Background

The Regional Hub of Civil Service in Astana (ACSH), an initiative of the Government of Kazakhstan and the United Nations Development Programme, was established in March 2013, when representatives of 25 countries and 5 international organisations, unanimously adopted the ACSH’s Founding Declaration. The ACSH is a multilateral institutional platform for the continuous exchange of knowledge and experience in the field of civil service development, aiming at stimulating civil service transformations in the region through fostering partnerships, capacity building and peer-to-peer learning development activities and by disseminating innovative approaches to civil service reform, through evidence-based solutions, informed by a comprehensive research and policy agenda. It has received financial and institutional support from the Government of Kazakhstan, and the backing of the UNDP as key implementing partners. The geographical range of participants – currently encompassing 36 countries - stretches from the Americas and Europe, through the CIS, Central Asia and the Caucasus to ASEAN countries, demonstrating that partnerships for civil service excellence are a constant and universal need for all nations.

The major objective of the Hub’s Research Team is to initiate and carry out research on topics relevant to development, enhancement and reform of the civil service structures of the participating countries; as well as to produce and disseminate quality knowledge products on success stories of the efforts to modernise public service in the countries of the region and beyond.

General information:

Over the past few years, Kazakhstan has undertaken substantial civil service reforms. Further professionalization of the state apparatus is being implemented in accordance with the Plan of the Nation - 100 concrete steps for successful achievement of strategic objectives to join the top 30 most developed countries in the world and high social standards, realized in OECD member states.

The major novelties provided by the updated Law "On State Service of the Republic of Kazakhstan" (here in after - the Law), will facilitate the formation of own, Kazakhstan`s model of civil service - oriented to citizens of Kazakhstan – as end users of public services. With the strengthening of meritocracy principles and a competency-based approach in the civil service, the work of civil servants will be paid differentially depending on the nature, scope, and results of the work performed by them. (Article 53 of the Law). For this purpose, the system of assessment and bonus payments is being legally implemented.

In accordance with elaborated approaches, the assessment of political civil servants is carried out on the basis of annual performance reports with the indication of the work outcomes at a concrete position, submitted by political civil servants no later than the tenth of March of the year, that follows the evaluated year. 

The results of civil servants assessment serve as a basis for taking decisions on bonus payments, promotion, training, job rotations, and demotion in the state service or dismissal.

At the same time, after a public hearingof the Report on Realization of the Plan of the Nation - 100 concrete steps of the National Commission on Modernization, on the 24th of November, 2016 the Head of State requested to improve assessment methodology of civil servants performance with the purpose of introducing a new performance-based payment system.

Objective:

Determination of key approaches for assessing the effectiveness of political civil servants activity and a performance - based payment system, taking into account international best practices.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of services:

-    To study international best practices in the assessment of political civil servants performance and a performance - based payment through conduction of a comparative analysis of their applicability to the Kazakhstan`s civil service;

-    To elaborate approaches assessing the effectiveness of political civil servants activities and a performance - based payment system;

-    To form project (draft) methodologies for effective assessment of political civil servants performances;

-    Expert evaluation and analysis of elaborated approaches used for performance assessment of administrative civil servants of corps "A" and "B” with the entry of follow-up suggestions.

• Participation in discussions with assessment of the effectiveness of political civil servants’ activity and their performance based payment working group of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Public Service and Anti-corruption during expert’s visits to Astana.

Expected results

The International Expert is expected to submit an interim and a final report.

The interim report shall contain the following:

• An analytical overview and a comparative analysis of leading foreign experience and the Kazakhstan`s practice of political civil servants performance assessment;
• Proposals for conduction of political civil servants performance assessment in conjunction with the performance-based payment system.

The final report shall include:

• The project methodology for assessment of political civil servants performance efficiency;
• Recommendations regarding the remuneration of political civil servants based on their performance assessment;
• Suggestions for further improvement of the institute of civil servants performance-based assessment;

Proposals based upon expert evaluation results and analysis of elaborated approaches for conducting a performance-based assessment of administrative civil servants of corps “A” and “B”.

The information on Expected results and deliverables could be found in the Terms of Reference.

Competencies

• At least Master degree in human resources management or a related field;
• Experience in successful implementation of projects close to the theme, scale and target audiences in other countries, preferably in Western Europe, the United States, Central Asia and Russia;
• At least 6 years of relevant experience in providing consulting services in the field of human resources management, including the personnel assessment and a performance–based payment;
• Strong analytical and research skills, excellent policy recommendations and analytical reports writing skills;
• Fluency in English; knowledge of Russian language ??is an asset.

Required Skills and Experience

Application Procedure:

1) The application package containing the following (to be uploaded as one file):

• Detailed personal CV or UNDP P11 form;
• Offeror’s letter to UNDP confirming interest and availability for the individual contractor (IC) assignment, including breakdown of costs in USD (the template attached; please kindly use template A & B for preparation of financial proposal);
• Any other referred information would be accepted

Note the above documents needed to be scanned into one file and uploaded to the online application as a single document.

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

Initially, individual consultants shall be short-listed on the following minimum qualification criteria:

• At least Master degree in human resources management or a related field;
• Availability of knowledge and at least 6 years of relevant experience in providing consulting services in the field of human resources management, including the personnel assessment and a performance–based payment.

The shortlisted candidates will be further evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis

When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

Responsive/compliant/acceptable, and Suggesting the lowest price

“compliant/acceptable” can be determined as fully corresponding to the ToR.

* Technical Criteria weight: 70%;

* Financial Criteria weight: 30%

Minimum passing score for technical evaluation is 70% which is 350 points.

Scope of price proposal

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR.  In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).  

Travel:

All envisaged travel costs including 2 trips (3 days) to Astana per diem must be included in financial proposal (UNDP rate per diem for March, 2017 in Astana $177). In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Annexes:

• UNDP P11 form; 
• Offeror’s letter to UNDP confirming interest and availability;
• IC General Terms and Conditions