Pacific Strengthening Correspondent Banking Relationships Project ( - Тендер #70114133)

Request for Expressions of Interest

(INDIVIDUAL CONSULTING SERVICES)

Procurement Officer

The Pacific Island Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and seven pacific island member countries (Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu) have received financing (grants and credits) from the World Bank (WB) Group’s International Development Association (IDA) towards the “Pacific Strengthening Correspondent Banking Relationships Project” (the Project) and will apply part of these proceeds to the contract below for Consulting Services.

The PIFS is seeking a qualified and experienced national Procurement Officer (PO) to provide support in implementation of the procurement activities (procurement of goods/non consulting services and consultant services) under the Project in line with WB procurement procedures of the project

Procurement Officer will report to the Project Coordinator and will work closely with the Procurement Specialist on a daily basis and with other PIFS staff, as relevant.

This is a full-time work assignment at PMU housed within the PIF office in Suva. In line with the project timeline, the engagement will initially be for two (2) years with an extension of a further two years (based on consultant’s performance evaluations and project needs).

Under the overall direction of the Project Coordinator and the direct supervision of the Procurement Specialist, the Procurement Officer shall undertake the following activities:

• Maintain reporting procurement system, using the World Bank’s online software STEP;
• Participate in the updates of the procurement plans
• Obtain technical specifications and TORs from various relevant experts;
• Assist in drafting bidding documentation in accordance with the standard World Bank

templates;

• Prepare and issue procurement notices mandated by the procurement procedures;
• Respond to requests for clarifications, issue and amend procurement documents when

found necessary;

• Manage and administer procurement email address;
• Arrange for and properly record the proceedings of the pre-bid meetings;
• Arrange for and properly record the proceedings of public bidding/proposals openings, prepare and submit minutes of openings to the World Bank;
• Provide procurement related support at the Evaluation Committee meetings;
• Arrange and participate in negotiations and record the agreements reached;
• Prepare announcements on contract awards and information for the winning
• bidders/consultants (legal entities or individual consultants);
• Support the preparation of contracts to be signed by the parties in accordance with the
• procurement documentation and Guidelines. Ensure receipt of signed contracts
• Maintain project’s procurement files both digitally and in hard copy
• Provide support in preparation of procurement reports to be submitted to the World Bank;
• Facilitate the Post Procurement Reviews (PPR) exercise, and follow up implementation of PPR

Recommendations

Applicants will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Evaluated Criteria:

PIFS, on behalf of the participating member countries, now invites eligible individuals (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services (attach curriculum vitae and a cover letter with description of experience in similar assignments, similar conditions, etc.).

Firms’ staff may express interest through the employing firm for the assignment and, under such situation, only the experience and qualifications of individuals shall be considered in the selection process.

The attention of interested Consultants (including firms) is drawn to paragraph 3.14, 3.16 and 3.17 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers, dated February 2025 (“the Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest. A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the individual consultant selection method set out in the World Bank Consultant Guidelines

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment is attached below and provides details of the scope of the services required along with specific deliverables expected. Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 09.00 to 17.00 hrs Fiji Time.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) no later than Friday, January 30, 2026, 17:00 hrs (Fiji Time)

Address for Enquiries and Submission of EOIs

Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat

Attn: Ajay Jagannath, Project Coordinator

Private Mail Bag, Suva

PO Box 856, Suva, Fiji.

Tel: 679-3312600

E-mail: cbrprocurement@forumsec.org

TERMS OF REFERENCE

CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL SELECTION

PROCUREMENT OFFICER

• Project Overview

• Project Background

The Pacific Island Forum Secretariat (PIFS) has received financing from the World Bank (WB) Group’s International Development Association (IDA)and will act as the Implementing Agency for the regional “Pacific Strengthening Correspondent Banking Relationships Project” (the Project), which will enable continuous access to correspondent banking services in Pacific Island Countries (PICs). The PICs covered by the regional project (Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu) include diverse island economies facing similar correspondent banking relationship (CBR) challenges .

Financial systems in PICs are characterized by low levels of financial access and an uneven development of national payment systems. Commercial Bbanks, both domestically owned and multinational, dominate the financial sector in all PICs. In several PICs, much of the population lacks access to basic transaction accounts, limiting households and businesses’ ability to send and receive payments, save, invest, and respond to climatic and economic shocks.

PICs are uniquely vulnerable to the withdrawal of the correspondent banking relationships (CBR) that underpin international trade, tourism, remittances, and humanitarian financial flows. Correspondent banking is an arrangement under which one bank (correspondent) holds deposits owned by other banks (respondents) and provides payment and other services to those respondent banks. CBRs are an essential feature of the global payment system – they enable individuals, businesses, and governments to make and receive cross-border payment services related to remittances, e-commerce, trade, and official sector flows. The cross-border transactions enabled in PICs are in various currencies, primarily the US dollar, Euro, and Australian dollar.

