Consultancy to design and implement key performance indicators for effective monitoring and control of grants on weekly, monthly and quarterly basis

Item Description:

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) is a regional grouping of 21 African States which have agreed to promote regional integration through trade development and transport facilitation.

More information regarding COMESA objectives, as well as 2021-2025 Medium Term Strategic Plan can be obtained from the COMESA website comesa.int.

Request for Expressions of Interest

COMESA issues this Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) for the design and implementation of key performance indicators for effective monitoring and control of grants on weekly, monthly and quarterly basis.

In this regard, COMESA Requests for Expressions of Interest from an Individual Consultant – To design and implement key performance indicators for effective monitoring and control of grants on weekly, monthly and quarterly basis.

BACKGROUND

The Division of Budget and Finance offers a key support service to the COMESA Secretariat. The mandate of the division is to provide Member States, Management, Secretariat and other stakeholders with the financial services and advice they need and ensure that all the financial resources, both budgetary and extra budgetary, are properly accounted for efficiently and effectively in a secure and appropriately controlled financial environment. The Extra Budgetary Resources Section within the Division of Budget and Finance manages funds from Cooperating partners by undertaking the following functions:

a) Preparation of annual budgets for the Projects.

b) Preparation of monthly Management Accounts.

c) Ensure timely replenishment of funds from the donors for various Projects above mentioned projects;

d) Responsible for disbursements in regard to goods and services purchased by the Projects ensuring strict compliance with cooperating partners requirements;

e) Participate in the successful implementation of project activities in the above projects while each payment is released on time and correctly and supported by relevant documents;

f) Preparation of accurate of annual financial reports for the external audit of projects;

g) Co-ordinate audits, monitoring and evaluations of Projects; and

h) Monitoring cash flows of Projects.

European Union grants are being implemented through subgrants, sub delegation and co delegation arrangements. Where these arrangements apply, the Section is responsible for the financial management of sub grantees, sub delegates and co delegates and will perform the following functions:

1. Reviewing, appraising and reporting upon:
   • the soundness, adequacy and application of financial and other management controls of subgrantee, sub delegates and co delegates;
   • suitability and reliability of financial and other management data developed within the organisation;
2. Advising on controls to be incorporated into new or revised financial and accounting systems and procedures;
3. Review financial reports and financial statements for consolidation with the Secretariat’s financial reports
4. Conduct verifications of all disbursement transactions verifying their compliance with relevant legislative rules, regulations and administrative decisions.
5. Check retirements’ legitimacy, reasonableness, completeness, accuracy, approvals, supporting documentation and total compliance with established policies and procedures; and
6. Recommends retirements to Director or follow up action as necessary and monitor implementation of latter;

OBJECTIVE

The overall project goal is to.

1. Enhance compliance with cooperating partners administrative and financial requirements
2. Ensure timely replenishment of funds from donors
3. Enhance timely preparation of management accounts that are reconciled to the general ledger
4. Support timely submission of quarterly, bi-annual and annual reports to Cooperating partners
5. Improve control and monitoring of sub grant and subdelegated activities financial performance.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Expert will gain an understanding of the requirements of grant agreements entered between COMESA and various cooperating partners as well as grants manuals and specifically design templates and performance indicators in the following areas:

a) Budget Preparation

Review budget preparation templates that are currently in use and align these to standard templates contained in specific grant agreements

Review approved budgets as contained in the grant agreements for conformity with budget performance reports that were prepared during the reporting period

Design templates for consolidation of budgets for grants being implemented for alignment with organizational strategic pillars being supported

b) Preparation of monthly Management Accounts.

Review monthly management account template currently in use and align these to standard templates for quarterly, biannual and annual reporting in specific grant agreements

Design a dashboard for reporting deadlines and have these consolidated for management use

Design a template for consolidation of various grants management accounts that align to organizational strategic pillars and period expenditures

c) Replenishment of funds

Identify funds replenishment thresholds for various grants and check compliance

Prepare dashboards of replenishment thresholds and timelines for various grants.

Consolidate various dashboards for regular review and enforcement with compliance requirements of various grants

d) Compliance with cooperating partners requirements;

Identify administrative compliance requirements of every grant for enforcement by the compliance and Procurement Units

e) Cash management

Design quarterly cashflow templates for various grants to assist in monitoring of cashflows

Design consolidated cashflow template for all grants for management decision making purposes 

f) Subgrantee/Delegate Management

Review all agreements entered with the Subgrantees and Subdelegates

Identify reporting deadlines and check compliance

Identify administrative compliance requirements and check compliance. Prepare compliance checklist for day-to-day use

Review subgrantee and sub delegation manuals and establish extent to which requirements of these manuals are being complied with

Prepare individual and consolidated dashboard for monitoring of subgrantee/subdelegate performance indicators

Documents

EOI-GRANTS-MANAGEMENT-EXPERT.docx” 221205_EOI-GRANTS-MANAGEMENT-EXPERT.docx