UNICEF Bangkok TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR INSTITUTIONAL CONTRACTS

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1 UNICEF Bangkok TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR INSTITUTIONAL CONTRACTS TITLE: Terms of Reference for a Long-Term Arrangement for Services (LTAS) for Institutions or Corporate Entities specialized in conducting Situation Analyses and Analyses of Good Programming in East Asia and Pacific (EAP) 1- Background UNICEF s East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO) is seeking to establish more than one Long Term Arrangement with Institutional/Corporate Vendors as well as to establish a roster of prequalified Individual Contractors/Consultants including self-incorporated entities that have the right qualifications and capacities to elaborate large-scale Analyses of the Situation Affecting Children or to conduct more focused Programme Analyses that feature aspects of good practices, lessons learned and innovative approaches with respect to programming for child rights. Situation Analysis: UNICEF Country Offices conduct a major meta-analysis of the Situation Affecting Children (SitAn) approximately once every 5 years. Usually, the Sitan is a synthesis of new statistics, national policies, legislation and trends and new research and analysis. It assesses and analyses the situation with respect to children s rights and development and helps stakeholders to understand the causes of, and linkages between, problems affecting children and how a country s human, social, economic and organizational resources and structures (including its policies and institutions) can contribute to solving these challenges. Ideally, the Sitan should: o Improve the understanding of decision-makers, partners and all other stakeholders of the current status of children s rights in country and the causes of shortfalls and inequities; o Support national planning and development processes including influencing policies, strategies, budgets and national laws to contribute towards an enabling environment for children that adheres to human rights principles and gender equality, particularly in regard to universality, non-discrimination, participation and accountability; o Strengthen regional and national capacities to monitor the situation of children, principally regarding vulnerable and disadvantaged groups; o Contribute to national research on disadvantaged girls and boys and leveraging UNICEF s convening power to foster and support knowledge generation; o Strengthen the knowledge base to enable assessment of the contribution of development partners, including the UN, in support of national development goals. Programme Analysis: In addition to analyzing the broad situation affecting children and women, UNICEF also conducts periodic analysis of its programmes for a variety of purposes including accountability to counterparts, communities, partners, donors and other child rights stakeholders. Key to the common pursuit of programme excellence is the identification, validation and documentation of good practices, lessons learned, case studies and innovative approaches in furthering child rights. This kind of analysis can not only institutionalize learning and strengthen partnerships with major stakeholders - but can also help in the generation of new ideas and improve the demonstration of UNICEF s commitment to the equity approach, the human rightsbased approach, and promotion of evidence-based policy advocacy. Although many UNICEF Offices successfully complete Sitans independently there is variable capacity in the EAP region for major meta-analysis and often a need for skilled external support. UNICEF COs in the EAP region document lessons learned through their annual reporting and through a variety of other programme process. However, given the number of countries in the region and the enormous breadth of sectoral and thematic issues covered by COs it is often hard to find good 1

