REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK GROUP

WITCH-HAZEL AVENUE HIGHVELD EXT. 78 CENTURION

PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA

Web Site: www.afdb.org      Telephone: +27 12 003 6900, Ext: 8477

SOUTHERN AFRICA REGIONAL AND BUSINESS DELIVERY OFFICE (RDGS)

RECRUITMENT OF AN INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT – MACRO-ECONOMICS AND PUBLIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

1. The African Development Bank, Southern Africa Regional and Business Delivery Office, Pretoria is seeking to recruit a Consultant on Public Finance Management/Macroeconomics to support the Ministry of Finance of the Kingdom of Eswatini.

2. The services to be provided under the assignment include:

1. Seek consensus with government and in consultation with other partners, on targets on the different components of expenditure, revenue and debt.
2. Quantify in terms of GDP contribution, the ongoing policy reforms related to expenditure control and domestic revenue mobilization
3. Suggest areas for further (expenditure and revenue) reforms, based on the fiscal targets, ongoing and suggested expenditure and revenue reform measures.
4. Support the finalization of the fiscal consolidation plan.
5. Prepare a macro framework for the medium term (2019-2021) that is consistent with the consolidation plan.
6. Support the authorities to undertake at least one expenditure review and to put in place a permanent expenditure review capacity.

3. The Southern Africa Regional and Business Delivery Office (RDGS) invites individual consultants to indicate their interest in providing the above described services. Interested Consultants shall provide information on their qualifications and experience, demonstrating their ability to undertake this assignment (documents, reference to similar services, experience in similar assignments, etc).

4. The eligibility criteria, the establishment of a short list and the selection procedure shall be in conformity with the Bank’s rules and procedures for the acquisition of consulting services funded by the Administrative and Capital Expenditure budget. Please note that interest expressed by a Consultant does not imply any obligation on the part of the Bank to include him or her on the short list.

5. The Consultant will be resident in Eswatini for the entire duration of the assignment and perform the assignment’s activities as described above, housed in the Ministry of Finance, in Mbabane.

6. The expected starting date is about September 2018.

7. The duration of the assignment is 6 months with the possibility of renewal based on the satisfactory performance of the Consultant and availability of resources.

8. Interested individual consultants may obtain further information at the address below during the Bank’s working hours: from 08:00 to 17:00 hours in Pretoria local time.

9. Expressions of interest must be received by email at the address below no later than 7^th  September  2018  and  specifically  mention:  ‘INDIVIDUAL  CONSULTANT  –MACRO-ECONOMICS AND PUBLIC FINANCE MANAGEMENT’

Address:   For the attention of: Ms. Evelynne Change

Governance and Public Financial Management Coordination Office (ECGF) African Development Bank

Southern Africa Regional and Business Delivery Office

339 Witch Hazel Avenue, Highveld Ext. 78 Centurion, South Africa Office: +27 12 003 6900 | Ext: 8477 | E-Mail: e.change@afdb.org Mobile: +27 760757240

Email: e.change@afdb.org with a copy to c.ahouansou@afdb.org

ESTABLISHMENT OF SHORT-LIST

10. A short list of three to six individual consultants will be established at the end of the request for expressions of interest. The consultants on the shortlist will be assessed on the following criteria based on their updated resume:

DRAFT TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT PUBLIC FINANCE MANAGEMENT/MACRO-ECONOMIST FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ESWATINI

1. BACKGROUND

1.1         The Kingdom of Eswatini formerly known as Swaziland is classified as a lower middle-income country with an estimated GDP per capita of USD 3914 in 2016 (at current prices). However this classification masks serious social challenges in the country. Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty line, stands at 63% of the total population. Unemployment rate, at 26.4% of the total labor force, is high for a middle-income country. Added to these is a relatively high burden of communicable disease (HIV and AIDs). The country’s efforts to tackle these challenges are curtailed by depressed economic growth due to lingering effects of the 2011 global economic crisis, an intervening drought in 2015/16 agricultural season and significant decline in SACU revenues in 2016. Meantime, the government has pursued an expansionary fiscal policy, which, against declining SACU revenues, has worsened the fiscal deficit and created budget financing shortfalls, leading to accumulation of domestic payment arrears and rising public debt. Significant fiscal adjustment is therefore needed to ensure macroeconomic stability and reduce the risk of debt distress.

