Overview 

Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) is the UK public body dedicated to supporting democracy around the world. Operating internationally, WFD works with parliaments, political parties, and civil society groups as well as on elections to help make political systems fairer, more inclusive and more accountable. 

WFD is one of the implementing partners within a consortium led by Expertise France on the EU-funded programme ‘Support to Democratic Reforms in Jordan’, which aims to promote a more participatory, inclusive, and accountable democratic process. Through enhancing women and youth’s engagement and strengthening democratic institutions, the programme will ensure that young men and women participate meaningfully in the democratic life and that political parties are strengthened to create an enabling environment for increased participation and responsiveness to diverse groups. The programme also aims to support the HoR in exercising its core parliamentary functions with greater professionalism, effectiveness, inclusivity, and accountability. 

Aim of this request for proposals

WFD is issuing this Call for Experts (“Call”) to a range of potential national experts to submit a technical and financial proposal based on the present ToR. This Call constitutes a formal Request for Quotes. WFD, in coordination with the General Secretariat of the Jordanian House of Representatives, is organising a training programme, comprised of four advanced budget and financial oversight training sessions for staffers who support the Parliamentary Financial Committee. These trainings aim to deepen staffers' knowledge, analytical skills, and strategic advisory capabilities in financial oversight and budget scrutiny.

Proposal submission

All proposals should be submitted by Monday, 19 May 2025 in writing, must comply with the requirements of this Call, and must include the information requested in the Proposal Requirements below. 

The proposal should be sent electronically and addressed to: Safa Salim safa.salim@wfd.org.

The same email address should be used for any questions related to this Call.

WFD’s standard terms and conditions for tendering and key policies are found here and you can find a copy of WFD’s Code of Conduct here.

Terms of reference

Objective

The primary objective of this training programme is to enhance the technical expertise and analytical capabilities of staffers supporting the Parliamentary Financial Committee in the Jordan House of Representatives. Through this training, participants will develop advanced skills in financial scrutiny, budget analysis, and governmental accountability, enabling them to provide strategic, data-driven support to MPs during budget review and oversight processes. 

Additionally, the training aims to:

• Strengthen staffers’ ability to assess government spending by applying advanced financial analysis techniques, ensuring alignment with fiscal policies and national priorities.
• Deepen participants' understanding of budgetary frameworks and the role of parliamentary oversight in enhancing fiscal discipline, transparency, and accountability.
• Equip staffers with the skills to critically evaluate budget proposals and expenditure reports, identifying inefficiencies, potential risks, and areas for improved financial governance.
• Enhance the advisory capacity of staffers in budget negotiations and policy formulation, ensuring they can provide evidence-based recommendations to MPs.
• Introduce international best practices in financial scrutiny and audit processes, enabling participants to apply comparative legislative approaches in the Jordanian context.

Deliverables 

The selected expert trainer will be responsible for delivering the following:

1. Training Modules:

• Training module one: Advanced fiscal policy analysis and Public Finance Management (PFM) reforms:

- Understanding macroeconomic indicators and their impact on fiscal policy. 

- Evaluating fiscal sustainability and debt management strategies. 

- Reviewing international best practices in Public Finance Management (PFM) reforms. 

- Assessing fiscal risks, contingent liabilities, and their implications for parliamentary oversight. 

- Review WFD’s four policy briefs on public debt management, with the possibility of referencing these resources in the training materials developed as well as in the training delivery.

• Training Module Two: Performance-based budgeting and expenditure effectiveness:

- Techniques for assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of government spending. 

- Understanding and applying Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in budget oversight.

- Monitoring budget execution using performance-based methodologies. 

- Evaluating budget reports and expenditure based on results, cost-benefit analysis, and impact assessments. 

- Linking budget allocation to national development priorities and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

- Gender sensitivity in performance-based budgeting.

• Training Module Three: Comprehensive financial scrutiny and fraud detection:

- Identifying and analyzing irregularities in government financial statements. 

- Advanced forensic auditing techniques for detecting misuse of public funds. 

- Assessing corruption risks in procurement and public expenditure. 

