Competitivness and Jobs Project: Specialist for Establishment of the System for Internationalization of Serbian Economy

Project ID: P152104
Borrower/Bid No: 2A.2.1.

REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

COMPETITIVNESS AND JOBS PROJECT

Loan No. 8528 YF

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR

INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANCY SERVICES

Specialist for Establishment of the System for

Internationalization of Serbian Economy

Republic of Serbia was granted a loan of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to improve the competitiveness and employment toward the cost of the Competitiveness and Jobs Project (Project) and intends to apply part of the proceeds to payments for individual consultancy services under this Project.

Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Serbia (MoE) needs to engage (contract) one Specialist for Establishment of the System for Internationalization of Serbian Economy (Consultant).

Background

The Project aims to improve the effectiveness and coordination of selected public programs to alleviate constraints to competitiveness and jobs, including investment and export promotion, innovation, active labor market programs, labor intermediation, and activation of social assistance beneficiaries. The Project implements three ministries — the Ministry of Economy (plus its development agencies), Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development and Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs. The central institution responsible for coordination of the Project is Public Policy Secretariat (PPS) with the assistance of Project Implementation Unit (PIU) established in PPS, as a technical coordination unit of the Project. PPS coordinates the gathering and processing of the results of monitoring, reporting, fiduciary functions and safeguard procedures in close cooperation with the institutions participating in the Project.

Ministry of Economy is responsible for the achieving results within Component 2. This component supports implementation of the program for investment and export promotion through:

Developing and adopting a strategic framework and overall action plan for investment and export promotion, including restructuring the Ministry of Economy investment and export promotion agencies,
Improving the  investment and export promotion programs and services

Objective of the Assignment

The overall objective of engagement of the Specialist for Establishment of the System for Internationalization of Serbian Economy (Consultant) is to contribute to building institutional framework for facilitation of Serbian economy internationalization through establishment of patterns for continuous  cooperation and coordination of all stakeholder institutions engaged in internationalization of Serbian economy and export development, such as: Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications,  Serbian Development Agency, Custom Administration Office, Institute for Standardization of Serbia, Accreditation Body of Serbia, etc.

Scope of Work

In order to implement proposed Scope of Work, the Consultant will implement its activities in close harmonization with other activities implemented by other consultancy firms and consultants, all working simultaneously on developing the strategic framework for investment promotion and export development. The Consultant will implement the following activities in order to achieve the main objective of the engagement:

1. Identify all stakeholders engaged in the process of internationalization of Serbian economy

2. Conduct Gap Analysis of institutional capacities and capabilities for facilitation of internationalization of Serbian economy. Gap Analysis will identify institutional gaps and constraints existing in policies, regulations, operations, practices, procedures and institutional capacities (job descriptions, staff knowledge, IT systems) of the key stakeholders standing in the way of more efficient institutionalization of Serbian economy. Gap Analysis will include identification and description of existing exporting support services, processes and practices, gaps and overlappings compared to the SMEE exporting needs.

3. Facilitate the Working Group established by the Ministry of Economy that should be working on establishment of institutional framework for internationalization of Serbian economy that will include all relevant ministries, institutions and representatives of business associations

4. Develop the Action Plan for the establishment of the institutional framework for the process of internationalization of the Serbian economy. The Action Plan will elaborate on the specific activities on how institutional gaps and overlappings should be bridged and avoided and new services and tools introduced. The Action Plan should be time-bound, costed, prioritized and sequenced with clearly identified responsibilities of all stakeholders, process indicators and performance targets and key milestones

5. Facilitate meetings of the Working Group for internationalization of Serbian economy in line with the developed Action Plan

6. Develop clear communication protocols between the Ministry of Economy and other stakeholders engaged in the process of internationalization of Serbian economy 

7. Develop coordination mechanisms for implementation of the process of institutionalization of Serbian economy in corporate manner.

8. Establish institutional framework based on corporate governance to support and facilitate the process of institutionalization of Serbian economy and export development. Specific M&E plan, with clearly identified responsibilities, performance targets and monitoring mechanisms should be developed in order to monitor the progress of implementation and efficiency of the newly established institutional framework.

9. Provide support to the Ministry of Economy Project Coordinator

10. Develop and submit all reports as required to the Project Implementation Unit established within the Republic Public Policy Secretariat

Experience and Qualifications

Postgraduate academic or professional degree in the social sciences (Law, Economics, Political Sciences, Philology, Philosophy, and similar) (PhD, master's degree, specialist academic degree, or specialist professional degree), or graduate degree awarded following the completion of a course of study of at least four years' duration; completed post-graduate studies will be an advantage 
Preferable more than 3 years of experience in functional analysis of public institutions (regulatory framework, organizational structure, operational procedures and human resources) relevant for the economic development
Experience in development of analysis, reviews, overviews, protocols, frameworks and other tools for operational improvements of public institution
At least 2 years of experience in managerial positions in exporting companies;
Strong analytical skills and reporting skillsGood spoken and written Serbian and English;
Advanced computer skills;
Excellent communication, organization, and teamwork skills.
At least 5 years of professional experience in working in international and domestic companies;

Timing and Duration

The Consultant will be engaged on part-time basis for 10 days per month, for a total of 80 working hours per month, for the period of 18 months.

The Project Implementation Unit within the Public Policy Secretariat of the Republic of Serbia twill administer the Contract. The Pubic Policy Secretariat now invites eligible individual consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services.

The individual consultants  will be selected  in accordance with the procedures set out in the World Bank's  Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers January 2011 Revised July 2014

Interested and eligible individual consultants for this position should send expression of interest, together with information on relevant experience and CV in English, by e-mail (with the exact title of the position in the "Subject" of the e-mail) to the contact information listed below. 

Expressions of interest must be delivered by June 22, 2016, 12:00 Noon, local time.

Contact:

Ivana Vukasinovic

Public Policy Secretariat

10 Vlajoviceva St

11000 Belgrade

Republic of Serbia

Tel: +381 11 3349-819

E-mail: piu@rsjp.gov.rs