UNDP Jobs - 47071- International Consultant on Legal Framework for th

International Consultant on Legal Framework for the Roadworthiness Tests for Motor Vehicles and their Trailers

Location :

Chisinau, MOLDOVA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

04-Jul-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English Russian

Expected Duration of Assignment :

July - September, 2014

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Relations between the Republic of Moldova (RM) and the European Union (EU) formally started with the signing of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) in 1994 that entered into force in 1998. The PCA established the basic principles of cooperation between RM and EU and was designed for a 10 year period.

The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement will soon be replaced by an Association Agreement which includes a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). The documents provide for political association and economic integration and have been initialed in Vilnius in November 2013.

For the Republic of Moldova the AA represents a reform agenda which is based on a comprehensive program of legal harmonization with EU norms.

Exceeding the classical arrangements of free trade, DCFTA provides not only a mutual opening of markets for most goods and services but requires a gradual rapprochement of norms and standards such as quality standards and rules, sanitary rules, intellectual property rights, trade facilitation, public procurement and competition, energy trade and other.

Except for European Economic Area and EU candidate states, never before has the EU opened its internal market to such an extent to a third country. This reality is possible due to the commitment of the Republic of Moldova to take over the acquis communautaire.

In exchange to effective implementation of EU legislation Moldova will gradually become part of the EU internal market.

A deeper economic integration through DCFTA will boost the country's economic growth, will create business opportunities and promote real economic modernization and integration into the EU. The direct result of establishing free trade area with EU is that citizens will benefit from higher quality and safer goods and services while manufacturers will be supported to access international markets.

UNDP and its international partners are committed to assist Moldova, through technical and financial assistance, in promoting costly legal and institutional reforms that DCFTA entails.

The Project “Building Institutional Capacity of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (MFAEI)” aims at strengthening the institutional capacity of the MFAEI as lead institution in the AA negotiation process.

In the same context, the Project seeks to contribute to developing EU integration capacities of key line ministries through aligning relevant policies, administrative and institutional arrangements, legislation, procedures and best practices to EU standards and requirements.

Roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers in the Republic of Moldova are performed by 76 vehicle testing centers. All of them are private owned and authorized and supervised by the Ministry of Transport and Road Infrastructure (MTRI) and National Road Transport Agency. The Government Decision Nr.1047 from 8.11.1999 provides legal framework for roadworthiness tests and describes the procedures and requirements.

Many of the requirements of the Directive 2009/40/EC are already met in Government Decision Nr.1047. MTRI started to prepare amendments to this Decision and Law Nr.131 on Road Traffic Safety to ensure full compliance with the Directive 2009/40/EC. In addition, there is a need to specify the requirements for the technical condition of vehicles and equipment and the requirements for the assessment because no such requirements are specified in the Moldovan legislation.

Technical assistance to the Ministry of Transport and Road Infrastructure and National Road Transport Agency (hereinafter – the Beneficiaries) is needed to revise existing legislation and draft amendments prepared, revise operational practice of the Beneficiaries and prepare necessary legislative and operational acts for the full compliance with the EU requirements (Directive 2009/40/EC) and best practices in this field.

Duties and Responsibilities

The project will contract an International Consultant to consult the Beneficiaries in the area of roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers.

The expert will assess and report on current situation

Legislation
Amendments to the legislative acts prepared, institutional arrangements, national procedures and documentation in the area of road worthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers;
Develop, jointly with the Beneficiaries, a mission action plan for remedying gaps and lacks;

Together with the Beneficiaries,
Draft legislative acts/amendments and supporting documentation (e.g. legislative impact analysis) for remedying gaps and lacks on implementation of EU requirements;
Together with the Beneficiaries, draft a package of operational documentation for the institutions involved, internal regulations, guidelines and manuals in compliance with EU requirements and EU best practices to ensure implementation of EU requirements and best practices;
Present the final mission report during a workshop with Beneficiaries and other relevant stakeholders.

Competencies

Strong analytical and drafting skills;
Ability to analyse, plan, communicate effectively with stakeholders and present ideas clearly and effectively;
Demonstrated interpersonal and diplomatic skills;
Ability to enter new environments, adapt quickly and produce immediate results;
Computer literacy - competent user of Microsoft Office programs.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualification

Bachelor's degree in Mechanics, Road construction, Economy, or other relevant to the assignment field;
Bachelor's degree or Master’s degree in Law would be an advantage.

Experience

Minimum 10 years of work experience related with the supervision of the roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers in EU countries;
Experience in transposing of EU requirements in the area of roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers into national procedures;
Specific experience in supervision and authorization of private owned vehicle testing centers would be an advantage;
Knowledge of and experience in assisting government institutions within projects funded by international organizations in the region, candidate or EU member states would be an asset;

Language requirements

Fluency in written and spoken English;
Knowledge of Romanian or Russian would be an asset.

Application procedure

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

Proposal: explaining why they are the most suitable for the work;
Financial proposal; in (USD, specifying a total lump sum amount and the number of anticipated working days);
Personal CV including past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references.

Financial proposal

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals the financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including fee, taxes, travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).

Travel

All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Up to two travel missions are envisaged under this assignment, with a minimum 18 working days in Moldova.

Note:

For complete information about this vacancy, including detailed tasks and responsibilities, full and detailed description of the evaluation procedure which will be applied, as well as the UNDP General Conditions of Individual Contract, please refer to the Terms of Reference, the Individual Consultant Procurement Notice published at the UNDP Moldova website, Jobs Section: http://www.undp.md/jobs/current_jobs.