PROJECT:
UPDATE - Competitiveness and Jobs Project

TITLE:
Senior International Expert for Design of Feasibility Study for the Science Fund

NOTICE:
Project ID: P152104
Borrower/Bid No: REF NO. 3A.3.12

This notice was posted on 9 October 2018 and has been updated on 22 October 2018. Please note that the deadline has changed from 25 October to 5 November 2018.

REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

COMPETITIVNESS AND JOBS PROJECT

Loan No. 8528 YF

EXTENSION OF THE REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR

INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANCY SERVICES

Senior International Expert for Design of Feasibility Study for the Science Fund (REF NO. 3A.3.12)

Serbia has received a loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (Bank) to improve the competitiveness and employment toward the cost of the Competitiveness and Jobs Project (Project) and intends to apply part of the proceeds to payments for individual consultancy services under this Project.

Public Policy Secretariat of the Republic of Serbia (PPS) needs to engage one Senior International Expert for Design of Feasibility Study for the Science Fund.

Background

The main goal of the Project is to improve the efficiency and coordination of select public programs to mitigate the constraints for competitiveness and job creation, including investment and export promotion, innovation, active labour market programs, and employment mediation. The Project involves three ministries— the Ministry of Economy (MoE) (plus its development agencies), Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development (MoESTD), and Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs (MoLEVSA) and the Public Policy Secretariat (PPS) in the implementation and coordination role. Under Project framework, the three Ministries and participating agencies, with leadership and support from the PPS, are responsible to set performance targets on competitiveness and jobs, monitor and evaluate progress, conduct analysis, and contribute to policy development in the Republic of Serbia. The Project is expected to lead to better designed and coordinated policies, since it is anticipated that, through the Project implementation, they will become part of a clear, strategic framework with a robust monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system. The Public Policy Secretariat is responsible, in close cooperation with the institutions participating in the Project, for coordinating the Project implementation including gathering and processing of results of the monitoring, reporting, fiduciary functions and safeguard procedures. The Project Implementation Unit (PIU) is established in the Public Policy Secretariat as a technical coordination unit of the Project.

The Competitiveness and Jobs Project is structured in two interconnected parts:

1) Part A - includes a results-based financing modality for the results achieved in three thematic components:

A.1. Investment and Export Promotion

A.2. Innovation

A.3. Labor

2) Part B - includes technical support in project management and implementation, including the procurement of goods, consulting/non-consultant services, training and operating costs.

The MoESTD is responsible for achieving results for Component A.2. Innovation. This component supports programs for innovation through:

a) Supporting operations of the Innovation Fund and its Grants Programs;
b) Supporting Technology Transfer Facility service lines at the Innovation Fund; and
c) Strategic planning and institutional reform of the public research and development sector.

Objective of the Assignment

The MoESTD is currently in the process of reforming the Serbian public R&D sector through a revised policy and legal framework. In this context, the MoESTD is interested to establish a “Science Fund”, as an independent implementing agency for funding research activities. The MoESTD is now seeking services of a team who will provide analytical support in preparing a feasibility study for the establishment of a Science Fund in Serbia and provide support in operationalizing the Science Fund following the adoption of the upcoming Law on the Science Fund (anticipated during the autumn 2018). The team will include (i) an international individual consultant (Senior International Expert for Design of Feasibility Study for the Science Fund) who will lead this work and responsible for all deliverables (subject of this TOR), and (ii) local individual consultant (Senior Local Expert for design of Feasibility Study for the Science Fund) who will support and work closely with the international consultant in the preparation of deliverables (under separate TOR).

The model of financing R&D activities is the key lever for implementing institutional reforms in the public R&D sector and is vital to improving the impact of research on economic and societal development of the Republic of Serbia. The MoESTD is planning to switch from an entirely project-based financing model to a combination of performance-based institutional funding and competitive project-based funding. Establishment of a Science Fund is seen as a key step in professionalising the implementation of a competitive project-based funding to ensure professional and independent decision-making, improve program design and ensure regular monitoring and evaluation and impact assessments of financing programs.

Scope of work and deliverables

Deliverable 1. Best practice review (to be delivered within 6 weeks upon contract signing)

The international consultant will conduct a review of best practices and lessons learned in establishing and operating Science Funds in at least five different countries. The list of countries should include a mix of countries in terms of development, size and structure of public RDIs system. The following countries should be considered for review: Slovenia, Slovakia, Sweden, Finland, Portugal, Switzerland, USA and others. The selection of countries will be done in consultations with the MoESTD and PPS/PIU (and the World Bank) prior to initiating this work.

