The purpose of this solicitation is to procure technical services to assist the Government of Serbia with inventory, reduction and monitoring of para-fiscal charges.

The contractor must provide technical assistance and services, as described below, to help the GoS in its stated intention to tackle its murky myriad of para-fiscal charges. The overarching objective of the proposed activities is to improve the transparency and rationality of Serbia's system of charging businesses fees for various services - fees that constitute de-facto taxes in the eyes of businesses, but the revenues from which do not always benefit the government or the citizens.

The contractor must provide this assistance via the three following activities:

(1) Analysis and Recommendations - The contractor must conduct an analysis and provide a set of recommendations regarding charges that should be eliminated or reduced. The contractor must coordinate this work with the MoF, and provide the MoF's Working Group with the recommendations. Recommendations must include proposals for (1) modifications to relevant regulations that will increase the predictability and transparency of non-tax financial burdens on businesses; (2) ways to mitigate the possibility of backsliding in the reform of para-fiscal charges; (3) and, if possible, ways to offset the reduction in local government financing due to the elimination of para-fiscal charges.

(2). Public Consultations, Outreach and Communications - As part of the analysis discussed above, and continuing throughout project implementation, the contractor must engage in public consultations, outreach and communications to raise awareness and support for the implementation of regulatory reform of para-fiscal charges. The contractor must propose and develop an effective plan for advocating for reforms with regards to para-fiscal charges, as well as for educating and engaging all relevant stakeholders on this issue

(3) Web-based Registry - The contractor must fully develop a web-based publicly-accessible registry of para-fiscal charges, update it regularly, and make it accessible to the public. The contractor must propose the most viable solution for the sustainable continued use of the registry.

The contractor must coordinate all activities with the MoF and with USAID's Business Enabling Project (BEP).