REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

FOR AN INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK SENEGAL COUNTRY OFFICE (COSN) WEST AFRICA REGIONAL DEPARTMENT

Title of the assignment : “Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 in The Gambia and Spending Needs for the 2030 SDG Agenda”.

Brief description of the Assignment : The main objective of this assignment is to provide an overview of the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambian economy, identifying the policies that likely to the sectors good outcomes, and those in which structural reforms are needed to enable the country “build back better”. Furthermore, the study is expected to provide a forward-looking costing exercise focusing on key sectors (e.g. agriculture, education, health, roads, water and electricity) for the overall financing needs for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) post-COVID-19.

Department issuing the request : West Africa Regional Department (RDGW)

Place of assignment : From the country of residence of the Consultant

Duration of the assignment : 45 days non-consecutive days.

Tentative Date of commencement : 15^th November 2020

Deadline for applications : 30^th October 2020 at 17:00 (GMT)

Applications to be submitted to : Mr. Joel Daniel Muzima (j.muzima@afdb.org) with copy to Mr. José António da Graça Pinto (j.dagracapinto@afdb.org)

Any questions and requests for clarifications may be sent to : Mr. Joel Daniel Muzima (j.muzima@afdb.org)

Terms of Reference for: “Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 in The Gambia and Spending Needs for the 2030 SDG Agenda””

1. Introduction / Background :

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought high uncertainty in the global economy and displayed the vulnerabilities of the economic policy environment. This highlights the need for adoption of immediate policy priorities to provide critical relief and promote economic recovery. Moreover, the country’s heavy dependence on primary commodity exports and tourism revenues exposes the economy to intense external shocks which may have lasting effects and require significant economic transformation and improvements in the business and investment climate. While the private sector is expected to play a leading role in resolving these challenges, the country remains highly dependent on foreign aid (e.g. budget support and project grants account for 40.4% of total revenues¹). In addition, public sector investment only accounts for 9.8% of GDP and most of it is foreign financed through disbursements of project loans and budget support grants. Therefore, enhancing domestic resource mobilization post-COVID-19 will be critical to ensure The Gambia’s gradual capacity to finance its infrastructure spending needs.

Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (MOFEA) of the Gambia.

2. Objectives of the Assignment :

The main objective of this assignment is to provide an overview of the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambian economy, identifying the policies that likely to the sectors good outcomes, and those in which structural reforms are needed to enable the country “build back better”. Furthermore, the study is expected to provide a forward-looking costing exercise focusing on key sectors (e.g. agriculture, education, health, roads, water and electricity) for the overall financing needs for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) post-COVID-19.

3. Main activities and deliverables :

The role of the consultant is to prepare a succinct report on the socio-economic and policy impacts of COVID-19 in The Gambia and spending needs for achieving the SDG 2030 agenda. The various tasks of the consultant will include the following :

• Identify and collect all relevant data for the assessment of the macroeconomic impacts of COVID-19 pandemic in the Gambian economy over the past 9 months and its policy implications for the country’s long-term development goals. The source data will include the set of information to be collected from national statistical offices and relevant ministries covering 2020, and any forecasts where available, on national accounts (production and demand), Public Finance, Balance of Payments, External Trade (volume, price of main exports exported) and inflation; as well as eventual debt forecasts ;
• Analyze Gambia’s macroeconomic and structural transformation over the past four decades ;
• Identify successfully sectoral policies that could be implemented for rapid economic transformation and recovery post-COVID-19 ;
• Undertake a forward-looking costing exercise of The Gambia’s spending needs for the SDGs 2030. Spending needs in the social sectors should then be estimated using a benchmarking approach².

4. Administration/reporting :

The selected Consultant is expected to work independently from his/her home country and report to the AfDB Country Economist in charge of The Gambia (Mr. Joel Daniel Muzima – email: j.muzima@afdb.org). Authoring the study is of the sole responsibility of the Consultant, but the AfDB team will provide all support required in terms of data collection and contacts of relevant stakeholders in the country.

5. Duration of the assignment : 

The consultancy will be on a temporary basis for a period of 45 non-consecutive days and for a period of 2-month from November 15^th, 2020 to December 30^th, 2020.

6. Qualifications and Experience required :

Education : Advanced university degree (minimum Masters degree) in Economics or

• The benchmarking approach for estimating the SDGs 2030 spending needs should draw from the experience in “Anja Baum (2020): Vietnam’s Development Success Story and the Unfinished SDG Agenda”. IMF Working Paper, February 2020. Asia Pacific Department. any related field or discipline;

Work Experience : Relevant work experience of at least 10 years in economic policy analysis ;

Languages : Fluency in oral and written English is essential;

Other Skills : Capacity to deliver output in a timely manner and ability to use relevant computer packages (especially proficiency in Microsoft Excel).

7. Selection criteria :

Proposals will be evaluated based on the below selection criteria :

Only the proposals scoring of 70 points or above shall be considered for this assignment. All the consultants shall be ranked and the highest ranked Consultant will be selected for the said assignment if his/her fees are within budget limits.

8. Remuneration :

The estimated budget for this assignment is USD 13,000 (UA 9,352) lump-sum payment as follows :

• 30% upon submission of the first draft report ;
• 60% upon submission of the final draft report incorporating the comments of the country team and peer reviewers ;
• 10% upon submission of the final report cleared by the Director of Country Economics Department (ECCE).

Please attach an updated Curriculum vitae on the basis of the template below :

MODEL CURRICULUM VITAE – AFDB BAD PDF