The international consultant will conduct virtual interviews (phone/video) with policy-makers/practitioners of relevant science funding agencies in the selected countries - MoESTD representatives should be informed of interview scheduling and may choose to join. Interview questionnaires and a list of proposed interview respondents should be sent to MoESTD and PPS/PIU (and the World Bank) prior to conducting interviews for clearance and interview reports submitted upon completion of task. The best practices review should be based on desk research and the results of the virtual interviews and should include information on all five countries with regards to the following:

• Goals, mission and vision
• Legal framework for the establishment of science funding agency
• Governance arrangements
• Organisational structure and HR capacity, training needs
• Relationship between the science funding agency and other key actors in the R&D system
• Scope of work - programs operated by SFs, annual operating and grant budgets
• Decision-making processes - peer review, composition of decision making bodies, evaluation criteria, project ranking and selection, and follow up
• Monitoring and evaluation, and impact assessment arrangements
• Outreach and promotional activities
• Lessons learned and their relevance for Serbia
• Deliverable 2. Policy note on the need for R&D sector reforms in Serbia (to be delivered within 12 weeks upon contract signing)

The international consultant will prepare a policy note on the need for reforming the institutional framework for R&D in Serbia. The international consultant will analyse the existing legislative framework and highlight the key areas in need of reform and discuss why these reforms are important for Serbia. During the course of preparing this deliverable, the international consultant will travel to Serbia to conduct interviews (in person/focus groups) with local stakeholders. Interview questionnaires and a list of proposed interview respondents should be sent to MoESTD and PPS/PIU (and World Bank) prior to conducting interviews for clearance and interview reports submitted upon completion of task. The international consultant may need to organize a focus group before the conducting interviews to help frame the questions. The policy note should include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Comprehensive and well-articulated rationale for the required reforms
• Key challenges within the current legal and institutional framework
• Analysis and classification of identified key reforms (such as regulatory, intuitional, policy, with suggested time horizon), including their impact and potential implementation challenges
• Identification and validation of key local stakeholders with whom the interviews and focus group meetings are carried out
• Analysis of information gathered at interviews and meetings with local stakeholders
• Proposed line of actions in making significant operational decisions, including identification of a pool of alternatives in terms of programs or spending priorities
• Deliverable 3. Draft Feasibility study for establishing Science Fund in Serbia (to be delivered within 14 weeks upon contract signing)

The feasibility study should be based on the best practices and lessons learned from the five countries analysed under Deliverable 1 and should include recommendations, but not be limited to, on the following elements:

• Goals, mission and vision
• Legal framework for the establishment of Science Fund
• Governance arrangements
• Organisational structure
• Relationship between Science Fund and other key actors in the Serbian R&D system
• Scope of work - programs to be operated by Fund and annual grant budgets
• Estimates of resources required - operational costs, number of staff, types of expertise, training needs, advisory services, etc.
• Decision-making processes - peer review, composition of decision making bodies, evaluation criteria, project ranking and selection and follow up, etc.
• Monitoring and evaluation, and impact assessment arrangements
• Outreach and promotional activities
• Transition arrangements from the current system to the proposed one
• Legal and regulatory changes required to establish and operate the Science Fund
• Key changes needed in current research projects to better meet international best practices
• Deliverable 4. Presentation of the draft Feasibility Study at a policy roundtable (to be delivered within 15 weeks upon contract signing)

The MoESTD will organise a Policy roundtable in Belgrade to be attended by key stakeholders. At this event, the international consultant will present key elements of the best practices review, identified reforms, and the Science Fund draft feasibility study.

Deliverable 5. Final draft of the Feasibility Study (to be delivered within 17 weeks upon contract signing)

Based on the feedback from stakeholders, and the MoESTD and PPS/PIU (and the World Bank), the international consultant will revise the feasibility study within 2 weeks following this event.

