The British Embassy Kyiv is now accepting project proposals from organisations (hereinafter – implementer) to implement the “Support to corporate governance reform of Ukroboronprom” project in promotion of the corporate governance reform of the Ukrainian state-owned defence company Ukroboronprom (UoP).

Background

The UK is committed to supporting the Ukrainian government and its people during the ongoing conflict in the east. We are helping Ukraine to defend itself, and we are funding a range of conflict management and peace-building projects to help the most vulnerable people affected by the conflict.

Being a strategic defence company, UoP plays a key role in Ukraine’s security and defence system. The newly appointed management of UoP are supportive of reforming the company through the elimination of inherent corruption, enhancing transparency and efficiency, and aligning corporate governance structure with international standards. This reform is expected to positively influence Ukraine’s overall capability to resist external military aggression.

Objective

The objective of the project is to support UoP corporate governance reform by (i) reviewing its current corporate governance model; (ii) identifying strong practices and areas for improvement; (iii) defining a target corporate governance model; and (iv) developing a corporate governance reform action plan.

Scope of work

The project is expected to deliver the following:

Outcome: Develop a corporate governance reform strategy for UoP

This outcome should be supported by the following deliverables (outputs):

Output 1. Mapping and definition of the target corporate governance model for UoP

Key outputs should include:

• desk research based on the OECD Guidelines on Corporate Governance of State-Owned Enterprises and benchmarking the UoP corporate governance model against peer companies (local/international)
• mapping of laws, legal provisions and UoP internal regulations on the company’s corporate governance model
• review of the UoP corporate governance architecture, including the rules governing the company’s ownership policy
• description of the proposed target corporate governance model for UoP
• delivery of a workshop presenting the report on the mapping and definition of the target corporate governance model for UoP

Output 2. Review of UoP current corporate governance model and recommendations for its improvement

Key outputs should include:

• gap analysis by comparing the current UoP corporate governance practices against the proposed target corporate governance model
• recommendations on proposed changes, including institutional, legal, corporate, required to achieve the target corporate governance model
• a workshop presenting the report with recommendations on the changes needed to achieve the target corporate governance model

Output 3. Development of the corporate governance action plan for UoP

Key outputs should include:

• development of a step-by-step corporate governance action plan, including (i) a list of required actions with identified action owners; (ii) feasible timelines; and (iii) resources required for achieving (a) the transitional model and (b) the target corporate governance model by UoP
• a workshop presenting the corporate governance action plan

The implementer is expected to present the final documents (outputs) of the project to the Project Steering Committee for discussion and approval.

All final documents, including reviews, recommendations, reports and action plan, should be prepared in Ukrainian and English.

Requirements to bidders

To be eligible for project award, the bidder must:

• have extensive experience (over 10 years) in international consulting/advisory services and corporate governance reviews
• have specialised knowledge, direct experience and skills in conducting reviews of corporate governance models of state-owned companies in Ukraine
• have an understanding of the specific political, economic, and historical background of Ukraine’s reform agenda
• have the capacity to involve local and international expertise to ensure expected deliverables
• have experience in collaborating with UoP and/or associated Ukrainian government agencies and be capable of ensuring close working relationships with UoP representatives throughout the project implementation
• have thorough monitoring and evaluation tools/practices
• be legally eligible to carry out the activities indicated in the bid
• have sufficient operational, human resources and expert capacities to deliver expected results

Project timeline

The project duration is up to three months. The expected project start date is 30 December 2019.

Project budget

The budget for this work is up to GBP 67,000.00.

The selected bidder must be able to receive project funding in GBP and open a GBP bank account for the project.

Assessment

Bids will be assessed against the following criteria:

• alignment with the expected outcome and deliverables (outputs)
• proposed methodology and a list of activities to implement the project
• experience in conducting corporate governance reviews of state-owned companies in Ukraine
• ability to establish and maintain collaboration with UoP representatives to ensure successful implementation of the project
• realistic description of activities to provide the outcome and deliverables (outputs) within the project duration
• clear monitoring and evaluation procedures
• stringent risk and financial accountability procedures
• alignment of the project budget with requirements and recommendations listed in the CSSF activity-based budget template
• value for money

The bids will be evaluated by the Tender Evaluation Panel using the Tender Evaluation Matrix template.

