Local Communities Business Engagement Research Consultant for USAID DOBRE Program/ Консультант із написання звіту про залучення місцевого бізнесу в громадах в програму USAID DOBRE

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

POSITION:                                       Local Communities Business Engagement Research Consultant (1 short-term post) to summarize related DOBRE experience, conduct a survey, develop a technical report and recommendations for local self-government of Territorial Communities (TC) and Central Government in Ukraine on how local communities can improve engagement of local business on a local community level 

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:         over period of 6 months

LOCATION OF PERFORMANCE:    Home-based via online and phone commination tools

Level of Effort (LOE) DAYS:            Up to 17 LOE days combining conducting survey, research, developing a report and presenting the results. The exact number of days will be defined individually during 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 economics, 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 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 to 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 Local Economic Development (LED) area DOBRE provides assistance to 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, development of LED Action Plans and Community Economic Profiles, designing priority projects to implement LED in partner communities.  DOBRE co-funds some of the projects to support local economic development in targeted CCs. The Consultant will be part of DOBRE LED team. 

Scope of Work and Deliverables

DOBRE will issue a series of learning memos to highlight program results and lessons learned from implementation of specific program component, providing recommendation for further development for local communities, central government, technical assistance program donors and implementers in Ukraine. Improving business engagement on a local level theme will be researched, summarized and featured in one of the memos to inform local self-government of TCs and Central Government in Ukraine on how local communities can improve engagement of local business. DOBRE Program has identified the need to hire a Consultant whose main focus will be to develop a report summarizing related DOBRE experience, to be conducted by the Consultant survey, and to be developed technical report. 

The Local Communities Business Engagement Consultant should be able to:

• Learn and summarize DOBRE partner communities’ experience. As part of this task, the Consultant should review and summarize DOBRE experience in economic development planning, technical assistance and implementing, and identify challenges that DOBRE partner communities face(d) in engaging business on a local level into strategic and operational planning, decision making and implementation of projects/initiatives in communities. Describe to what extent DOBRE succeeded in facilitating local governments establishing a regular two-way communication with representatives of local business.
• Conduct a survey, interviews, interpret and summarize the obtained data/results. The Consultant should review DOBRE documents, develop a questionnaire, conduct a survey and a series of interviews with DOBRE current and former LED Planning consultants, Landscape Design Consultants, members of DOBRE Local Government Support Organizations and Regional Civic Society Organizations, local business, and local governments in selected partner communities. The Consultant will analyze the obtained data and summarize it in a report.
• Write a comprehensive report. The Consultant should develop a Report focused on a) political, economic, social, and other aspects/benefits etc. of engaging business on local level, b) DOBRE partner communities’ successes and challenges of engaging local business; c) the Consultant’s interpretation of challenges that communities faced/face while engaging local business; and c) the Consultant’s recommendations for further development for local communities, Central Government, technical assistance program donors and implementers in Ukraine. The Report structure and format should be aligned with a standard report template that will be provided by DOBRE team. This report may be published by DOBRE Program.
• Present at DOBRE events and stimulate exchange of experience: DOBRE plans to conduct a workshop/webinar/conference to present best practices and lessons learned in LED Planning in TCs. Consultant might be invited to speak at event(s) and facilitate inviting other presenters/participants, agreed with DOBRE, on this topic.

 The Consultant will provide the following deliverables:

• Survey and interview questionnaires (agreed with DOBRE Technical representatives). Summary report section on obtained data/results from the survey and interviews conducted by the Consultant.
• Inception report in Ukrainian. It will include summarized DOBRE experience in economic development planning, technical assistance and implementing, and identify challenges that DOBRE partner communities face(d) in engaging business on a local level into strategic and operational planning, decision making and implementation of projects/initiatives in communities. It will also include a summary section on obtained data/results of the interviews and the survey conducted. It will describe to what extent DOBRE succeeded in facilitating local governments establishing a regular two-way communication with representatives of local business.

The Report will be focused on a) political, economic, social, and other aspects/benefits etc. of engaging business on local level, b) DOBRE partner communities’ successes and challenges of engaging local business; c) the Consultant’s interpretation of challenges that communities faced/face while engaging local business; and c) the Consultant’s recommendations for further development for local communities, central government, technical assistance program donors and implementers in Ukraine. (Deliverable 1, up to 12 LOE).

2. Final report in Ukrainian. It will cover all the information contained in the Inception Report and is should also be amended / adjusted to comments and recommendations provided by DOBRE Technical Representatives, following review of the Inception report. The Report should be at least 25 A-4 format pages in scale for the core part plus annexes and/or attachments. (Deliverable 2, total up to 3 LOE).

3. Power Point presentation, 1-2 page summary and video recording (if applicable). The presentation must include key takeaways from the survey and interviews, DOBRE experiences, successes and challenges, and recommendations for further development for local communities, central government, technical assistance program donors and implementers in Ukraine in the area of this activity. (Deliverable 3, up to 2 LOE).

Qualifications and Experience of Consultant

The Consultant would have the following qualifications:

• Deep understanding of local economic development concept on municipal level in Ukraine or abroad.
• Successful direct experience working as part of local economic development planning activities in USAID DOBRE partner communities or providing local economic development advisory services (with proven positive results created) to local self-governance bodies of consolidated communities in Ukraine;
• Good knowledge of civic and business engagement tools and strategies;
• Prior experience in business is preferred;
• Effective communication skills, presentation and public speaking skills;
• Ability to conduct research analysis and interviews and summarize the data;
• Experience in mentoring, consultation and facilitation of meetings.

Coordination and Reporting

The Consultant will closely coordinate their work with DOBRE LED Team and report to DOBRE LED Officer or Specialist. Each activity stated in the contract should be planned and approved in advance.

Application Process

Submissions must be prepared in Ukrainian and delivered electronically to the following address: [email protected], indicating “Local Communities Business Engagement Research Consultant” in the subject line by 10:00 Kyiv time Dec 6, 2021.

Application package must include: 

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