Consultancy Opportunity for Facilitation of Development of 2023 – 2027 Strategic Plan for the State Department in Kenya

Consultancy for Facilitation of Development of 2023 – 2027 Strategic Plan for the State Department

1.0 Introduction

The Arid and Semi-Arid (ASALs) constitute over 80 per cent of the country’s land mass, with approximately 38 per cent of Kenya’s population covering 29 counties. The defining feature of the region is its aridity, which is characterized by low levels of rainfall, high temperatures and high rates of evapotranspiration. The ASALs are home to over 75 per cent of livestock, with livestock production (pastoralism) forming one of the key economic activities. The Government of Kenya recognizes the potential contribution of ASALs towards the achievement of the Vision 2030 Strategy and the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

Social development indicators in ASALs are low in comparison with the rest of the country due to various factors. ASALs communities, therefore, have a characteristically low capacity to withstand social, economic, and environmental shocks arising from droughts, conflicts, and climate change. The ASALs are home to the country’s poorest and most vulnerable populations whose resilience is increasingly being depleted and requiring regular humanitarian assistance.

2.0 Strategic Planning in the Public Sector

In 2001, the Government developed and launched the Strategy for Performance Improvement in the Public Service, which sought to increase productivity and improve service delivery. A key hinge of the strategy was the Results Oriented Management (ROM) approach, which culminated in the introduction of Results Based Management (RBM) in 2004. This was a deliberate policy to improve performance, service delivery and governance. With it came Strategic Plans (SPs), service delivery standards and benchmarks, Service Charters, Annual Work Plans, Staff Performance Appraisal, merit-based promotion, and performance contracts.

Since then, it has been a requirement that each Ministry, Department and Agency (MDA) prepares a five-year strategic plan as a guide in the implementation of its mandate aligned to the current Medium-Term Plan. Couple with this, the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act Section 68(2) (g) requires that Accounting Officers (at the National level) prepare a strategic plan for the entity in conformity with the medium-term fiscal framework and fiscal policy objectives of the national Government. This is further amplified by the Public Service Commission Management (Performance Management) Regulations of 2021, Part III on Planning for Efficient and Effective Delivery of Services. Specifically, Section 11 (1)[1] mandates every public body to develop and implement a strategic plan in a participatory manner, while the programs and activities in the plan should be in line with the guidelines issued by the National Treasury and Economic Planning and are aligned to the national development agenda and policy priorities [Section 11 (3)].

A strategic plan is an important result-based management tool that ensures the effective and efficient delivery of services. As such, the State Department has seen it wise to evaluate its current Strategic Plan (2018 - 2022) and prepare the next strategy (2023-2027) to aid in delivering on its mandate. It should be borne in mind that this strategic plan should be a product of extensive collaboration and comprehensive feedback from both internal and external stakeholders. The plan will establish a strategic framework for the delivery of services in the State Department as well as timely monitoring and evaluation of performance.

3.0 Assignment Scope

This assignment will involve carrying out a review of the State Department’s strategic plan for the period 2018-2022 and developing a five-year (2023-2027) strategic plan, which shall be the main tool for ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery, the plan shall be developed to align the State Department’s mandate and functions with the national development agenda and policy priorities as espoused in the fourth Medium Term Plan (MTP IV) and the current governments BETA approach. The plan will take into consideration national and international best practices as well as the linkages between the County and National governments. The plan will be the basis for identifying the annual work plan and Performance Contract targets as well as linking with individual performance appraisal.

For impetus, the State Department is seeking a consultant to express interest in the development of a Strategic Plan for the period (2023 – 2027) that will provide an audacious vision and a clear roadmap for actualizing its vision.

The Consultant is expected to:

  1. Document the extent to which the State Department implemented the current strategy (2018 - 2022), challenges faced, emerging issues and lessons learnt.
  2. Review the Strategic position of the State Department and determine the desired Strategic direction and how that will be achieved.
  3. Undertake environmental (both internal and external) scans. Undertake analysis of Political, Economic, Sociocultural, Technological, Environmental, Legal and Ethical (PESTELE) factors; and Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT).
  4. Review of internal documents and benchmark with similar institutions/ organizations.
  5. Develop a mechanism to ensure the strategic plan is aligned to global, regional, and national development frameworks. Some of these include Africa Agenda 2063,
    EAC Vision 2050, MTP IV, Environment and Natural Resources Sector plan, Infrastructure Sector plan, Social and Finance and Productive Sector plans aligned to the current government development agenda (BETA) and demonstrate how the State Department’s functions will contribute to the achievement of the national development agenda and policy priorities.
  6. Identify key strategic issues affecting the State Department through engagements with a whole spectrum of stakeholders.
  7. Consult with the State Department management, staff, and selected partners/stakeholders to review the current priorities for the plan.
  8. Review the State Department’s Vision, Mission, and Core values and align the strategies to this strategic focus.
  9. Review the State Department’s internal and external environment to identify the issues that need to be addressed and opportunities that need to be leveraged.
  10. Undertake Stakeholder Analyses, documenting their roles and expectations.
  11. Identify key success factors/enablers.
  12. Consolidate critical challenges/gaps or opportunities that must be addressed or tapped for the State Department to achieve its vision.
  13. Develop objectives that will drive the State Department towards the achievement of its goals and identify indicators to measure and monitor the performance.
  14. Review the institutional capacity, organizational set-up, financial and administrative systems against the State Department’s mandate and the identified strategic objectives and key result areas, and make recommendations, if any.
  15. Assess the State Department’s optimal staffing levels necessary to implement its mandate and functions, including the required skills and competencies, the required number of
    employees, the grading structure, and terms of service for the employees.
  16. Develop a Results and Resources Framework for the plan period, identify financial resource requirements and gaps to implement the strategies/activities
    and propose measures to bridge the resource gaps.
  17. Assess risks, categorizing and prioritizing them with suggested action for mitigation.
  18. Develop an implementation matrix (results matrix) providing Key Performance
    Indicators and indicating the target outputs.
  19. Develop the monitoring, evaluation, reporting and learning framework.
  20. Draw up a draft Strategic Plan, incorporating input from the State Department staff and selected stakeholders and partners.
  21. Hold stakeholder meeting(s) to validate the draft Strategic Plan.
  22. Submit to the State Department a designed and printable finalized Strategic Plan.

The development of this new strategy should refer to various national and sectoral frameworks for the exhaustiveness of the proposed strategies. It should be prepared about the 5th Generation Strategic Planning Guidelines as issued by the State Department of Planning under the National Treasury.

4.0 Required Outputs

The expected outputs from this assignment are as follows:

  1. An inception report detailing how the assignment will be undertaken, including a clear work plan with timelines.
  2. Retiring strategic plan review report.
  3. Draft 2023 – 2027 Strategic Plan for the State Department
  4. Finalized 2023 – 2027 Strategic Plan

5.0 Qualification

  1. The firm should be registered under the laws of Kenya.
  2. Broad experience in development planning.
  3. Should have been involved in strategic planning, integrated development, and programmes and project evaluation.
  4. Must have proven/demonstrable understanding of ASAL challenges and should have also engaged in similar or related projects.
  5. At least eight years of relevant work experience - especially undertaking consultancy-related assignments in Strategic Planning, integrated Planning, policy development, Sectoral Planning, programmes/projects development/appraisal, management, and evaluation.
  6. Should have undertaken similar assignment(s) for reputable organizations.
  7. Proficient in written and spoken English and must be computer literate.

The Lead Consultant to undertake this assignment should fulfil the following requirements:

  1. A Master’s degree in Economics, Statistics, Development Economics, or any other relevant training background.
  2. Broad experience in development planning.
  3. At least ten years of relevant work experience - especially undertaking consultancy-related assignments in Strategic Planning, integrated Planning, policy development, Sectoral Planning, programmes/projects development/appraisal, management, and evaluation.
  4. Must understand public programmes and project management and accountability processes.
  5. The Consultant should have experience (with proven evidence) of having undertaken similar assignment(s) for reputable organizations – both state and non-state.
  6. Proficient in written and spoken English and must be computer literate.

6.0 Duration & Working Arrangements

The assignment is expected to be undertaken in 40 man-days with effect from November 2023 to January 2024. The final report should be submitted to the Strategic plan technical committee. Working closely with the Resilience Technical Specialist, the Consultant will undertake the described assignments as per the Terms of Reference.

[1] Of the Public Service Commission Management (Performance Management) Regulations of 2021

How to apply

7.0 Submission

Submit a technical proposal detailing the consultant’s approach to the assignment, financial proposal, CV(s) of key personnel and KRA PIN

In addition to the above, a firm must submit; Certificate of Incorporation/ Business Registration, Tax Compliance Certificate, Business permit, CR 12 Form, KRA PIN, and the firm shall not be sanctioned or blacklisted by any government or institution.

Potential consultant(s) must submit their proposals and mandatory attachments to Strathmore University Business School - USAID Strategic Partnerships Program on Careers SBS careerssbs@strathmore.edu by 27th October 2023 quoting “Facilitation of Development of 2023 – 2027 Strategic Plan for the State Department” as the email subject line.

Updated:
Related Opportunities