Bidding process

1. Bidders should summit their proposals using the following templates: CSSF Project Proposal Template (MS Word Document, 217KB) and CSSF Activity-Based Budget Template (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 27.7KB) . Please make sure your files do not exceed 5 MB in size, otherwise you might not be able to submit your bid.

2. The deadline for submissions is 23:59 (Kyiv time) on Monday, 9 December 2019. Late submissions will not be considered. Bids can be submitted at any time up to the indicated deadline. The British Embassy Kyiv is not responsible for non-receipt. Bids submitted before that deadline will remain unopened until then.

3. When submitting, please indicate “Support to Corporate Governance Reform of Ukroboronprom” in the subject line of your e-mail.

4. Project bids must be submitted to the following email: CSSF.Programme@fco.gov.uk. Bidders must upload documents in standard Microsoft Office formats (Word, Excel).

5. Only bidders selected for further consideration will be notified via email before or on 18 December 2019.

6. The British Embassy Kyiv seeks to finalise the contract award with the selected bidder by 27 December 2019.

CSSF Programme Team: CSSF.Programme@fco.gov.uk.

Please note that the CSSF Programme Team will not be able to respond to your inquiries regarding the bid and related questions. Nevertheless, the CSSF Programme team will publish answers to all Frequently Asked Questions regarding the bid on this website on 2 December 2019.

FAQ

Answers to FAQ regarding the call for project proposals may be found here: Ukroboronprom FAQ on Call for Bids (PDF, 54.9KB, 2 pages)

Parents of 2 and 3-year olds are urged to protect their children against flu, which can be a serious and fatal illness.

Those aged 65 and over, children and adults with underlying medical conditions and pregnant women are also urged to get their free vaccine in the next few weeks, before flu begins to circulate widely.

The primary schools-based flu vaccination programme is once again underway. This follows a temporary pause in the ordering of the nasal vaccine, which was caused by delays from the manufacturer.

Primary school clinics will be rescheduled as soon as possible and children in high risk groups should visit their GP if their school session has been delayed, to ensure that they are protected early. GPs have now been advised to call in all eligible children for vaccination by early December.

Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at Public Health England (PHE), said:

The flu vaccine is the best defence we have against what can be a serious and fatal illness, and flu season is just around the corner. If you are in an eligible group, visit your GP or pharmacist as soon possible to ensure you are protected.

Professor Stephen Powis, NHS England (NHSE) national medical director, said:

Flu can be extremely serious and even kill in some cases and getting vaccinated is the best protection against it.

NHS services across England continue to work hard to prepare for the winter season, including staff getting their free flu jab, and now we’re appealing to the public to ‘Help Us, Help You’ by ensuring that they and their eligible children or relatives get vaccinated, now.

Professor Martin Marshall, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said:

Influenza can be a very unpleasant illness, and while it is not generally a serious illness for most people, for those in at-risk groups, such as young children, elderly people, those with long-term conditions and pregnant women, flu has the potential to trigger life-threatening complications.

The best defence against the flu is to be vaccinated and we strongly urge all patients in at-risk groups to get vaccinated and for parents to ensure their young children receive their vaccine as soon as possible.

PHE is working closely with NHSE, NHS Improvement (NHSI) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to ensure that all eligible children receive their flu vaccination as soon as possible.

The adult flu programme has continued as normal and PHE is reminding all those aged 65 and over, pregnant women and all children and adults with underlying medical conditions to visit their GP or pharmacist to get their flu vaccine.

The nasal spray, Fluenz TetraTM (Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine), cannot be stockpiled in advance because the components of the vaccine change every year and it has a very short shelf life.

