Municipal Services Delivery Consultant for lessons learned report development for USAID DOBRE Program/Консультант з підготовки звіту про використання інструментів удосконалення послуг місцевого самоврядування в програму USAID DOBRE
ЗАВЕРШЕНО
Global Communities is seeking qualified consultant for USAID-funded Decentralization Offering Better Results and Efficiency Program (DOBRE):
POSITION: Municipal Services Delivery Consultant for lessons learned report development
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: December-May 2022
PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: Home-based
LOE (Level of Effort) DAYS: up to 35 LOE days
OBJECTIVE:
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).
The USAID DOBRE Program is working closely with 100 CCs in 10 Oblasts of Ukraine: Dnipropetrovsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Kirovohrad, Mykolayiv, Ternopil, Chernivtsi, Chernihiv and Zaporizhzhia.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES / SPECIFIC TASKS:
Based on the results of its work, DOBRE plans to publish a series of studies on the results, lessons learned, and recommendations on the implementation of key instruments and practices. The impact of DOBRE’s activities in local government services delivery improvement will be one of the main areas of research.
Purpose of the assignment:
To capture findings and insights from the DOBRE program experience related to local government services delivery improvement based on a wide citizen’s engagement, transparency, and accountability. These findings can inform the further implementation of decentralization reform in Ukraine as well as other programs and initiatives.
The Consultant will work with Local Government Service Delivery Component staff, program officers, and other DOBRE staff involved in the service delivery improvement process, as well as with selected partner communities to collect and summarize information required to write a learning report.
Goals:
- Capture main processes/results/approaches that were critical for achieving results;
- Provide recommendations to reform stakeholders to inform the implementation of a similar program or to achieve similar goals;
- Promote the positive results of DOBRE and GC for use in further development.
The range of activity embraces:
Task 1. Desk review of background documents. Identification of gaps and development of Inception Report detailing the strategies to collect and analyze data.
Required information and necessary documents including the structure of the learning memo for the desk review will be provided by the DOBRE Program technical experts.
The inception report must include data collection tools (questionnaires and forms for collecting information, outline for focus group discussion, interview questions, etc.) and suggestions on key informants’ selection. Questionnaires should be designed for such categories of interviewees: for CC management, program experts and consultants, program partners, local activists, and CC management. The report should also include reference to any relevant Ukraine laws or norms regulating research involving human subjects and how the measures being applied in this assignment to comply accordingly.
Estimated LOE for Task 1 – 5 working days
Task 2. Collection the information for the learning report
Key informant interviews and focus groups with beneficiaries and stakeholders among public officials, service users, non-governmental organizations, program partners, and experts by telephone, skype, zoom, etc., or in-person. Keep a log of interviews, a database with details for each contact, time of the scheduled interview, emails sent. Keep a transcript of each interview that has a matching identifier with the database.
In-depth interviews and consultations with local activists and CCs’ management to understand the program implementation process and quality, as well as identify best practices, barriers and challenges in promoting local government service delivery improvement tools. The consultant will collect information to assess knowledge, behaviors and skills of the target groups. Selected communities for the interview are expected to be from different oblasts and different in size.
In-depth interviews and consultations with key implementers of the program in local government services delivery improvement (program experts and partners) to understand the project implementation process and quality, as well as identifying best practices, barriers, potential and actual impact, and challenges.
Estimated LOE for Task 2 – 20 working days
Task 3. Preparation of the final report
Preparing of final document (Learning Memo) according to the proposed structure. The Structure of the document will be provided by USAID DOBRE including:
Background:
Description of the initial situation (context) in the CCs and the principal problems/ issues to be addressed by the project area, initiative or work activity.
Findings:
This section will present findings as statements of fact that are based on analysis of the data. The research findings will be structured around the research questions so that report users can readily make the connection between what was asked and what was found. Variances between planned and actual results will be explained, as well as factors affecting the achievement of intended results. The assumptions or risks in the design of intervention that subsequently affected implementation will also be discussed.
Conclusions:
This section will be comprehensive and balanced and highlight the strengths, weaknesses and outcomes of the intervention. The conclusion section will be substantiated by the evidence and logically connected to the findings. The conclusion will also provide insights into the identification of and/or solutions to important problems or issues pertinent to decision-making.
Recommendations:
This research will seek to provide very practical, feasible recommendations. The recommendations will be specifically supported by the evidence and linked to the findings and conclusions around key questions addressed by the research. This recommendation can be used to have better achieved the project’s goals in the future or in future programming, or in similar projects.
Estimated LOE for Task 3 – 10 working days
Deliverables:
Selected consultant should produce deliverable(s) related to the specific Task(s) described above:
- Developed Inception Report detailing the strategies to collect and analyze data, and required templates and questionnaires.
- Collected and analyzed data related to the service delivery component outcomes.
- Together with the Service Delivery Component staff prepared final document (Learning Memo) based on the collected information.
Other Expectations
Applicants will be expected to work consistently in partnership and coordination with DOBRE’s experts, program officers and consultants.
The selection process
Requirements for consultant:
- Experience as expert and consultant in municipal services.
- Extensive knowledge of decentralization processes.
- Knowledge of strategic planning and service delivery improvement approaches.
- Working groups moderation and facilitation skills.
- Public meetings organization and moderation.
- Strong knowledge of USAID DOBRE tools, in particular, in service delivery.
- Fluency in writing and oral Ukrainian, simple and clear written language
- Experience in delivering trainings remotely using Zoom, MS Teams, Google docs and/or other online tools.
- Ability to easily and clearly classify processes and phenomena.
- Knowledge of English at the work level is desirable but not required.
Application
Candidates should apply individually and should send the following documents to [email protected] by COB December 13, 2021:
- CV
- Cover letter describing suggested approaches to work, examples of previous works and information on readiness for field visits.
