Advisory Services for Business Process Re-engineering at Gambia Revenue Authority — Fiscal Management Development Project

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION)

Country: The Gambia

Name of Project: The Gambia Fiscal Management Development Project (P166695)

Grant No.: V2740-GM

Assignment Title: Advisory Services for the Gambia Revenue Authority Business Process Re-engineering and Quality Assurance during IT System’s Selection

Reference No.: GM-PPPPE-161632-CS-CQS

The Government of The Gambia has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Gambia Fiscal Management Project, the Directorate of Public Private Partnership Enterprise (DPPPE) anchored within the Ministry of Finance & Economic Affairs (MoFEA) is the lead Implementing Agency of the Project and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

The consulting services (“the Services”) include the acquisition and implementation of an Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS) to replace the existing GAMTAXNET System. This will contribute to improving tax administration processes and GRA’s digital transformation. The main objective is to enhance the GRA’s operational effectiveness and achieve digital transformation, including through widespread adoption of electronic filing (e-filing) and electronic payments (e-payments) to improve taxpayer services and transparency. It will also support comprehensive tax compliance risk management processes based on international good practices. The expected outcomes include the following:

• 90 percent of active large taxpayers will file and pay on time key taxes.

• The GRA will also increase the Value Added Tax (VAT) gross compliance ratio from 26 percent to 45 percent and deploy 15 percent of its operational staff for field audits to improve compliance management and compliance assurance.

• The new tax administration system, once implemented, will deliver online services to taxpayers 24/7 and facilitate e-filing, e-payment and mobile payment.

The objectives of the assignment are to:

• Conduct a Business Process Review (BPR) of the GRA processes. This will include the assessment and mapping of the current procedures and process (as-is) and assist in the process of optimizing them (to-be) based on best practices. The final documentation will provide the diagrams, workflows, document procedures plus functional, technical and user specifications of the new system.

• Support the ITAS vendor procurement and selection process through the preparation of the bidding documents, assistance in responding to various questions and queries from prospective vendors; the preparation and coordination of the evaluation; and assistance in the contract negotiation and finalization of final contract for signing with the selected vendor;

• Guide GRA management in identifying and preparing a study tour to two countries to learn from their respective experience. This include helping in selecting countries, drafting ToRs for the study tour and drafting BTOR (Back To Office Report) after the mission;

Reporting, Coordination, Communication and Time Schedules for Reports

The firm is expected to report to the Commissioner-General and will be coordinated by the Deputy Commissioner General.

The DPPP&PE Director will be responsible for coordinating amongst the implementing entities and has the overall fiduciary responsibility of the project.

The duration of the assignment is five (5) months.

Location

The firm will conduct most of the work at GRA head office in Banjul, The Gambia. The need to visit branch offices may however, arise. Part of the assignment can be done off-site as required.

Language of Assignment

The language of communication and writing reports is English

Facilities and Services to be Provided by the Client

GRA will provide office space, and official documentation, to aid the consultant’s work. Note that the consultant will not provide costs for these in his/her financial proposal once they are provided by the Client.

Deliverables

In addition to the activity and periodic reports mentioned above, the firm will provide Manuals documenting the processes and procedures (the to be) reengineered.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment are attached to this request for expression of interest.

The Ministry of Finance & Economic Affairs (MoFEA) now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.

The shortlisting criteria are:

Qualifications, Experience and Competencies

• The assignment will require the services of a firm with extensive experience in Tax Administration modernization. The firm should ideally have experience in designing and implementing modern tax administration IT systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. The GRA's approach is to implement an off the shelf (COTs) packaged software for the administration of taxes, principally through configuration of the inherent capabilities of the COTs but recognizing that modifications or custom development to meet the specific needs of the GRA may be required.

• The firm shall provide abridged CV(s) (of no more than three pages of A4 size for each individual) in respect of key personnel who would be expected to provide the services on behalf of the firm.

• The key personnel shall include Project Manager, Business Analyst, Technical Lead, Functional Lead and ICT Training Lead Coordinator

• At a minimum, the resumes of key personnel should include the following: name, education, training, technical experience, functional experience, specific dates and names of employers, relevant and related experience, past and present projects with dates and responsibilities and any applicable certifications.

All key experts should at a minimum, meet the following requirements:

• University Degree in any of the following - Information Systems, Taxation, Accounting, economics or Administration, Finance or Public Policy

• Vast and extensive experience in tax administration modernization.

Required Qualification, Experience and Skills

• A University Degree

• A minimum of 8-10 years’ experience in fiscal reforms and creation, performance improvement and measurement, restructuring, and/or change management.

• Experience in implementation of ITAS system for tax administration including e-Services.

• Knowledge and experience in carrying out BPR/BPM assignments.

• Knowledge of Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) methodologies

• Experience in gathering user functional requirements.

• Strong communication and writing skills, track-record as a team player.

Key Experts will not be evaluated at the shortlisting stage.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” July 2016 and revised November 2017 and August 2018 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. In addition, please refer to the following specific information on conflict of interest related to this assignment: conflict of interest related to the assignment as per paragraph 3.17 of the Procurement Regulations.

Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications, but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Consultant’s Qualifications Based Selection Method set out in the Procurement Regulations.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 09:00am to 16:00pm.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by close of business 28th May 2020.

Ministry of Finance & Economic Affairs

Attn: Lamin Fatty – Director of DPPP

Quadrangle, Banjul

The Gambia

Tel: +220 9290066

E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]