International consultant to support in building institutional capacity to implement Programme-Based Budgeting in Uzbekistan

Contract

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Background

The Government of Uzbekistan has been implementing number of measures to reform the public financial management system as part of the approved PFM Reform Strategy of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2020-2024. The PFM reform process intends to introduce a medium-term budget planning, enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the budget spending, strengthen institutional capacity and accountability of budget stakeholders, assess fiscal risks, unify budget reporting standards, ensure transparency and compliance with international standards, etc.

As a part of this work the programme-based budgeting (PBB) is being gradually introduced in the country since 2021. The MoF has undertaken initial steps and piloted the elements of the PBB in the selected line ministries during 2021. The results are mixed as the understanding on the objectives, mechanisms, implications of the PBB are not yet formed among the government entities.

UNICEF and UNDP Country Offices in Uzbekistan has been supporting the Government’s PFM reform agenda, including the introduction of PBB for better and expanded financing of the SDGs in poverty reduction, education, health, social protection, gender equality and green growth. It is expected that this will facilitate enhanced transparency and accountability; expanded, effective and efficient budget allocation for protecting the environment and the most vulnerable groups, including children, youth, women and people with disabilities; and establishment of monitoring and oversight mechanisms. Ultimately, this will enable establishing a strong Integrated National Financing System and accelerate achievement of the national SDGs. Under the Global Flagship Finance Initiative, UNICEF and UNDP Country Offices in Uzbekistan seek to provide further support in advancing the management and financing for results practices by focusing more on results delivered within the development programmes, including those that will contribute to achieving the key national SDGs (poverty reduction, education, health, social protection, gender equality, green growth, etc).

In particular, the UN Agencies will support the Ministry of Finance to develop a capacity building training programme on the most effective way to inform about adopted PBB methodological approaches and thus enhance staff capacities at the ministries and governmental institutions. To ensure the sustainability UNDP and UNICEF will organize a training and coaching/mentoring of national trainers, who will be tasked to organize the PBB training on rolling basis using the capacities and resources available at the Training center under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Objectives

UNICEF Uzbekistan is seeking an international consultant for accomplishment of the assigning with following programmatic objectives:

• Develop technical training manual on programme-based budgeting, based on (1) the methodology elaborated by the Ministry of Finance; and (2) world best practices
• Develop a programme of the Training-of-Trainers for implementing partners with the aim to prepare national trainers, who can independently facilitate trainings on Results-Based Management (RBM) and Programme-Based Budgeting (PBB)
• Forming a pool of national trainers through TOTs, who can independently facilitate trainings on RBM and PBB

Scope and focus

International consultant is expected to accomplish the work with following scope and focus:

1. Desk review of existing literature on:
   • PBB Methodological approaches developed by the Ministry of Finance of Uzbekistan (MoF) and other documents/reports produced on PBB work being undertaken by the MoF in partnership with development partners
   • PFM and budgetary frameworks/processes, ongoing reforms and PFM practices in Uzbekistan to understand the budget and public finance context and bottlenecks in the system
   • Best international practices to plan and implement RBM and PBB in advancing the managing and financing for results practices in public sector, by focusing more on those sectors that will contribute to achieving the key national SDGs (poverty reduction, education, health, social protection, gender equality, green growth etc)
   • Relevant documents produced by UNICEF, UNDP and other UN and international organizations
2. Conducting interviews with the Ministry of Finance, line ministries and other main stakeholders to understand their expectations, concerns and recommendations for designing the training manual and training courses on RBM and PBB
3. Working closely with the UNICEF, UNDP and Ministry of Finance to discuss and plan the work
4. Developing a comprehensive technical training manual on programme-based budgeting
5. Designing and conducting TOT on RBM and PBB for national trainers. The training should balance lectures, discussions, individual work, group activities, etc. and provide ample opportunity for case studies and practical exercises.
6. Developing teaching and learning materials on RBM and PBB, that will be used by the Training center under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan to organize trainings on rolling basis
7. Coaching/mentoring for TOT participants to conduct independently training course on RBM and PBB for selected ministries.
8. Producing reports (3-5 pages) on accomplished deliverables, which includes self-reflected assessment of the work accomplished, what went well and could be improved, as well as recommendations on further work to increase institutional capacity of the Ministry of Finance to conduct trainings on RBM and PBB on rolling basis.

