CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT Human Resources Management Department (CHHR) Avenue Joseph Anoma 01 BP 1387 Côte d’Ivoire Email: [email protected] [email protected] Fax: 20242079. Tel: +225 2026 4439

CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR THE PROVISION OF BACKGROUND SCREENING & ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION VERIFICATION SERVICES TO THE AFRICAN DEVELOMENT BANK GROUP

ADB/EOI/CHHR/2019/002

1. Established in 1964, the African Development Bank (“the Bank”) is the premier pan-African development institution, promoting economic growth and social progress across the continent. There are 80 member states, including 54 in Africa (Regional Member Countries). The Bank’s development agenda is delivering the financial and technical support for transformative projects that will significantly reduce poverty through inclusive and sustainable economic growth. In order to sharply focus the objectives of the Ten Year Strategy (2013 – 2022) and ensure greater developmental impact, five major areas (High 5s) that will accelerate our delivery for Africa, have been identified for scale-up, namely: energy, agro-business, industrialization, integration and improving the quality of life of the people of Africa.

2. The African Development Bank’s Strategy for 2013–2022 as encapsulated in the five development priorities - the High-5s (Light Up and Power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa) reflect the aspirations of the entire African continent. These are firmly rooted in a deep understanding and experience of how far Africa has come in the last decade, and where it wishes to go in the next. The High-5s are designed to place the Bank at the centre of Africa’s transformation and to improve the quality of Africa’s growth. They aim to broaden and deepen that process of transformation, mainly by ensuring that growth is shared and not isolated for all African citizens and countries, and not just for some. The ultimate purpose is to bring about growth that is not just environmentally sustainable but also economically empowering.

3. The Bank hires approximately 200-300 employees from around the annually, and as such, it seeks one or more experienced agencies that will be able to provide high quality, fast, efficient and cost-effective background screening, employment verification/reference checks and academic qualifications verification services on an international basis. 4. The services provided under the assignment will support all recruitment processes to ensure the right staff are in the right job. The Bank seeks the services of an internationally recognized consulting firm/agency to work with the Bank’s Corporate Human Resources Department (CHHR) in conducting various relevant background checks for all staff of the Bank. 5. The purpose of this assignment with regards to the academic verification process for example, is to engage relevant institutions of higher learning in validating information provided by candidates regarding their education. This will help ensure that CHHR does not needlessly lose any momentum or time during the recruitment process in responding to the human resource needs of the Bank as it drives forward the change and improvements the Continent demands. 6. The service provider will also be expected to provide cost-effective background screening and employment verification/reference checks and related checks as may be requested by the Bank. 7. One of the key performance indicators will be the turnaround time that is expected to be in line with the ’s urgent need for efficient response in identifying suitable candidates to fill vacant positions, but without compromising the accuracy and reliability of the results of the screening and verification services provided.

8. The Human Resources Management Department (CHHR) invites consulting firms to indicate their interest in providing the above-described services. Interested eligible consulting firms or associations of consulting firms shall provide information on their qualifications and experience demonstrating their ability to provide the services mentioned above (documentation, references for similar services, experience in comparable assignments, availability of qualified staff, etc.). All the personnel to be engaged by the firm must have at least a master’s degree in Human Resources Management, Business Development or Business Management or equivalent. They should have documented evidence of having handled similar functions for other global organizations. 9. The eligibility criteria for consulting firms: ✓ Must be registered in one of the Bank’s Member States ✓ Must have demonstrable relevant experience and track record of delivering such services to other global organizations for a minimum of five (5) years. ✓ In line with the bilingual requirements of the Bank, the peculiar requirements and deliverables expected of this assignment, firms must produce evidence of the ability to work in both English and French languages.

✓ Adherence to the underlisted core values and the code of conduct are necessary requirements for this job. If there is noticed diversion from these standards at any point in the engagement, the Bank will sever all relationship with the selected firm without any encumbrances on the part of the Bank. (The Bank has five Core Values: • Excellence: Quest for the highest level of performance through continuous improvement of our skills and business practices• Team Spirit: Working together in a spirit of creativity and mutual respect to achieve common objectives •Integrity: Observing the highest standards of ethics, honesty and accountability at all times •Professionalism: Delivering the best quality service to our clients with utmost rigour and efficiency •Transparency: Acting with clarity, equity and objectivity in designing, Interpreting and applying Bank’s policies and procedures) ✓ The Bank has a cross-debarment agreement with other Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and International Financial Institutions (IFIs). Firms that have been debarred by any of these institutions should not express interest in the advertised assignment. 10. The estimated duration of services for the initial assignment is twelve (12) months and it shall be renewable depending on the bank’s needs and subject to performance. The expected starting date is 1st of January 2020. 11. Declaration of impartiality: This is an open advertisement. To ensure that the same amount of information is available to

2

all intending firms, no firm should make contact with any official of the Bank soliciting for more information or requirements for this job. 12. Interested consulting firms should submit their Expressions of Interest in zipped electronic copies to the email addresses below not later than 11th of October 2019, at 17:00 p.m. Abidjan time.

