Overview
The Government of Barbados (GOBD) has received financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in an amount equivalent to US$200,000.00 towards the cost of the Institutional Strengthening of Barbados Social Protection System and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this financing to eligible payments under a contract for which this invitation is issued.
Payments by CDB will be made only at the request of GOBD and upon approval by CDB, and will be subject in all respects to the terms and conditions of the Financing Agreement. The Financing Agreement prohibits withdrawal from the financing account for the purpose of any payment to persons or entities, or for any import of goods, if such payment or import, to the knowledge of CDB, is prohibited by a decision of the United Nations Security Council taken under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations. No party other than GOBD shall derive any rights from the Financing Agreement or have any claim to the proceeds of the Financing.
The Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment (MFEAI), the Executing Agency, now wishes to procure consultancy services for a Social Protection Programme Specialist for the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs (MPEA).
The objective of the consultancy is to enhance the capacity of MPEA to implement BERT while protecting the poorest and most vulnerable from adverse socioeconomic shocks and risks. Socioeconomic recovery and resilience in a COVID-19 environment is also a critical factor to be addressed. Overall, this consultancy entails:
(a) providing technical support to the MPEA in the planning, management and coordination of social protection programmes risks and mitigating the adverse impacts of BERT on poor and vulnerable populations; and
(b) laying the foundation for stronger partnerships to undergird the implementation of critical social protection reforms to support the achievement of key medium-term macroeconomic results and the progressive realisation of an enhanced social protection system.
Candidates must possess suitable qualifications and at least ten (10) years’ experience in the design and management of social protection programmes; social and gender analysis, planning and policy formulation, and have been involved at a senior level in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of social protection, poverty reduction and safety net programmes in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). In-depth knowledge and working experience of the Caribbean and/or SIDS socioeconomic context in general is also required.
The duration of the assignment is expected to be over an eighteen (18) month period.
The Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment (MFEAI), on the behalf of the MPEA, now invites interested eligible individual consultants to submit Expressions of Interest indicating qualifications and experience required to provide these consultancy services.
Eligibility
Consultants shall be eligible to participate if:
(a) the persons are citizens or bona fide residents of an eligible country; and
(b) in all cases, the consultant has no arrangement and undertakes not to make any arrangements, whereby any substantial part of the net profits or other tangible benefits of the contract will accrue or be paid to a person not a citizen or bona fide resident of an eligible country. Eligible countries are member countries of CDB.
The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 5.15 and 5.17 of Procurement Procedures for Projects Financed by CDB (2019), setting forth CDB’s policy on conflict of interest for the selection of consultants.
Instructions
In the assessment of submissions, consideration will be given to qualifications and experience on similar assignments.
All information must be submitted in English. Further information, including the full Terms of Reference, may be obtained from piu.gob@barbados.gov.bb between 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. AST, Monday to Friday until February 19, 2021.
One (1) electronic copy of the Expressions of Interest must be received at the first address below no later than 3:00 p.m. AST on Monday, February 22, 2021 and one (1) electronic copy must be sent simultaneously to CDB at the second address below. The electronic submission should include the name and address of the applicant and shall be clearly marked “Expression of Interest – Consultancy Services for Social Protection Programme Specialist.”
Following the assessment of submissions, the most technically capable and appropriately experienced applicant will be invited to negotiate a contract to provide the consultancy services. GOBD reserves the right to accept or reject late applications or to cancel the present invitation partially or in its entirety. It will not be bound to assign any reason for not engaging the services of any applicant and will not defray any costs incurred by any applicant in the preparation and submission of Expressions of Interest.
Contact
Address 1
The Permanent Secretary, Economic Affairs
Economic Affairs and Investment Division
Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment
3rd Floor East
Warrens Office Complex
Warrens, St. Michael
BARBADOS
Address 2
Procurement Officer
Caribbean Development Bank