Assessment of four municipalities on status of implementation of Public Investment Management System | EU4Reconstruction (Stream 2)

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

The EU4Reconstruction. The European Union (EU), together with Denmark, Germany, France and Lithuania, launched EU4Reconstruction, a €37 million Team Europe Initiative that unites the strength, experience and solidarity of the EU to support Ukraine’s ongoing recovery and reconstruction.

The initiative aims to strengthen governance, improve public investment management, and enhance coordination across levels of government, with a strong emphasis on EU values. The Team Europe Initiative is divided into two parallel and communicating streams; one stream will be composed of GIZ (Lead Organisation) and Expertise France (Partner Organisation) and the other will gather the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (Lead Organisation) and CPVA (Partner Organisation).

EU4Reconstruction will reinforce the leadership of the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development, strengthen the State Agency for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure (SARDI), empower local governments to manage reconstruction professionally and sustainably, and support civil society and independent media to play an active role in oversight, ensuring public trust and reducing corruption risks.

The programme will strengthen the policy dialogue around reconstruction and recovery and will focus in particular on the governance of public investment management, public infrastructure management at national, regional and local levels and how to link this with necessary capacity development to make the system work. Part of this process will ensure that the stakeholders in the programme and their policy and regulatory setup are prepared for EU accession. This will, in particular, ensure resources are allocated effectively, transparently, accountably and with broad inclusion in infrastructure planning and execution, reflecting the subsidiarity principle.

This assignment concerns specific sub-output of Stream 2 of the EU4Reconstruction programme, namely “Capacities in cities to undertake strategic long- and medium-term planning and monitoring of strategic plans related to reconstruction is enhanced”.

Ukrainian cities require a comprehensive transformation of their approaches to strategic planning, development management, and performance monitoring. As a result of the war, significant demographic shifts, and growing reconstruction needs, municipalities face challenges that demand professional support to update their strategies, define investment priorities, and modernize governance systems to meet the principles of the Public Investment Management reform.

OBJECTIVES

The overall objective of the assignment is to asses municipal readiness to implement Public Investment Management system effectively and to support the integration of reconstruction needs into structured, transparent, and strategic investment planning processes in Dnipro, Vinnitsa, Mykolayiv and Kremenchuk.

The specific objectives are:

• Preparation of universal methodology for assessment of municipal readiness for implementation of PIM system.
• Assess understanding of PIM reform and its practical implications. Evaluate the level of awareness and understanding among municipal leadership and technical staff regarding the objectives, structure, and operational requirements of Public Investment Management reform, including its relevance to reconstruction and infrastructure recovery.
• Assess institutional readiness for PIM implementation. Review existing institutional arrangements supporting public investment management at the municipal level (including MoEs).
• Assess regulatory and policy readiness. Review the availability, adequacy, and functionality of municipal-level regulatory frameworks governing public investment management.
• Assess alignment between reconstruction needs and PIM procedures. Evaluate how municipalities identify, plan, and implement reconstruction projects following infrastructure damage.
• Assess project pipeline development and management capacity. Evaluate municipal practices related to the preparation and maintenance of project pipelines.
• Assess project prioritization frameworks. Evaluate the existence and functionality of transparent and structured prioritization mechanisms used to select investment projects.
• Assess technical and operational capacity for PIM implementation.
• Identify key gaps, risks, and capacity development needs. Identify systemic bottlenecks that limit municipal readiness to implement PIM systems effectively.
• Develop actionable recommendations aimed at strengthening municipal readiness for PIM system implementation.
• Ensure validation and endorsement of assessment findings. Ensure structured engagement with key stakeholders at municipal and national levels to validate assessment findings and secure institutional endorsement of conclusions and recommendations.
• Share assessment results and best practices. Support share of assessment results, lessons learned, and good practices among relevant stakeholders to strengthen institutional learning and promote replication of effective approaches.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Consultant shall conduct a comprehensive assessment of status of implementation Public Investment Management (PIM) system in four (Dnipro, Mykolayiv, Kremenchuk and Vinnitsiya) selected municipalities. 

The Scope of Work include the design (preparation of Methodology) and implementation of a structured assessment process, development of city-specific recommendations, validation of findings with stakeholders, and share of results and best practices.

The Scope of Work shall be implemented through the following Tasks.

