ENHANCING THE ASEAN COMMUNITY PROGRESS MONITORING SYSTEM
ASEAN AUSTRALIA DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION PROGRAM (AADCP)
PHASE II
TERMS OF REFERENCE
ENHANCING THE ASEAN COMMUNITY PROGRESS MONITORING SYSTEM
The ASEAN Secretariat and Australia, through the AADCP II, invites applications for a medium-term (8 person months) consultancy for the above-referenced project.
I. Background
In 2007-2008, the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC) developed the ASEAN Community Progress Monitoring System (ACPMS) under the AADCP-Regional Partneships Scheme. The project was implemented in close collaboration with the member institutions of the ASEAN Heads of Statistical Offices Meeting (AHSOM), various other ASEAN national institutions, selected ASEAN bodies and ASEAN Secretariat policy divisions.
The project developed and produced an executive-level report called the ASEAN Brief, which was designed for ASEAN policy makers and distributed to the public at the ASEAN Summit in 2007, and a two-volume ACPMS full report that was released in 2008. The ASEAN Brief features a broad analysis of selected key indicators of major goals and outcomes that have been outlined in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint and the then still draft blueprint for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC). The full report, on the other hand, provided more detailed analysis of the same statistical indicators and a documentation of the selected indicators and their metadata, compilation of country data, and the process of developing the ACPMS. Both reports can be downloaded from www.asean.org/22109.htm.
The ACPMS has 46 indicators that have been identified to measure the accomplishment of outcomes leading to the achievement of target goals in the AEC and ASCC. The system entailed the collection and processing of large amounts of data from ten ASEAN member states (AMSs) to generate details as well as make adjustments to put data up or down to the reference years, or get data to the best comparable level.
With the latest data in the first report dating back to 2005, an update is deemed imperative to gauge at how near or far the region is to its envisioned state. While there are ongoing initiatives to monitor implementation of programs and measures in the various cooperation/ integration areas such as the AEC Scorecard, there is increasing demand for more analytic measures of the progress towards the overarching goals of the ASEAN Community. The AEC Scorecard is currently a compliance tool and not intended for impact assessment.
The development of the ACPMS was not without challenges. There were concerns on the state of the indicators and basic data of some of the indicators, such as:
o weak links between indicators and outcomes that need to be measured;
o lack of or unclear definition of baseline conditions and targets;
o limited data available, especially the relevant details;
o varying definitions and classifications; and
o unsuitability of available data viz. required information, (e.g., required complex data processing and analysis).
There are also some institutional barriers such as weak coordination, statistical capacity and data sources, and inadequate consultation with target beneficiaries and users that need to be addressed to ensure sustainability of the system.
II. Needs and Objectives
ASEAN needs an analytical tool for monitoring the achievement of ASEAN Community goals and to support evidenceor knowledge-based decision making and policy creation in the region. The ACPMS is designed to be such a tool by providing quantitative, outcome-based measures of progress in the various priority areas towards ASEAN integration.
The project will start making available a statistical report on the state and progress of the ASEAN Community in the achievement of its key societal outcomes based on the ACPMS. The report could complement the AEC Scorecard which can be regularly presented to the ASEAN Leaders, ASEAN policy makers and ASEAN citizens in general.
The project aims:
a. to study and enhance the indicators to improve proximity to policy and program measures and allow for more cogent analysis of conditions and progress;
b. to enhance the capacity of ASEAN Secretariat and AMSs in undertaking and sustaining the ACPMS;
c. to advocate for greater policy inputs from ASEAN policy and decision makers and increase the utilization of the indicators;
d. to promote ownership by ASEAN policy and decision makers; and,
e. to institutionalise the ACPMS tools, mechanisms and processes towards the regular production and dissemination of progress reports through:
- strengthening relations with data providers to address statistical issues and ensure regular supply of data;
- documenting the tools and computation process; and,
- developing the mechanism for data support, validation and analysis using the existing WGDSA and other relevant mechanisms.
