This free survey is powered by QUESTIONPRO.COM
  1. Surveys
  2. 2012
  3. November
  4. H
  5. Harmonized Business Practices Procurement - HLCM P
0%
Exit Survey »
 
 
Dear Colleague,

As you are aware, the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) is leading efforts towards the simplification and harmonization of business practices within the United Nations development system. Its inter-disciplinary Plan of Action for the Harmonization of Business Practices aims at increased coherence in the working modalities of the member organizations.

One important element of that Plan of Action was the project on the “Procurement Process and Practice Harmonization in Support of Field Operations” (Harmonization project) which was implemented by the HLCM Procurement Network (PN) with UNICEF as the Chair of the interagency Harmonization Working Group.

The MoU between UNICEF and the United Nations, through the CEB, requires that the Harmonization Project is to be evaluated in accordance with the standards of UNICEF against the evaluation criteria relevance, efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability.

This online survey is an essential part of this evaluation and is addressed specifically to all members of the HLCM PN and the Harmonization Working Group.

Being a member of the HLCM PN and/or the Harmonization Project you are a key stakeholder and your views are essential for this evaluation.

You are therefore kindly invited to participate in this on-line survey. The survey will take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete, and it would be very much appreciated if your experiences and views on the Harmonization Project are shared with us through the survey.

All responses will be strictly confidential and data from this research will be reported only in an aggregate form. Your information will be coded and will remain confidential.

If you have questions at any time about the survey or the procedures, you may contact Hans Page ([email protected]) and Ann Hasselbalch ([email protected]); they will immediately get in touch with you.

You are kindly requested to complete the survey by latest COB Thursday, 15 November 2012.

Thank you very much for your time and support.

Please start with the survey now by clicking on the Continue button below.

Please note that all questions require a response, which can also be "n.a." or "no comment".

The survey allows you to save your responses and to continue work at a later stage. For this please press the corresponding button at the bottom of the page you are working on.

For printing your own feedback, once the survey is completed please press the corresponding button.
 
 
 
A. General background
 
 
1. Organization:
 
 
2. What is the title of your position in your organization?
 
 
 
B. Role within context of Harmonization Project
 
3. In which interagency mechanism did you represent your entity? (Month/Year: e.g. 01/2011)
Since (Month/year) Up-to (Month/year)
HLCM Management Board
HLCM PN Secretariat
HLCM PN Member
Harmonization Working Group
Other
 
 
* 4. In what capacity are you responding to this survey? As member of:
 
 
In case of other, please comment in what capacity you are responding:
   
 
 
 
C. Orders of Magnitude (relevance)
 
 
5. What is the order of magnitude of your entity's procurement (based on official statistics in the UNGM)?
 
 
a) What is the (approx.) procurement volume for your entity in 2011 (if no detailed information available order of magnitude is sufficient) (in USD Million)?
   
b) What is the (approx.) procurement volume for all country-level operations by your entity in 2011 (if no detailed information available order of magnitude is sufficient) (in USD Million)?
   
c) Within this (of b), what is the share in % indirect procurement in Overall Country-Level procurement (goods and services)?
   
d) What is the approximate share in % (of c) of goods (based on UNGM definitons) in your entity's total country-level indirect procurement ?
   
 
 
(Indirect procurement is the sourcing of all goods and Services for a buisness that enable its activity)
 
 
 
D. Governance and Management (Efficiency)
 
6. What issues/obstacles did you see at the beginning of the project? Were these problems relevant in the end for the project's progress and how were they addressed with regard to:

Very relevant Relevant Less relevant Not relevant
* Corporate Support (e.g.legal and audit issues)
* Interagency dialogue within HLCM PN, HLCM or both
* Interagancy dialogue within Harmonization Working Group
* Country-level response
* Relationship with and role of UNDG/DOCO)
* Other
 
 
If you identified other issues not listed above please provide additional comments and clarifications on whether they were resolved or not:
   
 
 
7. How satisfied were you with the governance structure for the Harmonization Project:
Very Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Not Satisfied No opinion
* Role of HLCM PN
* Role of HBP Management Board
* Role of Harmonization Working Group
* Role of Harmonization Project Secretariat
* Your own involvement in HLCM PN
* Your own involvment in Harmonization Working Group
 
 
If you are not satisfied please provide additional comments to facilitate understanding what could have been done better:
   
 
 
