Terms of Reference (ToR) for Provision of Outsourced IT Technician Services
1. The Organization
Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is an international independent medical humanitarian organization that provides assistance to people affected by conflicts, epidemics, and natural or human-made disasters and excluded from healthcare. We provide this assistance without discrimination, irrespective of race, religion, creed, or political affiliation.
2. MSF Spain, the EA Section Office
MSF Spain -Nairobi Unit (Eastern Africa) is the regional institutional office of MSF, based in Nairobi, Kenya. It focuses on representation and networking, recruiting and supporting staff from the region, communications and fundraising, as well as working on other dossiers of importance to MSF such as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), mutualization, training, medical operational support and environmental health.
3. Background and Context
The ICT function supports a wide array of critical activities, both locally and regionally, whose demand for efficient IT services has risen significantly.
To meet these demands, MSF EA is exploring outsourcing certain aspects of IT service delivery, starting with an outsourced IT Technician. This approach aims to address internal service desk challenges such as resource constraints, lack of specialized expertise, and high operational costs, while also improving scalability and flexibility.
4. Objective
MSF EA seeks to engage a managed services provider to supply an outsourced IT Technician for an initial pilot period of 3 months. The technician will be deployed onsite to work closely with our internal ICT team to support the daily IT operations, ensuring seamless service delivery.
The goal of this engagement is to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of outsourcing IT services, with the potential for long-term collaboration depending on the pilot’s success.
5. Scope of Work
The selected service provider will be responsible for providing an IT Technician who will work on-site at MSF EA’s offices. The specific duties of the outsourced IT Technician are complementary to the internal support and include, but are not limited to:
· Technical Support: Provide first-level support for MSF EA staff and visiting personnel, including troubleshooting hardware, software, and network problems.
· Incident Management: Handle and resolve incidents reported through the internal service desk, ensuring timely response and resolution.
· Event Support: Assist with the setup and support for workshops, trainings, and other events hosted by MSF EA, particularly in configuring AV and IT equipment.
· Assist in managing the increased demand for IT support stemming from a growing number of hosted staff and activities.
· Ensure sufficient coverage for service desk operations during peak periods, absences due to illness, leave, or staff transitions.
6. Key Requirements
The service provider should meet the following qualifications:
· Proven track record of providing managed IT services to organizations of a similar size and scope.
· Ability to supply a highly skilled and certified IT Technician with relevant experience in supporting Microsoft 365 environments.
· Demonstrated ability to scale resources up or down based on demand.
· Experience in handling IT support during emergencies and critical incidents.
· Familiarity with supporting diverse technology setups, including AV, network systems, and remote access tools.
· Capacity to provide quick replacements in case of staff turnover or absence of the assigned technician.
7. Pilot Phase
This engagement will run as a 3-month pilot, during which MSF EA will assess:
· Service responsiveness and adherence to agreed service level agreements (SLAs).
· The quality and consistency of support provided by the outsourced technician.
· User satisfaction levels and reduction in IT-related downtime.
· Cost-effectiveness compared to maintaining or expanding an internal IT service desk.
· The ability to seamlessly integrate outsourced services with the internal ICT team’s operations.
· Preparedness, controls and framework for mitigating risks associated with data protection, security occasioned by outsourced services.
· Demand trends and service scalability.
After the pilot period, MSF EA will evaluate the pilot’s success to determine whether to continue outsourcing IT services or return to an internal-only model. This evaluation will guide future long-term commitments.
8. Working Hours
The IT Technician will work standard office hours, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday, with flexibility required during events, system upgrades or peak periods.
9. Service Performance and Reporting
The service provider is expected to:
· Meet regularly with MSF EA’s ICT team to review performance, address any concerns, and suggest improvements to service delivery.
· Ensure that any escalated issues are handled promptly and effectively to maintain operational continuity.
· Recommend best practices for efficient service delivery.
10. Deliverables
· Full-time assignment of a qualified IT Technician for the duration of the pilot.
· Consistent and high-quality IT support services that meet MSF EA’s operational needs.
· Comprehensive documentation of issues resolved, services rendered, and any recommendations for system improvements.
· Flexibility to scale up services during peak periods or in response to emergencies.
11. Timelines
· Start of Engagement: 1st November 2024.
· Pilot Phase: Initial 3-month period, from November 2024 to January 2025.
· Evaluation and Review: Ongoing monthly reviews, with a final evaluation at the end of the pilot phase.
12. Qualifications and Profile of the IT Technician
· Proven experience in IT support (minimum 2 years), preferably in a service desk or helpdesk environment.
· Familiarity with a ticket management system.
· Proficiency with Microsoft 365 (email, Teams, SharePoint), Intune and Windows OS.
· Proficiency in hardware and network troubleshooting – laptops, video conferencing, sound equipment, accessories, etc.
· Familiarity with common IT systems and applications, particularly within the MSF context.
· At least 1 certification in Microsoft 365 product suite.
· ITIL certification or relevant qualifications are an added advantage.
· Strong problem-solving/troubleshooting skills and customer-oriented attitude.
· Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment.
· Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
13. Evaluation Criteria
MSF EA will assess potential service providers based on the following:
· Preliminary requirements:
o Provide a copy of your company’s Valid certificate of incorporation.
o Provide a Copy of VAT/PIN certificate from KRA.
o Should be a firm with office/operational establishments within Kenya. (ATTACH current business permit)
o Copy of certificate of confirmation of directors and shareholding (CR12) (issued within the last 6 months to tender opening date)
· Relevant experience and references from similar clients.
· Qualifications and certifications of the proposed IT Technician.
· Ability to meet SLAs and flexibility in service provision.
· Cost-effectiveness and value-added services justifying the value of outsourcing over hiring.
14. Preparation & Submission of Proposals
Interested service providers should submit their proposals, including:
· Company profile and relevant experience.
· CVs of the proposed IT Technician(s).
· A proposed approach to managing the pilot and ensuring service continuity.
· A breakdown of costs and fees for the 6-month pilot period.
How to apply
All submissions must be submitted via MSF EA’s procurement mailbox using the email address, [email protected], on or before 11th October 2024 at 4.00 p.m. (Kenya time). Please note that the maximum size of all attachments must not exceed 5MB.
