Result of Service

The consultant will deliver the following outputs:

• Sector and subsector benchmarking analysis across ministries and public institutions.
• Analytical review of sector and subsector institutional mapping and identification of governance gaps and overlaps.
• Technical inputs and presentations supporting validation workshops with ministries and public stakeholders.
• Sectoral analytical contributions informing the development of the Target Operating Model (TOM).
• Analytical briefs summarizing lessons learned from international study visits.
• Final analytical report summarizing key findings and policy insights contributing to the Public Sector Reform Blueprint. Work Location Remote Expected duration 2 Months Duties and Responsibilities 1. Background The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), through its Cluster 6 on Governance and Conflict Prevention, works to advance just, peaceful and inclusive societies, particularly for people living under occupation or in conflict and post-conflict settings. The Cluster aims to improve governance and strengthen effective, efficient, and accountable public institutions, while enhancing the quality and accessibility of public service delivery. In alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 16, which calls for the creation of effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels, ESCWA recognizes that effective governance is a foundation for achieving national development goals and for restoring citizens trust in public institutions. Strengthening the performance, integrity, and effectiveness of public administrations is therefore central to building resilient states capable of delivering services and managing complex policy challenges. Lebanons public administration, largely unchanged since the 1960s, faces deep structural and institutional challenges, including fragmented mandates, overlapping responsibilities, outdated governance arrangements, and limited administrative capacity. In response to these challenges, the Office of the Minister of State for Administrative Reform (OMSAR) has launched a comprehensive reform initiative entitled Reinventing Lebanons Public Sector 2030. The reform initiative aims to modernize governance structures, streamline institutional mandates, improve service delivery, strengthen accountability mechanisms, and rebuild citizens trust in the State. The reform process is structured across three phases: – Phase 1: Stakeholder engagement and vision-setting – Phase 2: Design of a comprehensive reform blueprint – Phase 3: Implementation of institutional reforms Within Phase 2, the United Nations Country Team (UNCT), led by the Resident Coordinator and supported by UNDP and ESCWA, is providing technical assistance to OMSAR to support the development of a Public Sector Reform Blueprint. The analytical work underpinning this blueprint includes: – A baseline assessment of Lebanons current institutional landscape – A benchmarking exercise of international public administration models – The development of a Target Operating Model (TOM) for the Lebanese public sector – Stakeholder consultations and validation workshops with ministries and public entities. – International study visits to examine reform experiences in selected countries ESCWA previously engaged a team of consultants to support the initial benchmarking exercise and provide analytical inputs to the development of the Target Operating Model (TOM) under Phase 2 of the reform initiative. The activities under this initial assignment focused on global benchmarking of public administration reform models and the development of an initial analytical framework to inform the reform blueprint, in line with the initial requests of OMSAR. Following the completion of this initial phase, OMSAR has expanded the scope of the analytical work and requested more detailed analysis at the sector and subsector level across ministries and public institutions, including deeper benchmarking and institutional diagnostics. In response to these additional requests, ESCWA seeks to extend the consultancy in order to provide continued analytical and technical support to the reform design process, focusing in particular on sectoral and subsector benchmarking, institutional mapping, validation workshops, international study visits, and analytical inputs for the development of the Target Operating Model and the Public Sector Reform Blueprint. 2. Objective and methodology The purpose of this assignment is to provide specialized analytical and technical support to the ongoing Phase 2 design of Lebanons Public Sector Reform Blueprint, building on the work completed under the previous consultancy and responding to the expanded analytical requests of OMSAR. The assignment will focus in particular on:
• Conducting sector and subsector-level benchmarking analysis across ministries and public institutions
• Supporting the analytical review of sectoral baseline institutional mapping exercises
• Providing technical inputs to validation workshops with ministries and public entities
• Contributing sectoral analytical inputs to the development of the Target Operating Model (TOM)
• Participating in and supporting international study visits organized under the reform initiative
• Providing analytical inputs contributing to the development of the Public Sector Reform Blueprint The consultant will support the synthesis of sectoral and subsectoral diagnostic findings and benchmarking insights to inform institutional reform options, governance arrangements, and public sector modernization priorities. 3. Tasks – duties and responsibilities Under the supervision of ESCWA (Cluster 6: Governance and Conflict Prevention), and in close coordination with OMSAR and UNDP, the Consultant will undertake the following tasks: A. Sector and Subsector Benchmarking Analysis
• Conduct sector and subsector-level benchmarking across ministries and public entities, building on the initial global benchmarking exercise previously completed.
• Analyze governance arrangements, institutional mandates, and service delivery structures within sectors and subsectors.
• Incorporate comparative benchmarking examples from relevant international and regional governance systems, including GCC countries.
• Conduct thematic benchmarking in areas such as: – Management and oversight of state-owned enterprises – Governance and regulation of the NGO sector – Cross-government coordination mechanisms – Digital transformation and service delivery reforms
• Identify governance patterns, institutional arrangements, and reform sequencing strategies applicable to Lebanons context.
• Produce analytical summaries highlighting lessons learned and their implications for institutional reform. B. Support to Sectoral Validation Workshops
• Provide technical support to the preparation of validation workshops organized by OMSAR and UNDP with ministries and public entities.
• Contribute analytical inputs and presentations to facilitate discussions on institutional roles, governance arrangements, and reform priorities.
• Participate in ministerial validation workshops and support the documentation and synthesis of workshop outcomes.
• Consolidate insights emerging from consultations to inform the reform design process. C. Contribution to Target Operating Model (TOM) Development
• Contribute to the synthesis of sectoral baseline findings and benchmarking results.
• Support the development and refinement of institutional reform options and governance models for the Lebanese public sector.
• Provide sectoral and subsector analytical inputs to the design of the Target Operating Model (TOM), including: – Institutional coordination mechanisms – Allocation of governance functions – Service delivery arrangements – Accountability and performance management systems
• Assist in the preparation of analytical reports informing the Public Sector Reform Blueprint. D. Participation in International Study Visits
• Support the preparation of international study visits organized…