I. Background
“Support to Electoral Reforms in North Macedonia” is a project of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), implemented by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and its partner National Youth Council of Macedonia (NYCM).
The project overall objective (goal) is to support democratic and credible election processes that facilitate political participation and social integration by enabling voters to freely select their representatives and hold them accountable.
The project activities are designed to support this objective through the achievement of three outcomes:
- Outcome 1: Strengthened institutions conduct fair and efficient election processes
- Outcome 2: Internally democratized political parties present citizen-oriented policies and election programs
- Outcome 3: Empowered citizens hold political parties and elected officials accountable
Project beneficiaries are election management bodies at all levels; government agencies such as Ministry of Information, Society and Administration, Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services, State Statistical Office, Ombudsperson Institution, State Audit Office, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Justice; political parties, civil society organizations, voters and citizens.
The project started its implementation in August 2019 and it is expected to end in June 2023.
About the Academy for Public Policy (APP)[1].
The objective of the APP is to enhance the capacities of representatives of youth wings of political parties for creating and influencing public policies. The APP also aims to increase the knowledge and skills of representatives of youth wings of political parties on:
– identifying community problems in a participatory and inclusive way;
– designing evidence and values-based policy responses to community problems;
– developing, presenting and communicating policy responses, and policy briefs,
– lobbying for implementation of solutions identified in the public policies;
– designing and implementing Innovative Initiatives to discuss the identified policy solutions with their political parties as well as various communities/groups
[1] More detailed information about the APP and its participants will be provided to selected mentors.
The above objectives are achieved through different learning modalities with the key one being interactive, in person workshops (following government COVID-19 recommendations and protocols). Three workshops are envisioned during the APP, structured on the following topics:
- Public Policy Cycle and Evidence Policy Making,
- Policy Communication, Argumentation and Presentation,
- Leadership, Lobbying and Advocacy, Community Engagement.
Within the aforementioned topics, the principles of inclusive participation of vulnerable groups such as youth, women and people with disabilities will be mainstreamed.
The participants in the APP are expected to identify specific problems in the community and to develop policy solution(s) in a form of policy brief. Proposed policy solutions may be verified and presented through different activities, which will be part of so called ‘Innovative Initiatives’ (2I). The objective of 2I is to support the APP participants in communicating their proposed policy solution(s) to local communities and to vulnerable groups and receive their views and recommendations. In this way, representatives of political parties’ youth and participants in the APP, will draft policy solutions by embedding the needs and views of the citizens and based on evidence.
II. Objectives
The project team is looking for Mentors to contribute in a successful implementation of the Academy for Public Policy (APP) program by providing support, guidance and advice to APP participants in preparing and finalizing the Public Policy Brief(s)
III. Deliverables expected by trainers:
- Finalized Public Policy Briefs
IV. Qualification and Requirements:
- University degree in political science, social science and similar (a master’s degree will be considered an advantage)
- At least 5 Policy Documents developed, or experience in providing mentoring support to others in developing policy briefs;
- Proven knowledge and ability to work with diverse group of beneficiaries (of different ethnicities, gender, people with disabilities, etc)
- Excellent command of English and Macedonian languages;
- Knowledge of Albanian language will be considered a strong asset;
- Previous experience in working with political parties will be considered an asset;
V. Time frame
The consultancy is expected to take place within the period from March to July, 2021
Vl. Proposal and criteria for selecting the best offer
The proposals must include the CV, Reference list and Financial Proposal for finalization of one policy brief.
- The CV should ensure the information requested under the section IV is included
- Reference list (contact information of at least 2 previous engagements)
- Financial Proposal should include all required costs regarding this assignment.
Private entities are also allowed to submit a proposal by nominating applicants that comply with the above listed criteria. In such case, applicants will be evaluated on the individual bases.
The service provider will be evaluated based on the following conditions:
CV weight of 70% and Financial proposal weight 30%. The applicants will be evaluated based on the criteria in the table below. The financial proposal must be reasonable and show efficient use of resources, all costs should be embedded in the cost proposed for finalization of one policy brief. Offers will be compared amongst responsive bidders meeting the requirements.
| Criteria Category | Weight |
| Education | 30% |
| Experience | 40% |
| Price | 30% |
| TOTAL | 100% |
VII. Deadline for application
The applicant must submit the required documents no later than 25.02.2021, 11:59 PM, on the following e-mail: applications@nms.org.mk with subject line Mentor Academy for Public Policy (name and surname).
* NYCM reserves the right to extend the deadline for application, if needed.
Анекс 1-Образец за Краток документ за политики (Policy Brief)
НАСЛОВ
(насловот треба да е привлечен и интересен, да ја доловува суштината на проаката која сакате да ја пренесете)
- Резиме
(Треба да содржи: опис на конкретниот проблем на кој се однесува документот; зошто сегашниот пристап за прашањето/проблемот не е функционален; Кои се досегашните неуспеси? Опис на алтернативни решенија, опис на препорачано решение (Главниот фокус))
- Проблем – контекст и важност
(Детализирајте го проблемот и претставете го во локален котекст, како е важен за локалната заедница? Развијте ги основните причини за проблемот. Што довело до моменталните неуспеси во политиките кои ги застапуваме? Завршете со тоа какво влијание имаат овие неуспеси во политиките)
- Алтернативи – Солуции – Решенија
(претставете ги алтернативите/опциите/решенијата; кои принципи и аргументи за проценка се користат за да се проверат предложените алтернативи? зошто предложената алтернатива/ решение за решавање е најдобра/ подобра од останатите?)
- Препораки и активности
(кои се вашите препораки? ставете конкретни активности што треба да се преземат; финансиски импликации на предложененото решение како и временската рамка)
- ЗАБЕЛЕШКИ (опционално)
(Со цел текстот на резимето да остане краток и концизен, определете простор за вклучување на дополнителна поддршка).
- Извори
(референцирајте ги изворите кои ги користевте за пишување на документот)
Препорачуваме:
- Документ од 8-12 страници, Times new roman, фонт 11, проред 1.5.
- Ставете фотографии кои се релевантни на проблемот, користете бои, но сепак складни со проблемот и решенија кои ги претставувате. Илустрации и фотографии се надвор од 8-12 страници текст.
