Overview

Westminster Foundation for Democracy (“WFD”) is the UK public body dedicated to supporting democracy around the world. Operating internationally, WFD works with parliaments, political parties, and civil society groups as well as on elections to help make political systems fairer, more inclusive and more accountable.

We are a problem-solving, practitioner-led organisation that offers:

• Specialist analysis, research, and advice to inform policy makers on a range of democratic governance issues.
• High quality and impactful programmes that directly support the full spectrum of institutions in political systems to develop inclusive political processes, more accountable political systems, protection of rights and freedoms, and more pluralistic societies.
• International elections observation on behalf of the UK. 

Aim of this invitation to tender

WFD is issuing this Call for Experts (“Call”) to a range of potential experts, and we would welcome a proposal from you/your organisation. This Call constitutes an Invitation to Tender.

We seek a senior governance and public administration expert (individual or organisation) with experience in HR policy reform and institutional design in public services, particularly in small island / British Overseas Territories contexts. The assignment will support the Government of Anguilla by modernising and consolidating the General Orders and designing a modernised advisory model for the Public Service Commission (PSC).

Proposal submission

All proposals should be submitted in writing by 11.59pm UK time on Friday 15 August 2025, must comply with the requirements of this call, and must include the information requested in the proposal requirements below.

The proposal should be sent electronically and addressed to: Chinelo Eze (Commercial Manager) at procurement@wfd.org. 

The same email address should be used for any questions related to this call.

By submitting a bid, you agree to comply with WFD’s standard terms and conditions for tendering and key policies and WFD’s code of conduct.  

Terms of reference

Context to the reform of the Anguilla public service:  

Anguilla is a British Overseas Territory with a population of approximately 12,000.  

The public service in Anguilla comprises the Office of HE the Governor and five Ministries. Ministries are subdivided into a total of 34 Departments, under which there are 30 statutory bodies. It employs around 1,100 people, accounts for 10.55% of real GVA and had a total of EC$ 383m Recurrent and Capital expenditure in 2024.

A number of public service reviews have taken place in the past, each producing reports with recommendations. This includes several efficiency and effectiveness reviews with a primary focus on reducing costs and several job re-grading exercises. The most recent review was the 2011 “Anguilla Cross Civil Service Review”.  Yet implementation of the recommendations from these reviews is reported to have been a consistent challenge

The Government of Anguilla is keen to break this cycle of unfulfilled reform and as a step towards renewed reform appointed a Public Service Reform Advisor in November 20024. The new Adviser has led on an up to date review intended to be followed by the design of a future operating model for the Anguilla public service, a roadmap for implementing reform and some initial reform implementation.  This work aims to deliver a more trusted, responsive public service that meets the challenges of today and tomorrow.  The report’s recommendations are now viewed as the basis for a programme of change.  

The reform areas also align with work being undertaken to support women's empowerment, through modernised policy (particularly through the revision of the General Orders to include important policies such as Equal Opportunity & Non-Discrimination, modernised sickness absence policy etc) and modernised recruitment processes (particularly through an elevated PSC which will support more fair and consistent recruitment). The overall reform process will also include the empowerment of senior and future leaders (particularly through work with Permanent Secretaries and capability building through a potential experience visit). 

Specific background:

This assignment relates to two specific areas of planned reform:  

1. General orders modernisation / consolidation. 
   The General Orders are essentially the manual containing all the essential policies required to administer the public service. The General Orders do not provide a “single source of the truth" and must be read alongside several other documents (notably the Public Service Commission Regulations). This leads to confusion and potential inconsistencies in the application of important processes including recruitment and the disciplinary procedure.  The General Orders are also out of date with notable gaps in HR policy areas (e.g. Equal Opportunity & Non-Discrimination Policy, specifically including Confidentiality & Data Protection Policy; Conflict of Interest Policy and practices; and many more).
2. Design the future model for the Public Service Commission (PSC)
   The PSC in Anguilla is currently constituted as an advisory body with the Deputy Governor taking final decisions on personnel appointments and disciplinary matters. There are inefficiencies in the processes, protracted decision-making timelines, decisions routinely taken at the highest levels (i.e. by the Deputy Governor) and loss of autonomy, empowerment and accountability by Heads of Department.

