Support to the ADB procurement department's strategic consultancy initiatives and CMS modernization project

Access the ad and apply through this link: 

https://selfservice.adb.org/OA_HTML/adb/xxcrs/jsp/ADBCsrnFwd.jsp?sel=180665

The assignment aims to support effective delivery of strategic consultancy initiatives by the Consulting Services Unit (CSU) of ADB's Procurement, Portfolio and Financial Management Department (PPFD). CSU is the policy hub and knowledge center for all matters related to consultancy within ADB. Among other tasks, CSU manages the ADB Consultant Management System (CMS), manages standard request for proposal (RFP) and contract templates, negotiates rates with individual consultants, handles consulting contract variations and closures, reviews and advises ADB clients on their consultancy recruitments, handles consultancy-related data, processes consultant performance evaluation reports, produces annual consultancy reports, and delivers innovation in methods and processes to improve the economy, efficiency, fairness, transparency, quality, and value for money of Bank-financed consultancy.

ADB is undertaking to replace CMS (aka "CMS1") with a modern consultant recruitment system (with the working acronym of "CMS2"). This will be a lengthy and complex project, the funds for which are not yet secured. A solid business case is needed in order to develop the logical framework and benefit–cost analysis necessary to convince Bank stakeholders to allocate the several million dollars necessary for this work. CSU will play a lead role in the development of this business case and in the design and delivery of a new system, in close collaboration with ADB’s Information Technology Department (ITD).

The prospect of a new CMS2 also presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for ADB to transform its business processes related to consultancy. While incremental improvements have been made over the years in the way that ADB recruits consultants, more fundamental changes have been limited by development resources available for CMS1. The IT logic and rules originally built into CMS1 in the early/mid 2000s largely persist, as changing them would be too complicated, expensive, lengthy, and/or incompatible with the underlying system architecture. A new system therefore invites CSU to revisit every workflow, every business process, every contract clause, every tooltip, etc. associated with consultancy handled through CMS1. System interfacing with other systems, such as the TA Claims Portal (where most consultants submit their monthly claims), will also be able to be revisited through this modernization project in the hope of streamlining the number and complexity of interfaced systems into a single, source-to-pay system.

Such a transformation process obviously presents a substantial workload for CSU. The unit is in need of top-tier expertise in the early phase of this project during Q4 2022 and Q1 2023 to support its preparatory work for the CMS2 project, namely, with respect to preparation of the CMS2 business case and assessment and redesign of existing business processes and templates. Reporting to the Deputy Unit Head, CSU, the international consultant will support CSU with the preparatory phase of this project, including business case, business process redesign, and prototype design of a new system with the preferred vendor. The consultant will work closely with other staff in CSU and ITD and may need to collaborate with other staff and consultants around the Bank and with external partners as needed.

Given the evolving and uncertain nature of this work, the Consultant will be offered an intermittent time-based contract, with weekly inputs and tasks discussed frequently with CSU staff and guided accordingly based on emerging findings and discussions. The frequency and intensity of work may ebb and flow in line with critical development periods or internal deadlines. Budget will be available for at least one trip to Manila during the assignment to undertake relevant consultations or analysis as may be needed.

Main envisaged work areas are as follows. Workload may not be evenly spread across these areas, depending both on the Consultant’s skills and on the evolving preparation process and interactions of stakeholders internally and externally.

1)    Inputs to CMS2 business case

The business case needs to present a solid understanding of the current inefficiencies with CMS1 and consultancy business processes in ADB, attempting to quantify this where possible in terms of time and resource costs by staff and external parties. This requires the Consultant to develop a very good understanding of how ADB’s consultancy processes work currently. The capabilities of the new system and new business processes then need to be assessed by CSU and the Consultant with respect to new ways of working and how these could save both time and resource costs for the Bank, in terms of both direct and indirect costs (e.g., staff time spent on non-value-adding activity across different staff levels, cost of delays on the ability of ADB projects to deliver results, cost of delayed ADB projects in terms of increased borrowing costs on ADB’s borrowers, cost of inefficiencies onto consultants bidding for ADB work or choosing not to bid, etc.). A benefit–cost analysis of different implementation scenarios (CMS1 status quo, CMS2 lift and shift with no business process change, CMS2 with modest business process change, CMS2 with significant business process change) needs to be included as well. 