III. Outputs
While implementation of the project will be spearheaded by ASEANstats, a unit within ASEC which will serve as the project manager, in consultation with the AMSs and key user groups, some specific outputs from an expert will be required.
The expected outputs from the expert are as follows:
• Inception report detailing expert’s approach to the study and detailed work plan;
• Report on the proposed analytical framework based on a study of similar or other progress monitoring systems;
• Recommended enhanced framework of indicators;
• Draft statistical reports, i.e., ASEAN Brief and full progress report;
• Established mechanisms for regular updating including updated documentation and manual of computation process for the ACPMS, and data support, validation and analysis mechanisms.;
• Training on statistical computing and analysis for AMSs and ASEAN Secretariat; and,
• Support services to meetings, workshops and stakeholder consultations.
IV. Tasks and Activities
1. Preparation of inception report
a. Detail expert’s understanding of the problems/issues as well as recommendations
b. Prepare indicative work plan to address those problems/issues
2. Prepare a report on the proposed analytical framework for the additional indicators based on a study of similar or other progress monitoring systems;
3. Recommend an enhanced framework of indicators with data and metadata of broader coverage than the current framework of indicators
a. Conduct of study/research on other relevant or alternative indicators
b. Collection of data for additional/ enhanced indicators
c. Data processing and computation of more sophisticated financial and economic integration indicators
d. Testing/validation of data/indicators with data sources and user groups
e. Correspondence table for the priority integration sector data processing
4. Draft statistical reports
a. Updating of the ASEAN brief (from previous work)
i. Analysis of data
ii. Drafting of the report based on the enhanced framework
b. Consultation/validation with data sources on the 2009 ASEAN Brief
c. Consultation with various stakeholders/target users on the analysis and draft 2009 ASEAN Brief
d. Development of a pro forma progress report based on the enhanced framework
5. Update documentation and manual of the ACPMS, including the processing, validation and preparation of data, statistical procedures to compute the indicators, etc. and develop pro-forma progress monitoring, document the tools and computation process, and develop mechanisms for data support, validation and analysis
6. Provision of training on statistical computing and analysis for AMSs and ASEAN Secretariat
a. Develop training program for large-/special data processing, management, and analysis of indicators/data
b. Delivery of regional training/mentoring
7. In coordination with ASEANstats which is primarily responsible for organizing events, provide support services to meetings, workshops and stakeholder consultations.
V. Reporting
The expert(s) is(are) expected to complete the study within 10 calendar months in accordance with the project’s work plan. The key outputs should be submitted based on the following schedule:
Milestone Output Target Delivery Date
(based on Project work plan) Payment
1 Inception report Month 1 (no later than 4 weeks after contract signing) 20%
2 Regional training on statistical computing and analysis Month 3 30%
3 Manuscript for the ASEAN Brief Month 6 20%
4 Manuscript of the Full Progress Report and Documentation, including transfer of all outputs Month 9 30%
All reports will be submitted in draft format to the ASEANstats.
The contractor will also provide bi-weekly summations of activities undertaken and issues that have arisen. These will be submitted to the ASEC project manager via email.
Financial reports will be submitted at invoicing in line with a payment schedule to be specified in the consulting agreement.
VI. Work Management
The project will be funded by the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Program II and managed by the ASEANstats of the ASEAN Secretariat.
VII. Scope of Services
The project will be implemented over a continuous period of 10 calendar months. Professional services are required for 8 person-months.
Such services include research, framework and indicators development, data collection, processing, validation, presentation and analysis, report writing/preparation, training delivery, consultation with stakeholders, and technical support to meetings and workshops.
Work will include several short-term missions to the ASEAN Secretariat and some ASEAN member states for meetings, workshops, training and collaborative tasks.
The consultant is expected to provide an estimate budget for:
• Personnel Fees
• Study related expenses such as travel (e.g., economy air class tickets and land transfers) and accommodations (ASEC has prescribed daily subsistence allowance rates to which accommodations are a component).
