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Consultancy - Web based Procurement Planning Software Tool

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UNDP operates under a decentralize business model, where procurement is delegated to 135 Country Offices, Regional Service Centers and HQ offices around the world. These are responsible for the management of procurement following established UNDP procurement policies, process and procedures.
 
The Procurement Support Office (PSO), based in UNDP Headquarters, provides the overall direction and guidance for UNDP’s procurement activities. PSO is primarily responsible for UNDP procurement policy, processes and systems, as well as providing support and guidance for Country offices and Business Units.
 
Driven by the corporate Agenda for Organizational Change (AOC), the PSO is implementing a series of initiatives under the “Enhancing Procurement Project”, focusing on strengthening critical areas of UNDPs procurement capacity. The expected outcome is the development of an efficient and streamlined corporate procurement framework with a strong field-oriented procurement community, based on internationally recognized professional standards and integrated risk management best practices at all levels of the procurement cycle.
 
One of the important projects under the “Enhancing Procurement Project” is establishment of web-based procurement planning tool. In 2010, PSO conducted a review of the overall procurement planning leading to the preparation of an Approach Note for the development of a web-based procurement planning tool. The intention is to strengthen UNDP’s strategic procurement planning capacity and data collection ability. The planning tool will applied as a standard planning tool for all UNDP offices and provide a platform for informed consolidated procurement planning and CO support, including both standard annual procurement requirements as well as specialized procurements such as Election support, Global Fund procurement and Civil Works.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the supervision of PSO, the consultant will undertake the following tasks in each phase: 
 
Phase A) Conduct an extensive review of the present procedures/practice and existing systems: 
  • Review the UNDP Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP);
  • Review the on-going procurement planning activities including an inventory and assessment of the existing procurement planning tools being used in various UNDP country offices;
  • Analyse the Procurement Planning Review Report and the Approach Note for web-based Procurement Planning Tool;
  • Interact with various offices in UNDP to prepare more detailed specifications and design of the software tool that is user-friendly and optimally beneficial to various UNDP business units.
Phase B) Design of the procurement planning software tool:
  • Prepare the design specifications of the planning tool that should integrate with existing ERP system, in consultation with OIST. The tool must be adapted to facilitate monitoring and reporting, in order to cater to the needs of both Headquarters and Country Offices;
  • Coordinate with OIST experts in UNDP and ensure integration with existing ERP system (ATLAS/People soft);
  • Conduct pilot testing with selected offices and incorporate improvements based on lessons derived from the pilot exercise;
  • Act as PSO focal point for this production and provide updates of status to management as and when needed;
Phase C) Roll out and Implementation:
  • Prepare roll-out plan and training materials.
  • Support the initial maintenance and management by Head Quarters and Country Offices.
Expected Outputs and Deliverables:
 
Phase A) Conduct an extensive survey of the present process of procurement planning including an inventory and assessment of existing procurement planning tools being used in various UNDP country offices, including;
Target:Within 1 Month of contract award         
Payment Schedule: 15%
Milestone 1: Conduct an extensive survey of the present process of procurement planning including an inventory and assessment of existing procurement planning tools being used in various UNDP country offices, including;
  • Review the UNDP Procurement Roadmap and Programme and Operations Policies and Procedures (POPP);
  • Review the Procurement Planning Review Report and the Approach Note for web-based Procurement Planning Tool;
  • Collect inputs from offices in UNDP to prepare detailed specifications and design of the software tool that is user-friendly and optimally beneficial to various UNDP business units. Present a Procurement Planning Framework (specifying process, roles and schedules etc.) that suits UNDP Business Model, both in report form and as Power Point presentation for peer review.
Phase B) Design of the procurement planning tool:
Target: Within 2-4 Month of contract award
Payment Schedule: 65%
Milestone 2: Prepare the design specifications of the Planning tool. (25%)
Milestone 3: Coordinate with IT experts in UNDP and ensure integration with existing ERP system. (15%)
Milestone 4: Conduct pilot testing on selected offices and incorporate improvements based on lessons learned. (25%)
 
Phase C) Roll out and Implementation
Target:     Within 4-6 Month of contract award
Payment Schedule: 20%
Milestone 5: Prepare roll-out plan
Milestone 6: Prepare training materials in Plain text form.
 
Note that the Intellectual Property Rights will remain with UNDP s per the General Terms & Conditions of the contract.

Competencies
  • Excellent analytical and problem solving skills and organizational skills to handle variety of issues;
  • Excellent interactive skills with various technical professionals, including procurement practitioners and IT specialists in order to effectively design the software tool;
  • Good capacity for strategic thinking and planning;
  • Ability to establish priorities and to plan and coordinate tasks under severe time pressure;
  • Excellent participatory process skills;
  • Strong interpersonal skills, able to communicate and work in team;
  • Good attention to details and;
  • Full proficiency in the use of standard software packages, including MS Office.
  • Ability to field innovative and creative solutions to complex business challenges.

Required Skills and Experience
Education:
  • Master’s degree in Business and Administration, Communications, Economics or other relevant fields;
  • Excellent technical writing skills in English are required.  Additional language skills in French or Spanish an advantage.
Experience:
  • Some experience and understanding of procurement required, especially in relation to procurement and international organizations or cooperations;
  • Previous experience of working with UNDP in the area of procurement or operation is preferred but not a requirement.
  • Knowledge of UN terms, language and style is an asset;
 Minimum documents required for application:
  • Letter of interest using the template provided by UNDP (Annex 1);
  • Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the email and telephone contacts and at least three (3) professional references;
  • Brief description of why the Offeror considers her/himself the most suitable for the assignment.
  • Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs. If the 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 a 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. NOTE: The lump sum amount must be all-inclusive (e.g., solely professional fees, travel costs, living allowances, taxes, insurances, transportation, communications, consumables, etc.). The contract price is fixed regardless of changes in the cost components.
Terms of payment:
The assignment is based on a lump sum contract amount and payment is based only upon the certification and acceptance of the deliverables received as indicated in the TOR. In the event of non-performance and pre-termination where payments cannot be made in full or may have to be suspended, the final payment will be pro-rating against received and accepted deliverables.
 
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Consultancy - Web based Procurement Planning Software Tool

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