Pakistan - Supporting Rural Development and Natural Resources Management in NWFP and Balochistan through Capacity Building and Promotion of Sector-Wide Approaches PHASE 1

Lot:11 - Macro economy, Statistics, Public finance management - EuropeAid FWC Beneficiaries 127054

DONWLOAD Terms of References

Requested Positions and Expert's Profiles:

3.1. Number of requested experts per category and number of man-days per expert

Key expert 1: Team Leader - Public Finance Management Expert

Key expert 2: Capacity Building Expert

3.2. Profile required (education, experience, references and category as appropriate)

Qualifications and skills

Features common to all experts:
• experience in (South) Asia of at least 3 years and previous working experience in Pakistan represents added advantages,
• full working knowledge of English,
• excellent report writing and good communication skills, adaptability and social awareness.

Special features to be foreseen for one or more experts:
• At least 1 of the experts proposed should have solid knowledge of, and practical experience with gender analysis and planning.
• At least one of the experts should have solid knowledge of, and practical experience with environmental mainstreaming.
• At least one of the experts is fully conversant with the principles and working methods of project cycle management and EC aid delivery methods.
• Command of Urdu by at least one of the experts would be a distinct asset.

Key expert 1: Public Finance Management Expert

Qualifications and skills
This expert should hold a full university degree in Economics, Finance, Management, Accounting or equivalent, or equivalent experience during a period of more than 10 years.

General professional experience
He/She should have at least 10 years of relevant experience in developing countries.

Specific professional experience
He/She should have strong experience in conducting fiduciary and Public Financial Management diagnostics and implementing reforms particularly in the assessment of budget preparation process, preferably in the RD, agriculture and/or NRM sector. He/she must have the ability to understand cross-cutting issues beyond financial management (such as governance, and public sector management) at sector and country levels. A demonstrated ability to work within a strong bureaucratic environment is an advantage.

Key expert 2: Capacity Building Expert

Qualifications and skills
This expert should hold a full university degree in public administration, social sciences or equivalent.

General professional experience
He/She should have at least 3 years of relevant experience in developing countries.

Specific professional experience
He/She should have at least 3 years of experience in institutional development, training and capacity building, as well as experience in training civil servants and conducting capacity building of governmental organisations. He/She should have a proven ability in working with both public sector and civil society.

3.3. Working language(s)

The working language of this assignment is English.

4. LOCATION AND DURATION

4.1. Starting period

The intended commencement date is April 2010 and the period of implementation of the contract will be 9 months from this date. Please refer to Articles 4 and 5 of the Special Conditions for the actual commencement date and period of implementation.

After the first phase and depending on the outcome of this phase, a second phase in the project will be launched with the content depending on the outcome of the first phase. In this second phase, the capacity of relevant ministries will be improved through initial capacity building support, and a new EC sector intervention strategy and support programme in RD/NRM will be outlined based on the report submitted by the Consultant in the first phase. The awarding of the tender to a specific company in the first phase means exclusion of this company in the tender for the second phase.

Description of the Assignment:
2.1. Global objective

The overall objective of the project of which this contract will be a part is to promote sustainable development in NWFP/Balochistan.

2.2. Specific objective(s)

The purpose of this contract is to promote and build capacity for a Sector-Wide approach in RD/NRM in NWFP and Balochistan, and to develop a future EC sector support strategy for RD/NRM in those provinces.

2.3. Requested services, including suggested methodology

In line with the 2005 European Consensus on Development and the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, the Delegation of the European Commission to Pakistan is launching an intervention to assess the dynamics of the RD/NRM sector and the feasibility to enter into a sector-wide approach (SWAp) in RD/NRM in NWFP and Balochistan.

The overall project will be split up into two phases, of which this assignment is part of the first phase. The main activities of this assignment are to (i) conduct a review of the public finance management systems in the RD/NRM sector and the macro-economic policies inplace, (ii) conduct a capacity assessment of this sector, (iii) formulate options and possible scenarios’s for a sector-wide approach in RD/NRM, and (iv) formulate options for support in phase II in preparation of a sector-wide approach. In this first phase, technical assistance on assessing the willingness for a sector-wide approach in rural development (RD) and natural resource management (NRM) will also be provided by another Consultant through a second framework contract on RD and NRM. Therefore, it is expected that there will be a close cooperation between the two Consultants and consolidation of the results of their respective technical assistance.

