Team of Experts Supporting Task Forces in the Preparation of the Vinnytsia Development Strategy | EU4Reconstruction (Stream 2)

1. 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.

Additionally, there is an urgent need for high-level expert assistance to strengthen municipal ownership practices and corporate governance of municipally owned enterprises, particularly those responsible for critical infrastructure services such as water supply and wastewater services, district heating, and municipal transport. Ensuring professional, transparent, and accountable governance of these enterprises is a key enabler for effective recovery and reconstruction, as well as an essential condition for improving service continuity, financial sustainability, and investment readiness at the local level. This transformation aims to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the owner, supervisory boards, and executive management; reduce fragmentation and undue political interference in operational decision-making; and establish effective mechanisms for oversight, accountability, and integrity.

The introduction of modern corporate governance practices such as ownership policies, supervisory board frameworks, performance management systems (including KPIs), internal control and compliance mechanisms, and regular reporting and assessment procedures will enable municipalities to improve the performance and resilience of municipal enterprises and to manage reconstruction-related investments more effectively.

By applying measurable performance indicators, transparent reporting, and risk management tools, municipalities will be better positioned to meet the expectations of citizens, donors, and partners, build public trust, and ensure the efficient use of resources in delivering recovery and infrastructure modernisation projects.

2. OBJECTIVE

The objective of this assignment is to support the Vinnytsia City Administration in the preparation of the Vinnytsia Development Strategy 2026–2034 (Vinnytsia Development Strategy) by providing targeted analytical, methodological, and strategic advisory support to the task forces established for each of the four strategic goals.

The assignment will be implemented by a team of four external experts, each contributing specialised expertise in their respective thematic area, while ensuring the overall coherence and integration of the Strategy. The experts will support the translation of the city’s strategic vision and priorities into operational goals, strategic programmes, and flagship projects, grounded in evidence-based analysis and aligned with the local context.

Through this assignment, the external experts will strengthen the capacity of the task forces to develop well-founded, integrated, and implementable strategic solutions, contributing to the effective preparation of the Vinnytsia Development Strategy.

3. SCOPE OF WORK

Vinnytsia City Administration has already defined the vision, mission, principles, and four strategic goals of the Strategy. For each strategic goal, a dedicated task force has been established.

A team of four external experts (hereinafter referred to as the Team of Experts) shall provide thematic analytical, methodological, and strategic inputs to the task forces. Each expert shall be responsible for supporting one strategic goal, ensuring depth of thematic expertise while contributing to the overall coherence and integration of the Strategy. The Team of Experts shall provide structured analytical inputs, methodological recommendations, and validated content supporting the preparation of operational goals, strategic programmes, and flagship projects.

All major analytical outputs and recommendations prepared by the Team of Experts shall be discussed with the respective task force prior to finalisation, ensuring local relevance, feasibility, and alignment with the City Administration’s priorities.

The Team of Experts shall ensure transfer of knowledge to task force members through facilitated working sessions, structured presentations, and practical tools supporting further refinement of strategic content by the municipality.

All experts shall work in line with:

• relevant EU strategic policy frameworks;
• principles of integrated urban development;
• the concept of urban resilience, including robustness, redundancy, and rapid recovery;
• recovery and reconstruction priorities relevant to the current challenges faced by Ukraine.

Cross-Cutting Responsibilities of the Team of Experts:

In addition to thematic contributions, the Team of Experts shall:

• Prepare thematic analytical notes supporting development of operational goals, programmes, and flagship projects;
• Ensure that each analytical note includes:
  • baseline situation analysis;
  • identification of key challenges and opportunities;
  • presentation of strategic options;
  • prioritised recommendations;
  • implications for operational goals, programmes, and flagship projects;
• Prepare written recommendations resulting from participation in strategic sessions and task force meetings;
• Support the revision and refinement of operational goals, draft programme structures, and flagship project proposals;
• Ensure that recommendations on programmes and flagship projects are prioritised using transparent criteria, including:
  • expected impact;
  • feasibility;
  • implementation readiness;
  • resource implications;
  • relevance to resilience and recovery;
• Prepare a short synthesis note identifying:

• cross-cutting priorities;
• interdependencies among strategic goals;
• opportunities for integrated flagship projects across sectors;

• Provide practical tools, templates, and methodological guidance supporting structured planning processes;
• Facilitate knowledge transfer through working sessions and presentations supporting capacity development of task force members.
• Deliverable outputs under this Scope of Work shall include written recommendations, revised operational goals, draft programme structures, and flagship project proposals, rather than participation in meetings alone.