VIII. Qualifications
The tendering party must meet the following qualifications:
• expertise and substantial work experience in developing statistical indicators on a wide range of concerns, e.g., economic and social;
• research expertise on economic and social concerns;
• knowledge and experience in statistical computing and analysis, including large-data management;
• proven good track record in relevant statistical consultancy work in ASEAN;
• adequate knowledge of national statistical systems in ASEAN; and
• capacity and experience to deliver training on statistical computing and analysis.
IX. Bidding
The work may be implemented by an individual, group of individuals, or a firm. Interested parties are invited to submit a proposal in response to this announcement.
The proposal should be in two parts: technical and financial.
The technical component should present the following information:
• A brief discussion indicating the bidder’s understanding of the needs of the project ;
• A brief analysis of key issues;
• A methodological discussion of how the bidder proposes to address those needs including assessment of key issues, analytical strategies and approaches that will underlie the project and specific techniques to be utilized;
• A detailed workplan that specifies activities to be undertaken, expected outputs, resources to be utilized and timing;
• Management plan;
• A discussion on how measures to ensure the future sustainability of the outcomes of the project will be addressed;
• CVs of all proposed experts;
• Brief discussion of firm’s past experience in undertaking similar work and brief summaries of all projects undertaken.
The financial component should specify all direct and indirect costs including billing rates for experts, workshops, etc
The selected bidder will be offered a lump-sum, output-based contract for the provision of the required services with scheduled milestone payments. The award of the contract will be subject to the negotiation of a mutually acceptable agreement.
X. Submission of Application
Applicants should submit a hard copy and email their application with a cover letter, materials specified in Section IX above and other supporting documents to HRD, Admin., Protocol & Conferences Services Division, ASEAN Secretariat, Jl. Sisingamangaraja, Jakarta 12110 (email: aadcp@asean.org), indicating “Enhancing the ASEAN Community Progress Monitoring System” as subject no later than 28 February 2011.
Please note that only short-listed candidates will be notified.
PHASE II
TERMS OF REFERENCE
ENHANCING THE ASEAN COMMUNITY PROGRESS MONITORING SYSTEM
The ASEAN Secretariat and Australia, through the AADCP II, invites applications for a medium-term (8 person months) consultancy for the above-referenced project.
I. Background
In 2007-2008, the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC) developed the ASEAN Community Progress Monitoring System (ACPMS) under the AADCP-Regional Partneships Scheme. The project was implemented in close collaboration with the member institutions of the ASEAN Heads of Statistical Offices Meeting (AHSOM), various other ASEAN national institutions, selected ASEAN bodies and ASEAN Secretariat policy divisions.
The project developed and produced an executive-level report called the ASEAN Brief, which was designed for ASEAN policy makers and distributed to the public at the ASEAN Summit in 2007, and a two-volume ACPMS full report that was released in 2008. The ASEAN Brief features a broad analysis of selected key indicators of major goals and outcomes that have been outlined in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint and the then still draft blueprint for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC). The full report, on the other hand, provided more detailed analysis of the same statistical indicators and a documentation of the selected indicators and their metadata, compilation of country data, and the process of developing the ACPMS. Both reports can be downloaded from www.asean.org/22109.htm.
The ACPMS has 46 indicators that have been identified to measure the accomplishment of outcomes leading to the achievement of target goals in the AEC and ASCC. The system entailed the collection and processing of large amounts of data from ten ASEAN member states (AMSs) to generate details as well as make adjustments to put data up or down to the reference years, or get data to the best comparable level.
With the latest data in the first report dating back to 2005, an update is deemed imperative to gauge at how near or far the region is to its envisioned state. While there are ongoing initiatives to monitor implementation of programs and measures in the various cooperation/ integration areas such as the AEC Scorecard, there is increasing demand for more analytic measures of the progress towards the overarching goals of the ASEAN Community. The AEC Scorecard is currently a compliance tool and not intended for impact assessment.
