International Consultant on Gender-Responsive Public Procurement

Description

Background:

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

In Moldova, promoting gender equality is a national priority aligned with the UN Women Strategic Note (2023–2027) and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.

Gender-responsive public procurement (GRP) is a key tool to advance women's economic empowerment, increase participation of women-led enterprises in public tenders, and integrate gender equality into supply chains and public spending. 

Gender-responsive procurement (GRP) as part of the women’s empowerment principles, is a powerful tool to boost women's economic empowerment, promote gender equality, and build more equitable societies. It contributes to the implementation of the Women Empowerment Principle nr. 5 “Implement enterprise development, supply chain and marketing practices that empower women” aiming to facilitate the participation of women-led small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in public procurement, infusing gender equality throughout the supply chain, diversifying male-dominated sectors, and supporting supply chain diversification, among other initiatives. Gender-responsive procurement should be understood not only as supporting women-led businesses to get public procurement contracts, but also as supporting gender-responsive enterprises regardless of ownership, thereby potentially allowing all women and men to benefit from decent business and employment opportunities.

GRP involves promoting women's participation in procurement processes, reducing the wage gap, creating decent business and fair employment opportunities for women, supporting women-led businesses, promoting diversity and inclusion, training and education programming, mentoring provision and support for women, and gender impact assessment and reporting. These measures are aimed at ensuring a fair approach to gender in the world of work and facilitating equal access to employment opportunities. 

Rationale 

GRP is a relatively new concept for Moldova. Some of the international corporations in Moldova implement it as part of their CSR commitments at regional and international level. However, the level of public procurement in Moldova GRP is not directly considered. The need to integrate gender-responsive measures in public procurement was identified and agreed upon by the members of the Economic Council under the Prime Minister and, as a result, included in the Road Map on Women Economic Empowerment of the Economic Council.

By incorporating gender equality measures into the public procurement process, GRP supports the socio-economic benefits of gender equality. Positively impacting the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita and promoting economic growth, implementing gender equality measures in procurement enhances the economy's productivity, resulting in improved quality and pricing of goods and services.

Promoting gender-sensitive public procurement is a crucial element in advancing gender equality and implementing principles of women's empowerment in the Republic of Moldova. By ensuring that public procurement processes consider gender perspectives, Moldova can fulfill its international commitments to gender equality and contribute to creating a more inclusive and just society. The Republic of Moldova has a legal framework for public procurement, such as Law 131/2015 on public procurement, based on international standards, specifically Directive 2014/24/EU regarding public procurement. At the same time, there are other normative acts and policy documents indispensable to the regulation, implementation, and promotion of GRP, such as Law No. 74 of 21-05-2020 regarding procurement in energy sectors, water, transport, and postal services; Law No. 125 of 02-06-2016 on the accession of the Republic Moldova to the Agreement on public procurement and to the Agreement regarding public procurement modified by Protocol; Government Decision no. 1419 of 28.12.2016 for approval Regulation on contract planning of public procurements, etc. 

In consideration of the factors highlighted above, UN Women seeks to develop a series of measures aiming to promote and advance to new level the GRP. The core of this effort lies in enhancing the capacities of crucial institutions such as the Ministry of Finance and other relevant bodies by actively fostering a transformative approach. This multifaceted endeavor encompasses skill development, policy and legal framework refinement, and the establishment of robust frameworks to ensure sustained progress in gender-responsive procurement practices. The goal is to instigate a positive and lasting change beyond surface-level promotion, creating a meaningful impact in the landscape of GRP.

The expert will work under direct supervision of the UN Women responsible staff and in coordination with national experts.

The expert is expected to provide highly qualified industry experts for this assignment, with appropriate skills and expertise. The consultant will be reporting to Gender Specialist-Women Economic Empowerment and Resilience, and will be supported by Programme Associate, who will be the point of contact on the contract and payment issues. .

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

The primary objective of this assignment is to enhance the capacity of the Ministry of Finance and other relevant public entities in the Republic of Moldova to integrate gender considerations into their procurement regulations and practices, ensuring fairness and equal opportunities for women:

1.Support in reviewing public procurement legislation to integrate gender equality inclusion criteria: 

The consultant will provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Finance in operationalizing the provisions of the legal and policy framework related to gender-responsive inclusive public procurement. 

• Provide support in the analysis and revision of existing relevant policies related to public procurement, considering gender-responsive principles, and providing recommendations on their modification/adjustments;
• Develop proposals for at least four categories of gender-responsive procurement; 
• Elaborate, for each category: applicable evaluation criteria; evaluation factors and their weighting; methodology for scoring and calculation; selection criteria that may be applied by contracting authorities; 

2. Develop practical implementation tools for contracting authorities

The consultant will develop practical implementation tools to facilitate the consistent application of gender-responsive procurement provisions by contracting authorities.

