A. BACKGROUND

The World Bank (WB) and the European Union (EU) have been implementing a new hybrid Trust Fund (TF)-financed Strengthening Governance in Mongolia (SGM) project aimed to support the efforts of the Government of Mongolia (GOM) to improve fiscal discipline, public financial management (PFM), as well as transparency and accountability processes for strengthened governance in Mongolia. 

This TF, through both Recipient Executed (RE) and Bank Executed (BE) interventions, serves two main purposes. Firstly, it complements and expands the ongoing technical assistance the WB is providing through the Strengthening Fiscal and Financial Stability (SFFS) Project. Secondly, this TF supports the GOM in advancing the current efforts toward increasing transparency, participation, and accountability in fiscal matters as well as in strengthening its capacity to deal with non-technical drivers of the reform process that prevent state agencies from implementing policies and regulations as intended. Sub-Component 1.4 “Research and Analysis Capacity for Sound Fiscal and Financial Policy” aims at improving macroeconomic and fiscal management through adequate economic researches and analyses. 

Nowadays, the policymakers, experts, and specialists are performing daily activities doing statistical analysis of the interrelationships between sector programs, budget and finances and their effectiveness, to develop new policy models based on statistical estimation and assessment, and developing future strategic plans based on the results. 

There are numerous economic analytical tools to perform data analyses and macroeconomic forecasting which are being updated and improved day by day. Especially, among these tools the R program is widely used by researchers in the field of economic and social sciences.  

R program offers a wide variety of statistics-related libraries and provides a favorable environment for statistical computing and design. In addition, many quantitative analysts use the R programming language as a programming tool for data importing and cleaning. It performs an analysis and draws conclusions more accurately when working with complex relationships in data; it offers powerful and sophisticated univariate and multivariate analysis, forecasting and visualization techniques. Therefore, there is a need to improve the research and analytical skills and capacity building on R program for the staff of the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

It is expected that as a result of the data analysis training, the research and analytical capacity of the MOF staff will be enhanced to:

• analyze raw data effectively, perform an analysis and draw conclusions more accurately when working with complex relationships in data; 
• identify the coherence between the programs implemented and develop new policy models based on statistical estimation and assessment; 
• make projections based on data using the R program (forecasting inflation, economic growth, fiscal income, expenditure, fiscal balance, balance of payments, external trade); and
• make policy scenario analysis (developing macroeconomic models, calibration, simulation and forecasting, analyzing fiscal income and expenditures, impact of import product prices on inflation).

B. OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The purpose of the training is to provide software programming skills to officials of the MOF to analyze and visualize data in the public sector statistical database and to enhance capacity of policymakers in predicting future risks and formulating policy options using the R software program. 

C. SCOPE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The assignment will be comprised of two parts:

• Preparation and delivery of classroom training by 5 modules; and 
• Sessions on discussion and application of the software.

Part 1 

The professional entity or the training center should conduct 5 modules training on R software program and data scenario, and calibration and simulation analyses in accordance with the training program. 

The MOF will provide the professional entity with a list of candidates for the training. The selected candidates should be responsible for the finance and fiscal researches working in the MOF and the relevant organization. The candidates also should accept the terms of the contract, and attend the training with full attendance. The training center should keep a record of participation and inform/consult the MOF management in the case of repetitive staff absence. The training center should provide certificates to the candidates upon passing their assessment exam.  

The training center will be responsible for the following tasks for this assignment. These include i) preparing the training program, schedule, and handouts; and ii) installing R software programs to conduct training. The training center will undertake the following tasks:

Task I. Develop training programs, schedules, and handouts for the selected trainees in consultation with the MOF and conduct the training. The training program should include 5 modules on the following topics:

a) Core training on R software (R program function, reading data, writing data, making graphs using GGPLOT2, data cleaning using TIDYR, DPLYR); 

b) Intermediate training on R software: 

• Making graphs using GGPLOT2, DPLY; 
• Importing data into R program using TIDYVERSE;
• Checking conditions, using “logic operator”, “loop”, “while for” functions 
• Data analysis

c) Making projections based on data (forecasting inflation, economic growth, fiscal income, expenditure, fiscal balance, balance of payments, external trade)

d) Practical training on application of R on policy scenario analysis performed by the trainees (fiscal and macroeconomic data analyses practices, calibration, simulation and forecasting,); and

e) Practical training on application of R on budget impact analysis on the macroeconomy and policy scenario analysis performed by trainees (e.g; impact of import product prices on inflation)

Task II. Provide course materials/manuals for the trainees in their use; install R software on the trainees’ laptops or on their office computers. Prepare a detailed training report including the training pictures, and attendance sheets of the trainees. 

