UNICEF BNLSS PROGRAMME AND OPERATIONS BUSINESS MODEL REVIEW

UNICEF BNLSS REVIEW

Date:11 June 2015

Background

Middle-income countries (MICs) is a globally defined group of countries with diversified economic and productive patterns and defined in terms of GNI per capita. The MICs have also made significant progress in reducing the number of people living in extreme poverty. However, such progress masks inequalities that exist in the MICs, which are home to 73% of the world’s poor people, and 75% of world’s poorest women and children.[1] Middle-income developing countries still face significant challenges in the area of poverty eradication and continued development support is still required to ensure that achievements made are sustained. In particular, MICs in sub-Saharan Africa face inequalities in access to basic social services, relatively high levels of structural poverty, unemployment and spatial disparities.

Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland and South Africa (BNLSS) are a group of middle-income countries (MICs) where UNICEF delivers on development work for women and children in the Eastern and Southern Africa Region (ESAR). The work of UNICEF in the BNLSS no longer focuses on broad-based service delivery programmes but invests on upstream technical support to the respective governments, advocating and building sustainable national capacities to support the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

In view of the countries’ categorization as MICs and the change in the type of development work, UNICEF BNLSS Country Offices (COs) have faced restricted space for resource mobilization due to the limited donor presence, the phasing out of bilateral donors and the reduction of internally allocated UNICEF resources. This constrained financial context and the introduction of a global ERP system (SAP based) in UNICEF trigged the BNLSS operational review initiated in 2012. The BNLSS Operational Review scope was to:

· Promote the gradual business consolidation to increase efficiencies;

· Increase standardization of operational functions across countries with similar typologies; and,

· Increase professionalization of functions which were deemed under-supported.

As a result of this review, a number of proposals were put forward, internally approved and implemented in the different COs:

· The consolidation of the supply support from the South Africa Country Office to the BNLSS countries;

· The consolidation of HR functions in the South Africa based hub, providing support in strategic HR across the BNLSS and Angola and overseeing circa 180 staff;

· The harmonization of the administrative function;

· The harmonization of the operations function;

· The standardization in number of drivers per office, depending on numbers of staff;

· The standardization of the receptionist function;

· The harmonization of the ICT function, based on numbers of staff per office.

· The harmonization of the level of staff across BNLSS countries, depending on the size of the office and functions responsibilities, including staff in operations.

A further analysis of the BNLSS and Angola HR hub review is currently being undertaken to clarify roles and responsibilities of the different stakeholders and to ensure an optimum distribution of work.

In addition to the above, the BNLSS countries initiated a review of their programmatic activities in 2014 with the objective of achieving further synergies and efficiencies by defining a programme framework and identifying joint programmes across the BNLSS countries. The framework and joint programmes across the BNLSS are under finalization.

Scope of Work

The BNLSS countries offer a landscape of opportunities for joint programming, streamlining and effectiveness gains in provision of technical expertise as well as standardization and consolidation of operations activities. Given the upstream programmatic work and the relatively low number of transactions, both programme and operations can be further reviewed and streamlined across the countries, ensuring the optimum utilisation of resources and leveraging human resources capacity for a more integrated and cross-country work for children.

The objective of the work is to review UNICEF’s presence in BNLSS countries and the extent to which programmes and operations are fit for purpose in each of the countries. This review should lead to a proposal of alternative programme and operating models that can be pursued to more effectively use the limited resources of the countries, addressing the country programme work, areas of joint work and outline the management mechanisms of collaboration and proposals for joint funding. The review should also propose the optimal UNICEF presence in these countries outlining the programmatic and operational focus, organisational structures and any other relevant area. In addition, the review should propose a change management approach that will effectively support the transition into a new model that addresses the country focus and the areas of joint work.

The proposed alternative models should be based on the strategic reviews the region and countries are currently undertaking of their programme and operations capacities. As the objective is to better use existing resources and further strengthen capacity in the region through alternative business models that will achieve more results for children, it should aim, at a minimum, at cost neutrality.

Deliverables Outline

The below deliverables are indicative and can be further elaborated by proposals to be submitted to UNICEF.

