REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT

Selection of an Individual Consultant

Consultancy support to the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization, through the Smart Regulation and Growth Office, in advancing economic growth and competitiveness

World Bank Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Competitiveness Project

REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA Sector: General industry and trade sector IDA Credit No. 71740 IBRD Loan No. 94230 Project ID No. P177895 Reference No. MD-CEP- 537246-CS-INDV

The Republic of Moldova has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Competitiveness Project (MSME) and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

The consulting services (“the Services”) include services aimed to providing high-level facilitation and strategic support to the Smart Regulation and Growth Delivery Office (SRGO) and bridge the gap between policy design and business reality to ensure the transparent and efficient implementation of the Growth Dashboard agenda. By providing a structured feedback loop, the expert ensures that MDED’s led reforms are not only compliant with EU law but also supportive of local business competitiveness.

The assignment will be implemented in the period April to December 31, 2026, with an estimated level of effort of app. 195 man-days.

The Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment is attached to this request for expressions of interest.

The Project Implementation Unit of the MSME Competitiveness Project now invites eligible individual local consultants (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.

The qualifications requirements are:

 University degree (Master's or equivalent degree preferred) in economics, international trade, law, public administration, or a related field.  Deep understanding of the Moldovan business environment and EU integration processes (specifically Single Market standards).  Relevant experience in smart regulation, e.g. regulatory impact assessment (RIA), administrative simplification, monitoring and evaluation, or related public policy fields.  At least 10 years of professional experience in working with public authorities and institutions, including in policy analysis.  Proven ability to moderate diverse groups (government officials and business leaders) and reach a consensus.  Previous work with public private dialog platforms or international trade projects is highly preferred.  Excellent communication and presenting skills.  Fluency in Romanian and English. Similar fluency in Russian will be considered an asset.

The Consultant shall provide relevant references to confirm the experience and qualifications. The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” November 2020 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the „Open Competitive Selection of Individual Consultants” method set out in the Procurement Regulations and to be specifically set out in the Request for submission of the technical and financial proposal.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours.

The applications should include a letter of Expression of Interest, CV, and related recommendation letters, if any, together with a copy of CV in MS WORD format.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by March 19, 2026, COBD, indicating the assignment title in subject line.

