CONSULTANCY ANNOUNCEMENT FOR PROVIDING LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANNING SUPPORT SERVICES TO SELECTED LOCAL SELF- GOVERNMENT UNITS

USAID’s Strengthening Resource Mobilization Activity (SRMA)

Consultant’s Terms of Reference

for providing Local Economic Development Planning Support Services to selected Local Self- Government Units

1. Project Background

North Macedonia aspires to be a prosperous, self-reliant, and inclusive democratic society, whereas USAID Strengthening Resource Mobilization Activity (here and after Project) will assist Macedonia’s government institutions to raise and independently manage the resources necessary to fund services demanded by its citizens and private sector. The USAID’s Project provides technical assistance (TA) focusing on measurably increasing local governments’ own-source revenues, securing external funding, improving budget execution rates (in compliance with the Government of North Macedonia’s budgeting and reporting requirements), fostering private sector involvement, and enhancing transparency and accountability.

Where feasible and relevant, will actively seek and take advantage of private sector engagement and public-private partnerships in the course of implementing USAID’s Strengthening Resource Mobilization Activity while working directly with Projects partner municipalities. The Project will facilitate and foster partnerships between the private sector, municipalities, and local communities to promote local philanthropy, mobilize resources, and create an enabling environment for local businesses. It will assist partner LSGUs to engage with local communities and the private sector to plan local economic development initiatives.

After the successful implementation of activities with the first and second cohorts of 39 municipalities, the Project has already selected the third and the fourth cohort of 41 partner municipalities to work with during 2024, and 2025.

2. Objective and Scope of Engagement

The project is seeking for a consultant to provide short term technical assistance with the assignment to assist 24 third cohort partner municipalities and 17 fourth cohort partner municipalities to develop or revise their Local Economic Development plans/strategies and to develop or strengthen the technical skills of LSGUs to implement Local Economic Development Plans in line with principles of good governance and sound financial management. It is crucial to emphasize the importance of building local partnerships and networks based on the public-private dialogue (PPD) principles in order to implement actions that promote growth, development, and employment.

The LED plans/strategies development methodology has been already developed for the third cohort of partner municipalities and is focused on key local preconditions for private sector growth such as Local Cooperation and Networking, and public-private cooperation as a key factor for local economic development. Business-friendly, Transparent, and Corruption-Free Administration, one of the main functions of a local administration is to establish and maintain an operational environment for other actors. Regulatory and Institutional Framework, municipalities can play an important role with regard to the regulatory requirements that apply to local companies. Access to finance, municipalities can provide information and business support services that alert entrepreneurs to existing financing possibilities. Land and Infrastructure, municipalities may be able to provide for businesses land/physical premises and modern facilities in which to operate workshops, offices, production, and service facilities, etc. Skills and Human Capital, Inclusiveness, the municipality can act as an initiator and broker to bring business, local employment offices, and the vocational education and training sector together to identify how to ensure businesses have the skilled employees they require. External Positioning and Marketing, the municipal administration, represented by the Mayor, is democratically legitimized to represent, profile, and project a positive, business-friendly image of the local area.

The expert will prove TA using the methodology and the training materials (LED development process in four modules) already developed by Project STTA. The expert, shell assign tasks for all participants after each session of technical assistance (coaching and mentoring). Municipalities from the second cohort (Aerodrom, Centar, Chashka, Gradsko, Kichevo, Krivogashtani, Krushevo, Plasnica, Zelenikovo, and Zhelino), included in the LED development process will continue their participation until their municipal plan/strategy is officially adopted, Additionally, all 17 municipalities from the fourth cohort will be invited to participate in the LED development process, and support will be provided to those who show interest.

3. Deliverables 

1. Continue mentoring support to the municipalities from the second cohort included in the LED development process (Aerodrom, Centar, Chashka, Gradsko, Kichevo, Krivogashtani, Krushevo, Plasnica, Zelenikovo, and Zhelino) to finalize and officially adopt their municipal plan/strategy but not later than the end of June 2024.
2. Develop a work plan on how to organize and implement the process during the entire period of the assignment depending on the number of interested municipalities from the fourth cohort of partner municipalities.
3. Present the methodology for LED plan development during an online (or in person) information session to get their commitment to develop/update their LED plans by themselves with the mentoring support of the expert.
4. Adjust the training materials (developed by Project STTA for third group of partner municipalities), power-point presentations and written tasks for the practical exercises based on the experience with all the previous groups of partner municipalities. Adjust the written assignments to the participants after each training session to guide them in the preparation of the respective part of the plan/strategy. The material should be shared with project representatives at least 5 days prior to the respective training session. Training materials will be developed in Macedonian language and if needed will be translated by the Project in Albanian language.
5. Deliver 4 training sessions with participating partner municipalities from the fourth cohort of partner municipalities, with up to 3 participants per municipality.
6. Provide online technical assistance (coaching and mentoring) after each session in the process of preparation for the assigned tasks, and upon the need for improvement.
7. Facilitate the finalization of the development of the plan/strategy for at least 80% of participating LSGUs that as a minimum, should encompass the following contents:
   • Executive Summary
   • In depth situation analysis of Local Economy
   • Vision, Mission, and Objectives
   • Action Plan including specific timelines.
   • Budget and sourcing
   • Performance management including monitoring.

The LED plan/strategy draft should be prepared and submitted in Macedonian in electronic copy, in MS Word format.

1. Period of execution of activities

The engagement will be executed in the period of. May 15th, 2024 – June 30th, 2025.

The LoE for the consultancy engagement will be up to 35 working days depending on the number of LSGUs involved and the intensity and the need for mentoring/coaching between the sessions after prior approval by Project CoP and or activity leader.

1. Criteria and qualifications
   • Academic qualifications:
     • University degree in Economics, Management, Business Development, Business Training and Consulting, Public Administration, or any other relevant field.
   • Professional experience:
     • At least five (5) similar assignments in facilitating the process of elaboration of local economic development plans and building capacities within local administrations.
     • Proven practical experience in mentoring municipalities in the process of development of Local Economic Plans in North Macedonia
     • At least five (15) years of training/mentoring experience (preferably in LED and regional development).
   • Language:
     • Excellent knowledge of Macedonian and English language. Knowledge of the Albanian language is considered as an asset.
   • Other criteria:
     • Proven ability to work with a tight schedule and deliver services within the given time.
     • Public servants are not eligible.

Intellectual property: All works created under this assignment, including creations, inventions, ideas, designs, copyrightable materials, trademarks, and other technology and rights, shall be works made for hire. The consultant is not allowed to publish any part of the deliverables.

It is envisaged that only (individual) consultants will be eligible to apply and to be contracted to perform the activities listed in this SoW.

1. Application procedure

In order to be considered the interested applicant needs to submit the following documents:

• Cover letter.
• CV.
• Comparable reference list with three similar assignments with contact details of 2.
• Proposed gross daily rate in MKD inclusive of all costs.

The requested documents should be submitted on the following e-mail address: [email protected], no later than, April 30, 2024, by 16:00 PM.

Incomplete applications will not be considered for evaluation.