2 examples that facilitate learning around specific regional priorities and/or important thematic issues, at the time where they can be most influential on decision-making. In addition, many smaller offices often lack the human resources required to step back, analyse, document and articulate their lessons learned. For these reasons, UNICEF EAPRO is soliciting proposals to seek qualified institutional/corporate vendors, individual contractors/consultants, including self-incorporated entitites that have the right qualifications and capacities to elaborate major Situation Analyses (SitAns) or to conduct Programme Analysis that features aspects of good practices, lessons learned and innovative approaches with respect to programming for child rights for the establishment of LTAs or roster. 2- Objectives, Purpose & Expected results This LTA process should enable UNICEF to have timely, concise and useful analyses, reports, case studies and/or briefs on good practices, lessons learned and innovative approaches in the areas of: Equity focused interventions; SDG localization and implementation Effective and efficient operational or programmatic processes or approaches; and Strategic partnerships. Appropriate dissemination, discussion and/or use of these briefs should: Promote organizational learning (which can lead to adjustments in policy, programmes and operations at global, regional and country office levels); Provide the evidence necessary to support advocacy on key thematic issues in a timely manner; Encourage replication of effective interventions by UNICEF or partners including Governments through South-South cooperation; Strengthen partnerships in general, by demonstrating effective collaboration or informed analysis regarding areas for improvement. 3- Description of the assignment These Terms of Reference outline the objectives and expectations involved with signing a Long Term Agreement with UNICEF for the purposes of contracting reliable professionals skilled in designing, implementing and validating major meta-analyses. Once the LTA is established it can facilitate a fast-tracking approach to contracting by the RO and COs in East Asia and Pacific region. It will also be shared within UNICEF-wide and the hiring section should be contacted for any use of this LTA. The contracting process begins when a division of the RO and/or a COs in the region of East Asia and Pacific prepares a detailed TOR with clear deliverables for bidding. Individual Contractors/ Consultants or Institutional / Corporate Vendors with an LTA with UNICEF will then submit technical and price proposals for the work, based on their preapproved LTA staffing rates and line items (including professional fees; miscellaneous; travel; 3rd party payments, etc.). Proposals will be reviewed on a competitive basis and the RO and/or CO will then select the successful contractor, as in any other competitive procurement process. The Individual Contractors/Consultants or a consultant working for the Institutional or Corporate Vendors within the contracted firms will work remotely (from any location but preferably from the region of South-East Asia to minimize travel costs). Field visits will be negotiated as required, in accordance with the requirements of individual contracts. 4- Basic Methodology Situation Analysis: 2

3 SitAn elaboration is guided by the UNICEF Programme Policy and Procedures Manual, the Guidance on Conducting a Situation analysis of Children s and Women s Rights and the Technical Note: Risk Informed Situation Analysis, as well as other specific guidelines. Although different methodologies and approaches may be adopted, a SitAn normally has three distinct steps: Step 1: Assessment of the manifestations of child rights shortfalls, inequities and risks Step 2: Analysis of the major causes of child rights shortfalls and inequities Step 3: Validation of the analysis for the realisation of child rights with equity with major child rights stakeholders, including national counterparts and potentially, children and adolescents. Focusing on equity, UNICEF emphasizes the importance of undertaking a SitAn that systematically examines patterns of inequities (e.g. as related to location, household wealth, gender, disability, disaster risk and ethnic groups) in the realisation of children s rights, including understanding their immediate, underlying and structural causes. Understanding also that communities and families must be supported to increase their resilience so that achievements for girls and boys can be sustained even when families are confronted with volatility and shocks, the SitAn will present an analysis of disaster risks. Essential elements of a risk-informed, rights-based, equity-focused and gender-sensitive SitAn therefore include: Disaggregated Assessment of the status of and trends in the realisation of children s rights, including vulnerability to hazards; Analysis of the immediate, underlying and structural causes of the disparities and vulnerabilities across various groups; and Policy and programmatic recommendations to address the disparities and accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), fulfilment of human rights conventions, in particular the convention on the rights of the child (CRC), and reducing vulnerability to climate and disaster-related hazards. It is expected that the SitAn process promotes ownership by national partners and regional bodies and builds consensus on the analytical results, including the use of internationally recognized data and standards. There should be involvement from relevant partners, key government partners, civil society, other national stakeholders as well as girls and boys, women and men throughout the SitAn process. This is a pre-requisite for acceptance of the SitAn into policy and strategy formulation, budget allocation, programme implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Stakeholder involvement should be strategically planned and managed throughout the process. Programme Analysis: According to UNICEF practice, the following definitions are used to describe the products related to this documentation process: Analysis of Good Practices or Innovative Practices: This requires documentation of a particular programme practice; providing evidence of its success/impact and details potential and value for replication, scaling up and/or further study by UNICEF or its counterparts and strategic partners. Innovations may be pilot projects or new approaches to a standard programming model that are considered to have great value for replication but may or may not yet have demonstrated impact. Lessons learned: A more detailed reflection on a particular programme or operational process that considers the factors contributing to its success or failure. This process would require a more comprehensive review process and consultation with a broader range of stakeholders. Case Studies: Case studies should provide a more in-depth and detailed examination of a subject, with a strong analysis on the contextual or circumstantial issues which may be factors contributing to its notable success or failure, etc. Other Analysis: Other aspects of programme analysis could be required including analysis of donor reports, analysis of SDG localization and the manner in which vulnerable groups (such as Indigenous People; Children With Disabilities, etc) are benefiting from and/or up-taking services 3