Task 1 – Inception and Design of the Assessment Methodology

The Consultant shall design a comprehensive methodology for assessing status for Public Investment Management system in municipalities. The assessment framework shall be structured around key dimensions corresponding to the objectives of the assignment, including:

• Understanding of PIM reform and its operational implications
• Institutional arrangements and governance structures
• Regulatory and policy framework readiness
• Integration of reconstruction needs into PIM procedures
• Single project pipeline development and management
• Project prioritization mechanisms
• Functioning of local investment council
• Technical and operational implementation capacity
• Strategic alignment and coordination mechanisms
• Monitoring and evaluation mechanism of implementation of PI projects

Under this Task, the Consultant shall:

• Review relevant national legislation, regulatory acts, and methodological guidelines related to Public Investment Management;
• Develop detailed assessment criteria and indicators for each assessment dimension;
• Prepare structured data collection tools, such as: interview guides, focus group discussion templates, institutional self-assessment questionnaires, document review checklists.
• Define scoring or qualitative assessment methods to evaluate PIM system status
• Develop a stakeholder engagement plan outlining key institutions and actors to be consulted at municipal and national levels;
• Prepare the methodology, tools, timeline, and proposed assessment approach.

Task 2 – Data Collection and In-Depth Assessments

The Consultant shall conduct comprehensive field-based assessments in each municipality using qualitative and documentary methods. The assessment shall be conducted through structured consultations with municipal leadership, technical staff, and relevant stakeholders.

Under this Task, the Consultant shall:

• Conduct document review, including: municipal development strategies; sectoral plans; capital investment programmes; project pipeline documentation; municipal budgeting and financing frameworks; internal policies and procedures related to project management; local regulatory acts related to investment planning.
• Conduct stakeholder consultations, including:
• semi-structured interviews with municipal leadership;
• interviews with key departments (planning, finance, infrastructure, sectoral units);
• focus group discussions with technical staff responsible for project preparation and implementation;
• consultations with relevant national-level stakeholders where applicable.
• Assess PIM system across the following dimensions:
• Understanding of PIM Reform. Assess awareness, knowledge, and practical understanding of PIM requirements among municipal staff and leadership.
• Institutional Readiness. Assess organizational structures, coordination arrangements, and allocation of responsibilities supporting PIM implementation.
• Regulatory and Policy Framework. Assess availability, adequacy, and functionality of local regulations, procedures, and internal policies.
• Reconstruction Integration. Assess mechanisms used to identify, plan, and implement reconstruction projects under emergency conditions.
• Single Project Pipeline Management. Assess systems used to prepare, maintain, and manage investment project pipelines.
• Project Prioritization. Assess existence and functionality of project prioritization tools and decision-making mechanisms.Functioning of local investment council
• Technical and Operational Capacity. Assess staff skills, tools, and processes supporting project preparation, implementation, and monitoring.
• Strategic Alignment and Coordination. Assess coordination between departments and alignment between planning, budgeting, and investment programming.
• Monitoring and evaluation mechanism of implementation of PI projects

Task 3 — Identification of Gaps, Risks, and Systemic Constraints

Based on collected data, the Consultant shall conduct a structured analysis to identify key weaknesses affecting PIM system in municipalities.

Under this Task, the Consultant shall:

• Identify institutional gaps affecting PIM functionality;
• Assess regulatory inconsistencies and missing procedural frameworks;
• Identify operational inefficiencies affecting project lifecycle management;
• Assess risks associated with emergency-driven reconstruction practices;
• Identify capacity development needs across municipal departments;
• Assess barriers affecting coordination between institutions.

The analysis shall identify both city-specific and cross-cutting challenges.

Task 4 – Development of City-Specific Recommendations and propositions for national level

The Consultant shall develop practical, implementation-oriented recommendations tailored to each municipality. Recommendations shall be structured as sequenced and actionable measures.

Under this Task, the Consultant shall develop city-specific recommendations addressing:

• institutional strengthening measures; 
• regulatory and procedural improvements;
• project prioritization frameworks;
• strengthening project pipeline management systems;
• integration of reconstruction projects into structured PIM processes;
• improvement of interdepartmental coordination mechanisms;
• monitoring and reporting procedures.

Recommendations shall consider existing institutional capacity and resource constraints.

