EU4MD/ One (1) National Consultant for capacity building of LPAs from the focal regions on project writing and management for Ungheni region.

Vacancy Number: Pr21/02278

Location:Chisinau, Moldova
Application Deadline: 02 Aug 2021, 16:00 (GMT+3:00)
Application Extended deadline:
05 Aug 2021, 16:00 (GMT+3:00)
Type of Contract:Individual Contract
Starting date: 25 Aug 2021
Reference to the project: EU4Moldova: Focal regions
Expected Duration of Assignment:August – November 2021 (estimated workload: up to 25 working days)
Submission Instructions:

 

Description of the assignment:            One (1) National Consultant for capacity building of LPAs from the focal regions on project writing and management for Ungheni region

 

Project name:                                                        EU4Moldova: Focal Regions Programme (EU-funded)

 

Period of assignment/services:               August – November 2021 (estimated workload: up to 25 working days)

Proposals should be submitted online by pressing the "Apply Now" button no later than 2 August 2021.

Requests for clarification only must be sent by standard electronic communication to the following e-mail: victoria.josan@undp.org. UNDP will respond by standard electronic mail and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all applicants.

 

Supporting Documents:
Termeni de referinta
Terms of Reference
Anunț de procurare de consultanță individuală
Individual Consultant Procurement Notice
OFFEROR’S LETTER TO UNDP CONFIRMING INTEREST AND AVAILABILITY FOR THE INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTOR (IC) ASSIGNMENT
Scrisoarea ofertantului catre PNUD confirmind interesul si disponibilitatea
UNDP General Conditions of Individual Contract

Ms. Victoria Josan.

victoria.josan@undp.org


Background

Pentru detalii în limba română, regăsiți Termenii de referință și Anunțul de procurare de consultanță individuală anexate la prezentul anunț (la capitolul "Supporting Documents" mai sus).

În cazul unor divergențe între versiuni lingvistice, prevalează textul în limba engleză. 

Pentru clarificări nu ezitați să ne scrieți la următoarea adresă electronică: victoria.josan@undp.org

The EU4Moldova: Focal regions Programme (further Programme) is based on the European Commission Implementing Decision on the Annual Action Program 2018 in favor of the Republic of Moldova and is funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme and UNICEF.

The overall objective of the five-year Programme is to strengthen the economic, territorial and social cohesion in the Republic of Moldova through smart, green, inclusive, sustainable and integrated socio-economic development as well as improving the standards of living of the citizens in the focal regions: Cahul and Ungheni.

To this end, this Programme will address the urban-rural divide and regional disparities, stimulate economic growth and job creation, refurbish and upgrade targeted social and technical infrastructure in selected focal regions (smaller towns and villages) while taking into account climate change and gender perspective in the activities of the Programme.

Specific objectives:

  1. To strengthen transparency, accountability of local public authorities and people’s participation in local governance processes in the focal regions.
  2. To improve citizens' access to quality public services and utilities in the pilot focal regions.
  3. To create employment opportunities for men and women in the focal regions and improve the attractiveness of the pilot regions for investors and entrepreneurs.
  4. To promote the smart specialization of the economy of the focal regions through the development of the clustering and value chain approach in key economic sectors.

The Program objectives will be achieved through measures targeted at: (i) capacity building to support the implementation and monitoring of local economic development plans; (ii) civil society engagement in local planning, governance processes and basic social service delivery; (iii) provision of investment funding in support of the creation and/or development of social and technical infrastructure which, combined with the outcomes from interventions (i) and (ii) above, will have an immediate, visible and tangible impact on employment creation, the standard of living of the population in the focal regions.

Specific context

During the current period of time, such terms as “project”, ”project proposal”, ”financing application”, or ”project management” became some of the mostly used words in communication, in general, but also in the vocabulary of development partners, representatives of local public authorities or civil society representatives, in particular. This is determined by the fact that any public investment needs to be well-reasoned, planned and implemented based on a well-determine purpose, well-thought action plan, an implementation teams and at least a budget with well-determined expenditure categories, and relevant activities. All these elements represent an integral part of a project. Any type of project, small or big, investment or soft type, small-scale or comprehensive, represents a basic activity of a multitude of organizations working on project management-based principles. If in the recent past, some 10-20 years ago, project writing and implementation was a characteristic practice for nongovernmental organizations; over the last period of time, the project got extended to cover both, associations’ sector, but also the level of local and central public administrations, and even the level of companies.

Project writing and management represents one of the main activities for the structures concerned with funds’ attracting through projects, so as to promote the interests of their members and beneficiaries. But the “project writing and management process” continues to be a subject which is less known to many structures and institutions, and especially for local public authorities. In most of the cases, the representatives of local authorities mention that projects represents a rather long, too formalized, complex and complicated activity, which may be carried out only by a few persons” knowing this field”. Although project writing and management is not a simple activity, if tackled with a minimum set of knowledge, it may be developed so as to become rather skillful in developing and implementing easier or more complex projects. For this purpose, to develop the skills for writing and managing projects, it is necessary to organize and carry out capacity building activities.

