Procurement Specialist

Republic of North Macedonia Ministry of Transport V A C A NC Y ANNOUNCEMENT Recruitment of Individual Consultant

Job Position: PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST

WBTTFP–8929-MKD-411L-1 General Information: The Ministry of Transport (the CLIENT) intends to engage a highly qualified Consultant to provide services as a Procurement Specialist of the Project Implementation Unit (the PIU) in the Ministry of Transport in North Macedonia. The Project Implementation Unit is staffed with different expert profiles in order to carry out complete project management for the projects financed by the World Bank, the Trade and Transport Facilitation Project (TTFP), the Local Roads Connectivity Project (LRCP), and the Project Preparation for the Railway Sector Reform Project (GFPP for the RSRP). The assignment is full-time until November 15, 2027, and in any event for no less than the duration of the Projects. Project Background: The TTFP is implemented in its first phase in Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania, the Local Roads Connectivity Project (LRCP) is in final phase of implementation and the Project Preparation for the Railway Sector Reform Project (GFPP for the RSRP) is in preparation phase and shall be implemented in North Macedonia. The Project Implementation Unit in North Macedonia is staffed with different expert profiles to support implementation, monitoring and coordination of these activities.

The Trade and Transport Facilitation Project Phase 1 includes a combination of investments, technical assistance, and regulatory and institutional reforms. Its focus is on the adoption and implementation of a National Single Window (NSW) solution, improvements at the border crossing points at Deve Bair and Kjafasan, deployment of an Intelligent Transport System (ITS) on the A1 motorway, which is part of Corridor X, and related technical assistance.

The Local Roads Connectivity Project (LRCP) supports selected municipalities through investments in the reconstruction, rehabilitation and upgrading of local roads and streets to improve mobility, connectivity and road safety. Investments may also include sidewalks, bicycle paths, street lighting, slope and landslide stabilization, junction improvements, pedestrian crossings, drainage, and capacity building of municipal staff.

The Preparation Grant for the Railway Sector Reform Project (RSRP), financed through the Grant Facility for Project Preparation (GFPP), Grant No. TF0D2237, is envisaged to facilitate the preparation of a proposed project designed to support the Recipient's railway operator, Railways of the Republic of North Macedonia Transport, to advance its organizational restructuring and achieve financial stability. The activities financed under this Grant include procurement readiness activities, such as early market engagement and market analysis, drafting of terms of reference, preparation of technical documentation and bidding documents, as well as capacity building and training activities to enhance the Recipient's procurement capacity. . Position Objective: To plan, coordinate, monitor and control procurement activities under the Projects and to ensure that procurement of goods, works, non-consulting services and consulting services is carried out in accordance with the applicable World Bank Procurement Regulations, the approved Procurement Plans and the relevant Legal/Financing Agreements and legislation in force in North Macedonia. The Procurement Specialist shall work in close cooperation with the Ministry of Transport, the PIU and other stakeholder agencies to ensure timely and compliant planning and implementation of procurement activities under the Projects.

Tasks and Responsibilities: The Procurement Specialist of the PIU will be responsible for the following duties:

Manage day-to-day procurement activities under the Projects;

Prepare and provide procurement inputs for periodic project progress reports required by the Ministry of Transport, the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, the World Bank and other relevant stakeholders; Coordinate any amendments and changes relevant to procurement to the Project Operational Manuals and submit them to the relevant Committees for approval; Support the Project Director, with regard to procurement, to represent the project vis-à-vis Government institutions, local government units, international finance institutions and other multi-lateral and bilateral donors; Based on approved work plans, prepare and update the Projects’ Procurement Plans and coordinate their submission to the World Bank, as required; Monitor overall project implementation from the procurement perspective; Consolidate requests for procurement of goods, works, consulting and non-consulting services and reflect them as relevant in the projects’ procurement plans; Prepare, in cooperation with project focal points and technical teams, procurement documents, clarifications, amendments, evaluation reports and other required procurement documentation, and coordinate the required approvals; Coordinate timely submission of procurement documents and actions for World Bank review and no-objection, where required; Coordinate publication and advertising of procurement notices through the channels required by the applicable World Bank Procurement Regulations and project arrangements; Coordinate each procurement/selection process, including preparation of procurement documents, clarifications, amendments and communications with bidders/consultants, as applicable; Participate in and coordinate all relevant stages of procurement and selection processes for assigned contracts; Organize and coordinate evaluation processes, provide guidance to evaluation committees and prepare evaluation reports using the applicable World Bank forms; Use the World Bank’s online procurement planning and tracking tools to record procurement actions, prepare and update procurement notices and Procurement Plans, submit relevant documents and record Bank review/no-obj