Background

Public Finance Management is throughout the Pacific a topic of importance for international and local partners equally. Numerous stakeholders, institutions and international actors have been engaged in reinforcing the frameworks, tools and actors linked to PFM. Parliament and supreme audit institution function in public financial management across the Pacific Islands region have been identify as an area requiring strengthening. A specific focus of UNDP in this regard is the parliament’s role in budget scrutiny; effective external audit of government budget execution by the supreme audit institutions, inclusion of citizens and civil society in budget processes, thorough and transparent parliamentary oversight of the external audit, and follow-up with government on recommendations.

Strengthening of public Finance Management and Governance in the Pacific Project (hereafter PFM) aims to strengthen oversight over public financial management in the Pacific region, though improving the budgetary scrutiny, public financial oversight and accountability capacities of parliaments, supreme audit institutions and civil society within the region, aligning with international public financial oversight and accountability standards, and fostering citizen engagement and oversight. Strengthening of Public Finance Management project is funded by the European Union (EU) and Implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Public Finance Management (PFM) and Governance is an emerging topic in the UNDP Pacific Office, deriving from ground work done mainly through the anti-corruption and parliament programmes. PFM issues have also been tackled through the climate change and disaster risk management work in the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji. Previous work in the area mainly focused on strengthening oversight, transparency and accountability in public financial management, as a prerequisite for good governance and sustainable development.

In order to monitor the progress and achievement of the project and ensure a learning feedback loop, the PFM Project has designed a methodology aimed at for the collection of data regarding the public financial management practices of the fifteen Pacific Islands Parliaments and Supreme Audit Institutions covered by this initiative. The methodology is drawn from the PEFA benchmarks that are relevant to Parliaments and Supreme Audit Institutions, as well as relevant benchmarks concerning budget transparency adapted from the Open Budget Index Survey, and an indicator assessing the extent to which programme outcomes of budgets are assessed, drawn from the Sustainable Development Goals.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

The objective of this consultancy is i) to collect and annually update baselines on qualitative assessment of PFM practices in Parliament and SAI in the Pacific; ii) to ensure baselines and qualitative assessment receive feedbacks and input from an Advisory Committee, deemed to represent the PFM community of experts in the region; iii) to facilitate the dissemination and simplified communication of the baseline key messages through collaborating and leading on key content of communication material, presentations and events as required.

Deliverable 1 (est. 15 days home based) – Produce an annual baseline report based on the PFM project methodology (16 indicators), including detailed scoring matrix with justification of scoring for each indicators and country specific narrative overview (including entry points for support and activities identified during interviews, red flags and on-going work), in the process:

• Develop a PFM scoring matrix based on the methodology developed for this data collection exercise, to be validated by the CO and the project advisory group;

• Research and make contact with the key informants in each of the 15 jurisdictions, including representatives of Parliament, the SAI, government financial ministry, central bank, and civil society engaged in PFM issues to collect initial evidence and confirm data through interviews with key informants/country experts;

  Deliverable 2 (3days mission to Fiji, Suva/5days home-based) – Collect feedback through leading a results workshop with the Advisory Committee and integrate feedback into a re-usable and publishable quality format to serve as a model for the subsequent annual baseline reports.

• Produce a short (3-5pages) report and a communication piece (blog or else) on the workshop and main points of discussion, analysing potential entry points and main trends.

Deliverable 3 (10 days, home-based) In the first semester of 2020 update and repeat baseline exercise using matrix developed through Deliverable 1:

• Check on updates and progress by PFM related evolution in Parliaments and SAI in the Pacific to produce a report including scoring of 15 countries on 16 indicators, matrix analysis and narrative.

• Draft and finalise with the help of the UNDP communication team a blog/communication piece on the workshop and main points of discussion, analysing potential entry points and main trends.

• Lead a consultation with Advisory Committee on results and analysis of the exercise, including their feedback in the report and communication piece.

Deliverable 4 (10 days, home-based) In the first semester of 2021 update and repeat baseline exercise using matrix developed through Deliverable 1:

• Check on updates and progress by PFM related evolution in Parliaments and SAI in the Pacific to produce a report including scoring of 15 countries on 16 indicators, matrix analysis and narrative.

• Draft and finalise with the help of UNDP communication team a blog/communication piece on the workshop and main points of discussion, analysing potential entry points and main trends.

