REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

MODERNIZATION OF REAL PROPERTY REGISTRATION AND CADASTRE PROJECT

Assignment Title: Provision of Services of Conducting Public Awareness Campaign (Phase III) in 2021-2022.

Cadastre Agency under the State Tax Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan (Agency) has received financing from the International Development Association toward cost of the Modernization of Real Property Registration and Cadastre Project in Uzbekistan and intends to apply part of the proceeds for the consulting services on public awareness campaign (PAC Phase III).

The project is seeking an experienced company to stress the importance of regularly updating the data on real property in the relevant Agency institutions, data maintenance and further use, the need of having accurate and reliable real property data, including ownership, transactions, mortgages, etc., as well as evaluate the PAC.

Agency now invites eligible consulting firms (Consultants) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualification and relevant experience to perform the Services.

Minimum Qualification Requirements to the Consultant:

• Strong background and track record in advertising, marketing and public relations;
• Minimum 5 years of experience with similar level of assignments and demonstrated good track-record in public information and communications;
• Demonstrated ability and track record in producing a wide variety of information products;
• Demonstrated ability and track record in the successful use of all available media;
• Demonstrated ability to build capacities/expertise for stakeholders/clients;
• Ability to edit and review resource material in Uzbek, Karakalpak and Russian languages;
• Strategic planning for nationwide public awareness campaigns;
• Creative thinking for out-of-the-box ideas;
• Public sector work, ideally with government bodies or agencies.

Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture or a subconsultancy to enhance their qualifications. A consultant will be selected in accordance with the Consultants’ Qualification Selection (CQS) method, set out in the World Bank’s Guidelines for Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers (January 2011 and revised in July 2014).

Expression of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by fax, or by e-mail) by December 30, 2021 until 18:00 Tashkent time.

Cadastre Agency under the State Tax Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Attn: Mr. Mirsaid Mimaksudov, Deputy Director

Chuponota Street 6 “v”, 100097 Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Contact person: Khasan Magdiev, PIU Director or Sirojiddin Imanov, Procurement Specialist

Tel.: 998712025596, +998974442474

Fax: +99871 2738661

E-mail: mrprc5761@gmail.com

Web site: www.kadastr.uz

As part of the EOI, the consultant should include the following information:

• Consulting Firm Information

• Associations (Joint Venture or Sub-consultancy)

Present the rationale for and benefits of working in association (JV or Sub-consultant) with others rather than undertaking the assignment independently (as appropriate). Describe the proposed management and coordination approach of the association and the role of each firm.

• Technical competence

Project References - highlight the technical qualifications of your entity/consortium in undertaking similar assignments. Provide details of past experiences working with similar project authorities

• Geographical experience

Project References, present experiences in similar geographic areas.

• Management Competence

• Describe standard policies, procedures, and practices that your entity has to assure quality interaction with clients and outputs. Please state if your company is ISO certified.
• How your firm/consortium handles complaints concerning the performance of experts or quality of the reports submitted for previous and future assignments? What internal controls are in place to address and resolve complaints.
• How you ensure the quality of your firm’s/consortium’s performance over the life of assignments.

• Projects references

• Summary for the Projects listed above

• Eligibility

We, the undersigned, certify to the best of our knowledge and belief:

• We have read the advertisement, including the terms of reference (TOR), for this assignment (YES/NO)

• Neither the consulting firm nor its JV member or sub-consultant or any of its experts prepared the TOR for this activity (YES/NO)

• We confirm that the project references submitted as part of this EOI accurately reflect the experience of the specified firm/consortium. (YES/NO)

• Ensuing assignment resulting from our work product under this assignment, our firm, JV member or sub-consultant, and the expert(s) will be disqualified from short-listing and participation in the assignment.

