National Consultant - Telephony systems for UXOnew

1. BACKGROUND & PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) remains one of the countries most heavily affected by unexploded ordnance (UXO) contamination. Despite significant progress in survey, clearance, risk education, and victim assistance, UXO continues to pose humanitarian, social, and economic challenges, particularly in rural and remote communities. UXO accidents continue to result in death and injury, while the presence of contamination restricts access to land, livelihoods, infrastructure development, and essential services.

The Government of Lao PDR has demonstrated its commitment to addressing the impact of UXO through the implementation of the National Strategic Plan for the UXO Sector in the Lao PDR 2021–2030, “Safe Path Forward III” (SPF III), Sustainable Development Goal 18 (SDG 18): Lives Safe from UXO, and its obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM). The National Regulatory Authority for the UXO/Mine Action Sector (NRA) serves as the national coordinating body responsible for policy oversight, sector coordination, information management, quality management, victim assistance coordination, and risk education.

An effective reporting and coordination mechanism is essential to support the achievement of these national objectives. Timely reporting of suspected UXO, rapid coordination of emergency response following accidents, effective referral of survivors to appropriate services, and mechanisms for public feedback and complaints are all critical components of a responsive and accountable UXO sector.

Hotline 1603 was established to serve as a national point of contact for UXO-related reporting and coordination. The hotline is intended to provide communities and stakeholders with an accessible mechanism to report suspected UXO items and instigate UXO removal report accidents and emergencies, seek information regarding UXO-related services, facilitate referral to victim assistance services, and communicate complaints or feedback regarding UXO sector activities.

As the sector looks towards the future, it is evident that increasingly, a robust telephony mechanism to support Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) will be needed as clearance operators increasingly will rely on community reporting of ordnance being found.

While Hotline 1603 has been operational for several years, its functionality remains limited. Current operations rely largely on manual processes and direct routing of calls to NRA personnel, resulting in inconsistent documentation, limited case tracking, and challenges in monitoring response actions. Standardized procedures, institutional arrangements, and technical systems remain underdeveloped, reducing the overall effectiveness and sustainability of the mechanism. The system is also affected by a high volume of non-genuine calls and lacks a structured approach for data management, service monitoring, and grievance handling.

Furthermore, the long-term operational model for Hotline 1603 has not yet been fully assessed. Questions remain regarding the most appropriate institutional arrangements, management structure, technical requirements, staffing needs, financing requirements, and sustainability options. Several implementation approaches may be considered, including direct management by the NRA, outsourcing to telecommunications providers or call center operators, or hybrid arrangements combining government oversight with external service delivery.

Recognizing the need for a strategic review of Hotline 1603, the NRA seeks to engage a qualified national or international individual consultant or consulting firm to assess the current system, identify operational and institutional needs, evaluate implementation options, and develop a practical roadmap for establishing Hotline 1603 as a sustainable national mechanism for UXO reporting, emergency response coordination, victim assistance referral, and grievance redress.

1. Objective

To develop a practical and evidence-based implementation roadmap for Hotline 1603 as a sustainable national mechanism for UXO reporting, emergency response coordination, referral to victim assistance services, and grievance redress in Lao PDR.

1. SCOPE OF WORK

The successful applicant will be expected to be responsible for the following:

Task 1: Assessment of Existing Hotline System

• Existing call management arrangements and workflows
• Current reporting, referral, and response processes
• Institutional roles and responsibilities
• Existing data collection and reporting practices
• Existing complaint and feedback handling mechanisms
• Strengths, weaknesses, risks, and operational challenges

Task 2: Assessment of Needs and Requirements

• Institutional and governance requirements
• Human resource and capacity needs
• Technical and infrastructure requirements
• Information management (IMSMA) requirements
• Victim assistance referral requirements
• Grievance redress requirements
• Resource and sustainability considerations

Task 3: Analysis of System/Implementation Options

Option A – NRA-managed (In-house) Model

• Operational requirements
• Resource implications
• Advantages and limitations

Option B – Outsourced Model

• Telecommunications provider-managed solutions
• Call center service provider arrangements
• Cost and operational implications

Option C – Other Models

• Alternative institutional and operational arrangements identified through the assessment process
• Operational and technical requirements
• Resource implications
• Advantages, limitations, and risks
• Sustainability considerations

