HR System Partnership Management

Request for proposal for the submission of Human Resources & Partnership Management System

1. Background

Habitat for Humanity International Nepal (Habitat Nepal) is an international non-governmental organization that is driven by the vision that everyone deserves a decent place to live. In Nepal, we address housing needs of low-income families through our partnership with homeowners, duty bearers, civil society, financial institutions, academia and relevant stakeholders.  The organization serves families and communities that are at the bottom of the pyramid, by promoting greener, affordable and disaster resilient solutions and technologies for safe housing construction, advocating for land tenure security and joint land titles, and empowering communities at the risk of climate related disasters to apply local knowledge and practices for nature-based solutions. Through decent and adequate housing, we support families build strength, stability, and self-reliance.

Habitat for Humanity Nepal is currently utilizing Microsoft 365’s SharePoint as our intranet and have developed several in-house applications using Power Platform to automate key processes. While these applications have been beneficial, they come with several limitations, including the need for manual intervention and challenges with external collaboration. 

We are seeking proposals for the implementation following two modules: 

• Module A: Human Resource System 
• Module B: Partnership Management System 

This solution must streamline HR operations and enhance data exchange and collaboration with external partners. 

Vendors may submit proposals for one or both packages. Habitat Nepal reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to award both packages to a single vendor or to assign each package to separate vendors. 

2. Scope & Objectives

The primary goal of this assignment is to support our current HR systems to be fully integrated and automated by minimizing manual tasks, enhancing data exchange capabilities with external partners, and reduces the operational burden of maintaining custom applications.

Key Objectives:

• Automate HR functions. 
• Facilitate secure collaboration with local external partners for partnership management. 
• Provide a user-friendly interface for both employees and administrators 
• Reduce the need for manual intervention. 
• Offer robust reporting and analytics features 

3. Functional & Technical Requirements

MODULE 1-

Human Resources system:

The system should support various HR functions, including:  

• Employee Database: Maintaining employee records, contact information, and employment history.  
• Recruitment and onboarding  
• Payroll Processing: Calculating employee salaries, retirement benefits, taxes, and deductions including final settlement accurately and efficiently. Pay slip generation (monthly and annually). The entire payroll process from initiation to approvals should be captured. 
• Real Time/Location Attendance Tracking: Recording employee attendance, leaves, absences, and other attendance requirements.   
• Timesheet: Attendance allocation based on LoE (Level of Effort) for various projects.  
• Performance Management: Setting performance goals, conducting (Task tracking daily) performance reviews, and tracking employee performance.  
• JD and recruitment management: Based on submission of job application, screening of candidate and recruitments/selection through this system and document approval flow, send job offer, probation tracking, employment letter/contracts.  
• Training Management: Managing employee training programs, certifications, and compliance requirements.  
• Employee Self-Service: Providing employees with self-service capabilities to update personal information, access pay stubs and submit leave requests upon approval.  
• Reporting and analysis.  

MODUEL 2

Partnership Management:

Digital/automated process transformation from manual process capturing the entire process initiation/entry, review, and approvals incorporating but not limited to:

• Financial reports including budget vs actual with justification on variance and estimated budget utilization for the remaining period based on data generated from Partner NGO accounting software.
• Fund transfer request for fund disbursement to Partner NGO 
• Programmatic and financial record storage in a systematic manner for authorized access and retrievals.  
• Audit tracker for capturing the audit observation, an action plan with a timeline, a responsible person, and the status of audit observation every month (closed/open).   
• Monthly implementation updates in terms of project targets and activities with justification on delays and future action plan for timely project completion. 
• Performance Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E): 
  • Real-time tracking of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) based on project objectives. 
  • Integration with dashboards for data visualization of programmatic and financial metrics. 
  • Ability to generate automated reports for donors and stakeholders showing progress towards goals. 
• Donor Reporting and Communication: 
  • Automated templates for donor-specific financial and narrative reports. 
  • A system for scheduling and tracking donor communication and reporting deadlines. 
• Contract Management: 
  • Digital storage of partnership agreements, MoUs, and contracts, including automated alerts for renewal or revision timelines. 
  • Document workflow for approvals, including the ability to upload and archive signed agreements. 
• Collaborative Workspace for Partner Engagement: 
  • A shared platform for project updates, documents, and feedback exchange between Habitat Nepal and partner NGOs. 
• Capacity to Handle Multi-Year Projects: 
  • The system should allow the tracking of projects that span multiple years, ensuring clarity on funds, activities, and objectives over long periods. 
• Sustainability & Impact Indicators: 
  • Include fields for tracking the long-term impact and sustainability outcomes of the projects (e.g., environmental sustainability, community empowerment). 
  • Metrics on the usage of green or sustainable technologies by partners.

4. Technical Requirement

Platform: The proposed solution must be deployed within our organization’s Microsoft Azure environment. The backend should utilize Azure SQL Database, Azure Blob Storage, and Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) for secure identity management with Single Sign-On (SSO).  

Technology Stack: Can vary based on vendor selection.  