4 and programmes, etc. The LTAS provides for some flexibility in terms of subject matter of the programme analysis. 5- Deliverables Individual contracts developed under the overarching LTA will specify exact deliverables. The following chart shows the deliverables LTAS Component Situation Analysis Requirements of the Contractor 1) Preparation/planning phase: Develop an inception report which includes a literature list; detailed methodology; work plan/calendar; draft Table of Contents for the final report and an accountability framework between the Country Office and institution; 2) Desk review: Catalogue, review and synthesize secondary data and analysis sources, noting data gaps; 3) Assessment Report: Compile, submit and revise the Assessment report as required; 4) Collection of Primary data and analysis: Conduct key informant interviews, focus group discussions and/or consultative meetings and workshops (using UNICEF conceptual framework sand analytical tools such as causality analysis, role pattern analysis and/or barrier and bottleneck analysis; etc.); 5) Analysis Report: Elaborate the Sitan, and revising as required through review with CO, Regional Office and Peer Review; 6) Validation: Present the Sitan, in cooperation with Country Offices, to child right stakeholders. 7) Closure: Deliver a final high-quality, print ready publication (with necessary copyediting, graphic design and/or layout services incorporating necessary infographics, photos, captions and credits). Programme Analysis 1) Preparation/planning phase: Develop an inception report which includes a literature list; detailed methodology; work plan/calendar; draft Table of Contents for the final report and an accountability framework between the Country Office and institution; 2) Desk review: Catalogue, review and synthesize secondary data and analysis sources, noting data gaps; 3) Primary Data collection: Conduct any necessary key informant interviews, focus group discussions and/or consultative meetings and workshops; 4) First Draft: Elaborate the Analysis, and revising as required through review with CO, Regional Office and Peer Review; 5) Closure: Deliver a final high-quality, print ready publication (with necessary copyediting, graphic design and/or layout services incorporating necessary infographics, photos, captions and credits). 6- Reporting requirements Following the confirmation of a Long Term Agreement, contractors that have an LTA with UNICEF may be asked to bid for individual contracts. The first reporting requirement therefore is a technical proposal. If no contracts are awarded to the firm or individual after the confirmation of an LTA and the bidding process, there are no further reporting requirements. The following reporting requirements are foreseen for successful contractors: Technical Proposal (following the development of a TOR by the RO or a CO interested in contracting services of the firm): o The contractor should develop a proposal (in the required template) specifying the overall approach, methodology and capacities to deliver specific products; 4

