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Country: Vientiane Capital, Laos

Description of the Assignment:

The objective of this assignment is to support the Government, particularly the Department of Planning in the Ministry of Planning and Investment (DOP-MPI), in the successful implementation of an inclusive, participatory, and transformative 10th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) formulation. The aim is to establish inclusive and sustainable development pathways that prioritize placing people at the core of the development process in alignment with the insights gleaned from the Mid-Term Review of the 9th NSEDP, fostering inclusive and sustainable development practices while being cognizant of the available and potential development financial resources. The 10th NSEDP should place people at the forefront of all initiatives, ensuring that their well-being and prosperity are the central focus of the nation’s development trajectory, and that the Government is provided with viable policy options to create conditions for such development pathways.

Scope of Work

The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the Department of Planning, MPI, and closely with UNDP’s Project Assurance team to provide strategic planning advisory to National Technical Team, leading the development of the 10th NSEDP. The consultant will be expected to develop an extensive consultative stakeholder network involving key development partners and UN agencies already involved in supporting the varied reforms / initiatives across the PFM lifecycle and investment climate reforms, including Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank, Japan, GGGI, and other bilateral agencies, as may be relevant. Over the assignment, the consultant will provide technical guidance and backstopping services to the DOP-MPI’s National Technical Team, who has been tasked to lead the consultations with line ministries and subnational authorities and lead the drafting of the 10th NSEDP. More specifically, the consultant is responsible for ensuring that the below four components are delivered, reviewed, and endorsed for implementation as follows:

1. Guide the preparation, refinement, and finalization of the 10th NSEDP outline and table of contents

The final outline / table of contents will be developed based on stakeholder consultations and informed by the final concept note and situation analyses, including the 9th NSEDP Mid-Term Review. This, and the ensuing plan, must internalize several characteristics of what can constitute a sound national development planning, consistent with the VDCAP. First is ensuring a country-owned preparation based on an inclusive process of dialogue and consultations. The results of which must be drawn up to a comprehensive situation analysis sufficient to inform the Lao PDR Vision 2030 and the SDGs. This means harmonizing the various sub-national aspirations, priorities, and contexts from locally generated and driven plans from across 17 provinces and 1 prefecture (the capital city region). Second is putting emphasis on linking evidence-based policy with results-based planning and financing / budgeting through the identification of priorities and targets that are fiscally attainable and results-focused. UNDP and UNICEF are supporting the Government on Results-based management training to support the 10th NSEDP formulation. These are expected to bring improvements to the quality of expenditure. Third is nurturing a culture of accountability and transparency to facilitate unlocking new sources of financing for inclusive development to provide for the necessity of building a strong monitoring and evaluation framework and data mechanisms.

2. Provide structure and methodology for conducting the stakeholder consultations for the 10th NSEDP formulation

The NPFID will support several types and rounds of consultations that will feed into the 10th NSEDP. These are at least 15 consultations between 2024 and 2026 and include visioning for spatial planning, validation / verification, and scenario setting; all of which are led by the DOP. About 60% of stakeholder consultations, specifically relating to spatial planning which will inform on comparative advantage of different regions of Laos, are being planned for this year. In addition, the Development Research Institute (DRI-MPI) as the Government’s research arm on planning and investment will undertake field surveys to contribute situation analysis; this is a key component of the medium-term plan. To be most effective and efficient, the consultant is expected to support and advise DOP-MPI to ensure that consultations open space for broad-based participation and representation of all stakeholders, including private sector representatives from key industry sectors, civil society organizations, youth groups, women, and disadvantaged groups, and the academe and research institutions. Specifically, the consultant is expected to support on:

· Conduct a mapping of relevant stakeholders from government, private sectors, donor community, Civil Society Organizations, relevant for consulting as part of the formulation of 10th NSEDP development.

· Based on the situation analysis and priority areas identified under component 1, formulate appropriate discussion formats appropriate for stakeholder discussion / write shop. This should include the preparation of guiding questions, preparation of thematic background notes which can be used to arrange stakeholder consultations.

· Provide facilitation support for hosting the stakeholder consultations for the National Technical Team, including capturing the key discussions under each thematic area.

3. Provide drafting guidance and quality assurance support to finalize the 10th NSEDP (main deliverable)

The consultant is required to advise the national technical and writing team in consolidating and making sense of the various inputs and benchmarking / data-driven processes from multiple sources and activities that are taking place simultaneously and sequentially, or closely interrelated. The results of the following NPFID activities must be synchronized with formulation of the outline:

· Ongoing internal capacity building to core DOP and line ministries on results-based management (RBM), foresight analysis, and gender equity and social inclusion (GESI) mainstreaming.

· Stakeholder consultations (as in item no. 2).

· Comprehensive baseline / situation analysis undertaken by the Development Research Institute (DRI-MPI).

· Mid-Term Review of the 9th NSEDP and from the lessons learnt from the implementation of the 9th NSEDP.

· Different aspects of the Round Table Process, including recently concluded events i.e., the Round Table Implementation Meeting 2023.

· Consultant’s own and independent consultations and collection of data and information, where deemed supplemental.

The consultant is also expected to provide advice to finalize the 10th NSEDP development and provide quality assurance to ensure the 10th NSEDP is focused and achievable reference document for the national development.

4. Provide recommendations on the way forward for full-scale implementation of a “new generation” of national development planning process

This involves establishing a detailed work plan for preparing and evaluating future National Socio-Economic Development Plans (NSEDPs) based on adjustments and improvements to current procedures. It also includes pilot testing certain procedural changes, such as implementing the 9th NSEDP Financing Strategy, to integrate a financing and budgeting framework into the 10th NSEDP. The consultant will also work to pinpoint operational obstacles and institutional limitations that hinder the Government from fully leveraging recent enhancements in the country’s systems, particularly the 9th NSEDP Financing Strategy.

Period of assignment/services: 60 working days.

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