| Overview : The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is the UN capital investment agency for the world’s 49 least developed countries. It promotes inclusive and sustainable growth by creating new opportunities for poor people, small businesses and local governments.
UNCDF focuses on Africa and the poorest countries of Asia, with a special commitment to challenging environments – remote rural areas and countries emerging from conflict. It provides seed capital – grants and loans – and technical support through Inclusive Finance programmes to help microfinance institutions reach more poor households and small businesses; and through Local Development Finance programmes to strengthen public financial management systems and improve infrastructure investment and delivery of basic services by local governments.
UNCDF’s Local Development Finance Practice area seeks to support LDCs in the local development necessary to achieve their development goals. In order to retain its comparative advantage in this area, UNCDF needs to maintain and provide high-quality services on a regular basis to support its programs in a growing number of LDCs. In doing this, UNCDF seeks the support of highly qualified experts in the field of local development finance.
To implement its global partnership with Least Developed Countries, UNCDF is requesting external support to develop a policy framework for local development: LoOKING is a diagnostic exercise applying several analytical tools to identify inefficiencies and opportunities (financial, economic, organizational,…) at the local government level with the aim to develop realistic solutions to strengthen local management and governance (Step 1: Global audit). The diagnostic exercise is followed by a policy dialogue (Step 2: Local conference) and the development of a plan of action to improve the delivery of basic services (Step 3: Local pact). The process is rounded off by continued monitoring and evaluation at the end of the process (Step 4: Monitoring & Evaluation).
LoOKING will:
• Assess the functioning of the local authority;
• Measure the performance of the local authority (economic, fiscal and organizational);
• Establish a rating system to compare communities;
• Engage the local authority and its partners in the process;
• Enable the local authority to improve its own revenue;
• Promote local citizenship.
The aim of this request for expression of interest in the provision of technical and advisory services is to create a pool of experts able to support UNCDF operations in its areas of expertise as outlined in the terms of reference (TOR) found in annex II of this request for proposals.
Supporting Documentation:
LDFP Business plan:
http://uncdf.org/sites/default/files/Download/ldfp_-_business_plan_2014_-_2017.pdf.
IRRM:
http://uncdf.org/sites/default/files/Download/integrated_results_and_resources_matrix_methodological_note.pdf. |
