Selection of an individual Consultants to support African Countries for the revision of 2008 SNA and training of member states on the development of National Account

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

(REOI)

(CONSULTING SERVICES– INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT)

Project Name : Harmonizing and Improving Statistics in West Africa

(Funded by World Bank)

Project No. P169265

ASSIGNMENT TITLE : Consultancy to support African Countries in the Process of Revising the 2008 System of National Account (2008 SNA)

Procurement Reference No. TN-STATAFRIC - AUC-277189-CS-INDV

The African Union Commission has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Harmonizing and Improving Statistics in West Africa ", and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

This EOI is prepared to engage an Individual Consultant to support African Countries in the Process of Revising the 2008 System of National Account (2008 SNA)

• BACKGROUND

The System of National Accounts (SNA) is designed to provide a realistic and compact view of the economy suitable for policy and analytical use. As the economy evolves and policy and analytical needs change, the SNA should be revised to see if it is still relevant for these purposes. With this in mind, work on revising the 2008 SNA began a few years ago.

The SNA update program proposed to the 52nd United Nations Statistical Commission in 2021[1] included the development of conceptual guidance on 35 priority research questions identified for the 2008 SNA update. These questions are primarily based on a consolidated list of SNA research questions that was compiled by a Task Force on the National Accounts Research Agenda and approved by the National Accounts Expert Advisory Group. The themes have been grouped into the following categories: globalization, digitization, well-being and sustainability, Islamic finance, communications, payment and financial systems, informal economy; statistical units and balance of payments; and the long-term research program of the SNA. The long-term SNA research agenda includes issues that would not be addressed for the 2008 SNA update.

This work is coordinated under the auspices of the Inter-Secretariat National Accounts Working Group (ISWGNA) to ensure global representation in the deliberation of issues under consideration and the successful implementation of the results in international standards or manuals. Proposals for working groups or expert groups to carry out research on specific topics should be submitted to the ISWGNA, which will assess the results in accordance with the SNA update procedures established by the United Nations Statistical Commission.

The African Union Commission, through African Union Institute for Statistics (STATAFRIC), would like to contribute to the revision of the SNA. Indeed, through the PAS program, STATAFRIC has provided a lot of technical support to African countries in the field of national accounts. In this context, STATAFRIC wishes to coordinate the process in Africa by collecting contributions and proposals from Member States on the various issues listed for review.

The purpose of these terms of reference is to recruit an international consultant who will support STATAFRICto further inform Member States about the SNA review process and collect their contributions on the issues addressed for submission to the ISWGNA.

• OBJECTIVE

The objective of this consultancy is to coordinate Africa's contribution to the revision of the 2008 SNA.

• SCOPE AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK

The consultancy assignment includes, but not limited to, the following major scope of services and roles and responsibilities

• providing technical assistance to African Union Member States to actively participate in the revision of 2008 System of National Account.

• informing the national account experts in Africa about the process and the status of updating the 2008 SNA.

• Inform national account experts about research topics;

• inform and promote the global consultation process;

• Invite African Union Member States to start thinking / planning the (early) implementation of new recommendations (including through experimental estimates);

• To Collect the themes where countries wish to make their contribution, for example, subjects such as: Informal economy, Digitization, Islamic finance, and Well-being and sustainability etc

• support to STATAFRIC to develop African Common Position of the various topic for the revision of 2008 SNA,

• support STATAFRIC to organise the consultation meeting to collect the various views and needs for African countries for the revision of 2008 System of National Account,

• Support to identify the various challenge faced by African Countries for the implementation of 2008 System of National Account,

• Provide technical assistance to AU Member States for the implementation of 2008 System of National Account (2008 SNA)

• INSTITUTIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

The consultants will report functionally to the project coordinator of the STATAFRIC project in Tunis.

• QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE

The individual consultant should have at least the following qualifications and experience:

• Master degree in statistics, economic statistics, big data or related fields, and

• 15 years of excellent professional experience in key statistical domains and data, especially in national account; and proven experience in working in national, regional, continental or international organizations.

• Candidates must be able to work in multicultural setting, in good team spirit.

• The consultant must also have excellent communication skills; excellent command of one of the official AU working languages (English, French, Arabic, and Portuguese)

• OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Excellent planning, organizing and writing skills;

• Excellent communication skills, ability to work in multicultural environments, and ease in interpersonal relationships.

• Reliable and responsible personality and capacity to work under demanding professional circumstances and in an international environment;

• Excellent coordination and negotiation skills;

• Experience in dealing with senior business executives and government officials;

• Good team player while being independent and able to work autonomously.

• DURATION AND TIMING

Contract duration will be 100 working days from the date of contract agreement or purchase order

• DUTY STATION

The services of the consultant shall be carried out at STATAFRIC in Tunis, Tunisia. She/he will have to travel to other places where STATATFRIC will organize missions and meetings if it is needed, as well as in some AU member states.

• REMUNERATION

Remuneration is payable on a monthly basis. The Consultant will work under the guidance and supervision of the STATAFRIC project coordinator

The following shall be made available by the STATAFRIC Office

• Office accommodation;

• Computer, Photocopying, Stationary;

• Facilitation of Visa and

• Internet Access

• EVALUATION AND QUALIFICATION CRITERIA

• General experience - 10 Points

• Specific Experience relevant to the assignment – 50 Points

• Qualifications – 30 Points

• Language – 10 Points

The African Union Commission now invites eligible Individual Consultants (“Consultants”) to submit their CVs for the assignment in providing the Services and required documents as per the evaluation and qualification criteria. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” July 2016 (“Procurement Regulations”), which can be found at the following website: www.worldbank.org

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 8:00-13:00hrs and 14:00-17:00 hours, Addis Ababa Time.

CVs for the assignment must be delivered in a written form following the above criteria to the emails below before 15:00 Hours Local Time on April 5, 2022.

African Union Commission,

Attn: Head of Procurement Travel and Store Division

Building C, Room 327

P.O.Box 3243, Roosevelt Street

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Tel: +251 (0) 11 551 7700 – Ext 4371

Fax: +251 (0) 11 551 0442; +251 11-551-0430

E-mails: [email protected];