8. How satisfied are you with the overall management process governing the Harmonization Project:

Very Satisfied Satisfied Not Satisfied N.a.
* Tracking of work of Project Team by Management Board
* Consultative processes between Harmonization Working Group and Project Team
* Consultative processes between HLCM PN and Harmonization Working Group
* Mediation between different standpoints driven by differences in business and risk models, corporate structures and business volumes
* Consolidation of complex and divergent views into decision papers that would lead interagency work forward
* Initiatives for seeking (compromise) solutions that all members could accept
* Scheduling and preparation of meetings
* Time available for reviewing and responding to proposals submitted by Project Team
* Time available for reviewing and responding to proposals submitted by Harmonization Working Group
* Uptake of your feedback issues or issues you raised by Project Team
Very Satisfied Satisfied Not Satisfied N.a.
* Handling of issues within the HLCM PN Management Board
* Handling of issues within the Harmonization Working Group
* Willingness by HLCM PN, Harmonization Working Group, Project Team to understand legitimacy of your entity’s risk profile and concerns
* Follow-up and tracking by Harmonization Project of implementation of issues by your organization
* Possibility to escalate complex issues to higher decision level
* Tracking of entity uptake of project's outputs
 
 
Please provide additional comments and views, as appropriate:
   
 
 
9. Were your expectations regarding the project’s management achieved, overachieved or underachieved?

Overachieved Fully achieved Partially achieved Not achieved Don't know
* Project management (timeliness)
* Project Management (quality of outputs)
* Project organization (responsiveness to issues)
* Communication flow (Project Team - Harmonization WG)
* Communication flow (Harmonization WG - HLCM PN)
* Communication flow (HLCM PN - HLCM)
* Consultative process (on complex issues)
* Consultative process (reaching concrete solutions)
* Mediation in controversial situations
* Initiative in coming up with compromise solutions
* Outputs (relevant)
* Outputs (pragmatic and practical)
* Outputs (applicable for day-to-day Problems)
 
 
10. How do you judge the information flow within the Harmonization Project (involving all levels of governance structure):

Very effective Reasonable Not effective N.a.
* Face-to-face meetings
* Teleconferences
* Reports and documents prepared by project team
* Documentation of conclusions by HLCM PN and Harmonization Working Group meetings
* Reporting on progress tracking uptake by UN entities
* Training material
* Workshops
 
 
11. How satisfied are you with the work by the Harmonization Project?

Yes No No opionion
* Are you satisfied with the technical preparatory work by the Project Team?
* Are you satisfied with the general Support by the Project Team?
* Did you explain to the Project Team the business and risk model of your entity?
* Were your views/concerns taken into account?
* Were your views/concerns mainstreamed into the solutions that were submitted to the HLCM for approval?
* Are you satisfied with the work of the Harmonization Project Secretariat?
* Are you satisfied with the work by the Harmonization Working Group?
 
 
Please provide additional clarifications or comments, as appropriate.
   
 
 
 
E. Harmonization project as framework for knowledge exchange of practitioners (effectiveness)
 
 
* 12. How would you rate the quality of the knowledge sharing on procurement related issues among participating UN entities as result of Harmonization Project?
 
 
13. Which mechanism contributes(d) most to improved knowledge sharing on UN procurement processes among participating UN agencies

Very true Somewhat true Not true
* General discussion within framework of the HLCM PN
* Cooperation and interaction in the HLCM PN
* Cooperation and interaction in the Harmonization Working Group
* Briefings and presentations by the project team
* Facilitating role of and dialogue with the project team
* Specifically the work in the Management Board (if applicable)
* Specifically the work of the Harmonization Project Secretariat
 
 
 
* 14. Has the project resulted in improved knowledge sharing of best practices with other entities?
 
 
15. Did the existence of the project result in changes of business practices for field procurement within your entiy outside the specific project framework? Which of the following statements reflects the situation in your entity:

Very true Somewhat true Not true
* Introduced selected best practices that were not covered by project
* Conducted complete review of field procurement manuals/practices
* Conducted partial review of some field procurement
* Focus was only on deliverables of Harmonization Project
* Used tools developed or discussed within project to implement change in my own entity
* Used the fact of the interagency dialogue as leverage for change in my own entity
* Other
 
 
 
F. Efficiency
 
16. In your assessment, did project implementation follow the approved schedule within the framework of approved resources and budget and have the expected outputs been delivered?

