A Consultant (two short-term posts) to develop a Manual on ‘How Territorial Communities Can Establish, Revitalize, and Improve Dynamic Public Spaces with Infrastructure for SMEs’ for USAID DOBRE Program/ Консультант/ка (дві короткострокові посади) для розробки Посібника

Global Communities is seeking qualified short-term consultants for the USAID-funded Decentralization Offering Better Results and Efficiency Program (DOBRE):

POSITION:                                       A Consultant (two short-term posts) to develop a Manual on ‘How Territorial Communities Can Establish, Revitalize, and Improve Dynamic Public Spaces with Infrastructure for SMEs?’ to facilitate community and economic development based on experiences from DOBRE and its partner communities in Ukraine and international practices.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:         Up to 4 months.

LOCATION OF PERFORMANCE:    Home-based via online communication tools. Presentation at the offline event(s) may be requested if the security situation would allow it.

Level of Effort (LOE) DAYS:            Up to 42 LOE days (for 2 Consultants). The exact number of days per Consultant will be defined individually during the contracting process.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Overview

Global Communities is implementing the USAID-funded Decentralization Offering Better Results and Efficiency (DOBRE) program in Ukraine.  Launched in 2016, the program is helping leaders of newly formed Consolidated Communities (CC) to effectively manage resources, increase the quality of public services, stimulate local economies, and improve citizen engagement. DOBRE has helped communities in guiding community stakeholders through a participatory strategic planning process that engages citizens, identifies issues, allocates resources, and creates and implements programs that address the priority needs of the communities. 

DOBRE Program Description

The USAID Program, “Decentralization Offering Better Results and Efficiency” (DOBRE), is a six-year program, implemented by Global Communities and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). DOBRE is working to help consolidated communities (CCs) in Ukraine meet the challenges and seize the opportunities that decentralization brings, by improving their local governance and increasing the engagement of their citizens in policy- and decision-making. Areas of support include strategic planning; financial management; public service delivery; local economic development; and gender- and youth-responsive policies. DOBRE is also working to foster linkages and cooperation across CCs. Partners with Global Communities in the DOBRE Program Consortium include the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center (UCMC); SocialBoost; the Foundation in Support of Local Democracy (FSLD/FRDL), the Malopolska School of Public Administration at the Krakow University of Economics (MSAP/UEK), Poland; and the National Democratic Institute (NDI).

In the Local Economic Development (LED) area DOBRE assists communities through workshops, conferences, meetings, and tailored technical assistance by LED experts and consultants. DOBRE has facilitated the creation of the LED Consultancy and Advisory Steering Committees, the development of LED Action Plans and Community Economic Profiles, and the designing of priority projects to implement LED in partner communities.  DOBRE co-funds some of the projects to support local economic development in targeted CCs. The Consultants will be part of the DOBRE LED team.

Scope of Work and Deliverables

At the request of DOBRE partner communities, the DOBRE Program plans to share DOBRE experience in the area with a wide audience and hire consultants tasked with developing a Manual on how community representatives can plan, design, implement, and assess landscape design for public places projects. The draft title is “How Territorial Communities Can Establish, Revitalize, and Improve Dynamic Public Spaces with Improved Infrastructure for SMEs? Where to Start from and How to Implement a Successful Project? A Manual for Local Government and Public”.  Target audience: local government representatives, NGOs, activists, local businesses, and entrepreneurs.

The Manual content:

Introduction. This section should describe the purpose of the Manual, and its target audience, and provide brief information on each group/type of project (e.g. farmers’ markets, downtown areas/central squares, waterfront areas, parks, etc.) the DOBRE partner communities prioritized while developing their public and SME areas.

1. What is a public space? Why do municipalities need to develop public spaces? The importance of public spaces for community development. Why many public spaces should have allocated spots for commerce and local business activity? The section includes a demonstrative example of a project developed with the DOBRE support.

2. Features of public spaces. Types and functions of public spaces in communities. Identifying focal points. The section includes one example of solutions developed for the DOBRE community.
   • Social functions of public spaces

Information on what social functions public spaces can perform based on Ukrainian and international examples and from the experience of cooperation with DOBRE communities.

• Economic development functions of public spaces.

Opportunities for the local economic development of the community. How local government can identify the infrastructure improvement needs of a local business? The section provides examples of economic development opportunities that may be created in any public space.

This and other sections (where appropriate) should include quotes from community representatives (community oblast should be mentioned) describing issues they face(d) and solutions they identified for their public spaces as projects to support community and economic development.

3. Placemaking concept. “Place” vs “Placemaking”. Placemaking forms. Placemaking activity examples. International approaches to placemaking. This section includes examples of solutions developed in the DOBRE and other communities.

