Terms of Reference for Conducting an Inventory and Technical Analysis of Active Policy Research Related to Federalism

Number of Consultants: 1

Objective of the Assignment

To achieve objective 1 of the project, mapping of existing research and policy framework related to federalism is important. Therefore, this assignment is to create an initial inventory of recent policy research related to federalism and the actors working in the sector, as well as offering an analysis of priority research areas that can be undertaken by the project. 

The consultant will work with relevant stakeholders to identify research topics of critical importance in federalism that can be supported through this project. He or she will ascertain the existing status of research and policy frameworks produced for federalism implementation conducted so far by different actors, including the Government of Nepal. This will also help the project avoid duplication of efforts regarding research in this space. 

Specific Responsibilities of the Consultant

To achieve the objective of the assignment, the consultant is expected to:

• Map stakeholders working in the field of policy research and who support to implement federalism in the country including  major non-government, bilateral and multilateral actors

• Create an inventory of recent and active researches and technical analysis related to different aspects of federalism and recommend potential areas of policy research for the better implementation of federalism to foster more effective, accountable, responsive and inclusive local governance in Nepal. 

• Map the policies, laws and relevant directives and mechanisms to implement federalism in the country existing at all levels of government, with special focus on federal government, Sudur Paschim Pradesh, Provice 5 and selected Palikas of the provinces

• While mapping the policies and laws, special focus will be given on the analysis of policies and laws that empower, finance and regulate provincial and local government and also the process how or whether they were informed by any evidence or studies.

Deliverables:

The consultant is expected to deliver the following products:

• An inception report outlining approach and timeline for study and analytical framework in consultation with Sajhedari-STF Project team and Urban Institute, USA. The Institute will be supporting in the design of the study and providing inputs to the final reports.

• A draft report covering the information explained above. The report should not exceed 30 pages excluding the annexes.

• Submit final report incorporating feedback received from the project team and Urban Institute. The report should contain graphs and pictorial representation of situation as much as possible and it should provide complete and authentic citations using Vancouver or Harvard Methods of Referencing.

• Present the gist of the report during a workshop comprising different actors from government, bilateral, multilateral and non-government organizations with a view to identify future research topics on issues of federalism implementation in Nepal.

Level of Effort and Timeline

The expected level of effort to conduct the study is expected to be between 20-30 days starting from January 2020 to February 2020. Level of efforts (No. of days) will be negotiated after submission of inception report. The consultant is required to visit provincial headquarters and different Palikas of Sudur paschim and Province-5.  The travel cost including for accommodation and food will be covered by the project as per the organizational rule.

Reporting and Coordination

The consultant will report to the Policy and Research Lead and liaise with project team members and Urban Institute to pursue the study.

Required Qualification and Skills

• Master’s Degree in law, political science, public policy, public administration or similar subject
• At least seven years of experience working in governance sector in Nepal
• Sound understanding of federalism implementation in Nepal 
• Excellent inter-personal and communication skills 
• Demonstrated ability to conduct research and analyses
• Strong writing skills in English
• Demonstrated knowledge to be able to setting high standards in ethical aspects of the study and field work
• A good understanding of Gender Equality & Social Inclusion issues and challenges in Nepal

This study will be carried out simultaneously with Sajhedari- STF’s other researches on ‘Political Economic Analysis of Federalism Implementation Process’ and ‘GESI Assessment at Federal, provincial and Local Level’.