This specific tender is managed via the new supplier portal system of UNDP Quantum. If you are interested in submitting a bid for this tender, you must subscribe following the instructions in the user guide. If you have not registered a profile with this system, you can do so by following the link for Supplier Registration.

If you already have a supplier profile, please access the negotiation using quicklink or please login to the Supplier Portal, then search for the negotiation using the reference number UNDP-LAO-00576, following the instructions in the user guide.

Introduction

Country: Laos

 

Description of the Assignment:  

Under the overall guidance of the Department of Planning, MOF and in close coordination with the Project Manager, Project Management Unit (PMU) Support staff, and UNDP Project Assurance team, the International Consultant will undertake the following tasks:  

Task 1. Development of RBM Framework and Handbook anchored on the national planning and financing system of Lao PDR

The RBM framework and related handbook that is to be developed must be centered on the full cycle of Lao PDR’s development planning process including the long-term strategic planning, the five-year and annual National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) formulation, the medium-term expenditure framework and annual budget cycle and existing monitoring and reporting systems. The RBM handbook should outline the incorporation of the Integrated National Financing Framework process and the Round Table Process (RTP) within the NSEDP cycle. The users of the RBM Handbook would be mainly line ministries and provincial government units. The RBM Handbook implementation will be managed by the Department of Planning, Ministry of Finance.

Through an extensive desk review of RBM handbooks of national governments that are accessible, expertise and international experience, the consultant must ensure that the RBM handbook is relevant to Lao PDR’s context and is responsive to the planning, budgeting, and monitoring capacities of the line ministries and provincial authorities and existing capacities of its core planning institutions. A useful exercise at the beginning of consultancy is revisiting and examining past and present sector, thematic and NSEDP plans, gathering feedback on the formulation process and testing them in terms of clarity of purpose and design and means of monitoring results (i.e., development of clear and practical results framework).

There are several handbooks and guides that have been developed over the years and/or are being adopted by multilateral and bilateral agencies, and these are often publicly available and accessible online. Some examples include UNDP Evaluation Guideline (updated 2021), ILO RBM Guide, 4th Edition (November 2020), and UNICEF’s 2017 RBM Handbook (Working Together for Children), and USAID Learning Lab. Although these are tailored to designing logical frameworks of projects and programs and managing development results, of the same, the consultant can use these materials as a starting point for developing the RBM Handbook for the Government of Lao PDR.

This is an iterative process and will involve consultations with DOP, selected line ministries and provincial governments and incorporation of one round of comments from UNDP, UN LEAD Group and the Department of Planning, MPI and other development partners. The Final Handbook will be translated into Lao.

Task 2. Preparation of a user-friendly and practical ToT Manual for RBM Master Trainers of MOF

Based on Task 1, the RBM framework and handbook, the consultant will design a Training of Trainers programme targeting RBM Master Trainers of MOF. MOF RBM trainers will then be responsible for rolling out the training to line ministries and provincial planning units. The TOT manual should include the curriculum, instructions guide for delivering the curriculum, training schedule, checklists, reading material, resources for exercises, practical role-play and teaching guidance. All training materials and presentations will be translated into Lao version, as may be necessary. It is expected that training materials, specifically exercises and presentation slides have in-built flexibility for modification and fine tuning to accommodate actual learning contexts during the actual training.

Task 3. Roll out of in-person interactive training of trainers’ (TOT) programme for central government staff and facilitate the simulation of the training by TOT participants in one province with timely evaluation notes for training participants.

The TOT will primarily target training participants from DOP together with a selected pool of training participants from line ministries including the Ministry of Finance.

Following the TOT, the consultant is expected to facilitate a simulation of the training programme by TOT participants in a selected province. Participants in these simulation exercises are provincial planning staff from MPI. The simulation exercises are to test and prepare the TOT participants to conduct RBM workshops on their own in other provinces.

The consultant will provide a thorough evaluation of every trained participant, with constructive assessment and suggestions for improvement at the end of simulation exercises. The consultant should be available for mentoring master trainers for a given period following the training.

Task 4. Inputs to the design and management of the NSEDP Dashboard

The UNFPA Country Office in Lao PDR in partnership with the Ministry of Finance (former the Ministry of Planning and Investment or MPI) has an online monitoring dashboard of the National Population and Development Policy (NPDP 2019-2030). The dashboard is a tool to track the progress of implementation based on the defined indicators and will provide easy-to-use interfaces to manage, visualize, and analyze the datasets, making them more broadly accessible to government users including MoF, line ministries, and the public. UNDP is planning to develop an interface to include the dashboard functions to monitoring and track progress of the NSEDP. Based on Task 1 and 2, the Consultant is expected to provide technical inputs to the automation of the M&E framework of the NSEDP, the identification of reporting lines and data entry for the system and the inputs to undertake quality checks of the data and reporting undertaken. The consultant will prepare a detailed note of how DOP will institute the management of the dashboard with focal points across line ministries, state entities and provincial units.

Task 5. Concept note for the next phase of support on RBM

The Consultant will consolidate and synthesize the progress made under the NPFID project on advancing RBM, the challenges identified in RBM implementation and capacity needs of the national planning and financing system. Based on this desk review, the outcomes of Task #1 and #2 and #3 and consultations with key stakeholders, the Consultant will design a new phase of support that can be extended to the Government of Lao PDR by UNDP on results-based management, national development planning and financing and in enhancing the reporting system building on the NSEPD Dashboard. The design of the project will be aligned to the ongoing budget reform process under the Prime Minister’s Decree. The design process will include drafting of a concept note based on information gathered during the consultancy and by looking at international best practices that are transferrable to the Lao context. The task will also involve providing technical advice to the UNDP team to socialize the concept note with potential donors and in gauging commitments for the medium-term support. 

Period of assignment/services: 42 working days.

 

Proposal should be submitted directly in the portal no later than indicated deadline.

Any request for clarification must be sent in writing via messaging functionality in the portal. UNDP will respond in writing including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry.

Please indicate whether you intend to submit a bid by creating a draft response without submitting directly in the system. This will enable the system to send notifications in case of amendments of the tender requirements. Should you require further clarifications, kindly communicate using the messaging functionality in the system. Offers must be submitted directly in the system following this link: http://supplier.quantum.partneragencies.org  using the profile you may have in the portal. In case you have never registered before, you can register a profile using the registration link shared via the procurement notice and following the instructions in guides available in UNDP website: https://www.undp.org/procurement/business/resources-for-bidders.  Do not create a new profile if you already have one. Use the forgotten password feature in case you do not remember the password or the username from previous registration.

Documents :

Negotiation Document(s) (Before Accessing other negotiations Document(s), please click on this link)