The Mechanism to Carry out Policy Analyses and Selection of the Expert 

The Technical Assistance (TA) facility is one of the key instruments to ensure that CSF is developed and operates successfully. The CSF vision for the TA facility is to offer expert input into the changes and developments required to create an infrastructure suitable for knowledge-based economic development. It will implement this vision by identifying economic sectors that have competitive advantage and contributing to the deregulation and liberalization of the Pakistani economy. In addition to supporting the creation and operation of the fund, the TA window supports Pakistan's goal of a more competitive economy by providing input into policy decisions, working to improve regulatory and administrative frameworks and enhancing public-private partnerships within the country. It will further carry out policy relevant analysis that supports second-generation reform activities and/or that focuses on the competitiveness opportunities and constraints in specific sectors with high growth potential and competitive advantage.

The requirement to carry out the policy analyses of an economic sector can come from the:

– Government of Pakistan through the Ministry of Finance.

– Private Sector and Other Stakeholders.

– Academia, Think Tanks and other Research Organizations.

CSF can also carry out policy analyses of a sector at its own initiative particularly if it is critical for economic development and confirms to the TA objectives. C onsultations are then held with the relevant stakeholder groups and with the sponsors, in this case USAID and GoP to confirm the need for the study. CSF then carries out the technical assistance it deems appropriate subject to the conditions under which the fund was established and to the availability of budgetary and staff resources.

Identification of the consultants is carried out through reviews of CSF database of consultants and consultations with the international network on competitiveness that includes organizations like World Economic Forum, The Competitiveness Institutes (TCI) and other institutions specializing on competitiveness issues. For a consultant to be eligible for Technical Assistance work, he/ she should possess at least 15-20 years of relevant experience in the task concerned. Financial and technical negotiations are then carried out as per USAID rules and regulations.

After the negotiations, the final scope of work for the consultant, biodata of the consultant that shows his/ her last four years salary and/ or daily fees and the CV are sent to the sponsor agency, in this case USAID, for approval as per the requirements of the LSGA. After having received the approval from USAID the CSF enters into the contractual arrangement with the expert concerned. The detailed flow chart of the process is provided.