INnovative SOcial Protection System for inclusiON of Vulnerable People Project (Узбекистан - Тендер #64670457)

• Project ID

P504420

• Project Title

INnovative SOcial Protection System for inclusiON of Vulnerable People Project

• Country

Uzbekistan

• Notice No

OP00363357

• Notice Type

Request for Expression of Interest

• Notice Status

Published

• Borrower Bid Reference

UZ-INSON-CS-IC-2.1.1.2

• Procurement Method

Individual Consultant Selection

• Language of Notice

English

• Submission Deadline Date/Time

Jun 25, 2025 23:45

• Published Date

Jun 12, 2025

• CONTACT INFORMATION
• Organization/Department

NATIONAL AGENCY FOR SOCIAL PROTECTION UNDER THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN

• Name

Bakhodir Alimov

• Address

Tashkent city, Mirabad district, Yangizamon street, 1

• City

• Province/State

Uzbekistan

• Postal Code

• Country

Uzbekistan

• Phone

998 90 925 56 59

• Email

piuinson@gmail.com

• Website

https://ihma.uz/

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT SELECTION)

Country: The Republic of Uzbekistan

Implementation Agency: National Agency for Social Protection (NASP) under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Name of Project: “Innovative Social Protection System for Inclusion of Vulnerable Populations” (INSON)

Financial Agreement No. 75550-UZ / Grant Agreement No. TF C4589-UZ

Assignment Title: Expert on enhancement of regulation and accountability mechanisms, allocation, provision, and monitoring of incentives and social guarantees

Reference No. (as per Procurement Plan): UZ-INSON-CS-IC-2.1.1.2

The Republic of Uzbekistan has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the “Innovative Social Protection System for Inclusion of Vulnerable Populations” (INSON) project and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

Objectives of the Assignment

In July 2024, the NASP was tasked to enhance state social support delivery system to population. The NASP"s vision is that state social support (benefits and services) may eventually be transformed into social insurance, while grants and subsidies will remain under poverty reduction and employment policies. At the same time, existing incentives and social guarantees, both monetary and non-monetary, will serve as additional support measures alongside the aforementioned social protection and employment policies.

In this regard, the objective of the consultancy services is to support informed, evidence-based decision-making under competing priorities on suggesting the best method for regulating the assignment, accountability, provision, and monitoring of incentives and social guarantees.

The reform to be proposed by the consultant shall be framed by: 1) identified legally binding commitments made by the Government in terms of provision of incentives and social guaranties, 2) calculated number of population eligible for such support and 3) enforced incentives set in law into the context of state budget capabilities.

The task of the consultancy is to conduct a comprehensive inventory, analysis, and impact assessment of state support measures in the form of incentives and social guarantees, in order to determine the following – should there be a single state body coordinating incentives and social guarantees, or should each ministry continue managing them independently? It is however, prepared to establish a unified IT system of accountability even though incentive and social guaranties are remain within administration of each ministry. Do incentives and social guarantees fall under the mandate of social protection? What are the international standards and best practices in terms of human rights, and in assessing the effectiveness and impact of such incentives and guarantees? Given Uzbekistan’s current stage of development, should in-kind incentives be monetized, or vice versa, transformed into in-kind from? Should some be cancelled, new ones introduced, merged, or scaled? At this stage of national development and digitalization, is it possible to apply a unified approach to assignment and provision of incentives and social guarantees?

As part of consultancy, the NASP expects the Consultant to deliver recommendations based on advanced international practices and successful experiences. This includes a comprehensive analysis of the nature, goals and objectives of each identified incentive and social guarantee applied at different levels (national, regional, district), and the drafting legal actaimed at improving regulation of incentives and social guarantees. The legal act should include an implementation mechanism that incorporates decisions on whether to retain, cancel, merge, or modify the forms and methods of providing such state support measures.