• Lead a consultation with Advisory Committee on results and analysis of the exercise, including their feedback in the report and communication piece.

Deliverable 5 (10day, home based) Present as requested and on an ad-hoc basis, the methodology and results of the baseline assessments to UNDP local, regional or international partners as validated by the PFM project manager.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The key products to be delivered are as follows:

Timeframe

The envisaged time frame of the consultancy is a total of 53 days within under 3 years starting July 2019 to June 2021.

The duty station for this assignment is home based with a 3 days mission to Suva, Fiji. Travel costs to and from Suva and living expense during mission will be covered by consultant (to be included in Financial Proposal).

The Consultant Profile

The prospective consultant should have some experience working with and/or advising governance projects in the Pacific Region.

Institutional Arrangement

The Consultant will report to the Project Manager, Public Finance Management Project, Effective Governance. Reporting is to be undertaken as per Deliverables and Activities outlined above.

The Consultant to provide their own IT (computer).  

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity and fairness by modelling UN values and ethical standards;

• Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;

• Display cultural, gender, nationality, religion and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

• Demonstrated ability to work harmoniously in a multi-cultural environment;

• Ability to work on own initiative as well as a member of a team and to work under pressure;

• Excellent relationship management;

• Excellent communication, facilitation, presentation and reporting skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Minimum Master’s level qualification in domains related to Public Financial Management including Finance, Accounting, Economics.

Experience

• At least 10 years of experience in a senior/technical advisor position in Public Financial Management, Parliament, Supreme Audit Institution or related field, experience in the Pacific Islands Region strongly preferred;
• Demonstrated experience in researching and writing analytical reports in English on governance issues preferably on PFM or Parliament area of work, experience drafting reports and data collection on PFM issues within the Pacific Islands region a strong advantage;

• Previous experience in carrying out PEFA assessments and/or Open Budget Index assessments will be a distinct advantage.

PRICE PROPOSAL AND SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS

Daily Fee

The IC shall quote an all-inclusive Daily Fee for this consultancy work. The term “all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, communications, consumables, etc.) that could be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment are already factored into the daily fee submitted in the proposal. If applicable, travel or daily allowance cost (if any work is to be done outside the IC’s duty station) should be identified separately.

Payments

Payments shall be done on a monthly basis and based on actual days worked, and upon verification of completion of deliverables and approval by the IC’s supervisor of a Time Sheet indicating the days worked in the period.

General Notes on Financial Offer

• UNDP shall not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the Consultant wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using his/her own resources;

• In the event of unforeseeable travel not anticipated in this TOR, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between UNDP and the Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed;

Cumulative analysis

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as a) responsive/compliant/acceptable; and b) having received the highest score out of set of weighted technical criteria (70%). and financial criteria (30%). Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

Technical Evaluation Method and Criteria

The candidates meeting the minimum requirement will be assessed on the following basis:

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

Payment for Services

The Local Consultant – NACS Revision shall receive payment in four instalments from UNDP as follows:

1. 10% Upon signature of the contract and submission of timeline for deliverable 1&2;

2. 40% Upon submission on the clearance of Deliverable 2, final annual baseline report and cummication piece;

3. 25 %Upon submission and clearance of Deliverable 3, final 2021 baseline report and communication piece.

4. 25 %Upon submission and clearance of Deliverable 4&5, final 2021 baseline report and communication piece and report on presentations made on methodology and results

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS.

Incomplete, joint proposals and proposals sent to the wrong mailing address will not be accepted. Individuals applying for this consultancy should apply and will be reviewed based on their own individual capacity. The successful individual may sign an Individual Contract with UNDP or request his/her employer to sign a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA) on their behalf by indicating this in the Offerors letter to Confirming Interest and Availability using Annex II.

Annexes

• Annex I - Individual IC General Terms and Conditions

• Annex II – Offeror’s Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability for the Individual IC, including Financial Proposal Template

   

Proposal Submission

• All applications must be clearly marked with the title of the consultancy and submitted by 5.00pm, 24th June 2019 (Fiji Time) electronically to .

• For further information concerning this Terms of Reference, please contact Vaseva Cerelala, UNDP Pacific Office on email: vaseva.cerelala@undp.org .

• Incomplete applications will not be considered, and only candidates for whom there is further interest will be contacted.

   

• Women applicants are encouraged to apply