The USAID-funded Local Governance Assistance Activity (LGAA) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), implemented by Tetra Tech International Development (International Development Jobs – Tetra Tech), is currently accepting expressions of interest for an Expert on Road Maintenance for a short-term technical assignment (STTA). The Road Maintenance Expert will work with the LGAA team based in Sarajevo, BiH.
Position Description/Summary: The purpose of this assignment is to engage a local expert for a short-term consultancy to work with the four LGAA partner LGUs (Vareš, Zavidovići, Žepče and Teslić) to analyze the feasibility of current practices of the four targeted LGUs with regard to regular annual road repair and maintenance. This analysis should cover the maintenance of local and uncategorized roads and recommend effective, sustainable technical solutions for realistically delivering this public service within the budget and other resource constraints faced by the targeted LGUs. These recommendations should be specific to the needs and context of each of the four partner LGUs targeted. Additionally, the Expert will work with the four partner LGUs to improve the existing process for prioritizing road maintenance and works, with the goal of increasing citizen satisfaction with the delivery of this critical service.
The anticipated level of effort for this assignment is 45 days. The period of performance for this assignment is o/a May 6th to o/a July 31st, 2024. The Road Maintenance Expert will perform the work both remotely from their home of record in BiH, and on-site in the four LGUs: Vareš, Zavidovići, Žepče and Teslić. Domestic travel is therefore expected.
Responsibilities:
Task 1: Review of policies and regulations related to road maintenance in the targeted LGUs
* Collect and review all regulations, procedures, and policies related to road maintenance and works in each of the four targeted LGUs.
* Collect and analyze information about current practices related to road maintenance and works in each of the four targeted LGUs.
* Identify gaps between the defined procedures and existing pratices and recommend practical and cost-effective ways to bridge the gaps.
* Capture good practices related to the provision of road maintenance and works services to citizens including citizen engagement practices, general communication, and mechanisms for collecting customer feedback.
* Prepare a brief report on the findings and recommendations resulting from the completion of the steps under Task 1.
Task 2: Conduct financial and technical analysis of the local and uncategorized road works services in the targeted LGUs
* Collect and review technical, financial, and procurement records of the targeted LGUs related to the maintenance and repair of local and uncategorized roads (with a particular focus on non-asphalted roads) covering the past 3 years to assess annual municipal investments, types of works undertaken, durability of the works, and overall quality of the work completed. This should include a review of work specifications (how well did municipal tender documents define technical specifications), the process of inspection and monitoring of the work performed by the contractor and by the LGU, both during and after the completion of work.
* Recommend practical, modern technical solutions that the targeted LGUs could undertake to improve the longevity and sustainability of the implemented road work.
* Identify areas for improvement to the procurement, management, and monitoring process for road maintenance, including training needs for relevant LGU staff (this can also include staff from the LGU’s procurement department).
* Analyze options for the allocation of the LGU’s annual budget for road maintenance and upkeep to maximize their investments and to best meet the needs of their community. This analysis should consider the feasibility of maintaining local and uncategorized non-asphalted roads versus the construction of newer asphalted roads.
* Develop and recommend a specific methodological approach for above-mentioned cost analysis, prepare a brief guide for its practical application, and train relevant personnel in the four targeted LGUs on its application
Task 3: Establish regulatory and policy framework for the planning of annual road maintenance services in the four targeted LGUs.
* Drawing on the outputs from Tasks 1 and 2, revise existing, or develop if they do not exist, procedures for planning of annual road maintenance and upkeep of local and uncategorized roads (with a particular focus on non-asphalted roads). These procedure should include mechanisms for citizen consultations and feedback to ensure that annual plans incorporate inputs from citizens and key local stakeholders.
* Work with key staff in the four targeted LGUs to develop a consultative process to define the criteria to be used for determining how to prioritize annual road works based on available resources. The consultative process to be devised should seek to engage a broad range of local stakeholders, including representatives from relevant LGU departments; private sector actors; representatives from community groups (including those that represent vulnerable and socially disadvantaged communities); etc.
* Based on the results of the technical and financial analysis (Task 2), develop guidelines for the inclusion of local and uncategorized non-asphalted local roads into the infrastructure development programs of the four targeted LGUs.
* Develop guidelines for carrying out unplanned road maintenance and repairs in response to unforeseen circumstances, customer requests, or emergency situations.
* Develop with the Municipality of Vareš a procedure to plan for annual winter-time road maintenance including criteria for prioritization of emergency or customer requests.
Minimum Qualification Requirements:
* Advanced university degree in engineering, mathematics, and other relevant field.
* At least 5 years of experience as a Road Maintenance and Construction Engineer, preferably within government institutions.
* Demonstrated ability to perform financial and technical analysis of road works services.
* Experience advising local government units or higher levels of government on road maintenance and construction planning and implementation.
* High degree of familiarity with current polices, regulations, and practices with regard to road works in BiH.
* Experience developing instructions, procedures, rule books and similar for road maintenance and construction services.
* High level of competence with MS Office.
* Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills in the official languages of peoples in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian).
* Advanced English writing skills, preferred.
How to apply
To be considered, please submit the following:
* Cover Letter
* CV
Apply on-line at: https://tetratech.referrals.selectminds.com/intdev/jobs/expert-on-road-maintenance-for-bosnia-and-herzegovina-local-governance-assistance-activity-stta-41752
Please ensure that only the requested documents noted above are submitted. Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.
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