD investment is in the public sector; of which much of this is dedicated to municipal projects.

The Bank permits firms and individuals from all countries to offer goods, works and services for Bank-financed projects, regardless of whether the country is a member of the Bank. The borrower is the primary source of information, and is responsible for all aspects of procurement, including:

• notification of opportunities for tendering;
• prequalification where appropriate;
• invitations to tender and issuance of tender documents;
• receipt of tenders, evaluation of tenders and contract award; and
• contract administration.

The EBRD's role is to ensure that the borrower's implementation of the procurement process accords with EBRD policies and procedures.

The recently updated EBRD procurement rules and policies, apply to goods, works and services contracts financed in whole or in part by the Bank in public-sector operations. Contracts are to be procured through open tendering if their value is estimated to equal or exceed €250,000 for goods and services, and €7.5 million for works, supply and installation contracts.

Consultants and Consulting Services

When the EBRD invests in a private-sector project, opportunities exist directly with the investee company or project as well as directly with the bank, which is typically funded through technical cooperation funds (see below). Consulting opportunities financed by the company or project will not be published on EBRD's site, and rather consultants are advised to develop relationships with the investee. The selection process for consultants normally includes the following stages:

• defining the scope, objectives and estimated budget of the proposed assignment, and determining the selection procedure to be followed;
• identifying consultants that are qualified to perform the required services, and preparing a shortlist of qualified firms;
• inviting proposals from the shortlisted firms;
• evaluating and comparing capabilities and proposals, and selecting the preferred consultant;
• negotiating a contract with the selected consultant; and
• administering the contract.

There are several different selection methods for both consulting firms and individual consultants. However, contracts for consultancy services are awarded to the firm or individual with the best evaluated proposal, so more emphasis is placed on technical competence, capacity and qualifications than on price.

New thresholds for consulting procurement are being developed as follows:

• For contracts of less than €75,000, a qualified consultant may be selected directly, without any requirement to prepare a shortlist.
• For contracts estimated at more than €75,000 for the services of an individual consultant, selection will be made using a shortlist of qualified candidates. The reasons for the choice should be recorded.
• For contracts for Bank operations, if they are estimated to cost between €75,000 and €300,000 and will use the services of a consulting firm, a shortlist of qualified firms will be prepared. The final selection is based on an evaluation of the short-listed firms' proven experience and current expertise related to the assignment and, there is no requirement for the firms to detail their proposed methodology for carrying out the assignment.
• Major contracts with consulting firms, when estimated to cost €300,000 or more, will follow a competitive procedure based on more proposals invited from a shortlist of qualified firms.

Consultants wishing to work with the EBRD should register on the eSelection database, which is a single point of entry into the EBRD's consultant procurement system. By registering on eSelection, the bank will be able to access information about the company and will provide Requests for Expressions of Interest and procurement notices targeted to the company's business sector(s).

The Enterprise Growth Programme (EGP) and Business Advisory Service (BAS)

The Small Business Support (SBS) programmes supports economic reform by helping micro, small and medium-to-large enterprises develop new business skills at the senior management level in order to compete in market economies.

To achieve this, the program introduces industry-specific management expertise to businesses by providing the advisory services of experienced former CEOs and directors from economically developed countries. These advisors transfer management and technical know-how to the company, conveying the principles of responsible corporate governance and sharing commercial experience directly with company CEOs and senior managers. The EGP/BAS Programme is managed on a non-profit basis and uses multiple donor funds to support the projects; for the EGP Programme, no funding is given to the enterprises themselves. The main difference between the EGP and BAS programmes is that while EGP focuses on enterprises of 200-1,500 staff with a specific focus on restructuring and improving management skills and culture, the BAS focuses on supporting smaller enterprises to carry out short-term projects that have narrowly-defined objectives through the use of local consultants as well as, grant programs.

Consulting Opportunities as Senior Industrial Advisors

EGP engages former senior operational directors of large companies, from all sectors, to work as senior industrial advisors. To qualify, candidates must have:

• a high level of commercial experience and in-depth knowledge of one or more industry sectors that enables them to advise the beneficiary company on restructuring;
• at least 15 years of hands-on experience as a senior operational director of a company in an industry sector related to that of the beneficiary company;
• excellent interpersonal skills and the authority to influence the beneficiary company's top management, with multinational and multicultural experience being a great advantage;
• ability to work in both written and spoken English; and
• willingness to travel regularly to the countries of operation.

Other Ways of Working with EBRD

Further to project and procurement opportunities, the EBRD also provides innovative financing solutions. If you are looking for assistance with a project in one of the EBRD's countries of operation, consult the Guide to EBRD Financing (PDF*, 515 Kb) or, learn more about EBRD financial products and instruments related to:

• Project financing: financial instruments and products available for direct financing of loans, equity and guarantees.  
• Trade Facilitation Programme: a range of products to facilitate intra-regional and international trade.
• Loan syndications: other sources of financing in EBRD operations.
• Capital markets: EBRD's activities in the international markets, including investor information and local capital market development.

* If you require a plug-in or a third-party software to view this file, please visit the alternative formats section of our help page.