Opportunity analysis
General information
This step of the BOS encourages innovative thinking. The analysis might involve brainstorming sessions, exploring and calculating new ways of working, researching new technologies, and working together, to imagine new and improved levels of collaboration.
The opportunity analysis identifies new services that could be done collaboratively through the BOS, considering quality enhancements and cost effectiveness.
Selecting new opportunities from existing common service list
As a result of OMT working groups’ discussions on their area of expertise, new forms of collaboration will be identified and selected through the BOS online platform. Once selected, OMT working groups will need to define the common service for their specific context through providing:
Description: a short description of the common service in their local context;
Opportunity statement: the reasons why this common service is selected. Here the OMT can link a potential common service to programmatic-related needs (in line with the UNSDCF) or non-programmatic needs (based on corporate requirements);
Expected quality improvements: describes the quality enhancements anticipated as a result of implementing the new common service. In some cases, the quality considerations of a potential new common service may out-weigh the cost avoidance considerations. Quality considerations may include the:
Urgency of common approaches in a particular field
The reputational or visibility value to the UN resulting from implementation of any one common service
Capacity (time and competency of staff) that may or may not be available
Managing Agency: the name of the UN Agency that manages this common service on behalf of one or more other UN Agencies. Multi-agency management is also a possibility and can be added to the platform;
Way forward: indicates the new common services selected for inclusion in the BOS;
Implementation start date: defines the planned date of implementation of this service;
Participating Agencies: the list of UN Agencies participating in this common service;
Cost Benefit Analysis: each Agency BOS focal point should complete its own CBA, if applicable.
Adding new common services
The BOS online platform provides OMTs and OMT working groups with a list of common services meant to inspire collaboration in the different areas. OMTs are strongly encouraged to double check whether their desired common service is, or is not, on the list prior to submitting a request for a new common service. There are two ways to search for a common service:
Use the search engine to look for keywords. The search engine will search for key words in the common service name and description and under all the common service lines.
Review the common services list, which can be downloaded under Reports: Common Services
For example, country offices wanting to add cooperation on a LTA for the supply of office stationery will not find the common service under Procurement Services – Goods and Services but under Administration – Administrative Services. This is because procurement is the way to obtain supplies, but office stationery is the duty of administration.
If OMTs find that the desired common service is still missing, a new common service can be added. To do this, click on “New Common Service”, complete the form and submit it for validation. Validation is a form of quality assurance and may take a few days to be processed to ensure all the elements added are precise. A message will be sent to the OMT Chair and the OMT working group focal point once the common service is validated.
For step-by-step guidance on how to add new common services into the BOS platform, click here.
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