Records Management Specialist. IPU Parliamentary Support Programme, Myanmar. Open until 2 September 2015

Terms of Reference

Records Management Specialist, UNDP/IPU Parliamentary Support Programme,

Union Assembly of Myanmar

Location :
Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar

Application Deadline :
Wednesday, 2 September 2015

Type of Contract :
Consultancy

Daily remuneration:
To be negotiated

Languages Required :
English

Starting Date :
mid-late September 2015 (or as negotiated)

Duration of Initial Contract :
6-8 weeks (may be extended)

Expected Duration of Assignment :
3-4 months (may be extended)

Developing Records Management classification, policies and training

I. Background


The current Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (the Constitution) came into force in 2008. Chapter 4 of the Constitution establishes the Union Legislature or Pyidaungsu Hluttaw comprising two Hluttaws that are generally equal in status:


·
the Pyithu Hluttaw (People’s Assembly) formed with representatives elected on the basis of township as well as population. Twenty five percent of Members are Defence Services nominated by the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services. Section 109 provides that the Pyithu Hluttaw will have a maximum of 440 representatives with not more than 330 elected representatives and 110 nominated military Members.

·
the Amyotha Hluttaw (Nationalities Assembly) formed with 12 representatives from each of 7 Regions and 7 States and 1 representative from each Self-Administered Division or Self-Administered Zone. Another 25% of Members are Defence Services Personnel nominated by the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services. Section 141 provides that the Amyotha Hluttaw will have a maximum of 224 representatives with 168 elected representatives and 56 nominated military Members.

The term of the Union Hluttaw is 5 years from the day of the first session of the Pyithu Hluttaw. The current term expires in late 2015 with the election announced for November 2015.

Background to the Parliamentary Support Programme

Discussions in 2012 with the Myanmar parliamentary leadership, a cross-section of MPs, key staff and a range of other stakeholders identified a number of common priority areas of support for the parliament. As an interim before the UNDP/IPU Parliamentary Support Programme was in place, the IPU began in late 2012 implementation of activities in support of the gradual establishment of the Library, Research and Information Services (LRIS) for the Union Assembly and considered a priority by the parliament. This work was done in close coordination with the UNDP Country Office. By mid-2013 a 3-year 2

UNDP-IPU parliamentary support project had been agreed, based on a further detailed assessment missions and discussions with senior political leaders of the Union Assembly. The project is a long-term, multi-faceted approach to capacity building that provides development support to Parliamentarians, the Parliamentary Administration, and the institution.

Programme Activities in 2015

The Programme recently supported the Parliament in developing a strategic plan
1. The Strategic Plan acknowledges the importance of implementing a strategic approach to building and strengthening the institution; provides a 'Vision' of where the Union Hluttaw wants to be in the future; defines its purpose or 'Mission' as well as establishing a roadmap of objectives and priorities. It is based on an assessment of current needs, future ambitions and anticipated challenges.

1
Appendix 1. Myanmar Hluttaw Strategic Plan 2014-2018

2
Hluttaw Records Management Handbook

The plan is an expression of the intention to achieve certain results. Success will require commitment, effective leadership, management, teamwork, networking and, cooperation between the two Houses and three secretariats. In addition it will require the preparation of detailed and clear implementation and action plans supported by adequate human and operational resources

The
Strategic Objectives are:

Objective 1: Improved effectiveness of the Plenary and Committees

Objective 2: Improved capacity of Members to undertake their duties

Objective 3: Increased capacity of staff and support services

Objective 4: Improved Communication and Collaboration

The agreed Annual Work Plan of the UNDP/IPU Parliamentary Support Programme uses the framework of the Hluttaw’s Strategic Objectives. Key areas of work for 2015 are the ongoing development of the Learning Centre, development of ICT infrastructure and an accompanying programme to ensure the Hluttaw is prepared to make good use of the improved ICT functionality; support to Committees, ongoing development of Research Services and support to the Hluttaw Secretariat in their preparation for the post election period, including improving the Members Handbook. .

The UNDP/IPU Parliamentary Support Programme includes work in the areas of:


·
Development of Committee support

·
Development of the Learning Centre

·
Development of ICT infrastructure

·
Information Management activities to improve the management of parliamentary documentation

·
Activities to progress transition to a digital Parliament

·
Support to improve the Members Handbook to provide a key knowledge product for use in training new MPs and staff during the transition between Parliaments in late 2015

·
Support to improve management of Human Resources

II. Activity’s Description and Justification


The Myanmar Parliament has a strategic objective to transform to a digital Parliament. Projects are underway to develop the ICT infrastructure, to train staff and ICT specialists to use computers in their work and to develop the online tools and applications that support the work of the Parliament. The Records management work stream is a support activity to the transformation to a digital Parliament that will ensure that Hluttaw staff know how to manage the documents that they use in their work electronically.

