Antecedentes

Financed by the Government of Switzerland and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Municipal Environmental and Economic Governance (MEG) Project is a 12-year intervention launched in 2016, 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.

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).
Within its Local Government component, MEG Project is supporting its partner local governments (municipal councils and administrations) to establish sound public policy and Performance Management Systems (PMS) through improved structures, regulatory frameworks, capacities and attitudes by municipal employees and elected officials. This entails reform-type of efforts by municipal leaderships and public employees, towards more effective and citizen-centred municipal governance and service delivery. This consultancy will take place within the Project’s Local Governance component, seeking to achieve significant improvements in the performance of partner LGs across the MEG community as per PMS indicators.

The overall objective of this consultancy is to strengthen the planning, reporting and implementation capacities of all LG departments; introduce new innovative approaches; recognize, improve and promote existing good LG practices; match the LGs with advanced approaches to the ones still lagging behind; and subsequently to enhance municipal overall performance when it comes to successful, transparent and efficient implementation of municipal development strategies. To this end, a National LG Consultant for North-East Cluster  (hereafter: the Consultant) will be contracted.

Deberes y responsabilidades

As the basis for his/her work, the Consultant will become familiar with the relevant sections of the MEG project prepared municipal Performance Management Assessment (PMA) reports i.e. results, findings, recommendations and means of verification that are relevant to local administration performance, as well as with the MEG project developed Methodology for Performance-based Financial Assistance to MEG partner LGs and the concrete, evidence-based progress made by partner LGs in 2017 and 2018. All these inputs will be provided by the MEG team. Significant level of coordination with other Project engaged consultants, i.e. consultants working with Municipal Councils (MC) and working on Citizen Participation (CP) working groups will be required at this stage. Coordination of all consultants will be managed by the MEG project team.

Furthermore, the Consultant will, jointly with the LG consultant for the North-West Cluster, and in close cooperation with the CP and MC consultants, prepare at least five (5) advanced thematic training modules, specifically targeting identified LG performance gaps. The idea is to tackle one single topic from three different perspectives - i) the perspective of an LG employee, ii) municipal councilor and iii) that of an average citizen, thus increasing their mutual understanding and strengthening capacities of all participating actors.

These training modules will be delivered during joint[1] one-day thematic sessions, organized by the MEG project for LG representatives, municipal councilors and CP working group members. These sessions shall involve presentations, exercises and exchange of good practices, as well as thematic discussions. The sessions will be organized at central cluster locations[2] and will include matching the advanced LGs, as mentors, with the ones that need further assistance in identified segments. All logistics will be provided by the Project team.

Moreover, the Consultant will be directly responsible for the delivery of further technical assistance[3] in line with the relevant PMS indicators[4] to local administrations of the 9 targeted partner LGs in the North-East Cluster i.e. Doboj, Gracanica, Gradacac, Kalesija, Tešanj, Teslic, Tuzla, Prnjavor and Žepce. Also, he/she will closely monitor and facilitate the above referenced LG mentoring approach. All the technical assistance will further address the issues and gaps identified in the performance of the LGs and facilitate sustainability of the already achieved results.

• [1] to be delivered by LG, MC and CP consultants of the given cluster at a central cluster location, TBD.
• [2] no more than two per cluster and per theme, depending on the size of the expected audiences and geographical distances between LGs.
• [3] one-on-one TA to be offered through email, telephone and skype communication.
• [4] reference to PMA reports, to be provided by the Project.

Methodological Considerations

The Consultant is expected to firstly perform a desk review of the background documentation, get him/herself acquainted with individual PMA reports, individual LGs’ performance-based financial assistance evaluation results, annual consultancy reports on the individual LG progress within their own and performance of MCs and citizen participation activities, etc. All relevant documentation will be provided by the Project team.

Based on the initial findings, conclusions and recommendations, as well as the input from the Project team, the Consultant will, jointly with the other Project engaged consultants, identify five themes for joint thematic sessions to which he/she will significantly contribute during the tenure of his/hers assignment in 2019. This will be done during one-day joint meeting with the Project team in Sarajevo.

Once the themes are agreed upon in close cooperation with other consultants, the Consultant will design and deliver the thematic training, specifically prepared to provide perspective of public employees’, as well as municipal councillors and CP working group members’, while other consultants will tackle the same theme from their perspectives, following the same storyline.

Therefore, it is expected that the Consultant will assist in developing at least five different themes, and jointly with other consultants deliver up to eight training sessions at several locations within the allocated cluster.

Also, the Consultant will be responsible for identification and collection of best practices and will suggest matching appropriate mentor LGs with the lagging LGs.

Supplementary one-on-one technical assistance to partner LGs will be organised from long distance (skype, email, phone communication).

More specifically, the Consultant will have the following tasks: 

Task 1: Desk review and Development of Five Training Modules

After the initial desk review of relevant documentation provided by the MEG Project, and consultations with the other Project engaged consultants, the Consultant is expected to propose 5 to 8 possible themes for the joint LG training sessions, and to share them with the Project team, in one TA coordination meeting in Sarajevo.

After the coordination meeting, the Consultant (and each other CP/MC/LG consultant) will be clearly tasked with five themes to which he/she will directly contribute during the development of the training modules for 2019. The Consultant will closely work with the other consultants during the thematic training development phase.

It is envisaged that this task will be delivered by 31 May 2019 and the level of effort will not exceed 5 expert days.