The consultant will prepare:

• one practical implementation guide for each of the procurement categories covering the full procurement cycle (planning, tender preparation, evaluation, contract management and contract implementation); 
• model technical specifications and tender documentation for each procurement category; 
• standard clauses and templates that may be integrated into procurement documentation; 
• practical examples and case studies illustrating the application of the proposed methodology.

3. Support stakeholder consultations and validation of the proposed methodology

The consultant will facilitate consultations with public authorities, contracting authorities, civil society organizations, business associations and other relevant stakeholders to validate the proposed provisions and implementation tools.

The consultant will:

• facilitate technical consultations; 
• incorporate comments received during consultations; 
• support the Ministry of Finance in finalizing the methodological provisions and practical tools.

4. Strengthen institutional capacities for implementation of gender-responsive procurement

The consultant will support the Ministry of Finance and the Public Procurement Agency in strengthening the capacities of contracting authorities to effectively apply the new legal provisions.

The consultant will:

• develop a comprehensive training programme; 
• prepare training materials, presentations and practical exercises; 
• deliver Training-of-Trainers sessions and practical workshops; 
• develop frequently asked questions (FAQs), checklists and quick reference tools for practitioners. 

5. Develop monitoring and implementation support tools

The consultant will support the Ministry of Finance in developing practical mechanisms for monitoring the implementation of gender-responsive and socially inclusive procurement.

The consultant will:

• develop gender responsive monitoring indicators; 
• propose reporting templates; 
• prepare recommendations for integrating monitoring into existing procurement systems; 
• develop recommendations for periodic review and continuous improvement of implementation. 

6. Promote awareness and market readiness

The consultant will support activities aimed at increasing awareness among economic operators and encouraging the participation of women-owned businesses and socially responsible enterprises in public procurement.

The consultant will prepare:

• awareness materials for suppliers;
• guidance for women-owned enterprises;
• recommendations for increasing participation of women-owned businesses and underrepresented groups in public procurement.

Deliverable

Expected completion time (due day) 

1.Support in reviewing public procurement legislation to integrate gender equality criteria 

• Analysis and recommendations for legislative and regulatory amendments integrating gender-responsive and socially inclusive procurement principles developed and submitted to the Ministry of Finance, Stakeholder consultation reports and meeting summaries produced.
• Proposals for at least four categories of gender-responsive procurement, including applicable evaluation criteria; evaluation factors and their weighting; methodology for scoring and calculation; selection criteria that may be applied by contracting authorities;

August – September 2026

2. Develop practical implementation tools for contracting authorities

• one practical implementation guide for each of the procurement categories covering the full procurement cycle (planning, tender preparation, evaluation, contract management and contract implementation); 
• model technical specifications and tender documentation for each procurement category; 
• standard clauses and templates that may be integrated into procurement documentation; 
• practical examples and case studies illustrating the application of the proposed methodology.

August -October 2026

3. Support stakeholder consultations and validation of the proposed methodology

• Consultation package prepared and shared with stakeholders. 
• Technical consultations facilitated with relevant stakeholders. 
• Consultation report and comment resolution matrix submitted. 
• Final methodological provisions and practical tools submitted to the Ministry of Finance.

November – December 2026

4. Strengthen institutional capacities for implementation of gender-responsive procurement

• Training package:
• Training curriculum; 
• Training materials; 
• Case studies; 
• Practical exercises; 
• Workshop reports.

November 2026 – February 2027

5 Develop monitoring and implementation support tools

Monitoring framework:

• indicators; 
• reporting templates; 
• recommendations for implementation.

March -April 2027

All the deliverables should be agreed with UN Women and be provided in English in electronic formats.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy. 

As part of this assignment, no travel is envisaged. In the case of unforeseeable travel the related costs will be covered separately by the UN Women Moldova. 

Financial Arrangements

Payments shall be made following certification by UN Women that the services related to each deliverable, as described above, have been satisfactorily completed and the deliverables have been achieved by or before the specified due dates. Payment shall be made in one installment. 

Performance evaluation

The consultant’s performance will be evaluated against performance criteria such as timeliness, responsibility, initiative, communication, accuracy, and quality of the products delivered.

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework: 

Functional Competencies:

• Strong knowledge of public procurement systems and reform 
• Expertise in gender equality and gender mainstreaming 
• Experience in policy analysis and legislative review 
• Ability to design training and capacity-building programmes 
• Skills in monitoring, evaluation, and results-based management 
• Stakeholder engagement and facilitation skills

Required Qualifications

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree in public administration, social studies, finance, gender studies, and/or any other degree relevant to the requirements of the TOR; 
• A first-level university degree (bachelor's), combined with four additional years of qualifying experience, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of work experience in the public procurement system, including progressive expertise in gender-responsive procurement, etc is required.
• Previous experience working with public authorities to enhance their capacities and improve processes and strategies, preferably in the field of public procurement is required. 
• Work experience on previous projects in women’s empowerment and gender equality is an advantage, 
• Work experience on previous projects focusing on GRP is an advantage 

Languages:

• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of Romanian is an asset.

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.