5 o Technical proposals should include a budget indicating professional fees and other implementation costs as per the line items of the TOR and in accordance with costs of the awarded LTAS. Inception Report (following the contracting of the firm for specific deliverables): o The contractor should provide an initial inception report that confirms the work plan for the duration of the contract, a calendar for deliverables and methodologies for completion of the process (as well as other elements required for Situation Analysis) End of Contract Report (following the completion of deliverables): o The contractor should provide a summary report to confirm the list of deliverables and highlights any challenges or recommendations for the future workplan. 7- Location and Duration LTA starting period: January 2018 for a duration of 3 years. Contractors may work remotely from any location but preferably from the region of East Asia and Pacific since contracts will be awarded considering cost effectiveness, which can be influenced by travel. 8- Qualification requirements or Specialized skills/experience Required: Professional requirements of the individual contractor/institution will include: Strong track record of conducting major meta-analyses, with an understanding of the elements quantitative and qualitative research methods; Proven track record of delivering high quality (but shorter) analytical briefs; Geographic knowledge (in the region of East Asia and Pacific); Experience working with UNICEF and/or the United Nations system is an advantage but is not essential. Advance university degree in statistics, social development or related fields. Minimum of 8 years working on analytical brief. For Institutional / Corporate Vendors, it is recommended that a singular focal point (or Team Leader) is appointed for liaison with EAPRO Programme and Planning team throughout the duration of the agreement. This should help to ensure continuity of the relationship and to facilitate scheduling and prioritization of contracts. The institution should also identify the 1or 2 individual contractors that will work with Country Offices and other stakeholders, in order to ensure harmonization/standardization of products. The following qualifications are strongly desired: Team Leader: o English fluency and strong oral and written communications skills; o Strong inter-personal communication, facilitation and presentation skills; o Proven management capacity and ability to prepare detailed proposals, reports and budgets. Supporting Analysts: o Technical and/or programmatic expertise (in the areas relevant to UNICEF programming including Health, Nutrition, WASH, Education, Child Protection Social Policy, Disaster Risk Reduction and/or Humanitarian Action); o Strong communication skills (oral and written); o Proven journalistic and analytic skills (in terms of synthesizing information and providing relevant analysis); o Geographic knowledge (in the region of East Asia and Pacific); Supporting Specialists: Firms and or individuals should also be able to provide services including copy-editing, graphic design, presentation and info-graphic support the production of high-quality 5

6 print-ready publications. Qualifications for these supporting specialists are required to be presented in the application. 9- Evaluation process and methods The evaluation criteria focus on the responsiveness, methodology and qualifications/competencies of the candidates, without distinction regarding their status. Each proposal will be assessed first on its technical merits and subsequently on its price if the proposals meet minimum passing score. In making the final decision, UNICEF considers both technical and financial aspects. The Evaluation Team first reviews the technical aspect of the offer followed by the review of the financial offer of the technically compliant vendors. The proposal obtaining the overall highest score after adding the scores for the technical and financial proposals is the proposal that offers best value for money and will be recommended for award of the contract. Technical evaluation: For this RFP, the weight allocated to the technical proposal is 70% as follows with a minimum pass score of 49 points: 1) Overall response to the RFP in the form of a technical proposal (15%); 2) Qualifications of the individual candidate and/or composition of the proposed institutional team considering their individual qualifications (including review of writing sample) (40%); 3) Proposed methodology and strategy for managing potential contracts (15); Financial evaluation: For this RFP, the weight allocated to the financial proposal is 30% as per the following: The maximum number of points will be allotted to the lowest price proposal that is opened and compared among those invited firms/institutions which obtain at least the minimum number of points in the evaluation of the technical component. All other price proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price. Please see Annex 1 (Evaluation Criteria); Annex 2 (Template for technical and financial proposals) for more details. Remark: Financial evaluation for individual contract(s) after the LTA: Bidders are expected to submit a lump sum financial proposal to produce all deliverables based on the terms of reference. The financial proposal should include an estimate of travel costs, however, the final travel component will be agreed based on the effective work calendar. Travel costs will be pre-approved by UNICEF as per the UNICEF rules and regulations for travel for consultants/non-staff. Please note that i) travel cost shall be calculated based on economy class travel, regardless of the length of travel and ii) costs for accommodation, meals and incidentals shall not exceed applicable daily subsistence allowance (DSA) rates, as promulgated by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC). Details can be found at Administrative issues Contractors selected for assignments must provide their own computers, communication devises, Internet connections, and workspaces. UNICEF will be unable to guarantee access to these resources during individual contracts. Travel will be negotiated on a contract-by-contract basis. Contractors will be responsible for their own bookings and travel to and from mission locations. In the event that travel to a project site is required for data collection, UNICEF will facilitate this travel. 6

7 11- Estimated Cost of Contract Annex 2 provides more information on the structure of the financial proposal. There is no guarantee as to any minimum orders or the overall monetary value of the LTA. 12- Payment Schedule Payments will be provided on the basis of deliverables, as agreed through the contracting process. 7