• The lead entity and JV member or sub-consultant are NOT currently sanctioned by or other MDBs. Neither the consulting firm nor the JV member or sub-consultant has ever been convicted of an integrity-related offense or crime related to theft, corruption, fraud, collusion or coercion.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

FOR THE PROVISION OF SERVICES OF CONDUCTING PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN (PHASE III) IN 2021

1. Background

The Government of Uzbekistan is currently undertaking efforts to modernize its real property registration and cadastre system in order to realize the economic and social benefits of up-to-date accessible information for future development. The Government of Uzbekistan has requested World Bank to support for a Modernization of Real Property Registration and Cadastre (MRPRC) project. It was approved by the World Bank Board on May 24, 2016 and became effective on January 12, 2017. The MRPRC project’s objective is to establish an efficient and accessible real property registration and cadastre system in the Republic of Uzbekistan as part of the national eGovernment structure and services.

The MRPRC project will achieve this goal by: (i) improving business processes and customer orientation in the real property register and cadastre; (ii) creating a fully digital integrated real property register and cadastre system that is accessible online to the public; (iii) improving the regulatory and operational environment of the real property register and cadastre; (iv) facilitating spatial data access, exchange and sharing at the national level; and (v) raising awareness on the importance of real property rights.

Real property registration and cadastre modernization, including building efficient and accessible systems and the capacity needed to operate and maintain them, is a continuous investment that requires support over the long term. Completing this requires years of detailed work and resolution of numerous contentious issues, which always arise when establishing a new system as fundamental as this. As such, this project should be seen as a key building block of a modern system that facilitates economic development and good governance by having reliable and accessible records for real property across the country.

The project will focus on providing an access to a new electronic real estate registration and cadastre system and the spatial data for its operationalization, including key strategy and regulatory reforms. Once the fundamental system and information base has been developed, a potential second phase would focus on the next level interventions, including supporting the use of land registry and cadastre data for a variety of market economy services and fiscal purposes in line with the planned eGovernment functions (such as municipal services, emergency management, land use planning and development control, land development, real estate market monitoring, utilities management, property valuation and taxation).

The governmental authority responsible for the MRPRC project implementation is the Agency for Cadastre under the State Tax Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan (AC under STC)^[1] . The full description of the MRPRC project can be found in Project Appraisal Document (PAD)^[2].

To ensure achievement of the MRPRC project’s objective of establishing an efficient and accessible real property registration and cadastre system via raising awareness on the importance of real property rights, the project plans to recruit a company to conduct Phase III of Public Awareness Campaign in 2021.

The PAC consists of three phases:

Phase I – 2018: the local public should be widely informed about the logical basis for, importance and significance of real property rights registration, as well as about rights and responsibilities of real property owners during relevant procedures and the costs incurred. In 2018, AC hired a consortium of local companies, LLC Aykan Invest and LLC Avesta Studiya, to implement Phase I of PAC until March 31, 2019.

Phase II – 2019-2020: the PAC moved from awareness raising to encouraging action. During this stage the PAC encouraged and directed legal entities, citizens and municipalities to register their property in the state register. In 2019, AC hired a consortium of local companies, LLC InfoCapital Group and LLC InfoXizmati, to implement Phase II of PAC until December 31, 2020.

Phase III – 2021-2022: the PAC will stress the importance of regularly updating the data on real property in the relevant AC institutions, data maintenance and further use, the need of having accurate and reliable real property data, including ownership, transactions, mortgages, etc., as well as evaluate the PAC.

2. Background of Phases I and II of PAC

Under Phase I, the consortium of LLC Aykan Invest and LLC Avesta Studiya have informed the public, professional groups and local state and self-governing bodies about the following via mass media:

