Consulting: Strengthening the ASEAN Secretariat Project Management Framework

ASEAN Australia Development Cooperation Program (AADCP)
Location: Indonesia
Last Date: July 11, 2011

ASEAN AUSTRALIA DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION PROGRAM (AADCP)
Phase II

CONSULTING OPPORTUNITY FOR
Strengthening the ASEAN Secretariat Project Management Framework (Phase 1)
The ASEAN Secretariat and Australia, through the AADCP II, invites applications for a short-term (3
month) consultancy for the above-referenced project.
I. Background
The Roadmap for an ASEAN Community 2009-2015 was adopted on 1 March 2009 and comprises the
ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint, the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint, the ASEAN
Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan 2 (2009-
2015). Numerous ASEAN cooperation programmes and projects have been undertaken or are underway
to support the achievement of the goals and objectives in the three blueprints and the IAI Work Plan 2.
ASEAN currently has over 20 multi-sectoral cooperation programmes with its Dialogue Partners and
Germany as well as over 300 projects that have been completed, are on-going or are pending. The
ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC) supports the implementation of these ASEAN cooperation programs, and
ensures that their outcomes contribute towards the achievement of the goals and objectives. In doing so,
ASEC works closely with the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR) of the 10 ASEAN Member
States (AMSs) and ASEAN Sectoral Bodies.
To facilitate program and project management in ASEC, tools in the form of guidelines, manuals and a
manually operated database have been developed and implemented. ASEC also have been using a
system that allows ASEC and AMS to collect and analyse basic project information. The systems and
tools are overseen by the Strategic Planning and Coordination Division (SPCD) of ASEC, which is
assigned to administer the multi-sectoral programmes and is responsible for overall project management
in ASEC.

