Consultant for the Development Quality Infrastructure and its Implementation in the work of Uzbekistan Institute of Standards (+Guidelines and Training)

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST (CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT SELECTION) Country: Republic of Uzbekistan Project: Institutional Capacity Building Project Credit No.: IDA 6431-UZ Assignment Title: Consultant for the Development Quality Infrastructure and its Implementation in the work of Uzbekistan Institute of Standards (+Guidelines and Training). Reference No.: MEF-UZSTI-IC The Ministry of Economy and finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Institutional Capacity Building Project and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services for the development quality infrastructure and its implementation in the work of Uzbekistan Institute of Standards (+Guidelines and Training). The engagement of an international consulting service has become necessary due to existing challenges in the current system and the need to align it with international standards. The primary objectives of this engagement are to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the system, support the development of the National Standardization Strategy through 2030, strengthen institutional governance mechanisms, and facilitate digital modernization, including the revision of energy efficiency standards. Implementing these measures will enable the establishment of a modern, sustainable, and internationally harmonized national standardization system, ensuring process transparency, effective business participation, and the reliable integration of Uzbekistan into the global quality infrastructure. The Ministry of Economy and finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan now invites eligible Individual Consultants (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services (reference to similar services, experience in similar assignments, availability, etc.) submitting directly to the piu_mof@mail.ru. Qualification requirements for the Consultant:

• Over 10 years of experience in international standardization, development of national strategies, and management of quality infrastructure.
• Experience in managing or participating in the secretariats of international technical committees (ISO/IEC).
• Proven track record in implementing projects in the field of energy efficiency and sustainable development, including the integration of relevant standards into national systems.
• Experience in the development and implementation of national standardization strategies using international practices of ISO/IEC and other organizations.
• Expertise in designing sustainable financing models and strategies for business engagement in standardization processes.
• Experience in digital transformation of standardization processes, including the creation of digital solutions and the implementation of modern tools to ensure transparency and process optimization.
• Demonstrated ability in mentoring and capacity building, including the development of training materials, delivery of training sessions, and providing support to national standardization bodies worldwide.
• Excellent knowledge and practical application of international instruments and guidelines in the field of quality infrastructure (ISO, IEC, WTO/TBT, World Bank, UNIDO).

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” dated July 2016, revised in November 2017, August 2018 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. In addition, please refer to the following specific information on conflict of interest related to this assignment: Consultants shall not be hired for any assignment that would be in conflict with their prior or current obligations to other clients, or that may place them in a position of being unable to carry out the assignment in the best interests of the Ministry of Economy and finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 9:00 a.m. to 18:00 p.m. Tashkent time. Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form in English or Russian languages to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by December 19, 2025. Project Implementation Unit under the Ministry of Economy and finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan Attn: Sirojiddin Imanov, PIU Director Uzbekistan, 100035, Tashkent city, Yunusobod district, 1, Niyozbek yo’li st. Tel: +998 71 202 3113 (ext. 05493) E-mail: piu_mof@mail.ru TERMS OF REFERENCE for the engagement of an international consultant to support the comprehensive development of the national standardization system of the Republic of Uzbekistan, including the elaboration of the National Standardization Strategy until 2030, the strengthening of institutional governance mechanisms, and the implementation of energy efficiency standards

• Background Information

The national standardization system of the Republic of Uzbekistan is an integral part of the country’s quality infrastructure, playing a strategic role in ensuring the competitiveness of the national economy, promoting exports, and supporting innovation and technological development. Its effective functioning is directly linked to the objectives of transitioning to a “green economy” and achieving sustainable development. The Uzbekistan Institute of Standards (UzSTI) serves as the national standardization body and operates in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan On Standardization No. 800 dated November 3, 2022, and Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 220 dated March 14, 2019. UzSTI performs the functions of a methodological and coordination center, including:

• organization and coordination of the development, revision, and withdrawal of national standards, ensuring their harmonization with international and regional documents;
• maintenance and updating of the Unified Information Database of Standards of the Republic of Uzbekistan (National Standards Fund) and its digital transformation;
• performing the functions of the secretariat of technical committees (TCs) and providing organizational and methodological support for their activities;
• representing the Republic of Uzbekistan in international organizations (ISO, IEC, etc.) and participating in the work of international technical committees;
• coordinating the interaction of government agencies, business associations, industry organizations, and the scientific community in the field of standardization;
• developing and implementing standards in priority sectors of the economy, including energy efficiency as a key area of the country’s “green” transformation.

Despite the progress achieved, the national standardization system faces a number of systemic challenges:

• absence of a unified long-term National Standardization Strategy;
• fragmentation of processes and insufficient integration into the international quality infrastructure;
• limited institutional and human resource capacities for effective management of technical committees (TCs) and participation in international structures;
• low level of business engagement and lack of effective incentives for the private sector;
• outdated standards that do not meet current requirements, including in the field of energy efficiency;
• insufficient digitalization and transparency of standard development and adoption procedures.