Objective

The objective of this assignment is to enable Anguilla to achieve two reform recommendations through the provision of high-quality policy/procedural documents.

Methodology and approach

This assignment will deliver support to two areas of reform, 

1) General orders modernisation.  

Thoroughly review and modernise the General Orders (including addressing inconsistencies with the Public Service Commission Regulations and other documentation), providing an unambiguous single source of procedure.  This work will:  identify gaps in policy areas contained in the General Orders and develop policies for inclusion in the General Orders. It will also review and modernise existing policies within the General Orders. The new General Orders will remove the requirement that they should be read in conjunction with other documents, developing a stand-alone electronic document that includes a series of links to the current versions of specific policy documents e.g. Northern Ireland Civil Service Handbook | Department of Finance. The assignment will develop a process for incorporating ongoing policy updates or new policies to ensure policies are aligned; and amend the PSC Regulations to give primacy to the policies and procedures outlined in the General Orders.  

2) Design the future model for the Public Service Commission.  

As part of efforts to strengthen public administration and improve efficiency, the Government of Anguilla is exploring options for a modernised advisory Public Service Commission (PSC) model. One possible approach under consideration is to empower Heads of Department (HoDs) to play a more direct role in recruitment and disciplinary processes, while repositioning the PSC to function primarily in an advisory role as a strategic assurance body.

This would represent a shift from its current role in operational decision-making toward a model focused on maintaining public confidence in the integrity, consistency, and fairness of personnel practices across the public service. Such a model could include the following functions:

Potential features of a modernised advisory PSC Model to be explored

1) Oversight and assurance

• Conduct audits and reviews of recruitment, promotion, and disciplinary processes led by ministries and departments.
• Monitor adherence to the General Orders and related HR policy frameworks.

2) Dispute resolution

• Review and make recommendations regarding what role the PSC might play in ensuring fairness and transparency in disciplinary proceedings consistent with their constitutional mandate.

3) Advisory role

• Provide high-level guidance on emerging HR issues, policy gaps, and best practices.

4) Capacity support

• Assist with setting standards and building capability among HoDs and HR practitioners in areas such as merit-based recruitment and disciplinary action.

This proposed approach would require further discussion and, if agreed, amendments to the Public Service Commission Act and Regulations, particularly to clarify the respective roles of HoDs, the Deputy Governor, and the PSC in decision-making and oversight.

Scope of work

An initial briefing will be held with the consultant to provide further background and guidance on this work.

The consultant will deliver the work on the GSO by:

1. A review of the General Orders
2. Gap analysis General Orders (identifying policies that are necessary for inclusion but are missing and those that need modernized).
3. First draft of recommendations for updating and consolidating
4. Stakeholder consultation
5. Revised draft for the final General Orders

The work on the General Orders must be consistent and aligned with the new model for an advisory Public Service Commission and the consultant will need to manage these deliverables to ensure that there is strong read-across between the two areas.  

The consultant/s will review comparable documents and approaches from Overseas Territories and the wider Caribbean, and from wider international good practice.  They will also consult with other Overseas Territories and regional bodies such as CARICAD. 
In delivering the work on the PSC the consultant will:

1. Research and consult on different models for PSCs
2. Propose options through a draft report an appropriate model for Aguilla that will focus on building trust, with decision-making authority vested in Ministries and Departments
3. Revised / Final Public Service Commission model and Regulations
4. Recommendations and plan for implementation

The final model of the advisory PSC will be developed in consultation with key stakeholders, drawing on comparative models from other Overseas Territories, CARICOM jurisdictions, and small island contexts, and will take into account the unique constitutional and operational realities of Anguilla.

The consultant will be expected to present reform options, outline the implications of each, and support stakeholder engagement to build consensus around a preferred way forward.

The time allocations will be:

a) General orders: 8 days reading/research, 10 days drafting.
b) Public Service Commission; 8 days reading/research, 10 days drafting.
c) 12 days travel for consultations on both work areas.

