| Overview : The United Nations Development Programme in Zimbabwe (UNDP Zimbabwe) invites proposals from qualified Consutancy Firms to participate in the following Call for Proposals Prospective bidders are required to submit their proposals on or before 23 August 2021 to bidstechnical.zw@undp.org Requests for any clarifications on the position should be submitted to
procurement.zw@undp.org Deadline for submitting clarification requests is 19 August 2021. Clarification requests submitted to any other email address will not be responded to. Introduction The Government of Zimbabwe, in its quest to propel Zimbabwe to, “ A prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society by 2030,” as espoused in its Vision 2030, has developed and launched the National Development Strategy 1 (2021-2025) as the first medium term plan with an overarching goal of ensuring high, accelerated, inclusive and sustainable economic growth through targeted policy interventions on identified key strategic pillars. The National Development Strategy 1 recognises the centrality of an efficient public service in the country’s development trajectory and thus calls for re-orientation of Public Sector employees through inculcating a New Work Culture to ensure they positively contribute to the country’s developmental aspirations and determinations. In that regard, NDS1 underscores the need for “Public Sector transformation which comprehensively addresses all aspects of the existing silo mentality while building collective accountability”. The call by Government on the need for public sector transformation has been borne out of the realisation that over the years, there had been a general lethargy by public service employees which has generally led to administrative inefficiencies and poor public service delivery, which ultimately has contributed to general national economic decline, To rejuvenate the country towards a developmental path, the Government of Zimbabwe with support from UNDP has embarked on a public sector transformation initiative (as part of a raft of measures) to modernise Zimbabwe’s public service to ensure operational efficiencies and growth of the economy. The public sector transformation agenda has also been largely informed by the decentralisation and devolution imperatives the country is implementing and recognises the need for active citizen engagement and participation in national development processes. The most critical ingredient required for the transformation is Culture Change. Culture Change is catalytic to high individual and institutional performance through a mindset change, resultantly improving public service delivery, Pursuant to this and driven by the desire for evidence based national policies and strategies, the Public Service Commission and the Tripartite partners (Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and the Office of the President and Cabinet) seek to undertake a baseline survey to gather information on the citizens’ attitudes and perceptions regarding Zimbabwe’s public service delivery system. Information thus gathered will be used in designing and developing policies and strategies to reorient the public service to discharge its mandate effectively and efficiently while at the same time furthering the growth of the economy. UNDP will provide the technical and financial support to the Tripartite to undertake this activity. Towards this end, UNDP seeks to engage a Consultant/ Firm of Consultants to carry out the baseline survey regarding citizens perceptions on the public service on behalf of the Public Service Commission and the Tripartite Members. Background Generally, there has been a perception of various work culture ills within the Public Sector. These include corruption, nepotism, poor performance, moonlighting, sexual harassment, abuse of office and assets, absenteeism, and apathy among others. The Kavran Commission that was charged to review performance Public Sector in 1987 presented its findings report in 1989 and the report portrayed the Zimbabwe’s public administration at that time as follows: - a lack of performance management culture;
- arrogance and poor attitudes to work;
- high staff turnover;
- centralized and secretive bureaucracy that was non-transparent;
- poor communication of decisions;
- inaccessible to the public; and
- cumbersome and complex rules and regulations,
Some of the key challenges highlighted in the Kavran report remains alive today thereby creating hindrances to achieving Vision 2030. The Government of Zimbabwe thus recognises a need for a radical re-orientation of the Public Sector to inculcate a culture of high performance, accountability, transparency, servant leadership, responsiveness, high service delivery and market facing. Objectives The main objectives of this baseline survey on citizen perceptions/satisfaction within the public service are: - to gather information regarding the knowledge, attitudes, perceptions and satisfaction levels of citizens especially poor and marginalized women, youth and persons with disabilities regarding the behaviour, attitudes, and knowledge of public service employees in the discharge of their mandate as well as quality of public services rendered,
- to survey the knowledge, attitudes and perception of duty bearers, Government officials and service providers on citizens’ rights as taxpayers, and government roles and responsibilities in public service delivery among citizens especially women and girls, the youth, and persons with disabilities,
- to establish a baseline and methodology for future similar surveys,
- the baseline is expected to come up with a firm position on the current work culture among public servants in Zimbabwe. The survey will cover opinions from clients, stakeholders, stockholders and the full hierarchy of public sector employees in terms of the work and public service delivery culture,
- to establish key performance indicators for tracking during the development of the New Work Culture Blueprint and its institutionalisation,
- to use the data so gathered in informing the approach and processes in the development of a New Work Culture Blueprint in the public service which the Public Service Commission is working on,
- to use the baseline data in developing training and educational materials on Work Culture to include institutionalisation of a high-performance work culture, transforming public sector institutions into market facing entities, bring effectiveness and efficiency in public sector programming and implementation.
