REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

SAINT LUCIA

OECS DATA FOR DECISION MAKING PROJECT

Assignment Title: National Strategy for the Development of Statistics NSDS Coordinator for Saint Lucia

Reference No.: SLU-DDM-CS-NSDS-04-24

The OECS Data for Decision Making (DDM) Project is a regional project that seeks to improve the capacity of participating Eastern Caribbean countries to produce and publicly disseminate statistical data for country and regional level analytics. It will be implemented by Saint Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the OECS Commission. The project seeks to achieve its objective by strengthening both national and regional level capacities and fostering regional coordination. At the national level, Component 1 and Component 2 of the project will strengthen national statistical systems through (i) statistical modernization and capacity building, and (ii) data production, analysis, and dissemination, with a focus on the population and housing census, living conditions surveys, labor market surveys, and agricultural census. At the regional level, Component 3 of the project will support the OECS Commission’s mandate for regional integration and the strengthening of the regional statistical system. Component 4 will support project implementation, and Component 5 will provide a contingency option for immediate surge funding in the event of a national emergency. The project is to be implemented over a five-year period commencing in 2022.

Saint Lucia, like other Small Island Developing States (SIDs), faces increasing demand for high-quality statistical data to support evidence-based decision-making at national, regional, and international levels. The adoption of a Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics (RSDS) by the OECS Commission in 2015 provided the foundation for Saint Lucia’s ongoing efforts to develop its National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS). Supported by international technical assistance and guided by assessments of the National Statistical System (NSS), this initiative aims to enhance statistical governance and capacity to align with the nation's development priorities and emerging global standards. The development of the NSDS is also supported by the OECS Data for Decision Making (DDM) project, funded by the World Bank. The Project seeks to recruit an individual consultant to act as NSDS Coordinator and support the CSO in developing the NSDS

The Consultant will be required to work closely with the Director of the CSO and any other staff assigned to support the task. The expected activities to be carried out by the consultant are:

1. Organize and facilitate at least three (3) multi-stakeholder workshops within the first quarter of the assignment to validate the NSS assessment findings and collect input for the NSDS strategic document.
2. Update the roadmap for the implementation of the NSDS, including costing of the NSDS coordination activities (such as consultation and promotion exercises), and preparing a budget for approval by the Director of the CSO;
3. Draft the NSDS strategic document and develop an associated action plan that outlines costs and provides an overall budget. The consultant will adhere to the following guidelines:
   1. Reflect the inputs of the different stakeholders;
   2. Ensure consistency with the Paris21 principles and guidelines and the Code of good practice in statistics for Latin America and the Caribbean;
   3. Incorporate priority data and statistical capacity needs identified in the NSS assessment;
   4. Align with Saint Lucia’s Medium-term Development Strategy;
   5. Collaborate with international development partner institutions, such as the World Bank and the UN group, and bilateral development partners.
   6. Ensure that the NSDS covers recent developments and emerging issues through innovations at institutional, organizational and technological level.
4. Facilitate the promotion of the NSDS at the highest level through consultations with the political directorate and governments senior officials;
5. In collaboration with the CSO and the Project Communication and Publicity Consultant support the launch of the NSDS.
6. The NSDS Coordinator will report to the Director of the CSO.

The consultancy is expected to be conducted over a period of ten (10) months. The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment may be requested from the following email address: vernecia.badal@govt.lc.

The Department of Economic Development now invites eligible individual consultants (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested Individual Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services; (Curriculum Vitae with supporting certified copies of qualifications, description of similar assignments, etc).

Interested Consultants should have the following requisite minimum qualifications and professional experiences listed below for undertaking the assignment.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR SELECTION OF AN INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT ARE:

Mandatory

• Master’s Degree in Statistics, Economics, Public Policy, Public Administration or equivalent qualifications from a recognized institution;
• Demonstrated expertise in the design and required content of an NSDS and preferably prior experience drafting NSDS in other countries
• At least 10 years’ experience in Project Management
• Experience in organizing or leading at least three major stakeholder engagement processes
• Demonstrated communication skills through preparation of communication plan and or campaign materials for at least one professional assignment;
• At least 5 years’ experience working in the field of official statistics, economic development or research.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 3.16 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (Procurement Regulations) fifth edition, September 2023, setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

The consultant will be selected through the “Individual Consultant Selection method” in accordance with the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (Procurement Regulations), September 2023.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (0800 to 1600 hours).

Expressions of interest must be submitted using Government of Saint Lucia Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) System - https://in-tendhost.co.uk/goslprocurement/ by Monday 20th January , 2025 at 9:30 a.m.

