Service Improvement Plan (SIP) Knowledge Product Expert

Project: MA IMPLIC – Project on Civic Engagement in Local Governance, Phase 2

Title: SIP Knowledge Product Expert

Contract duration: 10 January 2024 – 31 May 2024

Expected workload: up to 60 working days (from which at least 20 days shall be worked in the project office)

1. BACKGROUND

The Project “MA IMPLIC” (Phase 2: 01.11.2023-31.10.2027) aims to contribute to  

improved local governance and better access and quality of public services for the population of Moldova. To this end, the Ma Implic project will support different stakeholders to improve three fundamental dimensions of a well-functioning local government unit: 

• Partner LPA clusters to manage resources and local development in a more sustainable, inclusive, and accountable way.
• The Government to promote and coordinate the LG reform in an efficient, effective, and transparent manner.
• People in partner communities to meaningfully engage in local governance processes and to influence the provision of local public services.

The project is implemented by Skat Consulting Ltd., a Swiss consulting firm and is financially supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

Phase 2 of the MA IMPLIC Project will consolidate the results obtained in Phase I but will also broaden the area of interventions by providing support for LPAs in executing several functions assigned to them. Thus, in addition to improving communal services, the project will contribute to the development of other public services, such as administrative public services or public services for local and/or regional economic development.  

At the local level, the project will support 10 groups of partner communities in the development of Service Improvement Plans (SIP). The methodology for these Service Improvement Plans has been developed in Phase 1 of the Ma Implic project and has been applied in the 30 partner LPA in the period 2021 – 2023. The SIP comprises a set of “hard” and “soft” activities aimed at improving the delivery of a specific public (communal) service (e.g., waste management, water supply, sanitation, or street lighting). The methodology for developing a SIP should now be made available to any other LPA in the Republic of Moldova. To this aim, the methodology developed by the Ma Implic project shall be updated based on the lessons learnt from the 30 case studies from Phase 1.

Related to the Service Improvement Plan development and implementation the project also aims to strengthen capacities of service providers for service operation and maintenance (O&M).  Next to the technical core competencies of a service provider (municipal enterprise), user engagement and inter-municipal cooperation (IMC) are important aspects. The organizational level of the service provider (SP) will be assessed with the help of a Self-Assessment Tool for Service Providers. Like the SIP, this tool shall also be updated using the lessons learnt from Ma Implic phase 1 and shall be made available for future use.

2. SCOPE OF WORK

 The MA IMPLIC project is looking to recruit expertise to meet its demand for the following tasks:

1. Elaboration of SIP Guide for Users;
2. Updating Self-Assessment tool, specifically for the requirements of IMC service provision.

These tasks will be done in close collaboration with the Ma Implic Component Manager Public Services.
Specific activities for each of these tasks are:

Work area 1: Support on elaboration of SIP Knowledge Product

1. Analyze existing SIP methodology and develop proposals for updating and improving.
2. Produce new chapters to be included on the SIP, if applicable
3. Develop a step-by-step instruction on how to apply the SIP methodology in another context / another LPA. This step-by-step instruction should be detailed and easy-to-follow (not too complicated language)
4. Select illustrations to support the instructions given in the User Guide by photos, illustrations, infographics, etc. (from existing materials or designing new ones*)
5. The Guide should be presented in the form of a document (ca 15 pages) which will be tested with new partner LPAs. In case this testing reveals the need for improving the document the consultant will revise the draft

(* the consultant recruited under this assignment is not expected to produce illustrations or infographics. For this job the project works with professional designers. The consultant is, however, expected to suggest the content – messages, flowcharts, et al – which the designer will then turn into a final product)

Work areas 2: Support on updating SA Tool

1. Analyze existing SA tool and develop proposals for updating and improving. Specific attention to be paid to make this tool fit for assessing SP in IMC.
2. Revise methodology on calculation of Progress Index.
3. Develop a step-by-step instruction on how to apply the SA tool in another context / another LPA. This step-by-step instruction should be detailed and easy-to-follow (not too complicated language)
4. The step-by-step instructions shall be presented in the form of a document (ca 10 pages) which will be tested with new partner SPs. In case this testing reveals the need for improving the document the consultant will revise the draft

 3. KEY DELIVERABLES AND TENTATIVE TIMETABLE

4. QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS REQUIRED

5. APPLICATIONS 

Interested individuals are expected to apply by sending the following information to info@int.skat.ch  and tatiana.cebotari@int.skat.ch quoting SIP Knowledge Product Expert in the subject line of the e-mail:

• Curriculum Vitae plus 3 references; 
• Motivational letter including information about similar products developed by the expert; 
• Price offer. 

Applications must reach us no later than 05 January 2024.