Consultancy to support the Nepal School Education Sector Plan to develop Joint Financing Arrangement, Kathmandu Nepal, 5 months

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BACKGROUND

The Government of Nepal is in the process of finalizing the new long-term School Education Sector Plan (SESP), which is set to succeed the School Sector Development Plan (SSDP) at the end of the fiscal year 2021-22 and run up to 2030. As part of this, a costed program is being developed for the first five years of the SESP (2022/23-2026/27) in consultation with the agencies that have been providing pooled budget support through a sector wide approach (SWAp), guided by a Joint Financing Arrangement to the SSDP and are now looking at subscribing to the SESP.

The fiscal years 2021-22 and 2022-23 are considered transition years between the SSDP and the SESP as some agencies will continue to support the SSDP in these years to allow sufficient time to achieve results that were jointly identified through Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs) but have been delayed due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years. This means that to an extent, the completion of the SSDP and the initiation of the SESP will overlap in FY 2022-23 arrangements will need to be defined to allow for this to take place the SWAp and JFA processes and facilitate the JFPs to join in a staggered timeline.

Nepal has a longstanding tradition of implementing its education sector plan through a Sector Wide Approach (SWAP). There is strong a preference among the Government and the education sector development partners towards the pooled-budget support modality, which is supported by a Joint Financing Arrangement (JFA). The pooled-budget support is fully aligned with the national sector budget, and through this ensures its full utilization, while minimizing transaction costs, reporting requirements, and avoid delays in implementation.

The JFA provides common language on major functions relating to the pooled budget support, such as i) roles and responsibilities of GoN and JFPs, ii) contribution and disbursement conditions and procedures, iii) consultation and decision-making process, iv) reporting, review and evaluation, including audit requirements, and v) governance and performance, including dispute settlement. Its modality allows its signatories, the so-called Joint Financing Partners (JFPs) to rely on joint mechanisms, such as sector reviews and reporting, while not having to expose their funds to an increased level of risk.

The broad subscription to the JFA and this modality providing a skeleton for a strong SWAp has proven to be instrumental in ensuring alignment of aid and prioritization of critical reform areas to focus on through the implementation of education sector plans by the government and with the support of the JFPs. It allows for a dynamic mechanism and a broad public financial management (PFM) bandwidth that has the ability to adapt and respond to challenges or issues, such as those emerging from the country’s current federal transition and related to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education sector performance ability of children to continue their learning.

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

UNICEF as LEDPG/JFP Focal Point has agreed to support the Nepal Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) and the JFPs in mobilizing required expertise through a consultancy for confirming the bilateral requirements of JFPs that are aiming to subscribe to the SESP within the fiscal year 2021-22 & 2022-23 and supporting the Government in establishing the mechanisms and arrangements required for this in terms of the ability for JFPs to finalize their bilateral agreements and disburse funds as part of a pooled budget support mechanism and guided by a JFA within the fiscal year 2022-23. Specifically, the required support is expected to:

1. Map bilateral requirements for JFPs aiming to initiate pooled-budget support in fiscal year 2021-22 (so before 15th of July 2022) and confirm with MoEST, MoF and FCGO whether existing arrangements are adequate to satisfy these requirements 2. Map requirement for the FY 2022-23 SESP activities and budget allocations to be feed into the decentralized planning steps and processes 3. Support Government for the development of arrangements where existing arrangements do not suffice to fulfill requirements in terms, including arrangements presented in the SESP with regards to financing and fiduciary management, especially relating (but not limited) to: a. SESP expenditure framework and fiscal boundary b. SESP account that should be replacing the SSDP account at the end of the FY 2021-22 c. Financial monitoring and reporting mechanisms (Financial Management Reports, Audit Reports), including definition and settlement of ineligible expenditures d. Mechanisms to enable monitoring and reporting on physical progress for both program-based and result-based financing instruments 4. Based on the current JFA in support of the SSDP draft an JFA with adjustments of the following elements if required: a. Disbursement arrangement and procedures which include those JFPs considering Result Based Financing (disbursements released on the basis of DLIs) and “Program Based Financing” (disbursements based on evidence of expenditures). b. Systems and procedures for accounting, monitoring, review and reporting on physical and financial progress of the program.

Scope of Work:

For supporting the scope of work identified, an international (lead) expert and a national expert will be working closely with the UNICEF Nepal Education Specialist that supports UNICEF in its role as LEDPG Focal Point and will consult on a continuous base with other JFPs to understand their requirements and where and when these change. Furthermore, the exert will work with the MoEST and Centre for Education and Human Resource Development (CEHRD) and consult with relevant other central line agencies such as the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and the Financial Comptroller General Office (FCGO) as per the need. Finally, the expert will liaise with the JFPs that are looking to subscribe to the new SESP in the FY 2022-23 to understand what requirements are expected to be taken into account and to the extent possible propose ways to reflect these in the draft JFA and accounting and reporting mechanisms that will be annexed to the JFA. It is expected that the lead expert will act as focal point of both experts when being asked to discuss or present to the Government or development partner group and that the national lead will lead on the day to day interaction with the Government entities that are required to be engaged in the work.

Tasks/Milestone:

Deliverables/Outputs:

Timeline

%age instalment payment

Mapping requirements presented in the SESP program document versus existing arrangements described in the current JFA for SSDP

Submission of timeline and milestones for JFP subscription

March 11th 2022

20%

Consultation with MoEST, MoF, FCGO, MoFAGA, etc. on the functions/ arrangements required to facilitate the subscription of the JFPs from FY 2022-23

Development of timeline with activities and milestones specifying the activities for JFPs to subscribe in the envisioned time

Support Government with drafting of mechanisms and arrangements as required form the analysis

Submission of draft Joint Financing Arrangement and annexes (see annex 1)

April 15th 2022

40%

Completion of the SESP Joint Financing Arrangement

Support to JFPs on need base on language for bilateral agreements

Submission of report on bilateral requirements for JFA

June 15th 2022

20%

Proposal on revision/ elaboration of JFA based on the subscription of additional JFP in FY 2022-23

Submission of final report and presentation on JFA and recommendations

July 15th 2022

20%

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

For international lead consultant

- Masters’ degree in economics or equivalent combination of education and experience in a related area

- minimum 10 years of experience in the area of public financing and financial management.

For national consultant

-Masters’ degree in economics or equivalent combination of education and experience in a related area

- minimum 7 years experience in public financing and financial management.

Skills/knowledge and competencies for both

• Demonstrated experience in working with Governments in developing joint financing arrangements in education sector.
• In depth understanding of financing instruments used by development partners using program-based and/or result-based financing modalities, sector wide approach and pooled budget support guided by joint financing arrangements.
• Understanding of the Nepal federal context.
• Good written and oral communication skills and openness and willingness to interact with different stakeholders.
• Extensive knowledge of the national education and training system is an added advantage.
• Experience working with government ministries and public sector, preferably with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance in developing countries

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. For national consultant, candidates from under-represented ethnic groups are strongly encouraged to apply.