• Legal framework, rights and responsibilities with regard to registration of real property;
• Procedures for registration of real property (where and how to register?);
• Difference between real property register and cadastre;
• Documents required for real property registration (How to obtain registration?);
• State duties and service fees related to real property registration;
• Norms identified in the legislation to accelerate the process of real property rights registration;
• Benefits of real property registration (economic opportunities, etc.);
• Necessity for constant improvement of the cadastre system;
• Necessity for timely registration of all real property operations in the state register by businessmen;
• Achievements in the real property cadastre system;
• Possibility to obtain cadastral information and information on the real property rights via the Internet;
• Need for transparency for efficiency of the real estate market.
• Basis for achieving higher results for the development of real estate market:
  • Contemporary and accurate information for real estate agents and other stakeholders;
  • Information needed by the government and private sector for improved real property management.
  • Opportunities for business development for a private sector;
• Organization of specialized seminars for specific professional groups.
• Essence of the MRPRC project;
• Necessary procedures for cadastral survey and real property cadastre;
• Roles and responsibilities of businessmen and responsible officials during cadastral survey;
• Significance of project results.

The following activities have been carried out for providing instructions and capacity building in the field of communication for the AC staff and the staff of its structural divisions in the regions:

• Creation and improvement of communication capacity within the Service.
• Improvement of existing information resources, presentation of information to the public, adoption of views and continuation of this process after the project.
• Consolidation of both internal and external communication capacity at the AC.
• Organization of relevant seminars for specific staff and officials working at the AC. These staff and officials have been involved in the strengthening of communication skills and special written materials (guidelines/rules) have been prepared to build this capacity.

The overall objective of Phase II was to raise the public’s awareness, understanding and acceptance of the real property register and cadastre informing, educating, and motivating citizens to use state property registration services. The company also helped citizens to get rid of misperceptions related to state property registration, raise awareness of its benefits and citizens’ rights and obligations with regards to the property ownership.

The scope of work under Phase II included implementing the following activities:

• Transfer knowledge or to support knowledge transfer to stimulate the target audiences to act accordingly;
• Raising the awareness on advantages of digitalization of AC’s work;
• Create a method of the engagement stimulating to register property in state register; 
• Improve/generate the involvement of the Institutional Stakeholders in property register process;
• Educate the youth (future owners, future decision makers) on the importance of state cadaster;
• Prepare and implement specific targeted awareness programs for communities (programs addressed to specific population groups, in order to ensure that the PAC messages reach all intended audiences equally including women and vulnerable groups, and that citizens got necessary knowledge to be able to register their properties in state register);
• Encourage and direct legal entities, citizens and municipalities to register their property in the state register.

3. Overall objective of the assignment under PAC Phase III – 2021-2022

The project is seeking an experienced company to stress the importance of regularly updating the data on real property in the relevant AC institutions, data maintenance and further use, the need of having accurate and reliable real property data, including ownership, transactions, mortgages, etc., as well as evaluate the PAC.

4. Scope of work

Under the current assignment, the company will be hired to implement the following activities planned under PAC Phase III:

• Transfer knowledge or to support knowledge transfer to stimulate the target audiences to act accordingly;
• Raising the awareness on advantages of digitalization of AC’s work;
• Educate the youth (future owners, future decision makers) on the importance of state cadaster;
• Stress the importance of regularly updating the data on real property in the relevant AC institutions, data maintenance and further use, the need of having accurate and reliable real property data, including ownership, transactions, mortgages, etc.

The current assignment will be divided into the following activities:

1. Examine the relevant documents prepared under MPRRC Project and PAC Phases I and II, including:
   1. MRPRC Project Appraisal Document (PAD)
   2. PAC Strategies
   3. PAC Design and Implementation Plans
   4. Comprehensive Implementation Plans (CIP)
   5. Action Plans
   6. Communication Strategies
   7. User Guide and interactive materials
   8. Event and meeting documents
   1. Monthly reports
   10. Final reports

2. Develop PAC Phase III Action Plan based on the results of PAC Phase II
   1. PAC Phase III Action Plan must be in line with the documents developed under Phase II.
   2. PAC Phase III Action Plan should include the method and resources to stress the importance of regularly updating the data on real property in the relevant AC institutions, data maintenance and further use, the need of having accurate and precise real property data, including ownership, transactions, mortgages, etc.