Project Implementation Unit of the MSME Competitiveness Project 180, Stefan cel Mare Ave., office 815, MD-2004, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova Tel: + 373 22 296-723;
e-mail: piu@mded.gov.md with cc: procurementmgf@gmail.com web: https://uipac.md/   TERMS OF REFERENCE Consultancy support to the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization, through the Smart Regulation and Growth Office, in advancing economic growth and competitiveness A. Background & Project description The Government of the Republic of Moldova (GoM) is pursuing a policy agenda to support export-led economic growth. In this regard, an improved business environment is essential to foster sustainable private sector growth. Significant regulatory and institutional weaknesses in the business environment have been identified by the recently conducted Investment Climate Assessment as major obstacles to the private sector’s ability to perform efficiently and grow, and they also negatively affect investor confidence. The presence of cumbersome regulations undermines the competitiveness of private Moldovan enterprises and prevents increased investment by increasing the cost of doing business. In order to sustain the results of the previous programs implemented and to support the continued implementation of reforms to create a more favorable business environment and facilitate export promotion, the Government of the Republic of Moldova has expressed a strong desire for a project that takes a more comprehensive approach to business competitiveness and has therefore negotiated funding from the International Development Association for the cost of implementing the Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (MSME) Competitiveness Project. The MSME’s project development objectives (PDO) are: (i) to reduce the regulatory burden, increase access to finance, increase the export competitiveness of Moldovan enterprises, and (ii) in case of an Eligible Crisis or Emergency, to respond promptly and effectively to it. The project consists of the following components: Component 1 – Regulatory reform and Digitization. This component supports GoM in reducing the regulatory burden on businesses by further digitization both at the national and local levels, enhancing and digitizing inspection services, improving interoperability and integrated service delivery for businesses, simplifying the regulatory environment, and improving the National Quality Infrastructure System (NQI). Component 2 – Access to Finance. This component aims to support the CGF under the Organization for Entrepreneurial Development (ODA) in providing financial guarantees to MSMEs, to deliver more effective programs and assistance that have positive spillovers for the growth of MSMEs and export-oriented sectors to expand the business, enter new markets, start new export activities, and introduce new technologies needed for productivity gains. Component 3 – MSME Development and Export Competitiveness, focusing on supporting firms through matching grants, export readiness, supplier linkages, and export promotion programs. The objectives of this component are linked with GoM’s goals of simplifying the rules for MSME operation, supporting business establishment, growth and internationalization, enabling more efficient support programs for MSMEs, as well as facilitating the inflow of investments. Component 4 – Contingency Emergency Response (CERC). This is an unfunded contingency component that can be activated in case of a relevant emergency event. Following an eligible crisis or emergency, the Borrower may request the World Bank to reallocate Project funds to support an emergency response. Once triggered, this component will be drawn from the uncommitted loan resources under the Project to address the emergency. B. Background of the assignment Moldova is entering a decisive phase of economic transformation in which accelerating reforms, reducing bureaucracy, and improving the quality and predictability of the business environment are essential to raising productivity, investment, and ultimately - GDP growth and people’s wellbeing. To translate reform commitments into measurable results in competitiveness, administrative efficiency, and ease of doing business, the Government requires a single, disciplined “orchestrator” that aligns regulation, delivery discipline, and growth priorities across institutions and ensures consistent follow-through. Accordingly, the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization (MDED) is establishing the Smart Regulation and Growth Office (SRGO) as a coordination and performance unit, mandated to drive coherent policy direction across ministries and agencies, measure institutional performance through KPIs, and ensure follow-through and support on reforms and high-impact projects. The World Bank financed MSME Project will support the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization (MDED) to establish and operationalize the Smart Regulation and Growth Office (SRGO) as its smart regulation and economic growth delivery unit to help MDED deploy economic growth above the baseline GDP growth scenario for the following 3 years (baseline real GDP growth rates of 1.5%, 1.8%, and 2.0% per year, respectively, subject to official macro assumptions). The SRGO is established with a clear mandate, high-skill delivery capacity, and fit-for-purpose tools to monitor, report, and follow up on institutional performance, to help government institutions implement prioritized reforms more consistently and at higher speed and quality. This will reduce regulatory and administrative burdens, improve the predictability and efficiency of public services, and strengthen the enabling environment for private sector investment and expansion. By enabling smarter regulation, better policy coordination, and stronger delivery discipline, SRGO will help remove constraints that limit business upgrading, adoption of new technologies, and scaling into higher-value activities. As Moldova aligns institutions and rules with the EU acquis and the EU Single Market, regulatory convergence will also reduce local administrative and regulatory particularities generating corruption, and thus uncertainty and compliance costs for international firms, reinforcing Moldova’s positioning as a predictable, rules-based investment location connected to a large European market. By strengthening strategic communication and public engagement around reforms, results, and opportunities supported by transparent performance reporting, SRGO will help reinforce investor confidence and increase the uptake of new financing, innovation, and export-oriented mechanisms. Thus, the initiative’s strategic objectives are to align SRGO’s operations with economic growth by contributing to and monitoring the implementation of the Growth Dashboard agenda, recently launched by the Deputy Prime Minister. SRGO will do this by combining the following approaches: (a) public-private dialogue, evidence and roadmaps, (b) a performance monitoring mechanism (KPIs + reporting), and (c) targeted coordination, resources attraction and nursery for high-impact reforms and initiatives. To bolster the business community’s participation in policymaking and trade harmonization, the SRGO will collaborate closely with the Economic Council to the Prime Minister (EC), which also functions as the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC). This partnership provides the essential institutional framework for transparent, evidence-based collaboration between the Government, the private sector, and international development partners. By utilizing the EC/NTFC as a strategic "clearing house," the SRGO ensures that reforms under the National Programme for Accession (NPA) and the EU Growth Plan undergo rigorous private-sector validation. This synergy is designed to minimize regulatory friction and ensure that Moldova’s convergence with European standards serves as a direct catalyst for national competitiveness and sustainable economic expansion. Within this framework, the Government is seeking the support of the MSME Project in hiring and financing a Growth and Competitiveness Expert for the SRGO (hereinafter Consultant). This specialist will use high-level public-private dialogue to keep policies grounded in market needs and moderate strategic exchanges to strengthen local competitiveness through EU Single Market alignment. C. Objectives of the Assignment The main objective of the assignment is to provide high-level facilitation and strategic support to the Smart Regulation and Growth Delivery Office (SRGO) and bridge the gap between policy design and business reality to ensure the transparent and efficient implementation of the Growth Dashboard agenda. By providing a structured feedback loop, the expert ensures that MDED’s led reforms are not only compliant with EU law but also supportive of local business competitiveness. D. Tasks to be performed by the Consultant (Scope of the Work) The Consultant will work in direct coordination with the Head of the SRGO, the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM), minister of MDED, focusing on the following core tasks: • Facilitate High-Level Dialogue, organize and moderate meetings of the Economic Council/NTFC platform, ensuring a structured exchange between the Government and the business community. • Formulate meeting agendas based on a dual-input model: Government reform priorities and the real needs of the business sector to avoid policy-reality gaps. • Support EU Integration Stages by fostering robust public-private dialogue on EU integration, contributing towards transparent communication on Moldova's accession progress and that the perspectives and concerns of Moldovan businesses are integrated into the process. • Enhance Business Competitiveness by driving dialogue on structural reforms necessary to increase the competitiveness of Moldovan businesses within the EU Single Market context. • Act as a technical liaison between the DPM/MDED, SRGO and private sector stakeholders to move priority growth initiatives from policy intent to measurable results and to ensure reform implementation is both transparent and practical. E. Key Deliverables During the implementation of the assignment, the Consultant will provide, inter alia, the following deliverables: • A structured plan for EC/NTFC meetings aligned with the Government reform priorities and the real needs of the business sector. • Concise summary reports from EC/NTFC sessions highlighting business community concerns and proposed regulatory solutions. • Tracking the progress of public-private consultations conducted on the EC/NTFC platform, mapped across the EU Accession Chapters relevant to the MDED and the Growth Dashboard agenda. • Regular progress inputs to SRGO reporting and coordination routines.

