The World Bank is working with the Rwanda Business Development Fund (BDF) to develop and launch new risk-sharing mechanisms to enhance access to credit to Micro; Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and mitigate climate related risks. To achieve this the project will support the development of (i) a contingent bridge lending window (BLW) providing emergency loans to support MSMEs affected by climatic shocks; and (ii) an insurance backstop mechanism for the BLW using market-based risk transfer instruments.The objectives of this assignment are twofold: i) to assist BDF in finalizing and implementing the pilot phase of the BLW and establishing it within BDF and ii) to design and place an insurance product that will function as a protective backstop for the BLW; in a manner such that the payout is used to secure the capital allocated to the BLW and to provide surge capital in the event of a severe event.The bridge loan product offered under the BLW will provide short-term lending to eligible and climatic shock affected MSMEs; covering their credit servicing costs for a limited time. The BLW will be activated during pre-defined floods/excess rain; droughts/lack of rains and landslides events that elevate the risk of non-performing loans. With BLW designed to cover frequent and lower-severity events; the window is expected to be activated on average every two to five years. Initially the target market will be loans guaranteed by the Business Development Fund (BDF). Participating financial institutions (PFIs) receive concessional liquidity for rescheduling eligible MSME loans and the capital of the BDF guarantee is not called upon. PFIs will facilitate BLW loans to eligible businesses with an existing loan. From a systemic perspective; BLW will de-risk shock exposed MSMEs; facilitating greater overall lending. The insurance backstop's objective is to provide surge capital to the BLW in the event of severe shocks. The insurance backstop will provide rapid payouts that will augment the BLW's capital. The BDF can then use this surge capital to provide bridge loans to MSMEs affected by shocks and/or cover NPL cost.