Junior Expert In Preparation Of Municipal Development Project Proposals

  Support to Municipal Finance Reform, Capacity Building Component Service Contract No. ENPI/2012/295-318 Technical Assistance Service Contract EuropeAid/131473/C/SER/LB Terms of Reference for Short-Term Assignment Title of assignment Junior expert in preparation of project proposals Request No. 13 1. Background  Background of the programme and of the component The slowing down of economic growth of Lebanon – mainly due to the conflict in Syria and the refugee crisis - worsens the effects of a number of weaknesses in the country’s municipal sector: limited finances due to reduced central government transfers and constraints as per municipal own resources; a system of central government transfers which is insufficiently geared towards the municipalities’ needs; a system and practice of supervision by the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities (MOIM) – the Directorate-General for Local Administrations and Councils  (DGLAC) that puts constraints on local self-government rather than supports it; a lack of administrative and financial management capacities in municipalities that impedes the preparation and implementation of policies towards economic and social development.   The strongly reduced size of tax revenues and the corresponding rapid growth of the amount of state debts make it improbable that transfers to the municipal sector will shortly increase by any significant degree. In addition, the Government’s drive towards more decentralized Government as demonstrated by preparations of a Decentralisation Law will increase the responsibilities to be born by the Lebanese municipal sector. For these reasons a strong capacity building effort related to both the municipal sector and the Ministry of the Interior (MoIM), Directorate General for Local Administrations and Councils (DGLAC) is needed. This to enable municipalities – and Unions of Municipalities (UoMs) to mitigate and overcome the negative effects of reduced economic growth and an extremely large influx of refugees and to furthermore prepare them for their future role in a more decentralised system of Government.   Since 1 January 2014, the Capacity Building Component (CBC) of the EU-funded Municipal Finance Reform Programme (MUFIN) is providing capacity building support to the Lebanese municipal sector. This support has the form of the three strongly interrelated ‘sub-components’ of the CBC: Identification and dissemination of best practices in municipal finance which will inform all of the Lebanese municipal sector about real, existing possibilities of revenue enhancing and cost-effective financial management. Institutional change in the DGM which will help the Ministry to provide legal and administrative support enabling municipalities and UoMs to use all possibilities the Lebanese legal system gives especially in the case of materialisation of the Decentralisation Law. Support to strategic planning and project preparation in the municipal sector, helping municipalities and UoMs identify the projects and policies that create the most benefits for their people. The TAT assists selected UoMs in preparing project proposals that have an as good as possible chance of being funded by potential donors.   This assignment relates to the third subcomponent.   Background & rationale of the assignment The Technical Assistance Team (TAT) of the CBC is supporting 8 UoMs in preparing strategic plans and development projects based on them. The beneficiary-UoMs have been selected on the basis of:  Presence of a large proportion of Syrian refugees; Absence of a strategic plan; Territorial contiguity; Social-economic and environmental coherence; Regional balance; Willingness and enthusiasm of local authorities to commit to the work of strategic planning in cooperation with the project; An environment where there are no safety concerns for the TAT to work.   The first 4 selected UoMs are: UoM of Al Jourd; UoM Bekaa Awsat; UoM of Bint Jbeil; UoM of Iqlim South.   With CBC assistance they have finalized strategic development plans. Based on these plans, the Councils of two UoMs have chosen development projects for which funding has to be found: UoM of Al Jourd: a multifunctional facility for support to agrotourism, in particular with links to conservation of cultural and architectural heritage UoM of Bint Jbeil: a facility for business incubation; UoM of Iqlim South: a facility for day tourism.   Similar decisions by the UoM Bekaa Awsat are being prepared.   The second batch of four that have been selected are: UoM of Baalbek-West; UoM of Bcharre; UoM of Deir Al-Ahmar Region; UoM of Koura.   With these four, the TAT has signed Memorandums of Understanding and preparations of strategic development plans have started.    In order to increase the chances that UoMs will obtain funds for the selected development projects, the TAT will help them with preparing project proposals that can be used when applying for grants. On this, the TAT is providing training to the UoMs, but given the detailed nature of the grant applications that potential donors usually require, the TAT will also provide technical assistance.   The TAT includes a non-key senior expert for urban planning, who is responsible for supporting the UoM councils in preparing the project proposals according to this model. These ToRs are about recruitment of a junior expert who will prepare technical and financial parts of the project proposals.     2. Description of the assignment 2.1 Objectives & Requested Services  of the assignment   Objective of the assignment: Delivery of drafts of technical and financial parts of project proposals regarding development projects chosen in the context of the MUFIN-CBC by the councils of the UoMs : Al Jourd; Bint Jbeil; Iqlim South.   The requested services are to – under the guidance of the senior non key expert for urban planning – draft a detailed description of each technical activity (or work package) to be undertaken to achieve the objectives of the projects chosen by the councils of the above-mentioned UoMs, with their time duration in months including preparation and a budget. This will in particular include description of the initial situation in technical respect, a lay-out of the item that will be realized, a programme of needed construction activities, a detailed list of needed materials and equipment and pricing of the total project.   2.2 Required outputs For all three chosen projects by the abovementioned UoMs, drafts regarding the elements specified above.   3. Expert profile No Position Days Key qualifications 10 Junior Expert    15 A university degree or equivalent qualification in urban planning, architecture and/or civil engineering. At least 5 years relevant experience that should include: Technical design and/or implementation and/or supervision of construction projects (min. 1 year) Financial design and/or implementation and/or supervision of construction projects (min. 1 year) Excellent communication and writing skills (both Arabic and English) 4. Location and duration 4.1 Starting date 1 January  2016 4.2 Duration Maximum 4 months 4.3 Planning   Description No of w/d Involvement in 3 development project proposals Maximum 15 workdays 4.4 Location Beirut. The assignment includes up to 9 days of work outside the base of operation, namely in the beneficiary UoMs: Al Jourd; Bint Jbeil; Iqlim South.   5. Reporting 5.1 Content Monthly reports Activity reports on the work in each UoM separately 5.2 Language Text contributions in both Arabic and English. 5.3 Submission timing  Contributions regarding the individual UoMs to be delivered one in each period of 3 calendar weeks of work.