Expression of Interest (EOI) for Legislation Review Support

National Democratic Institute (NDI)

Expression of Interest (EOI)  

for

Legislation Review Support

The National Democratic Institute (NDI) invites Expressions of Interest (EOI) from qualified consultants or legal firms to provide specialized expertise in ongoing legislative and policy review, policy drafting, and stakeholder engagement. The consultant or firm will support NDI’s efforts to strengthen legislative frameworks, ensure alignment with strategic priorities and international best practices, and facilitate inclusive stakeholder consultations.

1. Scope of Work

The selected consultant/firm will perform the following tasks:

1.1 Comprehensive Legislative and Policy Review

• Review existing policies, laws, and regulations and propose amendments to standardize and harmonize regulatory frameworks.
• Conduct a gap analysis with recommendations on areas where legislation or provisions are obsolete or insufficient to support the overall legal and existing policies.
• Benchmark against international standards and best practices.
• Coordinate with all the line ministries and other relevant stakeholders, making specific and clear recommendations on how legal and regulatory requirements must be met to effectively implement the laws and policies.

1.2 Stakeholder Networking and Engagement

• Engage key stakeholders, including bureaucrats, legal experts, current officials within the ministries, and other relevant government entities, to foster a shared vision and support legislative reforms.
• Engage with these stakeholders through meetings, consultations, and workshops to gather inputs, address concerns, and identify common goals.
• Facilitate stakeholder consultations that promote multi-sectoral input and alignment with international standards and best practices.

1.3 Coordination and collaboration with relevant committees/commissions on legislation drafting and implementation.

• Work closely with the committees/commissions to ensure that all activities related to the legislative review are carried out within the commission's strategic objectives through its focus on digital transformation.
• Provide primary legal advisory services on the legislation review processes, by availing appropriate advice to the leadership of committees/commissions on time to facilitate efficient communication and coordination.
• Ensure the committees/commissions are regularly updated on all findings, recommendations, and progress toward achieving the legislative goals of the laws/policies.
• Work closely with the relevant committees/commissions to create an enabling environment to immediately implement the laws/policies following cabinet approval, particularly in legal and regulatory readiness areas.
• Identify emerging challenges and provide strategic solutions to ensure speedy activation of the legal framework.
• Support identifying and resolving bottlenecks created by legal and regulatory obstacles that may delay the actual implementation of the laws/policies.

1.4 Drafting and Technical Guidance on Legislative and Policy Proposals

• Draft and/or review legislative documents, policies, digital standards, and guidelines to support the committees/commissions, with a strong focus on actionable, clear, and legally sound language.
• Provide practical guidelines on structuring policy language by integrating international best practices, tailoring them to Nepal's unique governance context, and addressing specific local needs.
• Identify and coordinate with other thematic experts to bring specialized knowledge to each policy review and formulation stage, ensuring the relevance and applicability of all proposed legislative changes.

1.5 Establishment and Coordination of Working Groups

• Assist NDI and the committees/commissions in establishing and convening two working groups (the first Working Group (WG) will comprise core stakeholders, and the second will WG consist of the 25 government ministries of Nepal) that will provide ongoing support for the legislative reform process, focusing on:
  • Legal and Regulatory Frameworks: Review existing frameworks and propose updates or new legislation to meet the committees'/commissions'' objectives.
  • Digital Standards and Guidelines: Developing and refining digital standards across government systems.
• Facilitate periodic working group meetings, ensuring they serve as productive forums for discussion, consensus-building, and alignment on best practices.

1.6 Preparation of Reports and Recommendations

• Develop detailed reports and presentations on legislative review findings, policy recommendations, and implementation strategies, clearly summarizing policy gaps, bottlenecks, progress, and the way forward.
• Draft policy briefs, legislative summaries, and consultation reports to communicate updates and outcomes of the review to the concerned committees/commissions and other stakeholders.
• Facilitate presentations to committees/commissions and concerned government stakeholders, gathering feedback to refine legislative approaches and ensure alignment with policy goals.

2. Expected Deliverables:

• Legislative and Policy Review Report: An initial report detailing the findings from the legislative and policy review, including identified gaps, prioritized recommendations, and proposed action steps for legal updates and new policy frameworks.
• Support to the undergoing policy development process: legislative or policy documents designed to support the committees/commissions, by enhancing the legal soundness and operational feasibility.
• Stakeholder Consultation Summaries: Summarized reports capturing key insights, recommendations, and common ground from stakeholder consultations, providing a foundation for consensus-based policy development.
• Working Group Progress and Recommendation Reports: Periodic reports on working group discussions, decisions, and actionable steps for advancing legal and regulatory readiness for committees/commissions.

3. Duration and Modality:

• The consultant/firm will work a maximum of 90 days with an effective contract date between February 1 to April 30, 2025 (90 days).
• The consulting work will be conducted remotely but in close coordination with the NDI team and committees/commissions team, including virtual/in-person meetings as per requirement.
• Work schedules will align with agreed deadlines and deliverables.

4. Eligibility Criteria:

Interested consultants/firms should meet the following requirements:  

• A degree in law, public policy, or a related field (individual who will be involved)
• Demonstrated expertise in legal analysis, policy development, and legislative drafting.  
• Familiarity with Nepal’s governance and legal frameworks. 
• Experienced in collaborating with committees and commissions and well-versed in the operational modalities of government bodies.
• Proven track record of engaging stakeholders and facilitating consultations.  
• Ability to deliver high-quality outputs within tight deadlines.

5. Submission Requirements:

Interested consultants or firms should submit the following:  

• A cover letter outlining relevant experience and approach to the assignment.  
• A detailed CV (for individuals) or organizational profile (for firms).  
• A list and a sample of similar work (at least 2) undertaken (legislative process support), including references.  
• A financial proposal specifying consultancy fees. 
• Firm registration, tax clearance, and other administrative documents.

6. Intellectual Property

Any deliverables produced from this consulting support are "works made for hire." NDI is the exclusive owner of and retains all rights, titles, and interests to its Intellectual Property Rights. Intellectual Property Rights mean any patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, moral rights, rights of publicity, or other intellectual property or proprietary rights of any kind, tangible and intangible, now known or hereafter existing. Service providers hereby confirm to abide by the intellectual property rights and any materials produced will have exclusive Intellectual Property Rights of NDI, and NDI shall use such materials in any manner it deems appropriate, including, but not limited to, publication and dissemination of such materials in multiple languages. Such items shall not be used by any party, including the contractor, without the express permission of NDI.

7. Submission Deadline:

Please submit your EOI, including all required documents, no later than January 19, 2025 to nepaljobs@ndi.org with the subject line: EOI: Legislation Review Support.

Note: NDI will provide additional information regarding the specific areas of the Legislation Review upon request from interested applicants. Kindly send an email to this email for the same purpose by COB 12.

NDI looks forward to collaborating with experts who are committed to advancing Nepal’s legislative and policy framework.