REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI)
This notice is placed by United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). The accuracy, reliability and completeness of the contents of furnished information is the responsibility of Entity United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). You are therefore requested to direct all queries regarding this EOI to Entity United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) using the fax number or e-mail address provided below.
Title of the EOI:
Provision of consultancy service in Ghana to prepare A technical report on Social Protection (SP) Systems and Reforms and Course module on social protection and reforms country profile
Date of this EOI: 26 August 2024 Closing Date for Receipt of EOI: 16 September 2024
EOI Number: EOIUNECA23010
Beneficiary Country/Territory: Ethiopia
Commodity/Service category: Professional Services
Address EOI response by fax or e-mail to the Attention of: Mr.Zerayakob Demissie / Mr.Ali Assaad
Fax Number:
E-mail Address: zerayakob.mengesha@un.org; assaad@un.org
UNSPSC Code: 86132102
| DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENTS BACKGROUND Arab and African countries on average spend relatively little on social protection (SP), which translates into comparatively low coverage rates. While 47% of the global population is covered by some form of SP, the rates for the Arab region and Africa are merely 35% and 17% respectively. The coverage gap affects a range of different population groups especially women and persons with disabilities, frequently a substantive section called the “missing middle” (typically those working in the informal economy) is excluded. The low social protection coverage is translated by the under-investment in social protection in Africa 5% compared to 12.9% for the global average. It is less clear what specific policy solutions should be devised to bridge these gaps. It is, therefore, critical that countries have the capacity to thoroughly self-assess their socioeconomic vulnerabilities and potential shock exposures (which could entail SP under-coverage), as well as to take stock of their SP systems’ capacity to address life-cycle-related risks. Ghana has experienced strong economic growth in much of the last two decades. In 2006, the country’s GDP growth rate was almost 8% and its poverty rate declined from 52.6% in 1991 to 21.4% in 2012. In recent years, a challenging macroeconomic environment, including high levels of debt, has slowed down economic progress in Ghana. Rising inequality due to the inequitable distribution of benefits of economic growth is a major concern. OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY AND REQUIRED SERVICES FROM THE LOCAL/Regional CONTRACTOR The consultancy aims to strengthen the capacity of Ghana to identify and assess social protection needs and gaps and to design, adapt and implement policies and programs to close these gaps. Using ESCWA’s self-assessment template to establish Comprehensive National Social Protection Systems and Reforms Country Profile Reports (CPRs), ESCWA’s and ECA’s social protection teams will support government officials and relevant actors in identified countries (Djibouti, Morocco and Ghana) in jointly applying the template, enabling them to design effective and sustainable solutions to address social protection gaps that are tailored to the specific country context. In the context of this consultancy, the two outputs will be carried out only for Ghana under the supervision of the core technical teams from ECA and ESCWA. Through the expertise of the potential provider, potential in-country presence, and real-life data collection, and with the contribution of the contractor, the teams intend to conduct in-depth analysis and evaluation of the various components of social protection systems, programs, and their related impact vis-à-vis SP policy objectives. Their research shall provide objective insights into the effectiveness and efficiency of these systems and programs and helps identify gaps and areas for improvement. Moreover, their localized perspective of the contractor and understanding of the beneficiary countries’ social, economic, and administrative context allow for tailored recommendations that are more likely to be practical and sustainable post-project. METHODOLOGY The development of the outputs requires the use of both quantitative and qualitative methodology. DELIVERABLES 1- The Comprehensive National SP Systems & Reforms Country Profile Report: The Successful Vendor (Local-regional Collaborator) shall, under the supervision of ECA and ESCWA (Technical core team) and while adhering to the 35,000 word-limit and the agreed timeline (not exceeding 9 months). The draft report includes the following content: Introduction Section 1: The country context, including several key demographic and socio-economic indicators. Section 2: Appraisal of national SP policy and regulatory context Section 3: Mapping of SP programs and an in-depth look at the design, delivery mechanisms, and organizational set-up of selected key programs Section 4: Current and future reform trajectories and policy recommendations including tools |
