Request for Quotations for the engagement of researchers within the Malta Council of Social and Economic Development

Malta Council of Social and Economic Development Ref: MCESD/04/2022

Background

The Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD) is an advisory council that brings together social partners, civil society, and government. This tri-partite council has the aim of proposing sound and concrete recommendations about socioeconomic matters, which are then heeded by the government of the day, prior to any reforms or measures of relevance.

Aside from the regular discussions held at a plenary level, the Council includes within it several Working Groups, constituted by social partners, having the aim of delving in-depth into a specific research subject. For its 2022 research workplan, the Council has agreed to establish four (4) umbrella Working Groups as follows:

1. Environment
   • Waste management.
   • Renewable and energy efficient and related infrastructure.
   • Electrification of vehicles and related infrastructure, and
   • Building renovation.

2. Productivity
   • Start-up and SME access to finance
     • Challenges faced by start-ups and SMEs in accessing capital markets; and
     • The effectiveness of present instruments and scope for their improvement.
   • Inflationary pressures on individuals and corporates,
     • Increase in costs of doing business and their affects.
     • Increases in food prices and other costs and their impacts; and
     • Impact of carbon levies on building and their cascading impact on households
   • Competitiveness
     • Ease of doing business and the attractiveness of our ecosystem.
     • Digitalisation, Research & Innovation.

3. Stability
   • Fiscal Stability
     • Impact on the agreement on reforming global taxation to limit harmful tax competition has been reached within the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS);
     • Drive for fiscal morality and literacy; and
     • Fiscal consolidation (incl. tax evasion).

4. Fairness
   • Labour market developments
     • Migration of workers.
     • Work-Life Balance directive
     • Implementation of the National Integration Policy and the National Employment Policy
     • The development of skills and skills gaps.

The body of research and ensuing recommendations, emanating from these Working Groups is to feed into the Governmental policy-making cycle including the national pre-budget and budget documents, however not exclusively.

For this purpose, MCESD has the intention of engaging a total of 4 researchers to lead each separate Working Group.

Terms of Reference

MCESD intends to engage 4 researchers to separately lead the four umbrella Working Groups defined above. Each researcher shall have to achieve the below objectives:

1. Develop a presentation for MCESD Research Steering Unit (MRSU), outlining a detailed understating of the umbrella subject matter; the recommended priority focus areas to be tackled by the Working Group; and methodology to be adopted. Working Group may proceed subject that this is to the satisfaction of MCESD.
2. Present the way forward to the Working Group under his/her responsibility and obtain agreement on prioritised research areas under the umbrella research cluster.
3. Provoke thoughts and guide the arguments within the Working Group supported by science, research, and evidence.
4. Hold and document a minimum of 8 consultative meetings with Industry experts.
5. Present bi-monthly updates on the process made within each Working Group to the MRSU.
6. Present a consolidated report with the findings and actionable and effective recommendations on each priority focus area chosen, which may be taken up by Government in the short, medium and long-term accordingly, to the MRSU, MCESD Chairman and thereafter to the Council.
7. Accompany report mentioned in (5) above with indications of the type of costs associated with the proposals, and in the light of the realities of budget constraints, consideration of alternative sources of funding which may be tapped into to finance such proposals.
8. Work in liaison and under the direction of the MRSU.

Timeframes for implementation

The presentation to the MCESD is to be prepared within a week of signing of engagement letter and no later than the end of July, whichever is first.

The course of the Working Group shall be as recommended by the MRSU

Requirements

The researchers are to submit a detailed proposal, outlining:

• their academic background, research competence and experience in the subject area;
• a list of similar publications researched or authored;
• the proposed methodology to be adopted;
• their understanding of the process; the work of the MCESD and also an awareness of the work pursued by each social partner or civil society member;
• an indication of the priority area of focus;
• the proposed timeframes of implementation;
• the proposed hourly fee and breakdown thereof (Hourly fee quoted must be between €45 and €65 per hour). Total Contract Value shall not exceed €5,000 (exclusive of VAT)

Pool of Research Experts

Interested applicants are also invited to indicate whether they are interested in serving in MCESD Pool of Research Experts, until the end of year 2022.  Experts may be required to contribute to and support MCESD research endeavours in key areas covering economic and social issues, as per MCESD indicated requirements.

Quotations are to be sent to Ms. Adriana Chircop, Executive Secretary, MCESD, on [email protected] by the 15^th June 2022.