Background

The Office of Financial Resources Management (OFRM), Bureau for Management Services, is a dynamic and results driven office of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). OFRM contributes to the global development agenda of UNDP by being a strong partner with other parts of UNDP, promoting clear and strong financial reporting and analysis to ensure accountability and compliance with UNDP's financial and administrative regulatory framework.

OFRM is responsible for the global financial operations of UNDP. The Organization receives income, from variety of sources of funds, in excess of US$ 5 billion per annum. OFRM's activities involve financial management and funding operations of office located in 166 countries which include financial analysis, reporting, and financial risk management.

To meet its current demands and business necessity, the Office of Financial Resources and more specifically the Office of the Deputy Chief Finance Officer (D/CFO) are in need of assistance to provide quality and value-added administrative/office support, at the highest level to the OFRM/FBP.  

Duties and Responsibilities

The Consultant will be primarily home-based and work under the direct supervision of the Deputy Chief Finance Officer (D/CFO). 

On intermittent basis, the Consultant will work in OFRM/FBP HQ to support and supplement the Office on Administrative tasks and other small special projects during peak periods.

The Consultant will be required to perform the following support activities:

1. Acts as liaison between the external Accountancy and Finance Testing Firm, EPSI, Country Offices, Regional Centers and HQ staff to facilitate smooth scheduling of the UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test (UNDP/AFT), as well as the Advanced Accountancy and Finance Test (UNDP/AAFT), providing advice as necessary;
2. Monitors the AFT functioning by the external vendor EPSI to ensure compliance with the OFRM procedures and policies of the AFT and AAFT and follows up on outstanding invoices to expedite payments;
3. Responds to telephone and email AFT and AAFT queries from Country Offices and HQ staff on scheduling and smooth functioning of the AFT or AAFT, advising as necessary;
4. Responds to email queries on the Finance Training and Certification Programme (FTCP), an aspect of which inter-relates with the UNDP AFT/AAFT;
5. The consultant is to review/verify accounting certificates as submitted by country offices and HQ HR focal points and ensures accuracy in the information provided on eligibility of ‘exemption from AFT or AAFT’, prior to conveying such information to respective hiring office.
6. Renders timely and high-quality communications support with full confidentiality, having a broad understanding and ability to implement protocol procedures;
7. Manage the sharing of AFT & AAFT material and Quick Guide to recruiting for finance position with hiring offices as may be required/requested;
8. Renders support to D/CFO on administrative processes including recruitment processes as may be required for long-short-listing;
9. Any other duties as may be required

Deliverables

The consultant will prepare quarterly activity reports on the progress of the activities executed above.Institutional Arrangements

1. The Consultant will directly report to the Deputy Chief Finance Officer on all matters relating to the above;
2. The Consultant will work closely with the vendor providing the AFT/AAFT services to ensure service excellence and mitigate risks to gain increased value throughout the vendor life cycle;
3. The Consultant will work off-site with intermittent travel to UNDP HQ/OFRM, and be provided with office facilities in OFRM as and when required;
4. The Consultant must be able to work independently and will be responsible for accuracy and clarity of information provided to both UNDP COs and HQ staff on the UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test, as well as the Advanced Test and including on the Finance Training and Certification Programme, which is critical in maintaining steady and satisfied clientele;
5. Duration of the Work: the expected duration of the contract is 3 years (with a maximum of 750 working days in the period). It is expected that the consultant to start in 2 January 2019.

Institutional Arrangements

1. The Consultant will directly report to the Deputy Chief Finance Officer on all matters relating to the above;
2. The Consultant will work closely with the vendor providing the AFT/AAFT services to ensure service excellence and mitigate risks to gain increased value throughout the vendor life cycle;
3. The Consultant will work off-site with intermittent travel to UNDP HQ/OFRM, and be provided with office facilities in OFRM as and when required;
4. The Consultant must be able to work independently and will be responsible for accuracy and clarity of information provided to both UNDP COs and HQ staff on the UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test, as well as the Advanced Test and including on the Finance Training and Certification Programme, which is critical in maintaining steady and satisfied clientele;
5. Duration of the Work: the expected duration of the contract is 3 years (with a maximum of 750 working days in the period). It is expected that the consultant to start in 2 January 2019.

Information on Working Arrangements

1. The Consultant will be home-based;
2. The Consultant will is expected to be available for skype/phone discussion as needed and be in reliable email contact;
3. The Consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own work station (i.e., laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, specific software if required, etc.) and must have access to reliable internet connection;
4. Given the global nature of the assignment to be undertaken, the Consultant is expected to be reasonably flexible with his/her availability for such assignment, taking into consideration the different time zones;
5. The Consultant will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment;
6. Payment for services will be made upon satisfactory submission of outputs, a detailed time sheet, and certification of payment form and acceptance and confirmation by the Deputy Chief Finance Officer (D/CFO).

