Background

Relations between the Republic of Moldova and EU formally started with the signing of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) in 1994 that entered into force in 1998. The PCA established the basic principles of cooperation between the RM and EU and was designed for a10 year period. With the formal expiration of the term, i.e. July 1st 2008, the Agreement is being prolonged automatically if none of the parties requests its formal cancellation. Formally, the PCA agreement presently constitutes the framework of relations between the RM and EU.
In 2005, in the context of the new European Neighborhood Policy, RM and EU signed an EU-Moldova Action Plan (EUMAP) for a period of 3 years, which included a series of actions aiming at deepening the cooperation between the two parties. At the end of the Action Plan implementation period, the European Council adopted in February 2008 a decision expressing the readiness in principle of the EU to initiate new negotiations with the RM with the goal of signing a new agreement.
In parallel with the Action Plan, RM has signed with the EU a Visa Facilitation Agreement, and received a preferential trade regime (Autonomous Trade Preferences) with the EU for a majority of the goods produced in Moldova.
Since 2010, the Republic of Moldova has been successfully carrying out negotiations with EU for an Association Agreement and has undertaken concrete steps towards a deeper relationship with the European Union.
On December 5, 2011, the EU decided to launch negotiations on a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) with Moldova, with the purpose of boosting economic growth and investment within its Eastern European partner. These negotiations will tackle a broad range of trade and economic issues in order to ensure a closer economic integration with the EU for Moldova. The future DCFTA will be part of the Association Agreement, which strives, also in line with the EU’s Eastern Partnership objectives, to closely associate Moldova to the European Union both in the economic and political dimensions. Three rounds of negotiations have been successfully concluded so far. During the last round, which took place on September 11-13 in Chisinau, EU and Moldova agreed to begin the negotiation of tariff offers, one of the key elements of the future DCFTA.
The Building Institutional Capacity of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Project aims to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (MFAEI) in the process of achieving its European Integration goals and commitments. In this context, the Project seeks to contribute to the development of the capacities for European Integration of the MFAEI and the Negotiation Team (also including representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry) with an immediate focus on the negotiation and post-negotiation phases of the Association Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova and implicitly its implementation.
In the EU, the safety of foodstuffs is mainly ensured by a preventive approach, such as implementation of good hygiene practice and application of procedures based on hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) principles. Microbiological criteria can be used in validation and verification of HACCP procedures and other hygiene control measures. As the checks of compliance with these criteria are being introduced, it is important to support the Moldovan state bodies and the food business operators in raising their capacity to implement the new legislation in force.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Project will contract an International Consultant to provide for the Moldovan Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (further referred as Ministry) and the Sanitary Veterinary Agency for Food of Animal Origin (The Agency) the needed support in developing the capacity for implementing, inspecting sampling and testing in line with EU microbiological requirements in both state bodies and food businesses. 
 
This objective should be met through the following activities:
 
Key activities:
  • Produce guidelines / checklists for food business operators and food safety inspectors on compliance with the EU Acquis on microbiological criteria including the taking of samples, the conduct of analyses and the definition and implementation of corrective actions.
  • Provide advice and training for food business operators and food safety inspectors (six training sessions) on compliance with the EU Acquis on microbiological criteria, including the taking of samples, the conduct of analyses and the definition of and implementation of corrective actions.
  • Draft one final report with mission results and deliverables attached, submit it for approval and discuss it with key stakeholders.
Mission Schedule:
Deliverables, activities, and milestones follow this tentative schedule:
  • Preparatory Work. A detailed work plan to be prepared, submitted to and agreed with the Beneficiary. Tentative timeframe: 2 days, by October 24, 2012
  • One set of checklists for food safety inspectors on inspecting against microbiological criteria prepared and submitted for approval. Tentative timeframe: 10 days, by November 7, 2012
  • Three regional (North Central and South) training sessions for food business operators and three regional training sessions for food safety inspectors on compliance with microbiological criteria requirement prepared and delivered. Tentative timeframe: 10 days, by November 21, 2012
  • One final report with deliverables submitted for approval and discussed with key stakeholders. Tentative timeframe: 3 days by November 24, 2012
All deliverables should be agreed with the UNDP counterpart at the Ministry and the Agency and UNDP and be provided in English, hard and electronic copy.
 
The timeframe for the work of the International Consultant is tentatively planned through October – November 2012. The consultancy should involve about – 25 days of work in total, ensuring at least 20 days of presence in Moldova, in maximum 2 missions, coordinated in advance with the beneficiary.
 
Institutional arrangements:
 
The International Consultant will work in close collaboration with the UNDP’s counterpart at the Ministry – for substantive aspects of the assignment, and under the direct supervision of the Project Manager – for administrative aspects.
 
The International Consultant will be located in the premises of the Ministry / Agency and will work closely with the Ministry / Agency staff. The Ministry / Agency will provide the Consultant with working space, access to Internet, printer and telephone line. 

Competencies

  • Knowledge of and experience in the region of Central and Eastern Europe (experience in countries of transitional economy would be an asset);
  • Similar experience in assisting government institutions within projects funded by international organizations;
  • Qualification and/or proven skills in project coordination, credibility in dealings with governmental officials, excellent analytical and communication skills.
 

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  • Further education qualification in microbiology or other relevant field.
Experience:
  • Minimum 10 years of working experience in the area of food safety.
Language Requirements:
  • Fluency in written and spoken English, knowledge of Romanian or Russian will be a strong advantage.
Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications: 
  • Proposal explaining why they are the most suitable for the work;
  • Financial proposal;
  • Duly completed P11 form (and Personal CV) including past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references.
Financial Proposal:
 
The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount in US Dollars, 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 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, per diems – if relevant, local per diems during the regional trainings, and number of anticipated working days).  
 
Travel:
 
All envisaged travel costs (one mission to Moldova ensuring a presence in the country of at least 20 days) 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.
 
Evaluation:
 
Initially, individual consultants will be short-listed based on the following minimum qualification criteria:
Further education qualification in microbiology or other relevant field;
Minimum 10 years of working experience in the area of food safety.
 
The short-listed individual consultants will be further evaluated based on the following methodology:
 
Cumulative analysis
The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
b) 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% (350 pts);
*Financial Criteria weight – 30% (150 pts).
 
Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 245 points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.
 
Technical Evaluation – Criteria and maximum obtainable points:
  • Further education qualification in microbiology or other relevant field – 40 points;
  • Minimum 10 years of working experience in the area of food safety – 160 points;
  • Knowledge of and experience in the region of Central and Eastern Europe (experience in countries of transitional economy would be an asset) – 60 points;
  • Similar experience in assisting government institutions within projects funded by international organizations will be an asset – 30 points;
  • Qualification and/or proven skills in project coordination, credibility in dealings with governmental officials, excellent analytical and communication skills – 30 points;
  • Fluency in written and spoken English, knowledge of Romanian or Russian would be a strong advantage – 30 points.
Maximum Total Technical Scoring – 350 points
 
Financial evaluation
 
Evaluation of submitted financial offers will be done based on the following formula: S = Fmin / F * 150
  • S – score received on financial evaluation;
  • Fmin – the lowest financial offer out of all the submitted offers qualified over the technical evaluation round;
  • F – financial offer under consideration.
Winning candidate
 
The winning candidate will be the candidate, who has accumulated the highest aggregated score (technical scoring + financial scoring).
 
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, and;
  • 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.