REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST - Hiring of Consulting Firm to Upgrade, Expand, and Maintain the Liberia’s Concessions Information System (CIMS) and automate the National Bureau of Concession's website

Assignment Title : Hiring of Consulting Firm to Upgrade, Expand, and Maintain the Liberia’s Concessions Information System (CIMS) and automate the National Bureau of Concession's website. (Re. No.: LR-MOCI-361331-CS-CQS)

Procurement Method: Consultant Qualification Selection

Duration: 9months

Background 

The Republic of Liberia through the Ministry of Commerce & Industry has received Financing from the International Development Association (IDA) towards the cost of implementing the Liberia Investment, Trade & Finance Project (LIFT-P) and it intends to apply part of the proceeds of the Financing towards payments under the contract for Hiring of Firm to Upgrade, Expand, and Maintain the Liberia’s Concessions Information System (CIMS) and automate the National Bureau of Concession's website, for the National Bureau of Concessions (NBC), under the Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade Project (LIFT-P).

The overall objective of the LIFT-P is to improve the investment climate, expand sustainable access to finance, and increase the efficiency of trade in Liberia and help formal MSMEs recover from the impact of the COVID-19. The LIFT-P is an explicit contributor to the FY19-FY24 Country Partnership Framework (CPF) 

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be found below 

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry now invites eligible Consultants (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The shortlisting criteria are listed as per the Terms of References which links are provided above. 

The Consultant must have minimum qualifications and experiences as per the Terms of Reference.
The Consultants will be selected in accordance with the Consultant Qualification Selection (CQS) method set out in the Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (July 2016 as Revised in November 2017, August 2018 and November 2020). 
Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours, i.e., 0900 to 1600 hours GMT, Monday to Friday. 
Expressions of Interests must be delivered in written forms to the address below (in person, or by
mail, or by fax, or by e-mail) on or before Monday July 3, 2023. Please indicate the assignment of your interest in your submission with subject: 
“Re: Hiring of Consulting Firm to Upgrade, Expand, and Maintain the Liberia’s Concessions Information System (CIMS) and automate the National Bureau of Concession's website, Ref. No.: LR-MOCI-361331-CS-CQS”.

Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade Project (LIFT-P)
Attn: Mr. James Gayflor Quiqui 
Project Coordinator
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (EJS) Ministerial Complex 
Congo Town
Monrovia, Liberia
Tel: +231 777 240 201/775 654 713 
E-mail: jamesquiqui@gmail.com 
Cc: vanyanbah.julius@yahoo.com
 

TERM OF REFERENCE

Background and General Description

The Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) is implementing the Liberia Investment, Finance and Trade (LIFT) Project (P171997) with financing from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Group ($40 million). This project was developed to support the government’s strategic objectives to promote private sector development. Accordingly, the project development objective is to improve the investment climate, expand sustainable access to finance, and increase the efficiency of trade in Liberia. Achieving this objective requires technical support to government institutions including the National Bureau of Concessions (NBC) by building a system that will improve concessions monitoring, evaluation and compliance. Improvement of such system will contribute to economic growth and hold companies/concessionaires accountable to remain committed to agreements signed with the Government of Liberia. The Government has decided to use portion of the fund to upgrade and expand the Concessions Information Management Systems (CIMS) at the National Bureau of Concessions.

Description of the Liberia’s Concessions Information Management System (CIMS) and automation of NBC's website
Component I of the LIFT-Project focuses on improving the Liberia’s Investment Climate by strengthening institutions providing Government to Business (G2B) services covering investment support, business entry and international trade.
The Government of Liberia has begun the early implementation of a new spatial strategy to accelerate large and potentially transformative private sector investments. A spatial approach (including a focus on new growth corridors, industrial parks, and special economic zones) should allow for better coordination within government and with the private sector, which will further allow proper monitoring to making sure that investors are in compliant. Spatial tools enable bundling for cost-effective delivery of support to industries and promote specific reforms to streamline regulatory processes and procedures. This approach usually involves shared infrastructure and services geared toward specific industries, the coordination of reforms, and readily available convening power to bring together public and private sector actors. Sector and spatial factors can also affect incentives for firm entry and growth. With this approach, investors see the advantages in cost and efficiency of firms working in proximity. Strengthening the capacity of key entities of government involved in carrying out these functions is a key part of these calculations. When implemented correctly, spatial tools generally lead to increased private sector investment directed to areas of excellence and higher productivity in select industries that, with proper linkages, will result in positive spillovers to the broader economy and significant sustainable job growth.
The Government of Liberia has also advised that the National Bureau of Concessions (NBC), the state entity responsible for the monitoring of large investments post-commissioning, is also in need for significant capacity-building and training, especially in their work with investors and achieving strong investment impact across agreed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). But the agency is challenged with funding support to adequately perform its tasks. Upgrading and expanding the concession information system currently at the NBC will enhance its coordination and oversight responsibilities over all concession-related entities especially as this is an integral component of the National Bureau of Concessions, serving digital, spatial, and tabular data.

Scope of the consultancy to undertake the Liberia’s Concessions Information Management System (CIMS) and automation of NBC's website

The National Bureau of Concessions is seeking consulting services to upgrade, expand and maintain its Concessions Information and Management Systems and activate the NBC’s website. 