Task 4: Development of Implementation Roadmap

• Institutional and governance arrangements
• Operational framework
• Roles and responsibilities
• Technology and infrastructure requirements
• Human resource and capacity development requirements
• Estimated implementation costs and resource requirements
• Risk assessment and mitigation measures
• Implementation timeline and milestones
• Sustainability considerations

Proposed methodology

Defining Scope of Work, methodology

• Drafting of an inception report detailing the proposed methodology, workplan, stakeholder engagement approach, and assessment framework

Desk review

• Review relevant national policies, strategies, and frameworks related to UXO reporting, emergency response coordination, victim assistance, and grievance redress, including Safe Path Forward III (SPF III), SDG 18, and relevant NRA policies and procedures
• Review existing Hotline 1603 documentation, reports, operational arrangements, and available data
• Review existing information management systems, reporting mechanisms, and referral pathways relevant to UXO reporting, victim assistance, and grievance management
• Review hotline management, call centre, and grievance redress models implemented in Lao PDR and comparable contexts to identify good practices and lessons learned
• Identify key institutional, operational, technical, and sustainability considerations relevant to the future development of Hotline 1603

Primary data collection

• Based on information gaps identified in the desk review, prepare interview guides for facilitating key informant interviews and/or multi-stakeholder consultation(s) to gather in-depth feedback from partners.
• Assess current workflows, institutional arrangements, reporting processes, referral pathways, and operational challenges.
• Identify stakeholder expectations, system requirements, and opportunities for improvement
• Present a debrief of the emerging findings and recommendations from the desk review and primary data collection

Options Assessment and Roadmap Development

• Assess feasible implementation options, including NRA-managed (in-house), outsourced, and other models
• Analyze the advantages, limitations, risks, resource requirements, and sustainability considerations of each option
• Recommend the most suitable implementation model for Hotline 1603
• Develop a phased implementation roadmap, including governance arrangements, operational requirements, resource needs, implementation timeline, and sustainability measures

Present findings

• Consolidate findings from the desk review, stakeholder consultations, and options assessment into a draft implementation roadmap
• Present key findings, recommendations, and the proposed implementation roadmap to NRA and relevant stakeholders for review and validation
• Facilitate discussion and collect stakeholder feedback on the proposed implementation model and roadmap
• Incorporate stakeholder feedback and revise the draft implementation roadmap
• Submit the draft implementation roadmap for review
• Make any amendments or adjustments as necessary
• Submit final Implementation Roadmap

1. Deliverables & Implementation Timeline

The inception report should clearly describe the proposed methodology, workplan, stakeholder engagement approach, and assessment framework to be applied throughout the assignment. The report should demonstrate how the consultant will assess the existing Hotline 1603 system, identify institutional and operational needs, evaluate implementation options, and develop a practical implementation roadmap. The inception report shall be presented to the NRA and relevant stakeholders for review and may be revised based on feedback.

The consultant shall undertake a comprehensive desk review of relevant national policies, strategies, procedures, and operational documents related to UXO reporting, emergency response coordination, victim assistance, and grievance redress. The consultant shall also conduct stakeholder consultations and system assessments to identify current strengths, gaps, challenges, and opportunities for strengthening Hotline 1603.

Based on the findings, the consultant shall assess feasible implementation options, including in-house, outsourced, and other models, and recommend the most appropriate approach for the Lao context.

The final implementation roadmap should provide clear recommendations on institutional arrangements, governance structures, operational requirements, human resource needs, technical requirements, implementation timelines, resource requirements, and sustainability considerations for the future development of Hotline 1603. The roadmap should be practical, achievable, and aligned with national priorities and the objectives of the UXO sector.

Deliverables (expected days work/target due)

Inception Report, including methodology, workplan, stakeholder mapping, and assessment framework (3 - 20/11/2026)

Draft report including assessment, recommendations and roadmap (15 - 21/12/2026)

Final report incorporating feedback from stakeholders (2 - 30/12/2026)

1. Duration of Assignment, Duty Station & Expected Places of Travel

Estimated number of working days: 20 working days over a period of 1.5 months tentatively from 11/16/2026 to 12/30/2026, subject to contract award.

