The backstopper is expected to clarify the following isues during the Inception phase of the project (September 2013 - May 2014):

— validation of the Program design and suggestion of adjustments;

— identification of administrative services, which are important in view of a more gender balanced access and inclusion in the Program design;

— proposal for the selection of target regions;

— preparation of a Program document for the Implementation Phase of the Program;

— establishing of a budget and of a Steering Committee;

— contribution to the slection of the implementing partners;

— identification of suitable ICT solutions;

— identification of ways to assure snergies with the ongoing Swiss-funded projects in Ukraine;

— definition of contributions to be commited by the Ukrainian partners to the Program (local budget, state budget, private sources);

— development of a sustainibility and scaling-up strategy.

All these tasks will be performed in collaboration of the Swiss Cooperation Office in Kiev.

In case of successful cooperation during the Inception phase and based on a detailed operational and financial proposal to be approved by SDC, the consultancy will be mandated to ensure coordination among the Program components as well as thematic and methodological backstopping of the Program implementing partners during the first Implementation Phase (June 12014 - May 2017).