USAID MISRA is looking for an ICT Consultant/Analyst - Competition Council needs assessment study

                                                               SCOPE OF WORK

Position:                                 ICT Local Consultant / Analyst (Consultant)

Project:                                  USAID Moldova Institutional and Structural Reforms Activity (MISRA)

Location:                                Chisinau, Moldova

Period of Performance:        March – June 2024

Total Level of Effort:             up to 15 days

Work Plan Activity:             (WP FY24) Task 2.2.4.: Enhancing efficiency and transparency of the Competition Council; Sub-task 2.2.4.5. Needs assessment for a case management system is elaborated.

Project Background

The USAID Moldova Institutional and Structural Reform Activity (MISRA) is a five-year project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Nathan Associates Inc. MISRA’s objective is to stimulate a sustainable and inclusive recovery from the regional crisis, improve the institutional, business, and trade enabling environment in Moldova by supporting Moldova’s public institutions and the private sector to accelerate the implementation of trade liberalization mechanisms, adopt structural and investment climate reforms, accelerate financial sector reforms, improve economic governance in the public sector, and enhance strategic communications between the private and public actors. MISRA builds on prior and ongoing USAID and US Government activities in the business enabling environment and trade facilitation space to strengthen Moldova’s economic growth and resilience, and by doing so, increase transparency and accountability.

MISRA is supporting structural reforms of the Government of Moldova’s regulatory and operational practices to improve trade and the business environment in support of job creation, investments, sustainable growth, and a quick economic recovery.

Overview

The Competition Council (CC) successor of the National Agency for Competition Protection (2007-2012) is responsible for enforcing and ensuring compliance with legislation related to competition, state aid, and advertising. As an autonomous body, it holds a crucial role in regulating and monitoring economic activities to ensure a competitive environment in Moldova. The CC holds the central position among public authorities overseeing competition, as it supervises markets in all areas of the national economy.

The CC ensures compliance with competition legislation through actions to prevent anti-competitive practices, eliminate competition infringements, and promote and enhance a culture of competition. However, only through cooperation with the business community, government authorities, media, civil society, can the CC maintain a fair competitive environment.

Despite its central role in supervising and promoting economic activities in Moldova, the CC’s capacities are limited in performing its functions effectively. Therefore, the implementation of an automated management information system is an urgent need for the CC. The preliminary mapping and review of the internal processes have already started, and provision of recommendations for streamlining the processes for the purpose of digitalization will be provided.

Based on the findings and the recommendations from the above-mentioned activities, the Consultant will conduct needs analysis with requirements for the development of a document and case management system, including data security and system description.

By implementing an integrated^[1] document and case management system, the CC will be able to track and manage electronically all internal processes and case files, thus ensuring their accessibility and security. The system will also standardize the organization of the documents and provide search of and easy access to case files to the users based on their privileges.

The system ultimately, should also facilitate monitoring of specific assignments, tracking progress of ongoing investigations, and provide additional tools for market analysis. Furthermore, the system should be able to generate reports and provide statistical data for decision-making purposes.

Tasks

The Consultant will be responsible for carrying-out the following tasks:

Task 1. Needs analysis and requirements specification for a document and case management system: Identify the specific needs and requirements for the development of a document and case management system. Liaise with the CC's stakeholders, staff, and management to understand their needs and expectations. The requirements should encompass functionality, accessibility, interpretability, user-friendliness, and scalability to ensure that the system aligns with the CC’s unique needs.

Task 2. Data security assessment: The assessment will evaluate the data security requirements to safeguard sensitive information. This will include assessing potential vulnerabilities, data encryption, access controls, and compliance with relevant regulations and standards.

Task 3. System Description: Based on the analysis, a description of the proposed system will be developed, including specifications, functionalities, user interfaces, integration capabilities, and data handling protocols. The description will serve as the foundation for the system’s further design and development.

To ensure the accuracy and completeness, the Consultant will engage with the CC staff and management team during all stages of tasks described, as their insights and feedback will be invaluable in capturing the nuances of case management operations.  

Deliverables

The following deliverables will be developed in coordination with MISRA and the CC:

1. Needs analysis and requirements specification for a case management system report: The report will present the needs, requirements, data security assessment, and description of the system (Tasks 1-3). The report will encompass aspects of functionality, accessibility, user-friendliness, interoperability with other national management information systems and platform, and alignment with CC’s unique needs.

2. Final report summarizing the work completed, findings, and recommendations, using the MISRA template.

Supervisory Responsibilities and Reporting

The Consultant will report to the Deputy Chief of Party/ Lead of Component 2 and the Institutional and Structural Reforms Coordinator.

Skills and Qualifications

• A bachelor’s or preferably master’s degree in Information Technology, or related field
• At least 5 years of experience in designing management information systems at governmental level and preparation of technical specifications.
• At least 5 years of experience in conducting needs assessments and integration of MIS in institutions.
• Knowledge of operations and functions of the Competition Council or similar regulatory bodies would be an asset.
• Strong analytical and interpersonal skills.
• Solid verbal, written and presentation skills, coupled with a strong technical mindset.
• Fluency in both written and spoken Romanian language.

How to Apply

We welcome your CV and preferably a cover letter at Moldovajobs@nathaninc.com. Please apply by December 27, 2023, with “ICT Local Consultant / Analyst - Competition Council needs assessment study” in the subject line. This short-term position will remain open until filled.

^[1] The term integrated references the intent to integrate data with the information system on state aid.