Republic of Moldova

SCBM/International consultant on implementation of statistical classifications

Vacancy Number: Pr16/01453

Location:	Chisinau, Moldova
Application Deadline:	01 Dec 2016, 23:59 (GMT+2:00)
Type of Contract:	Individual Contract
Starting date:	07 Dec 2016
Reference to the project:	Support to Confidence Building Measures IV
Expected Duration of Assignment:	December 2016 - February 2017
Submission Instructions: Proposals should be submitted online by pressing the "Apply Now" button no later than 01 December2016. Requests for clarification only must be sent by standard electronic communication to the following e-mail: aurelia.spataru@undp.org. UNDP will respond by standard electronic mail and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all applicants. This vacancy can be found at: https://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=69542  Important notice  The applicant who has the statute of Government Official / Public Servant, prior to appointment will be asked to submit the following documentation: a no-objection letter in respect of the applicant received from the government; the applicant is certified in writing by the government to be on official leave without pay for the duration of the Individual Contract.   A retired government official is not considered in this case a government official, and as such, may be contracted.
Supporting Documents: Terms of Reference Individual Consultant Procurement Notice Personal History Form (P11) UNDP General Conditions of Individual Contract

Contacts:

Ms. Aurelia Spataru.

aurelia.spataru@undp.org

Background

The Support to Confidence Building Measures Programme (SCBM Programme) is funded by the European Union and implemented by the UNDP Moldova since 2009. The overall objective of the Programme is to contribute to an environment of trust and cooperation across the Nistru/Dniestr River generating new perspectives on shared interests and a shared future by people from both banks of the river while responding to their pressing development needs.

Through its component on Business Development the SCBM Programme is to support the development of skills and improvement of professional performance of statisticians on both banks of Nistru River to produce accurate and reliable statistical data. Also, it is to contribute to the enhancing of data users’ abilities to make best use of available statistical information, fostering the dialogue and future partnerships between the communities of data experts on both banks.

As it regards the support to data production, the SCBM Programme aims to assist the statisticians in accomplishing their function on complying with the international standards and best practices. An additional incentive for such an effort would be the growing demand of qualitative data on behalf of local and international data users which are necessary to describe the current status of affairs in different fields of activity and sectors, to identify the occurring shortcomings and prevent potential factors of risk, to justify the improvement measures and governance decisions to be undertaken by authorities and with community’s participation.

Under the current assignment, the Programme aims to respond to the request of statisticians from the left bank of the Nistru river to become familiarized with modern systems of economic statistical classifications and international European standards in the sector and learning from advanced experience of other countries.

Scope of work

The SCBM Programme aims to hire an international consultant to provide expert advice and guidance on international (in particular UN and European) statistical classifications of economic and linked activities and their further implementation at the local level.

The experience of the statisticians on the right bank and their lessons learned from the respective process will be considered. The consultancy results will be further used for programmatic purpose of UNDP and the follow-up activities on the made recommendations will be carried out.

Provided expertise will be based on the relevant knowledge of the selected consultant and his/her international practical experience on statistical classifications’ implementation & application, as well as the documents and resources made available by the Programme’s counterparts on the left bank of Nistru.

For detailed information, please refer to Annex 1 – Terms of Reference.

Requirements for experience

The consultant is expected to comply with the following qualification criteria:

Education:

• Master degree (or equivalent) in statistics, economics, accounting and/or other science related to areas relevant for the assignment;
• Other formal education relevant for the assignment (confirmed by certificates);

Experience:

• At least 5 years of relevant professional experience (consultancy, expertise, executing function, teaching, advising, etc.) in or related to statistical activity (preferably official/Government statistics system);
• At least 5 records of practical experience related to the development (or participation at) analytical and methodological works in the area of economic or business activity (methodologies for calculation of statistical indicators, designing of questionnaires, classifications and business registers, assessments, evaluations, reviews, thematic analysis, research articles, legislation adjustments, etc.);
• Experience of collaboration (confirmed by records) with governments, preferably in area/s relevant for the present assignment;
• Experience in working with development partners, in particular EU and UN agencies;

Competencies and Skills:

• Good knowledge of international/European standards, legislation and best practices, European Statistical System, terminology and definitions used in the field of economic and/or business statistics (confirmed by experience records in EU member, candidate or potential candidate countries);
• Strong understanding of quality issues in a national statistics system and methodological/technical knowledge on how to assess and address them;
• Strong analytical and writing skills;
• Excellent written and spoken English;
• Knowledge of Romanian/Russian will be an asset;

Personal Qualities and other requirements:

• Good interpersonal skills, solid judgment/decision making, initiative and creativity;
• Ability to analyse, plan, communicate effectively orally and in writing, draft reports, solve problems, organize and meet expected results, adapt to different environments (cultural, economic, political and social);
• Availability to work with UNDP and Project’s national stakeholders during the indicated/approved period;
• Proven commitment to the core values of the United Nations, in particular, respecting differences of culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, nationality, language, age, HIV status, disability, and sexual orientation, or other status.

UNDP Moldova is committed to workforce diversity. Women, persons with disabilities, Roma and other ethnic or religious minorities, persons living with HIV, as well as refugees and other non-citizens legally entitled to work in the Republic of Moldova, are particularly encouraged to apply.

Documents to be included

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

1. Proposal: explaining why they are the most suitable for the work including past experience in similar Projects (please provide brief information on each of the above qualifications, item by item);
2. Financial proposal (in USD, specifying a total requested amount per day, including all related costs, e.g. fees, per diems, travel costs, phone calls etc.);
3. Dully completed and signed P11 Form and at least 3 reference persons.

We reserve the right to reject incomplete applications.

Financial proposal

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR in accordance with the price schedule in the table below. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel and number of anticipated working days).

Financial Proposal Schedule

Deliverables	Estimated workload	Price per unit	Total Amount (US dollars)
Own approach and working methodology, detailed action plan, including timelines and dates of outputs’ delivery, and draft mission agenda	5 days
Agenda and handouts for the training on international (in particular UN and European) classifications of economic activities, products and services, industrial goods, etc. and delivered training	7 days
Draft evaluation note for the current status on the left bank used classifications, after the counterparts and stakeholders’ advice received	5 days (including mission #1 to Moldova)
Draft roadmap to implement the international classification on economic activities (and related ones) at the local level	5 days
Final expert report (containing evaluation of the current situation and roadmap for future actions) with the main findings and recommendations, including a presentation to the concerned counterparts and stakeholders (to be fine-tuned taking into consideration the feedback received from local counterparts and the SCBM Programme)	7 days (including mission#2 to Moldova)
Activity report on undertaken assignment plus documentation related to the conducted work	1 day
TOTAL

Travel

The consultant is expected to carry out field research, training activities and discussions with Programme’s stakeholders that would involve travel across the river, and should budget for it accordingly.

All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

 

 

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