The withdrawal of CBRs, a well-documented global phenomenon affecting many emerging markets and developing economies, has adverse consequences and negative externalities for Pacific Islanders, including seasonal laborers, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and vulnerable populations. Based on publicly available data, the number of active correspondents for Pacific banks has declined significantly since 2011 to unsustainably low levels that put the whole Pacific financial system at risk.

In order to mitigate the issues identified mentioned above, the WB World Bank is providing funding to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) to implement the “Pacific Strengthening Correspondent Banking Relationships Project”.

The project has two components: (1) Temporary correspondent banking services, and (2) Enabling environment and regulatory harmonization. The Project will be implemented by a project management Unit (PMU) within the PIFS, with strategic project oversight provided by a Project Steering Committee (PSC) comprised of representatives of participating Pacific Finance Ministers.

The PIFS is seeking a qualified and experienced national consultant to be the Procurement Officer of the PMU to be based in Suva, Fiji. Selection of the position will be undertaken by PIFS in accordance with the World Bank’s ‘Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers’ (Procurement Regulations), fifth edition, September 2023, and as amended over time.

• Objective of the Position

The main objective of the Procurement Officer (PO) is to provide support in implementation of the procurement activities (procurement of goods/non consulting services and consultant services) under the Project in line with WB procurement procedures of the project and as detailed in the POM.

Scope of Services

Under the overall direction of the Project Coordinator and the direct supervision of the Procurement Specialist, the Procurement Officer shall undertake the following activities:

• Maintain reporting procurement system, using the World Bank’s online software STEP;
• Participate in the updates of the procurement plans
• Obtain technical specifications and TORs from various relevant experts;
• Assist in drafting bidding documentation in accordance with the standard World Bank

templates;

• Prepare and issue procurement notices mandated by the procurement procedures;
• Respond to requests for clarifications, issue and amend procurement documents when

found necessary;

• Manage and administer procurement email address;
• Arrange for and properly record the proceedings of the pre-bid meetings;
• Arrange for and properly record the proceedings of public bidding/proposals openings, prepare and submit minutes of openings to the World Bank;
• Provide procurement related support at the Evaluation Committee meetings;
• Arrange and participate in negotiations and record the agreements reached;
• Prepare announcements on contract awards and information for the winning
• bidders/consultants (legal entities or individual consultants);
• Support the preparation of contracts to be signed by the parties in accordance with the
• procurement documentation and Guidelines. Ensure receipt of signed contracts
• Maintain project’s procurement files both digitally and in hard copy
• Provide support in preparation of procurement reports to be submitted to the World Bank;
• Facilitate the Post Procurement Reviews (PPR) exercise, and follow up implementation of PPR

Recommendations

• Specific Contract Deliverables

The Procurement Officer will be on probation for the first six months of the assignment. A performance evaluation will be undertaken per the relevant deliverables listed below. Note that other deliverables may be discussed and agreed with the Project Coordinator and Procurement Specialist.

• Reporting Obligations

The Procurement Officer will work closely with the Procurement Specialist on a daily basis and with other PIFS staff, as relevant. The Procurement Officer will report to the Project Coordinator

• Institutional Arrangements

This is a full-time work assignment at PMU housed within the PIFS office in Suva. In line with the project timeline, the engagement will initially be for two (2) years with an extension of a further two years (based on consultant’s performance evaluations and project needs). Performance evaluation shall be the basis for the extension or termination of the services. Facilities such as office space, intercom telephone facilities, personal computers, printing facilities, Internet access and stationery will be provided by PIFS.

• Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest

The Procurement Officer undertakes to comply with PIFS’s and WB’s policies and rules with regard to anti-corruption and prevention of fraudulent practices, conflict of interest and confidentiality. The Procurement Officer shall maintain confidentiality on all sensitive information obtained during the assignment and shall not publish wholly or in part the findings or such information, without prior written consent by the PIFS. Any draft reports and other documents produced by the consultant will be discussed and cleared with the PIFS before their final issue. A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) will be signed between the PIFS and the selected candidate to be attached to the contract.

• Evaluation Requirements

This section details the basis upon which selection of the successful candidate will be based.

Mandatory Criteria – The criteria below must be met in order to be considered for this contract.

Scoring Criteria – These criteria are requirements or qualities that are not mandatory but would be considered beneficial if they are met and will be assigned scores during evaluation. Applicants must detail, in (their) CVs previous positions which support the criteria claimed the experience. Supporting documentation should be provided where necessary.

• Selection Process

Applicants will be assessed on their Resume as submitted and any supporting documentation.

Applicants who do not pass Mandatory criteria requirement will not be evaluated further.

Applicants passing mandatory criteria requirements will be assigned points on presented scoring criteria.

The Evaluation committee reserves the right to interview any candidates. A minimum of two professional references should be provided. The Project values individuality and celebrates difference with a strong commitment to diversity, equality, racial equity, gender, and disability inclusion and strongly encourages people from culturally and diverse communities to apply for this position.