consultant to undertake assessment of Namibia’s Public Procurement System

Reference: G/CWG/565
Location: Windhoek, Namibia
Duration: 30 days
Closing Date: 28 Mar 2012

Background

The Government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN), through its Tender Board, is in the process of reforming its public procurement system by repealing the Tender Board Act of 1996, its Regulations and Code of Procedures. The Tender Board Act does not align with the current policy development of GRN in which procurement is seen as a central policy tool to achieve socio-economic objectives.

The Tender Board of Namibia is governed by the Tender Board Act (Act No. 16 of 1996) and served by the Secretariat which executes its administrative functions. In addition, the Ministerial Evaluation Committees identify procurement needs, set out tender specifications, evaluate the bids and make recommendation to the Tender Board. Such Committees play a critical role in monitoring the performance and execution of tenders.

Consistent with the GRN’s Vision 2030, the Tender Board Act is currently under review to provide for, among others:

• local economic development by promoting participation of local businesses, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), women and youth entrepreneurs; and
• addressing the limitation on exemption thresholds. These innovations have placed additional project screening, monitoring & evaluation responsibilities to the Board and its Secretariat as well as the Evaluation Committees at the ministerial level.

Some known problems of the existing system are:

• Manual processes which result in lengthy procedures and delays in the procurement process. It is perceived that advancement towards electronic procurement system will greatly embed efficiency gains in the reformed system.
• Lack of appropriate guidelines for the execution of delegated procurement functions.
• Lack of skills and non-compliance with tender procedures by potential tenderers, especially SMEs and youth entrepreneurs.

The government is committed to carrying out its public procurement reform but faces some challenges. The key problems to be addressed in the assignment are:

• Lack of assessment of the current national public procurement system, i.e. the processes, the Board and Secretariat structures, technical capabilities, the Act and its Regulations; to inform a government-wide public procurement policy and reform action plan.
• Lack of adequate project screening and appraisal capacity for the Board, the Secretariat and the Ministerial Evaluation Committees. Strengthening technical capacity will appreciably improve the efficiency of the Board, enhance public education on tender procedures and improve the quality of outcomes of public procurement.
• Limited capacity to assess the impact of public procurement as a strategic tool for reaching the broader national objectives of local economic development, investment in quality physical infrastructure, timely delivery of services and associated benefits of creating jobs and reducing poverty.
• Inadequate assessment of impact of public procurement in the economy and on job creation.

The GRN recognises the need for a comprehensive review of its public procurement system prior to any legislative and regulatory changes to ensure congruence with its priority policies, development agenda, resource availability and conformance to international practices suitable for its context.

In view of the above, it has become imperative for the public procurement in Namibia to be assessed with a view to inform the intended procurement reform.

In this regard, technical assistance is required to assess the public procurement system, which will inform Namibia’s public procurement reform strategy, timetable and attendant legislations including the Tender Board Bill and its Regulations.

Project objective

The primary aim is to strengthen the capacity of Ministry of Finance and the Tender Board of Namibia to oversee and provide leadership in the reform of Namibia’s public procurement system.

Project outcome

This project is expected to contribute to the goal of an improved public procurement and ultimately better governance in Namibia. The assessment will identify strengths and gaps within the public procurement system and provide suitable recommendations for improvements, giving considerations to country specific factors to guide the prioritisation and timetabling of Namibia’s public procurement reform agenda.

Scope of work

Working under the overall supervision of and providing support to the Chairman of the Tender Board, the Public Procurement consultant will:

• Clarify, in consultation with stakeholders, the overall objectives for the assessment based on their expectations ensuring that its output and priorities are in line with national/sectoral objectives of Namibia.
• Define the scope of the assessment, giving consideration to any PFM or Civil Service Reform.
• Prepare a work plan for the assessment exercise including outputs to be achieved, activities, due dates, roles and responsibilities.
• Design, Plan and Conduct the Assessment of Namibia’s public procurement system.
• Validate results and prepare Assessment Report.

Deliverables / Output

The Governance and Institutional Development Division (GIDD) requires the consultant to provide the following:

• Inception Report which sets in detail the proposed scope, approaches and methodologies at the start of the assignment including a proposed timetable and schedule of reports;
• Training materials for key stakeholders;
• Workshop for key stakeholders on public procurement reform, giving consideration to Namibia’s context.
• Draft assessment report for review by the Ministry of Finance, the Tender Board and other key stakeholders;
• Final report on the completion of the assignment.

Level of effort and duration

The level of effort that will be required for the successful completion is 30 person days commencing on or about April 2012 to May 2012.

Budget

The total budget of the assignment is an all inclusive fee of £14,800 (i.e. consultancy fee, 2 return economy class tickets to Windhoek, Namibia; per diem and incidentals).

Qualification and Experience

Essential:

• Post graduate degree with specialisation in financial management, procurement/supplies management or the equivalent;
• At least 10 years general professional experience, particularly in, public financial management, design and implementation of public procurement reforms and transformational programmes;
• At least 4 years experience in the use of Public Procurement Assessment tools such as OECD MAPs;
• Demonstrated cross-cultural sensitivity, inter-personal and negotiating skills;
• Has computer literacy, excellent report writing skills and the ability to produce professional analytical documents;
• Has excellent communication skills and the ability to communicate fluently in English (orally and written);
• Possess very good analytical skills

Desirable:

• At least 5 years experience working closely with government staff to build capacity;
• Experience in similar assignments in African countries; experience in Namibia will be considered a further important asset;
• Experience in facilitating workshops and ability to negotiate consensus

Download the Terms of Reference