Tender Advertisement #1443750

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
REVIEW OF THE OPOC GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK AND INSTITUTIONAL
ARRANGEMENTS
Background
The 2010 Framework for a Pacific Oceanscape (FPO) proposed the establishment of a Regional Ocean Commissioner, supported by a dedicated professional team. This was seen as crucial for providing high-level representation and commitment to advocate for and prioritize ocean governance initiatives at national, regional, and international levels. Over the past twelve years, the Pacific Ocean Commissioner's role and functions were integrated into the Office of the PIF Secretary-General as associated responsibilities.
On February 24, 2023 under the Suva Agreement, Leaders appointed a Pacific Ocean Commissioner independent of the Secretary-General. This appointment signifies a new chapter in the oceans agenda and as such it is vitally important to ensure that under this new arrangement, the Commissioner and the OPOC continue to fulfill their mandates and meet their members’ expectations.
Noting that the future work of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner and the OPOC will now be delivered under this new arrangement, it is imperative that the over-arching institutional and governance framework that underpins the work of the Office is conducive to and will continue to provide for a robust delivery of the oceans work by the OPOC. In this regard, OPOC is seeking to engage a short-term consultant to support the review of the institutional framework and governance arrangements that currently govern the functioning of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner and the OPOC. The rationale for the review is to support OPOC efforts in effecting institutional strengthening under this new arrangement to enable the Pacific Ocean Commissioner and the OPOC to continue delivering on their mandate in a meaningful way.
Purpose
The objective of these Terms of Reference is to sharpen the articulation of the OPOC mandate, its mission, and vision, to test the robustness of the existing institutional and governance framework, and the administrative arrangements that presently form the foundation for and facilitate the activities of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner and the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner (OPOC), and including the question of the status of the OPOC as a (legal) entity. The overarching purpose of the exercise is to arrive at a set of recommendations that could be actioned to maintain the role of OPOC in a position of strength under the new arrangement.
Scope of Work
The review will be undertaken under the guidance and supervision of the Manager OPOC. The review will specifically focus on the following key aspects:
a. Institutional Framework and Governance Arrangements: In this context, the review is aimed at the essential instruments and decisions governing the appointment of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner, the establishment of the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner, key results areas under the OPOC mandate, staffing needs, and current organizational chart. In the context of governance, the review will also consider the current reporting arrangements, and role of the Forum Officials Committee (FOC) and the reporting line to the annual Pacific Islands Forum. The goal is to identify gaps and weaknesses and to look at ways to strengthen these institutional arrangements to ensure the continued effectiveness of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner and the OPOC under the new arrangements.
b. Legal Status or Capacity: In examining the institutional framework, the review aims to assess the legal capacity, or lack thereof, of the OPOC, and how this affects the Pacific Ocean Commissioner and the OPOC's ability to fulfill their mandate effectively. Specifically, the review seeks to evaluate capacity in terms of efficiency and the ability of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner and OPOC to conduct their business. Currently, the OPOC lacks the capacity to enter agreements, participate under its own name in engagements with Members, regional agencies, donor and development partners, and engage at the UN and multilateral level as a distinct entity. This review intends to address these limitations and constraints and assess their impact on efficiency, with the goal of proposing recommendations to enhance the work of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner and the OPOC under this new arrangement.
c. Emerging Oceans Issues: Aligned with Strategic Priority 2 of the Framework for a Pacific Oceanscape (FPO) on Good Governance (Oceans) Action 2A, Leaders mandated the establishment of a Regional Ocean Commissioner, supported by a dedicated professional team. This initiative aimed to provide essential high-level representation and commitment, urgently required for dedicated advocacy and attention to ocean priorities, decisions, and processes at national, regional, and international levels. The overarching goal was to strengthen the regional institutional framework for ocean governance and policy coordination.
Today however we are now beginning to see the emergence of new and on-traditional ocean issues that may not neatly fit within the scope of the OPOC mandate and that of regional agencies (CROP). It is therefore imperative to assess once again to consider the scope of the the role and functions of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner and OPOC in light of emerging oceans issues and how these important issues could appropriately be accommodated in the context of the region and inclusive of OPOC. As such, the review seeks to examine emerging issues in the context of the role and functions of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner and OPOC – noting as well that over the years Leaders have mandated certain taskings to OPOC in their annual communiques.
d. Reporting Mechanism: Another essential aspect to be addressed in this review is the reporting mechanism of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner. Ensuring a clear pathway for the Pacific Ocean Commissioner to report on progress to Leaders is imperative for accountability. In the past 12 years, this aspect was implicit, as the Pacific Ocean Commissioner's role and functions were integrated into those of the Secretary-General, who had direct access to Leaders throughout the year. Under the new arrangement, maintaining a direct reporting line to Leaders becomes critically important. While the Suva Agreement explicitly states that the Pacific Ocean Commissioner reports directly to Leaders, the question arises as to the most appropriate mechanism for this reporting. Several options for consideration in the recommendations could be drawn from established practices at PIF Leaders' annual meetings, providing a starting point for consideration in this specific context.
e. Organizational Structure/Chart: In this context, the review aims to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner and OPOC in achieving their objectives within the new arrangement. It will examine the roles and responsibilities of various positions, the decision-making process, reporting structures, resource allocation, and engagement with external stakeholders. The objective of the review in this context is to pinpoint areas for improvement and propose recommendations to enhance the institution's performance and effectiveness.
f. Any Related Matters: While the primary focus of the review is on the specific items outlined above, it is acknowledged that additional issues related to institutional arrangements and the governance framework, which may not have been expressly mentioned, could surface during the course of the review. In such instances, any relevant additional matters will be duly considered and incorporated into the recommendations.
How to apply

Submissions should be entitled:
REVIEW OF OPOC GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK AND INSTITUTIONAL
ARRANGEMENTS
Method of Submissions:
Submissions must be forwarded in PDF format following the instructions at www.tenders.net/forumsec
Note: Tenders must be submitted with clear labeling of the technical offer and the financial offer. The Technical Offer documents must be saved and submitted clearly labeled “A. Technical Offer”. Financial Offer documents must be saved and submitted clearly labeled “B. Financial Offer”.
The electronically submitted documents should be converted to the PDF format.
Deadline for Submissions:
Submissions need to reach the Secretariat by [4.00pm, Monday 6th of May, 2024.
Late or incomplete tenders will not be considered.
Questions and Answers
All queries or request for information must be submitted via the Question and Answer Forum at www.tenders.net/forumsec . Tenderers may submit questions in writing to the mentioned Question and Answer Forum before the stated “deadline for requesting clarifications” Friday, 29th of April, 2024. The Secretariat has no obligation to provide clarification after this date.
Note: The Secretariat will not be responsible for non-receipt/non-delivery of the Bid documents due to any reason whatsoever.

Any complaints regarding the Secretariat’s tender must be directed to the following email: Tender.Complaints@forumsec.org. This email address will forward your complaint to a person that is independent and removed from the tender process. Complaints must be well founded and should not be used as a mechanism for notifying displeasure with the outcome of a tender award. Further information on making a complaint can be found on the Policies & Information page at http://tenders.forumsec.org.
In the event that further information is required by the Secretariat in relation to the tender for consultancy, the Secretariat reserves the right to seek the required information without the need for calling for resubmission of proposals.