The contractor shall analyzed the key findings and gaps on municipal, prepare key high-level recommendations for improving the implementation of PIM at the local level addressed to the Ukrainian Government and Parliament

Task 5 – Validation and Stakeholder Engagement

The Consultant shall organize structured consultations to validate assessment findings and secure stakeholder endorsement.

Under this Task, the Consultant shall:

• Organisation and conduct one offline high-level dialogue meeting between the MinFin, the MinEco, MinDevelopment and partner cities to discuss the results of the assessment (conference-room rental, catering and multimedia equipment will be financed separately by EU4Reconstruction);
• Prepare preliminary assessment reports;
• Facilitate validation workshops in each municipality;
• Conduct consultations with relevant national-level institutions responsible for PIM reform;
• Collect stakeholder feedback and integrate comments into final report;
• Facilitate consensus-building around recommended improvement measures.

Task 6 – Sharing of Results and Best Practices

The Consultant shall support dissemination of findings and promote learning across municipalities.

Under this Task, the Consultant shall:

• Prepare consolidated summary materials presenting key findings and recommendations;
• Document good practices identified during the assessment process;
• Organize and conduct one knowledge-sharing event in offline format with involving participating municipalities and national stakeholders (conference-room rental, catering and multimedia equipment will be financed separately by EU4Reconstruction);
• Support cross-municipal learning and exchange of experience;
• Promote replication of effective approaches identified during the assessment.

DELIVERABLES

The Consultant shall produce the following deliverables in accordance with the Scope of Work and within the agreed timeline.

Table 1: Summary of specific deliverables/outputs and the tentative timeline for delivery.

All deliverables shall be prepared and submitted to the EU4Reconstruction Project in Ukrainian

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERTISE REQUIREMENTS

The assignment shall be implemented by a team of qualified experts with demonstrated experience in public investment management, municipal governance, strategic planning, and institutional capacity development. The team shall include a combination of international and/or national experts with strong knowledge of municipal systems, public sector investment planning, and reconstruction-related governance processes.

At minimum, the Consultant shall propose a core team consisting of the following key experts.

Key Expert 1 — Public Investment Management (PIM) Expert / Team Leader

Role:

The Public Investment Management Expert shall serve as Team Leader and be responsible for the overall coordination and quality assurance of the assignment. The Expert shall lead the development of the assessment framework, oversee municipal assessments, guide analytical work, and ensure consistency of recommendations across participating municipalities.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in public administration, economics, finance, public policy, urban development, or a related field;
• At least 10 years of professional experience in public management, public finance, infrastructure planning, or public sector governance;
• Demonstrated experience in designing and implementing Public Investment Management (PIM) systems or reforms at national or subnational levels;
• Proven experience in conducting institutional assessments, governance diagnostics, or capacity assessments in the public sector;
• Experience working with municipalities or regional governments on investment planning and project management;
• Demonstrated knowledge of international best practices in public investment management and infrastructure governance;
• Experience in preparing analytical reports and policy recommendations;
• Excellent facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills;
• Fluency in Ukrainian is required; knowledge of English is considered an asset.

Key Expert 2 — Municipal Governance and Institutional Development Expert

Role:

The Municipal Governance Expert shall lead the assessment of institutional arrangements, coordination mechanisms, and regulatory frameworks supporting Public Investment Management at the municipal level. The Expert shall also support identification of institutional bottlenecks and development of organizational and procedural improvement measures.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in public administration, law, political science, governance, or a related field;
• At least 7 years of professional experience in municipal governance, decentralization, or public administration reform;
• Demonstrated experience in development or review of local regulatory frameworks, institutional procedures, or governance arrangements;
• Proven experience working with municipal administrations, including institutional strengthening and organizational development;
• Experience in facilitating stakeholder consultations and participatory processes;
• Demonstrated experience in drafting institutional and regulatory recommendations;
• Knowledge of municipal governance systems and interdepartmental coordination mechanisms;
• Fluency in Ukrainian is required; working knowledge of English is required.