Specific Terms of Reference The Consultants firm is expected to develop a perception index, carry out the survey, prepare analytical reports on the survey and its findings, and present the findings and recommendations to the Public Service Commission and other key stakeholders. The survey will also be used as a basis for developing the PSC Culture Change Blueprint. Under the guidance of the PSC the Consultants are expected to: - design the survey, develop strategic tools to assess citizens’ perceptions and knowledge on public sector efficiencies within Zimbabwe’s public service,
- ensure that survey tools and results are well developed and effectively planned and delivered to the PSC,
- to conduct a survey to understand citizens and stakeholders’ perceptions/ satisfaction with public service delivery by selected Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies,
- to conduct a survey to understand Government workers perceptions on various work culture issues at work place,
- analyse survey findings and prepare appropriate reports, including analytical reports, and submit the reports to the PSC and UNDP
- present findings of the survey to the Public Service Commission and key stakeholders through a workshop,
- Prepare and submit a Final Baseline Report.
Deliverables The Consultants firm is expected to produce the following key deliverables within the specified timeframe: - Inception Report, which contains a comprehensive and time bounded work plan identifying the roles of each team member carrying out the survey and the different phases of the survey and detailed methodology (including the description of the methodologies and tools to be used in the survey, sample size and questionnaire) and annotated outline of the final report,
- Final survey questionnaires and qualitative/ quantitative data collection guides,
- Baseline survey draft report plus the data sets in formats agreed between the Consultants and the PSC,
- In conjunction with PSC and UNDP, conduct and facilitate a stakeholder’s workshop to present the baseline information findings,
- Baseline final report incorporating comments from the all stakeholders,
- End of Activity Report.
Methodology The Consultant(s) will develop the detailed methodology for the baseline survey in consultation with Public Service Commission with due consideration of the Covid19 pandemic and the attendant restrictions imposed by the Government as part of the pandemic containment measures. In order to increase outreach, the use of electronic polling platforms is encouraged. The survey interview will be deployed to, a systematically selected sample of, 5000 sample members, Due to unavailability of e-platforms by some of the focused clients, consultative workshops may also be used. Over and above, direct observations and field visits to key service delivery points will be undertaken and pictures and videos can also be taken as sources of evidence for further reference. Some of the data collection methods may also include, community interviews, review of official records, focus group interviews, key-informant interviews, participant observation, direct observation, one-time survey, panel survey, field visits, conversations with concerned public service beneficiaries and questionnaires Informal and less structured Formal and more structured. Survey design The survey will start with an introduction that will clearly state the purpose of the survey and address privacy issues explaining what data is being captured and what it will be used for. The Public service Commission working with the Consultants will map the survey sample to agree on areas to be visited and the respondents, Design the survey instruments and indicate the major Key Performance Indicators for tracking during the implementation. Undertaking a pilot study to test survey approach, instruments, and other variables the PSC and the Consultant will have agreed upon. Only after the pilot one-week pilot/test survey can the main survey be undertaken. Datasets The Public Service Commission and the consultant will develop the data set of the targeted 5000 sample members considering the need for fair representation of all the targeted sample. Duration The assignment should be completed within a period of 90 days (3 months). Qualifications and Experience The Lead Consultant should have the following qualifications and experience: Education - Master’s degree Public Administration, Governance, Development Studies, Social Sciences, or any other related field.
Experience - At least 8 years’ experience in the design and implementation of baseline surveys, evaluations, or assessments including qualitative and quantitative data collection,
- Experience on implementation or spearheading culture change management processes in the public sector/international organisations / private sector,
- Previous experience in public administration, Government, or related fields,
- Excellent knowledge and understanding of research methodologies and processes,
- Experience in the development of Monitoring and Evaluation frameworks and log-frames,
- Experience in gathering and systematizing large amounts of data,
- Experience managing a diverse team and providing capacity building and training support,
- Proven ability to manage highly confidential and sensitive information,
- Proven experience in producing high quality baseline and evaluation reports,
- Experience in using quantitative data analysis applications,
- Experience in mobile phone technology-based surveys right from survey design and set up, deployment, translation, and recording,
- Considerable knowledge and experience working with Government departments in conducting similar research projects.