2)    Inputs to CMS2 business process reengineering

ADB’s consultancy business processes are summarized in its Staff Instruction on ADB-Administered Procurement of Consulting Services (https://www.adb.org/documents/procurement-staff-instructions), though include many other internal cultural nuances and informal processes that are mostly not codified and need to be understood by the Consultant. To the extent that the Consultant will support efforts to reform these business processes, the Consultant should work to understand these existing processes and help CSU benchmark them against best practices from the wider public and private sector—proposing to retain areas that work well and to revise or remove areas that do not. CSU staff have ideas in this regard and are engaged in a modest benchmarking effort but the Consultant is expected to complement and support this through their own sector knowledge, contacts, and experience. To the extent that policy revisions would commence within the period of the contract, the Consultant would be asked to support drafting and analysis for some of these changes. 

3)    Inputs to consultancy template revisions (RFPs, contracts, commercial data, etc.)

ADB’s business processes are supported by a vast array of system tooltips, templates (such as RFP templates), contract files, databases, and the like that support CSU’s various roles. Many of these may need review and revision as part of broader business process and system reforms. For example, if the Bank decides to change the number and type of selection methods it uses to engage consulting firms, the various RFP templates and contractual documents in this regard would need review and updating to align with the new methods. Various tips and guidance notes would need to be built into the new CMS2 to support implementation of these new methods. To the extent that the Consultant will support efforts to revise these templates, databases, and contracts, the Consultant will need to review and benchmark them against best practices from the wider public and private sector—proposing to retain areas that work well and to revise or remove areas that do not.

4)    Inputs to CMS2 system design and prototyping 

The new CMS2 software platform will be configured for ADB’s needs based on a commercial out-of-box software-as-a-service (SAAS) e-procurement system offered by a preferred vendor (selection process for which is ongoing). The new system is expected to offer a significant degree of flexibility and functionality out of box and should not require extensive coding or customization to meet ADB’s needs. Nonetheless, there will be a substantial configuration effort to develop rules, tips, workflows, templates, file structures, and processes into the system, and to determine and set up functions such as user licensing, management dashboards, and cross-system integration links. It is expected that CSU staff and the Consultant (to the extent that the Consultant will support this work) would require periods of intense “war room”-type work with implementation staff of the preferred vendor to bring in a clear design and to map it out and apply it into the new system architecture. Extensive testing and user experience analysis will be required before the go-live launch of any prototype or minimum viable product, which the Consultant may be asked to support. The Consultant should apply their knowledge and expertise in e-procurement systems to support this work area.

All written inputs prepared by the Consultant shall adhere to the ADB Handbook of Style and Usage and Consultant claims for payment based on time rendered shall include an assessment on this basis.

The assignment may be extended at ADB's discretion into the main CMS2 implementation phase (which may run for several years) depending on availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

Minimum qualification requirements include at least a relevant Bachelor's degree (but ideally a Master's) and at least 15 years of relevant professional experience in areas such as procurement law and policy development, public policy, contract drafting, contract management, the global development consultancy market, human resource management (including salary and benefit benchmarking), organizational review and strategy development, monitoring and evaluation, e-procurement system modernization, assessment of banking operations, and/or related experience, preferably with experience supporting multilateral development banks (MDBs) or other international organizations in these areas. Demonstrable experience in consultancy (rather than procurement of goods or works) is important. Experience in consultancy policy with other MDBs, UN agencies, or international financial institutions will be an asset. A recognized qualification such as MCIPS, MCIPD, PMP, or the like would be an asset. Must be fully fluent in legal English and have excellent legal drafting skills. Should be proactive and diligent, with an excellent eye for detail, and a team player comfortable working within a multicultural team in a hybrid work environment.