Technical Assistance for
Civil Society Organisations
Regional Office
This project is funded
by the European Union.
Technical Assistance Service Contract for the implementation of the project
“Capacity Building of Civil Society in the IPA countries and Territories (Albania, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo under UNSCR 1244/99,
Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia)
EuropeAid/127427/C/SER/Multi
TERMS OF REFERENCE
One Senior Short Term Expert (STE) for the assignment
Road map for the development of TACSO’s exit strategy
Background of the assignment
The general objectives of the TACSO project is to strengthen the overall capacities and
accountability of the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) within the IPA beneficiaries and to
guarantee the quality of services of CSOs and a sustainable role of the CSOs in the democratic
process. The main purposes of the project are to:


Increase and improve the capacity and actions of CSOs and to
Improve the democratic role of CSOs.
The TACSO project is implemented by a consortium of organizations during an agreement period of
two plus two years. The project is implemented in collaboration with a range of organizations and
institutions in the Western Balkans and Turkey region. Services are provided from a regional office
in Sarajevo as well as from a national office in each country (two in Turkey). At national level, advice
and support is provided by reference groups, so called Local Advisory Groups (LAGs). At the end of
the contract period, TACSO outputs, functions and processes will be transferred to national and/or
regional organizations.
The main purpose of this assignment is to contribute to the process of formulating a TACSO exit
strategy. The output of the assignment will serve as the starting point for a three-month process
which will be completed through the finalization of a TACSO exit strategy document. The
submission of this document to the financing institution, the European Commission, is expected to
take place in mid November 2011.
The work of the expert will be coordinated by the TACSO team leader supported by the
administrative staff at the regional office.
Specific objectives of the assignment are:

To identify, in consultation with TACSO staff members and other stakeholders, the
functions, outputs, processes and procedures developed and operated by TACSO that
should be considered for transfer the end of the project implementation period.

To describe the main alternative exit strategies available to TACSO, their pre-conditions and
the assessed potential for sustainability.

To produce a roadmap that describes; i) the steps necessary to identify organisations
interested to assume responsibility for and absorb into their own programmes and services
the functions and programmes provided by TACSO’s, as well as, ii) to propose procedures
for the final selection of those that will become new hosts of TACSO activities and services.
TACSO Macedonian Office • 11 Oktomvri 6/1-3 • 1000 Skopje • t: +389 2 3225 340 • f: +389 2 3290 684 • e-mail: info.mk@tacso.org
SIPU International AB Sweden • Civil Society Promotion Centre Bosnia and Herzegovina • Human Resources Development Foundation Turkey
Foundation in Support of Local Democracy Poland • Partners Foundation for Local Development Romania
Scope of the assignment
Under the overall guidance of the TACSO regional office, the duties and responsibilities of the Short
Term Expert are as follows:
Phase 1

Participate in a briefing session with the TACSO Team Leader and other staff members at
the regional office in Sarajevo.

Study background materials including project steering documents and reports, external
monitoring and evaluation reports, and other similar documents.

Produce an initial report describing the functions performed by TACSO at national and
regional level that should be sustained. This report should also include an initial assessment
of the exit or sustainability strategies available. The analysis should include but not
necessarily be limited to the following exit strategy options;

i)
Continuation of TACSO as independent national projects with external funding.
ii)
Selected national institution(s) absorbing TACSO functions (entirely or selected
parts).
iii)
TACSO continuing as fee-based, independent organizations under a governance
structure consisting of civil society representatives and other stakeholders.
iv)
Continuation of TACSO regional functions through the transfer to a regional-level
institution (to be identified).
v)
To the extent possible, make TACSO outputs, for example training programmes and
materials, available to any organisation that would like to continue using them.
Develop a plan for the implementation of the remaining assignment.
Phase 2

Further gathering of information. This includes meetings with TACSO staff members and
stakeholder representatives (including EU delegation officials) in Bosnia as well as in, at
least, two other countries in Western Balkans and Turkey. The possibility of inviting
stakeholder representatives from the remaining “TACSO countries” to attend meetings in the
countries visited by the expert should be considered. Additional interviews with LAG
members and other stakeholders from the remaining countries should be conducted through
Skype. Simple questionnaires based on Easy Search or other similar tools could also be
considered as a method for data collection.

Describe, in detail, the phasing out alternatives available to TACSO and identify the
strengths and weaknesses of each alternative (based on the five alternatives above and
other options identified during the process). This task includes the elaboration and
documentation of the institutional, technical and financial pre-conditions for sustainability of
each alternative identified by the expert.

Develop a road map for the continued elaboration of the phasing out strategy including
specific actions to be taken by TACSO at regional and national level including methods and
procedures for stakeholder consultations and the reconfirmation of the final solution chosen
in each country. The activities incorporated into the road map will need to be implemented
within a period of approximately eight-ten weeks.

