Consultants on establishing a Regional Transport Information System (RTIS)

Organizational Context

The UN Secretariat's Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) is establishing a Regional Transport Information System (RTIS) to support the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport. This system aims to collect, harmonize, validate, and visualize transport data across multiple countries, addressing current fragmentation and inaccessibility of regional transport data.

Job Purpose

The purpose of this consultancy is to develop a comprehensive Feasibility Study and Implementation Roadmap for a Regional Transport Information System (RTIS). This system is crucial for enabling member states and regional bodies to effectively monitor, report, and benchmark progress against the Sustainable Transport Action Plan 2026–2035. By addressing the current fragmentation and inaccessibility of transport data, the RTIS will facilitate evidence-based policy dialogue and support the achievement of the Decade's goals related to mobility, decarbonization, road safety, accessibility, resilience, and affordability. The role contributes directly to advancing sustainable transport initiatives within the region.

Responsibilities

The consultant will design a study to create a blueprint for the RTIS, covering both technical and institutional aspects. Key duties include conducting a Needs and Gap Assessment to map existing national transport data systems and identify discrepancies with the UN Decade's monitoring framework. The consultant will also design the Technical Architecture, proposing data models, metadata standards, APIs, and validation protocols, and recommending suitable platforms. Furthermore, the role involves defining the Institutional and Governance Framework, including roles, responsibilities, data ownership, and access rights, and outlining a capacity-building plan. Finally, the consultant will develop an Implementation Roadmap with phased timelines, milestones, risk assessments, and a pilot testing approach, ensuring integration with existing UN frameworks.

Work Experience

At least 10 years of experience is required in areas such as transport data systems, regional integration projects, or monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks for sustainable transport. Experience with regional data harmonization and system development is essential.

Skills

Excellent writing skills are required. Fluency in English and Arabic is necessary for report delivery. Familiarity with global transport indicators and sustainable transport frameworks is desirable.

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