Consultancy: Delivery of an Orientation Course on Public Finance for Children for UNICEF staff in the Eastern and Southern Africa region (ESAR)

Building on available learning materials and approaches, the objective of this assignment is to develop and deliver an ESAR Orientation Course on PF4C to enhance staff understanding, knowledge and expertise on public financial management (PFM) issues as they relate to investments in children.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. And we never give up.

Please see attached TOR for background and justification of work.  ToR - Delivery of PF4C Course for UNICEF ESAR_final.docx

Objectives and Scope of Work

Objectives 

Building on available learning materials and approaches, the objective of this assignment is to develop and deliver an ESAR Orientation Course on PF4C to enhance staff understanding, knowledge and expertise on public financial management (PFM) issues as they relate to investments in children, including to:

• Strengthen the “budget literacy” of participants (knowledge of basic PFM literature, a conceptual framework for PF4C, budget and PFM reform processes in ESAR, etc.);
• Improve their ability to develop and apply appropriate PF4C tools, including budget briefs, Public Expenditure Reviews (PERs), Public Expenditure Tracking Surveys (PETS), value for money analyses, fiscal space analyses, etc.;
• Improve their skills to engage in strategic policy dialogue on PF4C and effectively advocate for more transparent, effective and adquate investments in children; and
• Develop, with expert guidance, a draft PF4C strategy for their area of work, including a concrete one-year work plan.

Rather than being passive recipients of knowledge, the training is expected to encourage participants to brainstorm and identify key PFM bottlenecks and responses in order to move the PF4C agenda forward in their countries and the region. 

Scope of Work

Under the supervision of the Social Policy Specialist (public finance), the contractor’s key responsibilities are to:

1. Review existing literature on PFM reforms and PF4C practices in ESAR to understand the budget and public finance context and bottlenecks as well as major social and economic challenges faced by children in the region.
2. Review UNICEF’s Strategic Plan 2018-21, UNICEF’s work on PF4C in ESAR, and regional and global learning programmes on PF4C, as well as conduct key informant interviews as required, to identify PF4C knowledge and skills requirements, gaps and solutions.
3. Participate in preparatory meetings by Skype with key UNICEF colleagues in the region already working on PF4C to discuss how training modules can be adapted to the ESAR context.
4. Design a 4-day training programme on PF4C (see Box 1 below for proposed content).
5. Prepare, organize and conduct a 4-day course for UNICEF staff working in ESARO and COs in the region (maximum of 40 participants). The training should balance lectures, discussions, individual work, group activities, etc. and provide ample opportunity for case studies and practical exercises.
6. Produce a workshop report (4-5 pages) that contains a concise analysis of the workshop evaluations as well recommendations on strategic options for UNICEF to further enhance its capacity and strategic positioning on PF4C in ESAR

1. Box 1. Proposed learning content

Expected Deliverables and Reporting Requirements

• For deliverables where UNICEF feedback is expected (and not indicated yet on this ToR), the contractor is expected to identify this in the proposed concept note and indicate when products will be shared for UNICEF inputs allowing for reasonable time to respond (e.g. one week).
• The proposed payment schedule is as follows:
  • 08 May 2018: 50% of the payment upon submission of deliverables 1-3
  • 30 June 2018: 50% of the payment upon submission of deliverables 4-7
• All deliverables will be submitted to ESARO in electronic format (power point presentations, Word documents, video materials, etc.).
• All products developed in the course of this consultancy are the intellectual property of UNICEF. As a result, the contractor may not use these products for any other purposes without the written consent of UNICEF ESARO.
• Please note that UNICEF may elect to apply liquidated damages should the contractor fail to complete the services in accordance with the agreed work plan and delivery schedule. UNICEF shall have the right to deduct from any payment due to the contractor the amount of one tenth of a per cent (0.1 %) of the contract price per day of delay up to a maximum of ten per cent (10%) of the total contract price. These liquidated damages shall not relieve the contractor of its obligations or responsibilities that it may have under the contract.

Travel

• A team of 2-4 experts will be expected to travel once to conduct the PF4C orientation training workshop in Nairobi, Kenya. 

Desired Competencies, Technical Background and Experience 

For the institution:

• Minimum 10 years of academic/research and training experience on PFM; experience with UNICEF on PF4C viewed as an asset
• Qualified team of 2-4 PFM and/or PF4C experts with proven record of similar training experience with UNICEF or international development organization in the past.

For consultants who will be engaged in the project:

• Advanced university degree in economics or related area
• Minimum 7 years of relevant experience in analytical work on PFM and/or social budgeting; specific focus on social budgeting for children an asset – the team leader is expected to have substantive experience in this regard
• Proven record/previous training experience on PFM (and especially social budgeting for children/PF4C)
• Previous experience in preparation and delivery of training programmes on PFM topics
• Good knowledge of the ESAR context an asset
• Excellent presentation, interpersonal and collaboration skills
• Excellent spoken and written English; knowledge of French or Portuguese is an asset.
• Experience of working in developing countries

Performance Indicators for Evaluation of Results 

• Timely submission of completed, quality deliverables
• Responsiveness and flexibility in reverting to requests from UNICEF
• Timely conveyance of requests for information and feedback (when requesting relevant feedback from UNICEF)
• Analytical ability to meaningfully factor in feedback received 

Conditions 

• The contractor will work on its own computer(s) and use its own office resources and materials in the execution of this assignment. The contractor’s fee shall be inclusive of all office administrative costs.
• Travel will be covered in accordance with UNICEF’s rules and tariffs (economy class rate as per UNICEF policies). Travel costs should be included in the overall fee.
• The institution/firm selected will be governed by and subject to UNICEF’s General Terms and Conditions for institutional contracts (attached).

Payment is made against approved deliverables. No advance payment is allowed unless in exceptional circumstances against bank guarantee, subject to a maximum of 30 per cent of the total contract value in cases where advance purchases, for example for supplies or travel, may be necessary.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.