The Consultant is expected to carry out the following tasks:

• Develop forms for data collection required to analysis and questionnaires for discussions with ministries, agencies, and recipients of incentives/social guaranties;
• Conduct an inventory of all incentives and social guarantees provided for under the legislation of Uzbekistan, including those arising from international treaties of the country;
• Identify state bodies responsible for development, assignment, provision, accounting, monitoring, and control of incentives and social guarantees at the national, regional, and district levels in accordance with legislation and existing practices;
• Identify all categories of beneficiaries, including individuals entitled to social guarantees identified in the framework of inventory of laws and regulations, meetings and professional discussions with ministries and state departments and results of focus group discussions;
• Determine amount, frequency, and briefly describe the current procedures of providing each incentive and social guarantee, including: a) eligibility criteria to determine right to an incentive; b) procedure for assigning, changing and terminating a right to an incentives and social guarantees; c) forms of benefits and social guarantees (in-kind, monetary, combined or other form); d) requirements to activities of suppliers of goods (works, services) provided in the framework of incentives and social guarantees programs, d) documents required from applicants in order to receive incentives and social guarantees; e) mechanisms for appealing actions (inaction) of suppliers of goods (works, services) withing programmes of incentives, as well as consequences of violating requirements on provision of incentives and social guarantees, g) other metrics depending on form and type of benefit, social guarantee;
• Conduct meetings and professional discussions with ministries and agencies based on the developed questionnaires;
• Coordinate meetings and discussions with beneficiary groups based on the developed questionnaires;
• Analyze all identified incentives and social guarantees to determine shortcomings in their use by the population, including efficiency, available infrastructure (goods, services, funds) to support incentives and social guaranties, duplication, accountability, etc.;
• Conduct a comparative analysis of successful international practices and recommend an optimal model for the regulation of incentives and social guarantees;
• Develop an updated matrix separately for incentives and social guarantees, indicating which are to be cancelled, merged, introduced, or potentially combined with other social support measures;
• Develop recommendations on: a) planning of incentives and guarantees; b) individual accounting and reporting; c) monitoring and control; d) impact assessment; e) identification of specific socially vulnerable groups eligible for support; f) roles and functions of state bodies;
• Prepare cost estimates for state budget resources to justify proposed new mechanisms of accounting, assignment, and provision of incentives and social guarantees;
• Develop an action plan for transition from existing to a new system of incentives and social guarantees, including a transitional period and a list of risks associated with the transition;
• Suggest on whether to reform the entire system of incentives or implement reform gradually, focusing initially on a few key incentives to improve delivery and considering capacity;
• Chair a roundtable with relevant ministries, agencies, and civil society to discuss and validate the proposed reforms;
• Prepare financial estimates for implementation of new incentives and social guarantee policies;
• Draft a regulatory legal act introducing a new system of incentives and social guarantees, including action plan and lists of incentives and guarantees based on consultation outcomes;
• Prepare justification and presentation materials with rationale for transitioning to the new system;
• Prepare proposals for organizational structure of a unified state authority for managing incentives and social guarantees, or for the corresponding units within existing ministries and agencies;
• Conduct training sessions and workshops to explain the basic principles of the new system;
• Perform other tasks as needed to fulfill the objectives outlined above.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be obtained at the address given below.

The NASP now invites eligible individual 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:

Education

• At least a master’s degree in economics, public policy, law, IT, social work, or a related field (a Ph.D. in a relevant area is considered an advantage).

Experience

• A minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in areas outlined in the Terms of Reference or in the development of benefits and social services in Central Asia, Eastern Europe, Caucasus.
• If the education is not in the specified fields, the Consultant must have at least 12 years of relevant experience;
• Knowledge of legislation related to social protection, including benefits and social guarantees;
• Experience working on international development projects funded by multilateral organizations
• Experience in the drafting of legal and regulatory acts, and related supporting documentation;
• Advanced computer skills, as well as strong presentation and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in English is required; knowledge of Uzbek or Russian is an advantage.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.13, 3.15, and 3.16 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” February 2025 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant Selection method set out in the Procurement Regulations.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours: 10-00 to 18-00 hours (Tashkent time).

Expressions of interest supported by CV must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by June 25, 2025.

PIU INSON under the NASP

Attn: Mr. Bakhodir Alimov – Project Coordinator

Address: 17, Amir Temur str., Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 100060

E-mail: piuinson@gmail.com

Источник закупки

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