8 ANNEX 1: Criteria for Technical Evaluation Technical Evaluation of the Proposal 1. OVERALL RESPONSE - Demonstrated understanding of requirements, objectives and potential deliverables that may be required under future contracts - Demonstrated understanding of scope, including ability to analyse and articulate the issues in this RFP - Overall organization of the Proposal; clear statement of the organization and foundations of the evaluation, conceptual framework - Adequacy of the technical plan demonstrated through the overall concord between RFP requirements and the Proposal submitted. - Overall clarity and completeness of the Proposal. 2. QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE Team Leader: Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, Planning Development or related fields and advance academic training in research methodology, statistics, demography or related disciplines. - Ten years of progressively responsible professional work experience at the international level related to technical fields. - Relevant experience leading similar evaluations in terms of topics and complexity, qualifications and position within the firm. Relevant experience on evaluations of similar scope and complexity, qualifications - Organization of the team and roles & responsibilities; Analysts: - Advanced university degree in Social Science, Planning Development, research methodology, statistics, demography or related fields. - Five years of relevant professional work experience. Points For both Team Leader & Analysts - Relevant professional expertise, UNICEF and or UN experience, knowledge and experience with similar projects, contracts, clients and consulting assignments - Review of sample writing, presentation and info-graphic samples. (Capacity to provide infographic design and presentations a great asset) 3. STRATEGY/METHODOLOGY - Quality of proposed approach/methodology. - Quality of proposed Implementation Plan, i.e. how to undertake and execute each stage, with proposed project schedules - Risk assessment - recognition of the risks/peripheral problems and methods to prevent and manage risks/peripheral problems. 15 Financial Proposal 4. FINANCIAL - TOTAL MARKS (100) 30 8

9 ANNEX 2: Template for Technical and Financial Proposal LRPS RFP # Date Name of Applicant Applicant Type Legal Status of Applicant Date of registration (for Corporate Vendors) Purpose Overall Qualifications Individual Consultant/ Institutional Vendor / Corporate Vendor? In your own words with maximum 2 pages, please confirm why it is important for UNICEF to further its analysis/documentation practices, and how an external contractor can add value to these processes. Please describe your qualifications and comparative advantages in terms of meeting the requirements of this RFP. For institutions and corporate vendors, please confirm the structure of your team and the individual qualifications of team members in relation to the requirements of this RFP. Please attach CVs for all individuals in Annex to the technical application, with their designated roles/functions in this LTA clearly stated. Track Record Please explain specifically your history of relevant work experience that relates specifically to the analyses/documentation function. Include at least 2 references (names and contact details of previous employers). Please attach: 1) a writing sample with maximum of 3 pages; 2) a presentation sample in Annex. If possible, please attach: 3) a sample of info-graphics completed with capacities that will remain with the contractor under the LTA. Proposed Methodology using an indicative example Financial Proposal Using the indicative Example #2 (Strategic Partnerships) provided in section 4 of this RFP, please explain your proposed methodology for completion of the work. This is understood to be indicative only. Using the excel spreadsheet attached to the RFP, please attach a financial proposal which confirms standardized rates for various types of services. Applicants can propose different categories if desired but all the following should be considered: Professional Fees / Technical Assistance Confirm your standard rates by category of service rendered (e.g. daily rates for desk review and remote data collection; in-country data collection; analysis and writing). If applicable, please define rates for each member of your team Travel: As mentioned in para 9 above (Evaluation of Proposals), travel costs will be pre-approved by UNICEF as per the UNICEF rules and regulations for travel for consultants/non-staff. Please note that i) travel cost shall be calculated based on economy class travel, regardless of the length of travel and ii) costs for accommodation, meals and incidentals shall not exceed 9

10 applicable daily subsistence allowance (DSA) rates, as promulgated by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC). Details can be found at Please confirm that you will adhere to such guidance when submitting a proposal for a specific requirement. Other fees: Specify any other additional fees that will be included in financial proposals for individual contracts. 10