Background

NOTE: Signed Offeror’s Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability - https://www.ba.undp.org/content/dam/bosnia_and_herzegovina/docs/Operations/Jobs/Offerors%20Letter%20to%20UNDP%20Confirming%20Interest%20and%20Availability.docx - Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability.docx - to be sent to e-mail ba.shared.hr@undp.org with Subject: Job ID 94057

Financed by the Government of Switzerland and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Municipal Environmental and Economic Governance (MEG) Project is an intervention in the domain of local governance in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Project’s overall goal is defined as follows: Local governments (LGs), assigned with appropriate competences and finances, have improved their democratic governance, apply sound public policy and performance management systems, and provide public services in an inclusive, effective and efficient manner, particularly those related to economic and environmental sectors. The expected concrete improvements the Project will contribute to are clustered in three outcomes, as follows:

• Outcome 1: Supported local governments apply effective development management systems characterized by stronger oversight of the legislative and greater accountability towards the citizens.
• Outcome 2: Citizens and businesses in target localities benefit from good quality services provided by LGs in the economic and environmental sectors.
• Outcome 3: Improved regulatory framework at higher and local government levels and pro-active networking accelerate sector-specific reforms and enable more effective local public service delivery.

The Project’s territorial focus is on the North-West part of the country (including Una-Sana Canton and Prijedor region) and the North-East region (the wider Doboj-Tuzla area), covering 18 partner LGs: Bihac, Bosanska Krupa, Cazin, Doboj, Gracanica, Gradacac, Gradiška, Kalesija, Kostajnica, Kozarska Dubica, Prijedor, Prnjavor, Sanski Most, Tešanj, Teslic, Tuzla, Velika Kladuša and Žepce.
The Project is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ministry of Development, Entrepreneurship and Crafts of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), the FBiH Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry, the Ministry for Administration and Local Self-Government of Republika Srpska (RS), the RS Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and both entity Associations of Municipalities and Cities (AMCs).
The objective of the consultancy is to collect data and prepare inputs for evaluating the status of business environment in target localities. To that end, a Consultant for evaluation of business environment (hereinafter – the Consultant) will be engaged.
This activity will take place within the Economic development component of the Project.

Duties and Responsibilities

The overall objective of the assignment is to provide inputs for the final analysis of business environments in target localities . The data collected under this consultancy will serve in evaluating the results of activities related to improvements of the business environment, which were initiated by the MEG project and implemented by partner local governments. Collected data will then be used for comparison against the baseline data to verify progress of targeted local economies.
The data will be collected using two types of questionnaires that will be sent out to the envisaged target groups for assessment which consist of:

• Mayors and members of Municipal Councils/Assemblies (e.g. Chairpersons, members of thematic commissions, etc.)
• Local government staff directly responsible for: design and implementation of economic development initiatives, policies, assessments, private-public dialogue, and other economic activities at the local level.
• General directors and business development specialists of micro, small and medium companies operating in selected localities.
• Representatives of business/producers/industry associations, whose members operate in selected localities.

The entire service will be delivered in the languages of BiH peoples. The expected timeframe for delivery of the service is 20 November 2020.
More concretely, the Consultant will be expected to perform the below described tasks.
Task 1 – Conduct the assessment
The Consultant will get him/herself acquainted with the Business-Friendly Certification  (BFC) in South East Europe, and accompanying set of criteria for obtaining BFC on local level. Then the Consultant will analyse the current state of the business environment in each target local government against the criteria set by the BFC. In localities which already have a valid BFC , all relevant and already existing information and data available from obtaining the BFC should be considered and utilised.
This task will include:
1. The assessment of the fulfilment of BFC criteria with focus on local governments’ ability, willingness, capacity, and drive to create business friendly environment with the goal to increase economic activity at the local level. The Consultant will evaluate local governments against the main set of criteria and indicators set by the BFC framework, so as to make overview of the current situation and identify the gaps between current state and minimum standards required by the BFC standards. The contact list for local governments’ representatives, as well as the BFC evaluation criteria, indicators and scoring table will be shared by the MEG team. The Consultant will use the standardised questionnaire based on the provided BFC criteria and indicators. The questionnaire will have to be approved by the MEG project prior to distribution.

2. The assessment of the private sector perception of the importance/relevance, on one side, and quality, on other side, of business enabling procedures, services and activities performed by LGs, based on the perception of the surveyed private sector. The list of procedures/services/activities will be provided by MEG team. The number of private sector representatives to be included in the review will be determined by the Consultant. Nevertheless, equitable representation of micro, small, medium and large enterprises, as relevant for each locality, should be sought. The Consultant should design and develop the questionnaire and analytical tools to gather necessary data from private sector stakeholders. The questionnaire will have to be approved by the MEG project prior to distribution.
It is envisaged that this task will be delivered by 9 November 2020 and the level of effort will not exceed 18 expert days.
Task 2 – Reporting
Based on the questionnaires collected under Task 1, the Consultant will analyze the data and prepare a report that will include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Brief narrative summary of business environment in target localities.
• Summary overview of the collected data related to fulfillment of the BFC criteria, including the evaluation matrix table with information on all indicators and criteria.
• Summary overview of findings related to the perception of the private business, i.e. what is most important and what is the quality of main services/areas, including the evaluation matrix table with information on all evaluation criteria.

It is envisaged that this task will be delivered by 20 November 2020 and the level of effort will not exceed 4 expert days.
 

Deliverables/outputs

Competencies

Corporate Responsibility and Teamwork:

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Plans, prioritizes and delivers tasks on time;
• Strives for and promotes excellence in performance continually;
• Participates effectively in a team-based, information-sharing environment, collaborating and cooperating with others;
• Generates ideas and seizes opportunities to support corporate strategic objectives.

People Skills:

• Recognizes and responds appropriately to the ideas, interests, and concerns of others;
• Ensures others’ understanding of, involvement in, and adaptation to a change process.

Results-Orientation:

• Plans and procedures quality results to meet established goals.

Communication:

• Technical writing skills, formulates written information clearly and persuasively;
• Strong communication skills;
• Shares information openly with co-workers and partners while using discretion to protect confidences;
• Presents information in a clear and articulate manner.

Job Knowledge and Expertise:

• Strong analytical skills;
• Work experience with public administration, preferably at LG level (at minimum 5 years)
• Expertise and knowledge in the field of local economic development and private sector development;
• Experience in implementation of Business-Friendly Certification SEE Programme or similar interventions; Valid certificate from relevant institution related to BFC certification (BFC evaluator or verifier) will be considered as an asset.    
   

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education

• University degree in economics or other relevant studies.

Experience

• At least 5 years of relevant and proven professional experience in the local economic development, (previous experience with UNDP is an asset).

Languages Requirements

• Fluency in the official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in English.

• Other Requirements

• Excellent computer skills (MS Office applications) and ability to use information technologies as a tool and resource

Shortlisting Criteria

Evaluation

Individual  will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis

When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the candidate whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
b) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

• * Technical Criteria weight-70%
• * Financial Criteria weight- 30%

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

Proposal:

• Explaining why they are the most suitable for the work
• Cover letter
• Personal CV including past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references

Please scan all above mentioned documents and upload as one attachment only online through this website.

Note:

• For an assignment requiring travel, consultants of 65 years or more require full medical examination and statement of fitness to work to engage in the consultancy.
• Due to large number of potential applicants, only competitively selected candidates will be contacted for remaining steps of the service procurement process.