Sri Lanka PSD activity RFI 12 23 2019.pdf

Request for Information

USAID/Sri Lanka SOL-383-20-EG001

USAID/Sri Lanka seeks input in designing a new 5 year $19.5 million activity in Sri Lanka to help small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)1 grow, and to create a conducive business enabling environment to promote private investment. The activity will support key economic sectors with the most potential for SME-based GDP growth. Tourism is expected to be among the key sectors targeted.2 Utilizing information and communication technology (ICT) will also be explored as a tool to catalyze growth.

As we design this new activity, we welcome public input on the following questions:

1. What combination of regulatory reforms, support to SMEs, and other interventions3 would be most impactful and sustainable in helping increase SME revenue and profits?

2. Where should USAID focus its efforts on increasing women’s labor force participation in targeted sectors, taking into consideration opportunities to partner and leverage the efforts of other stakeholders?

3. What sectors (aside from tourism) have the greatest potential for SME-based economic growth?

4. How might USAID use information and communication technology (ICT) to catalyze SME growth?

Please limit your overall response to no more than two standard typed pages.

Responses regarding this Request for Information (RFI) are to be submitted in writing to: Mr. Hirantha Heenatigala, Acquisition and Assistance Specialist at srilankaprocurement@usaid.gov by January 8, 2020, at 8:00 A.M. (U.S. Eastern Time).

Issuance of this RFI does not constitute any future commitment to the informants on the part of the US Government nor does it commit USAID to pay any costs incurred in gathering and submitting information.

1 The Government of Sri Lanka sets criteria for businesses qualifying as SMEs. See http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Economic/Non%20agri.pdf at pg 6 (providing the government criteria for identifying SMEs, including a table of quantitative criteria).

2 Tourism accounted for 5.3% of Sri Lanka’s GDP prior to the Easter Bombings, and even after the bombings, continued to grow at a double-digit rate; however, current signs point to a slowdown in sectoral growth despite market potential, due to inadequate support from government. See Economist Intelligence Unit, Sri Lanka:

Tourism Sector Faces Uncertain Outlook in 2019, available at https://country.eiu.com/article.aspx?articleid=1117685695&Country=Sri%20Lanka&topic=Economy (Feb. 2, 2019).

3 Such interventions could include tax streamlining, business startup simplification, entrepreneurship capacity-building, etc.

http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Economic/Non%20agri.pdf https://country.eiu.com/article.aspx?articleid=1117685695&Country=Sri%20Lanka&topic=Economy