USAID MISRA is looking for a Business analyst to conduct a needs assessment study for a case management system for the Competition Council in Moldova

Categorie: Angajări

Organizații vizate:

o    Agenția SUA pentru Dezvoltare Internațională (USAID)

o    Nathan Associates INC

SCOPE OF WORK

Position:                                 Business Analyst (International Consultant)

Project:                                    USAID Moldova Institutional and Structural Reforms Activity (MISRA) 

Location:                                 Chisinau, Moldova

Period of Performance:          January – May 2024

Total Level of Effort:               up to 50 days

Work Plan Activity:                 Task 2.2.4. (FY 2024 Work Plan): Enhancing efficiency and transparency of the Competition Council;

                                                Sub-task 2.2.4.5. Needs assessment for a case management system is elaborated.

Project Background

The USAID Moldova Institutional and Structural Reform Activity (MISRA) is a five-year project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Nathan Associates Inc. MISRA’s objective is to stimulate a sustainable and inclusive recovery from the regional crisis, improve the institutional, business, and trade enabling environment in Moldova by supporting Moldova’s public institutions and the private sector to accelerate the implementation of trade liberalization mechanisms, adopt structural and investment climate reforms, accelerate financial sector reforms, improve economic governance in the public sector, and enhance strategic communications between the private and public actors. MISRA builds on prior and ongoing USAID and US Government activities in the business enabling environment and trade facilitation space to strengthen Moldova’s economic growth and resilience, and by doing so, increase transparency and accountability.

MISRA is supporting structural reforms of the Government of Moldova’s regulatory and operational practices to improve trade and the business environment in support of job creation, investments, sustainable growth, and a quick economic recovery.

Overview

The Competition Council (CC) successor of the National Agency for Competition Protection (2007-2012) is responsible for enforcing and ensuring compliance with legislation related to competition, state aid, and advertising. As an autonomous body, it holds a crucial role in regulating and monitoring economic activities to ensure a competitive environment in Moldova. The CC holds the central position among public authorities overseeing competition, as it supervises markets in all areas of the national economy.

The CC ensures compliance with competition legislation through actions to prevent anti-competitive practices, eliminate competition infringements, and promote and enhance a culture of competition. However, only through cooperation with the business community, government authorities, media, civil society, can the CC maintain a fair competitive environment.  

Despite its central role in supervising and promoting economic activities in Moldova, the CC’s capacities are limited in performing its functions effectively. Therefore, the implementation of an automated management information system is an urgent need for the CC, beginning with a preliminary mapping and review of the internal processes and provision of recommendations for streamlining the processes for the purpose of digitalization. This exercise will set up the foundation of a further needs assessment and requirements specification for a document and case management system.

Following discussions on this matter, the CC identified a preliminary list of internal processes, some of them are general and complex (e.g., investigations), while others are specific sub-processes of the general ones (e.g., requests for information or ensuring access to case files).


General processes:

• Preliminary examination procedures (based on complaints or initiated ex officio).
• Investigation of infringements of competition legislation (anti-competitive agreements, abuses of dominant position, prohibited actions/inactions of public authorities, unfair competition, investigation of economic concentrations, state aid investigations).
• Examination of economic concentration notifications (merger control) in two phases (Phase I and Phase II procedures).
• Examining infringement cases in the advertising sector.
• The procedures regarding the identification and sanctioning of unfair trading practices.
• Procedures related to the Competition Council’s functions in the railway sector (yet to be fully assessed and identified).
• Conducting analyses of competitive environment in specific markets (market studies).

Specific actions/procedures that may constitute elements of the aforementioned procedures:

• Requests for information
• Interviewing
• Inspections (‘dawn raids’)
• Hearings of the parties and other persons
• Ensuring access to case files
• Commitments procedures (examining the commitments offered by the parties suspected of infringements)
• Leniency procedures
• Interim measures procedures
• Settlement procedures
• Adopting and communicating decisions
• Preparing the administrative case files.

Specific State Aid related processes:

Currently many procedures in the field of state aid are performed through the SIA RAS information system („State Aid Register”). Therefore, it will be the task of the Consultant to assess to what degree certain processes shall be integrated into the new information system and how to integrate them with the processes performed within the existing state aid information system (if such integration is possible at all):


• Examining state aid notifications, evaluation of the state aid value, evaluation of compatibility of state aid measures
• Adopting decisions on state aid
• State aid reporting
• Monitoring of state aid
• Control activities in the field of state aid
• Investigation of State aid legislation infringements

Other processes/procedures:

• Examining petitions/referrals/requests for information, etc.
• Drafting and/or reviewing the drafts of new legislation
• Drafting/adopting/monitoring the execution of the acts adopted by the Board of the CC
• Registering and tracking the circuit of incoming/outgoing correspondence/documents
• Circuit of internal correspondence within the CC
• Information notes provided by the Council subdivisions/employees to the management of the institution (to the President of the Board)
• Archiving case files and other documents
• Adopting and executing direct indications by the President of the Council to subdivisions or individual employees
• Preparation and adoption of CC Chairman’s orders (staff related, tasks delegation, approval of internal regulatory documents, etc.)
• Processes related to planning and approving of annual leaves
• Processes of developing, planning, coordinating, evaluating, and reporting policy documents within the CC
• Representation of the CC in courts.


Tasks

The Consultant will be responsible for carrying-out the following tasks:

Task 1. Internal processes mapping: The first step is to conduct a comprehensive mapping of the CC’s internal processes. This crucial step is aimed at gaining a thorough understanding of how documents and information flow within the organization.

Task 2. Visual mapping: The gathered data will be used to create visual process maps that illustrate the current state of the internal processes. This includes tracking the flow of case-related documents from initiation to resolution. The mapping of the current process will offer a visual representation of the CC’s existing case management procedures, including each step of case handling, access permissions, archiving procedures, etc.

Task 3. Identifying bottlenecks and inefficiencies: Throughout the mapping process, any bottlenecks, redundancies, inefficiencies, and/or delays in the current case flows will be identified. This will help pinpoint areas where improvements and optimization are needed.

Task 4. Recommendations for streamlining processes: Propose recommendations for streamlining internal processes within CC, for the purpose of digitalization.

To ensure the accuracy and completeness, the Consultant will engage with the CC staff and management team during all stages of the tasks described, as their insights and feedback will be invaluable in capturing the nuances of the case management operations.

Deliverables

The following deliverables will be developed in coordination with MISRA and the CC:

1. Mapping of internal processes within CC report: The report will outline the current state of internal processes within the CC, with visual representation, and an outline the identified bottlenecks. The Report will also contain recommendations for streamlining internal processes within CC, for the purpose of digitalization.

2. Final report summarizing the work completed, findings, and recommendations, using the MISRA template.

Supervisory Responsibilities and Reporting

The Consultant will report to the Deputy Chief of Party/ Lead of Component 2 and the Institutional and Structural Reforms Coordinator.

Skills and Qualifications

• A bachelor’s or preferably master’s degree in law, Information Technology, or related field
• At least 7 years of experience in business processes mapping and workflow analysis with visual presentation
• Knowledge of management information systems at the governmental level and how they function would be an asset.
• Knowledge of operations and functions of the Competition Council or similar regulatory bodies would be an asset.
• Strong analytical and interpersonal skills.
• Solid verbal, written and presentation skills, coupled with a strong technical mindset.
• Fluency in both written and spoken Romanian language.

How to Apply

We welcome your CV and preferably cover letter at idd.moldovajobs@cadmusgroup.com. Please apply with „Business analyst to review and streamline internal business processes for the Competition Council in Moldova” in the subject line. This short-term position will remain open until filled.