For Attention of: Mr. Taurai MUSAKARUKA African Development Bank Staff Development and Training Division BP 1387 Rue Joseph Anoma, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire Tel: +22520264439 Facsimile (fax): 20242079 E-mail: [email protected]

AND Ms. Fatoumata COULIBALY-N’GUESSAN African Development Bank Human Resources Management Department (CHHR) Avenue Joseph Anoma HQ Building 01BP 1387 Abidjan 01, Cote d’Ivoire Tel.: +225 2026 56 22 Email: [email protected]

3

TERMS OF REFERENCE 1. BACKGROUND

The African Development Bank Group (“AfDB or the “Bank”) is Africa’s premier development finance institution and is one of the five major, global multilateral development banks (MDBs). The overarching objective of AfDB is to spur sustainable economic development and social progress in its regional member countries (RMCs), thus contributing to .

The African Development Bank’s Strategy for 2013–2022 as encapsulated in the five development priorities - the High-5s (Light Up and Power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa) - reflects the aspirations of the entire African continent. These are firmly rooted in a deep understanding and experience of how far Africa has come in the last decade, and where it wishes to go in the next.

The High-5s are designed to place the Bank at the centre of Africa’s transformation and to improve the quality of Africa’s growth. They aim to broaden and deepen that process of transformation, mainly by ensuring that growth is shared and not isolated for all African citizens and countries and not just for some. The ultimate purpose is to bring about growth that is not just environmentally sustainable but also economically empowering.

2. SCOPE OF WORK The main objective The Bank seeks the services of an internationally recognized consulting firm to work with the Bank’s Corporate Human Resources Department (CHHR) in conducting academic and professional qualifications verification and general background checks for all bank recruited staff.

The purpose of this assignment is to engage relevant institutions and individuals to validate information provided by candidates or recruited staff members, regarding their educational or academic/professional qualifications and screening for general background related information. This will help ensure that the Bank does not needlessly lose any momentum or time during the recruitment process in responding to the human resource needs of the Bank as it drives forward the change and improvements the continent demands.

Screening component Definition Academic verification Confirmation of highest academic qualification attained at degree level. A level and GCSEs or equivalent will only be confirmed if attained in the last five years. Full research of all the possible equivalent certification nomenclature and building a correlation table for the French, English, Spanish and Portuguese Bachelor’s, Masters and Doctorate equivalence qualification Professional qualifications Verification and confirmation of all professional verification qualifications/trade memberships, including levels and dates of affiliation. Provision of Management Preparation and submission of full individual report to CHHR Report management. Reference and background Conducting of reference and any required related background Checks checks.

4

The selected firm will be expected to: a) Conduct background checks on any current and prospective staff and employees on probation whose consent and details the Bank would have obtained legally, including the following; (i) Academic qualifications verification; (ii) Professional qualifications verifications; (iii) Criminal record vetting (including terror checks, credit records from relevant agencies in the respective resident countries where such relevant agencies exist); (iv) Employee background checks, as well as any other necessary checks as may be agreed between the service provider and the Bank. b) Carry out pre-employment screening of candidates for certain ‘higher risk’ positions as may be deemed by the Bank. The categories to be covered here include but is not limited to; (i) Academic and professional qualifications verification, (ii) Identity verification, (iii) Professional reference checks, (iv) Confirmation of employment history, (v) Criminal vetting, (vi) Financial vetting (frauds, laundering etc.) c) For senior management positions, carry out investigation on candidate’s peer standing based on publicly available information, directorship searches, media searches, and disqualification searches, among others. This is to gain more thorough insight into the candidate’s reputation and to highlight any possible issues that the Bank may wish to consider. The verification may also take into account corporate interests and political affiliations; d) Prepare and submit full individual reports on the above, in an agreed format and on an ongoing basis within agreed time limits and e) Cover as many countries as possible globally, with specific focus on all the eighty (80) member countries from where we source the Bank’s staff members.

5

3. TIME FRAME

The service shall be provided for a period of twelve (12) months at the first instance and shall be renewable for further periods thereafter, depending on performance and mutual agreement.

REPORTING OBLIGATIONS

The selected service provider will work closely with the Senior Recruitment Officer, under the overall supervision of the Division Manager, Staff Recruitment, Training and Development (CHHR3).

4. LOCATION OF SERVICE PROVIDER

The service provider may provide the support remotely from any location in the world but strictly meet the agreed turnaround times.

5. CAPABILITIES AND SKILLS

The service provider will be expected to have the following capabilities and skills: a) Ability to cover all of the Bank’s member countries; b) Experience in providing pre-employment screening and vetting services to the banking and financial services sector; c) Experience in providing pre-employment screening and vetting services to the public sector and/or international financial institutions; d) Ability to offer the services in both English and French; e) Possession and/or operation of approved industry standard accreditation. f) A track record of at least five (5) years relevant experience rendering similar services and g) Be flexible, dynamic and proactive.

EXCLUSIVITY

In awarding the contract, the successful consulting firm shall acknowledge that there is no form of exclusivity that has been granted by AfDB for services from the firm, and that the Bank is at all times entitled to enter into other contracts and agreements for the provision of any other or all services, which may be the same as or similar to the services in this Terms of Reference.

6