Request for Expressions of Interst Consulting Services

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
CONSULTING SERVICES– FIRMS SELECTION
 
Project Preparation Advance CITIZEN – CENTERED PUBLIC SERVICES PROJECT
 
Consulting Service
For
Terms of Reference for Consulting Firm on the User Experience Expertise
 
ALBANIA
Project: Project Preparation Advance, CITIZEN – CENTERED PUBLIC SERVICES PROJECT
Project ID: P472
Assignment Title:  User Experience Expertise
Ref. No.:  AL-PPA/P. 472/CS/CQ/1.02.05
 
The Government of Albania has received financing in the amount of US$ 2 million, equivalent from the World Bank toward the cost of the Citizen – Centered Public Services Project, and it intends to apply part of the proceeds to payments for consulting services for ‘Front Office Operations Expertise”.
 
Under the Innovative Good Governance priority, launched in April 2014, the Program “Innovation against Corruption: Building a Citizen Centric Service Delivery Model in Albania” (ISDA), led by the Minister of State of Innovation and Public Administration (MIPA), entails a multilayered reform that focuses on key administrative central government public services to reduce the time and burden for citizens and businesses and improve service delivery quality, transparency and efficiency by using innovative solutions and ICT. Its key pillars are i) the establishment and management of an integrated nationwide model of service delivery whereby, the front office is focused on the relation with the public and is separated from back office processing, including the implementation of the one-stop-shop and in-one-place approach of the Citizen Service Center; (ii) service provision standardization, simplification through business process re-engineering and digitization, with a focus on online services; iii) citizen feedback and performance monitoring on service delivery for ongoing improvement.
 
Under this assignment support will be provided to address the user experience topic relative to the E-Albania portal, aiming to increase its usability and to better connect with the citizen and businesses through it. The Consultant will analyze and evaluate the e-Albania portal from the user’s viewpoint; fulfill an User Experience (UX) research of the E-Albania Portal; recommend the improvement of the Portal based on the findings of the research.
 
The Central Finance and Contracting Unit in the Ministry of Finance of Albania invite eligible Consulting Companies (“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 (description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, samples of previous works and availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc.).
 
The short listing criteria are:
The consultant will have at least the following qualifications:
•             Minimum of 8 (eight) years of experience in Consulting is required, with special reference to UX involving government portals.
•             At least two (2) similar contracts successfully carried out within the last four years, accompanied with certificates of satisfaction issued by the contracting authority.
•             Availability of key staff with necessary qualifications and experience to successfully carry out all the tasks and deliverables of this assignment with the following qualifications:
-Key Expert on Interaction design with advanced degree in Web/Multimedia Design and at least (5) years working experience in Interaction design;
-Key Expert on User Research  with advanced degree in Human Behavioral Neuroscience, and/or similar degree relevant to the assignment  and at least of five (5) years working experience in User research design.
 
The following input is desired:
 
-              Key Expert on Interaction design – 30 man/days
-              Key Expert on User Research  -  30 man/days 
 
 
The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to paragraph 1.9 of the World Bank’s Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits & Grants by World Bank Borrowers (January 2011 edition, revised July 2014) (“Consultant Guidelines”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. 
Consultants may associate with other firms in the form of a joint venture or a sub-consultancy to enhance their qualifications.
 
A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Consultant’s Qualifications Selection (CQ) method set out in the Consultant Guidelines.
 
Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours from 08:00 to 16:00, Mondays to Thursdays, and from 08:00 to 14:00 on Fridays.  
 
The complete Terms of Reference is posted on the website of CFCU: http://cfcu.minfin.gov.al, and that of the ADISA- Agency for the Delivery of Integrated Services in Albania: www.adisa.gov.al. 
 
Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below in person, or by mail, or by e-mail by March 24nd, 2016, 16.00 o’clock, local time.
 
Manol Simo, General Director
Central Finance and Contracting Unit (CFCU)
Ministry of Finance
Blvd: Dëshmorët e Kombit, No. 3, Tirana, Albania
Tel: +355 4 24 51 180
E-mail: [email protected]