Urban and rural communities from the two focal regions are eligible for a number of programs supported financially by multiple European and international donor organizations, and not only. The existing national funds finance local development projects, infrastructure or public services based on projects. For instance, recently the Government approved via its Decision No. 916 of 16.12.2020 the National Program for Growth City-Poles’ Development in the Republic of Moldova for 2021-2027. The Program provides for financial support to implement a portfolio of projects, which reflect the individual priorities specific for each of the six beneficiary municipalities, determined based on minimum needs’ assessment for enhancing the potential of regional growth city-poles. Every beneficiary city of the program will have to develop and submit for financing project proposals according to the rules and requirements set by the Program.

Under the current conditions, a threefold deficit is found at the level of local public authorities from the focal regions in relation to project writing and management. On one hand, the LPAs from the two focal regions are insufficiently informed about the financing programs (especially about the foreign ones), which may provide resources for projects’ implementation. On the other hand, although it is known what programs exist and what potential contests are there to attend, nevertheless there is reticence to submit a project for financing because of insufficient knowledge and skills how to write a project. Finally, even though projects are submitted for financing and contracts are signed for projects’ implementation, in many cases, local public authorities show insufficient knowledge about how to apply project management and good financial management principles, as well as about the mechanisms for project monitoring and evaluation. All these aspects must be taken into consideration, as donors’ requirements for project planning and implementation are clearly defined, and evaluation procedures become more exigent. Hence, there is a need to carry out capacity building activities in project writing and management.

Scope of work

The EU4Moldova: Focal Regions Programme intends to contract one (1) qualified National Consultant to provide training services, technical assistance and expertise for enhancing the capacities of local public authorities’ representatives from Ungheni focal region in the area of project writing and management.

National Consultant for Ungheni focal region will work as a team with National Consultant from Cahul focal region for capacity building of LPAs to provide training services, technical assistance and expertise for enhancing the capacities of local public authorities’ representatives, based on the methodology to be developed at the beginning of their assignment and to be approved by the Programme.

The general objective of the National Consultant is to provide the concept, organize and carry out a set of actions to build the capacities of the local pubic authorities’ representatives from the focal region Ungheni in the area of local development projects’ writing and management.

Within the current assignment, the National Consultant will be responsible for:

  • Developing the methodology and the joint work plan for organizing trainings and post-training assistance activities;
  • Ensuring a common approach to assigned tasks;
  • Coordinating in advance all the activities with the Programme, especially in relation to interactions with stakeholders so as to plan and validate activities and expected results, to collect and take into consideration their recommendations for improvement;
  • Carrying out the tasks according to the training requirements and standards, consultancy and consulting assistance;
  • Drafting activity reports, conclusions, recommendations for similar actions to be organized by the Programme.

Requirements for experience

Academic Qualifications:

  • University degree in public administration, management, law, economy, sociology or other related areas. Master degree shall be considered an asset.

Years of experience:

  • At least 5 years of practical experience in the area of local development projects’ writing and management, strategic planning, participatory monitoring and evaluation of local development strategies, local public administration.
  • At least 3 similar contracts with similar scope and tasks (evidence: the list of last 3 contracts in which the Consultant was involved over the last 5 years and his/her role in the respective contract, shall be submitted together with the application package).
  • Experience in facilitation, coaching, mentorship and training delivery in the area of project writing and management (evidence: the list of last 3 facilitated trainings shall be submitted together with the application package);.
  • Relevant experience in implementing local development projects shall be considered an asset.
  • Previous experience of working with UN agencies and/or international organizations, and/or European/donor funded development projects/programs will be conserved an asset.

Competencies:

  • Demonstrated team work skills, excellent planning and organization abilities.
  • Interpersonal abilities, decision-making, initiative, and creativity.
  • Ability to analyze, plan, communicate efficiently, organize and achieve envisaged results, adjusted to different environments (cultural, economic, political, and social).
  • Ability to achieve the results and to meet the deadlines, maintaining high quality standards.
  • Computer proficiency, including knowledge of MS Office products, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
  • Fluent command of Romanian and Russian languages. Knowledge of English shall be considered an asset.

The United Nations Development Programme in Moldova is committed to workforce diversity. Women and men, persons with different types of disabilities, LGBT, Roma and other ethnic, linguistic or religious minorities, persons living with HIV, as well as refugees and other non‐citizens legally entitled to work in the Republic of Moldova, are particularly encouraged to apply.

Documents to be included

 

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

  1. Proposal explaining how applicant responds to each of the qualification requirements and why he/she is the most suitable for the work.
  2. CV including records on past experience in similar projects/assignments and concrete outputs obtained.
  3. Referring to experience requirement indicated in point 3 of Procurement Notice, the following evidence must be presented together with the application package:
  4. list of implemented local development projects and Consultant role in the respective, including the topic and year;
  5. list of last 3 facilitated trainings and Consultant role in the respective, including the topic and year;
  6. list of last 3 contracts in which the Consultant was involved over the last 5 years and his/her role in the respective contract
  7. Financial proposal - in USD, specifying a total lump sum amount and the number of anticipated working days, incorporated in the Offeror’s Letter to UNDP confirming interest and availability for the Individual Contractor (IC) assignment.

Financial proposal

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount. The payment for services will be made post factum on a lump-sum deliverables basis, as per contract, after the work has been accepted by the Programme Manager. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of offers, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including fee per day, mobile phone costs, transportation costs, number of anticipated working days, etc.).

Travel

This is a home-based assignment. All travel expenses (if conditions permit) to/from duty station (Ungheni) are in the consultant’ responsibility, the transportation costs shall be included in the consolidated financial offer (at least 5 travel-days).