Background

With funding from the Swedish Embassy, Mercy Corps Launched the PROSPECTS IV programme with the goal to increase

incomes, job quality, and job security for urban female and male youth. The program kick-off Pilot Phase implementation in two

defined urban areas – Monrovia (Montserrado County) and Ganta (Nimba County) – through Partnership with key actors in the

sectors of Poultry, FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods), Tech, and Informal Norms and potential expansion to secondary

locations and counties contingent on the results of Pilot Phase activities. In total, the programme is planned to last about four years

with a budget of about 5.5m USD – and aims to directly benefit 16,400 young people through the course of implementation. One of

the first Market Systems Development (MSD) programs in Liberia, PROSPECTS IV will focus on urban youth employment, based

on the following Theory of Change:

Purpose of Consultancy

Liberia’s MSMEs continue to face significant operational constraints ranging from complex registration procedures and regulatory

ambiguities to limited access to affordable finance. The Government’s AAID (2025–2029) calls for targeted reforms to strengthen

private sector–led growth. Mercy Corps’ PROSPECTS IV program, in partnership with the Liberia Chamber of Commerce (LCC),

TRIBE, and UNIDO, is convening a high‑level Public–Private Dialogue (PPD) to identify feasible, time‑bound reform actions.

The dialogue will focus on:

• Business Registration bottlenecks
• Regulatory clarity & compliance, including standards/value addition (UNIDO)
• Access to finance, including CBL schemes, KYC, and government programs
• Evidence from PROSPECTS IV’s & Grow-UNIDO market systems interventions

Roles & Responsibilities Consultant covering (facilitation, scribing, technical papers, technical support, co‑scribing, logistics

support):

Objectives, activities, and deliverables:

1. The consultancy aims to ensure seamless technical preparation, effective facilitation, and high-quality documentation of the

Public–Private Dialogue by:

2. Producing four pre dialogue briefs to structure discussions.
3. Designing and facilitating sessions and policy clinics.
4. Providing comprehensive scribing, synthesis, and documentation.
5. Producing all official post dialogue outputs required by partners.

Pre‑Dialogue

The Lead Consultant will:

Conduct rapid desk review of business environment policies, regulatory frameworks, and PROSPECTS IV evidence. 1

Conduct KIIs with:

• LBR, MoCI, LRA (registration)
• MoCI, UNIDO, standards bodies (regulatory environment)
• CBL, MFDP, development partners (access to finance)

Produce four pre‑dialogue technical briefs:

• Business Registration Brief
• Regulatory Challenges Note (including standards and cocoa value‑addition case)
• Access to Finance Brief
• Dialogue Background Brief (drawing from PROSPECTS IV evidence)

• Develop full facilitation guide, run‑of‑show, panel questions, and policy clinic templates (with TRIBE).
• Coordinate with Mercy Corps, LCC, TRIBE, and UNIDO to validate content. 1

2. Dialogue Delivery

The Lead Consultant will:

Facilitate plenary sessions, maintaining flow, timing, and alignment to objectives.

Coordinate closely with TRIBE during policy clinics, ensuring structured outputs (actions, institutions, timelines). 1

Oversee scribing team, ensuring quality capture of:

• discussion notes
• identified bottlenecks
• agreed actions
• responsible institutions
• Support speakers, panellists, and moderators with content briefs and talking points.

3. 3. Post‑Dialogue Synthesis

The Lead Consultant will draft, validate, and finalize:

• Joint Action Communiqué summarizing agreed reforms.
• Priority Reform Matrix (actions, responsible institutions, timelines).
• Post‑Dialogue Summary Brief documenting discussions and recommendations.
• Follow‑Up Coordination Framework for the 90‑day progress check.
• Produce final package (v1.0) for circulation to all stakeholders.
• A validation round will be conducted with Mercy Corps, LCC, TRIBE, UNIDO and relevant ministries.

Deliverables:

• Four pre‑dialogue technical briefs (registration, regulatory, finance, background).
• Facilitation pack: agenda, run‑of‑show, panel questions, clinic templates.
• Event‑day outputs: raw notes, captured actions, clinic summaries.

Post‑Dialogue Package:

• Joint Action Communiqué
• Priority Reform Matrix
• Post‑Dialogue Summary Brief
• Follow‑Up Coordination Framework

Reporting & Coordination

Both consultants will report to the Mercy Corps Program Lead.

They will work closely with:

• LCC (private sector mobilization)
• TRIBE (facilitation methodology & policy clinics)
• UNIDO (standards & regulatory inputs)
• Government institutions (LBR, MoCI, LRA, CBL, MFDP, etc.)
• Weekly coordination meetings will be held

Qualifications:

• At least 7–10 years of experience in:
• policy dialogue facilitation
• business environment reform
• private sector development
• market systems or regulatory work
• Proven experience producing high‑quality briefs, communiqués, and reform matrices.
• Strong facilitation, analytical, and writing capabilities.

Timeline

Below is a list of consultant activities with estimated days of effort and timelines. The Consultancy will be 15 days period. Start date

is March 20, 2026.

Responsibilities

Mercy corps will provide coordination and technical support and with logistically where deem necessary by Mercy corps

Collaborating Partners (Tribe, UNIDO-Grow, Chamber of Commerce) will provide technical assistance and guidance

Cost of the Consultancy:

The Communication Consultant shall be paid a service fee of 350.00 per day for 15 days USD taxable under the Law of the Republic

of Liberia. For entire consultancy Recruitment will be done on a rolling basis.