The development of the ACPMS was not without challenges. There were concerns on the state of the indicators and basic data of some of the indicators, such as:
o weak links between indicators and outcomes that need to be measured;
o lack of or unclear definition of baseline conditions and targets;
o limited data available, especially the relevant details;
o varying definitions and classifications; and
o unsuitability of available data viz. required information, (e.g., required complex data processing and analysis).
There are also some institutional barriers such as weak coordination, statistical capacity and data sources, and inadequate consultation with target beneficiaries and users that need to be addressed to ensure sustainability of the system.
II. Needs and Objectives
ASEAN needs an analytical tool for monitoring the achievement of ASEAN Community goals and to support evidenceor knowledge-based decision making and policy creation in the region. The ACPMS is designed to be such a tool by providing quantitative, outcome-based measures of progress in the various priority areas towards ASEAN integration.
The project will start making available a statistical report on the state and progress of the ASEAN Community in the achievement of its key societal outcomes based on the ACPMS. The report could complement the AEC Scorecard which can be regularly presented to the ASEAN Leaders, ASEAN policy makers and ASEAN citizens in general.
The project aims:
a. to study and enhance the indicators to improve proximity to policy and program measures and allow for more cogent analysis of conditions and progress;
b. to enhance the capacity of ASEAN Secretariat and AMSs in undertaking and sustaining the ACPMS;
c. to advocate for greater policy inputs from ASEAN policy and decision makers and increase the utilization of the indicators;
d. to promote ownership by ASEAN policy and decision makers; and,
e. to institutionalise the ACPMS tools, mechanisms and processes towards the regular production and dissemination of progress reports through:
- strengthening relations with data providers to address statistical issues and ensure regular supply of data;
- documenting the tools and computation process; and,
- developing the mechanism for data support, validation and analysis using the existing WGDSA and other relevant mechanisms.
III. Outputs
While implementation of the project will be spearheaded by ASEANstats, a unit within ASEC which will serve as the project manager, in consultation with the AMSs and key user groups, some specific outputs from an expert will be required.
The expected outputs from the expert are as follows:
• Inception report detailing expert’s approach to the study and detailed work plan;
• Report on the proposed analytical framework based on a study of similar or other progress monitoring systems;
• Recommended enhanced framework of indicators;
• Draft statistical reports, i.e., ASEAN Brief and full progress report;
• Established mechanisms for regular updating including updated documentation and manual of computation process for the ACPMS, and data support, validation and analysis mechanisms.;
• Training on statistical computing and analysis for AMSs and ASEAN Secretariat; and,
• Support services to meetings, workshops and stakeholder consultations.
IV. Tasks and Activities
1. Preparation of inception report
a. Detail expert’s understanding of the problems/issues as well as recommendations
b. Prepare indicative work plan to address those problems/issues
2. Prepare a report on the proposed analytical framework for the additional indicators based on a study of similar or other progress monitoring systems;
3. Recommend an enhanced framework of indicators with data and metadata of broader coverage than the current framework of indicators
a. Conduct of study/research on other relevant or alternative indicators
b. Collection of data for additional/ enhanced indicators
c. Data processing and computation of more sophisticated financial and economic integration indicators
d. Testing/validation of data/indicators with data sources and user groups
e. Correspondence table for the priority integration sector data processing
4. Draft statistical reports
a. Updating of the ASEAN brief (from previous work)
i. Analysis of data
ii. Drafting of the report based on the enhanced framework
b. Consultation/validation with data sources on the 2009 ASEAN Brief
c. Consultation with various stakeholders/target users on the analysis and draft 2009 ASEAN Brief
d. Development of a pro forma progress report based on the enhanced framework
5. Update documentation and manual of the ACPMS, including the processing, validation and preparation of data, statistical procedures to compute the indicators, etc. and develop pro-forma progress monitoring, document the tools and computation process, and develop mechanisms for data support, validation and analysis
6. Provision of training on statistical computing and analysis for AMSs and ASEAN Secretariat
a. Develop training program for large-/special data processing, management, and analysis of indicators/data
b. Delivery of regional training/mentoring
7. In coordination with ASEANstats which is primarily responsible for organizing events, provide support services to meetings, workshops and stakeholder consultations.
