CONDUCT AN ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT (PFM) SYSTEM IN MALAWI - HACT Macro Assessment

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

SELECTION OF A CONSULTING FIRM TO UNDERTAKE AN ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT (PFM) SYSTEM IN MALAWI

PROCUREMENT REF: UNDP/MWI10/RFP/007/2015

BACKGROUND

Pursuant to United Nations General Assembly Resolution 56/201 on the triennial policy review of operational activities for development of the United Nations system, the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT) framework was first adopted in 2005 by UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA. In Malawi, HACT has been implemented since 1 January 2008 and is coordinated by the HACT Working Group representing 7 UN Agencies namely: FAO, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP and UNW. The HACT framework represents a common operational (harmonized) framework for transferring cash to government and non‑governmental Implementing Partners (IPs), irrespective of whether these partners work with one or multiple United Nation agencies. The objective of the HACT framework is to support a closer alignment of development aid with national priorities and to strengthen national capacities for management and accountability, with the ultimate objective of gradually shifting to national systems. It is understood that ‘harmonized’ in the context of the HACT framework refers to agencies implementing a common operational framework using the same, consistent, standardized approach and tools.

To ensure adequate awareness of the Public Financial Management (PFM) environment within which agencies provide cash transfers to IPs, a desk review of assessments of the PFM system will be conducted. In the HACT framework PFM is broadly defined to include a range of considerations for operating in the country. It is not limited solely to the financial environment but also includes national procurement capacity, exchange rate volatility, presence of informal/black markets, etc. This assessment is called a macro assessment.

OVERALL CONSULTANCY OBJECTIVE

The two primary outputs of the macro assessment are:

1. An outline of the risks related to use of the PFM for cash transfers within the country by governmental IPs, as well as for non-governmental IPs; and
2. A determination on whether the government’s supreme audit institution (SAI) has the capacity to undertake scheduled and special audits of government IPs.

METHOD OF APPLICATION

Interested consultancy firms should access the detailed RFP including Terms of Reference

Either: via UNDP website under this link; http://www.ungm.org/tender notices

Or E-mail request to: procurement.mw@undp.org.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION DEADLINE:

Proposals can also be submitted online on procurement.mw@undp.org.

The proposal submission deadline shall be July, 1^st 2015, Time: 1200HRS