Security:  

• Role-based access control (RBAC) to manage user permissions and privileges.  
• The solution must integrate with our Azure subscription, ensuring compliance with organizational security protocols, data encryption, disaster recovery via Azure Backup and Site Recovery.
• Data encryption at rest and in transit to ensure confidentiality.  
• Regular security audits and compliance with relevant regulations (e.g., GDPR) to protect sensitive data.  
• Data retention mechanism to manage the lifecycle of data and comply with legal and regulatory requirements.  
• Vendors must provide a clear data retention and deletion policy for managing data lifecycle, especially after contract termination 
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA must be available to secure user logins) 
• The organization retains full ownership and control over its data 
• Audit logs must be maintained to track user activity, and access to logs must be provided to our organization

5. User Requirements & Accessibility 

User Experience:  

• User-friendly interface design with a consistent look and feel across modules.  
• Customizable dashboards and reports to meet the specific needs of different user roles.  

Accessibility:  

Compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to ensure accessibility for users with disabilities. https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/

6. Deployment and Rollout

• Set up production environments (Cloud).  Should be deployed within our organization’s Microsoft Azure environment.
• Roll out system updates, bug fixes, or enhancements as needed.

7. Training and Support

• End-User Training: Comprehensive training programs tailored to different user roles and proficiency levels.  
• Documentation: Provision of user manuals, training materials, and online resources for ongoing reference and support.  
• Technical Support: Should offer comprehensive support during and after implementation, including regular maintenance, updates, and troubleshooting. 

8. Vendor Requirements 

• Company Profile: Company history, number of years in business, key clients, and past HRIS implementation projects.
• Vendors must have a track record of successful ERP implementations within similar industries and organizations.  
• Demonstrated expertise in ERP software development, customization, and support.  
• Vendors must provide at least three client references from organizations that have implemented similar systems. 
• The system must adhere to best practices for data security, especially in managing sensitive employee information. Compliance with GDPR and other relevant regulations is required 
• Valid business registration with latest tax clearance certificate.  

9. Evaluation Process

Submissions will be evaluated based on:

• Alignment will with organization requirements
• Vendor experience and references
• Technical and support capabilities

10. Active Support of HFHI Values

• Humility – We are part of something bigger than ourselves.
• Courage – We do what’s right, even when it is difficult or unpopular.
• Accountability – We take personal responsibility for HFHI’s mission. 

11. Ethical Standards and Intellectual Property

In accordance with its foundational mission principles, Habitat for Humanity Nepal is committed to the highest ethical standards and opposes all forms of discrimination, exploitation, and abuse. We intend to create and maintain a work and living environment that is safe, productive, and respectful for our colleagues and for all we serve.

We require that all staff and representatives (consultants, contractors, vendors/suppliers, interns, volunteers, agents, and implementing partner organizations) take seriously their ethical responsibilities to Safeguarding (Child Protection, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation Harassment, and Abuse) our intended beneficiaries, their communities (especially children), and all those with whom we work.

Abiding with the organization, the firm/vendors have responsibilities to maintain an environment that prevents harassment, sexual exploitation, and abuse, safeguards the rights of beneficiaries and community members (especially children), and promotes the implementation of Habitat for Humanity’s code of conduct.

Throughout the assignment engagements, the service providers are expected to adhere to Habitat Nepal’s code of conduct including the safeguarding policy ensuring that all measures are taken to protect the rights, safety, and welfare of the individuals and communities involved.

12. Process, Deadline and instructions to submit the proposal

To streamline the selection of the most qualified vendor, Habitat Nepal will implement a two-stage process

Stage 1: Prequalification:

This initial stage is designed to identify vendors who meet Habitat Nepal’s minimum criteria in terms of technical capabilities, relevant experience, financial stability, and compliance with industry standards. Interested vendors should submit documentation demonstrating their qualifications and capabilities. Please note that pricing information is not required at this stage.

Stage 2: (only for Shortlisted Vendors who qualify the technical requirements in stage 1):

Shortlisted vendors will be invited to submit detailed financial proposals that include pricing, project plans, and more. This stage also includes a review of solution specifics, support models, and implementation timelines. Requirement includes:

• Full project proposal, including solution design and implementation plan.
• Detailed cost breakdown.
• Service-level agreements (SLAs), support, and training plans.

Firms/Vendor interested in meeting the above qualifications are invited to submit a hard copy of your technical proposal (not financial) at procurement@habitatnepal.org with subject “Human Resources & Partnership Management System”.

Habitat for Humanity International Nepal

House No 126, New Colony Marg

Dhobighat, Lalitpur, Nepal

Proposal should be received no later than 8th December 2024. The main body of proposal should include the following: 

• A cover letter showing an expression of interest 
• Tentative plan and deliverables, providing details where possible and needed as per format in annex
• Organization’s brief profile.

Legal documents required

• A copy of registration certificate
• A copy of tax clearance certificate
• A copy of VAT certificate

Note: 

• Please be informed that Habitat Nepal reserves the right to accept or reject any or all submissions, or any part thereof, at its sole discretion without providing reasons for its decision. 
• Habitat Nepal may choose to enter negotiations with one or more vendors to clarify and finalize details before proceeding to the full proposal stage.
• Habitat Nepal May request additional information or clarification from vendors to aid in the evaluation process. 
• Technical proposal not meeting this requirement will not be considered. Only shortlisted companies/firms will be contacted for the submission of financial proposal.