RECRUITMENT OF A CONSULTANCY FIRM TO CONDUCT A LOCAL GOVERNMENT REVENUE POTENTIAL STUDY

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
RECRUITMENT OF A CONSULTANCY FIRM TO CONDUCT A
LOCAL GOVERNMENT REVENUE POTENTIAL STUDY FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF RWANDA
REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST N°: 01/REOI/PFM-BF/MINECOFIN/2012
1. BACKGROUND
The Government of the Rwanda (GoR) through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN) has received funds from the Contributing Development Partners in Support of The Public Financial Management (PFM) Reform Basket Fund, which is administered by the Government of Rwanda and part of the funds proceeds shall be used to recruit a consultancy firm to conduct a local government revenue potential study for the Government of Rwanda.
The assignment will be carried out in Rwanda. The consultant will be working closely with the Fiscal Decentralization Unit in MINECOFIN; MINALOC and other stakeholders. The expected duration of the assignment is 6 calendar months.
2. OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE OF ASSIGNMENT
The main objective of the assignments is to conduct a Local Government Revenue Potential Study (LGRPS) in order to guide the development and implementation of appropriate local revenue enhancement activities to substantially boost local government revenue in order to increase the Local Government fiscal autonomy and the local service delivery.
3. SPECIFIC TASKS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED
The specific tasks to be accomplished includes among the following:
a) Under the heading of maximizing local revenue generation from existing permitted sources:
(i) Determine local government revenue potential from all current permitted sources: tax and non-tax, identifying collection shortfalls against revenue potential by individual source;
(ii) Determine the costs of revenue collection by individual source;
(iii) Identify reasons for collection shortfalls against revenue potential by individual source;
(iv) Identify methodologies for decreasing the cost of revenue collection by individual source; and
(v) Recommend remedies for decreasing collection shortfalls against revenue potential and revenue collection costs by individual source.
b) Under the heading of identifying increased sources of local revenue from previously untaxed sources:
(i) Determine from within the range of local economic activity currently untaxed sources of economic activity that may be suitable to be taxed by local governments without unduly damaging that economic activity and the revenue potential against collection cost effort of that activity;
(ii) Identify modalities, including all legal and administrative instruments required, to implement new taxes.
c) Under the heading of identifying increased sources of local revenue by transferring to local governments the levying of taxes currently levied or imposed by central government:
(i) Determine from within the range of taxes currently levied or imposed by central government those taxes that may be transferred to local government without unduly impacting on the Government of Rwanda or substantially adding to the collection cost of those taxes;
(ii) Identify modalities, including all legal and administrative instruments required, to transfer taxes.
4. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
The consultant firm will need to demonstrate the following experience:
• Qualified and available staff for the task;
• Provision of documentation to demonstrate the organizational capability including basic information about the company, management structures, project support, and specialized knowledge within the task area;
• Demonstrated experience in delivering similar or related services.
It is envisaged that the consultant firm will provide a team of at least three consultants and the enumerators with the following qualifications:
International Senior Tax Analyst Expert (Team Leader)
• Master’s degree related to public finance management, economics, taxation, public administration or a related subject;
• At least 15 years of proven experience in the field of tax analysis. Demonstrable expertise and experience with the local government revenue and taxation structures, including best practices as they relate to revenue collection processes;
• Demonstrable expertise and experience with similar local government revenue potential study assignments in sub-Saharan Africa (preferably East Africa);
• Demonstrable expertise and experience in working closely with government counterparts;
• Ten (10) years of relevant experience in consultancy, including experience as team leader;
• Experience in the assessment of government machineries and processes, ideally with in-depth expertise in fiscal systems;
• Excellent analytical and research skills;
• Demonstrated experience in leading multi-disciplinary and multi-national teams;
• Ability to work in an international and multi-ethnic environment, and good interpersonal skills; and
• Excellent oral and written skills in English.
International Tax Expert Analyst
• Master’s degree related to public finance management, economics, taxation, public administration or a related subject;
• At least 10 years of proven experience in the field of tax analysis;
• Demonstrable expertise and experience with similar local government revenue potential study assignments;
• Demonstrable expertise and experience in working closely with government counterparts;
• Demonstrable expertise and experience in creating, managing and using tax data-bases, including training and supervision of data collectors and data entry staff;
• Seven (7) years of relevant experience in consultancy;
• Excellent analytical and research skills;
• Demonstrated experience in working in multi-disciplinary and multi-national teams;
• Ability to work in an international and multi-ethnic environment, and good interpersonal skills; and
• Excellent oral and written skills in English and French.

Local Tax Expert Analyst
• University degree related to public finance management, economics, taxation, public administration or a related subject;
• At least 7 years of proven experience in the field of tax analysis;
• Demonstrable familiarity with similar local government revenue potential study assignments;
• Demonstrable expertise and experience in working closely with government counterparts;
• Demonstrable expertise and experience in creating, managing and using tax data-bases, including training and supervision of data collectors and data entry staff;
• Five (5) years of relevant experience in consultancy;
• Excellent analytical and research skills;
• Demonstrated experience in working in multi-disciplinary and multi-national teams;
• Ability to work in an international and multi-ethnic environment, and good interpersonal skills; and
• Excellent oral and written skills in English, French and Kinyarwanda.
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning now invites eligible consultants to indicate their interest in providing the services. Interested firms must provide a statement of capability and experience indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among permanent staff, etc…).
Consultants will be selected in accordance with the procedures set out in the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers May 2004, revised October 2006 and May 2010; Rwandan Law No 12/2007 of 27/03/2007 on Public Procurement and Ministerial Order establishing regulations on public procurement and standard bidding documents (No 001/09/10 Min of 15 Jan 2008).
Expressions of interest must be delivered to the address below on or before 23rd February 2012 at 16h00 local time.
The Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury
Attention:
Procurement Specialists
Cyprien Nyilishema or Chris Mahirwe
PFM Reforms Secretariat
Office of the Accountant General
Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning
1stFloor.
Email: cyprien.nyilishema@minecofin.gov.rw; chris.mahirwe@minecofin.gov.rw with a copy to tender.committee@minecofin.gov.rw
Done at Kigali on 07th February, 2012