Background

UNDP Afghanistan is supporting the Government of Afghanistan (GIRoA) to find innovative solutions to its development challenges based on the on-going Country Programme Document (CPD) approved by the Executive Board for the period Jan – Jun 2015. Key priority areas for UNDP assistance are in strengthening democratic governance, crisis prevention and recovery, and reducing poverty. UNDP is strengthening the institutional capacities of key national government and sub-national authorities which aim to enhance human security, human development, peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is currently in a phase of transformation of 5 years, according to the Tokyo Conference. The Ministry of Interior Affairs (MoIA) 10-Year Vision sets the strategic framework for ministerial reform and Afghan National Police (ANP) professionalization during the so-called decade of transformation. As part of the MoI-driven reform supported by the International Community, ministerial functions (policy-making, budgeting, goal-setting planning and controlling) shall be separated from the policing agencies resulting in a new architecture of the entire Ministry of Interior.

As the LOTFA Project nears completion, LOTFA and partners are focused on preparing for full Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ownership and operation of the payroll system.  Pillar One will attempt to achieve greater regulatory framework clarity; support MoIA and MoF to establish sound HR, payroll management, and accounting practices; and conduct capacity building activities. LOTFA aims to make the Electronic Payroll System (EPS) and web-based EPS (WEPS) robust and auditable, while influencing systems outside UNDP control, including the Afghan Human Resources Information Management System (AHRIMS), the ID card system, and the accounting system.  These endeavors are in view of the proposed handover of the payroll management to the Government.

UNDP LOTFA does not pay the salary of any police personnel directly. Instead, UNDP transfers the LOTFA funds needed to cover salary payments to the government, which handles the disbursements of salary payments to police personnel. There are two ways police personnel receive their salary:

  • The majority – 81 per cent – are paid via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) direct to their bank accounts;
  • Some 19 per cent of personnel are paid in cash via “trusted agents”. These are designated MoIA employees in a given province entrusted with collecting and distributing salary payments. The trusted agents are mainly used to pay personnel in areas with limited or no access to commercial banks or mobile phone services.

UNDP LOTFA maintains and administers the Electronic Payroll System (EPS) and Web-based EPS that provide functionality for recording the payroll data and generating payroll lists.  However, the electronic payroll system does not provide end to end functionality and the Payment Orders are not automatically generated. The system is also not linked to Afghanistan Financial Management Information System (AFMIS) of the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and MoIA Human Resources Information Management System (AHRIMS).  In addition, the actual payment of police and prison guards is based on a complex division of roles and responsibilities shared among the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of the Interior, commercial banks, and LOTFA.

A major challenge is to ensure that donors receive accurate reports on where and when their money has been utilized, determine whether the reports on which advances/reconciliations are carried out are correct, determine whether adjustments have been properly made, and whether the payments correspond to the approved and actual numbers of police.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work and Deliverables:

The Consultant, in collaboration with other Pillar I national and international staff and operational units in the Ministry of Interior Affairs, and the Ministry of Finance, will produce a comprehensive System Document in support of the handover of the electronic payroll system to the Government.  System development, conducted over the past 7+ years, has been accomplished in house, with minimal documentation.

The Consultant will perform the following key functions:

  • Document the architecture of the EPS/WEPS system, the database and the programming platform;
  • Document user dialogs and the control flow;
  • Document background tasks;
  • Document the maintenance procedures for all servers and stand-alone installations;
  • Document other technical specifications not specifically listed here, but necessary for the transition of the system to Government ownership;
  • Draft Standard Operating Procedures to enable the continued maintenance of the system documentation produced by the Consultant;
  • Document the existing internal control framework;
  • Recommend follow up actions related to system development and documentation. 

Expected Outputs and Deliverables:

Output/ Deliverables/ Target due date after contract signing/ Input/ Payments

Submission of report on consultation process with other stakeholders for the development of the system documentation. (Week 2) (2 Weeks-10 working days) 20%

Submission of EPS System Document comprising of:

  • Aarchitecture of the EPS/WEPS system, the database and the programming platform;
  • User dialogs and the control flow;
  • Background tasks;
  • Maintenance procedures for all servers and stand-alone installations;
  • Other technical specifications not specifically listed here, but necessary for the transition of the system to Government ownership;
  • Standard Operating Procedures to enable the continued maintenance of the system documentation produced by the Consultant. (Week 8) 6 Weeks (30 working days) 40%.

Presentation of findings to the Pillar I Technical Working Group submission of final report (Week 12) 4 Weeks (20 working days) 40%

         Total 12 Weeks (60 Working days): 100%.

Payments under the contract shall be made on submission and acceptance / certification of the deliverables by LOTFA Pillar 1 Manager in accordance with the schedule of payments.

Working Arrangements:

Institutional Arrangement

The contractor will work under direct supervision of Pillar I Manager and work closely with the relevant institution and bodies- advisors, administrative and operational units in the Ministry of Interior Affairs, other LOTFA Pillars, UN Agencies, ISAF, USFOR-A, CSTC-A, and other international organizations.  The contractor will be directly responsible to, reporting to, and seek approval/acceptance of output from Pillar 1 Manager.