3. Creating User Guide and interactive materials on importance of regularly updating the data on real property
   1. Creating interactive documents to assist AC institutions’ employees to explain importance of regularly updating the data on real property.
4. Organizing events, meetings with the relevant AC institutions
   1. As a minimum the company shall deliver the following:
      1. The schedule of the meetings approved by the PIU;
      2. The meetings’ agendas approved by the PIU;
      3. The list of participants for every meeting approved by the PIU;
      4. Information on invitations, and confirmations received from participants;
      5. Information on the support provided to participants of every meeting;
      6. Presentations for every meeting approved by the PIU;
      7. Information on the design, production and distribution of materials; transporting materials; meeting hall decoration approved by the PIU;
      8. Feed-back forms completed by all participants;
      9. Audio/video and photo materials from the meeting;
      10. Post meeting Report, approved by the PIU.
5. Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
   1. Measure short-term behavioral changes through a pre- and post-campaign survey.
   2. Anticipate long-term behavioral changes over a period of time.
   3. The Plan should contain the followings:
      1. a monitoring and evaluation framework;
      2. a description of the monitoring activities and key moments;
      3. the underlying assumptions on which the achievement of programme goals depend;
      4. well-defined conceptual measures and definitions, along with baseline data;
      5. the monitoring schedule;
      6. a list of data sources to be used;
      7. evaluation questions and tools;
      8. baseline tools and indicators;
      9. cost estimates for the monitoring and evaluation activities;
      10. a list of the partnerships and collaborations that will help achieve the desired results; and
      11. a plan for the dissemination and utilization of the information gained.

6. Evaluation
   1. Outcome evaluation (examination of short-term effects)
   2. Impact evaluation (examination of long-term effects)
   2.  
7. Final Report for Phase III PAC.

Including:

1. 1. Executive summary: a synopsis of the activities undertaken, key findings and recommendations;
   2. Detailed description of activities.
   3. M&E section:
      1. Introduction: brief description of the purpose of evaluation, subject of evaluation and the methods have been used (e.g. surveys, interviews)
      2. Findings and discussion: information on what you delivered, how you delivered it and what outcomes occurred
      3. Recommendations: actions that need to be taken to respond to the evaluation findings

During the entire period of preparation and implementation of PAC Phase III, the company will be closely cooperating with the project implementation unit (PIU) and relevant AC staff and officials.

The interaction between the company and the AC will be carried via a focal point at the AC, who will be responsible for coordination of PAC Phase III activities between the company and AC.

5. Target groups and levels of awareness

The themes of the materials presented by PAC Phase III and the methods used for delivering these materials to the audience may vary depending on the target group.

PAC Phase III will target the following stakeholders:

• General public;
• Professional groups (lawyers, notaries, municipalities, real estate agents, bank employees and property valuators, etc.);
• Mass media (journalists, editors, producers, etc.);
• Local state and self-governing bodies located on the territories surveyed to prepare cadastral maps and the citizens residing in these areas (including youth, women and vulnerable groups);
• AC employees;
• Other Stakeholders: mass media, NGOs, academic institutions, experts, etc.

Based on the results of an independent research and within the powers granted by the AC, additional target groups may be identified in the process of PAC Phase III implementation. The interests of different social groups, communities, urban and rural population, etc., must be taken into account when identifying new target groups.  When necessary, the company should approach the identified specific target groups individually and design and implement special campaigns targeting them.

6. Expected results and mandatory reports

The company must prepare and deliver the following documents as part of their output package at defined stages of the assignment:

7. General information and requirements on Products

1. The company will submit samples of each product to the AC for approval.

• The sample products prepared by the company and submitted to AC for approval must be prepared in Uzbek, Karakalpak and Russian languages and submitted in the agreed format.
• All products in the agreed quantity must be produced and delivered according to the schedule specified by the date agreed in writing.
• The company will submit at least 3 copies of the PAC Phase III final products to the AC in the agreed format and in electronic form (on CD, etc.).

2. Reporting and Coordination

• All PAC Phase III reports will be delivered to the AC in Uzbek (3 copies), Russian (3 copies) and English (3 copies).  All materials produced by the company pertaining to the design and implementation of PAC Phase III will be the property of the AC and will not be released without the AC’s prior written consent.  