Expert 1: Urban Infrastructure (Strategic Goal 1: Decent Living Conditions in the Community)

The Expert shall support the task force by providing thematic analysis, scenario-based modelling, and strategic recommendations for the development of resilient urban infrastructure and services.

The thematic scope shall include:

• technical infrastructure (energy systems, water and wastewater, waste management, transport and mobility, digital infrastructure);
• buildings and housing;
• green and blue infrastructure, including climate adaptation systems and biodiversity networks.

The Expert shall, in particular:

• Provide analytical support for optimisation of infrastructure facilities, taking into account demographic trends and fiscal scenarios;
• Develop an integrated analytical framework for planning urban infrastructure and services, ensuring cross-sectoral coordination;
• Design a resilience-oriented infrastructure planning framework, integrating robustness, redundancy, and rapid recovery principles;
• Provide structured recommendations supporting prioritisation of operational goals, programmes, and flagship projects;
• Support the revision and refinement of operational goals, strategic programmes, and flagship projects based on analytical findings.

Expert 2: Economic Development and Competitiveness (Strategic Goal 2: Decent Work)

The Expert shall support the task force by conducting economic analysis and providing strategic recommendations supporting development of a competitive and resilient local economy.

The scope of work shall include:

• analysis of economic clusters and sectoral development potential;
• mapping of the local business ecosystem, including key value chains and supporting institutions;
• identification of sectors with high potential for sustainable growth and job creation.

The Expert shall, in particular:

• Conduct in-depth analysis of economic structure and sector dynamics;
• Develop recommendations on smart specialisation priorities, aligned with EU approaches and recovery needs;
• Verify and refine operational goals related to economic development;
• Identify flagship project opportunities supporting industrial growth, logistics development, and innovation ecosystems;
• Provide prioritised recommendations for improving the business environment and investment attractiveness.

Expert 3: Human Capital and Social Development (Strategic Goal 3: Self-Realisation and Human Capital Development)

The Expert shall provide analytical and policy support to strengthen Vinnytsia’s human capital ecosystem.

The scope of work shall include:

• analysis of education, employment, entrepreneurship, and innovation systems;
• identification of structural challenges affecting workforce development;
• identification of opportunities supporting talent attraction and retention.

The Expert shall, in particular:

• Develop structured recommendations supporting human capital development across education, skills, entrepreneurship, culture, and innovation;
• Support formulation of operational goals and flagship projects supporting talent development and civic engagement;
• Provide recommendations linking human capital development with long-term competitiveness and resilience;
• Support preparation of evidence-based programme structures and flagship projects aligned with demographic and labour market trends.

Expert 4: Strategic Positioning and International Cooperation (Strategic Goal 4: Vinnytsia’s Leadership in Recovery and Metropolitan Role)

The Expert shall provide strategic guidance supporting Vinnytsia’s positioning within national and international development frameworks.

The Expert shall, in particular:

• Provide practical recommendations on Vinnytsia’s metropolitan role within Central Ukraine;
• Identify opportunities for inter-municipal cooperation supporting regional development;
• Provide recommendations on strengthening institutional arrangements for international cooperation, including project development capacity;
• Identify priority partnership pathways supporting recovery, investment mobilisation, and international cooperation;
• Map relevant policy and cooperation frameworks at national, European, and international levels;
• Provide recommendations strengthening Vinnytsia’s participation in international city networks and funding programmes.

4. DELIVERABLES

The key deliverables of the assignment are evidence-based operational goals, programmes and flagship projects for each strategic goal of Vinnytsia Development Strategy, aligned with local context and relevant EU policies.

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

Deliverables are the subject for negotiations and approval between the EU4Reconstruction, Team of Experts and Vinnytsia City Administration. All major analytical outputs shall be:

• presented to the respective task force prior to finalisation;
• discussed and refined based on feedback received;
• aligned with City Administration priorities and institutional realities;
• prepared in formats agreed with EU4Reconstruction.

Other outputs might include, but are not limited to, factsheets, updates, and presentations.

5. QUALIFICATIONS

The assignment shall be carried out by qualified experts with demonstrated experience in supporting cities in Ukraine in the design, development, and implementation of strategic and policy documents. The Contractor may be a team of individual experts, a company, or a nongovernmental organisation. The assignment shall be implemented under the overall leadership of a Project Manager, who will be responsible for strategy development and implementation of capacity building measures relevant for a strategy implementation, and coordination between, EU4Reconstruction, Vinnytsia City Administration and other key stakeholders. 

