National Consultancy for Needs Assessment for NEA’s Labour Migration Management Information System

1. Background

The project on “Free Movement of Persons and Transhumance in the IGAD Region: Improving Opportunities for Regular Labour Mobility” is implemented by the ILO in collaboration with the IGAD and its Member States with the financial support of the European Union. The overall objective of the project is to improve opportunities for regulated labour mobility and decent work within the IGAD Member States through the development of models of intervention, in the broader context of free movement of persons and labour mobility in the region. In the long-term, the project is expected to extend decent work opportunities to current and potential migrants within the region, as well as contribute to regional integration, strengthen the links between economic growth, climate change and job creation, and enhance the social and economic integration of migrants.

One of the key priorities brought to fore in the Labour Migration and Mobility Governance Report is the need for IGAD Member States to digitize their business processes and develop management information systems. The main purpose of LMIS is the production of information and analysis for policymakers and other labour market stakeholders. It has three distinguished functions: facilitates labour market analysis; provides the basis for monitoring and reporting on employment and labour policies; and constitutes a mechanism to exchange information or coordinate different actors and institutions that produce and utilize labour market information and analysis.

The Government of Kenya through NEA has made strides to develop an online platform that enables the private employment agencies to advertise available foreign jobs. Further, the system captures the particulars of recruited migrant workers, duration of the contract, country of destination and the feedback from the migrant workers on their working conditions abroad. The organization is also able to process the registration of the private employment agencies through the system. However, the system is not optimally utilized making the labour migration cycle to be administered manually. Owing to this bottleneck, the government does not have verified data on labour migration. This allows for unscrupulous private employment agencies to exploit the gap and carry on with illegitimate recruitment, disregard the laid down workflow and take short cuts to take out unsuspecting jobseekers. Arising from NEA’s request for technical support, this ToR is developed to hire the services of a consultant to carry out a comprehensive needs assessment of NEA’s information management system and identify the necessary software and hardware requirements. This shall form the basis for technical support to the government to develop a robust labour migration management information system.

2. Purpose and Objectives

The overall purpose of this consultancy is to establish the level of support required to enable the Government of Kenya to have a robust information system to ease labour migration. Specifically, the assignment shall aim to:

· Give a snapshot of NEA’s current labour migration data /information management landscape

· Highlight strengths and gaps in the current data/information management system ,

· Identify areas where the software (data/information management system) and the hard ware is impeding productivity

· Prepare Government of Kenya for the retirement and obsolescence of current technology

3. Scope of the Consultancy

The consultant is expected to carry out the following:

Study the workflow of labour migration

· Analyse how NEA, State Department of Labour, Directorate of Immigration and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Embassies) execute their mandate on labour migration cycle,

· Establish how the ideal workflow set-up on labour migration in Kenya should look like

· Identify bottlenecks and other technology chronic problems on the existing information system,

· Anticipate the changes in the future and how technology needs are likely to look like

Review existing NEA information system

· Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the existing NEA information system.

· Examine the hardware and software technology deployed considering the functionality, age and availability of spare parts.

· Record software release version, patches, and which business processes the hardware is used to support.

· Figure out how this technology affect the workflow of labour migration processes in Kenya

· Establish if Government of Kenya is utilizing the existing technology to the fullest potential

Consider Alternative Information Systems

· Draw comparisons with other existing technologies on the market

· Guide the Government of Kenya on the best model(s) and approach to improve the existing technologies

Assess the Resource Needs

· Estimate the financial needs of the upgrade/development and publicity of the NEA system to optimal

· Advise on the level and availability of technical expertise to support NEA in the upgrade/development the ideal information system

4. Timeline

The assignment is expected to be completed in a maximum of fifteen (15) consultive days from the date of signing of the contract.

5. Required Competency and Qualifications

· The consultant is expected to have reputable experience in developing databases and networking of similar nature and be able to present evidence of past engagement similar to this one

· He should hold master’s degree in software engineering, computer science or similar from a reputable university.

· He should possess at least 3 years of experience and excellent knowledge of database and networking

· Ability to solve problems creatively and adapt her/his style, creativity and imagination while enjoying creative work

· Understanding and Knowledge of the subject matter (labour migration) and the target group.

· Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, ability to accommodate feedback

6. Evaluation Process and Criteria

The evaluation process would be as shown below. In summary, the proposals will be evaluated on a weighted score of 70/30 for Technical/Financial relative score of 70/30.

Technical proposal evaluation criteria

In evaluating the technical proposal, the score allotted in the next table shall be used.

Evaluation Dimension

1. Consultant’s Qualification and Experience of Consultant

Criteria:

• Possess master’s degree in software engineering, computer science or similar from a reputable university.


• Proven reputable experience in designing developing databases of similar nature and be able to past projects


• Proven ability to communicate effectively in English both orally and in writing, ability to accommodate feedback;


• Excellent report writing skills


• Understanding and knowledge on labour migration is an added advantage**Max Score 30**

2. Methodology and Approach to the Assignment

Criteria:

• · The proposal responds comprehensively to the TORs


• · Sound participatory methodology to the assignment


• · Well outlined implementation and management plan


• · Major risks and mitigation options identified in the proposal**Max Score 40**

Total 70

**

The minimum total score required from the technical proposal to be able to proceed for evaluating the financial proposal will be 49/70 which is an equivalent of 70%

Evaluation of the Financial Proposal

The financial proposal offers having passed the technical review will be considered. The financial offer will account for 30% of the final score. The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal will be allocated to the lowest priced proposal. All other price proposals receive pro-rated points according to the following formula: p = y (x/z), where: p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal x = price of the lowest priced proposal z = price of the proposal being evaluated. The proposal obtaining the overall highest score, after adding the score of the technical and the financial proposals, is the one that offers best value for money.

The financial proposal should detail all lines of envisaged expenditure. For each line, the unit cost, the quantity of units, and the total cost should be provided.

Technical and Financial Proposal evaluation will be based on the following percentage combination.

Technical Proposal 70

Financial proposal 30

Total 100

7. Deliverables with payment Schedule

Payments upon submission to ILO satisfaction of the deliverables and in line with the following payment tranches:

Deliverables

• Inception report: detailed inception report explaining firm’s understanding of the ToR/assignment, methodology and work plan


• Execution and final report of the assignment

Payment tranches

• First tranche: 30% of total contract value will be payable up on submission of the revised inception report to the satisfaction of the ILO


• 70% after completion

Time frame

• 5 days


• 10 days

Note: As ILO procedure the office will not cover receiver’s side bank charges

8. Management Arrangements

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the project Chief Technical Advisor based in Djibouti and the management of NEA based in Nairobi, Kenya. It will also get technical back stopping support from other experts in the region and Headquarters as needed. All information and assets related to the toolkit will be property of NEA.

How to apply

Application procedure

Interested applicants (individuals only) should submit their technical and financial proposal in a separate email with the subject to “application: Needs Assessment for NEA’s Labour Migration Management Information System – Technical Proposal” and “application: Needs Assessment for NEA’s Labour Migration Management Information System – Financial Proposal” to: ADDIS_PROCUREMENT (ADDIS_PROCUREMENT@ilo.org) latest by 27 March 2022, 5:00 pm East Africa time;

• The proposal and all correspondences and documents related to the proposal shall be written in English;


• All prices should be submitted in USD. If a proposal is submitted in a currency other than USD, the ILO will convert all prices in to USD using the UN official exchange rate at the date of application to facilitate comparison and evaluation;


• Those applying as team of consultants or firms will be disqualified.