(V.C. Choudhary)

Under Secretary to the Government of India

Tel. No.: 011 2338 8513

Email: [email protected]

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR ENGAGEMENT OF ADVISORY UNIT

2. Rationale

• Under-nutrition continues to adversely affect majority of women in India. Every third woman is undernourished and every second woman is anemic. An undernourished mother almost inevitably gives birth to a low birth weight baby. When poor nutrition starts in-utero, it extends throughout the life cycle since the changes are largely irreversible.

• ‘Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana’ (PMMVY), a Maternity Benefit Programme, is being implemented in all the districts of the country through the respective State Government/UT Administration as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.

• The scheme implementation is considered as a key intervention to augmenting nutritional requirements for Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers (PW&LM). Considering the critical importance of this scheme in the overall context of nutrition supplementation, wage compensation and good health seeking behavior, this scheme is being monitored by the highest authority in the Government. Successful implementation of PMMVY is critical for the well-being of the nation.

• In order to nurture successful implementation and ensure coverage of targeted beneficiaries, the scheme is being taken up on a ‘Mission Mode’ across the country. MoWCD along with the States/UTs has put in place requisite capacity for scheme implementation and operations, including mechanisms for constant improvements for its effective adoption.

• A dedicated framework of Advisory Unit is envisaged to assist MoWCD in the scale up of PMMVY scheme and also in aligning and/or converging the scheme in the area of Direct Benefit Transfer over the long term.

• MoWCD proposes to engage competent agencies to assist in the areas of programme & technology management, software and hardware services.

• Through this Expression of Interest (EoI), MoWCD proposes to empanel reputed agencies fulfilling requisite eligibility criteria to act as an Advisory Unit. Amongst the empaneled agencies, MoWCD plans to select one agency, through a duly established process, for performing the activities as envisaged in this EOI.

• The selected advisory agency shall steer and strengthen the PMMVY programme. The activities shall be provided through a small team of two (02) suitably qualified/experienced resources whose tasks would range from research / policy, program support and governance, oversight of solution development and service delivery, capacity building initiatives and communication interventions, etc.

• The appointment of the agency shall be initially for a period of two years, which may be extended/ renewed through mutual consent and the same shall be at the sole discretion of MoWCD.

3. Eligibility Criteria

The Bidder must fulfill the following:-

1. Be a non-profit / not for profit organization i.e

• Trust registered under relevant applicable laws; or

• Society registered under relevant applicable laws; or

• Company registered under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013;

2. Be in operational for a period of ten (10) years as on 1-4-2018 and must have at least two (2) years of experience (as on 1-4-2018) in providing advisory in IT and program support services to Centre/State Government Department;

3. Preference will be given to the bidders having prior experience in WCD related services domain and/or DBT;

4. Be associated with the implementation of technology interventions or project(s) of similar nature in the preceding two year period (as on 1-4-2018) with any Central / State Government Department / Organization;

5. Have at least 25 (twenty five) employees as on the date of submission of EoI;

6. Have implemented or in the process of implementing or supported / supporting implementation at least 1 (one) project of Centre / State Government(s) in the area of ‘Direct Benefit Transfer’ in last two (2) years (as on 1-4-2018)

4. Support MoWCD in implementation of PMMVY

The broad Area of Work for the selected non-profit / not-for-profit organization shall be:

• design and integration of PMMVY-CAS with various State Level/departmental Systems

• Technical Advice and/or Review of appointed programme management unit (PMU) and/or software development agency (SDA)

• Periodic Review OF Scheme implementation and provide guidance on actions for improvements

• assist with policies that Encompass: Research, Development, updation, digitization, impact, etc. including review of current policies, procedures and processes

• Support in carrying out workshops and capacity building exercises for successfully meeting scheme objectives

• Any other activity as per the requirement of MoWCD relevant to the spirit of the engagement

The organization selected by MoWCD shall act in an advisory capacity to steer and strengthen the PMMVY. The activities shall be provided through a small team of 2 suitably qualified/experienced resources whose tasks would range from research / policy, program support and governance, oversight of solution development and service delivery, capacity building initiatives and communication interventions, etc. as stated in the above.

5. Arbitration Clause

     (a) In event of any dispute or difference between the parties hereto, such disputes or differences shall be resolved amicably by mutual consultation. If such resolution is not possible, then the unresolved dispute or difference shall be referred to arbitration of the sole arbitrator to be appointed by the Secretary, Ministry of Women & Child Development on the recommendation of the Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs (“Law Secretary”), Government of India. The provisions of Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (No.26 of 1996) shall be applicable to the arbitration. The venue of such arbitration shall be at Delhi or any other place, as may be decided by the arbitrator. The language of arbitration proceedings shall be English. The arbitrator shall make a reasoned award (the “Award”), which shall be final and binding on the parties.” The cost of the arbitration shall be shared equally by the parties to the agreement. However, expenses incurred by each party in connection with the preparation, presentation shall be borne by the party itself.

     (b) Pending the submission of and/or decision on a dispute, difference or claim or until the arbitral award is published; the Parties shall continue to perform all of their obligations under this Agreement without prejudice to a final adjustment in accordance with such award.

6. Proposal Submission

Two hard copies of Proposals and one soft copy by Email, in its complete form in all respects as specified in the EoI, must be submitted to the Ministry at the address specified below on or before 11.12.2018; 13:00 Hours.

The Under Secretary (PMMVY)

Ministry of Women & Child Development 
Room No.621, ‘A’ Wing

Shastri Bhavan

Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road New Delhi-110001. 
Tel No.: 011-23388513

Email: vc.choudha ry@ni c.i n

The EoI should be submitted in a sealed envelope clearly indicating the name, address, telephone number, E-mail ID and fax number of the bidder and shall be supported by the documentary evidence for the criteria specified herein in the proforma enclosed herewith.

To,

The Under Secretary (PMMVY)

Ministry of Women & Child Development 
Room No.621, ‘A’ Wing

Shastri Bhavan

Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road New Delhi-110001.
Tele: 011-23388513

Email:  vc.choudha ry@ni c.i n

Subject: Submission of Expression of Interest (EoI)

Reference: Expression of Interest for Engagement of Advisory Unit

Dear Sir,

We, the undersigned, offer to provide services in respect of the EoI dated <insert date>. We are hereby submitting our Proposal, which includes all the required information.

We, hereby, declare that all the information and statements made in this proposal are true and accept that any misinterpretation contained in it may lead to our disqualification.

Please find below our correspondence and other relevant details information: