REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
1.0 Background / Rationale
1.1 The Government of Rwanda initiated public sector reforms to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of Public Sector Institutions for a better and improved service delivery. The missions and objectives of public sector institutions were reviewed and strategic plans developed in line with the deliverables envisaged in the
country’s development objectives set out in vision 2020 and EDPRS.
1.2 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’s vision is “A peaceful, prosperous and self-defined Rwanda that is politically and economically integrated in the Region, Continent and World”. Its mission is “To protect the sovereignty and core values of Rwanda, while creating wealth and promoting her overall interests”.
1.3 Rwanda ‘s Foreign Policy hinges on three major pillars which are building and consolidating peace and security , creating wealth as well as involving Rwandans in Diaspora in Socio-Economic Development of the Country. The objectives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation are expressed with respect to these three pillars.
1.4 For these pillars to stand firm, there is need to have a Ministry that is well managed and equipped with qualified and competent personnel capable of analyzing world problems and suggesting solutions that are in line with national interests.
1.5 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation is, therefore, seeking services of an Individual Consultant to conduct a comprehensive Institutional Audit of the Ministry. The consultancy will be financed through the Capacity Building Fund and the Support to Capacity Development Project, a project financed by Government of Belgium and coordinated by the Public Sector Capacity Building Secretariat (PSCBS).
2.0. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT
The objective of this assignment is:
• To conduct an Institutional Audit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation including the management and communication framework between Departments of the Ministry, between Rwanda Embassies and the Headquarters, between the Ministry and other stakeholders;
• To make concrete recommendations with respect to the 3 levels of Capacity (at Institutional and Legal Environment, Organizational and Individual level) for improving the efficiency of the Ministry in implementing its strategic plan, action plan and its contribution to the sector strategy;
3.0 SCOPE OF SERVICES
3.1 General
The Consultant shall collect and make use of available information – Vision 2020, EDPRS, Sector Strategy, MINAFFET Strategic Plan, MINAFFET Policy,….and apply sound technical practices and methods in carrying out the assignment. The Consultant shall work in close consultation with MINAFFET Management to discuss and agree on all proposals.
3.2 The Consultant shall, inter alia, undertake the following specific activities:
• Take stock of prior work carried out if any and consult existing strategic documents;
• Carry out an Institutional Audit of the Ministry and in particular address the following dimensions:
o Briefly map out the history of the Ministry;
o Assess the current situation with respect to the Policy, Regulatory and Legal Framework under which the Ministry operates, check their quality and what is actually in practice, and;
o Identify capacity needs in relation to the Ministry’s institutional and legal environment;
o Assess the current situation of the Ministry with respect to its Mission and Strategy, Structure, to its Systems (Management Information System, Financial Management System, Procurement Management System, Human Resource Management System, M&E Management System, IT System, Customer Care System,…), Processes, Procedures, Mechanisms, Coordination, Communications; check their quality and whether there is effective utilization of the organizational tools, and ;
o Identify organizational level capacity needs;
o Assess the current situation with respect to the Individual Level Capacity (Knowledge, Experience, Skills and Attitude) in the Ministry, and more specifically:
o Assess the extent to which the staff needed for the implementation of the Ministry’s strategic plan, action plan, are available;
o Assess the extent to which the available staff needed are deployed at the adequate level;
o Assess if the Ministry’s staff have basic entry level requirements in line with their positions;
o Assess if the Ministry’s staff have the required number of years of relevant work experience in line with their positions;
o Assess if the Ministry’s staff have the right skills to deliver on the institution’s mandate
o Assess the extent to which the Ministry depends on outside technical assistance to deliver on the Policy priority action;
o Identify gaps in terms of Individual Level Capacity.
o Highlight, explain and prioritize changes required at the three Capacity Level ( institutional structure, staff numbers and qualification, work and decision-making processes, inter-institutional relations and coordination, human resource management practices etc) and make recommendations to the Ministry in implementing them ( roadmap, logical order, external support required);
o Analyze the gaps between sector strategies and annual work plans and actual achievement of the ministry;
• The Institutional Audit will be performed through extensive fact-findings consultations with the Ministry and its stakeholders (face to face and through meetings and workshops), to ensure that issues and needs are identified in a participatory way, leading to a shared understanding of the challenges across the Ministry and with its key stakeholders. Special attention will be paid in this process to devise adequate ways to involve Embassies of Rwanda abroad;
• Regular stakeholders consultation workshops will be organized to review draft findings and proposals and ensure a swift validation process of the final draft;
• Present draft final report to Senior Management Meeting and wider audience in a Validation Workshop.
4.0 OUTPUTS
4.1 Proposed roadmap for the consultant’s collaboration with the Ministry’s Internal Task Force, including inputs on respective responsibilities;
4.2 A overall methodology and roadmap for the Consultancy;
4.3 A specific methodology and roadmap for fact-findings consultations, regular consultations to check the relevance, adequacy and acceptability of draft findings and recommendations and for the Final validation of the Institutional Audit;
4.4 A list of MINAFFET staff and outside stakeholders to be consulted;
4.5 A proposed table of content for the Final Report
4.6 A situational analysis and analysis of the Ministry’s performance
– History of the Ministry and of its evolving environment
– SWOT Analysis of the Ministry
– Analysis of gaps Ministry’s strategic plan, annual work plans and actual achievement;
– Findings and recommendations
4.7 Institutional Audit of the Ministry including but not limited to the following:
– Needs assessment at the Institutional and Legal environment, organizational and individual levels;
– Assessment of the extent to which the Ministry depends on outside technical assistance to deliver ;
– Capacity Building Plan highlighting clear strategies and a budgeted action plan to respond to the identified challenges in the short and in the long term, and explaining and prioritizing changes required at the three levels;
– Force field Analysis and recommendations to the Ministry on how to implement the Capacity Building Plan, including the logical order for actions, a roadmap and an identification of resources required ( including funding and technical assistance required);
– Any item agreed upon at the inception stage.
4.8 Lessons learned from the Institutional Audit process, recommendations and proposed methodology for upcoming institutional audits of the Ministry;
4.9 List of consulted documents
4.10 List of consulted persons
5.0 DURATION OF THE CONSULTANCY
This consultancy shall require 60 man days of consultancy input.
6.0 PROFILE OF THE REQUIRED INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT
The Consultant required to carry out this assignment should be an International Expert with the following attributes:
• At least a Master’s Degree in Organizational Development, in Human Resource Development, International Relations , Social Sciences, Management, Economics, Public Administration OR other related fields;
• Hands on experience of carrying out Institutional Audits, including at least 5 Institutional Audits of Ministry of Foreign Affairs at International level ( through evidence of successful completion of assignments) ;
• A minimum of 10 years professional experience in Public Administration ;
• 5 years of experience in Diplomacy;
• Fluency in English ( knowledge of French will be an added advantage)
• Be able to work in a team and collaborate with institutions of different nature;
• Highly reliable and organized, communication skills and should be results oriented;
• Regional experience (Sub Saharan Africa) highly desirable, working experience in Rwanda an added advantage.
7.0 PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES
The Consultant will be selected in accordance with procedures set out in the National Procurement Guidelines of the Rwanda Public Procurement Authority.
8.0 HOW TO APPLY
Interested Individual consultants should submit their Expressions of interest to info@minaffet.gov.rw with copy to bmukayiranga@minaffet.gov.rw, pmuhongerwa@minaffet.gov.rw and ekandekwe@minaffet.gov.rw not later than February 20th, 2012 at 17:00 Hours local time.
Should there be any further questions please send e-mail on the above email with “ IC recruitment” in the subject line.
Mary BAINE
Permanent Secretary