Terms of Reference

National Strategy for the Development of Statistics NSDS Coordinator for Saint Lucia Organization of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Data for Decision Making Project

1. BACKGROUND

Saint Lucia, like other Small Island Developing States (SIDs), faces increasing demand for high-quality statistical data to support evidence-based decision-making at national, regional, and international levels. The adoption of a Regional Strategy for the Development of Statistics (RSDS) by the OECS Commission in 2015 provided the foundation for Saint Lucia’s ongoing efforts to develop its National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (NSDS). Supported by international technical assistance and guided by assessments of the National Statistical System (NSS), this initiative aims to enhance statistical governance and capacity to align with the nation's development priorities and emerging global standards.

With technical assistance from the Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century (PARIS21), an assessment of Saint Lucia’s National Statistical System (NSS) was conducted in 2021/2022. Following this assessment, Saint Lucia, initiated the development of its NSDS through a collaborative process involving key stakeholders, such as statistical units in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), academia and civil society organizations. PARIS21 provided further technical assistance to guide the design, development, and implementation of the NSDS. From the collaboration with PARIS21, the Saint Lucia Central Statistics Office (CSO), with technical assistance, prepared a Road Map with timelines to guide the NSDS processes. The CSO is currently supporting some ministries and agencies in the development of their action plans as an input to the Strategy.

The CSO of Saint Lucia has established an interim working group comprising CSO staff members to support the preparatory activities for the implementation of the NSDS. This group will be re-structured to include members of relevant line ministries and will spearhead the NSDS activities in the various MDAs. The development of the NSDS is also supported by the OECS Data for Decision Making (DDM) project, which aims to improve the capacity of participating Eastern Caribbean countries to produce and disseminate statistical data. Funded by the World Bank, the project is implemented by Grenada, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the OECS Commission.

The following actions are expected inter alia to ensure the completion and the launch of the NSDS in Saint Lucia.

• Update of the NSDS roadmap
• Stakeholder consultations and engagement to validate the NSS assessment findings and collect input for the NSDS strategic document
• Engagement for high-level consultations with political directorates and senior officials
• Definition of the NSDS strategic framework
• Facilitate the updating of the draft Implementation Plan
• Completion of the NSDS Actions Plans by the MDAs
• Completion of the draft NSDS Strategy
• Design a system to monitor and evaluate the NSDS implementation
• Launch of the Saint Lucia NSDS

The Project seeks to recruit an individual consultant to act as NSDS Coordinator and support the CSO in developing the NSDS outlined in the scope of services below.

2.     SCOPE OF SERVICES

The Consultant is expected to be guided by the PARIS21 NSDS life cycle: https://nsdsguidelines.paris21.org/nsds-lifecycle/design-stage

The scope of services includes:

1. Organize and facilitate at least three (3) multi-stakeholder workshops within the first quarter of the assignment to validate the NSS assessment findings and collect input for the NSDS strategic document.
2. Update the roadmap for the implementation of the NSDS, including costing of the NSDS coordination activities (such as consultation and promotion exercises), and preparing a budget for approval by the Director of the CSO;
3. Draft the NSDS strategic document and develop an associated action plan that outlines costs and provides an overall budget. The consultant will adhere to the following guidelines:
   1. Reflect the inputs of the different stakeholders;
   2. Ensure consistency with the Paris21 principles and guidelines and the Code of good practice in statistics for Latin America and the Caribbean;
   3. Incorporate priority data and statistical capacity needs identified in the NSS assessment;
   4. Align with Saint Lucia’s Medium-term Development Strategy;
   5. Collaborate with international development partner institutions, such as the World Bank and the UN group, and bilateral development partners.
   6. Ensure that the NSDS covers recent developments and emerging issues through innovations at institutional, organizational and technological level.
4. Facilitate the promotion of the NSDS at the highest level through consultations with the political directorate and governments senior officials;
5. In collaboration with the CSO and the Project Communication and Publicity Consultant support the launch of the NSDS.
6. The NSDS Coordinator will report to the Director of the CSO.

III.            QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Master’s Degree in Statistics, Economics, Public Policy, Public Administration or equivalent qualifications from a recognized institution;
• Demonstrated expertise in the design and required content of an NSDS and preferably prior experience drafting NSDS in other countries
• At least 10 years’ experience in Project Management
• Experience in organizing or leading at least three major stakeholder engagement processes
• Demonstrated communication skills through preparation of communication plan and or campaign materials for at least one professional assignment;
• At least 5 years’ experience working in the field of official statistics, economic development or research.