Local Consultant for SME Promotion Advisor (JICA Expert) at ODA

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Title of the Position: Local Consultant

Supervisor: SME Promotion Advisor

Location: ODA Office in Chisinau

Remuneration: Up to USD 2,000 per month

Appointment Duration: 11 months, from early/mid-May 2025 to 31 March 2026

Note: This contract may be extended for one additional year, subject to the consultant’s performance and the mutual agreement of both parties.

Background:

The SME Promotion Advisor has been dispatched by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to the Organization for Entrepreneurship Development (ODA) under a Technical Cooperation Agreement between the two countries. The advisor is responsible for strengthening the capacity of consultation services provided by ODA and Business Incubators (BIs).

Scope of Services:

The consultant is expected to work under the supervision of the advisor and carry out the following duties and responsibilities:

• Provide support for activities related to the promotion of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), such as surveys, training sessions, and business support initiatives conducted by the advisor;
• Offer interpretation services for the advisor’s SME promotion-related activities;
• Assist in the collection and analysis of data related to SME promotion;
• Support procurement and accounting tasks;
• Perform additional duties, including administrative tasks and logistical support, as assigned by the advisor;
• Accompany the advisor on business trips to provide the above services (all expenses will be covered).

Person-Month: 11 MM

Deliverable: Monthly work logs

Essential Qualifications, Skills, and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in business management, economics, engineering, or another relevant field;
• High proficiency in English and experience in interpretation between Romanian and English;
• Proficiency in Russian is an asset;
• Experience and knowledge of SME support is an asset;
• Familiarity with transparent working practices, ensuring quality performance and output in cooperation with the advisor and colleagues at ODA and BIs;
• Ability to carry out administrative work in a transparent and efficient manner.

Preparation of Proposals:

JICA adopts a Quality and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS) method for this consultancy. The evaluation will be conducted in three stages:

Stage 1: Evaluation of the Technical Proposal (CV and Motivation Letter)

Stage 2: Evaluation of the Presentation (Interview) based on the Technical Proposal, conducted with shortlisted candidates

Stage 3: Evaluation of the Financial Proposal (Monthly Remuneration up to USD 2,000)

Applicants must submit both a Technical Proposal and a Financial Proposal in English.

Technical Proposal must include:

CV indicating all previous positions held, academic background, and contact information;

Motivation Letter explaining why the candidate considers themselves suitable for this consultancy (maximum 2 pages).

Financial Proposal must include:

The proposed monthly remuneration for the consultancy (maximum: USD 2,000).

Note: The final evaluation will be based on 80% Technical Score and 20% Financial Score.

Submission of Proposals:

Candidates with relevant qualifications and experience are invited to submit their Technical and Financial Proposals to:

katsuya.kasai@oda.md / katsuyakasai@gmail.com

by 24:00 on 1 May 2025.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the next stage.