Duty station: Home-based

Expected places of travel: None

1. PROVISION OF MONITORING & PROGRESS CONTROL

In the inception report, a timeline of activities and deliverables will be drafted and agreed upon between the consultant and the client. As above, a brief weekly meeting will be submitted to the client to update the client on progress against the timeline. Any delays or anticipated problems should be highlighted so that the client might unblock any issues where possible.

1. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT & REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

Administrative Support

The National Regulatory Authority for the UXO/Mine Action Sector (NRA), with support from the UNDP UXO Unit, will facilitate introductions to relevant stakeholders and provide access to available documents, reports, and information necessary for the assignment.

Reference Documents

Safe Path Forward III

NRA policies, procedures, and operational guidelines relevant to UXO reporting, victim assistance, emergency response coordination, and grievance redress

Hotline 1603 operational documents, reports, and available data

IMSMA-related guidelines and reporting procedures

Other relevant documents identified during the inception phase of the consultancy

1. DEGREE OF EXPERTISE & QUALIFICATIONS

Guidance:

• Please only add criteria which can be assessed via CV desk review. To assess writing skill, report samples must be submitted.
• Skills which can only be assessed via interview (e.g. speaking or presentation skills) should not be included here unless an interview is specifically required for assessment.

Qualifications

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or higher) in Public Administration, Public Policy, Information Management, Information Systems, Development Studies, Telecommunications, Social Sciences, Business Administration, or other relevant fields

Relevant Professional Experience

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in public service delivery systems, information management systems, hotline/call centre systems, grievance redress mechanisms, or related areas.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting assessments, stakeholder consultations, and developing strategic plans, roadmaps, or operational frameworks.
• Familiarity with UXO or Mine Action programming would be a distinct advantage.

Other Competencies

• Strong analytical and report-writing skills
• Demonstrated experience in qualitative research, stakeholder consultation, and systems assessment
• Knowledge of hotline operations, grievance redress mechanisms, referral systems, or customer service platforms would be an advantage
• Familiarity with institutional governance arrangements, operational planning, and implementation roadmaps.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in English

1. PAYMENT TERMS

Guidance:

• Depending on the assignment’s duration, there should be a limited number of payment milestones in order to reduce the paperwork and workload for project assistant(s).
• Specify payment milestones (e.g. 10% upon receipt and acceptance of detailed workplan, 30% upon acceptance of Output 1, etc.).
• Since time is required to review/approve outputs prior to authorizing payments, clarify that the submission of deliverables does not equate to immediate payment.
• Please note that NO advance payment should be made.

Deliverables (as indicated in Section III) (payment amount)

Inception Report, including methodology, workplan, stakeholder mapping, and assessment framework (15%)

Presentation - Assessment and Needs Assessment Report and Draft Hotline 1603 Implementation Roadmap.(60%)

Final roadmap incorporating feedback from stakeholders (25%)

1. Consultant Presence Required on Duty Station

☐ NONE

☒ PARTIAL

☐ INTERMITTENT

☐ FULL-TIME

1. Evaluation Criteria*.*

Criteria

Description of Criteria

Points

Technical Criteria

70

Qualification

Enter desired educational requirements or other certification here.Advanced university degree (Master's degree or higher) in Public Administration, Public Policy, Information Management, Information Systems, Development Studies, Telecommunications, Social Sciences, Business Administration, or other relevant fields

20

Experience

• • Minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience, public service delivery systems, information management systems, hotline/call centre systems, grievance redress mechanisms, or related areas.

Familiarity with UXO or Mine Action programming

20

Competency

• Strong analytical and report-writing skills
• Demonstrated experience in qualitative research, stakeholder consultation, and systems assessment
• Knowledge of hotline operations, grievance redress mechanisms, referral systems, or customer service platforms would be an advantage

Familiarity with institutional governance arrangements, operational planning, and implementation roadmaps

20

Languages

Fluency in English (written and spoken); Excellent writing skills required, as demonstrated by previous research/analytical reports on relevant topics.

10

Financial Criteria

30

Total

100

Criteria for Evaluation of Proposal

Offers will be evaluated according to the cumulative analysis of the Technical and Financial Scoring method – where the technical proposal will be weighted at 70% and the financial proposal will weigh at 30% of the total scoring. Only candidates obtaining a minimum technical score of 49 points would be considered for a further Financial Evaluation.

The applicant receiving the Highest Combined Technical and Financial Score and meeting other minimum requirements in the Procurement Notice will be awarded the contract.