Lead Advisor on National Disability Reform System Project

Contract

This is a International Consultant contract. More about International Consultant contracts.

Background

The overall objective of this 3-year, EU-funded, Project is to provide support to the full reform of the overall national disability determination system with a view to achieve more just, equal and easier access to rights to all kinds of cash benefits and services for persons with disabilities, in line with the national positive legislation and ratified UN Convention on Persons with Disabilities. The support will be provided through technical assistance for the development of new legal and institutional national disability determination system, capacity building and raising public awareness among the specific target groups and general population.

In order to achieve the specific objective of the project, the following results are foreseen:

1. Development and adoption of new standardized, unified, national functionalities/abilities-based criteria for disability determination for all the six sectors dealing with disability assessment: Social welfare (cash transfers/benefits and services), Pensions, War veterans, Employment, Education, and Health. 2. Institutional rightsizing and reorganization – downsizing of current 30 Commissions to one unique entity for disability assessment for all the sectors, which implies development of the new law, by-laws and documentation for establishment of new institution that will do disability determination.

This takes development of the overall new national legislative framework, subject of this ToR. Disability determination is under jurisdiction of three-line Ministries: Ministry of Finance and Social Welfare (sectors: Social protection, Pensions and War Veterans), Ministry of Economy (Employment,) Ministry of Health and Ministry Education and line institutions, such as Pension and Disability Social Insurance Fund, national Employment Agency and social welfare centres, is envisaged as well.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the guidance and supervision of the respective UNDP Programme Manager, the Lead Advisor will transfer experience and knowledge from disability determination reform process and support the overall process. S/he will advise the Programme Manager and Project Team, the line Government counterparts and CSO representing Persons with Disabilities and support them in decision making on the reform path.

The legal framework that will regulate the new system. This implies analysis of the existing and drafting of the new normative framework (law/s, line by-laws and legal establishment documentation for the new institution) on unique determination entity and unified methodology. The Government is expected to establish a Task Force Group composed of legal experts from all relevant sectors with which the Consultant will closely cooperate with. Therefore, the key milestones, the Consultant is expected to deliver are, as follows:

1. In cooperation with the Task-force group, the Lead Advisor should draft an assessment of the current state play in Montenegro. The assessment document should contain a situation analysis (presentation of the legal framework, how the system works and similar) and provide description of an international comparative experience/s and lessons learnt, along with findings/recommendations and a work-plan for the reform process in Montenegro. S/he should present and discuss it with the workgroup. Due to be delivered by May 30, 2021. Estimated workdays: 20.

2. Provide continuous support the Project Team, including to expert for criteria and the Taskforce Group for development of new, unified, national criteria for disability determination to be organized by the Institute for Public Health of Montenegro. Due to be delivered by September 30, 2021. Estimated workdays: 5.

3. S/he should present an international experience in reform enforcement, including lessons learnt. Provide transfer of knowledge to the Project Team and to the Multi-sector task group, set by the Government. S/he shall provide them with all relevant legal, medical, and supporting line documentation for the reform replication in Montenegro. Provide support to the Project team in organisation of study tour for the Government counterparts. Due to be delivered by November 30, 2021. Estimated workdays: 10.

4. Provide continuous support to the lawyer (local IC holder on the project) to review the current legislative framework and draft new one and do transfer of knowledge regarding line international legislative and institutional solutions for disability determination system. Due to be delivered by December 20, 2021. Estimated workdays: 15.

5. Provide consultancy support for proper institutional setting of a new national entity (Institute) for disability determination, including support for drafting legal establishing and of the Institute, and jobs placement act template for disability assessment and determination expert opinion, registry, etc. Due to be delivered by April 30, 2022. Estimated workdays: 15.

6. Support the Project Team and the Gov. counterparts to design, conduct, evaluate and revise the system upon trial application of new system. Provide guidance and advice to finance consultant in charge of preparation of financial impact assessment and budget expenditures projections of the new disability determination system. Due to be delivered by December 20, 2022. Estimated workdays: 25.

The Lead Advisor is expected to be available for continuous communication with the Project Team and the Government counterparts. S/he should also present, discuss issues on the Project agenda, address comments and accordingly align the positions with the both Task Force groups both in person (in the meetings), on-line and in written form.

Reporting:

The Consultant will be engaged for period of April 10, 2021 – December 20, 2022, for total of estimated 90 consultancy days in this period. The contract will be issued for the period of one year, subject of renewal based on the positive performance appraisal. Three two-day visits to Podgorica, Montenegro are envisaged during the assignment.

Competencies

• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics, integrity and UN values.
• Demonstrate expert legal knowledge and sound judgment. Self-development, initiative-taking.
• Facilitating open communication, presenting effectively both in written and in person.
• Acting as a team player and facilitating teamwork.
• Establishes, builds and sustains effective work relationships with the stakeholders (Task Force Team).

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• University Degree – preferably in medical sciences.

Experience:

• First-hand, proven track experience in reform of national disability determination system.
• Minimum five years of relevant working experience.
• Work experience in health, social, employment, pension, or education sectors, preferably in area of disability determination and assessment.

Language:

• Bosnian/Croatian/Macedonian/Montenegrin/Serbia language knowledge is an asset.
• English knowledge is an asset but not a requirement.

Other:

• Solid computer literacy skills.

Criteria for selection:

Combined Scoring method will be used. When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as: (i) responsive, compliant, acceptable, and (ii) having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

• Technical criteria weight - 70% (Background and education 10%; Relevant previous experience 20%; Substantial knowledge/Required competencies 30%; Required language 10%);
• Financial criteria weight - 30%.

Only offerors obtaining a minimum 490 points for technical criteria will be considered for the financial evaluation. For more information on procurement methodology for Individual Contractors, please refer to Procurement Notice.

Application procedure:

Interested applicants are requested to submit their applications by March 20, 2021 by using the Apply now button. The application should contain CV or P11 that can be downloaded at https://www.me.undp.org/content/montenegro/en/home/jobs.html. Please note that UNDP jobsite system allows only one uploading of application document, so please make sure that you merge all your documents into a single file.

Only the short-listed applicants will be contacted and requested to submit a letter of interest including a price quotation indicating the lump sum (in EUR) requested for the work envisaged in the section "Description of Responsibilities".