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 102417.

The consultancy will take place within the third phase of the Integrated Local Development Project (ILDP), a joint project of the Government of Switzerland and UNDP and the SDG Roll-Out and Support to Private Sector engagement project supported by the Government of Sweden.

For nearly 10 years, ILDP has been working in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to systematize strategic planning and development management at sub-national levels in the country. Since its launch in 2008, the ILDP has been progressively growing, both in terms of scope of work, as well as conceptual approaches applied to advance strategic planning in the BiH.

In addition to harmonizing local development planning in the country, the ILDP paved the way for the newly adopted and emerging development planning and management regulatory frameworks in both entities. As one of the flagship achievements, the Project supported the participatory development of the draft Law on Strategic Planning and Development Management in the entity of Republika Srpska (RS), that has been adopted by the RS Government, towards setting the legal and methodological grounds[1] for the development planning and management system in this entity.

In order to equip all government levels in RS with the “know-how” for effective application of the RS Law on Strategic Planning and Development Management and related by-laws in the forthcoming planning processes in RS, the ILDP supported the institutional partners in RS with the design of a Manual and the Training of trainers program (ToT) on the preparation of development strategies in line the new regulatory framework and Agenda 2030. Following the successful piloting of the training program, the ILDP will furthermore support the RS Ministry for Administration and Local-Self Governments (MALSG RS) to strengthen the local governments development capacities through the organizing the training for selected development practitioners from 64 local governments in RS. The training will be institutionally and logistically driven by the MALSG RS, while the ILDP will engage the 3 trainers (that successfully completed the aforementioned the ToT program) for the training delivery.

For this purpose, under this ToR, the three national consultants who will be responsible for the delivery of the aforementioned training program (hereinafter: the Consultant) will be engaged.

[1] On 25th March 2021, the RS Government endorsed the draft Law on Strategic Planning and Development Management in RS that serves as a ground for the ongoing preparation of relevant by-laws, including the Decree on Strategic Documents Preparation in RS. Besides support for development regulatory framework preparation, the ILDP also provides support to the institutional partners in RS to prepare them to effectively apply the new regulatory framework through capacity building, training and development of Manuals on Preparation of Strategic documents in RS and the Manual on the Mid-Term and Annual Work Planning, Monitoring and Reporting, in line with the new regulatory framework and Agenda 2030.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Consultant is expected to deliver  a comprehensive and a tailored Training Program on the preparation of strategic documents in the RS to the two groups of selected local government development practitioners (which will be in total the six training groups that will be conducted by the three Consultants to be engaged by this ToR). The training delivery will be based on the methodological approach elaborated in the RS Manual and the existing training program in line to the RS regulatory and methodological requirements.

More specifically, the Consultant will be expected to perform the following tasks:

Task 1 – Review the relevant regulatory framework and the existing training material and prepare the training delivery work plan

Prior to initiating this task, the Consultant will undertake several preparatory steps.

Firstly, the Consultant is to familiarize him/herself with the RS Law on Strategic Planning and Development Management and drafts of the corresponding by-laws. The Consultant will particularly focus on the draft Decree on the Strategic Documents in the RS, from the perspective of methodological and organizational approach, key elements, milestones, and timelines.

Secondly, the Consultant will review the existing training program on preparation of strategic documents in RS, with particular focus on the Trainers notes, including exercises and tools. Lastly, the Consultant will prepare the brief training delivery work plan (with training date/timelines agreed with the MALSG RS) that will be submitted to ILDP for approval.  Initial inputs for the preparatory work will be provided by the ILDP.

Task 1 is expected to be completed by the mid of October 2021 with estimated level of effort of 1 day per Consultant.

Task 2 – The delivery of the Training Program for Preparation of Strategic Documents in RS

Based on the preparation results within Task 1, the Consultant will conduct a delivery of the existing training programe for the two training groups, with up to 25-30 participants in each group (in total it will be six training groups, two per one Consultant)  The training program for each training group will last two consecutive days. Training participants (up to 3 development practitioners from each of 64 RS local governments) will be identified by the MALSG RS and in consultation with the Strategic Planning Department within the General Secretariat of the RS Government and ILDP.

Training program parameters

The purpose of the training program is to equip a critical number of local government development practitioners from RS with “know-how” required for successful preparation of the strategic documents in RS. The training that last two (2) consecutive days consist of three major training parts:

• The first part focus on the overview of training contents and methods; legal basis for strategic planning in RS and its link with EU planning practice; key principles in preparing strategic documents in RS.
• The second part focus on key administrative and technical preparatory activities required for successful launch of planning process.
• The third and most substantial part of the program focus on a detailed, step by step elaboration of “know-hows” trough practical examples/templates / tools  within each phase of the planning process, while taking into account the requirements stipulated within the relevant legal framework as well as those related to mainstreaming SDGs in strategic documents .

Training program is tailored to be applicable to development practitioners for both government levels in RS.

The training package include: (i) Training module agenda; PowerPoint presentation, Hand-outs for participants; exercises, reference materials (and brief knowledge test); Training evaluation form; (ii) Training manual for trainers (providing brief guidelines along the PowerPoint presentation and group exercises sessions, to be used by potential training providers, thus ensuring equal understanding and minimum quality standards in the follow up training delivery process).

The training program delivery will encourage active involvement of participants by using participatory training techniques, group exercises/discussion, etc.

Depending on the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, training will be delivered either in the form of a webinar or will be organized through on-site locations in RS (that will be later determined).

A questionnaire to enable the participants evaluate the training program will be provided by the ILDP while the Consultant will be required to administer the questionnaire at the end of the training for each training group and collect and analyze feedback from training participants, their perceptions and recommendations and include them in a brief report that will be submitted to the ILDP.

The Consultant will be responsible for his/her travel arrangements, while the ILDP will be responsible for overall training logistics.

Task 2 is to be completed by end of November 2021, with estimated level of effort of 4 days per Consultant.

The entire service will be delivered in the languages of BiH peoples.  

Deliverables/outputs

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism;
• Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment

Functional competencies:

• Strong interpersonal skills, communication and diplomatic skills, ability to work in a team
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback
• Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities
• Excellent public speaking and presentation skills

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education:

• University degree in social studies, economy, public administration, or a relevant field.
• Advanced degree will be considered as an asset.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of previous experience in capacity development or delivery of technical assistance to public sector beneficiaries in the area of strategic planning and programmatic implementation.
• The successful completion of the Training of Trainers (ToT) Program for preparation of the strategic documents in RS (verified by the valid training certificate)
• Previous practical experience in the domain of development strategic planning and management in BiH.
• Previous experience in training design and/or delivery of training to public sector beneficiaries in the area of  strategic planning and development processes.
• Specific knowledge of the standardized development planning methodologies applied in BiH is considered an asset.

Languages Requirements:

• Fluency in languages of peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Longlisting/Shortlisting Criteria

Qualifications as stated in the ToR

Technical Evaluation 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:

1. Personal CV including experience in similar projects

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.