Background

UNDP Global Mission Statement:

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with national counterparts on their own solutions to global and national development challenges.

UNDP Afghanistan Mission Statement:

UNDP supports stabilization, state-building, governance and development priorities in Afghanistan. UNDP support, in partnership with the Government, the United Nations system, the donor community and other development stakeholders, has contributed to institutional development efforts leading to positive impact on the lives of Afghan citizens. Over the years UNDP support has spanned such milestone efforts as the adoption of the Constitution; Presidential, Parliamentary and Provincial Council elections; institutional development through capacity-building to the legislative, the judicial and executive arms of the state, and key ministries, Government agencies and commissions at the national and subnational levels. UNDP has played a key role in the management of the Law and Order Trust Fund, which supports the Government in developing and maintaining the national police force and in efforts to stabilize the internal security environment. Major demobilization, disarmament and rehabilitation and area-based livelihoods and reconstruction programmes have taken place nationwide. UNDP Programmes in Afghanistan have benefited from the very active support of donors. UNDP Afghanistan is committed to the highest standards of transparency and accountability and works in close coordination with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the UN system as a whole to maximize the impact of its development efforts on the ground.

Organizational context:

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is committed to augmenting the capacity of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan’s (GIROA) to administer rule of law and improve security for all Afghan citizens.  As the lead rule of law institution in the country, improving the ability of the Ministry of Interior Affairs (MOIA) to fulfill its mandate remains critical to the overall stability of Afghanistan and its people.  As the UN’s primary development agency, and a longstanding development partner to GIROA’s rule of law and security sector, UNDP Afghanistan plays a leading role in facilitating reform and development of MOIA.  The MOIA & Police Development (MPD) project, principle objectives are to (1) improve MOIA’s ability to lead and manage reform, (2) ensure efficiency improvements in key police service functions and (3) improve public confidence in the police force through accountability and democratic policing standards and approaches.  These objectives are programmed under two components of the MPD project, Institutional Development and Police Professionalisation.

The MPD project utilizes global expertise from within the UN system, private sector firms as well as newly established South-South Cooperation Frameworks in order to deliver highly contextual and relevant advisory support.  It works through three principle programming streams – legal/policy, institutional and individual capacity – in order to foster systemic and lasting change.  The project also works in close collaboration with strategic partners, including the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), European Union Police (EUPOL) and German Police Project Team (GPPT), in order to deliver upon these common objectives.

Background

The Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIROA) has outlined key reform and development priorities for the Ministry of Interior Affairs (MOIA).  At its highest level, the President of Afghanistan has called upon national and international partners to provide support along nine key priority areas.  Institutional reform to “ensure proper use and management of resources and also make MOIA a transparent and accountable institution” is one of these nine.  The notion of institutional development is further reinforced and detailed within the MOIA three-year strategic plan, primarily through Goal 3 (Strengthen strategic management and communications systems through institutional development, diversity, and structural reforms) and Goal 5 (Improve the quality and effectiveness of infrastructure, resources and support services to the MOI). 

Within this context, the UNDP MOIA and Police Development (MPD) Project is active in the area of business process re-engineering and development of Information Communication Technology (ICT), Management Information System (MIS) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.  The aim of these processes are as follows:

• Business Process Re-engineering:improve the MOIA capacities and performance of key administrative and support services, through improvement of business processes in key selected directorates and departments of the MOIA; and

• ICT/MIS/ERP development: to improve the existing ICT assets, including databases, hardware, software and related personnel, operating systems and applications, system interoperability within the MOIA, and connectivity to support administrative and management tasks; and development of an ERP to be launched.

A key player for coordinating and working on the ICT developments in the Afghan MoIA is the SWAAG (Strategic Working Approval and Advisory Working Group) set up by a joint initiative of MoIA, CSTC-A and UNDP. Under this umbrella, a number of coordinating initiatives have been started with the main purpose to standardize and harmonise ICT developments by addressing different topics such as the ICT Network, Cybersecurity and Enterprise Architecture.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work and Deliverables

Objective of the Assignment:

In order to assist the increasing MoIA use of ICT and support the creation of sustainable ICT solutions, the development of suitable methodologies and tools are needed to address the requirements of the MoIA Managers, Donor Agencies and the local/international ICT industries.