In November 2014 as one of the outcomes of a improving parliamentary documentation mission in July 2014, the UNDP/IPU Parliamentary Support Programme prepared a Records Management Handbook
2 for the Hluttaw based on the Myanmar Civil Service Handbook Chapter 5. The Records Management Handbook was well received by the Administration senior managers, and has been adopted by the Hluttaw Offices. 3

The current state of records management in the Hluttaw is that there are well understood processes for moving print documents around the organisation. When it comes to storing the records, the processes do not create enough discernment between important and unimportant documents. The storage provided for records is usually cupboards in the offices who created the records. The processes for transferring important records to a Records Management team for long term storage are not well established. There are no filing classifications in place, nor are there any Retention and Disposal schedules that define what should be kept and what should be discarded.

The Hluttaw with support from the project has begun to address the identification of processes for handling electronic documents, including naming conventions, version numbering and retention and the reasons for records management. A simple Records Management Manual has been developed, with a training course developed and local trainers piloting delivery in Myanmar language to their Hluttaw colleagues. This mission is to advance progress in Records Management and its contribution to the transformation to a digital Parliament by developing and adopting a Hluttaw file classification system, training the records management specialists, and rolling out training courses in using the file classification system to appropriately file and store the documents of the Hluttaw. Further support and training will also be needed in the earlier records management processes of file naming conventions, and version control.


III. Tasks


The tasks that are required over the next 1-2 missions focused upon the file classification scheme are:

1. Develop a Hluttaw file classification scheme, consult about it with Hluttaw management, see it through the approval process and develop documentation to support its use.

2. Work with the Records Management Specialists across all three Houses to build their capacity to use the Hluttaw file classification system to file high value electronic and paper documents.

3. Develop a training course to teach Hluttaw staff how to use the file management system to store both printed and electronic documents.

4. Finalise the courses based on consultation with relevant records management managers in Myanmar (3 days in Myanmar) and the Learning Centre teaching specialists. The section of the Records Management Handbook on using the file classification system will be available in Myanmar.

5. Deliver a training course to the Records Management specialists. In the afternoons spend coaching and mentoring time with the teams helping to turn the theoretical knowledge into practice. -

6. Deliver the Records Management training courses

7. Modify the courses, if required, from the feedback from the Learning Centre teaching specialists, the participants and Hluttaw managers. Translate all materials into Myanmar. Prepare resources in Myanmar language

8. Train a minimum of 3 trainers from each Hluttaw to deliver the Records Management course for users –

9. Hand the course for users over to the Learning Centre for ongoing delivery, report writing, report back meeting to Hluttaw ICT/IM Steering Committee


10.
Pending time required for modification o the training course, develop some standard templates for letters and emails and include those in the training.

Further stages of progress in Records Management may be developed once this work is completed and depending upon progress and may be included within this contract.


IV. Deliverables/Timeframe



A draft timetable for the missions should be included in the proposals. It is intended to have a consultant begin the work in Myanmar in mid-September 2015.


V. Experts

One International expert
will be mobilized by the IPU to undertake the drafting and delivery of the courses.

One National expert
will be mobilized by the IPU to provide liaison with the Hluttaw offices, interpretation and translation of materials.4

One dedicated
staff member from the Hluttaw office to work as a member of the project team, either from the Records Management team or an information specialist from the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Office.

VI. Proposal requirements


Your proposal should address what experience you have to match the required competencies listed below and what other skills you have that is relevant to this assignment. The required competencies are.


·
Working in a Parliament or in parliamentary development at a management level

·
Writing clear, easy to understand training materials

·
Training adults

·
Producing outputs to deadlines

·
Experience in working through interpreters

·
A knowledge of the Myanmar Parliament would be helpful

Your proposal should also describe your previous experience in assignments of this kind, preferably within the last three years. Please describe how you would implement the assignment and what interventions you think are necessary. Please provide at least two references, with names and telephone numbers who may be contacted to provide testimonials. Please state your expectations of a daily rate and any limitations on your availability within the timeframe of this project.

Proposals should be sent to:

e-mail: dg@ipu.org

or mailed to:

IPU Secretariat,

Inter-Parliamentary Union

Chemin du Pommier, 5

Case postale 330 CH-1218 Grand-Saconnex,

Geneva Switzerland

Tel: +4122 919 41 26

Fax: +4122 919 41 60

Proposals should be received on or before
4th September 2015.