Timeline and Deliverables

The consultant is expected to deliver the tasks during 40 working days during the period of 28 November 2022–28 February 2023

Phase 1: Inception (8 days)

1. Conducting the desk review of existing literature

1.1. A report with findings of the desk review - 28-30 November 2022 (3 days)

2. Conducting the interviews with the MoF, selected line ministries and other main stakeholders

2.1. Workplan for conducting the interviews, which includes the tentative schedule for interviews, interview questions, list of interviewees etc - 1-2 December 2022 (1 day) 2.2. Conducting the interviews and developing a report with the findings and outcomes of the interviews - 5-9 December 2022 (4 days)

Phase 2: Training manual on programme-based budgeting (10 days)

3. Developing a technical training manual on Programme-based Budgeting

3.1 Proposed outline for the technical training manual - 12-13 December 2022 (2 days) 3.2 First draft of the technical training manual submitted in hard-copy and presented during the meeting in participation of UNICEF, UNDP, MoF and other partners - 14-21 December 2022 (6 days) 3.3 Final draft of the technical training manual, which incorporates comments and suggestions received from UNICEF, UNDP, MoF and other partners - 22-23 December 2022 (2 days)

Phase 3: Training-of-Trainers (18 days)

4. Designing and conducting TOT on RBM and PBB for national trainers

4.1 Draft training package (annotated agenda, modules in power point form, pre and post evaluations, proposed reading materials, handouts, and exercises, etc.) - 9–16 January 2023 (6 days) 4.2 Finalized training package following comments and revisions of UNICEF, UNDP, MoF and other partners involved - 17-20 January 2023 (2 days) 4.3 TOT conducted - 30 January - 3 February 2023 (5 days)

5. Providing coaching/mentoring to TOT participants to deliver trainings of RBM and PBB to selected ministries

5.1 TOT participants are supported to conduct trainings on RBM and PBB to selected ministries - 6-10 February 2023 (4 days) 5.2 Final report on accomplished deliverables, which includes self-reflected assessment of the work accomplished, what went well and could be improved, as well as recommendations on further work to increase institutional capacity of the Ministry of Finance to conduct trainings on RBM and PBB on rolling basis - By 17 February 2023 (1 day)

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

Education: Advanced university degree in economics, public policy, social policy or any other relevant field Experience: At least 5 years of professional experience in field of public financial management, public policy, public administration (verified by records of work experience). Language: Good written and spoken command in Russian, knowledge of English and Uzbek is an asset (verified by review of CV/profile and interview). Other requirements: - Knowledge and experience in undertaking capacity building and ToTs, including on RBM and PBB (verified by records of work experiences in carrying out at least two trainings/workshops) - Good knowledge of Uzbekistan PFM context and/or working in Uzbekistan and/or CIS/Central Asian region - Excellent presentation and communication skills (verified by records of work experience in delivering speeches or presentations)

Management

While the assignment will be carried out under overall supervision of the Social Policy Officer (PFM) of UNICEF Uzbekistan for contract administration purposes, international consultant will be required to work in close collaboration with UNDP Uzbekistan, Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan and other identified institutions in the execution of this assignment. UNDP Uzbekistan and UNICEF Uzbekistan will jointly undertake monitoring and coordination of the assignment, as well as facilitate involvement of the Ministry of Finance and other identified stakeholders to provide requested information and to validate them.

Resource Requirements and Payments

The final budget will be determined following the review of the submitted technical and financial proposals and based on “the best value for money” principle.

The consultant will be paid by instalments upon completion of the deliverables certified by the Social Policy Officer (PFM) in line with the following schedule:

Deliverables 1 & 2 (1.1, 2.1 & 2.2) - Instalment #1: 8 days * consultancy fee per day Deliverable 3 (3.1, 3.2 & 3.3) - Instalment #2: 10 days * consultancy fee per day Deliverable 4 & 5 (4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1 & 5.2) - Instalment #3: 18 days * consultancy fee per day

Travelling expenses (once travelling authorization obtained from senior management) - As per established UNICEF rates and rules

The International Consultant will receive direct payment to his/her indicated bank account in US dollars.

The candidates are requested to submit their financial offer consisting of fee for the services and travel expenses to be provided.

Procedures and working conditions

The international consultant will work remotely with a visit to Uzbekistan is expected for in-country training. During in-country visit, international consultant will be provided with office space, transportation, translators and support with meetings arrangements. Laptops or computers will not be provided. Visa related expenditures will be covered by the consultant, however UNICEF, within its means, will facilitate the process. Travel expenses to and within Uzbekistan for the consultancy purposes (terminal expenses and local air fare) as well as DSA in Uzbekistan will be funded by UNICEF and according to UNICEF rules and procedures.

Reservations

UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if deliverable(s) incomplete, not finalized or for failure to meet deadlines. UNICEF will reserve copyright of all developed materials and own primary data collected through this assignment. The materials cannot be published or disseminated without prior written permission of UNICEF. UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future. The contractor must respect the confidentiality of the information handled during the assignment. Documents and information provided must be used only for the tasks related to these terms of reference.

UNICEF undertakes no liability for taxes, duty or other contribution payable by the consultant on payments made under this contract.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.