Delivered on schedule Delivered with delay Not yet delivered Don't know
* Output 1 'Guidelines for Harmonized UN Procurement at the Country Level’ are revised
* Output 2 Structure and content of a standardised procurement toolkit is agreed
* Output 3 Harmonized financial rules & regulations and policies for procurement are recommended
* Output 4 A standardised procurement toolkit is developed and distributed via the UNGM platform
* Output 5 Analysis of (selected) country level common procurement is completed
* Output 6 Evaluation methodology for country level procurement outcomes is completed
* Output 7 UNDG common services and procurement training modules is updated
 
 
17. In your view, did the Project succeed in

Very true Somewhat true Not true
* Understanding the specific business model of your agency/organization
* Understanding the specific requirements/constraints for your agency’s/organization’s procurement processes
* Take your agency’s/organization’s requirements into account in the recommendations
* Develop recommendations that are suitable for your specific business environment
 
 
 
G. Relevance
 
 
18. Which of the following options for common procurement do you see as most relevant for your entity's field operations (in terms of potential cost reductions including efficiency gains)?

Very relevant Relevant Not relevant
* Minimal common procurement
* Use of existing LTAs or contracts of other UN organizations (Piggy backing)
* Use of Joint LTAs (procurement lead-organization)
* Using procurement services of other UN organizations
* Procurement from another UN organization
* None of the above
 
 
19. How relevant are the project's outputs for your entity's work at country Level?

Very relevant Relevant Not relevant Don't know
* Common UN Glossary of procurement related items
* Standardized Table of Content (ToC) for UN procurement manuals
* PPH as a website/app/e-book
* Common UN Procurement at the Country Level and related tools (V1.00), March 2012
* Procurement Review Committee White Paper
* Five models for Common Procurement
* Training material including workshops
* Other
 
 
 
20. Which of the following three planned outcomes have been achieved and are relevant for your entity as achieved?
 
 
 
AchievedRelevant
Not Fully
Not Fully
1234512345
* Common framework for the harmonization of procurement related regulations, rules, policies, procedures and business practices
* Documentation of country-level outcomes and best practices
* Development of standardized toolkit for country-level procurement practioners
 
 
21. Which of the following Options for common procurement do you see as most relevant for your entity's Country-level operations (in terms of potential cost reductions including Efficiency gains)

Very relevant Relevant Not relevant Don't know
* Minimal common procurement
* Use of existing LTAs or contracts of other UN organizations (Piggy backing)
* Use of Joint LTAs (procurement lead-organization)
* Using procurement services of other UN organizations
* Procurement from another UN organization
* None of the above
 
 
22. How do you rate your own satisfaction with the project's actual outputs relating to the seven expected outpus of the harmonization project

Very satisfied Satisfied Less satisfied Not satisfied
* Output 1 'Guidelines for Harmonized UN Procurement at the Country Level’ are revised
* Output 2 Structure and content of a standardised procurement toolkit is agreed
* Output 3 Harmonized financial rules & regulations and policies for procurement are recommended
* Output 4 A standardised procurement toolkit is developed and distributed via the UNGM platform
* Output 5 Analysis of (selected) country level common procurement is completed
* Output 6 Evaluation methodology for country level procurement outcomes is completed
* Output 7 UNDG common services and procurement training modules is updated
 
 
23. How do you rate your own entity's satisfaction with the project's actual Outputs relating to the seven expected outpus of the harmonization project

Very satisfied Satisfied Less satisfied Not satisfied
* Output 1 'Guidelines for Harmonized UN Procurement at the Country Level’ are revised
* Output 2 Structure and content of a standardised procurement toolkit is agreed
* Output 3 Harmonized financial rules & regulations and policies for procurement are recommended
* Output 4 A standardised procurement toolkit is developed and distributed via the UNGM platform
* Output 5 Analysis of (selected) country level common procurement is completed
* Output 6 Evaluation methodology for country level procurement outcomes is completed
* Output 7 UNDG common services and procurement training modules is updated
 
 
24. Do you consider that the project's actual outputs met the expectations as stated by the seven expected outputs that were listed in the MoU for the the harmonization Project
Overachieved Fully met Partially met Not met
* Output 1 'Guidelines for Harmonized UN Procurement at the Country Level’ are revised
* Output 2 Structure and content of a standardised procurement toolkit is agreed
* Output 3 Harmonized financial rules & regulations and policies for procurement are recommended
* Output 4 A standardised procurement toolkit is developed and distributed via the UNGM platform
* Output 5 Analysis of (selected) country level common procurement is completed
* Output 6 Evaluation methodology for country level procurement outcomes is completed
* Output 7 UNDG common services and procurement training modules is updated
 
 
Please provide comments and clarifications, as appropriate:
   
 
 
 
H. Sustainability
 
25. In your assessment, what are the actual benefits for your entity from common procurement at the country-level , to the extent that it is already implemented?