4. Planning and Development of a public space improvement project. Who and How should organize the planning and development of public spaces? The section includes one example of solutions developed for the DOBRE community. Examples of SoW for technical consultants for the project.

• The main stages of the project

Develop a visualized and easy-to-read step-by-step process flow scheme (one A4 page) and a brief overview of all the main stages.

• Assessment of the space with the involvement of specialists

The section presents approaches to assessing the current state of the site using SWOT analysis and examples from practical meetings with community activists. Emphasis on the need to involve in some cases specialists to assess the condition of spaces and provide recommendations for their renewal.

4.3.  Development of the project vision and functional zoning of the territory

A brief description of the stage and methods for maximizing the involvement of all potential stakeholders to develop a project vision and functional zoning.

4.4. Project development

Overview of the project development phase with the involvement of specialists, examples of developed projects for DOBRE communities.

4.5. Participation.

Why participation of all community stakeholders is needed? Review the stage of discussion of the project in a wide range of communities, setting priorities and stages of project implementation.

4.6. Development of technical documentation and planning of stages

A brief overview of the technical documentation, usually required for procurement of materials and performance of certain types of work. How local government can align work and create possible synergies between the landscape design consultancy and the technical project cost development teams? When in the planning process the latter team should be involved by the local government?

5. Inclusiveness of public spaces. Why is it important for public spaces in communities to be inclusive? How can it be achieved? Examples of developed projects for DOBRE communities and international practices.

6. Detailed (2 pages per project) overview of 12 landscape design projects of various types developed with the DOBRE support. Provide information on project goals, process, timing, challenges faced, if any, key equipment suggested, final plans, and links to developed plans and 3D videos, if available.

7. List of References. Useful materials

The Consultant(s) should be able to:

• Conduct analysis, interpret and summarize the obtained data/results. Analyze implemented designs of public spaces in DOBRE partner communities and international practices and identify the most useful recommendations and solutions that can be used in other communities in Ukraine.
• Write a comprehensive Professionally present the material in text form following the requirements of the Manual content and scope.
• Arrange visualizations and layout design. Provide visualizations and layout of the Manual taking into account the basic recommendations, style, and disclaimers of the DOBRE Program.
• Coordinate and take into account advice from the DOBRE technical representative.
• Present at the DOBRE event and stimulate an exchange of experiences. DOBRE plans to conduct a public event (a workshop/webinar/conference) to present the information contained in the Manual. The Consultant(s) might be invited to speak at the event(s) and facilitate arrangements such as inviting other presenters/participants on the topic of this consultancy assignment.

The consultant(s) will provide the following deliverables:

• Draft Manual and Final Manual in Ukrainian. A text version of the Manual of up to 110 A-4 long, single-spaced pages with the addition of visualizations and examples of public space design in DOBRE partner communities and worldwide taking into account the basic recommendations and disclaimers of DOBRE, which will be provided by DOBRE staff. (Deliverable 1, estimated 38 LOE for two consultants).
• Online Presentation(s). The offline event may be considered jointly with DOBRE if a security situation would allow it. PowerPoint and oral public presentation of the Manual with a detailed of key notions, landscape design planning, and implementation process, and selected examples. (Deliverable 2, estimated 2 to 4 LOE for two consultants).

Qualifications and Experience of Consultant(s)

The Consultant(s) would have the following qualifications:

• Successful practical experience in participatory design of public spaces in territorial communities or small settlements in Ukraine, preferably, in DOBRE partner communities.
• Successful international practical experience in the participatory design of public spaces is preferable.
• Deep understanding of the principles of placemaking
• Understanding the principles of local self-government and local economic development at the community level in Ukraine
• Successful experience in writing and publishing methodological manuals and/or technical articles, and leading or contributing to the design and layout of published materials.
• Effective presentation and public speaking skills;
• Experience in mentoring, consultation, and facilitation of meetings.

Coordination and Reporting

Technical Representative for all technical direction, monitoring, reporting, and acceptance of the services provided by the Consultant(s) will be DOBRE Local Economic Development Expert/Specialist. Each activity stated in the contract should be planned in advance and previously approved.

Application Process

Submissions must be prepared in Ukrainian and delivered electronically to the following address: [email protected], indicating “Landscape Design LED Manual Consultant” in the subject line by 9:00 Kyiv time June 27, 2022.

The application package must include: 

• A summary (max. 2 pages) of the applicant’s expertise and experience, highlighting those aspects that are particularly relevant to this assignment;
• Applicant’s CV/Resume (3 pages maximum);
• Examples of previously developed reports, manuals, and/or publications to support your application.