With the increasing demand placed on ASEC for better management of its programs and effective service
delivery, there is a need to strengthen ASEC’s capacity in program and project management. Specifically,
ASEC needs to :
- Increase ownership of programs and projects among key stakeholders;
- Improve quality of programs and project proposals to speed up implementation of ASEAN
blueprints;
- Improve program and project management through regular monitoring and the use of its results
for decision making;
- Optimise resource mobilisation and allocation to maximise use of aid and technical assistance
from Dialogue Partners/ donors;
- Increase accountability and transparency to AMS through the CPR, Dialogue Partners and
donors.
The first step of the capacity strengthening effort is the establishment of an operational project
management framework. This activity will comprise three phases:
• Phase One will focus on building support at all levels for a good project management framework
and practices; analysing the existing framework and practices in ASEC, assessing institutional
roles and responsibilities, and identifying needs. This assessment will result in a recommended
design for a strengthened project management framework.
• Phase Two will establish an integrated project management system for ASEC projects and
programmes as part of the improved project management framework. This will involve:
agreement on institutional roles and responsibilities, agreement on an improved project
management processes, and development of a fully functional electronic project management
system.
• Phase Three will prepare detailed program and project management guidelines to regulate the
use of the electronic project management system. This phase will also design and implement a
training programme on program and project management for ASEC officials to support the use of
the system. Phase Three will be initiated in parallel with Phase Two.
This TOR covers the first phase of the process. The second and third phases will be initiated following
endorsement by ASEC and CPR of the design recommended in the first phase and will be tendered
separately.
II. Needs and Objectives
The goal of the project is to design a project management framework that promotes ownership and
participation of the various ASEC divisions and levels as well as relevant key stakeholders in program
and project planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. The project management framework
will:
1. Increase understanding of program and project cycle management among ASEC staff and key
stakeholders;
2. Clarify roles and responsibilities of ASEC officers at all working levels, specific ASEC divisions,
Dialogue Partners, AMS/CPR as well as other relevant key stakeholders in ASEC program and
project cycle management;
3. Improve quality and control of program and projects through standardized processes and tools;
4. Ensure that program and project information are available to stakeholders according to their
respective needs in a timely manner;
5. Ensure regular monitoring and evaluation of programs and projects, and the use of its results for
decision making;
6. Serve as key material for the subsequent development of an electronic project management
system.
III. Outputs / Deliverables
The output of the project will be a final report that describes the existing program and project
management practice, gaps and needs, and recommendations and implementation plan for an improved
project management framework. The main contents of the report will be:
I. NEEDS ASSESSMENT
1. Identification of ASEC’s existing program and project management practices that includes: a)
availability of a formal project management framework and its specific objectives; b) roles and
responsibilities; c) mechanisms, processes, procedures, tools including report, proposal formats
and guidelines in use; d) utilization of the mechanisms, processes, and tools; compliance to
procedures and guidelines, and outputs produced; e) use of the existing electronic project
management system.
2. Identification of stakeholders’ needs in relation to program and project management, specifically
the CPR, AMS, SPCD, sectoral divisions, ASEC officers at all levels, as well as relevant
stakeholders;
3. Analysis of the existing framework’s effectiveness, which should explore: a) the relationship
between the existing framework and overall ASEC objectives; and b) the more detailed
relationship between the framework and actual ASEC project management practice. The analysis
should clearly identify and priorities needs and gaps within the existing project management
framework.
II. RECOMMENDATIONS
1. A recommended design for an improved project management framework that:
a. Clearly states its overall objectives and benefits;
b. Specifies roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders and ASEC staff at all levels on
program and project management;
c. Describes overall program and project management processes and mechanisms, and
illustrates detailed processes and procedures for each group of key stakeholders and ASEC
staff, with clear identification of data inputs and outputs within each process or sub-process.
The processes and procedures should incorporate existing processes and procedures
wherever appropriate. It should therefore provide an appropriate level of consistency of
approach across all ASEC programs and projects, ensure adequate control over ASEC
programs and projects, and provide an appropriate level of reporting;
d. Identifies the necessary tools to operations the processes and procedures. The tools
should support processes within all stages of program and project management, from
planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, to the utilization of feedback and
lessons learned by the relevant staff and stakeholders.
e. Is modular and adaptable; structured and communicated in a way that can be directly
translated into requirements for a robust electronic project management system. The
recommendations should give a clear picture of the electronic system’s scope, key
components and design features, information inputs and outputs within each process in the
system, and resource requirements.
2. A detailed implementation plan and cost estimates to put the framework in place and to build
capacities of key stakeholders. The implementation plan should be divided into phases and/or
available as options to adapt to commitments and resource availability.
The final report should roughly follow this outline:
1. Executive Summary
2. Background, describing the background of the project, results expected, approach and
methodology, activities that had taken place, and issues faced in the implementation of activities
3. Needs assessment
4. Proposed design for ASEC program/project management framework
5. Implementation plan and cost estimates
6. Annexes
IV. Tasks/Activities
The following activities will need to be undertaken to achieve the outcomes and outputs presented above.
The bidder should provide details on its approach to each activity in its bid and is free to recommend
additional activities. These will be expanded as part of the contracting and project inception processes.
1. Initial consultations with key stakeholders—CPR, AMS, National Secretariats, SPCD, ASEC
Senior Management, Dialogue Partners, desk officers in sectoral divisions— to build a shared
vision around the overall objectives, requirements, outputs and roles in a Project Management
Framework. Shared vision and commitment from the key stakeholders are crucial to the project’s
success.
2. Initial consultation with an internal working group -coordinated and assembled by SPCD- to