- Strengthening financial transparency and accountability in parliamentary oversight.

• Training Module Four: Enhancing strategic advisory skills in budget negotiations and policy development:

- Advanced techniques for advising MPs during budget negotiations.

- Assessing the financial implications of policy proposals and amendments. 

- Engaging with ministries, civil society, and financial experts to provide evidence-based advice.

- Drafting comprehensive budget reports, amendments, and policy briefs for MPs.

2. Training Materials: 

- Comprehensive training materials for each of the four training modules, including presentations and case studies, building on best international practices.

- Interactive exercises and practical examples to enhance understanding and engagement. 

- Digital copies of all training materials for future reference. 

3. Training Delivery: 

- Conduct a three-day training session for each of the four training modules for a selected number of HoR staffers. 

- Ensure interactive and participatory training methods, including group discussions, Q&A sessions, and practical exercises. 

- Provide real-time feedback and support to participants during the training. 

4. Reporting: 

A report at the end of each training module, detailing the training outcomes, participants feedback, and recommendations for the delivery of the subsequent training sessions.

A final copy of the four training modules material after incorporating and adapting the content to the participants’ feedback.

A final comprehensive report at the end of the assignment.

5. Other: 

The expert may be required to perform additional services arising from unforeseen or emergent needs during the term of this Agreement. Any such additional services shall be subject to a written amendment to this Agreement, to be executed by both Parties, which shall specify the nature, scope, and associated costs of the additional service.

6. Timeline:

7. Working arrangement 

The expert is expected to work closely with the WFD team and shall use his/her own resources for the completion of the required assignment. 

The expert is also expected to review and adapt the training content, if needed, based on the participants’ feedback and needs.

8. Payments

The selected expert will be awarded a contract based on their submitted financial proposal. Payment will be disbursed in full upon the satisfactory completion and acceptance of submitted reports at the end of each training session.

9. Minimum experience and expertise

The expert should have the following qualifications and experience: 

• Master’s degree in budgeting and finance, or any related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of practical experience with budgetary processes in Jordan, preferably in the public sector.
• Experience in working with MPs and parliamentary staffers will be considered as an advantage.
• Flexibility in responding and adapting content based on the participants’ feedback.
• Previous experience working with government bodies is desirable.
• Excellent writing and verbal communication skills in Arabic.

Proposal requirements

In general, the proposal should include the following:

1. Profile/CV.
2. Proposed solution/methodology and how it meets the specification (scope and deliverables).
3. Financial proposal.
4. List of trainings conducted, and relevant materials developed previously.

Individual profile:

• If the expert is currently registered with WFD’s Expert Roster, the expert should refer to this in the proposal and no further information is required.
• If the expert is not currently registered with the Expert Roster, the expert should provide a C.V. or information in the proposal document including:

- A summary of his/her professional biography and relevant career history/record of assignments; and 

- Case studies/credentials demonstrating relevant practical experience and skills profile.

Proposed solution: 

• Clear explanation as to the proposed approach and delivery methodology to meeting the specification set out in this Call.
• Detailed project plan, including timelines, assumptions and dependencies, resourcing, and risks. 

Financial proposal: 

• Full breakdown time and cost estimates for the proposed solution in JOD including any daily rate to be applied.
• Separate accounting of VAT and/or any other applicable tax, duty, or charge.
• Detailing of any discount applied in view of WFD’s not-for-profit status.

References: 

• If the expert is currently registered with WFD’s Expert Roster, the expert should refer to this in the proposal and no further information is required.
• If the expert is not currently registered with the Expert Roster, the expert should include details of at least three references relating to similar expert services provided in the last three years.

Queries about this Call

Any questions related to this Call should be addressed to at safa.salim@wfd.org. 

Equal Information 

Should any potential expert raise a question that is of general interest, WFD reserves the right to circulate both question and answer to other respondents, either via WFD’s website or by email. In this event, anonymity will be maintained. 

Other information 

If the potential expert believes that there is additional information that has not been requested in the Call but is relevant to your proposal, please include that information as a separate attachment and explain its relevance to this Call.