Jordan (TCS 48810): Mapping Study for Establishing the National Center for Innovation (NCI) and Transition to Full Operational Functionality
Project Description:
Jordan has an active but highly complex and fragmented innovation ecosystem with a multitude of public and private stakeholders, which suffers from a lack of effective stakeholder coordination, inadequate collection and analysis of information, unclear channels and linkages, limited cooperation and inefficient financial management. In addition, Jordan is characterised by a substantial skills mis-match resulting from the education system’s insufficient capacity to equip young people with the know-how and skills that are required by employers.
The Jordanian Government (GoJ) - via the Higher Council for Science and Technology (the Client or HCST) - has approached the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the EBRD or the Bank) to seek assistance for the implementation of the project "Jordan: Start-up Financing for the Establishment of the National Center for Innovation ("NCI") and Transition to Full Operational Functionality" (the Project). By becoming a national hub for all matters related to innovation, both public and private, the NCI's key role will be to advise the GoJ on further enhancing its policies and programmes fostering an innovation-based economy through better coordination, information and monitoring of all innovation related activities. Specifically, the NCI is expected to:
(1) help ensure that national and international administrative, financial and technical services that nurture and support innovation (government, private sector "nd IFI initiatives etc.), are complementary rather than duplicative and help eliminate inefficiencies in funding and support to the private sector;
(2) create economies of scale in bringing together and effectively coordinating stakeholder activities (government ministries and agencies, donor-funded programmes, scientific and research bodies, universities, regional and local incubators, training providers, technology-related programmes, start-ups and entrepreneurs);
(3) improve the direct engagement between the private sector and public sector innovation stakeholders, such as businesses, industrial companies, start-ups, financiers ,educational institutions and research centres;
(4) collect innovation related information and provide vital national statistics on the impact of innovation initiatives for monitoring progress and articulating areas of success and those that need improvement, enabling the GoJ to further assess measures for enhancing the development of an innovation based society.
The NCI is expected to have four key units as follows:
(a) Information Unit coordinating all innovation activities and cooperation among its stakeholders, collecting and processing information, and feeding proposals back to public/private sector via NCI’s coordination role etc.
(b) Monitoring & Evaluation Unit tracking key performance indicators for national innovation strategies aiming at the development of an innovation-based economy.
(c) Referral Unit providing a platform to enable the matching of research, extension services and other innovation services with the needs of the private sector, assisting innovators and researchers to find funding and support for their projects and promoting cooperation between innovation service providers;
(d) Legal and Policy unit advising on related legal and regulatory matters. Identifying regulatory impediments to innovative activity in the private sector and proposing policy and regulatory reforms to unblock such impediments
The Center will act as the technical implementing arm of the already existing National Council on Competitiveness and Innovation (NCCI), which is chaired by the Prime Minister.
The Project’s purpose is to provide support to the NCI’s transition to full functionality within 2 years. Funding provided by the EBRD - Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Transition Fund and the Government of Jordan is primarily supposed to finance:
(i) NCI staff (director, managers, administrative assistants, vocational training specialists, legal/regulatory, referral, M&E, communication, IT etc.)
(ii) Operational expenses (computers, stationery, travel, and other administrative expenditures)
(iii) Consultancy services (this mapping study, other consultancy services including audit, legal, M&E, surveys, baseline studies, support to SMEs, support to sector skills councils, identifying the mis-match between the university /vocational curricula and the needs of the market).
(iv) Public relations, raising awareness and information sharing (conferences, workshops etc.)
(v) Design, procurement and maintenance of a web-based IT platform for enabling coordination and providing statistics, enabling an online exchange of information for all innovation stakeholders (SMEs, entrepreneurs, financiers, researchers, government support services, etc.), tracking of progress against Project KPIs and other targets etc.
(vi) Awards for awarding and promoting innovation projects etc.
Assignment Description
To further develop the Project the Client now intends to engage a an individual expert (the "Consultant") to carry out a mapping study with key tasks as described below (the "Assignment"). The purpose of the mapping study is to set the priorities of the NCI based on international best practice for effective national co-ordinating/advisory bodies in the context of the Jordanian innovation landscape. The mapping study should assist in identifying and articulating the NCI’s overall objective, main tasks, detailed responsibilities, accountabilities, and procedures, as well as staff requirements (including job descriptions) and any necessary training.
The expected outcome of the Assignment is a clear set of documents and steps to be taken going forward to realise the full implementation of the Project.
Generally, the Consultant is expected to:
- based on international best practice, fully map out the NCI mandate, governance framework, key units’ terms of reference, detailed tasks, responsibilities, and procedures, identify and set out staff and IT system requirements, and the need for consultancy support.
- based on international best practice, explore different funding models that will focus on the financial sustainability of the Centre beyond the initial 4 year period. Develop a longer term strategic plan (after year 4) for the Centre.
- review and revise the proposed results framework for the Project
- develop a 4 year Project work plan and budget defining annual priority, areas for intervention and if necessary amendments to the NCI mandate responsibility that will ensure the Project remains focused on tangible deliverables.
- develop for the first of four detailed annual action plans covering all NCI activities and the Project budget for year 1.
The Consultant shall complete the following key tasks, inter alia:
- Coordinate and manage the kick off meeting, to include confirmation of the scope and objectives of this Assignment, establish reporting lines and "Assignment governance structure", client responsibilities etc.
