Background

In 2023 WFD launched a FCDO-funded project operating in five countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia, and coordinated through a regional Western Balkans office based in Belgrade. This programme is having its follow up and the regional program titled: "Western Balkans Stability Programme: Investing in Democratic Resilience" will continue to focus on three components of work:

• Transparent and impactful democratic institutions.
• Inclusion and representation of marginalized groups, including women and youth.
• Strengthened attitudes, tools, and resources to resist external and internal influences.  

WFD in Montenegro is focusing on fostering better cooperation between the Parliament and the SAI, as a foundation for a better oversight function of the Parliament. WFD developed a Roadmap on Strengthening Ex-Post Budgetary Oversight based on the assesment report, that outlines steps to improve the Parliament's role in budget oversight. Using the report’s findings and combining them with the previous activities and experiences shared by NAO UK, particularly focusing on further enhancing the proactive approach of the SAI and adopting a more systematic strategy for engaging MPs, we can effectively draw attention to gaps within the system. Building a more transparent and accountable oversight of public finances, holding the executive accountable and ensuring that financial management and resource allocation are regularly scrutinized will deter private interests and corruption. According to the created Roadmap, the expert will help the Parliament to develop a needs assessment of the CEFB. 

Assignment 

The scope of work entails methodological approach for supporting the Parliament of Montenegro’s Committee for Economy, Finance, and Budget (CEFB) in conducting a comprehensive Needs Assessment of its staff capacity. This assessment aims to identify current capacities, gaps, and future requirements aligned with the Roadmap on Strengthening Ex-Post Budgetary Oversight, ensuring that the CEFB and its staff are adequately equipped for handling the audit reports.

The primary objectives of this assignment are to:

• Evaluate the existing skills, knowledge, and capacities of CEFB staff involved in budget oversight and audit follow-up activities.
• Identify gaps and areas for capacity strengthening, including technical, procedural, and institutional competencies.
• Provide actionable recommendations for capacity development, including training, recruitment, and procedural reforms.
• Support the development of a strategic capacity-building plan aligned with the Roadmap’s timelines and activities.

Main focus of the assessment will be on the way that audit reports are handled, bearing in mind the existing capacities of CEFB. The expert will complete the desk review (review relevant documents including the Analysis, Roadmap, previous assessments, legal frameworks, SOPs, and training materials, analyze the current roles and responsibilities of CEFB staff related to handling audit reports , follow-up, coordination, and analytical support); engage in stakeholder consultation through meetings, interviews, etc; analyze capacity gaps (map current staff competencies against the requirements outlined in the Roadmap, particularly in areas such as follow-up procedures, coordination, legal review, and analytical support, identify critical skill shortages, training needs, and resource constraints); provide recommendations and capacity development plan; present preliminary findings and draft recommendations to CEFB management and relevant stakeholders and incorporate feedback and finalize the Needs Assessment.

Deliverables

• A detailed plan for drafting the needs assessment (including suggested meetings and consultations)
• Presentation of the first draft of the needs assessment
• Incorporating feedback and finalizing the document 

Timelines and working hours

In order to complete the assignment, 10 working days are agreed. Additional working days can be agreed as required and annexed to this agreement. 

Contact person

The WFD contact person for this assignment is Aleksandra Vujisić, Programme Manager Montenegro: Email: aleksandra.vujisic@wfd.org