Republic of Moldova

International Consultant to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry in approximating MD legislation to EU standards on plant passports for ensuring free movement of plants, plant products and other objects subject to EU phytosanitary regulation

Vacancy Number: Pr14/00514

Location:	Chisinau, Moldova
Application Deadline:	02 May 2014, 23:59 (GMT+2:00)
Application Extended deadline:	05 May 2014, 23:59 (GMT+2:00)
Application Extended deadline:	07 May 2014, 23:59 (GMT+2:00)
Type of Contract:	Individual Contract
Starting date:	12 May 2014
Reference to the project:	Building Institutional Capacity of MFAEI
Expected Duration of Assignment:	30 working days
Submission Instructions: Proposals should be submitted online by pressing the "Apply Now" button no later than 2 May, 2014. Requests for clarification only must be sent by standard electronic communication to the following e-mail: traian.turcanu@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 announcement was placed at: http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=45880
Supporting Documents: Terms of Reference Individual Consultant Procurement Notice Personal History Form (P11) UNDP General Conditions of Individual Contract

Contacts:

Mr. Traian Turcanu.

Background

Relations between the Republic of Moldova (RM) and the European Union (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 RM and EU and was designed for a10 year period.

The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement will soon be replaced by an Association Agreement which includes a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). The documents provide for political association and economic integration and have been initialed in Vilnius in November 2013.

For the Republic of Moldova the AA represents a reform agenda which is based on a comprehensive program of legal harmonization with EU norms. 

Exceeding the classical arrangements of free trade, DCFTA provides not only a mutual opening of markets for most goods and services but requires a gradual rapprochement of norms and standards  such as quality standards and rules, sanitary rules, intellectual property rights, trade facilitation, public procurement and competition, energy trade and other.

Except for European Economic Area and EU candidate states, never before has the EU opened its internal market to such an extent to a third country. This reality is possible due to the commitment of the Republic of Moldova to take over the acquis communautaire.

In exchange to effective implementation of EU legislation Moldova will gradually become part of the EU internal market.

A deeper economic integration through DCFTA will boost the country's economic growth, will create business opportunities and promote real economic modernization and integration into the EU. The direct result of establishing free trade area with EU is that citizens will benefit from higher quality and safer goods and services while manufacturers will be supported to access international markets.

UNDP and its international partners are committed to assist Moldova, through technical and financial assistance, in promoting costly legal and institutional reforms that DCFTA entails.

The Project “Building Institutional Capacity of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (MFAEI)” aims at strengthening the institutional capacity of the MFAEI as lead institution in the AA negotiation process. In the same context, the Project seeks to contribute to developing EU integration capacities of key line ministries through aligning relevant policies, administrative and institutional arrangements, legislation, procedures and best practices to EU standards and requirements.

Scope of work

The Project will contract an International Consultant to consult and raise capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI) in upgrading and approximating the national legislation, institutional arrangements, procedures and best practices in the area of implementation of plant passports to EU standards for ensuring free movement of plants, plant products and other objects subject to phytosanitary regulations.

The expert will assess and report on on current legislation, institutional arrangements, national procedures and documentation in the phytosanitary area relevant for ensuring free movement of plants, plant products and other objects subject to phytosanitary regulations; develop, jointly with beneficiaries, a mission action plan for remedying relevant gaps and lacks; support the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry in drafting relevant legislation/legislative amendments (including regulating institutional arrangements) and supporting documentation (e.g. legislative impact analysis); support the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry in drafting a package of operational documentation in compliance with EU requirements and best practices in the phytosanitary area aiming at ensuring free movement of plants, plant products and other objects subject to phytosanitary regulations; consult relevant stakeholders and support the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry in preparing guidelines on implementation of plant passports, in line with EU standards and best practices; present the final mission report during a workshop with beneficiaries.

Requirements for experience

 Academic Qualification

• Bachelor degree in agriculture, plant health, horticulture or biology. Relevant Master's degree or PhD would be an asset.

Experience

• Minimum 7 years of work experience in the area of plant health
• Experience in transposing EU standard requirements in the area of plant health, with focus on implementing plant passports for ensuring free movement of plants, plant products and other objects subject to phytosanitary regulations
• Experience in applying specific EU good practices in issuing plant passports for ensuring free movement of plants, plant products and other objects subject to phytosanitary regulations would be an advantage;
• Knowledge of and experience in assisting government institutions in the newest EU member states or candidate countries.

Competencies

• Strong analytical and drafting skills.
• Ability to analyse, plan, communicate effectively with stakeholders and present ideas clearly and effectively.
• Demonstrated interpersonal and diplomatic skills.
• Ability to enter new environments, adapt quickly and produce immediate results.
• Computer literacy - competent user of Microsoft Office programs.

Language requirements

Fluency in written and spoken English. Knowledge of Romanian or Russian would be an asset.

Documents to be included

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; in (USD, specifying a total lump sum amount and the number of anticipated working days);  
• 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, 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 shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including fee, taxes, travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).

Travel

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.

Up to two travel missions are envisaged under this assignment, with a minimum 20 working days in Moldova.

 

 

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