To address the existing challenges, it is necessary to engage an international consultant with the requisite knowledge and experience to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the system, support the development of the National Standardization Strategy until 2030, strengthen institutional governance mechanisms, and contribute to digital modernization, including the updating of energy efficiency standards. The implementation of these tasks will facilitate the establishment of a modern, sustainable, and internationally aligned national standardization system, ensuring process transparency, effective business engagement, and the reliable integration of Uzbekistan into the global quality infrastructure.

• Objectives and Beneficiaries

Objective: To support: (i) preparation of the National Standardization Strategy until 2030, (ii) implementation of energy efficiency standards, and (iii) strengthening of institutional governance mechanisms. Key Beneficiaries:

• Uzbek Institute of Standards (UzSTI) under the Uzbek Agency for Technical Regulation;
• National Agency for Energy Efficiency under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
• Scope of Work

The consultant’s assignment will consist of two stages. Stage 1. Support UzSTI in assessing the national standardization system, developing the National Standardization Strategy through 2030, and advancing the implementation of energy efficiency standards •

• Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current state of the national standardization system, including analysis of legislation, governance processes, activities of technical committees, institutional and human resource capacities, digital resources, and stakeholder engagement mechanisms. The assessment shall identify risks and gaps in line with ISO/IEC and WTO/TBT requirements and provide recommendations, including aspects related to the integration of energy efficiency standards. The results will be presented in an analytical report containing a detailed gap analysis and recommendations for system improvement;
• Prepare a draft National Standardization Strategy until 2030, defining priorities, implementation mechanisms, and performance indicators, including long-term objectives for integration into international systems, support for industry and exports, and a dedicated section on energy efficiency;
• Analyze existing energy efficiency standards and prepare proposals for their update, including a review of the current regulatory framework, identification of outdated or non-compliant standards, and recommendations for their cancellation or revision. The output will be an analytical report containing a list of standards recommended for cancellation or revision, along with a draft package of proposals for updating the regulatory framework on energy efficiency.

Stage 2. Support in enhancing institutional governance mechanisms of the standardization system and establishing a sustainable financing model

• Support the modernization of technical committee (TC) management and optimization of standard development processes, through (i) an analysis of TC structures, mandates, and effectiveness; development of proposals for creating subcommittees; (ii) preparation of a National Guideline on TC Management in line with ISO/IEC practices; and (iii) development of proposals for optimizing the digital model of standard development and adoption processes, ensuring streamlined timelines while maintaining stakeholder consensus
• Develop recommendations for establishing a sustainable financing model and increasing business sector engagement in standardization processes, including the design of a diversified financing mechanism (state budget, paid services, membership fees, donor funds) and a business engagement strategy involving the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and relevant associations;
• Provide mentoring and methodological support for UzSTI and national TCs to participate effectively in ISO/IEC mirror committees, including practical guidance on commenting procedures, voting rules, and interaction with international secretariats. Deliver training sessions on TC secretariat management and on the preparation of new work item proposals (NWIP).
• Deliverables and Timeline

Contract Duration: 10 months from the date of contract signing. Work Format: Monthly in-person missions (each lasting 5 working days) combined with remote work as required. Different arrangements are possible based on mutual agreement with UzSTI. Under the contract, the consultant shall prepare and deliver to UzSTI a comprehensive package of final deliverables, including: Stage 1:

• Analytical report on the assessment of the national standardization system, including recommendations on key areas of reform such as institutional development, improvement of technical committee operations, digital transformation, business engagement, sustainable financing, and international participation.
• Draft National Standardization Strategy until 2030 (including a dedicated section on energy efficiency).
• Analytical report on energy efficiency standards, containing a list of standards recommended for cancellation/revision and proposals for their updating.

Stage 2:

• National Guideline on the Activities of Technical Committees (TCs) and an optimized model of the standard development process.
• Recommendations on a sustainable financing model and a strategy for business engagement.
• Methodological recommendations and training materials on participation in ISO/IEC activities (mirror committees), as well as training sessions on TC secretariat management and the preparation of New Work Item Proposals (NWIPs), including the development of a training concept for TC managers (coordinators).