1.2         The authorities are already pursuing adjustment measures that include fiscal consolidation as well as reforms to strengthen the Public Finance Management (PFM) systems. In 2017, Eswatini promulgated a new PFM Act which is expected to enhance efforts to align and comply PFM practice in the country with international standards, ensure fiscal discipline, increase efficiency and ensure accountability. To improve debt management, the Government established a Debt Management Unit (DMU) in April 2015 and is in the process of developing a Debt Management Policy and Medium Term Debt Strategy.

1.3         To support the government in its reform efforts, the Bank is seeking the services of an individual consultant to provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Finance of the Kingdom of Eswatini in finalizing the fiscal consolidation plan and developing a consistent macro framework.

2. SPECIFIC TASKS OF THE CONSULTANT

2.1         The Consultant is expected to provide the following services:

1. Seek consensus with government and in consultation with other partners, on targets on the different components of expenditure, revenue and debt.
2. Quantify in terms of GDP contribution, the ongoing policy reforms related to expenditure control and domestic revenue mobilization.
3. Suggest areas for further (expenditure and revenue) reforms, based on the fiscal targets, ongoing and suggested expenditure and revenue reform measures.
4. Support the finalization of the fiscal consolidation plan.
5. Prepare a macro framework for the medium term (2019-2021) that is consistent with the consolidation plan.
6. Support the authorities to undertake at least one expenditure review and to put in place a permanent expenditure review capacity.

3. EXPECTED OUTPUTS

3.1.       The Consultant is expected to deliver the following outputs:

1. An Inception Report, incorporating the following: (i) action-oriented quick diagnostics of the existing situation in each of the areas covered under the ToR; (ii) recommendations on the way forward for each component; and (iii) a time-bound action plan for the remainder of the assignment period.
2. A Progress Report every month on each of the areas covered by the ToR
3. Draft documents for peer review and government comment
4. Final documents/reports incorporating peer review and government comments.

4. KEY DELIVERABLES

4.1 At  the  end  of  the  assignment,  the  Consultant  should  have  successfully  assisted  the Government to have:

1. Agreed fiscal targets on different components of expenditure, revenue and debt
2. Summary of ongoing and suggested policy reforms related to expenditure control and boosting of domestic revenues with their respective impacts as a percentage of GDP.
3. Finalized fiscal consolidation plan with specific measures to boost revenues and control expenditure
4. Macro framework with projections to 2021 based on the fiscal consolidation plan.
5. At least one expenditure review
6. Task Force on Public Spending and Budget Reform set up and on-boarded

5. QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, ATTRIBUTES OF THE CONSULTANT

5.1 The Consultant will need to possess the following:

1. A graduate degree in Economics, Public Finance or a related field and a minimum of 10 years’ work experience in public financial management, with 5 years of experience at a senior level an added advantage.
2. Proven experience in designing fiscal reform programs;
3. Good knowledge of public expenditure reviews;
4. Strong oral and written communication skills;
5. Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work as a part of a team, maintain effective and cooperative relations with national authorities as well as partners, and handle sensitive issues with discretion in a multicultural environment;
6. A good knowledge of the political economy of the Southern Africa region with prior work experience in the SACU region an added advantage; and
7. Good knowledge of development partner systems including AfDB, World Bank and the IMF.

6. DURATION

6.1 The assignment is for a period of six months (with possibility of renew subject to availability of funds). The assignment is expected to begin by September 2018.

7. DUTY STATION

7.1 The consultant will be resident in Eswatini for the entire duration of the assignment and perform the assignment’s activities as described above, housed in the Ministry of Finance.

8. INSTITUTIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

8.1 The Consultant will be under the overall guidance of the Deputy Director General RDGS and be accountable for deliverables to the Task manager responsible for operations in Eswatini, but report to and work under the direction of the Principal Secretary Finance for the Ministry of Finance or his designate. The Ministry of Finance shall be responsible for all basic logistics, office accommodation in Eswatini and local transportation arrangements for official purposes.

9. REMUNERATION

9.1 The Consultancy will attract a lump-sum monthly payment according to applicable Bank rates. No other benefits are payable for this consultancy.