Deliverable 6. Provide feedback to the MoESTD on the draft new legal framework (to be submitted within 24 weeks upon contract signing)

The MoESTD will use the consultant’s inputs (deliverables 1 through 3) to prepare the amended Law on Research Activities (and/or Law on the Science Fund) which will include provisions regarding the establishment of the Science Fund. International consultant will also be expected to support MoESTD in drafting the relevant by-laws and other regulation to operationalize the Science Fund, drawing on the recommendations from the Feasibility study. This will include but not be limited to providing support with drafting regulation with regards the operating procedures of the Science Fund, its governance structure, and on defining the programs and services provided by the Science Fund. The international consultant will provide to the MoESTD feedback on the draft new legal framework and other relevant documents within 2 weeks of receiving the documents from the MoESTD.

Experience and Qualifications

The Candidates will be evaluated with following criteria: criteria points

General Qualifications

PhD degree or equivalent 15

Adequacy for the Project

• At least 15 years of relevant professional experience in the research sector (experience in RDI management, policy design, analysis and/or implementation in more than one country)
• At least 5 years of heading a national science fund, foundation, or agency
• Experience in establishing, working at or monitoring/analyzing the work of a Science Fund in an EU member state and/or OECD member state is desirable
• Experience in different countries is a plus
• Experience in Western Balkan region is a plus

Language and Communication

Excellent spoken and written English, (knowledge of Serbian language desirable but not required)
Excellent communication, organisation, and teamwork skills

Timing and Duration

The international consultant will be engaged for up to 60 man days during the course of six months. The international consultant will be required to travel to Serbia on at least two occasions – one to conduct research for deliverables 2 and 3 and one to attend and present findings at a Policy roundtable (deliverable 4).

The Project Implementation Unit (PIU) within the Public Policy Secretariat of the Republic of Serbia will administer the Contract with the selected consultant. The Pubic Policy Secretariat now invites eligible individual consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services.

The individual consultants will be selected in accordance with the procedures set out in the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers January 2011 Revised July 2014

Interested and eligible individual consultants for this position should send Expression of Interest, together with information on relevant experience and CV in English, by e-mail (with the exact title of the position in the “Subject” of the e-mail) to the contact information listed below.

Expressions of interest must be delivered by November 5, 2018, 12:00 Noon, local time.

Contact:

Milena Kostadinovic
Procurement Specialist
Project Implemantation Unit
Public Policy Secretariat
10 Vlajkoviceva St

11000 Belgrade
Republic of Serbia
Tel: +381 11 333 41 19
E-mail: milena.kostadinovic@piu.rsjp.gov.rs (cc: piu@rsjp.gov.rs)

FORMER NOTICE

REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

Competitivness and Jobs Project

Loan No. 8528 YF

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR

INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANCY SERVICES

SENIOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERT FOR DESIGN OF FEASIBILITY STUDY

FOR THE SCIENCE FUND (REF NO. 3A.3.12)

Serbia has received a loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (Bank) to improve the competitiveness and employment toward the cost of the Competitiveness and Jobs Project (Project) and intends to apply part of the proceeds to payments for individual consultancy services under this Project.

Public Policy Secretariat of the Republic of Serbia (PPS) needs to engage one Senior International Expert for Design of Feasibility Study for the Science Fund.

Background

The main goal of the Project is to improve the efficiency and coordination of select public programs to mitigate the constraints for competitiveness and job creation, including investment and export promotion, innovation, active labour market programs, and employment mediation. The Project involves three ministries— the Ministry of Economy (MoE) (plus its development agencies), Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development (MoESTD), and Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs (MoLEVSA) and the Public Policy Secretariat (PPS) in the implementation and coordination role. Under Project framework, the three Ministries and participating agencies, with leadership and support from the PPS, are responsible to set performance targets on competitiveness and jobs, monitor and evaluate progress, conduct analysis, and contribute to policy development in the Republic of Serbia. The Project is expected to lead to better designed and coordinated policies, since it is anticipated that, through the Project implementation, they will become part of a clear, strategic framework with a robust monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system. The Public Policy Secretariat is responsible, in close cooperation with the institutions participating in the Project, for coordinating the Project implementation including gathering and processing of results of the monitoring, reporting, fiduciary functions and safeguard procedures. The Project Implementation Unit (PIU) is established in the Public Policy Secretariat as a technical coordination unit of the Project.

The Competitiveness and Jobs Project is structured in two interconnected parts:

1) Part A - includes a results-based financing modality for the results achieved in three thematic components:

A.1. Investment and Export Promotion

A.2. Innovation

A.3. Labor

2) Part B - includes technical support in project management and implementation, including the procurement of goods, consulting/non-consultant services, training and operating costs.