F. Reporting Arrangements / Terms of Payment The Consultant will submit monthly reports, which will state activities performed by the Consultant according to the TOR, during the appropriate month, the time spent on each activity. The Consultant will attach to the monthly reports, the materials developed as he/she carried out the activities (deliverables). The Consultant shall coordinate the reports/deliverables with the Head of SRGO and the MEDD. The payments will be made by the PIU based on the reports approved by the MDED’ assigned person. All deliverables will be provided in electronic form and in hard copies. The language of the deliverables shall be Romanian. G. Period of the Assignment The assignment requires a full-time involvement and will be implemented in the period from April to December 31, 2026 with an estimated level of effort of app. 195 man-days. The contract can be extended beyond this term, subject to the MEDD’s needs and Consultant’ satisfactory performance. H. Requirements for the assignment The implementation of this assignment will require services of an individual local consultant with relevant expertise in the field of the assignment, who has experience in providing similar or like services, and who has: • University degree (Master's or equivalent degree preferred) in economics, international trade, law, public administration, or a related field. • Deep understanding of the Moldovan business environment and EU integration processes (specifically Single Market standards). • Relevant experience in smart regulation, e.g. regulatory impact assessment (RIA), administrative simplification, monitoring and evaluation, or related public policy fields. • At least 10 years of professional experience in working with public authorities and institutions, including in policy analysis. • Proven ability to moderate diverse groups (government officials and business leaders) and reach a consensus. • Previous work with public private dialog platforms or international trade projects is highly preferred. • Excellent communication and presenting skills. • Fluency in Romanian and English. Similar fluency in Russian will be considered an asset.

I. Terms of payment The Contract will be the standard World Bank time-based contract.