Competencies

• Results-driven and initiative-taking;
• Ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines, especially with COs in different time zones;
• Thoroughly and methodically collects, verifies data, demonstrating attention to detail and identifying and correcting errors on own initiative;
• Ability to manage multiple conflicting priorities;
• Capacity to efficiently process a high number of CO queries on AFT&AAFT;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills including efficient email messaging and promptness in getting back with clients, especially in different time zone to meet their recruitment timelines;
• Personal Effectiveness/Credibility;
• Thoroughness;
• Collaboration Skills;
• Communication Proficiency;
• Flexibility;
• Eye for detail

Required Skills and Experience

Academic qualifications:

• Completed Secondary Education, preferably supplemented by administration and/or specialized secretarial studies

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible secretarial, administrative and operational  experience (at the national or international level is required
• At least 5 years of high level executive assistance experience coupled with experience in general administration is required.
• Experience with management of online testing applications an asset.
• Experience in the usage of office equipment and software applications (MS Word, Excel, etc.) is required.
• Experience with UN is considered an asset.

Language:  Fluency in English is required; fluency in any of other UN official languages is an asset.

Application Procedure

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

• Online application with brief description of why the Offer considers her/himself the most suitable for the assignment; and
• CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects and specifying the relevant assignment period (from/to), as well as the email and telephone contacts of at least three (3) professional references.

Note: The above documents need to be scanned in one file and uploaded to the online application as one document.

Shortlisted candidates (ONLY) will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal.

• The financial proposal should specify an all-inclusive daily fee (based on a 7-hour working day - lunch time is not included - and estimated 21.75 days per month).
• The financial proposal must be all-inclusive and take into account various expenses that will be incurred during the contract, including: the daily professional fee; cost of travel from the home base to the duty station and vice versa, where required; living allowances at the duty station; communications, utilities and consumables; life, health and any other insurance; risks and inconveniences related to work under hardship and hazardous conditions (e.g., personal security needs, etc.), when applicable; and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services under the contract.

• In the case of unforeseeable travel requested by UNDP, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between UNDP and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. 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.

• If the Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.

The Financial Proposal is to be emailed as per the instruction in the separate email that will be sent to shortlisted candidates.

Evaluation Process (Criteria for the Selection of the Best Offer)

Applicants are reviewed based on Required Skills and Experience stated above and based on the technical evaluation criteria outlined below.  Applicants will be evaluated based on cumulative scoring.  When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Being 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 where technical criteria weighs 70% and Financial criteria/ Proposal weighs 30%.
• Technical criteria weight including Interview Score (70%). Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (490 points) of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria (700 points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.
• Financial Proposal/all-inclusive daily fee (30%). ?

Technical Evaluation - Total 70% (700 points):

Having reviewed applications received, UNDP will invite the top 3 to 4 shortlisted candidates for interview. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (49 points) of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria (700 points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

Financial evaluation - Total 30% (300 points)

The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:

p = y (µ/z), where

p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated

y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal

µ = price of the lowest priced proposal

z = price of the proposal being evaluated

Contract Award

Candidate obtaining the highest combined scores in the combined score of Technical and Financial evaluation will be considered technically qualified and will be offered to enter into contract with UNDP.

Payment Modality

• Payment to the Individual Contractor will be made based on the actual number of days worked, deliverables accepted and upon certification of satisfactory completion by the manager.
• The work week will be based on 35 hours, i.e. on a 7 hour working day, with core hours being between 9h00 and 18h00 daily

Framework Agreement

UNDP plans to enter into a Framework Agreement with the top ranked successful Individual Contractor. This Framework Agreement will have a cumulative ceiling amount that may accrue to the Individual Contractor during the life of the contract, but said amount shall remain as an upper limit and must not and cannot be interpreted nor understood as neither a financial commitment nor guarantee of business volume. 

The duration of LTA / IC Framework Agreement is for 3-year period, for up to 180 days per year subject to satisfactory contract performance.

Annexes (click on the hyperlink to access the documents):

Annex 1 - UNDP P-11 Form for ICs

Annex 2 - IC Contract Template

Annex 3 - IC General Terms and Conditions

Annex 4 - RLA Template

Any request for clarification must be sent by email to cpu.bids@undp.org 

The UNDP Central Procurement Unit will respond by email and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all applicants.