The MoESTD is responsible for achieving results for Component A.2. Innovation. This component supports programs for innovation through:

a) Supporting operations of the Innovation Fund and its Grants Programs;
b) Supporting Technology Transfer Facility service lines at the Innovation Fund; and
c) Strategic planning and institutional reform of the public research and development sector.

Objective of the Assignment

The MoESTD is currently in the process of reforming the Serbian public R&D sector through a revised policy and legal framework. In this context, the MoESTD is interested to establish a “Science Fund”, as an independent implementing agency for funding research activities. The MoESTD is now seeking services of a team who will provide analytical support in preparing a feasibility study for the establishment of a Science Fund in Serbia and provide support in operationalizing the Science Fund following the adoption of the upcoming Law on the Science Fund (anticipated during the autumn 2018). The team will include (i) an international individual consultant (Senior International Expert for Design of Feasibility Study for the Science Fund) who will lead this work and responsible for all deliverables (subject of this TOR), and (ii) local individual consultant (Senior Local Expert for design of Feasibility Study for the Science Fund) who will support and work closely with the international consultant in the preparation of deliverables (under separate TOR).

The model of financing R&D activities is the key lever for implementing institutional reforms in the public R&D sector and is vital to improving the impact of research on economic and societal development of the Republic of Serbia. The MoESTD is planning to switch from an entirely project-based financing model to a combination of performance-based institutional funding and competitive project-based funding. Establishment of a Science Fund is seen as a key step in professionalising the implementation of a competitive project-based funding to ensure professional and independent decision-making, improve program design and ensure regular monitoring and evaluation and impact assessments of financing programs.

Scope of work and deliverables

Deliverable 1. Best practice review (to be delivered within 6 weeks upon contract signing)

The international consultant will conduct a review of best practices and lessons learned in establishing and operating Science Funds in at least five different countries. The list of countries should include a mix of countries in terms of development, size and structure of public RDIs system. The following countries should be considered for review: Slovenia, Slovakia, Sweden, Finland, Portugal, Switzerland, USA and others. The selection of countries will be done in consultations with the MoESTD and PPS/PIU (and the World Bank) prior to initiating this work.

The international consultant will conduct virtual interviews (phone/video) with policy-makers/practitioners of relevant science funding agencies in the selected countries - MoESTD representatives should be informed of interview scheduling and may choose to join. Interview questionnaires and a list of proposed interview respondents should be sent to MoESTD and PPS/PIU (and the World Bank) prior to conducting interviews for clearance and interview reports submitted upon completion of task. The best practices review should be based on desk research and the results of the virtual interviews and should include information on all five countries with regards to the following:

• Goals, mission and vision
• Legal framework for the establishment of science funding agency
• Governance arrangements
• Organisational structure and HR capacity, training needs
• Relationship between the science funding agency and other key actors in the R&D system
• Scope of work - programs operated by SFs, annual operating and grant budgets
• Decision-making processes - peer review, composition of decision making bodies, evaluation criteria, project ranking and selection, and follow up
• Monitoring and evaluation, and impact assessment arrangements
• Outreach and promotional activities
• Lessons learned and their relevance for Serbia
• Deliverable 2. Policy note on the need for R&D sector reforms in Serbia (to be delivered within 12 weeks upon contract signing)

The international consultant will prepare a policy note on the need for reforming the institutional framework for R&D in Serbia. The international consultant will analyse the existing legislative framework and highlight the key areas in need of reform and discuss why these reforms are important for Serbia. During the course of preparing this deliverable, the international consultant will travel to Serbia to conduct interviews (in person/focus groups) with local stakeholders. Interview questionnaires and a list of proposed interview respondents should be sent to MoESTD and PPS/PIU (and World Bank) prior to conducting interviews for clearance and interview reports submitted upon completion of task. The international consultant may need to organize a focus group before the conducting interviews to help frame the questions. The policy note should include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Comprehensive and well-articulated rationale for the required reforms
• Key challenges within the current legal and institutional framework
• Analysis and classification of identified key reforms (such as regulatory, intuitional, policy, with suggested time horizon), including their impact and potential implementation challenges
• Identification and validation of key local stakeholders with whom the interviews and focus group meetings are carried out
• Analysis of information gathered at interviews and meetings with local stakeholders
• Proposed line of actions in making significant operational decisions, including identification of a pool of alternatives in terms of programs or spending priorities

