Consultant, Center for Economic and Social Studies, CER Tashkent

The Center for Economic Research (Tashkent) is seeking for an international consultant. Please see the Terms of Reference.

Terms of Reference for an International Consultant

Project Title: Center for Economic and Social Studies
project number: UZB/97/008
Type Of Assignment: Project Document Revision
Duration Of The Mission: Two weeks
Duty Station: Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Background

In November 1997 UNDP and the Government of Uzbekistan signed a Project Document UZB/97/008 "Center on Economic and Social Studies" with a total budget of US$ 2,800,000, of which US$ 650,000 is allocated by UNDP and the rest is the Government contribution on a cost-sharing basis.

The objective of the project is to assist the Government of Uzbekistan with the policy advice in key economic issues; to support the major economic decision-making agencies; and develop the national capacity in the area of economic management in a mixed economy.

The project started its activity on 1 January 1998 and was successful both in terms of research activities and institutional development as an independent research institution, i.e. the Centre for Economic Research. Moreover, there has been a progress in developing and accumulating a management experience, which is different from that of other research institutions existing in the country. In order to secure the Center's sustainability after the project completion, it was agreed between the Government and UNDP that the key task of the project would be to develop and pilot a new research institution modality (management, financial and other procedures).

The Government has informed UNDP of its intention to ask for the project extension till the year 2003. Therefore the decision was made to revise the project document and elaborate the exit strategy for UNDP support.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the UNDP Chief of Programme Section and direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Consultant will fulfill the following duties and responsibilities:

A. Work closely with the beneficiary Government institutions (the President's Office, the Cabinet of Ministries, the Ministry of Macroeconomics and Statistics, the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank and other relevant institutions dealing with socio-economic development and planning), as well as donor agencies, project management and relevant international agencies in order to:

• Assess the project's first phase performance and determine its relevance to the goals and targets set forward in the project document;
• Determine more clearly the project's inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes and indicators, and their relevance to the current socio-economic situation in the country. Special focus should be on:

  1. The ways of strengthening the Center in a capacity of the Government's think tank.

  2. The ways of ensuring the Center's institutional and financial sustainability, with special focus on fund-raising activities, obtaining grants and soft loans, developing relations with donors;

  3. The ways of developing and piloting a new research institution modality (the issues of management, financial and other procedures, information circulation).

B. Revise the project document on the basis of conclusions made after the above-mentioned work.

C. Re-design the project document:

• Defining a vision and the problems to be addressed;
• Reflecting objectives, outputs and strategies;
• Determining activities, management arrangements and budgets;
• Specifying indicators for monitoring and evaluation;
• Identifying external factors and risks;
• Providing recommendations for maximizing outcome and impact of project's activities.

Qualifications

The Consultant should have a strong academic background, particularly in the area of policy development. The Consultant should have experience in the project document design and/or evaluation and be familiar with operational and organizational requirements of UNDP projects. Proficiency in English (knowledge of Uzbek or Russian languages is an asset). Computer literacy.

Expression of interest

Expressions of Interest, together with brief CV, should be faxed or E-mailed to Bakhodur Eshonov - Project Manager.

Tel. (998 71) 67-06-05; 67-93-09; 67-93-13; 67-05-26
Fax (998 71) 67-05-64
E-mail: [email protected]

Last updated:    April 2000

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