The delay related to Fluenz Tetra vaccine stocks that were due to arrive in November, was due to an issue detected during routine product release processes. Some of these tests did not run correctly and were repeated before the vaccine was released by AstraZeneca and then the independent regulator. The issue is not due to safety or the efficacy of the vaccine itself, which has passed all the other tests. No other batches of the vaccine, including those already in use by schools and GPs, have been affected.

PHE, NHSE and NHSI are prioritising vulnerable children. If locally, a school or GP is unable to offer Fluenz Tetra to a high-risk child, they should receive the injected vaccine instead, to avoid delay in being protected.

The majority of children will receive the nasal spray vaccine in school. This season, all primary school aged children are eligible. Children aged 2 and 3 (on 31 August 2019) and those in clinical risk groups may receive the vaccine through their GP.

Children and young people who are eligible for a flu vaccine include those aged 2 and 3 years, children of primary school age, carers, those who are pregnant and those in a clinical risk groups including those with:

• chronic neurological disease
• chronic respiratory disease
• chronic heart disease
• chronic kidney disease
• chronic liver disease
• diabetes
• immunosuppression
• asplenia or dysfunction of the spleen

Adults aged 65 years old and over are more vulnerable and may suffer more than most people if they catch flu.

There is strong evidence that pregnant women have a much higher risk of serious illness as a result of flu, compared with the general population. The risks are highest in the last 3 months of pregnancy. Vaccination against flu reduces these risks. Serious complications of flu include pneumonia, septic shock (a severe and life-threatening infection of the whole body), meningitis and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).

It is also important children are vaccinated as they tend to be ‘super-spreaders’ of flu so if they get it, they are likely to infect more vulnerable older family members. The flu vaccine will help protect children from flu and also reduces the chance of them spreading flu to others.

*[DHSC[: Department of Health and Social Care

Parliament was dissolved at 00.01 Wednesday 6 November, ahead of the General Election on Thursday 12 December.

The new Parliament will be summoned to meet on Tuesday 17 December, when the business will be the election of the Speaker and the swearing-in of members.

Should this Prime Minister return, the State Opening of Parliament and the Queen’s Speech will follow on Thursday 19 December.

The State Opening of Parliament will take place with reduced ceremonial elements, as was the case following the early general election in 2017.

This is due both to the early general election and the proximity of the State Opening to Christmas.

If there is a change of Government following the Election it is anticipated that the Queen’s Speech would be in January on a more usual timetable; but this would be a matter for the incoming administration.

Published 25 November 2019

Launching the ‘call for evidence’, David Bolt said:

In my 2019-20 inspection plan I signalled my intention to carry out an inspection of the work of Home Office Presenting Officers. Presenting Officers are Home Office Civil Servants or legal professionals who represent the Secretary of State for the Home Department at appeal hearings.

I would now like to invite anyone with relevant knowledge and expertise in this area to write to me by 10 January 2020, with supporting evidence or actual case studies they are able to share.

I am particularly interested in your views on what is working well and not so well, and what improvements you would like to see.

I would also like to receive evidence from individuals, including those who have had first-hand experience with Home Office Presenting Officers.

Please send your contributions by close of business on 10 January 2020, to chiefinspector@icibi.gov.uk or:

Presenting Officers Inspection
Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration
5th Floor
Globe House
89 Eccleston Square
London
SW1V 1PN

Please note: in providing information to ICIBI you are acknowledging that we will process it in accordance with the terms of the GDPR. It may be quoted in the final report, but it is the ICIBI’s practice not to name individual sources and to anonymise as much as possible any examples or case studies. After publication of the inspection report, your information will not be retained unless you have given your consent for this.

Published 25 November 2019

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said:

I welcome the Hong Kong government facilitating these elections, which were an important opportunity for the people of Hong Kong to make their voices heard. We don’t want to see any more violence. It was reassuring to hear Carrie Lam commit to reflecting seriously on the message delivered by the people of Hong Kong.

There is now an opportunity to find a way through the crisis with political dialogue that reflects the legitimate aspirations of the people of Hong Kong and respects the one country two systems model.

Published 25 November 2019