Substantial Modest Not relevant Not applicable or don't know
* Increased value for money through bulk discounts
* Increased value for money through better quality
* Increased value for money through improved planning
* Improved coordination, consistency and planning
* Reduction of parallel processes and transaction costs
* Improved supplier relationships
* Better procurement risk management
* Promotion of One UN with private sector
* Sharing of purchasing experience
 
 
Please provide additional comments as appropriate:
   
 
 
26. What are the expected benefits for your entity from common procurement at the country-level , to the extent that it is not yet implemented?

True for all procurement True for selected items Not true Not applicable Don't know
* Increased value for money through bulk discounts
* Increased value for money through better quality
* Increased value for money through improved planning
* Improved coordination, consistency and planning
* Reduction of parallel processes and transaction costs
* Improved supplier relationships
* Better procurement risk management
* Promotion of One UN with private sector
* Sharing of purchasing experience
 
 
Please provide additional comments as appropriate:
   
 
 
27. How do you rate the chances for implementation of the project's specific outputs by your own entity?

Very high High Medium Modest Unlikely Nil
* Common UN Glossary of procurement related items
* Standardized Table of Content (ToC) for UN procurement manuals
* PPH as a website/app/e-book
* Common UN Procurement at the Country Level and related tools (V1.00), March 2012
* Five models for Common Procurement
* Training material including workshops
* Other
 
 
28. When do you think that the project's Outputs would realistically be implemented by your entity (as part of your entity's rules, regulations, procedures, toolkits etc.)

No later than mid 2013 No later than end 2013 Not before 2014 Not sure when Not relevant for my entity
* Glossary for an agreed terminology on procurement for UN System entities
* Table of Contents (ToC) for corporate field procurement Manuals for UN System entities
* Document for "'Common UN Procurement at the Country Level"
* Training material
* Common Framework for harmonizing the Terms of Reference to Support establishing inter-agency procurement review committees
 
 
29. Which of the following arguments would be most convincing for your entity for implementing the common procurement at the country-level ?

Very convincing Convincing Less convincing Not convincing Do not know
* Increased value for money through bulk discounts
* Increased value for money through better quality
* Increased value for money through improved planning
* Improved coordination, consistency and planning
* Reduction of parallel processes and transaction costs
* Improved supplier relationships
* Better procurement risk management
* Promotion of One UN with private sector
* Sharing of purchasing experience
 
 
30. Which of the following statements corresponds to your corporate positon for field level procurement?

Yes No Not yet decided
* My entity will only accept minimal common procurement
* We are willing to accept other entities to piggy backg with our entity's LTAs
* We are willing to use other entities's LTAs
* We are willing to be lead-agency for joint LTAs
* We are willing to accept other entities to be lead-agency of a joint LTA
* We are willing to use procurement services of other UN agencies
* We are willing to let other UN agencies use our entity's procurement Services
* We are willing to procure from other UN organizations
* We are willing to use Joint procurement Teams
* In case of yes for any of the above we are willing to do it in all countries
* In case of yes for any of the above we are willing to do it on a case-by-case basis after review and assessment of the country-specific situation
 
 
31. In case of affirmative response to any of the previous question, how will your entity handle this issue?

Fully agree Not yet decided Unlikely No Don't know
* Responsibility for common procurement based on the option that is supported by our entity is entirely delegated to country level
* Responsibility is delegated but is subject to specific review (e.g. audit)
* Responsibility is delegated but needs endorsement by headquarters or regional Office
* Decision is taken by headquarters on a cases by case basis
* Decision is taken by Headquarters as a global decision
 
 
32. What do you consider key risks that could impede implementation of those recommendations of project teams relating to the seven outputs of the expected outputs for the project UN Common procurement?

Very relevant Relevant Not relevant
* Budgetary constraints
* Audit constraints
* Staffing constraints
* Other (please comment)
* Only some will be adopted
* Management buy-in
* Staff buy in
 
 
Other risks than the ones listed above are:
   
 
 
33. Should the Harmonization Working Group or a similar mechanism continue to operate after completion of this Project and what should be its focus?

High priority Medium priority Low priority No priority
* Continue tracking of uptake of Project Outputs by entities
* Monitor implementation of outputs at country Level
* Establish knowledge forum or platform
* Harmonization at headquarters Level
* Harmonization of procurement for programme activities
* Others
 
 
 
34. Please provide any other comments/suggestions that you consider relevant for this evaluation:
   
 
Survey Software Powered by QuestionPro Survey Software