Each document shall be submitted in draft form for review and comments by UzSTI and relevant stakeholders, after which it shall be revised and finalized within the agreed timelines. Monthly progress reports shall be submitted, and a final consolidated report shall be provided upon completion of the assignment. Table 1. Schedule and preliminary implementation dates Results Deliverable Payment (%) Timeline 0 Kick-off meeting; meeting minutes and agreed work plan - Within one week after contract signing Stage 1: 1 Analytical report on the assessment of the national standardization system, including recommendations for system improvement (with aspects related to energy efficiency) 20% Month 1 – Collection and analysis of initial data: review of legislative and regulatory frameworks, inventory of the national standards fund, interviews with key stakeholders (government bodies, business, technical committees) Month 2 – Preparation of the draft report: assessment of the current state of the national standardization system, international benchmarking with ISO, IEC and EU practices Month 3 – Development and agreement of the reform plan; proposals for harmonization and energy efficiency standards; consultations and submission of the final report 2 Draft National Standardization Strategy until 2030 (including a dedicated section on energy efficiency) 20% Months 4 – Collection of background materials, comparison of practices and models of leading organizations/countries (ISO, IEC, CEN/CENELEC, BSI, DIN, ASTM, etc.), identification of best solutions applicable to Uzbekistan (international benchmarking), analysis of global trends; development of the strategy structure and key provisions; preparation of the final draft strategy, presentation and approval 3 Analytical report on energy efficiency standards with proposals for cancellation/revision and updating of the regulatory framework 20% Month 5 – Review of the regulatory framework and inventory of existing energy efficiency standards; identification of outdated standards, preparation of a preliminary list for cancellation or revision; drafting of the analytical report and package of proposals for updating; agreement of the report and refinement of proposals following consultations Stage 2: 4 National Guideline on the Activities of Technical Committees (TCs) and an optimized model of the standard development process 10% Month 6 – Analysis of the current TC structure, identification of bottlenecks, and preparation of proposals for the creation of subcommittees; drafting of the National Guideline for TCs and proposals for process optimization Month 7 – Consultation, agreement, and finalization of the document, including discussions with TCs on implementation 5 Recommendations on a sustainable financing model and a strategy for business engagement in standardization 10% Month 8 – Analytical report on the current state of financing and business participation in standardization. Draft diversified financing model for the standardization system; draft strategy for business engagement in standardization processes 6 Mentoring on ISO/IEC mirror participation. Methodological recommendations and training sessions for UzSTI and TCs, including pilot participation of UzSTI and TCs in ISO/IEC mirror procedures under expert mentoring 20% Month 9 – Preparation of the mentoring program, identification of participants, and delivery of an introductory training Month 10 – Delivery of training sessions on preparation of comments, voting procedures, and interaction with international secretariats; training on the development of new work item proposals (NWIP); preparation of methodological materials and practical recommendations and the development of a training concept for TC managers (coordinators); pilot participation of UzSTI and TCs in ISO/IEC mirror procedures under expert mentoring, This is a tentative schedule that can be amended based on mutual agreement between the consultant and UzSTI. Payment shall be made upon the completion of each result, including but not limited to the submission of an agreed document, the delivery of a workshop, or other agreed outputs. Upon completion and formal acceptance of each result, the consultant shall receive the corresponding percentage of the total contract value. The distribution of payments across results is indicative and may be adjusted during contract negotiations.

• Consultant Qualifications:
• Over 10 years of experience in international standardization, development of national strategies, and management of quality infrastructure.
• Experience in managing or participating in the secretariats of international technical committees (ISO/IEC).
• Proven track record in implementing projects in the field of energy efficiency and sustainable development, including the integration of relevant standards into national systems.
• Experience in the development and implementation of national standardization strategies using international practices of ISO/IEC and other organizations.
• Expertise in designing sustainable financing models and strategies for business engagement in standardization processes.
• Experience in digital transformation of standardization processes, including the creation of digital solutions and the implementation of modern tools to ensure transparency and process optimization.
• Demonstrated ability in mentoring and capacity building, including the development of training materials, delivery of training sessions, and providing support to national standardization bodies worldwide.
• Excellent knowledge and practical application of international instruments and guidelines in the field of quality infrastructure (ISO, IEC, WTO/TBT, World Bank, UNIDO).
• Contract Duration

The contract duration is 10 months (2 stages) from the date of signing the agreement until the completion of all activities. During this period, the consultant is required to carry out all tasks, including the preparation and submission of the final deliverables.

• Acceptance Procedure

The completed work will be accepted by a commission composed of representatives from the Agency for Technical Regulation, the National Agency for Energy Efficiency, and the Uzbekistan Institute of Standards (UzSTI). The results shall be confirmed by an official acceptance report (certificate of completion).

• Resources Provided by the Uzbekistan Institute of Standards (UzSTI)

To ensure the effective performance of the international consultant, UzSTI shall establish a project team composed of division heads, deputy directors, and senior and leading specialists directly involved in assessing the national standardization system and preparing the National Standardization Strategy. UzSTI shall provide the consultant with all necessary resources for the efficient execution of tasks, including:

• access to analytical and regulatory materials, current standards, and internal documents;
• organization of meetings and consultations with technical committees, government authorities, business associations, and other stakeholders;
• support in conducting interviews, focus groups, and workshops as part of the institutional assessment and strategy development process;
• office space, office equipment, and infrastructure for collaborative work, including access to digital resources and standards databases;
• assistance in organizing events for the public discussion of the draft National Strategy, including round tables and public consultations;
• facilitation of communication with government bodies, international partners, and the business community.
• Financing

Financing shall be provided from the project budget. Payments shall be made on the basis of submitted and approved certificates of completed work and the corresponding reports. Agency: Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan Procurement method: Individual Consultant Selection Notice type: Request for Expression of Interest Status: Published Value: 95000.0 USD