The kick-off provides UNCTs the opportunity to initiate the BOS in their country. This step is focused on building a basic common understanding of BOS across all parties involved in its development and implementation at the country level.
This step is traditionally comprised of several activities, such as:
Creation of specialized working groups (one for each common service line) within the OMT and identification of a focal point for each, if this does not yet exist.
OMT meeting, together with the OMT working groups and the assigned focal points, where the OMT Chair briefs the team on the BOS using the OMT Kick-off presentation and discusses next steps.
UNCT meeting where OMT Chair briefs on the BOS, using the UNCT Kick-off presentation. The OMT Chair introduces the focal points for the specialized working groups and discusses next steps. It is at this point that members of the UNCT reconfirm their commitment to the process, allowing staff time to lead and/or participate in the interagency processes of developing and implementing the BOS. This is done by defining the Participating Agencies and completing the Accountability Framework, one of the most important steps of the BOS.[1]
For step-by-step guidance on completing the kick-off step in the BOS platform, click here.
[1] For more detailed information refer to Annex 2.
The stock take records common services that are already being done collaboratively at the country level, either through an existing BOS or as independent initiatives.
This step assesses the performance of existing common services. Here the OMT working groups meet separately to discuss current service collaboration and their respective efficiency and effectiveness. This is an opportunity to build on strengths and expand common services, to discontinue inefficient practices and to address any bottlenecks.
As a result of the discussions, OMT working groups record the details of the current cooperation in the BOS online platform:
Modality: define whether this service is implemented in house or outsourced.
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.
Action to be taken:[1] depending on the current performance of cooperation on this service, working group should decide whether collaboration on this service should continue, be scaled up or discontinued.
Implemented since: date from which agencies started cooperating on this service.
Participating Agencies: define the agencies participating in this common service.
Any comments that country offices would like to highlight.
Benefits of collaborating in services identified through the stock take are monitored through standard KPIs. However, as common services identified through the stock take become increasingly integrated into planning, the recording of benefits is done for a maximum period of four years.[2] For this reason, OMT working groups are requested to record since when Agencies have been cooperating.
For step-by-step guidance on completing the stock take step in the BOS platform, click here.
[1] Similarly, new common services identified in the Opportunity Analysis will be moved to the stock take section once they have been done collaboratively for 4 years
[2] For more details on the terminology refer to Annex 3.
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.
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.
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.
A thorough and coherent strategy is key to a positive collaborative environment that enhances the quality and efficiency of UN operations at country level. The BOS Task Team has been created, in part, to assist UNCTs in maintaining a desired level of quality in the development and implementation of the BOS.
In an attempt to facilitate the sign-off step, the BOS will be reviewed for quality assurance by a member of the BOS Task Team. This review is intended to ensure key aspects of the BOS process are followed and, when necessary, changes are introduced.
The quality assurance review is a mandatory step ahead of the sign-off and should be completed within 7-10 working days. Any delay can be escalated to DCO at regional and HQ level. For more information, please refer to the Quality Assurance Standard Operating Procedures available in the online platform.
Once all the steps of the BOS progress bar have been completed, OMT Chairs will be able to submit the final draft for quality assurance validation in the sign-off page of the platform.
The endorsement of the strategy is fundamental to the collaborative implementation of services at country level. This step is only possible once the BOS has been reviewed and cleared for the sign-off by the BOS Task Team.
The sign-off meeting includes the OMT Chair, the UNCT and the RC. In this meeting, the OMT Chair is responsible for presenting the BOS to the UNCT for final endorsement. Once endorsed by the UNCT, the BOS is ready to be signed-off by the RC through the online platform. The RC signs-off on the BOS on behalf of the UNCT. As such only the RC’s registered account will enable the sign-off on the BOS online. The RC reports the completion of the BOS as part of their annual reporting obligations. Below is a depiction of the roles and responsibilities of the sign-off meeting:
An agenda for the sign-off meeting would typically include:
Introduction – the purpose of the meeting, as well as the overall proposed value (quality and cost) of the BOS;
Accountability Framework Organigram – the responsibilities and levels of accountability of all actors;
Results Framework – agreed set of common services (existing and new) – highlighting KPIs, targets, and involved agencies;
Implementation Plan – defined activities, responsibilities, timeframes, and budget to implement each common service identified;
Budget - common budget requirements and proposed resource mobilization approaches;
Monitoring and Review Plan – outlining all responsibilities for the monitoring, reporting, and review plan.
The online platform generates summary reports for each step of the BOS to support presentation to the UNCT for endorsement. The sign-off is not finalized until the box the RC completes all the steps of the sign-off page. A link to final report will be sent to all staff registered through the accountability framework.
The BOS preparation has five key steps that take between 8 to 16 weeks. The actual time requirement will depend on local level capacity, the number of common services identified, access to verifiable data and approval times. UNCTs complete their BOS by providing inputs into each step of the BOS online platform.
Roles | Responsibilities |
---|---|
OMT Chair
BOS presentation
UNCT
Endorsement of the BOS
RC
Sign-off through the online platform