Part 2

The MOF in collaboration with the professional entity or the training center will organize separate sessions on discussion and application of the software for the trainees and other relevant specialists of the MOF to enable the trainees to perform practical exercises on application of the R program and discuss and consult with the trainers on likely issues that may be raised in the application of the software in their workplace. The discussion sessions will be conducted 2 times: 

• The 1st session after the first two modules; and 
• The 2nd session after completion of all 5 modules as a wrap-up of the training. 

Task I. The training center in consultation with the MOF will prepare PPTs, exercises and hand-outs for discussion sessions and conduct the sessions. 

D. DELIVERABLES

In order to ensure the quality of the deliverables, all deliverables should be discussed with relevant officials of MOF and incorporate the comments:

Deliverables for Part 1.

1. Tailored training programs prepared together with the exercises and schedules for the participants;
2. Training handouts, PPTs, and course materials/manuals for applying the R software for data analysis; 
3. Copies of the signed contracts with the candidates; 
4. An official letter to MOF on installation of the R software on the trainees’ computers;
5. The 5 modules delivered and exams conducted;
6. Trainer’s evaluation and recommendation on the application of the R program on the practical cases performed by trainees;
7. Detailed training report including the training pictures, exam assessment, and attendance sheets of the trainees; and 
8. Copies of training certificates.

Deliverables for Part 2:

1. PPTs, exercises and hand-outs for 2 sessions; and
2. Delivery of 2 sessions.

E. CONSULTANT’S QUALIFICATIONS/ SELECTION CRITERIA  

Organization experience: The training center should have at least 5 years of relevant experience in conducting training in R software programs. The organization shall meet the following criteria: 

• Authorized training center or NGO; 
• The training center should have at least 5 years of experience in Computer Applications and Software and Statistic training;
• The training center should train trainees one-on-one, or in a group format;
• The training center should have competent advanced experienced training team and training instructors.

Trainer :

    Education: The trainer should have at least a master’s degree in business , or economics, or statistics.

    Experience: The trainer should have at least 10 years of the field of R software programs and other modern technologies and relevant professional experiences. 

    Language skills: Excellent verbal skills in Mongolian.

   Other: Instructors of statistics and IT will be advantaged. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to train people effectively and to collaborative in a team environment. Have the ability to perform and manage high-quality training in a relatively short period.

F. SUPERVISION AND REPORTING

The trainer will report directly to the Director General of the Financial and Fiscal Research Department (FFRD), MOF.  The trainer will work on a day-to-day basis under the guidance of the Director General of FFRD, MOF on technical matters related to the assignment. Work progress will be presented during the training or other meetings as needed.   

The Director of FFRD shall evaluate the performance on the agreed deliverables and approve the invoices for the delivered outputs.   

The consultant shall provide a 2-3 pages summary progress report detailing the achievements and impediments in executing the entire assignment effectively.  The MOF and SGM PIU will provide input to the evaluation of the consultant’s performance. 

G.CONTRACT DURATION

The expected commencement date of the contract is December 2022.  The contract will have a duration through February 2023.

If any task is not finished and approved by the Client within the agreed-upon timeline, the consultant should complete the task/s without any additional cost.

Payment is a lump sum and will be released upon completion and submission of the deliverable, according to the following schedule:

• Submission of Deliverable 1 stated in the ToR conditional on the Client’s approval: 30 % of the total contract amount.

• Submission of Deliverable 2 stated in the ToR conditional on the Client’s approval: 55 % of the total contract amount.

• Submission of Deliverable 3 stated in the ToR conditional on the Client’s approval: 15 % of the total contract amount.

H. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

The training center will provide office space for the clients and to cooperate with them for successful training.  The trainer will have access to all necessary data and information.  

If you possess the above qualifications, please submit the following documents via email to procurement@sffs.mn:

1. Cover letter indicating why she/he considers her/himself suitable for the position.

2. Detailed CV highlighting relevant skills/experience.

3. Copy of diplomas or certificates; and,

4. Two (2) reference letters from previous last two employers no later than 15:00 PM, December 22, 2022.

The consultant will be selected in accordance with the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (July 2016).

The submitted documents will not be returned to the applicants. Please be noted that incomplete applications would not be considered for evaluation. Only selected candidate will be contacted. Address for submission of Expression of Interest: Ms.Zolzaya.B, Procurement Specialist, Strengthening Fiscal and Financial Stability Project, Room #205, Negdsen undestnii 8/2, 4th khoroo, Chingeltei District, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Tel: 70120582 or via email to: procurement@sffs.mn

70120582