The outcome of this intervention, which will be the first of its kind of comprehensive analysis on SWAPs in RD/NRM in Pakistan, will provide a basis and reference for a medium and long-term development prospectives of the sector. This will increase the optimised use and coordination of aid by donors, increasing aid effectiveness and will help stakeholders get a clearer view of the characteristics and needs of the sector.

The Consultant will
• Review and assess the public finance management systems and macro economic policies in NWFP and Balochistan in general and at the federal level as far as relevant, and in particular their suitability for SWAps in the RD/NRM sector,
• Hold consultations with policy makers and the concerned stakeholders including local government officials, donors, business community, civil society, and rural populations in the RD/NRM sector,
• Based on the previous activity, conduct an institutional analysis,
• Assess the feasibility of and conditions for support to RD/NRM in NWFP and Balochistan
• As outcome, provide a report as described in section 5 based on the activities mentioned above.

Moreover, during the process, the Consultant will also sensitise the government and stakeholders on sector-wide approaches and benefits and challenges of adopting such approaches. Whenever possible, EC staff will accompany the experts to those meetings.

To be able to respond to problems/issues/needs related to the assessment and consultations, there is provision for some demand-driven technical assistance to provincial and local governments.

The Consultant should also draw upon all available experience (EC and non-EC financed projects, lessons learned, etc.).

2.4. Required outputs

At the end of the assignment, the consultant should
(i) have identified opportunities and threats for a SWAp in RD/NRM in NWFP and Balochistan based on the EC guidelines for sector approach, and
(ii) suggest a PFM reform related to RD/NRM.

The outcome will be a report containing:
1) a review and assessment of the public finance management systems and stability-oriented macro economic management policies in place in NWFP and Balochistan, and particularly their suitability for SWAPs,
2) an institutional analysis (strengths and weaknesses), and
3) detailed findings and an assessment of the feasibility and conditions to support RD/NRM in NWFP and Balochistan in future through a sector-wide approach, for the 'sector' or selected sub-sector(s).

Based on this outcome, the Consultant will formulate a proposal on:
1) how to improve the capacity of relevant ministries through initial capacity building support, and
2) the outline of a new EC sector intervention strategy and support programme in RD/NRM.

The Consultants will use the most reliable and appropriate sources of information and will harmonise data from different sources to facilitate interpretation.

The Consultant will take necessary measures to ensure that the proposal is elaborated with maximum possible participation of all relevant stakeholders. The report and proposal for the consecutive phase of support will be reviewed in a stakeholder workshop. This stakeholder workshop (with due attention to gender and ethnic representation) should be organized by the Consultant, facilitated by the Delegation regarding the invitation and for the identification of the meeting room facilities.

For methodological guidance the Consultant will refer to 'Guidelines for EC Support to Sector Programme' (EuropeAid, 2007) and 'Sector Approaches in Agriculture and Rural Development' (EuropeAid, 2008), as well as to complementary source material on environmental, gender and economic analysis and guidance documents on good governance and human rights, to be made available at the briefing by the Delegation. The Consultant will take due account of EC formats, rules and procedures ('Practical Guide to contract procedures for EC external actions').

There are a variety of stakeholders involved whose capacities and ownership are of varying degree. In this proposed intervention, a number of institutions would be involved, at the federal as well as at the provincial level. These institutions are:

 at the federal level: the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (MINFAL), the Ministry of Finance, and EAD (Economic Affairs Division)

 at the provincial level: the Department of Environment, the Department of Local Government and Rural Development and the Department of Finance in NWFP as well as in Balochistan, and the Department of Agriculture and Livestock on the one hand, and the Department of Forestry on the other hand in NWFP, and the Department of Agriculture and Forestry on the one hand, and the Department of Livestock and Dairy on the other hand in Balochistan.

Other stakeholders include the local governments, donors in the RD/NRM sector, civil society, the private sector and the rural communities in NWFP and Balochistan.

The project will aim to bring stakeholders together and improve opportunities for cooperation among the stakeholders through workshops and other means.

The present ToRs relate only to part of the first phase of the project.

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