Back International Consultant on Business Continuity and Contingency Plan

Background

Modern Parliament for a Modern Armenia (MAP) project is designed to strengthen the National Assembly in its new and fundamentally enhanced role within the governance system in carrying out key functions of law-making, oversight, and representation. With a long-term goal of enhancing the overall effectiveness of the Parliament as a policy-making institution, the project is designed to support the newly elected National Assembly to take the advantage of the modern governance tools and mechanisms that are focusing on improved quality, transparency and inclusiveness of parliamentary operations and enhanced parliamentary capacity for gender-responsive policymaking.

The three components of the project are focused on the areas of Legislative capacity, Legislative transparency, and Legislative responsiveness. To that end, a three-stage strategy will be applied: (i) catalytic stage of needs assessment, strategic agenda-setting, and pilots of the designed approaches, (ii) full-fledged implementation of the strategic agenda, tested approaches and activities, (iii) evaluation of the implementation, policy recommendations, and project closure.

The MAP Project is inviting applications for the top experts in Armenia to help the NA in Business Continuity and Contingency Planning.  

Like other countries, Armenia has been seriously impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. In line with many other countries, the National Assembly of Armenia has granted special powers to the government to combat the pandemic through declaration of a state of emergency, renewed on three occasions in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia.

The pandemic has led many countries – and parliaments – to re-evaluate the plans they have for operated in emergency situations, including, but not limited to current and potential future pandemics.

Parliaments have been faced with four often competing priorities during the pandemic:

• to continue to carry out the constitutional roles of legislation, oversight, representation and voting the national budget;
• to grant government any necessary exceptional powers to enable an effective response to the pandemic while respecting human rights and freedoms;
• to act as a model for citizens in compliance of public health measures to limit the spread of the virus; and,
• to protect the health and safety of members of parliament staff, and others attending the parliament including media and citizens.

Parliaments around the world have adapted in many different ways to the current emergency. There is no single ‘best practice’ and responses are conditioned by factors including available technologies, national political culture and citizen expectations.

Looking to the future, the coronavirus emergency has led a number of parliaments, including Armenia, to examine and revise contingency planning, in order to assure maximum preparedness for unexpected emergency of any kind. While no planning can take into account and ensure full preparedness for all unanticipated situations, parliaments can take steps to minimize risks and enable rapid decision-making and business realignment at times of crisis.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will act under the overall supervision of UNDP MAP Project CTA and DRR Team to address the issues crisis planning, namely:

1. Institutional continuity planning

• Develop comparative analysis of most relevant and best examples parliaments’ continuity planning for certain circumstances. For example: - comprehensive business continuity plans that establish specific procedures if, for example, it is not possible to arrange plenary meetings for any reason, if MPs do not have access to the parliamentary buildings, etc. These plans may, for example, involve the creation of a decision-making body with specific limited powers including representation from the various table officers, political factions and parliamentary administration leadership - similar to procedures for decision-making that in many parliaments operate when the legislature is out of session.

2. Oversight of emergency powers

• Examine cases of where the Parliaments are providing government with emergency powers and renewing those powers according to constitutional requirements review cases where parliaments have established special oversight committees in order to maintain close liaison with the executive and to ensure that special powers are used appropriately and effectively.

3. Provision for virtual functioning

• Develop plans for institutional continuity after the pandemic or crisis when return to in-person presence for core activities such as plenary debates and voting and maintenance of some virtually, such as hearing committee witnesses from across the country. In this sense, planning should take into account maximizing use of technologies within parliamentary work in order to complement and enrich, rather than replace core parliamentary work of debate and decision-making.

4. Review of rules of procedure

• Review the ROP and propose introducing business continuity measures in line with the UNDP supported technology transformation planning.

Key activities/deliverables:

• Crisis Response and Business Continuity Planning Strategy for the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Developed and approved;
• Prepare a draft workplan including key areas for crisis response and business continuity planning based on these consultations, for validation by the leadership of the National Assembly;
• Present the proposed strategy and implementation roadmap to the parliamentary leadership for decision-making.

Expected deliverables:    

Description of deliverables

Delivery time

 1. Conducted a consultation with key parliamentary actors and prepare a draft work plan

  5 days

 2. Developed the Crisis Response and Business Continuity Planning strategy draft along with       an implementation roadmap

   15 days

 3. Developed the Crisis Response and Business Continuity Planning strategy final draft                along with an implementation roadmap

   3 days

 4. Present the proposed strategy and implementation roadmap to the                                           parliamentary leadership for decision-making

    2 days

Payment mode:

Payment will be conducted in the following installments upon completion of the tasks under each output and approval of deliverables by UNDP MAP and DRR Projects:    

• Output 1,2 – 50% of total amount
• Output 3,4 – 50% of total amount     

In case of the mission visit, an addition to the consultancy fee the expert will be paid the cost of economy class round trip ticket, terminal and visa (if needed) expenses, as well as DSA during in country missions according to the established UNDP rates and procedures.    

Competencies

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
• Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work;
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
• Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet in conducting research;
• Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;
• Excellent presentation and facilitation skills.
• Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
• Positive, constructive attitude to work;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Capacity to interact with senior officials and elected Members and credibly influence senior decision makers;
• Strong analytical, negotiation and communication skills, including ability to produce high quality practical advisory reports and knowledge products;
• Demonstrated practical knowledge and experience in the field of parliamentary assistance;
• Effective and timely delivery of agreed outputs in a high-pressure work environment.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: 

• Ph.D. in development, political sciences, management, crisis management and similar. 

Experience:

• At least 10 years of experience in working with parliaments;
• At least 5 years of experience in managing a parliamentary assistance for crisis management;
• At least 5 years of  experience of developing Crisis Response and Business Continuity Planning strategy;
• Cultural and political awareness, diplomatic skills, ability to adapt and ability to work independently and take responsibility for delivering results; and
• Previous experience working with UNDP is an asset.

Languages:  

• Proficiency in the English language is required.

INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANTS WILL BE EVALUATED BASED ON THE FOLLOWING METHODOLOGY:

Candidates will be evaluated using a cumulative analysis method taking into consideration the combination of the applicants' technical qualifications,  experience and financial proposal. The contract will be awarded to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as technically responsive/compliant/acceptable to the requirements of the ToR and received the highest cumulative (technical and financial) score out of below defined technical and financial criteria.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points in the technical evaluation would be considered for financial evaluation.  

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation - max. 70 points

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation - max. 30 points. 

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION.

• Financial Proposal and Availability form:OFFEROR’S LETTER TO UNDP (total lump-sum option is applicable for this assignment)
• CV shall include Education/Qualification, Processional Certification, Employment Records /Experience

General Conditions of Contract?is available here: GENERAL CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT

Note: Please note you can upload only one document to this application (scan all documents in one single PDF file to attach).