Study on Professionalization of Public Procurement Function in The Gambia — Fiscal Management Development Project

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

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

Grant No.: IDA-D6190

Assignment Title: CONSULTANCY SERVICE FOR PROFESSIONALISATION OF THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT FUNCTION IN THE GAMBIA

Reference No. GM-PPPPE-211260-CS-CQS

Background

The Gambia procurement system is decentralized and covers the entire public sector. Currently, about 203 procuring organizations, embedded in spending agencies (including Project Coordination Units-, SOEs, and subsidized agencies) have authority to conduct procurements. They are responsible for the procurement of spending units regardless of funding source. Meanwhile, the procurement system is weakened by: (i) non-compliance of authorities and main stakeholders with the public procurement framework; (ii) inadequate transparency due to limited public disclosure over a wide range of procurement practices, and no disclosure of complaints’ decisions made by the Complaints Review Board (CRB); (iii) limited standard bidding documents for specific procurements; and (iv) inefficiency in the procurement process and high transaction costs due to the shortage of qualified procurement specialists and the absence of an electronic procurement system.

GPPA has been working in close contact with the consultant on the E-GP project, who has recently submitted a draft E-readiness Assessment report. This report covers an in-depth review of the entire Public Procurement System and identifies areas of improvement plus recommendations about a suitable system to be adopted by The Gambia. The next step is to hold a validation workshop with all the stakeholders within the system. This report will then help guide the implementation of the E-GP to align with the day-to-day activities of procurement professionals.

Objectives

The Government of the Gambia wants to promote the professional function, including women to address the limited number of professionals in the procurement cadre. Hence, this assignment aims to put in place a comprehensive and sustainable mechanism for capacity building and professional promotion of public procurement function, including the use of blended learning methods and a certification program to ensure that stakeholders of the system are dully recognized.

Scope of Services:

The Consultant shall contribute to (i) institutionalizing a comprehensive and sustainable mechanism for capacity building and professional promotion of public procurement function, and (ii) designing the learning approach which will include distance learning method and a certification program of the different grades of procurement professionals.

This will be done at organizational, individual, and national levels as follow:

A. Organizational Capacity: Needs Assessment

• identify gaps in qualification, knowledge, and number vis-à-vis the volume of procurement duties

• identify gaps in organizational and institutional settings for procurement function professionalization

• Skill and competency Gap analysis covering each category of stakeholders/procurement profile in quantitative terms including the following:

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• Skill and competency stocktaking highlighting the required gaps to be filled in terms of skills and competencies; and

• Skill and competency targets highlighting the required skills and competencies that are required for adequate public procurement function in public administration.

• Human resources needs to fill identified gaps in public procurement institutions (procuring/contracting entities, control function, regulatory function, audit function,)

B. Individual Capacity

The consultant will work in close collaboration with GPPA, through its training Institute (GPPI), to deliver the following:

• Prepare an online certification/accreditation program, including learning program and material, and exam for the different professional levels (e.g. associate, professional, advanced professional, specific Procurement Data Specialist) – also consider existing formal training (universities, institutes) to be associated to the certification/accreditation program:

• Conduct Training of Trainers: The procurement training program, and related material, will consider five key components: a) introductory to public procurement - online training; b) basic procurement training (three-week); c) specialized procurement training (one week); d) highly specialized procurement training (two weeks); and e) procurement management training. Details regarding the training courses:

a) Introductory public procurement training- online: This elementary online procurement training will cover a basic understanding of the Public Procurement Act, Public Procurement Rules, and procurement methods for low-value contracts. The main target audience for this training will be newcomers in the field of procurement. This course will be a pre-requisite to get user registration in e-GP (once in place). At the end of this online training, there will be an online test (time-sensitive/multiple attempts allowed), with the option of the online certificate.

b) Basic procurement training (three weeks): The basic procurement training will include course content for procurement of goods, works, non-consultant services, and consultant services. The course is targeted to train the personnel involved in the procurement process in selected sector organizations. Also, the possibility of participation of other sector agencies and the private sector in the above training will be explored and may be included as appropriate. This training will be open only to those who satisfactorily concluded the online introductory public procurement training and may take into account participants’ job profiles and professional competencies. This training would focus on the preparation of bidding documents (works, goods, and services), bid submission, evaluation and award of contract, sustainable procurement (SPP), contract management including dispute resolutions, and use of e-GP. The course content will be mainly based on the Public Procurement Act, with short modules on international procurement practices like World Band, African Development Bank.

c) Specialized Procurement Training (one week): This course is meant for specialized fairly complex procurement and is expected to have a duration of at least one week either for goods or works or services. Only the top performers in three weeks of basic procurement training or training of similar nature will be eligible for this course.

d) Highly Specialized Procurement Training (two weeks- one week face-to-face and hands-on: This course is meant for highly specialized complex projects/very large infrastructures and is expected to have a duration of at least one week either for equipment/power plants or large works or services. Only those who completed the specialized procurement training will be eligible for this course. There will be a test for this course.

e) Procurement Management Training: Procurement management training at the advanced level for key procurement officials and procurement focal persons to prepare them to effectively serve as the procurement resources for the respective organizations. This module will focus on developing understanding and capacity of public procurement as a strategic function in the context of the political economy. Personnel to be trained will include GPPA’s procurement officials.

C. National Capacity

• Prepare the overall Strategy underlying policy for the professionalization of public procurement.

• Draft a Regulation on the professionalization of the public procurement function, including the level of qualification and certification/accreditation for different positions in the public procurement system

• Review the capacity of GPPI (the GPPA Institute) and make recommendations to make it effective and operational with the aim to manage the (i) learning program and (ii) certification/accreditation system.

• Propose a draft regulation for the establishment of the association of the procurement professionals including its organization and functioning.

Submission of Expressions of Interest:

The Gambia Fiscal Management Development Project now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to express their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultant firms should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the services.

The attention of interested Consultant firms is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” July dated July 2016 and revised November 2017 and August 2018 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture or a sub-consultant to enhance their qualifications and experience.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Consultant Qualification Selection (CQS) method set out in the Consultant Guidelines. Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 09:00 to 16:00 Monday to Thursday and 09:00 to 12h30 on Friday.

Expressions of interest should be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail) on or before 24 March 2022 at 12h30 GMT

Gambia Fiscal Management Development Project GFMDP

Ashobee Store Building

2nd Floor, Banjul

The Gambia

Email: [email protected], and [email protected]