Background

The Regional Hub of Civil Service in Astana (ACSH), an initiative of the Government of Kazakhstan and the United Nations Development Programme, was established in March 2013, when representatives of 25 countries and 5 international organisations, unanimously adopted the ACSH’s Founding Declaration. The ACSH is a multilateral institutional platform for the continuous exchange of knowledge and experience in the field of civil service development, aiming at stimulating civil service transformations in the region through fostering partnerships, capacity building and peer-to-peer learning development activities and by disseminating innovative approaches to civil service reform, through evidence-based solutions, informed by a comprehensive research and policy agenda. It has received financial and institutional support from the Government of Kazakhstan, and the backing of the UNDP as key implementing partners. The geographical range of participants – currently encompassing 36 countries - stretches from the Americas and Europe, through the CIS, Central Asia and the Caucasus to ASEAN countries, demonstrating that partnerships for civil service excellence are a constant and universal need for all nations.

The major objective of the Hub’s Research Team is to initiate and carry out research on topics relevant to development, enhancement and reform of the civil service structures of the participating countries; as well as to produce and disseminate quality knowledge products on success stories of the efforts to modernise public service in the countries of the region and beyond.

2. General information

Over the past few years, Kazakhstan has undertaken substantial civil service reforms.

Further professionalization of the state apparatus is being implemented in accordance with the Plan of the Nation - 100 concrete steps for successful achievement of strategic objectives to join the top 30 most developed countries in the world and high social standards, realized in OECD member states.

The major novelties provided by the updated Law "On State Service of the Republic of Kazakhstan" (here in after - the Law), will facilitate the formation of own, Kazakhstan`s model of civil service - oriented to citizens of Kazakhstan – as end users of public services. With the strengthening of meritocracy principles and a competency-based approach in the civil service, the work of civil servants will be paid differentially depending on the nature, scope, and results of the work performed by them. (Article 53 of the Law). For this purpose, the system of assessment and bonus payments is being legally implemented.

In accordance with the order of the authorized body for civil service affairs the methodology for assessment of the effectiveness of “A” corps administrative civil servants’ activity and standard methodology for assessment of the effectiveness of “B” corps administrative civil servants’ activity have been approved, on the basis of which state agencies adopt departmental methods.

At the same time, after a public hearingof the Report on Realization of the Plan of the Nation - 100 concrete steps of the National Commission on Modernization, on the 24th of November, 2016 the Head of State requested to improve assessment methodology of civil servants performance with the purpose of introducing a new performance-based payment system.

Duties and Responsibilities

3. Objective

Methodology improvement for assessing the effectiveness of administrative civil servants activity and a performance - based payment system, taking into account international best practices.

4. Scope of services:

  • To study international best practices in the assessment of administrative civil servants performance and a performance - based payment through conduction of a comparative analysis of their applicability to the Kazakhstan`s civil service;
  • To elaborate approaches assessing the effectiveness of administrative civil servants activities and a performance - based payment system;
  • To form project (draft) methodologies for effective assessment of administrative civil servants performances;
  • Expert evaluation and analysis of elaborated approaches used for performance assessment of administrative civil servants of corps "A" and "B” with the entry of follow-up suggestions.
  • Participation in discussions with assessment of the effectiveness of administrative civil servants’ activity and their performance based payment working group of the Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Public Service and Anti-corruption during expert’s visits to Astana.

5.  Expected results

The International Expert is expected to submit an interim and a final report.

The interim report shall contain the following:

An analytical overview and a comparative analysis of leading foreign experience and the Kazakhstan`s practice of administrative civil servants of “A” and “B” corps performance assessment;

Proposals for conduction of administrative civil servants of “A” and “B” corps performance assessment;

Suggestions on introduction of the performance-based payment system.

The final report shall include:

The project methodology for assessment of administrative civil servants of “A” and “B” corps performance efficiency;

Recommendations regarding the usage of the administrative civil servants of “A” and “B” corps assessment results for monetary encouragement, training, promotion and etc.;  

Suggestions for further improvement of the institute of civil servants performance-based assessment.

Detailed TOR coud be found here

Competencies

  • Strong analytical and research skills, excellent policy recommendations and analytical reports writing skills;
  • Capacity to plan, prioritize and deliver tasks on time;
  • Able to work independently and remotely with minimal supervision

Required Skills and Experience

  • At least Bachelor’s degree in human resources management or a related field;
  • Experience in successful implementation of projects close to the theme, scale and target audiences in other countries, preferably in Western Europe and/or the United States, Central Asia and/or Russia;
  • At least 6 years of relevant experience in providing consulting services in the field of human resources management, including the personnel assessment and a performance–based payment;
  • Fluency in English; knowledge of Russian languages is an asset.

Application Procedure:

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications (to be uploaded as one file):

  1. Personal CV and/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 (P11 form attached)
  2. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP (template attached);
  3. Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided.  If an 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 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. 
  4. Any other referred information would be accepted.

NOTE: the above documents needed to be scanned into one file and uploaded to the online application as a single document, otherwise the candidate's proposal won't be considered.

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer:

Initially, individual consultants shall be short-listed on the following minimum qualification criteria:

  • At least Bachelor’s degree in human resources management or a related field;
  • Availability of knowledge and at least 6 years of relevant experience in providing consulting services in the field of human resources management, including the personnel assessment and a performance–based payment.

The shortlisted candidates will be further evaluated based on the Cumulative analysis methodology:

When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should 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. 

“compliant/acceptable” can be determined as fully corresponding to the ToR.

  1. * Technical Criteria weight: 70%;
  2. * Financial Criteria weight: 30%

Minimum passing score for technical evaluation is 70% which is 350 points.

Scope of price proposal

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR.  In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).  

Travel:

All envisaged travel costs including 2 trips (3 days) to Astana per diem must be included in financial proposal (UNDP rate per diem for April, 2017 in Astana $177). 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.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Annexes: