REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (REOI) (CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT SELECTION METHOD) - LR-MOCI-379106-CS-INDV

Background 

The Republic of Liberia through the Ministry of Commerce & Industry has received Financing from the International Development Association (IDA) towards the cost of implementing the Liberia Investment, Trade & Finance Project (LIFT-P) and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of the Financing towards payments under the contract for Hiring of Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Specialist for the Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade Project, under the Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade Project (LIFT-P).

The overall objective of the LIFT-P is to improve the investment climate, expand sustainable access to finance, and increase the efficiency of trade in Liberia and help formal MSMEs recover from the impact of the COVID-19. The LIFT-P is an explicit contributor to the FY19-FY24 Country Partnership Framework (CPF) 

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be found at www.moci.gov.lr, or through a written request to the emails below.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry now invites eligible Consultants (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The shortlisting criteria are listed as per the Terms of References which links are provided above. 

The Consultant must have minimum qualifications and experiences as per the Terms of Reference.
The Consultants will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant Selection (INDV) method set out in the Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (July 2016 as Revised in November 2017, August 2018 and November 2020). 
Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours, i.e., 0900 to 1600 hours GMT, Monday to Friday. 
Expressions of Interests must be delivered in written forms to the address below (in person, or by
mail, or by fax, or by e-mail) on or before Thursday September 14, 2023. Please indicate the assignment of your interest in your submission with subject: 
“Re: Hiring of Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Specialist for the Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade Project. Ref. No.: “LR-MOCI-379106-CS-INDV”.

Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade Project (LIFT-P)
Attn: Mr. James Gayflor Quiqui 
Project Coordinator
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (EJS) Ministerial Complex 
Congo Town
Monrovia, Liberia
Tel: +231 777 240 201/775 654 713 
E-mail: jamesquiqui@gmail.com 
Cc: vanyanbah.julius@yahoo.com
 

Terms of Reference 

Background  
The Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), has received a Project Preparation Advance (PPA) amount from the World Bank in preparation for the implementation of the Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade (LIFT) Project: P171997 if approved. MOCI intends to recruit a Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist to work with the PIU’s team to be established at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The overall objective of the LIFT-P is to improve the investment climate, expand sustainable access to finance, and increase the efficiency of trade in Liberia and help formal MSMEs recover from the impact of the COVID-19.

The LIFT-P is an explicit contributor to the FY19-FY24 Country Partnership Framework (CPF) Pillar I: Strengthening Institutions and Creating an Enabling Environment for Inclusive and Sustainable Growth. Specifically, the project implements Objective 3 of the CPF, that seeks a more enabling environment for the development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The Project furthers the CPF’s objective by fostering the emergence of an inclusive private sector through a more hospitable investment climate, expanded access to finance, and stronger market governance. The LIFT-P envisions the removal of key regulatory constraints, and will facilitate trade and expand access to finance. Specifically, it will focus on (i) the regulatory areas where Liberia ranks low on Doing Business indicators, (ii) implementation of the Financial Sector Development Implementation Plan and National Financial Inclusion Strategy, (iii) implementation of the Insolvency and Restructuring Law adopted in 2017, and (iv) support for Liberia’s implementation of commitments to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Trade Facilitation Agreement, since adoption of the long-awaited Customs Code.

The project supports a Jobs and Economic Transformation (JET) framework for Liberia and its two pillars on which the outcomes sit: better market functioning and improved firm capabilities. In doing so, the project targets six of the ten-building block in this framework as a complement to other parallel activities under the Liberia CPF supporting macroeconomic management, infrastructure services, employment policy and human capital. The project takes account of the Government Recovery Program (GRP) project that seeks to support otherwise viable growth oriented private enterprises that were adversely impacted by the effects of the pandemic. As the mechanism for firm level support is structured, guardrails will be established to prevent adversely impacting financial discipline and commercial credit underwriting needed for a sustained recovery. At the same time, with various indicators highlighting access to finance as an issue, attention to expanding digital financial services (DFS) is needed.

In addition to its contribution to the Jobs agenda, the Project design supports a range of IDA priorities including Gender, Climate, Governance, Fragility, Conflict & Violence and Maximizing Finance for Development (MFD). The project will ensure that women-oriented training and eligibility will be included in firm support and financial access component by deliberately incorporating, in the design of project activities, features that seek to address the identified gaps between men and women with respect to their participation in economic activity in the country, especially around differential constraints and performance between women-owned and men-owned firms. These include the reforms to the business environment (e.g., registration, permits and access to finance), as well as activities to support SMEs and entrepreneurs. The project will monitor the extent to which activities are contributing toward closing gender gaps by measuring, among other things: (i) the number of women led MSMEs with a loan through the project; and (ii) the percentage of women that are covered by the credit registry.

Finally, as a foundational project to strengthen the public sector’s ability to facilitate growth of the private sector on a sustainable basis, significant efforts will be devoted to institution building activities in key agencies. In this light, the project’s concept identifies the strengthening of institutional functioning, streamlining of business processes and use of automation to lower costs, improve services and remove face-to face interactions. 
⦁    The Project will be implemented in all 15 counties of Liberia for the next 5 years.

OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT 
The objective of the assignment is to establish and manage the project Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) system in line with the Government of Liberia and World Bank’s regulations for reporting on progress during the entire life span of the LIFT.

