The TA will assess the Hebei provincial development experience, design the program outline implementation policies for Hebei, and enhance policy coordination within the BTH region to facilitate the implementation of the program outline and the Beijing Tianjin Hebei Air Quality Improvement Program. The program has three outputs:

Output 1: Formulation of Hebei program outline implementation policy supported. In the summary report, the consultants will review the experiences of Hebei economic development. They will also assess the economic integration status of the BTH region and identify main challenges Hebei is facing, such as limitations of the present industrialization strategy focusing on heavy industries, and comparative advantages of Hebei from the perspective of an integrated BTH region. The consultants will also analyze how Hebei can benefit from future integration and develop a plan for how Hebei can achieve more sustainable and inclusive growth. The effectiveness of the policy actions under the Beijing Tianjin Hebei Air Quality Improvement Program will be analyzed. Based on the summary report, this TA will provide policy notes for the HPG.

In addition to the summary report, there will be the following five thematic reports:

(i) Construction of world-class megalopolis area in BTH region;(ii) Upgrading of Hebei industries; (iii) Equalization of education, health care, and other basic public services;(iv) Creation of a regional science-technology innovation market; (v) Further study on elimination of the poverty belt around Beijing and Tianjin.

Output 2: Beijing Tianjin Hebei regional policy coordination enhanced. Five thematic reports under output 1 cover the main challenges three BTH regional governments facing during BTH region integration. To enhance BTH region-wide policy dialogue, when the draft thematic reports are completed, the consultants will arrange and conduct a series of consultation conferences led by the HPG, with support from ADB, to present the findings and recommendations to stakeholders concerned, including Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei government agencies; private enterprises; and research institutes. Comments and feedback from conferences will be incorporated into the final reports and policy notes. After each consultation conference, the HPG will share discussion records and policy notes with the BTH region government agencies for further policy coordination.

Output 3: Effectiveness of the Beijing Tianjin Hebei Air Quality Improvement Program policy actions assessed. The Beijing Tianjin Hebei Air Quality Improvement Program supported by ADB's PBL in strengthening Hebei's framework for incremental policy and investment actions to improve the air quality in the BTH region (approved in December 2015), includes 17 key policy reform actions and 10 key performance monitoring indicators in three areas. The consultants will monitor the implementation of the program, assess the effectiveness of the HPG-agreed 17 key policy actions, and make suggestions regarding future medium- and long-term reform and investment needs. The output will be the basis for future dialogue between ADB and HPG to scale up the partnership in the BTH region.

Hebei Provincial Finance Department
48 South Zhonghua Street

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