The main purpose of this consultancy will be to:

• Provide practical guidelines for designing and implementing economically affordable and sustainable ICT projects in MoIA and more generally in Afghanistan;

• Provide best practices in the affordability and sustainability of ICT projects in developingcountries;

  Provide  a specific methodology and tools to enable and assess  effective and sustainable ICTprojects based on the practical experience gained in developing countries.

The envisaged methodology should include at least the following topics:

• Minimization of TCO – Total Cost of Ownership, including selection of software/hardware (open source vs. licensed), needed training, support/maintenance, management options (in-house, outsource, body shopping, cloud delivery), etc;

• Analysis of the software industry chain in Afghanistan and developing countries;

• Success factors in the uptake of sustainable ICT projects in Afghanistan;

• Brain Drain – Policies to retain ICT Human Resources.

Targeted audience:

• Staff of the MoIA Ministry of Afghanistan;

• Staff of ministries and agencies involved in ICT developments in Afghanistan;

• Managers and staff members of Afghan IT clusters, associations, networks, communities of practice and chambers of commerce;

• Staff of donor organisations involved in public/private sector development, economic development, and employment promotion as well as in information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D)/development informatics;

• ICT industry and policy practitioners;

• Development and management consultants;

• Scientists and researchers active in the area of development economics, development informatics and innovation policy.

Deliverables:

• Report on situational analysis;

• Draft Guidelines on Sustainable ICT Solutions/Projects for MoIA;

• Conduct a Workshop on Sustainable ICT Solutions/Projects;

• Final Version of Guidelines;

• Draft the Final Report.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables; Estimated duration to complete and Payment percentage:

First Deliverable – Inception Report: 5 working days; 10%

• The Inception Report will provide the workplan and include the situational analysis of the ICT industry in the country and take into account the specific ICT and working environment of MoIA.

Second Deliverable – Draft Guidelines on Sustainable ICT Solutions/Projects for MoIA: 10 Working days; 35%

• The Guidelines should include concepts and tools inspired by international best practices and a specific methodology which at least should address the topics depicted above.

Third Deliverable – Conduct a Workshop on the Guidelines on Sustainable ICT Solutions/Projects for MoIA: 5 working days, 20%

• Conduct a workshop on the drafted Guidelines addressing an audience made of MoIA ICT Managers, Donor Agencies, international/local ICT industries.

Fourth Deliverable – Final Version of the Guidelines on Sustainable ICT Solutions/Projects for MoIA, 3 working days, 20%

• By incorporating the comments and results of the previous Workshop, the final version of the guidelines will be produced.

Fifth Deliverable: Final Report – 2 working days, 15 %

• Submission and acceptance of final report by end-user, it will report on the study carried out draft recommendations for the future.

Payment Modality: 

Payments under the contract shall be delivery based and be made on receipt of the specific milestone reports indicated above, and including a timesheet according to UNDP procurement formats for individual contractors. These shall be as indicated in the table above, and shall be made upon approval by the relevant MPD managers. The draft of the assessment and recommendations will be reviewed by both the MOIA concerned departments and UNDP MPD Management. Upon receipt of final comments, the consultant shall finalize the report for formal acceptance by UNDP at which point the final payment shall be released.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional Competencies:

Knowledge Management and Learning:

• In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues;
• Seeks and applies knowledge, information, and best practices from within and outside of UNDP.

Development and Operational Effectiveness:

• Ability to lead strategic planning, change processes, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to lead formulation, oversight of implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects;
• Ability to apply development theory to the specific country context to identify creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations.

Management and Leadership:

• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
• Ability to lead effectively, mentoring as well as conflict resolution skills;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
• Proven networking, team-building, organizational and communication skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

• Master degree or Equivalent of Master’s Degree in Business Administration, or Computer Science or related field (IT Science, Computer Telecommunication Engineering).