collect information on the existing project management framework, roles and responsibilities,
processes and procedures in use and identification of key issues and problems. The purpose of
these consultations is to gather necessary information to structure the overall approach to the
project.
3. Presentation and submission of an Inception Report that lays out: an overall approach to the
project, activities to be undertaken and their sequencing, outputs and deliverables, staffing and
management plans and a budget. Subsequent consultations can be held as necessary to finalise
the inception report.
4. Upon endorsement of inception report, identification and analysis of the current project
management framework and practices, followed by assessment of issues and problems
associated with the current framework, and needs assessment of the key stakeholders, ASEC
Staff and divisions. Specific activities to be undertaken to achieve the objectives of this stage will
be determined during the inception stage but should include review of existing guidelines,
processes and procedures; critical analysis of current outputs and assessment of their use and
identification of the needs of all stakeholders. Key to this will be consultations with stakeholders.
These may involve: a) large seminars/workshops; b) smaller focus group discussions, c) surveys;
and d) one-on-one consultations with selected stakeholders. The purpose of these consultations
will be to both build overall support for a strengthened project management framework and to
identify particular needs. Consultations will be held with, among others:
• CPR Working Group;
• The ASEAN Secretary-General and Deputy Secretarys-General;
• ISO Working Group or the similar working group assigned to discuss and address the
project;
• SPCD;
• Other functional units such as the Finance and Budget Division, IT and External Relations
Divisions;
• Sectoral divisions;
• Selected Dialogue Partners, in particular their programme facilities.
Consultations will be held at various points during the course of the process. The key points of
consultations will include consultations at the stage of project inception and after the Inception
Report is produced; during the needs assessment process and after the identification of key
issues and problems; during the development of the recommended design of the project
management system and prior to the finalization of the Final Report.
5. Assessment of international best practices on project management systems. This will involve a
literature review on existing systems used by regional/international organizations similar to ASEC.
6. Presentation and submission of a draft needs assessment report. Subsequent consultations can
be held as necessary to finalize the needs assessment report.
7. Upon endorsement of the needs assessment report, development of recommendations on how to
improve program and project management tools, processes, guidelines and mechanisms in
ASEC; and an initial design of a strengthened project management system. This should respond
to the needs determined earlier and a reference to the existing system.
8. Consultations with relevant stakeholders on the draft recommendations.
9. Submission and finalisation of final report. Content of the final report is described in the Outputs
section above.
V. Reporting
As part of project deliverables, the consultant will produce three reports. Details on the reports can be
found in the Outputs and Activities section above.
• Inception;
• Needs Assessment;
• Final report.
All reports will be submitted in draft format to the project manager.
As part of project monitoring, the consultant will also provide bi-weekly summations of activities
undertaken and issues that have arisen. These will be submitted to the project manager via email.
Financial reports will be submitted at invoicing in line with a payment schedule to be specified in the
consulting agreement.
VI. Management
This project will be managed by the Strategic Planning and Coordination Division (SPCD) of ASEC. As
the project manager, the SPCD will :
- Act as ASEC key focal point for the project;
- Establish the ASEC internal working group for the needs assessment and the development of
recommendations;
- Oversee project implementation, monitor progress and address issues for project outputs;
- Arrange for consultation meetings between the consultant and relevant stakeholders. Tasks for
logistical and administrative preparation for meetings will be divided between the consultant and
SPCD, as appropriate;
- Coordinate with stakeholders, including CPR and ASEC Senior Management for the
endorsement of outputs/ deliverables;
- Following the project completion, manage the implementation of the endorsed recommendations
and implementation plan
The AADCPII Program Planning and Monitoring Support Unit (PPMSU) will provide technical support to
SPCD for the implementation of this project, as required.
VII. Scope of Services
The study will be undertaken over a continuous period of three months with approximately six person
months of professional services.
VIII. Qualifications
The bidder must demonstrate the following qualifications:
• At least ten years of professional experience in the area of organizational development,
especially in dealing with a wide spectrum of institutional strengthening issues in the context of
international/regional organizations or governmental agencies;
• Programme and project management skills, including in formulation/design, appraisal,
management and reporting on project and programme activities;
• Demonstrable experience in working with and developing project management systems, which
include monitoring and evaluation systems, for international agencies, development institutions or
the public sector;
• Knowledge of the ASEC institutional framework will be an advantage;
• Demonstrable experience in breaking down and communicating complex concepts to a range of
stakeholders in multi-cultural settings.
IX. Bidding
Interested consulting firms are invited to submit a proposal in response to this Terms of Reference. This
proposal should be in two parts: technical and financial.
The technical component should present the following information:
• A brief discussion indicating the bidder’s understanding of the needs of the study;
• A methodological discussion of how the bidder proposes to address those needs including
assessment of key issues, analytical strategies that will underlie the study and specific techniques to
be utilized;
• A detailed work plan that specifies activities to be undertaken, expected outputs, resources to be
utilized and timing;
• Management plan;
• A discussion on how measures to ensure the future sustainability of the outcomes of the project will
be addressed;
• CVs of all proposed experts;
• Brief discussion of firm’s past experience in undertaking similar work and brief summaries of all
projects undertaken.
The financial component should specify all direct and indirect costs including billing rates for experts,
workshops, etc

X. Submission of Application
Applicants should send via email (tender@aadcp2.org) and mail/courier 4 (four) printed copies of
their application with a cover letter, materials specified in Section IX above and other supporting
documents to ASEAN Australia Development Cooperation Program II, ASEAN Secretariat 2nd Floor,
Jl.Sisingamangaraja 70A, Jakarta 12110, Indonesia indicating “Strengthening the ASEAN
Secretariat Project Management Framework” as the subject. Only applications (either emailed or
printed versions) received by 5 PM Jakarta time 11 July 2011 will be considered. . Please note that
only short-listed candidates will be notified.