V. Reporting
The expert(s) is(are) expected to complete the study within 10 calendar months in accordance with the project’s work plan. The key outputs should be submitted based on the following schedule:
Milestone Output Target Delivery Date
(based on Project work plan) Payment
1 Inception report Month 1 (no later than 4 weeks after contract signing) 20%
2 Regional training on statistical computing and analysis Month 3 30%
3 Manuscript for the ASEAN Brief Month 6 20%
4 Manuscript of the Full Progress Report and Documentation, including transfer of all outputs Month 9 30%
All reports will be submitted in draft format to the ASEANstats.
The contractor will also provide bi-weekly summations of activities undertaken and issues that have arisen. These will be submitted to the ASEC project manager via email.
Financial reports will be submitted at invoicing in line with a payment schedule to be specified in the consulting agreement.
VI. Work Management
The project will be funded by the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Program II and managed by the ASEANstats of the ASEAN Secretariat.
VII. Scope of Services
The project will be implemented over a continuous period of 10 calendar months. Professional services are required for 8 person-months.
Such services include research, framework and indicators development, data collection, processing, validation, presentation and analysis, report writing/preparation, training delivery, consultation with stakeholders, and technical support to meetings and workshops.
Work will include several short-term missions to the ASEAN Secretariat and some ASEAN member states for meetings, workshops, training and collaborative tasks.
The consultant is expected to provide an estimate budget for:
• Personnel Fees
• Study related expenses such as travel (e.g., economy air class tickets and land transfers) and accommodations (ASEC has prescribed daily subsistence allowance rates to which accommodations are a component).
VIII. Qualifications
The tendering party must meet the following qualifications:
• expertise and substantial work experience in developing statistical indicators on a wide range of concerns, e.g., economic and social;
• research expertise on economic and social concerns;
• knowledge and experience in statistical computing and analysis, including large-data management;
• proven good track record in relevant statistical consultancy work in ASEAN;
• adequate knowledge of national statistical systems in ASEAN; and
• capacity and experience to deliver training on statistical computing and analysis.
IX. Bidding
The work may be implemented by an individual, group of individuals, or a firm. Interested parties are invited to submit a proposal in response to this announcement.
The proposal should be in two parts: technical and financial.
The technical component should present the following information:
• A brief discussion indicating the bidder’s understanding of the needs of the project ;
• A brief analysis of key issues;
• A methodological discussion of how the bidder proposes to address those needs including assessment of key issues, analytical strategies and approaches that will underlie the project and specific techniques to be utilized;
• A detailed workplan that specifies activities to be undertaken, expected outputs, resources to be utilized and timing;
• Management plan;
• A discussion on how measures to ensure the future sustainability of the outcomes of the project will be addressed;
• CVs of all proposed experts;
• Brief discussion of firm’s past experience in undertaking similar work and brief summaries of all projects undertaken.
The financial component should specify all direct and indirect costs including billing rates for experts, workshops, etc
The selected bidder will be offered a lump-sum, output-based contract for the provision of the required services with scheduled milestone payments. The award of the contract will be subject to the negotiation of a mutually acceptable agreement.
X. Submission of Application
Applicants should submit a hard copy and email their application with a cover letter, materials specified in Section IX above and other supporting documents to HRD, Admin., Protocol & Conferences Services Division, ASEAN Secretariat, Jl. Sisingamangaraja, Jakarta 12110 (email: aadcp@asean.org), indicating “Enhancing the ASEAN Community Progress Monitoring System” as subject no later than 28 February 2011.
Please note that only short-listed candidates will be notified.
Post a Comment