Scope of Services
The MEL is required for implementation of the Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade Project (LIFT-P) in accordance with World Bank Guidelines and other requirements stipulated in the Project Documents; as well as establishing and operating the overall project Monitoring and Evaluation system.
The M& E Specialist will generally ensure the effective monitoring of project processes, activities, outputs, outcomes/impacts. In undertaking these tasks and in line with the government’s promotion of a national M&E database and performance management system, the M&E Specialist will liaise (where possible) with the M&E staff of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry as a form of capacity building for the Ministry staff. 

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
The M&E Specialist will be a full-time project member of staff and will ensure general oversight of the monitoring, evaluation and continuous learning of the project. The M&E Specialists’ responsibilities will include:
⦁    M&E Framework and Management Information System: 
⦁    Establish a sound M&E Framework that includes all activities, outputs, outcomes, indicators, data collection methods, timing, and costs;
⦁    Establish a Management Information System that keep track of all project activities, results, and lessons learned;
⦁    Ensure that appropriate M&E manuals are prepared, established and implemented to provide systematic and quality project data in line with what is recorded in the project appraisal document. 

⦁    Data Collection:
⦁    Coordinate the baseline/Midline/Endline baseline data collected for all relevant indicators in conjunction with the MFDP, LISGIS and MOCI in collaboration with the Independent Survey Firm. 
⦁    Ensure timely collection of data as envisioned in the M&E Framework;
⦁    Manage or supervise external consultants to ensure data collection with quality, accuracy, and adequacy in a timely manner;
⦁    Coordinate closely with key project stakeholders for data planning, identification of data sources and collation for monitoring purposes;
⦁    Prepare training manuals and organize regular training and workshops to sensitize field enumerators on data collection, data tabulation and reporting systems. 

⦁    Reporting:
⦁    Prepare results-focused project quarterly and annual project implementation reports with the support of other PIU staff, which will contain evaluation of project progress in relation to the project objectives and outcomes, and planned outputs and activities and with special regard to cross cutting issues of gender, poverty, environment and climate change. 
⦁    Coordinate inputs as needed from the PIU Specialists and Staff to the preparation of Annual Work Plans and reporting;
⦁    Communicate concerns, issues as informed through the M&E execution process to Project Coordinator and seek solutions in a timely manner;

⦁    Participation and Coordination:
⦁    Manage the LIFT-P Monitoring and Evaluation System to ensure a proper flow of information to and from the operational level to the PIU, and especially the provision of timely and adequate information for decision-making by Project Management; 
⦁     Coordinate the project’s overall M&E activities by liaising with the Specialists and Staff in the PIU, the World Bank team, as well as technical implementing ministries and agencies (TIMAs);
⦁    Assist PIU to develop realistic strategic action and work plans, making sure that M&E is mainstreamed into PIU daily works;
⦁    Lead coordination of baseline data collection, monthly, quarterly, periodic and annual progress/ monitoring reports on all operational activities;
⦁    Participate in the Bank’s missions, including prior mission arrangements and providing all M&E information required by the missions in accordance with mission requirements, especially reports related to the project’s M&E. 
⦁    Participate in the Bank’s missions, including prior mission arrangements and providing all M&E information required by the missions in accordance with mission requirements, especially reports related to the project’s M&E. 

⦁    Management:
⦁    Manage short-term evaluation consultants – individuals and/or companies including taking lead responsibility in drafting TORs for independent survey firms to implement baseline/midline/endline surveys.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
⦁    Master’s degree in M & E, Economics, Agricultural Economics, Statistics, specialized postgraduate training in project management/M&E or related fields. 
⦁    Minimum of 5 years of working experience in bilateral or multilateral donor-funded programs with at least 4 years of specific responsibility as an M&E Officer/Specialist. 
⦁    Excellent practical and working knowledge of advanced software for data analysis such as SPSS, Excel, etc.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATION 
⦁    The candidate should have a degree in social sciences, statistics, economics, public policy or other related fields.
⦁    Master’s degree and post graduate training highly desired. 
⦁    At least 5 years of experience working in monitoring and evaluation, private sector development, SME development and agribusiness; or five years relevant experience with a Master’s degree.
⦁    M&E experience on markets systems and private sector development programs strongly desired.
⦁    Strong preference will be given to candidates who also possess good technical training on global M&E operational standards like the DCED and market systems development training (M4P, VCD, etc.). 
⦁    Good knowledge of Sierra Leone, and the agriculture and private sector context. 

FUNCTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES 
⦁    Knowledge of statistical as well as data collection methods and their limitations. 
⦁    Deep understanding of monitoring and evaluation techniques in gathering, analyzing and presenting qualitative and quantitative data;
⦁    Ability to critically analyze sources of information in order to determine any limitations in terms of reliability and usability of data; 
⦁    The candidate must be computer literate, with high proficiency in Computer software operations (Microsoft Word, Excel, Power-Point and data-base management etc.).
⦁    Strong communications and presentation skills with an advanced proficiency to speak and write in English is required.
⦁    Strong aptitude and proven record of working with teams that include support staff, professional staff, and development partners;
⦁    A record of prioritizing and managing time to deliver high priority and top-quality products.  This ability must be coupled with a tolerance of and capability to manage significant uncertainties in the work program and to undertake a range of tasks simultaneously
⦁    Strong interpersonal and diplomatic skills with capacity to interact effectively with a range of stakeholders.
⦁    Willingness and ability to conduct filed visits as required throughout the project life-cycle.

The LIFT Project and its implementing partner organizations value diversity and encourages all qualified candidates who are Liberian nationals to apply, regardless of gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, or disability. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.