Inception Report*(estimated 20% of total scope of work)*

a. As-is Assessment- Status quo on the UNICEF BNLSS COs programmes, structures, donor environment, funding and others outlining challenges and opportunities

i. Review of current documentation on BNLSS countries (please see list referenced below).

ii. Interviews with key stakeholders (Regional Director, Representatives, RO advisers, staff association, other regions / UN agencies that have undergone similar projects) to gather views on joint programming and common operational support experience.

iii. Costing analysis and alignment to project objectives.

iv. Overview of existing structures, levels, functions and others.

v. Review the human resources and procurement Hub support to BNLSS COs

vi. Any other relevant element to adequately assess the current situation of the country office

b. Methodology of Review– to define / explain the key steps undertaken to review and to draw the key conclusions of the Inception report.

c. Criteria for project success: Propose and/or agree on existing criteria:

i. Country programme and joint programming: i.e., country and common targets, cross-border partnerships for children, affordability, etc.

ii. Operations: i.e., increased effectiveness in transaction processing, reduction in number of errors, programme and operations staff ratios, etc.

d.Project Proposal:Project key milestones and timelines, required support, countries’ visits, etc.

Draft report*(estimated 55% of the work)*

Propose alternative business model options for the BNLSS country programme, joint programming and operations support, outlining benefits, challenges, barriers and success factors. Provide the criteria for assessing and evaluating options. The options should cover the following:

a. Country and Joint Programming of UNICEF BNLSS COs

i. Define the distinctions between country and joint programming, and how these will be clearly defined in the country management.

ii. Define the joint programming management mechanisms of collaboration across the different BNLSS countries for increased effectiveness in programme support;

iii. Propose organisational structures and options for provision of technical expertise in programme focus areas in-country and across countries;

iv. Identify mechanisms for joint resource mobilisation and a resource allocation framework;

v. Identify criteria for the core programme areas that need to be continued at CO level;

vi. Clarify for those countries under the Delivering as One (DaO) the implications, challenges and means to achieve results under the joint programming;

vii. Any other relevant aspect in joint programming that may be identified.

b. Operations Support Operations comprises of administration, finance, human resources, procurement & supply and ICT. Human resources and procurement & supply have been consolidated as a result of the 2012 BNLSS review. The below is inclusive of all operations areas with a particular attention to administration, finance and ICT as these are still managed at CO level.

i. Further to the UNICEF Global Shared Service Center (GSSC) implementation[2], define the “low hanging fruits” for further standardization, streamlining and efficiency and effectiveness gains;

ii. Identify and propose organisational structures for further consolidation opportunities in operations;

iii. Identify mechanisms for further leveraging the operations functions in the BNLSS at zero cost;

iv. Any other relevant aspect in operations support that may be identified.

c. Additional HR strategies to complement alternative proposed models

i. COs programme focal points - define criteria (i.e, size of programme, attractiveness to international staff, etc)

ii. COs Operations Support focal points – same as above

Final report*(estimated 25% of the work)*

The Final report should have the elements of the draft report above and be complemented with:

a. Recommendations on alternative business model options for the BNLSS country programmes, joint programming and operations support, outlining benefits, challenges, barriers and success factors.

b. Comparison of costs of “As-is” and recommended alternative business models of BNLSS country programme, joint programming and operations support.

c. Roll out plan and timelines for implementation, taking into consideration country programme cycles.

d. Change management approach to the transition from existing to alternative business model, addressing human resources, communication and management aspects of the transition, including the country programme cycles.

Expected Timelines

The work detailed in the deliverables above is expected to start in September 2015 and be finalized by January 2016. The proposal for completion of the different deliverables is to be submitted as part of the proposal and the below timelines are indicative based on the time estimated for completions of each phase:

Inception Report (20% of the work)– 10 October 2015
Draft Report (55% of the work) – 10 December 2015
Final Report (25% of the work) – 20 January 2015

Payment will be done against completion of the above deliverables and the review by UNICEF that work meets the minimum requirements. Proposals may adjust the above indicative payment schedules, if necessary, and upon provision of a rationale.

Expected Experience

UNICEF wishes to appoint an individual or institutional contractor to carry out the work outlined in this terms of reference. Proposals from both types of contractors will be evaluated against a technical and commercial criteria.

Knowledge and Experience: Demonstrated experience in managing similar types of projects is required. Experience in managing operating models reviews in middle income countries, and in particular the Southern African Region, highly desirable. UNICEF relevant experience is an advantage. Proposals are to include documentation and references on the above.

[1] Source: UNDG Strategy to Support the MICs

[2] Global Shared Service Center: information and documentation to be provided upon commencement of work.

HOW TO APPLY:

Proposals should be sent to:
UNICEF Pretoria
6th Floor Metropark Building
351 Francis Baard Street, Pretoria 0001

OR
E-mail to:
saf-ppc@unicef.org

Full Terms of Reference can be accessed/downloaded form UNICEF website (http://www.unicef.org/southafrica/vacancies_12531.html)