In January 2015, USAID Governance and Economic Management Support (USAID-GEMS) project contracted a software engineering company specialized in land management solutions for natural resource concessions to implement a prototype of the CIMS using FlexiCadastre cloud-based solution specifically for use by the National Bureau of Concessions (NBC) and related concessions granting entities, including the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) , Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) & Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
This system is defined as an information/communications technology system to support the Government of Liberia (GoL) ministries, agencies, and commissions (MACs) that have responsibilities for management and oversight of the country’s natural resource concessions, especially mining, forestry, and agriculture.  An integral part of CIMS is the National Concessions Cadastral (NCC), which is a repository of digital spatial and tabular data about the extent of, and rights in, the land parcels granted by the GoL to concessionaires through various concession agreements.
The CIMS was designed for the following purposes:
⦁    To coordinate and have oversight on all concessions compliance, monitoring, and evaluation issues;
⦁    To serve as concession information storage and provide such services and assistance to Concession Granting Entities (CGEs); such as FDA, MOA, EPA, MLME, etc.  and;
⦁    To allow access to all CGEs and concession companies over land use and management functions.
Following the launch, a support contract was signed between the firm and the NBC, which made provision for technical support, additional onsite training, software maintenance and the cloud server hosting fees. This contract expired at the end of June 2017 and since than the system, though active but has not been supported, expanded and upgraded.

The Consulting Firm is therefore expected to undertake the following roles and responsibilities:

⦁    Inception, Management, Administration and Monitoring and Evaluation

⦁    Undertake an onsite diagnostics and assessment visit to NBC’s office in Monrovia to include the following activities:
⦁    CIMS system and data audit - full system and data review to be conducted by the consultant in an attempt to identify issues that needs to be addressed;
⦁    Review the existing NBC organizational structures, physical premises, and IT infrastructure;
⦁    Review the existing NBC business procedures – identify any changes that may be required to the CIMS workflows and reports;
⦁    Review integration requirements to external systems
⦁    Review NBC training needs;
⦁    Identify key project risks and suggest mitigations.

⦁    Upgrade the CIMS FlexiCadastre system to the latest software version. 
⦁    Expand the system to create a portal for Companies to submit reports and interact with theNBC;

⦁    Provide/ Conduct CIMS Landfolio User Capacity building Training for staff both onsite (Liberia) and away (South Africa) – to include general introductory training on the new version, data entry, workflow training and generating reports along with best practice compliance management and monitoring; develop user’s manuals and Standard Operational Procedures;

⦁    Expand, Design and Implement a Concessions Portal and automate NBC Website:
⦁    Portal to provide a link for Concessionaires to interact with the NBC and submit reports;
⦁    Portal to allow for online Sharing of documents by other agencies such as NIC, MOCI, LRA and EPA;
⦁    Automate the NBC Website to include public access to the Liberia National Concessions Map and first-hand information Liberia’s Concessions Sector;
⦁    Training videos to be developed for the Portal; and
⦁    In collaboration with the NBC, the Consultant to conduct a public stakeholder workshops in Monrovia to promote the new portal and on-board Concessionaires.

⦁    Technical delivery of CIMS & NBC’s website
⦁    CIMS Inception Phase Report;
⦁    CIMS Concessions Portal and Website Design Report;
⦁    CIMS Training & Capacity Building Report;
⦁    CIMS e-Government Concessions Portal and Website Go-live Report and
⦁    CIMS Support Phase Final Report
 

Expected Outcomes
A successful delivery of the assignment will produce the following outcomes:
⦁    Project completion report;
⦁    An upgraded and fully maintained system;
⦁    A portal where Companies can Upload all of their reports and interact with the NBC;
⦁    An Automated website for NBC where the Public can acquire first-hand information about concessions in Liberia;
⦁    Fully trained staff at NBC

Approach and Implementation Arrangements

The assignment will be executed by the selected firm and will be monitored by the NBC’s focal person and LIFT-P focal person at the PIU. The service provider will work closely with the National Bureau of Concessions or its focal person to deliver on this assignment.  

Qualification and Experience

The following qualifications and skills must be met by the firm in order to be considered eligible to undertake the tasks layout under the Scope of Services. 
⦁    Proven knowledge in website development, software engineering and operation of an online platform. 
⦁    A minimum of 8 years’ experience in web designing and maintenance, ICT and any online platform development that captures data.
⦁    Demonstrated experience in developing online portal that allows for online submission of documents by other agencies of government, provides a space for concessionaires to interact with Government, and submits reports and with public access.

Duration of Consultancy
The duration of the assignment is nine (9) months 

Reporting Arrangements

The successful firm will sign a contract with the Government of Liberia through the Minister of Commerce and Industry. The NBC and PIU will provide technical oversight for the implementation of the assignment. The firm will provide updates and/or reports to the NBC and the PIU through the NBC Focal Person and the SME Specialist.

Selection Criteria 

The shortlisting criteria are: 
⦁    Firms Experience relevant to the Assignment 
⦁    Competency/Qualification of the Team relevant to the Assignment 
⦁    Firm’s regional experience in similar context as Liberia.