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).

Under the umbrella of the European Union support to Public Finance Management and Governance in the Pacific, UNDP is working closely with PASAI, the IMF, the University of the South Pacific and PIFS amongst other partners to build capacities and improve the efficiency of PFM systems for sustainable development. Those partners have agreed that knowledge-building modules on PFM could greatly benefit the different stakeholders in the region and ensure that basic understanding of PFM principles and processes are understood in a coherent and uniform manner throughout the region and across stakeholders. Audience for these modules from a UNDP perspective are the three key stakeholders of the UNDP PFM project namely Parliaments including Parliamentary Accounts Committees, Supreme Audit Institutions and civil society.

This consultancy will develop the content and material for a one-day workshop presenting the basic knowledge and skills associated with PFM oversight and accountability to those three key stakeholders.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

The objective of this consultancy is i) in alignment with the IMF PFM online course, the UN Convention Against Corruption Principles and other relevant guiding documents, develop a one day course on Public Finance Management with a focus on oversight and accountability processes; ii) coordinate consultations with key Pacific partners on the draft and ensure feedback is integrate so that partners operating in the PFM space feel comfortable and themselves make use of the basic modules created; iii) test the modules with a diversity of public during a mission to the Pacific (dates and length to be confirmed) including a) the UNDP PFM project grantees; b) USP student group engaged on anti-corruption activities; c) institutional partners (PAC/SAI) if opportunity arises; iv) based on feedback and pilot tests, refine the modules in 2 formats: guidelines/presentations/exercises for face to face modules and video presentations/narrative/exercises for online dissemination.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The key products to be delivered are as follows:

No

Deliverable description

Indicative completion date

No of working days

1

Draft modules content for Day workshop on PFM. Content (including guidelines for facilitator, power point or alternative format presentations, exercises material) should include at least 2 sessions + 2 exercises on knowledge and or skills-building related to a) frameworks, institutions and processes of PFM cycles, with a specific focus on oversight and accountability entry points and rational; b) practices, tools and lessons learnt linked to transparency/accountability and oversight of PFM cycles. The modules designed should cover roughly 1 day of content for a workshop. Modules should include but not be limited to:

  • References to agreed international principles and frameworks;
  • Concrete example and tools, including material referring to further readings/case studies on PFM oversight;

 

Modules design should:

  • Take into account adult learning path to maximize understanding and memorization of information;
  • Propose alternative tracks/exercises for audience with significant or less (close to none) experience engaging with PFM processes;

25th August 2019

10days

2

Final (1.0) modules content for Day workshop on PFM.

Based on consultations on draft and feedback from partners and UNDP. Produce a final

10th September 2019

5 days

3

Delivery of modules to (3) minimum sets of audiences.

Test the modules in agreement with UNDP at:

  • Training of first tranche grantees (CSOs), PFM project (est. end August/September 2019, 2 days, Nadi);
  • Youth audience (tbd)
  • Institutional audience (PAC or SAI, tbd)

5th November 2019

6 days – inclusive of travel to the Pacific region

4

Final (2.0) modules content for Day workshop on PFM.

Refine the modules based on pilot tests responses and feedback notably to produce:

  • Full package for 1 day workshop including facilitators guidelines, exercise material, presentations and resources for participants;
  • Full package to cover the same content in an online course including adapting the exercises and modules when needed for online consumption and recording video of presentations (alternatively, narrative of soundtrack can be produced and will be animated if consultant not comfortable with his/her image being used)

10th January 2020

10 days

 

Timeframe

The envisaged time frame of the consultancy is a total of 31 days between the August 2019 to the 10th January 2020.

The duty station for this assignment is home based with an anticipated 6 days of travelling in the Pacific. Given the uncertainty linked to the travel, the Financial Proposal should NOT cover travel expenses which will be covered under UNDP conditions when travel plan is confirmed.

 

The Consultant Profile

The prospective consultant should have significant experience working in the field of PFM and ideally some proven experience facilitating workshop/adult learning experiences.

 

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 Accountability, Parliament, Public Financial Management, economics or social sciences;

Experience

  • At least 5 years of experience working at advisory, technical support or senior level on Public Finance Management, experience in the Pacific Islands Region preferred but not essential;
  • Demonstrated understanding of international principles of Public Finance Management, as well as principles of the UN Convention Against Corruption and other relevant international instruments on PFM;
  • Demonstrated experience in facilitating workshops with a wide set of audiences including understanding or proven interest in experimenting with innovative approaches and/or adult learning methodologies;

  • Previous experience working with Parliament, SAI or civil society on their oversight capacity of PFM and in developing countries will be an 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:

Criteria 1

At least 5 years of experience working at advisory, technical support or senior level on Public Finance Management, experience in the Pacific Islands Region preferred but not essential;

20%

Criteria 2

Demonstrated understanding of international principles of Public Finance Management, as well as principles of the UN Convention Against Corruption and other relevant international instruments on PFM;

20%

Criteria 3

Demonstrated experience in facilitating workshops with a wide set of audiences including understanding or proven interest in experimenting with innovative approaches and/or adult learning methodologies;

10%

Criteria 4

Previous experience working with Parliament, SAI or civil society on their oversight capacity of PFM and in developing countries will be an advantage.

10%

Criteria 5

Minimum Master’s level qualification in domains related to Accountability, Parliament, Public Financial Management, economics or social sciences.

10%

Financial offer

30%

 

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

  1. 30% Upon signature of the contract and submission of timeline for deliverable 1;

  2. < >< >

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

    1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP (Annex II).
    2. Personal CV, 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.
    3. Financial proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided (Annex II)

     

     

    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

    Proposal Submission

    All applications must be clearly marked with the title of the consultancy and submitted by 5.00pm, 30th July 2019 (Fiji Time) electronically to etenderbox.pacific@undp.org.

    For further information concerning this Terms of Reference, please contact, 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

 

Application procedure:

Please combine all your documents (Signed P11/CV, Technical Proposal, Confirmation of Interest and submission of financial proposal form, etc into one (1) single PDF document as this system only allows to upload maximum one document, failure to combine all document in one will be considered as incomplete and proposal will not be accepted”. You can email dale.kacivi@undp.org / procurement.fj@undp.org to request for these templates.