8. Duration of the assignment and management

Under PAC Phase III activities, the work will commence in December of 2021 and continue till the end of August of 2022.

The PAC Phase III activities for 2021-2022 should cover the whole territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan, i.e. the 12 regions, Republic of Karakalpakstan and the city of Tashkent.

The PAC Phase III activities for 2021-2022 will be coordinated by the focal point at the AC, appointed by the AC, and PAC Phase III activities will be closely monitored by the PIU M&E Specialist. Reports will be submitted to the AC as defined in section VIII (Expected results and mandatory reports).

9. Required professional experience and skills

The company must meet the following qualification requirements:

• Strong background and track record in advertising, marketing and public relations;
• Minimum 5 years of experience with similar level of assignments and demonstrated good track-record in public information and communications;
• Demonstrated ability and track record in producing a wide variety of information products;
• Demonstrated ability and track record in the successful use of all available media;
• Demonstrated ability to build capacities/expertise for stakeholders/clients;
• Ability to edit and review resource material in Uzbek, Karakalpak and Russian languages;
• Strategic planning for nationwide public awareness campaigns;
• Creative thinking for out-of-the-box ideas;
• Public sector work, ideally with government bodies or agencies.

The company is advised to provide a team of at least 7 (seven) key experts and 1 (one) junior liaison specialist. It is expected that the team will include at least the following skills and expertise:

• 1. 1. 1. Team Leader must have:
• Minimum 5 (five) years of demonstrated experience in project management and in coordinating campaigns of public awareness and public information at national and local level.
• Proficiency in Uzbek and English.
• Excellent written, oral and interpersonal skills.
• Experience in working with an international organization.

• 1. 1. 2. Key PR-Specialists (2 positions) must have:
• A Master’s degree in the field of public relations, journalism, communication or marketing, or business management or similar field.
• Demonstrated in-depth knowledge of the Uzbek mainstream media and PR environment, as well as of marketing theories and techniques.
• Familiarity with branding compliance and other marketing guidelines.
• Demonstrated ability to create content that is persuasive, clear, concise and able to convey and present technical ideas/knowledge in an engaging manner for varied audience.
• Demonstrated ability to create content for sustainable development or other relevant areas for a variety of audiences and for a wide range of media platforms (provide links to profiles as examples).
• Experience in handling press/media events.
• Knowledge of Uzbek land and property registration.

• 1. 1. 3. Key specialists in creating editorial content (2 positions) must have:
• At least 3 years of experience in writing editorial content.
• Journalism background.
• At least 2 years of experience in press covering relevant topics.

• 1. 1. 4. Key specialist in graphic design must have:
• At least 3 years of experience in creating graphics primarily for published, printed and/or electronic media, such as brochures and advertising.
• The expert should be able to work with multiple software programs.

• 1. 1. 5. Key specialist in production of promotional materials must have:
• At least 3 years of experience in relevant field.

• 1. 1. 6. Key specialist in software design and programming must have:
• At least 3 years of experience in databases, website programming, mobile apps programming.

In addition, the proposed key experts listed above shall have the following skills:

• proven experience in working with government entities;
• high level of computer literacy;
• good knowledge of English and Uzbek language;
• previous experience in projects funded by international organizations will be considered a plus.

In addition, the company will provide a junior liaison specialist, who will be based at the premises of AC and be responsible for liaising with relevant AC staff, preparation of all negotiation and approval documents (meeting minutes, etc.) as per procedures of AC.

10. Selection criteria:

The company will be selected based on following criteria:

• Organizational capacity, i.e. relevance of the key staff to the required experience and skills – 60%;
• Demonstrated expertise in the subject matter of the consultancy, i.e. number of projects in advertising, marketing and public relations projects, etc. with similar focus/subject area – 20%;
• Demonstrated experience in similar projects with nationwide coverage – 20%.