Experience:

• Minimum 10 years of experience in the management and/or consultancy of ICT and ICT projects in developing countries;

• Knowledge of economic models for ICT cost estimation (such as TCO – Total Cost of Ownership) and practical experience in the sustainability of ICT solutions for developing countries;

• Knowledge of the different managerial models of ICT resources (in-house, outsource, body shopping, cloud-based, etc.) possibly with practical experience in developing countries;

• Experience of working for projects funded by UNDP is desirable;

• Experience in working and collaborating with governments.

Language:

• Excellent written and oral English skills a necessary requirement;
• Competence in Dari and/or Pashtu is an asset.

Working Arrangements

Institutional Arrangements:

• The International consultant will work under the overall supervision of the MPD Project Manager and under direct supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor of the MPD Institutional Development Component.

Monitoring and Reporting Arrangement:

• The consultant shall work in close collaboration with MPD staff under the Institutional Development Component and the MOIA System Development Director;

• MPD project office will provide office space and internet access, 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 communications costs (MPD will provide a local pre-paid SIM card). Costs to arrange meetings, workshops, travel costs to and DSA during field visits (if any). shall be covered by MPD project.

Duration of the Work

• The whole assignment is foreseen for a period of maximum 25 working days stretched over period of 2 months, out of which the consultant will spend 15 working days in Kabul, Afghanistan and 10 working days at home and with up to two return trips to duty station;

• The performance under the contract shall take place over total contract duration of 2 months (maximum of 25 working days), excluding joining and repatriation travel days. The target date for the start of work will be aroundAugust first week 2017 depending on the availability of the appropriate consultant.

Duty Station

• The duty station for the contractor is Kabul, Afghanistan and home based for the entire duration of the contract. Some field visits outside Kabul are envisaged under the contract. UNDP and / or MOIA will organize transportation and UNDP shall pay DSA for the consultant’s field visits;

• The Contractor will be required to report regularly and be present at MPD project office (MOIA and/or UNOCA) during the working hours, security conditions permitting. The contractor will follow the working hours and weekends as applicable to MPD staff. Contractor’s movement for meetings and consultations shall be coordinated by MPD project office. The contractor is at all times required to observe UNDP security rules and regulations.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments:

The contractor shall submit a price proposal as below:

• Daily Fee – Daily Fee – The consultant shall propose a daily fee which should be inclusive of his/her professional fee, local communication cost and insurance (inclusive of medical health and medical evacuation). The number of working days for which the daily fee shall be payable under the contract is 25 working days.

• Living Allowance, LA – For an International Consultant a Living Allowance (LA) shall be paid – The consultant shall propose the Kabul applicable rate of USD 162 per night for his/her stay at the duty station. The number of nights for which the LA shall be payable under the contract is 25 nights. UNDP will organize transportation and provide DSA for the consultant’s field visits. An international consultant is NOT allowed to stay in a place of his/her choice other than the UNDSS approved places. UNDP will provide MORSS compliant accommodation in UNOCA to the consultant. The accommodation payments shall be made directly by the consultant;

• Travel & Visa – The consultant shall propose an estimated lump sum for Home-Kabul-home travel and Afghanistan visa expenses. This applies to international consultants only.  UNDP will be responsible for organizing travel between places within Afghanistan.

The total professional fee, shall be converted into a lump-sum contract and payments under the contract shall be made on submission and acceptance of deliverables by end-user 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 (30 marks)

  • Technical Approach & Methodology (20 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 (10 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 (40 marks) [evaluation of CV]

  • General Qualification (10 marks);

  • Experience relevant to the assignment (20 marks);

  • Experience of working for projects funded by UNDP (10 marks).

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Interested international consultants (Procurement) must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications in one single PDF document:

• Duly accomplished Confirmation of Interest and Submission of Financial Proposal Template using the template provided by UNDP (Annex II);

• Personal CV or 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 and work plan as indicated above.