Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of online tools in the Pacific. Even as connectivity remains limited, exciting partnership with regional and institutional partners open the access to previously restrained connected infrastructures. The current context calls for the development of innovative tools which will ensure that oversight, transparency and accountability are promoted during the crisis and beyond.

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 public monies management. Civil society actors, Parliament and Supreme Audit Institutions form oversight 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. This consultancy focuses on facilitating CSOs, citizens and Parliaments engagement on PFM cycles by the development of ICT tools.

The envisaged application will support citizen engagement on budgets: The app will most likely focus on providing basic information on budget processes and facilitating budget submissions for CSOs and citizens. Its exact objectives will be refined in coordination with a network of CSO partners established through UNDP’s Public Finance Management activities in the region. The app will ideally take the form of a game that can be replicated in real life with minimal connectivity.

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).

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

Reporting to the UNDP PFM Project Manager and working closely with the Pacific Accelerator Lab, the Consultant will be responsible for the following activities:

• Develop app concepts taking into account the realities and needs of the beneficiaries (parliamentary staff for the first app and CSOs/citizens for the second);

• Support the PFM team in recruiting a suitable team of developers and professional for developing the proposed apps.

• Oversee the contract of developers and ensure app are delivered on time and of appropriate quality;

• Support related project activities as necessary;

• Oversee the piloting and trial of the apps in the Pacific region.

• Support the deployment of apps after their finalisation, including designing and conducting hands-on orientation workshops on the use of apps.

This consultancy might include unforeseen in-country missions might the context allow it.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Institutional Arrangement

The Consultant will report to the UNDP PFM Project Manager Effective Governance. Reporting and payment will be done on a monthly basis, using timesheets and referring to the deliverables of the contract.

The Consultant to provide their own IT equipment and access (computer and internet connection).  

Duration of the Work

The consultant will be required to work for a period of up to 120 days between August 2020 to February 2020.

Duty Station

This consultancy is home-based. Online presentations and exchanges will be taking place on the Pacific time-zone. Unforeseen travel might take place as borders re-open.

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

• Bachelors in Information and Communication Technologies, Communication, Social Science, Computer Engineering or any other field relevant.

Experience

• At least 3 years of relevant professional experience related to the development of online tools, advantage will be given to demonstrated experience participating or leading on the development of citizen engagement or Parliamentary app;

• Proven engagement on at least one successful online tool development and launch in a developing country;

• Previous experience engaging on budget analysis and data science or related topic (oversight, public finance, open data) an advantage;

• Preference will be given to candidates with experience working with development organisations and/or engaging Parliamentarian and non-governmental audience.

Language requirements

• Fluency of English language is required;

   

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

Consultant must send a financial proposal based on Daily Fee. Consultant shall quote an all-inclusive Daily Fee for the contract period. 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 shall be done based on monthly timesheets validated by supervisor.

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

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 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 Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points) [Please add/adjust the below criteria and points awarded to each as necessary]

• Criteria 1 - Relevance of Education – Max 10 points

• Criteria 2 - Relevance of - Max 20 Points

• Criteria 3 – Specific experience of app/online tool development -Max 20 points

• Criteria 4 – Experience on budget analysis– Max 10 points

• Criteria 5 – – Max 10 points

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

Documentation required

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information (in one (1) single document as the application supports only one upload) to demonstrate their qualifications:

• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability for the duration of the assignment using the template provided in Annex II.

• CV indicating all 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, describing methodology and approach to complete the assignment

• Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex II (in USD)

Incomplete, joint proposals and proposals sent to the wrong mailing address will not be accepted and only candidates for whom there is further interest will be contacted.

Individuals interested in 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

Above annexes can be accessed through UNDP website via following link:

https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=68004

Proposal Submission

• All applications must be clearly marked with the title of the consultancy (Consultant – Citizen Budget Analysis Apps (Activity Manager)) with reference (PN/FJI/064/20) and submitted via UN Job shop by 1st August 2020.
• Note: UNDP Jobs only supports single document upload hence ensure that the proposal consolidated and submitted as one single document.
• For further information concerning this Terms of Reference, please contact UNDP Pacific Office by email: procurement.fj@undp.org.  

Women applicants are encouraged to apply