International Consultancy: Printing Consultant, Kampala, Uganda, 07 Months

Printing services is a complex procurement category. The multitude of possible combinations of specification parameters call for sophisticated price schedules that can streamline solicitation and procurement under a Long Term Agreement. In addition, the Ugandan market keeps evolving rapidly with new enterors that need to be assessed. Evaluating them for minimum technical capacity (equipment, HR, technical expertise, financial capacity) is a highly specialized area that cannot be filled with in-house human resources. As part of the 2021 workplan, UCO anticipated contracting the services of a specialized consultant to support these stages, as a first step towards the establishment enhanced Long Term Agreements in 2022.

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.

For every child, a fair chance

Uganda is one of the over 190 countries and territories around the world where we work to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease, and discrimination place in a child’s path. Together with the Government of Uganda and partners we work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the objectives of the Uganda National Development Plan, and the planned outcomes of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework.

Visit this link for more information on Uganda Country Office https://www.unicef.org/uganda/

How can you make a difference?

Background and Purpose

UNICEF is the agency of the United Nations mandated to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. Guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child UNICEF strives to establish children’s rights as international standards of behaviour towards children. UNICEF’s role is to mobilise political will and material resources to help countries ensure a “first call for children". UNICEF is committed to ensuring special protection for the most disadvantaged children.

UNICEF carries out its work through its headquarters in New York, 8 regional offices and 125 country offices world-wide. UNICEF also has a research centre in Florence, a supply operation based in Copenhagen and offices in Tokyo and Brussels. UNICEF’s 37 committees raise funds and spread awareness about the organization’s mission and work.

Towards meeting UNICEF’s mandate, Uganda Country Office is frequently contracting printing services, both for programmatic documents that support implementation of activities with the Government of Uganda, as well as UNICEF's own external communication documents. UNICEF Uganda has an indicative annual expenditure in printing services of approximately USD 1.2 million, consisting primarily of IEC materials, posters, flyers, booklets, etc.

A key factor for effective procurement of printed materials is to have a solid supplier base in place, as well as a streamlined set of framework agreements (generally referred to as Long Term Agreements or LTAs) that leverage the capacity of the local market, while ensuring speed of delivery and Value for Money.

Justification

Printing services is a complex procurement category. The multitude of possible combinations of specification parameters call for sophisticated price schedules that can streamline solicitation and procurement under a Long-Term Agreement. In addition, the Ugandan market keeps evolving rapidly with new enterers that need to be assessed. Evaluating them for minimum technical capacity (equipment, HR, technical expertise, financial capacity) is a highly specialized area that cannot be filled with in-house human resources.

As part of the 2021 workplan, UCO anticipated contracting the services of a specialized consultant to support these stages, as a first step towards the establishment enhanced Long Term Agreements in 2022.

Objective

UNICEF Uganda is seeking to obtain consulting services from an individual consultant with extensive print/graphic design expertise to:

• Conduct a market survey; assess prospective bidders' capacity and establish a pre-qualification list that can be used for the subsequent solicitation process.
• Develop tender documents, specifically a price structure template that can be used under the resulting set of LTAs for printing services.
• Conduct training on the use of the established LTAs for programme and supply staff.

The scope of the services will support Uganda Country Office to establish long term agreements (LTAs) with suitable printing and design services companies in the country and build capacity of UCO staff on effective use of the LTAs

Major Tasks

1. Develop a work and implementation plan for the assignment in consultation with UNICEF
2. Review historical printing procurement patterns (3 years) and formulate most commonly used specifications (80% of the printing services requirement for UCO).
3. Prepare a survey for focal points of all Supply and Programme sections in order to understand constraints and future requirements in the area of printing.
4. Prepare a Request for Expression of Interest (REoI) and review responses. Short-list potential suppliers for later assessment.
5. Conduct physical inspection visits of shortlisted printer(s) (off set lithography & screen) and prepare a list of prequalified printers with supporting visits report.
6. Develop a comprehensive price sheet template to support solicitation document for printing
7. Support pre-tender meeting, specifically on the instructions for filling out price sheets.
8. Evaluate bids received and generate tabulation, using a detailed evaluation matrix system.
9. Conduct a training on use of LTAs for printing, targeting Programme & Communications staff and UNICEF designers. Scope: Technical aspects of design, prepress and printing process; developing specifications and guidelines on use of LTAs
10. Conduct pre-contract meetings with the selected printers on the process to be used for implementation of LTAs.
11. Conduct training for Supply staff on methodology for calculations of rates for printing.
12. Prepare a final report with key resources for correct utilization of the LTAs.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

An individual consultant with proven satisfactory track record and sufficient capacity in dealing with print and design technologies, specifically:

1. Print Technologist recognized knowledge of science and technology of the imaging, graphics, printing and its allied industries. 
2. University degree in relevant area, or advanced courses/professional certificates related to the printing market
3. Over 10 years of continuous recognized experience in the field of printing and graphic design
4. Knowledge of commercial operations of graphics and print industries.
5. Knowledge of commercial operations of UN organizations and UNICEF
6. Experience of conducting market surveys and assessments within UN organizations.
7. Fluent in English (oral and written)

General Conditions: Procedures and Logistics

The assignment will be formalized through a UNICEF contract, which will stipulate terms and conditions of the consultancy. No services or costs shall be incurred by the consultant until a formal contract has been issued by UNICEF.

Important conditions:

• No contract may commence unless the consultant provides a certificate of completion of a mandatory course on “Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse”. A certificate to be submitted with the signed contract should have been obtained in the last three months.
• Clearance from DHR will be required for former UNICEF staff
• Clearance from the Government required for civil servants

UNICEF shall have no obligation to provide any assistance to the consultant in performing the services other than as expressly set forth herein:

• Provide information and feedback, especially on system and resource availability, in a timely manner and as long as consultant’s requests for information and feedback are also made to UNICEF within reasonable time.
• Provide the selected consultant/s with reasonable and timely access to UNICEF personnel as may be required to perform the services.
• For on-site work, provide physical access to the necessary work area and any required identification badges and pass codes before work commences.
• A single point of contact responsible for representing UNICEF and assisting with the decision-making process regarding the engagement.

UNICEF does not provide or arrange life or health insurance coverage for consultants and contractors, and consultants and individual contractors are not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to United Nations staff members. Consultants and individual contractors are fully responsible for arranging, at their own expense, such life, health and other forms of insurance covering the period of their services as they consider appropriate. UNICEF reserves the right to request proof of internationally acceptable insurance.

The consultant is expected to work remotely in the city of residence, and on-site in UNICEF premises at UNICEF’s office in Kampala for the part of the consultancy that requires physcial presence. All travel costs must be included under the financial proposal.

The consultant has the overall responsibility for the project and completing the tasks and producing outputs/deliverables detailed above. No ICT equipment will be provided by UNICEF to perform this assignment.

Application Procedure/Call for Proposals

Interested candidates are required to submit a technical proposal on how they intend to approach the work. The proposal should include a timeline, and methodology, based on the Terms of Reference. The proposal must also include detailed CV of the consultant, as well as a financial proposal, clearly indicating daily rate for professional fees. The financial proposal must be all-inclusive of all costs (consultancy fees and where applicable air fares, airport transfers, daily living expenses).  This is an international level consultancy and competitive market rates should apply.

Evaluation of Candidate:

The consultant will be competitively selected from a list of applicants based on their past experience of doing similar work (extensive experience in writing donor reports, in compiling and editing annual reports for various UNICEF offices).

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The competencies required for this post are….

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.