Task 2: Joint Thematic Training Delivery

Once the developed training modules are vetted by the Project team, the Consultant will, together with other consultants, propose which LGs could be mentors for each of the thematic areas, and identify which LGs need to receive the referenced training.
LGs identified as mentors will be adequately matched and prepared for the best practice presentations by the team of consultants, covering each specific theme. The Consultant will be responsible for preparation of mentors for five themes from the relevant perspective.

Also, the Consultant will, jointly with CP and MC consultant, deliver at least five but not more than eight thematic training sessions, following the five agreed specific themes. In order to be cost-efficient, some of the themes might be offered centrally for all partner LGs from both clusters, depending on the number of expected participants. On the other hand, should interest be larger than expected, it is possible that some of the themes will be delivered up to three times within the same cluster. All logistics will be provided by the MEG project team.

It is envisaged that this task will be delivered by 20 December 2019 and the level of effort will not exceed 10 expert days.

Task 3: Limited technical assistance

Throughout the consultancy the Consultant is expected to provide limited technical assistance to 9 partner LGs, through email, telephone and skype communication.

It is envisaged that this task will be delivered by 31 March 2020 and the level of effort will not exceed 9 expert days.

Task 4: Reporting

The Consultant will prepare one interim report and one final report, clearly identifying LGs progress against relevant PMS indicators and providing relevant recommendations for potential improvements in both.

It is envisaged that this task will be delivered by 31 March 2020 and the level of effort will not exceed 2 expert days.

Deliverables/outputs

Task 1: Desk review and Development of Five Training Modules

• Finalized desk review and proposed 5-8 possible themes for joint LG training sessions; Actively participated in one TA coordination meeting in Sarajevo; In close cooperation with other consultants, developed five (5) corresponding training modules that are in line with the findings of desk-review, endorsed by the MEG Project team -  5 days, 31 May, 2019, 19.23%;

Task 2: Joint Thematic Training Delivery

• Proposed LGs that will serve as mentors for each of the thematic areas and identify the LGs that need to receive the referenced training; Facilitated mentor-LG preparation for the planned training sessions; Jointly with the CP and MC consultant, delivered at least five but not more than eight thematic training sessions, following five agreed themes - 10 days,  20 December, 2019, 38.47%;

Task 3: Limited Technical Assistance

• Provided limited technical assistance to 9 partner LGs, through email, telephone and skype communication - 9 days, 31 March, 2020, 34.62%;

Task 4: Reporting   

• Prepared and submitted one interim report, clearly identifying LGs progress against relevant PMS indicators and with relevant recommendations for improvements, accepted by the Project team - 1 day, 31 October, 2019, 7.70%; Prepared a final report, clearly identifying LGs progress against relevant PMS indicators and providing relevant recommendations for improvements, accepted by the Project team - 1 day, 31 March, 2020;

Competencias

a. 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;

b. 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.

c. Results-Orientation:

• Plans and procedures quality results to meet established goals.

d. Communication:

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

e. Job Knowledge and Expertise:

• Sound knowledge of the M&E,
• Strong analytical skills;
• Strong presentation skills;
• Advanced writing skills,
• Strong facilitation and coordination skills;
• Executes day-to-day tasks systematically and efficiently;
• Initiative and sound judgment.
• General understanding and familiarity with the local administration, environment and strategic development terminology will be considered an asset.

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Academic Qualifications/Education:

• University degree in public administration, economics, development policy, law or related field.
• Master’s degree would be considered an asset.

Experience:

• At least 7 years of progressive public administration experience, preferably at LG level;
• At least 5 years of training development and training delivery experience, preferably at LG level;
• At least 3 years of experience in the assessment and analysis of public documents and regulations;
• Extensive experience in implementation of local development policies, strategies or programs, particularly relevant for the local level;
• Proven experience in facilitation and coaching of Local Government Employees;
• Proven presentation skills;

Languages Requirements:

• Fluency in English and official languages of people of BH.

Technical criteria: 

• Work experience with public administration, preferably at LG level (at minimum 7 years) - Weight: 25%, Maximum points: 25;
• Training development and training delivery experience, preferably at LG level (at minimum 5 years) - Weight: 20%, Maximum points: 20;
• Proven experience in the assessment and analysis of public documents and regulations (at least 3 years) -  Weight:10%, Maximum points: 10;
• Extensive experience in implementation of local development policies, strategies or programs, particularly relevant for the local level - Weight: 10%, Maximum points: 10;
• Proven experience in facilitation and coaching of Local Government Employees - Weight: 5%, Maximum points: 5;

Financial criteria: Weight: 30%, Maximum points: 30;

Shortlisting/ Qualification Criteria:

• Relevant Education max 10 points (6 points relevant BSc/BA, +up to 2 points for relevant MSc/MA; + up to 2 points for relevant PhD).
• Relevant professional experience - Max 15 points;
• Knowledge of English and languages of BiH people - max 5 points;

EVALUATION

Individual consultants 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 individual consultant 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%

Applicants are required to submit an application including:

1. Completed and signed the Offeror’s template Confirming Interest and Availability (please follow the link: https://popp.undp.org/_layouts/15/WopiFrame.aspx?sourcedoc=/UNDP_POPP_DOCUMENT_LIBRARY/Public/PSU_%20Individual%20Contract_Offerors%20Letter%20to%20UNDP%20Confirming%20Interest%20and%20Availability.docx&action=default);

2. Latest personal CV, including past experience from similar projects, and email, telephone and any other contact details for references;

3. Financial proposal which will separately specify professional fee, indicating number of anticipated working days, travel costs (air-ticket or use of private vehicle), living allowance, and all other applicable costs.

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.