LOTFA project office will provide office space and internet facility, logistical and other support service including transport and security applicable to UNDP international personnel. The consultant however is expected to bring his/her own laptop and mobile phone and meet local communication cost (LOTFA will provide a local pre-paid sim card). Costs to arrange meetings, workshops, travel costs to and DSA during field visits (if any), etc. shall be covered by LOTFA project.  The consultant will be supported with Dari translation in the execution of his daily work and final products. 

Duration of the Work

The performance under the contract shall take place over total contract duration of 12 weeks (84 days – 60 working days), excluding joining and repatriation travel days. The target date for the start of work is 1 April 2015.

Duty Station

The duty station for the contractor is Kabul, Afghanistan for the entire duration of the contract.

The Contractor will be required to report regularly and be present at LOTFA project office during the working hours. The contractor will follow the working hours and weekends as applicable to LOTFA staff. Contractor’s movement for meetings and consultations shall be coordinated by LOTFA project office. The contractor is at all times required to observe UNDP security rules and regulations.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

  • Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
  • Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religious, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

  • Fully proficient computer skills and use of relevant software and other applications, e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, internet, PP, database packages etc. Experience with web-based management systems;
  • Ability to work with a wide cross-section of partners including Government, donors, I/NGOs and community-based organizations;
  • A team player and self-starter able to inspire and influence action;
  • Mature judgment combined with a proactive, resourceful and energetic approach to problem solving.
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; and strong organizational and time management skills;
  • Capacity to work under pressure and to meet strict deadlines;
  • Demonstrated behavior of professional and personal ethics, transparency and openness;
  • Willingness to undertake regular field visits and interact with different stakeholders, especially with primary stakeholders;
  • Ability to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

  • Master’s or bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Mathematics, Information Technology, Information Systems, or related field

Years of experience:

  • 7 years of relevant national and international experience in programming, system documentation, and system development.

Special skills requirements:

  • The Consultant will be familiar with IIS, .NET, and Microsoft SQL Server environment, including Web Services and Windows Services.  The Consultant will be capable of programming in Visual Basic, C#, ASP.NET or T-SQL;
  • Certification in at least one of the following:  Java, .NET, C#, SQL, XML;
  • Proven experience with SDLC (Waterfall) and/or Agile methodologies;
  • Experience with and working knowledge of Java, .NET, C#, SQL and XML a plus;
  • Strong research and problem solving skills, initiative, and flexibility around multiple technologies;
  • Proven track record and experience in technical writing and independently producing documents;
  • Sound judgment with proven ability to work effectively under minimum supervision;
  • Prior experience in post-conflict context, working in a very insecure environment desirable;
  • Prior experience with other UN agencies desirable.

Language:

  • Fluency and excellent writing skills in English is required. 

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments:

The contractor shall submit a price proposal as below:

  • Daily Fee – The contractor shall propose a daily fee which should be inclusive of his professional fee, local communication cost and insurance (inclusive of medical evacuation). The number of working days for which the daily fee shall be payable under the contract is 60;
  • DSA – The contractor shall propose a DSA at the Kabul applicable rate of USD 181 per day for his stay at the duty station. The number of days for which the DSA shall be payable under the contract is 84 (77 days @ full rate and 7 days @ half rate for 7 R&R days). The contractor is not allowed to stay in a place of his choice other than the UNDSS approved places. UNDP will provide MORSS compliant accommodation in Green Village (GV) to the contractor. The cost of GV accommodation shall be deducted from the DSA payment to the contractor;
  • Travel & Visa – The contractor shall propose an estimated lumpsum for home-Kabul-home travel and Afghanistan visa expenses;
  • R&R – The contractor shall be entitled for one paid (USD 2,606) R&R (7 calendar days) during the course of the assignment. During these 7 R&R days when the contractor is away from Kabul, the contractor shall be paid the DSA at half rate (USD 90.50 per day) and the contractor is required to retain his/her room in GV for these 7 days for which the cost recovery shall be affected.

The total contract price, inclusive of the above elements, shall be converted into a lump sum contract and payments under the contract shall be made on submission and acceptance of deliverables under the contract in accordance with the abovementioned schedule of payment.

Evaluation Method and Criteria:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis:

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

  • Responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
  • Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

* Technical Criteria weight 70%.

* Financial Criteria weight 30%.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation

Technical Criteria 70 points

Technical Proposal (40 marks) :

  • Technical Approach & Methodology (25 marks) – This explain the understanding of the objectives of the assignment, approach to the services, methodology for carrying out the activities and obtaining the expected output, and the degree of detail of such output. The Applicant should also explain the methodologies proposed to adopt and highlight the compatibility of those methodologies with the proposed approach.
  • Work Plan (15 marks) – The Applicant should propose the main activities of the assignment, their content and duration, phasing and interrelations, milestones (including interim approvals by the Client), and delivery dates. The proposed work plan should be consistent with the technical approach and methodology, showing understanding of the TOR and ability to translate them into a feasible working plan.

Qualification and Experience (30 marks) [evaluation of CV]:

  • General Qualification (10 marks);
  • Experience relevant to the assignment (15 marks);
  • Experience of working for projects funded by UNDP (5 marks).

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications in one single PDF document:

  • Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP (Annex II).
  • Personal CV or UNDP P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.

Technical proposal:

  • Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment
  • A methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment.

Financial proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided (Annex II) and the instructions in this TOR.

Please group all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.