Reporting

The ultimate client of this work is the Governor of Anguilla in consultation and dialogue with local stakeholders.  Guidance will be provided by the Government of Anguilla Public Service Reform Advisor.   Work will be peer reviewed by the FCDO Centre of Expertise on Politics and Governance.  

Deliverables

The deliverables for this assignment are:

1. Draft (consultation version) General Orders
2. A presentation to stakeholders on the proposed changes
3. Revised/Final General Orders
4. Draft Public Service Commission model and Regulations
5. A presentation to stakeholders on the proposed changes
6. Revised/Final Public Service Commission model and Regulations

Timelines

Once the expert has been confirmed (early September) a kick-off meeting will be scheduled with the CoE and the Government of Anguilla Public Service Reform Advisor. Exact timeframes and a delivery plan (including key milestones) will be agreed during this call, in consideration of expert and Government of Anguilla availability. It is anticipated that the majority of delivery will take place through October 2025 – February 2026.  

Proposal process

Timescale

Below is the proposed timescale for this call. Please note the dates are indicative and subject to change.  

Proposal requirements

In general, the proposal should include the following: 

1. Profile
2. Proposed solution and how it meets the specification (scope and deliverables)
3. Financial proposal  
4. References  
5. Confirmation of compliance with General Terms and Conditions of tendering

Individual profile 

• If the expert is currently registered with WFD’s Expert Roster, the expert should refer to this in the proposal and no further information is required.
• If the expert is not currently registered with the Expert Roster, the expert should provide a C.V. or information in the proposal document including: 
  •    A summary of their professional biography and relevant career history/record of assignments; and  
  •    case studies/credentials demonstrating relevant experience and skills profile

Proposed solution

• Clear explanation as to the proposed approach to meeting the specification set out in this Call.  
• Detailed project plan, including timelines, assumptions and dependencies, resourcing, and risks.  

Financial proposal:  

• Full breakdown time and cost estimates for the proposed solution in sterling, including any daily rate to be applied.
• Separate accounting of VAT and/or any other applicable tax, duty, or charge.  
• Detailing of any discount applied in view of WFD’s not-for-profit status.  

References: 

• If the expert is currently registered with WFD’s Expert Roster, the expert should refer to this in the proposal and no further information is required.
• If the expert is not currently registered with the Expert Roster, the expert should include details of at least three references relating to similar expert services provided in the last three years. 

Confirmation of acceptance of general terms and conditions:  

• All proposals should include a signed copy of the Confirmation of Compliance form as annexed to this Call.  

All experts should also note the following:  

• all proposals should be submitted in English
• all proposals should be submitted in electronic form
• this Call and the proposal in response may be incorporated in whole or in part into the final contract
• only information provided in response to questions set out in this documentation will be taken into consideration for the purposes of evaluating the proposal
• proposals which are poorly organised or poorly written, such that evaluation and comparison with other submissions is notably difficult, may exclude the expert from further consideration
• any proposals which do not fully comply with the requirements of this Call may be disregarded at the absolute discretion of WFD.  

Evaluation criteria

WFD does not provide a mathematical formula by which bids will be weighted evaluated, but the procurement committee will usually consider the following criteria, among others in the evaluation of all responses: 

• Quality of bid document
• Service offer and solution fit to specification
• Quality, capacity, and track-record of bidders based on references
• Value for money and pricing factors
• Professional profile, track record, and references
• Relevant experience, including case studies

WFD will score each criterion using the following table:

Queries about this call

Any questions related to this Call should be addressed to Chinelo Eze (Commercial Manager) at procurement@wfd.org. 

Equal information

Should any potential expert raise a question that is of general interest, WFD reserves the right to circulate both question and answer to other respondents, either via WFD’s website or by email. In this event, anonymity will be maintained.

Annual reports

If you operate a personal services company, please provide a link or copy of your company’s latest audited annual accounts with the proposal.

Other information

If the potential expert believes that there is additional information that has not been requested in the Call but is relevant to your proposal, please include that information as a separate attachment and explain its relevance to this call.