Deliverable 3. Draft Feasibility study for establishing Science Fund in Serbia (to be delivered within 14 weeks upon contract signing)

 

The feasibility study should be based on the best practices and lessons learned from the five countries analysed under Deliverable 1 and should include recommendations, but not be limited to, on the following elements:

• Goals, mission and vision
• Legal framework for the establishment of Science Fund
• Governance arrangements
• Organisational structure
• Relationship between Science Fund and other key actors in the Serbian R&D system
• Scope of work - programs to be operated by Fund and annual grant budgets
• Estimates of resources required - operational costs, number of staff, types of expertise, training needs, advisory services, etc.
• Decision-making processes - peer review, composition of decision making bodies, evaluation criteria, project ranking and selection and follow up, etc.
• Monitoring and evaluation, and impact assessment arrangements
• Outreach and promotional activities
• Transition arrangements from the current system to the proposed one
• Legal and regulatory changes required to establish and operate the Science Fund
• Key changes needed in current research projects to better meet international best practices
• Deliverable 4. Presentation of the draft Feasibility Study at a policy roundtable (to be delivered within 15 weeks upon contract signing)

The MoESTD will organise a Policy roundtable in Belgrade to be attended by key stakeholders. At this event, the international consultant will present key elements of the best practices review, identified reforms, and the Science Fund draft feasibility study.

Deliverable 5. Final draft of the Feasibility Study (to be delivered within 17 weeks upon contract signing)
Based on the feedback from stakeholders, and the MoESTD and PPS/PIU (and the World Bank), the international consultant will revise the feasibility study within 2 weeks following this event.

Deliverable 6. Provide feedback to the MoESTD on the draft new legal framework (to be submitted within 24 weeks upon contract signing)

The MoESTD will use the consultant’s inputs (deliverables 1 through 3) to prepare the amended Law on Research Activities (and/or Law on the Science Fund) which will include provisions regarding the establishment of the Science Fund. International consultant will also be expected to support MoESTD in drafting the relevant by-laws and other regulation to operationalize the Science Fund, drawing on the recommendations from the Feasibility study. This will include but not be limited to providing support with drafting regulation with regards the operating procedures of the Science Fund, its governance structure, and on defining the programs and services provided by the Science Fund. The international consultant will provide to the MoESTD feedback on the draft new legal framework and other relevant documents within 2 weeks of receiving the documents from the MoESTD.

Experience and Qualifications

The Candidates will be evaluated with following criteria: criteria points

General Qualifications

PhD degree or equivalent

Adequacy for the Project

• At least 15 years of relevant professional experience in the research sector (experience in RDI management, policy design, analysis and/or implementation in more than one country)
• At least 5 years of heading a national science fund, foundation, or agency
• Experience in establishing, working at or monitoring/analyzing the work of a Science Fund in an EU member state and/or OECD member state is desirable
• Experience in different countries is a plus
• Experience in Western Balkan region is a plus
• 75

Language and Communication

Excellent spoken and written English, (knowledge of Serbian language desirable but not required)
Excellent communication, organisation, and teamwork skills

Timing and Duration

The international consultant will be engaged for up to 60 man days during the course of six months. The international consultant will be required to travel to Serbia on at least two occasions – one to conduct research for deliverables 2 and 3 and one to attend and present findings at a Policy roundtable (deliverable 4).

The Project Implementation Unit (PIU) within the Public Policy Secretariat of the Republic of Serbia will administer the Contract with the selected consultant. The Pubic Policy Secretariat now invites eligible individual consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services.

The individual consultants will be selected in accordance with the procedures set out in the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers January 2011 Revised July 2014

Interested and eligible individual consultants for this position should send Expression of Interest, together with information on relevant experience and CV in English, by e-mail (with the exact title of the position in the “Subject” of the e-mail) to the contact information listed below.

Expressions of interest must be delivered by October 25, 2018, 12:00 Noon, local time.

Contact:

Milena Kostadinovic
Procurement Specialist
Project Implemantation Unit
Public Policy Secretariat
10 Vlajkoviceva St
11000 Belgrade
Republic of Serbia
Tel: +381 11 333 41 19
E-mail: milena.kostadinovic@piu.rsjp.gov.rs (cc: piu@rsjp.gov.rs)

Job Email id: milena.kostadinovic(at)piu.rsjp.gov.rs