The possibility of initiating the transfer of responsibility for some of the TACSO developed
training programmes through the establishment of partnerships with national training
institutions already during late 2011 should be discussed. The pros and cons of publishing
open calls in this respect should be assessed by the expert.
TACSO Macedonian Office • 11 Oktomvri 6/1-3 • 1000 Skopje • t: +389 2 3225 340 • f: +389 2 3290 684 • e-mail: info.mk@tacso.org
SIPU International AB Sweden • Civil Society Promotion Centre Bosnia and Herzegovina • Human Resources Development Foundation Turkey
Foundation in Support of Local Democracy Poland • Partners Foundation for Local Development Romania

The role of the LAGs in the phasing out process should be discussed in the expert’s report.

Document all important observations and considerations as well as conclusions and
recommendations in a report of maximum 30 pages excluding possible annexes.

Brief and debrief with the TACSO regional office in Sarajevo.
Activities to be carried out

Study available reports and other documents of relevance. Meet with staff members at the
TACSO regional office. Produce an initial report covering the tasks listed above under Scope
of the assignment – phase 1.

Phase 2: meet with TACSO staff members and stakeholder representatives (including EU
delegation officials) in Bosnia as well as in, at least, two other countries in Western Balkans
and Turkey. Additional interviews with LAG members and other stakeholders from the
remaining countries should be conducted through Skype. The possibility of inviting such
representatives from the remaining TACSO countries to attend meetings in the countries
visited by the expert should be considered.

Prepare and submit a draft report addressing the above listed questions and requirements
as well as a detailed proposal regarding the steps necessary in order to finalise the exit
strategy (the roadmap). The report should be available within approx. seven weeks of the
commencement of the assignment.

Incorporate comments into the draft report and submit a final report within two weeks of
receiving consolidated comments from the regional office.

Debrief with the regional office in Sarajevo.
Deliverables/results as well as location of the assignment.
By the end of the assignment, the STE should have finalized or delivered a draft report and a final
report. The report should include observations and recommendations as well as a roadmap (further
steps required and timing of those) in order to complete the TACSO exit strategy.
The expert’s base of operation will be Sarajevo. The expert will be requested to undertake missions
to at least two other TACSO beneficiary countries.
Duration and timing of the assignment
The assignment is planned to take place from 27 June and to be completed by 15 August 2011. The
phase 1 report should be submitted no later than 11 July.
TACSO Macedonian Office • 11 Oktomvri 6/1-3 • 1000 Skopje • t: +389 2 3225 340 • f: +389 2 3290 684 • e-mail: info.mk@tacso.org
SIPU International AB Sweden • Civil Society Promotion Centre Bosnia and Herzegovina • Human Resources Development Foundation Turkey
Foundation in Support of Local Democracy Poland • Partners Foundation for Local Development Romania
Activity
Phase 1. Briefing, study
background materials.
Initial report incl. plan for the
remaining assignment.
Phase 2. Additional data
collection including visits to Bosnia
and two other TACSO countries,
Skype interviews, etc.
Detailed report on the alternative
strategies available. Development
of the roadmap.
Debriefing with TACSO regional
office.
Total
STE days
3
3
12
6
1
25
Profile of the STEs:






University degree in a field relevant to the assignment.
At least ten years working experience in the field of the assignment including examples of
assignments undertaken with the same or similar purposes.
Experience of undertaking assignments and drafting reports commissioned by international
organisations.
Good understanding of the context in which CSOs in the region operate.
Excellent English drafting skills.
Computer literacy.
Applicants must be independent and free from any conflict of interest. Note that civil servants and
other staff of a beneficiary public administration may not be recruited as STE unless prior written
approval has been obtained from the Contracting Authority.
Monitoring and evaluation of the STE
The activity will be monitored by the TACSO team leader. The TACSO capacity building advisor or
other staff members might participate in some of the meetings and other activities conducted by the
expert.
Application
Applications must be in English and entail the following:
 Letter of intent and availability.
 Financial offer (enclosed as separate document) specifying the daily fee as well as
reimbursable costs.
 CV in EU format
 3 references from similar assignments
The application should be sent not later than 20 June 2011 at 08:00 by email to
palle.westergaard@tacso.org.
TACSO Macedonian Office • 11 Oktomvri 6/1-3 • 1000 Skopje • t: +389 2 3225 340 • f: +389 2 3290 684 • e-mail: info.mk@tacso.org
SIPU International AB Sweden • Civil Society Promotion Centre Bosnia and Herzegovina • Human Resources Development Foundation Turkey
Foundation in Support of Local Democracy Poland • Partners Foundation for Local Development Romania