- Have excellent conceptual and analytical skills,
- Excellent command of the English language and some team members should be able to speak at least two local languages.
- Excellent interpersonal and diplomatic skills,
- Highly innovative skills that can bring ease of doing business in the public service.
Evaluation Criteria Upon the advertisement of the Procurement Notice, the Consultants Firm is expected to submit both the Technical and Financial Proposals. Accordingly, the firm will be evaluated based on Cumulative Analysis as per the following conditions: - Responsive / compliant / acceptable as per the Instruction to the Request for Proposal,and
- Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation. In this regard, the respective weight of the proposals is:
Technical Criteria weight is 70% Financial Criteria weight is 30% RECOMMENDED PRESENTATION OF TECHNICAL PROPOSAL The Consultants firm is expected to develop the above into a proposal. All proposals should include an introductory note, summary of understanding of the terms of reference, clear outline of evaluation design and methodology , a draft timeline for completion of assignment, a company profile and CVs of key individuals proposed for assignment. The proposal should be in two parts: Part A – Technical; Part B – Financial, of not more than 15 pages and should include the following information. Part A: Technical - Name and brief background of the vendor, including existing experience and expertise that will be of benefit to the proposed study;
- Background information that includes an interpretation and understanding of the terms of reference;
- Methodology and approach outlining a clear conceptual and analytical framework for proposed evaluation including alternatives or suggestions to the proposed design;
- Proposed work plan outlining clear timeframe and steps in conducting the assignment;
- Expectations from PSC/UNDP in terms of logistical, technical, and other forms of support for the evaluation and its products;
- Names and contact information for the 3 most recent customer references for relevant projects and/or samples of relevant work done;
- Brief profile of proposed team. Description of the team that will work on the evaluation, including roles of each team member, clearly identifying the team leader, and qualifications of all team members.
Part B: Financial An itemized budget divided into professional fees and direct cost of activities. Recommended Presentation of Technical Proposal For purposes of generating proposals whose contents are uniformly presented and to facilitate their comparative review, Service Providers are required to follow the Table of Contents as set out below. Accordingly, the Technical Proposal from the document must have at least the preferred content as outlined in the RFP Standard Bid Document (SBD). Proposed Table of Contents Technical Proposal Cover Pages - Cover Page
- Cover Letter
- Statement of Declaration
- Statement of Full Disclosure
Section I. Expertise of Firm / Organisation - Brief Description of Proposer as an Entity,
- Financial Capacity and / or Standing,
- Track Record and Experiences
Section II. Approach and Implementation Plan - Approach to the Service/Work,
- Technical Quality Assurance Review Mechanism,
- Implementation Timelines,
- Subcontracting (if any),
- Risks and Mitigation Measures,
- Reporting and Monitoring,
- Anti-corruption Strategy,
- Partnerships (if any),
- Other.
Section III. Personnel - Management Structure,
- Staff Time Allocation,
- Summary of Key Personnel Qualifications.
Annexes - Registration Certificate (Annex 1),
- Tax / VAT Certificate (Annex 2) if Applicable,
- CV of Key Expert 1 / Team Leader (Annex 3),
- CV of Other Staff, if Applicable (Annex 4),
- Any other Pertinent Certificates worth to be noted (Annex 5),
- Documentation Checklist.
Confidentiality and Proprietary Interests The consultants shall not either during the term or after termination of the assignment, disclose any proprietary or confidential information related to the consultancy without prior written consent. Proprietary interests on all materials and documents prepared by the consultants under the assignment shall become and remain properties of the PSC. 13.0 Policies parties should be aware of: - UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and abuse,
- Members of the contracting company are not entitled to payment of overtime,
- All remuneration must be within the contract agreement,
- No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNDP and the Contractor,
- Where travel outside the place of assignment becomes necessary, no member of the contracting company may travel prior to contract signature,
- Members of the contracting company will not have supervisory responsibilities or authority on UNDP budget.
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