Key Expert 1: Senior Urban Infrastructure and Resilience Expert

General Qualifications

• Master’s degree (or higher) in Civil Engineering, Urban Infrastructure Planning, Urban or Regional Planning, Transport Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Infrastructure Economics, or a related field;
• At least 7 years of professional experience in planning, development, optimisation, or modernisation of urban infrastructure systems in the public sector;
• Proven practical experience in preparation, management, and/or implementation of public investment and donor-funded infrastructure projects, including multi-sector infrastructure systems;
• Demonstrated knowledge of integrated urban infrastructure systems, including energy, water and wastewater, waste management, transport and mobility, digital infrastructure, buildings, and urban environmental infrastructure.

Adequacy for the Assignment

• Strong knowledge of infrastructure planning, urban development, and recovery and reconstruction processes in Ukraine, including familiarity with relevant legal, regulatory, and institutional frameworks;
• Proven experience in analytical support for infrastructure planning, including optimisation of infrastructure assets, demographic analysis, and fiscal or scenario-based planning;
• Demonstrated experience in development of integrated planning frameworks supporting cross-sectoral coordination of urban infrastructure and services;
• Proven capacity to design resilience-oriented infrastructure solutions, including integration of climate adaptation, robustness, redundancy, and rapid recovery principles into planning processes;
• Experience in preparation of strategic recommendations supporting prioritisation of infrastructure investments, programmes, and flagship projects;
• Professional certification in construction, engineering, or infrastructure planning will be considered an asset;
• Experience working with national and municipal authorities on urban infrastructure planning, institutional development, and capacity-building initiatives will be considered an asset.

Experience in the Region and Language

• Proven professional experience in Ukraine or comparable countries undergoing recovery, reconstruction, or infrastructure modernisation;
• Fluency in Ukrainian (written and spoken);
• Proficiency in English (written and spoken) will be considered an asset.

Key Expert 2: Senior Economic Development and Competitiveness Expert

General Qualifications

• Master’s degree (or higher) in Economics, Regional Development, Economic Geography, Business Administration, Public Policy, Development Economics, or a related field;
• At least 7 years of professional experience in economic development, regional or local economic planning, competitiveness enhancement, or private sector development;
• Proven experience in conducting economic and sectoral analysis to support strategic planning, investment prioritisation, or policy development;
• Demonstrated practical experience in preparation, management, or implementation of economic development programmes and/or donor-funded projects supporting private sector growth and job creation.

Adequacy for the Assignment

• Proven experience in analysing local or regional economic structures, including sector dynamics, productivity trends, and employment patterns;
• Demonstrated experience in identification and analysis of economic clusters, value chains, and business ecosystems, including mapping of supporting institutions and services;
• Proven knowledge and practical experience in development of smart specialisation strategies (S3) or similar approaches supporting sector prioritisation and innovation-driven growth;
• Experience in identification of sectors with high potential for sustainable economic growth, diversification, and job creation;
• Demonstrated ability to develop strategic recommendations supporting industrial development, logistics and supply chain development, innovation ecosystems, and SME competitiveness;
• Experience in assessing investment attractiveness and identifying measures to improve the business environment, including regulatory, institutional, and infrastructure factors;
• Proven experience in preparation of prioritised portfolios of economic development initiatives and flagship investment projects;
• Familiarity with EU economic development frameworks, regional development instruments, and recovery-oriented economic planning approaches will be considered an asset;
• Experience working with national, regional, or municipal authorities, business associations, and development institutions will be considered an asset.

Experience in the Region and Language

• Proven professional experience in Ukraine or comparable countries undergoing economic recovery, structural transformation, or post-crisis economic development;
• Fluency in Ukrainian (written and spoken);
• Proficiency in English (written and spoken) will be considered an asset.

Key Expert 3: Senior Human Capital and Social Development Expert

General Qualifications

• Master’s degree (or higher) in Education Policy, Human Resource Development, Sociology, Social Policy, Public Policy, Labour Economics, Economic Geography, or a related field;
• At least 7 years of professional experience in human capital development, social development, workforce development, education reform, or labour market policy;
• Proven experience in conducting analytical studies and strategic planning related to education systems, skills development, employment, entrepreneurship, or social development;
• Demonstrated practical experience in preparation, management, or implementation of public or donor-funded programmes supporting education, employment, entrepreneurship, innovation, or community development.