Key Expert 3 — Strategic Planning and Municipal Investment Planning Expert

Role:

The Strategic Planning Expert shall lead the assessment of project pipeline development, prioritization frameworks, and alignment between strategic planning and investment decision-making. The Expert shall also support development of prioritization tools and practical investment planning methodologies.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in urban planning, regional development, economics, infrastructure planning, or a related field;
• At least 8 years of professional experience in municipal strategic planning, investment planning, or infrastructure development;
• Demonstrated experience in development of municipal development strategies, capital investment programmes, or project pipelines;
• Proven experience in development of project prioritization frameworks and investment selection methodologies;
• Experience in integrating sectoral planning with financial and investment planning processes;
• Demonstrated experience in preparing analytical reports and planning tools;
• Familiarity with infrastructure reconstruction planning and resilience-based investment approaches shall be considered an asset;
• Experience working with Ukrainian municipalities or similar local government systems shall be considered an asset;
• Fluency in Ukrainian is required; working knowledge of English is required.

Optional Supporting Experts (Non-Key Experts, if required)

Depending on the scale of implementation, the Consultant may propose additional short-term or supporting experts, such as:

• Public Finance or Budgeting Expert — to support analysis of capital budgeting and financial integration;
• Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Specialist — to support development of monitoring tools and reporting systems;
• Data Analyst / Research Assistant — to support data collection, analysis, and documentation.

These supporting experts may be mobilized as needed to ensure timely and effective completion of the assignment.

BUDGET, TIMEFRAME, LOCATION

The maximum budget available for this assignment is EUR 30,000, inclusive of all applicable taxes and reimbursable expenses. This amount shall cover all costs related to the implementation of the assignment, including, but not limited to, travel expenses, basic technical assessments, communication costs, and printing of materials.

Proposals in which the Contractor’s Financial Offer exceeds the above-mentioned maximum budget will be rejected as non-compliant.

Payments under the contract shall be made in two instalments:

• The first payment, amounting to 30% of the total contract value, shall be made as an advance payment upon contract signature and submission of the corresponding invoice.
• The second and final payment, amounting to 70% of the total contract value, shall be made upon submission of the Final Invoice and acceptance of all contractual deliverables.

The implementation period of the contract is expected to run from July 2026 to December 2026.

Each representative of the core team (experts) must make at least 2 visit to each city (Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Vinnytsia, Kremenchuk). The expected number of working days used by each expert, including field visits, will be at least 40 (includes up to 10 working days allocated for business travel).

REPORTING AND MANAGEMENT

The Consultant shall work under the overall supervision of the Project Manager of the Municipal Component at EU4Reconstruction Team, which will be responsible for providing strategic guidance, reviewing and approving deliverables, and ensuring overall coordination of the assignment. The Consultant shall maintain close coordination with participating municipalities to ensure effective implementation of all activities.

At the municipal level, each participating city will designate a focal point to support the assessment process, facilitate access to relevant documentation, coordinate meetings and consultations, and ensure engagement of relevant departments and staff. 

The Consultant shall submit all deliverables to the EU4Reconstruction for review and approval in accordance with the agreed timeline. Draft deliverables shall be subject to consolidated feedback from the Project Manager and, where relevant, from stakeholders, which the Consultant shall incorporate into final versions of the reports.

Throughout the assignment, the Consultant shall ensure regular communication with the EU4Reconstruction, including brief progress updates and early notification of any risks, delays, or issues affecting implementation. The Consultant may also be required to participate in coordination meetings, validation workshops, and dissemination events organized under the assignment.

By signing the contract, the Contractor agrees to hold in trust and confidence any information or documents (“confidential information”) disclosed to the Contractor or discovered by the Contractor or prepared by the Contractor in the course of or as a result of the implementation of the contract, and agrees that it shall be used only for the contract implementation and shall not be disclosed to any third party. The Contractor also agrees not to retain copies of any written information or prototypes in its archive and for its use.

HOW TO APPLY

The deadline for submitting the proposal is 13 July 2026, 18:00 Kyiv time.

All interested candidates should submit the following documents in English: 

1. Completed Annex 1, including:

• CV for Experts
• Technical Proposal / Methodology

2. Financial offer (Annex 2, forms 1 and 2) in EUR, including daily fee and other related expenses, with calculation of a maximum working days. 

If these documents are not submitted in line with the requirements above, the bid will not be considered. The proposal shall include the aforementioned information and should be submitted within the above deadline to [email protected] cc to [email protected] indicating the subject line: “Experts_PIM Assessment”.

Bidding language: English.

Any clarification questions regarding the terms of reference should be addressed to [email protected] cc to [email protected], not later than 3 July 2026, 18:00 Kyiv time.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Bids will be evaluated under the criteria provided below