- Mapping the innovation sector: identify relevant models of international best practice that could be adapted to the Jordanian context, including in particular opportunities for revenue generating activities, taking into account the NCI’s primary objective of being an advisory body to the government based on data and information gathered from the innovation stakeholders.
- Help to define NCI mandate, governance framework, organisation and results framework; Based on the results framework, propose a project road map for where the NCI aspires to be in the coming 4 years, stating its vision, mission, objectives and intended achievements and expected deliverables.
- Structuring the NCI institutional environment and terms of reference.
- Revise the overall Project work plan and a budget (key tasks for years 1 to 4) in addition to planning for longer term financial strategy (beyond the current 4 year funding horizon).
- Draft the annual action plans and budgets for years 1 and 2.
Status of Selection Process: Interested individual experts or firms interested to nominate an expert (see note 2) are hereby invited to submit expressions of interest.
Assignment Start Date and Duration: The Assignment is expected to start in September 2015 and has an estimated overall duration of 2 months.
Cost Estimate for the Assignment: To be determined during negotiations (exclusive of VAT).
The Consultant must determine whether any indirect taxes/VAT are chargeable on the proposed services and state the basis for such. If any indirect taxes/VAT are payable, the Client will have to pay indirect taxes/VAT element to the services directly to the Consultant unless otherwise agreed.
Funding Source: It is expected that the Assignment will be funded by Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Transition Fund, hereinafter the Donor. Please note selection and contracting will be subject to the availability of funding.
Eligibility: There are no eligibility restrictions. Individuals or consulting firms interested in nominating an expert from any country may apply (see note 2).
Consultant Profile: Individual services are required. The Consultant shall be an expert (individual expert or an expert nominated by a firm, see note 2) preferably with 10 years previous professional experience:
1. In similar innovation initiatives, preferably also for public entities fostering innovation through enhancing coordination among innovation landscape stakeholders and improving related policy advice to senior government stakeholders.
2. Institution building and change management, preferably for public entities, including defining mission, governance and results frameworks, structure/organisation, annual budgets, terms of reference for key units, job requirements for key staff, training need assessments etc.
3. Working in the region (preferably Jordan but also the surrounding region) Fluency in both English and Arabic is considered an advantage
Submission Requirements:
In order to determine the capability and experience of experts seeking to be selected for this Assignment, the information submitted should include the following:
1. Cover letter (max. 2 pages) summarising why the expert believes to satisfy the requirements as defined in the above section Consultant Profile;
2. CV (not exceeding 4 pages) which should include full descriptions of responsibilities carried out, not just a job title, including information on contracting entity/client, project location/country, duration (mm/yy to mm/yy), expert months provided (if different from duration) , main activities, objectives.
3. Completed Consultant Declaration Form and Contact Sheet, the template for which is available from the following web-link:
http://www.ebrd.com/pages/workingwithus/procurement/notices/csu/contact_sheet.doc.
Expressions of Interest should be submitted in English electronically through e-Selection, to reach the Bank not later than the closing date. The complete expression of interest (including cover letter, CV, declaration and contact sheet etc.) shall be one file (pdf) to be uploaded to eSelection. The EBRD reserves the right to reject applications of experts submitting more than one file. Only if the permissible file size (4 MB) is exceeded, the Consultant may split the expression of interest into further files.
Bank Contact Person:
Angela Levitsky
Technical Co-operation
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
One Exchange Square
London EC2A 2JN
Tel: + 44 20 7338 6363
e-mail: levitska@ebrd.com (submissions should be sent through eSelection and NOT to this email address)
From 10 August 2015 the Bank's Contact Person will be Martin Ehrenberg: tel: +44 20 7338 7657, e-mail ehrenbem@ebrd.com
Important Notes:
1. This is a Selection from Shortlist in line with the EBRD Procurement Policies and Rules. The selection will normally be made from responses to this notification only. Consultants will not be asked to submit a proposal. The Client has requested the EBRD to manage the first part of the selection process. The EBRD will evaluate expressions of interest in line with the shortlist criteria (a) to (c) as below and establish a shortlist of up to 4 candidates. The Client will then conduct interviews with shortlisted candidates (in English) at the Client’s premises or via videolink to be organised via EBRD HQ or its Resident Offices. All expenses related to attending the interviews shall be borne by the Consultant. After the interviews the highest ranked candidate will be selected from the shortlist and be invited to negotiate the contract, subject to availability of funding. The selected candidate will be contracted by the Client on the basis of the Donor’s grant managed by the EBRD.
2. Consulting firms (proposing individuals) and individuals may apply. Consulting Firms nominating an individual expert shall submit one complete individual application for each expert via eSelection. Single applications for a number of experts containing various CVs may result in rejection of such application and all concerned experts.
3. The shortlisting criteria are:
a. Previous professional experience in similar innovation initiatives, preferably also for public entities fostering innovation through enhancing coordination among innovation landscape stakeholders and improving related policy advice to senior government stakeholders ( (45%)
b. Previous professional experience in institution building and change management, preferably for public entities, including defining mission, governance and results frameworks, structure/organisation, annual budgets, terms of reference for key units, job requirements for key staff, training need assessments etc. (35%)
c. Previous professional experience in the region (preferably Jordan but also the surrounding region) Fluency in both English and Arabic is considered an advantage (20%)