Adequacy for the Assignment

• Proven experience in analysing human capital systems, including education, vocational training, labour markets, entrepreneurship ecosystems, and innovation environments;
• Demonstrated experience in identifying structural challenges affecting workforce development, employment opportunities, and skills mismatches;
• Proven capacity to develop structured recommendations supporting integrated human capital development across education, skills, entrepreneurship, culture, and civic engagement;
• Experience in designing strategic initiatives and flagship projects supporting talent development, youth engagement, lifelong learning, and workforce resilience;
• Demonstrated experience in linking human capital development priorities with economic competitiveness, innovation capacity, and long-term community resilience;
• Experience in development of evidence-based programmes aligned with demographic trends, labour market dynamics, and migration patterns;
• Familiarity with modern approaches to talent attraction and retention, including support for entrepreneurship, innovation, and creative industries, will be considered an asset;
• Experience working with municipal authorities, educational institutions, employment services, civil society organisations, and innovation actors will be considered an asset;
• Familiarity with EU human capital, education, employment, and social inclusion frameworks will be considered an asset.

Experience in the Region and Language

• Proven professional experience in Ukraine or comparable countries undergoing demographic change, labour market transformation, or social system modernisation;
• Fluency in Ukrainian (written and spoken);
• Proficiency in English (written and spoken) will be considered an asset.

Key Expert 4: Senior Strategic Positioning and International Cooperation Expert

General Qualifications

• Master’s degree (or higher) in International Relations, Public Administration, Regional Development, Political Science, European Studies, Urban or Regional Planning, Economics, or a related field;
• At least 7 years of professional experience in strategic planning, regional development, international cooperation, or institutional development in the public sector;
• Proven experience in development and implementation of international cooperation initiatives, including engagement with development partners, international organisations, and donor-funded programmes;
• Demonstrated practical experience in preparation or coordination of strategic initiatives supporting regional integration, cooperation, or investment mobilisation.

Adequacy for the Assignment

• Proven experience in strategic positioning of cities or regions within national or international development frameworks, including metropolitan and regional development contexts;
• Demonstrated experience in analysing territorial systems and identifying opportunities for inter-municipal cooperation, functional area development, or regional coordination;
• Proven capacity to provide structured recommendations on strengthening institutional arrangements supporting international cooperation, including development of project pipelines and partnership portfolios;
• Demonstrated experience in identifying and developing international partnerships supporting recovery, investment mobilisation, innovation, and regional development;
• Experience in mapping and analysing relevant policy, financing, and cooperation frameworks at national, European, and international levels;
• Proven experience supporting participation of municipalities or regions in international city networks, cooperation platforms, or funding programmes;
• Familiarity with European Union cooperation frameworks, cross-border and interregional cooperation mechanisms, and city-to-city partnerships will be considered an asset;
• Experience working with national, regional, and municipal authorities, as well as international organisations and development partners, will be considered an asset.

Experience in the Region and Language

• Proven professional experience in Ukraine or comparable countries undergoing decentralisation, recovery, or regional integration processes;
• Demonstrated experience in international cooperation involving Ukrainian municipalities or similar territorial entities will be considered an asset;
• Fluency in Ukrainian (written and spoken);
• Proficiency in English (written and spoken) will be considered an asset.

6. BUDGET, TIMEFRAME, LOCATION

The maximum budget available for this assignment is EUR 25,000, 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 May 2026 to July 2026.

Each representative of the core team (experts) must make at least 4 visits to Vinnytsia. The expected number of working days used by each expert, including field visits, will be at least 20 (includes up to 10 working days allocated for business travel).

7. REPORTING AND MANAGEMENT

The performance of the Contractor will be judged upon reaching the purpose of this contract as well as obtaining its results, as indicated in the section “Objective” and “Deliverables” herein, respectively. Moreover, the performance of the Consultant will be judged upon the successful implementation of all the specific activities indicated in Section “Scope of work” of this document. 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.

The Contractor will report to the Project Manager of the Municipal Component, who will  review/approve the deliverables indicated above. The Contractor’s primary focal point at Vinnytsia City Administration.

8. HOW TO APPLY 

The deadline for submitting the proposal is 5 May 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 (taxes, if applicable), 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_Vinnytsia Development Strategy”. 

Bidding language: English.

Any clarification questions regarding the terms of reference should be addressed to [email protected] cc to [email protected] , not later than 1 May 2026, 18:00 Kyiv time.

9. EVALUATION CRITERIA

Bids will be evaluated under the criteria provided below