Project Description:
The Consultative Council on Improvement of Investment Climate under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan (the 'Investment Council') is the leading forum in Tajikistan for public-private sector dialogue. Created in 2007, the Investment Council has established itself as a well-known body for the raising of issues of concern to domestic and foreign private sector investors with the government in order to identify measures to address and resolve such issues. The Investment Council is supported by a Secretariat (the 'Secretariat') staffed with a Head of Secretariat, a Senior Adviser, Business and Private Sector Development and economic and legal experts who liaise with the President's Office, the Prime Minister's Office, other government agencies and the State Committee on Investment and State Property Management, the head of which acts as Executive Secretary of the Investment Council. The Secretariat also liaises with representatives of the private sector and with international development agencies.
The task of the Secretariat is to support the Investment Council's activities, especially the facilitation of an open dialogue between the government and the private sector with the intention of improving the business environment and fostering reforms directed towards the achievement of a fully-functioning market economy.
Since its launch, the Council has been actively supported by donor funds provided through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development ('EBRD' or the 'Bank'), which currently continues to fund the Secretariat.
Assignment Description:
The EBRD now intends to engage an individual expert (the 'Consultant') who will work closely with the Secretariat' Senior Adviser, Business and Private Sector Development to provide research and analysis on a range of issues relating to the areas of concern to the Investment Council and who should have an understanding of the process of economic reform and issues that might affect the working environment for companies and public entities in the Republic of Tajikistan (the 'Assignment').
The Consultant will form part of the team of staff working within the Secretariat, and will be directed in his duties primarily by the Senior Adviser, Business and Private Sector Development in order to support his efforts to facilitate engagement with the private sector.
The tasks of the Consultant, inter alia, are to:
• provide research and analysis to the Secretariat. Requests may range from very technical financial issues to more qualitative and communications-related issues;
• provide research and evaluate national and international reports of significance to the operations of the Secretariat
• under the direction of the Senior Adviser, promote information sharing among the relevant donor community and, private and public sectors by initiating consultative meetings, round tables, preparing briefings on local/ regional development progress and activities;
• develop and document economic analysis and models, including preparation of reports on benchmarks from other countries;
• assist in the preparation of briefing notes, research summaries, economic reports and presentation materials;
• develop and maintain databases and other related tools for decision making;
• assist in preparing a set of customised, sector-specific reports which will be used to inform and influence decision makers to change the policy towards favourable business environment; and
• provide general administrative support or any other ad hoc duties as may be appropriately requested by Secretariat management.
Interested applicants are invited to read the Terms of Reference for additional information on the scope of services required: http://www.ebrd.com/documents/procurement/68122-tor.pdf.
Status of Selection Process:
Interested individual experts or firms interested to nominate an expert are hereby invited to submit expressions of interest.
Assignment Start Date and Duration:
The Assignment is expected to start in May 2017 and last for 12 months with possible extension, subject to business needs, satisfactory performance of the Consultant, and the availability of further funding. This is full-time role and the Consultant is expected to be resident in Tajikistan.
Value Added Tax (VAT):
The consultant must determine whether any VAT would be chargeable on the services and the basis for that determination, without taking into consideration the Bank's special status as an International Financial Institution and state this to the Bank in their response to Notification of Assignment. To the extent that a consultant incurs input VAT on goods and services purchased in connection with the provision of services (eg VAT on airline ticket) which is not otherwise recoverable by the consultant from the local tax authority, the gross cost to the consultant of such expenses shall be treated as a reimbursable expense.
Funding Source:
The contract will be financed through the EBRD Shareholder Special Fund. Please note selection and contracting will be subject to the availability of funding.
Eligibility:
There are no eligibility restrictions.
Consultant Profile:
Individual services are required. The Consultant shall be an expert (individual expert or an expert nominated by a firm) preferably with preferably the following qualifications, experience and personal qualities:
• Bachelor's degree or higher in Economics or Finance;
• at least one year's experience of conducting research, providing analysis and reporting;
• experience of working in the public sector will be an asset;
• strong analytical skills;
• ability to work in a methodical and systematic manner;
• good communication skills and ability to work well in a team or on own initiative; and
• excellent written and spoken Tajik and Russian. Good knowledge of English will be an advantage.
Submission Requirements:
In order to determine the capability and experience of experts seeking to be selected for this Assignment, the information submitted should include the following:
1. Cover letter (maximum 2 pages) summarising how the expert believes he/she satisfies the requirements as defined above under Consultant Profile;
2. CV (not exceeding 4 pages) which should include full descriptions of responsibilities carried out, not just a job title, including information on contracting entity/client, project location/country, duration (mm/yy to mm/yy), expert months provided (if different from duration) , main activities, objectives;
3. Completed Consultant Declaration Form and Contact Sheet, the template for which is available from the following web-link:
http://www.ebrd.com/pages/workingwithus/procurement/notices/csu/contact_sheet.doc.
Expressions of Interest should be submitted in English electronically through e-Selection, to reach the Bank not later than the closing date. The complete expression of interest (including cover letter, CV, declaration and contact sheet etc.) shall be one file (pdf) to be uploaded to eSelection. The EBRD reserves the right to reject applications of experts submitting more than one file. Only if the permissible file size (4 MB) is exceeded, the Consultant may split the expression of interest into further files.
Bank Contact Person:
Paula Alegria
Deputy Head TC Operations
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
One Exchange Square, London, EC2A 2JN
Tel: +44 (0)20 7338 7589
e-mail: AlegriaP@ebrd.com (submissions should be sent through eSelection and NOT to this email address)
Notes:
1. Consulting firms (proposing individuals) and individuals may apply. Consulting Firms nominating an individual expert shall submit (separate) individual applications for each expert via eSelection. Single applications for a number of experts containing various CVs may result in rejection of such application and all concerned experts.
2. The shortlist criteria and weightings are:
(a) Qualifications in Economics or Finance 10%
(b) Experience of conducting research, providing analysis and reporting 15%
(c) Experience of working in the public sector 20%
(d) Analytical skills 10%
(e) Ability to work in a methodical and systematic manner 10%
(f) Language skills (Tajik, Russian and English) 10%
(g) Interview 25%
Interviews
Following the evaluation of expressions of interest received, up to the 6 highest-ranked consultants will be invited to attend an interview.
The Bank will consult with the consultant regarding the format (e.g. Skype call, meeting, conference call, etc.) and date of the interview at the time of the invitation. Please note that all and any costs incurred by the Consultant in connection with attendance to interviews will not reimbursed by the Bank.
3. The highest-ranked Consultant will be selected from a shortlist and be invited to negotiate the contract, subject to availability of funding.
