Republic of Moldova

National Consultants (up to five (5)) on the assessment of implementation costs of the European Charter for Regional or Minority

Vacancy Number: Pr14/00667

Location:	Chisinau, Moldova
Application Deadline:	12 Oct 2014, 23:59 (GMT+2:00)
Application Extended deadline:	19 Oct 2014, 23:59 (GMT+2:00)
Type of Contract:	Individual Contract
Starting date:	14 Oct 2014
Reference to the project:	Joint UNCT for Human Rights Promotion and Protection Project
Expected Duration of Assignment:	October-November 2014 (up to 20 working days)
Submission Instructions: Proposals should be submitted online by pressing the "Apply Now" button no later than 23:59, 12 October 2014. Requests for clarification only must be sent by standard electronic communication to the following e-mail: natalia.voronova@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.
Supporting Documents: Termeni de Referinta Terms of Reference Круг обязанностей Anunt de participare al consultantului individual Individual Consultant Procurement Notice Уведомление о закупке услуг индивидуального консультанта Personal History Form (P11) UNDP General Conditions of Individual Contract

Background

In 1995 the Republic of Moldova has joined the Council of Europe (CoE) taking a commitment to ratify the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (Charter). The Republic of Moldova has signed the Charter in 2002, however, it was not yet ratified.

Protection and promotion of the wealth and diversity of Europe’s cultural heritage is one of the aims of the CoE. Regional or minority languages are very much part of this heritage. Since 1992, Council of Europe’s Member States have been able to confirm their commitment to the protection of this heritage by ratifying the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

The Charter, drawn up on the basis of a text put forward by the Standing Conference of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe, was adopted as a convention on 25 June 1992 by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, and was opened for signature in Strasbourg on 5 November 1992. It entered into force on 1 March 1998.

At present, the Charter has been ratified by 25 states (Armenia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United Kingdom). Another eight states have signed it, some of which are expected to ratify.

The Charter is a convention designed on the one hand to protect and promote regional and minority languages as a threatened aspect of Europe’s cultural heritage and on the other hand to enable speakers of a regional or minority language to use it in private and public life. Its overriding purpose is cultural. It covers regional and minority languages, non-territorial languages and less widely used official languages. It is intended to ensure, as far as is reasonably possible, that regional or minority languages are used in education and in the media, to permit and encourage their use in legal and administrative contexts, in economic and social life, for cultural activities and in trans frontier exchanges.

Scope of work

The scope of work of the National Consultants will be to elaborate and present a financial assessment of the existing costs allocated and additional funds required for the implementation of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages following its ratification by the Republic of Moldova.

In order to achieve the objective the National Consultants shall:

-       Develop a methodology that will be approved by the BIR to assess the costs for the implementation of the Charter;

-       Conduct an assessment of the financial costs for the implementation of the Art. 8 “Education”, Art. 9 “Judicial Authorities”, Art. 10 “Administrative authorities and public services” and Art. 11 “Media” of the Charter. It is expected that the National Consultants will work in a team and can be thematically tasked in the following way:

• Two National Consultants can be tasked with the assessment of implementation costs of Art. 8 “Education”, in particular:
  • one of the National Consultants will be focused on the existing costs allocated already in the State budget for the educational system (from pre-school up to the post-university education);
  • while the other National Consultant will be tasked with the assessment focused on the additional funds required in the State budget for the educational system (from pre-school up to the post-university education);
• One National Consultant can be tasked with the assessment of implementation costs of Art. 9 “Judicial Authorities” (existing costs and additional funds required in the State budget);
• One National Consultant can be tasked with the assessment of implementation costs of Art. 10 “Administrative authorities and public services” (existing costs and additional funds required in the State budget), and
• One National Consultant can be tasked with the assessment of implementation costs of Art. 11 “Media” (existing costs and additional funds required in the State budget).

-       Assist and advise the BIR on the further steps to be taken for the ratification of the Charter in terms of funding;

-       Liaise with the BIR, other relevant Government actors (national and local), civil society, academia and minority organizations on the final study and seek their feedback on it;

-       Take part in the presentation of the assessment of the Charter’s implementation costs. 

Requirements for experience

1. Academic Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent (5-year university education) in finance, bookkeeping, economics or other relevant fields;

 2. Years and sphere of experience:

• At least 3 years of proven professional experience in the area of State bodies budgeting, finance, financial analysis, economics or other relevant field;

 3. Competencies:

• Demonstrated commitment to the core values of the United Nations, in particular, respect of differences of culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, nationality, language, age, HIV status, disability, and sexual orientation, or other status;
• Advanced knowledge of Moldovan State budget system and practical budgeting issues;
• Practical work experience in the Republic of Moldova on budgeting issues:
  • In educational system and relevant State institutions (for the National Consultants who aim to work on the assessment of Art. 8 “Education”) is a strong advantage, or
  • In the judicial system and relevant justice institutions (for the National Consultant who aims to work on the assessment of Art. 9 “Judicial Authorities”) is a strong advantage, or
  • In public services and administrative authorities (for the National Consultant who aims to work on the assessment of Art. 10 “Administrative authorities and public services”) is a strong advantage, or
  • Related to mass-media (for the National Consultant who aims to work on the assessment of Art. 11 “Media”) is a strong advantage;
• Ability to work independently and in cooperation with relevant actors;
• Knowledge of State language and Russian for the purposes of the assignment;
• Knowledge of English would be an advantage;
• Knowledge of one or more additional languages relevant for Moldova, including Bulgarian, Gagauzian, Romani, Ukrainian or sign language is an asset;

 4. Personal qualities: responsibility, creativity, flexibility and punctuality.

The 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 in State language, Russian or English to demonstrate their qualifications:

1. Personal information (as a detailed CV or as a Personal History Form /P11) including records on past experience in similar projects/assignments and concrete outputs obtained, including 3 reference persons and their contacts;

2. Cover letter, which should include:

(i) A list of budgets or other task related documents the candidate has elaborated or contributed to;

(ii) Specification of which Article(s) in a priority order (Art. 8 “Education”/Art. 9 “Judicial Authorities”/Art. 10 “Administrative authorities and public services”/Art. 11 “Media”) the candidate prefers to evaluate;

(iii) Brief description of methodology for the assessment of implementation costs of the selected Article(s);

(iv) Financial proposal (in USD, specifying a daily fee amount).

Financial proposal

The financial proposal will specify the daily fee, travel expenses and per diems quoted in separate line items, and payments are made to each Individual Consultant based on the number of days worked.

Payment will be made to each National Consultant separately in one installment following the completion of the assignment based on the final report submitted to the UNDP Moldova Justice and Human Rights Programme Analyst and presentation of the assessment.

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.

No travel costs are envisaged under this assignment.

 

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