Conduct Baseline Survey on Citizens Perception of Transparency of Selected Accountability Institutions

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRM SELECTION)

LIBERIA

Governance Reform and Accountability Transformation (GREAT) Project

Project ID: P177478

Credit No..: 7511-LR

Assignment Title: Consultancy to Conduct a Survey on Citizens’ Perception of the Transparency of Selected Accountability Institutions

Reference No.: LR-MFDP-477422-CS-CQS

The Governance Reform and Accountability Transformation (GREAT) Project is a World Bank-funded initiative designed to enhance governance transparency, accountability, and service delivery in Liberia. The project is implemented by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) and focuses on strengthening integrity institutions, improving public sector efficiency, and fostering citizen engagement in governance processes.

A key aspect of the project is the measurement of citizen perception of transparency of selected accountability institutions. This aligns with Project Development Objective (PDO) indicator #3.

Over the years, Liberia has undertaken several institutional reforms to improve public sector governance and combat corruption. These reforms have included the establishment of accountability institutions such as the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC), Public Accounts Committee (PAC), General Auditing Commission (GAC), and other institutions mandated to publish data on anti-corruption efforts.

However, despite these efforts, public trust in institutional transparency remains a challenge. Citizens often face barriers in accessing information related to governance processes, auditing reports, procurement decisions, and financial disclosures. Additionally, perceptions of transparency are influenced by factors such as the limited availability of information, public awareness, responsiveness of institutions, accessibility of public records, and effectiveness of anti-corruption measures.

Recognizing these challenges, the Government of Liberia, through the GREAT Project, aims to conduct, three perception surveys throughout the project’s implementation. The baseline survey will be conducted in 2025, another survey will be conducted at the midterm of the project in 2027, and a final survey will be conducted in 2029. These surveys will collect data to measure and track citizens' perceptions of the transparency of selected accountability institutions. The findings from this survey will inform ongoing reforms, support evidence-based decision-making, course correct during project implementation and guide future interventions aimed at strengthening institutional integrity.

Survey Objectives and Linkages to Broader Governance Reforms

The results of this survey will contribute to ongoing governance reforms under the GREAT Project, particularly in the digitalization of anti-corruption systems, improvements in institutional reporting mechanisms, and strengthening of public oversight processes. Furthermore, the survey findings will provide benchmark data for tracking improvements in transparency over time and guiding policy adjustments.

This assignment will require the expertise of a consulting firm to design, implement, and analyze the survey results while ensuring alignment with international best practices in governance research and data integrity. To ensure methodological consistency and enable effective tracking of progress over the project period, the firm selected to conduct the baseline survey in 2025 will be eligible for contract renewal to carry out the midline and endline surveys planned for 2027 and 2029, respectively. This eligibility will be contingent on the firm’s satisfactory performance during the baseline phase, as assessed by the client.

This provision will be clearly stipulated in the contract, and the subsequent engagements will be subject to applicable procurement procedures, including performance-based justification, market assessment (where required), and the availability of funds.

Objective of the Assignment:

The objective of this assignment is to systematically assess and document citizens' perceptions of transparency of selected accountability institutions. The survey will establish a baseline and provide a robust methodology that enables periodic tracking of citizen’s perception of transparency throughout the project cycle (2025, 2027 and 2029).

In this regard, the data collected will allow the project to:

• Understand the baseline of citizens' perception vis-à-vis selected accountability institutions.

• Identify the main bottlenecks, challenges, and areas of concern based on citizens' responses.

• Highlight positive aspects of institutional transparency and identify practices that are working well.

• Analyze the data with appropriate disaggregation based on gender, age, geographic location, and other relevant socio-economic variables.

• Formulate initial recommendations to inform governance reforms and institutional improvements.

• Collect data in subsequent years (2027, 2029) to track the evolution of perception over time.

• Analyze this evolution—whether positive or negative—to identify persistent challenges or emerging improvements.

• Formulate new recommendations in future rounds, taking into account changes in public perception and institutional performance.

The Consultant will undertake the following tasks and deliverables:

• Conduct a Comprehensive Assessment of the National Data Center's Current ICT Infrastructure.

The Consultant shall carry out a detailed evaluation of the existing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) environment at the National Data Center (NDC). This assessment will encompass all critical components, including hardware, peripherals, software, network infrastructure, power supply systems, and other associated equipment. The goal is to identify gaps and inefficiencies that hinder the NDC’s ability to provide effective and efficient service delivery, both online and onsite. The Consultant will also document the specific needs (National Data Center related) and requirements of relevant Ministries, Agencies, and Commissions (MACs) with prioritized services based on the e-Liberia assignment that will benefit from the NDC resources and service delivery, ensuring alignment with the broader objective of creating a citizen-centric service delivery ecosystem with the whole of government approach.

Scope of Work

The selected consulting firm will undertake the following tasks:

A. Survey Design & Methodology

• Develop a survey methodology focused exclusively on citizens’ perceptions of the transparency of selected accountability institutions supported by the GREAT Project including the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), Public Procurement Concession Commission (PPCC), General Auditing Commission (GAC), and Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

• Employ both qualitative and quantitative research methods to ensure a comprehensive analysis.

• Use stratified random sampling to ensure representation across different demographic and geographic groups, including urban and rural populations.

• Develop a structured survey questionnaire that assesses transparency aspects such as access to institutional reports, public trust levels, and awareness of anti-corruption efforts.

• Pilot-test the survey tools to ensure clarity, validity, and reliability before full deployment.

B. Data Collection

• Conduct nationwide data collection covering diverse population segments, ensuring proportional representation of gender, youth, socio-economic status, and geographic location.

• Utilize multiple data collection techniques, including:

• Face-to-face interviews in key urban and rural centers.

• Online surveys to capture literate and tech-savvy respondents.

• Key informant interviews with relevant stakeholders such as civil society representatives, government officials, and journalists.

• Focus group discussions for qualitative insights into citizens' experiences with transparency.

• Ensure inclusivity by capturing perspectives from marginalized communities, youth, and women to reflect broader societal views on institutional transparency.

C. Data Analysis & Reporting

• Disaggregate and analyze the data by gender, age, and location in order to be able to identify patterns and variations in public perception during subsequent surveys (2027, 2029)

• Apply appropriate techniques to analyze the surveyed data.

• Provide graphical representation of results through appropriate means including dashboards, tables, and visual summaries.

Required Consulting Firm’s Qualifications and Expertise

The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) now invites eligible firms (“Consulting firm”) to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested firms should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the services. The Consulting firm must possess, at a minimum, the following qualifications:

The Consultant firm must possess, at the minimum, the following qualifications:

• The Consultancy firm must be a legally established and registered entity.

• The Consultancy firm should demonstrate at least 10 years of relevant experience.

• The Consultancy firm must have successfully conducted surveys or evaluations of at least three (3) large-scale governance, accountability, or transparency projects within the last seven (7) years.

• Successfully completed projects should be presented in a table listing the name of the relevant assignments, short scope of work, contract start and end dates, country/region, contact reference (name, e-mail, phone number), and supporting documentation such as reports or acceptance certificates. Additional references may be requested directly from the clients of completed projects if necessary.

• Proposed technical approach and methodology should be suitable for the assignment and aligned wit