Assignment Title: Recruitment of Accreditation Consultants to Support the Operationalization of the Ghana Accreditation Service (GHAS).
- Introduction
The Ministry of Finance has received financing from the World Bank towards the cost of the Ghana Economic Transformation Project and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.
The Project will be implemented through four Components, namely:
- Enabling Investments;
- Crowding-in investments;
- Accelerating Entrepreneurship and Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Growth; and
- Project Management and Evaluation.
GHAS was set up in September 2018 under the Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992) as a company limited by guarantee by the Ministry of Trade and Industry. A new law, the Ghana Accreditation Service Act, 2023, (Act 1102) has been promulgated by Parliament to establish the Service as a state institution for efficient and effective administration of its mandate. The highest decision-making body of GHAS is the Governing Council.
GHAS has developed a 5-year Strategic Plan (2022-2026) and a 3-year Business Plan (2022-2024). The Strategic Plan has identified the number of employees for effective operationalization of the Service by the year 2026 as twenty (20). This number is to be increased using the rate of one (1) Accreditation Officer/Manager and one (1) Administrator per every fifty (50) accredited facilities.
- Objectives of the Assignment
The objective of this assignment is to engage Individual Consultants with extensive experience in accreditation and conformity assessment services to support the Ghana Accreditation Service (GHAS) in its operations. The Consultant will operate in the priority areas of GHAS in ISO/IEC 17025 which include Calibration (Mass, Pressure, Volume, and Temperature) and General Testing (Food Microbiology and Chemistry). The priority areas in ISO 15189 include clinical chemistry, hematology, and serology.
- Duties and Responsibilities
- Provide excellent professional accreditation services to clients with the view of developing a significant client base for the sustainability of the Service.
- Ensure that the accreditation services provided meet specific standards and accreditation requirements.
- Oversee the planning and execution of accreditation processes including scheduling resource allocation and time management.
- Ensure that all assessments are thorough, consistent, and in line with the established standards
- Coordinate onsite visits as part of the accreditation process of assessing facilities and reviewing operations
- Develop and deliver training programmes to potential accreditation officers and relevant staff to ensure they are knowledgeable about accreditation standards,
- Stay informed about the latest trends and developments in accreditation and incorporate this into the practices of the Service.
- Develop and maintain functionally effective networks with professionals in various sectors relevant to the work of the Service.
- Make promotional presentations to various stakeholders and potential clients to build visibility for the Service in target markets.
- Uphold high ethical standards in all aspects of the accreditation process, ensuring confidentiality, transparency, impartiality, and integrity.
- Supervise the entire accreditation process from the initial application through to final approval, ensuring consistency, fairness, and thoroughness.
- Ensure that the operations of the Service comply with governmental, regional, and international (WTO/TBT, AfCFTA, ECOWAS, etc.) agreements, policies, treaties, obligations, and conventions on accreditation and related subjects.
- Ensure the preparation and submission of quarterly, mid-year, annual, and other periodic reports of the Service.
- Submit periodic reports on the establishment, performance, and improvement of the Quality Management System of the Service.
- Any other duties assigned by the Team Leader of the Service
- Qualifications and Experience
- A minimum of a Master’s Degree from an accredited tertiary institution in any of the following fields: Engineering, Physical/Biological Sciences, or other related disciplines.
- A minimum of twelve (12) years post-Bachelor’s relevant work experience, five (5) years of which must be in Accreditation or related area at a Senior Management level.
- Successfully completed Internal Auditing course in Accreditation or Conformity Assessment Standards (ISO/IEC 17011, ISO 15189, ISO/IEC 17020, ISO/IEC 17025, or ISO/IEC 17021-1).
- Successfully completed Assessment Techniques course in Accreditation or Conformity Assessment Standards (ISO/IEC 17011, ISO 15189, ISO/IEC 17020, ISO/IEC 17025, or ISO/IEC 17021-1).
- Qualified and certified as a Peer Evaluator, Technical Assessor, or Team Leader in specified scope/s (Calibration, General Testing, Medical Laboratory Testing, Certification)
- Extensive leadership, networking, monitoring, and management skills.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
- Negotiating, lobbying, and conflict management skills.
- Good knowledge of financial, procurement, auditing, and labor laws and regulations
- Proficiency in relevant computer applications.
- Good strategic planning, implementation, and evaluation skills.
- Reporting
The Accreditation Officers will report to the Technical Advisor (Team Leader) and the Technical Advisor (Team Leader) will report to the Council.
- Duration of the Assignment
The duration of the assignment is expected to cover 12 months.
- Location of the Assignment
The Officers will be based in Accra.
- Required Documents
The application should include the following documents:
- An updated CV
- Copies of relevant diplomas (university degrees, etc.)
The detailed Terms of Reference (ToR) for the assignment can be found at the following website: https://www.mofep.gov.gh or obtained at the address and emails given below.
The Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant Selection Method as set out in the Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers (Procurement in Investment Project Financing Goods, Works, Non-Consulting and Consulting Services [July 2016 Revised November 2017, August 2018, November 2020 and July 2023).
- Submission of Expressions of Interest
Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 9:00 am to 4:30 pm local time.
Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below in person, by mail, or by email by October 15, 2024.
The Project Director
Ministry of Finance
Box M40, Accra, Ghana
Attn: Procurement Specialist
Ghana Economic Transformation Project Office,
Valco Trust House, Second Floor, Conference Room
Ambassadorial Enclave, Castle Road Ridge - Accra
Email: getpprocurement@gmail.com, and copy lateefpro@gmail.com
Tel: +233- 24740- 4444
Digital Address: GA – 052 -7763