Call for External Collaborator –Framework Design for the Electronic Case Management System (ECMS) for Labour and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Inspections in Iraq, ILO Iraq Office / BEIT Project (EU-funded)
Background:
The Government of Iraq has prioritized digital transformation to enhance transparency, efficiency, and accountability in public sector management. Several initiatives have been launched to modernize administrative processes, improve service delivery, and strengthen citizen engagement. The current labour and OSH inspection system is managed by the Labour and Vocational Training Directorate, National Occupational Health and Safety Centre Directorate and Social Security under the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. The system faces constraints including manual, paper-based processes, staffing shortages, fragmented data flows, and limited coordination across inspection units at central and governorate levels. The grievance redress mechanism is inefficient and poorly integrated. Reporting and documentation of workplace injuries remain inconsistent, hindering timely interventions and data-driven decision-making. These challenges undermine labour law enforcement, compliance, and good governance.
The establishment of an Electronic Case Management System (ECMS) would improve the effectiveness, transparency, and accountability of labour and OSH inspections by providing a centralized platform to plan, track, and document inspections and follow-up actions. In Iraq, where informality and weak enforcement hinder decent work, a robust ECMS is essential to modernize inspections, strengthen oversight and coordination, and ensure efficient and responsive service delivery. The purpose of this assignment is to support the completion of the ECMS
design phase by developing the design documents for a comprehensive Strategic and Operational Framework for a demand-driven, interoperable, and user-friendly system. ILO has already supported the MOLSA through inspector capacity-building, stakeholder mapping, initial business process analysis, and the establishment of the National Social Dialogue Forum, which will enable validation processes in tripartite manner.
The overarching goal of the assignment is to develop a comprehensive design phase documentation/ report, with detailed chapters, incorporated from policy, technical, programmatic and technology consultations and showcase the system in a demo. This shall serve as a strategic and operational framework for labour and OSH inspection in Iraq that will pave the way for the federal government to operationalize the implementation phase of establishing the ECMS to achieve end- to-end digital transformation of labour and OSH inspection activities in a holistic or phased approach. This report should comprehensively detail and integrate the schemes of:
1. Labour inspection and reporting processes.
2. Occupational Health and Safety (OSH) inspection and reporting process.
3. Injuries and Incident Reporting.
4. Grievance Redress Mechanism GRM.
1. Through the above integrated schemes, the assignment will have to assess, develop, propose and incorporate comprehensively all the design phase aspects, addressing, without limitation, governance arrangements, operational structure, and key functional components of the ECMS. The consultant shall develop a comprehensive report comprising, at a minimum, detailed chapters covering the following components: System stakeholder analysis and their roles.
2.
3. Business process re-
4. System design module.
5. System requirements specification (SRS).
6. Enterprise architecture framework (EAF).
7. Analytics and Reporting Dashboard.
8. Cost estimation Data, Software and Hardware.
In addition, an ECMS demonstration session will be facilitated to present a user- friendly prototype of the system, showcasing how the design-phase documents and requirements can be translated into an automated and operational system.
The assignment holder will carry out the following activities in a consultative approach as described in Annex 1, in coordination with the Project Manager of the ILO BEIT project and the project team, either sequentially or concurrently, with each activity linked to a specific deliverable outlined in the Deliverables section of the TOR. Detailed descriptions of activities are in Annex 2.
It is anticipated that this assignment will take 6 months from (June 2026 to the end of December 2026. The assignment holder must prepare all questionnaires related to the multilevel consultations at policy, technical and technology levels. All documents under this assignment must be produced in English. All deliverables received are considered drafts and must be revised/refined in line with the consultation and the validation process to be accepted as a final deliverable. The validation process will include a series of workshops and feedback collection process. The consultant shall develop a comprehensive ECMS design report covering, at a minimum, the components listed below. The proposed structure is indicative and intended to guide the assignment; therefore, the consultant may propose additional sections, methodologies, tools, or formats based on technical expertise, international good practices, and the recommended implementation approach, subject to ILO review and approval. The table below explain the 5 pillars of requested deliverables:
Deliverable Description Timeline/Deadline
Deliverable 1 Inception report: that specifies understanding of assignment, methodology and approach, comments on the ToR, detailed workplan with concrete timelines,
etc., data collection tools including 2 Weeks after the contract is signed
client ordinated questionnaires per
activity.
Deliverable 2 Chapter 1 Report: System stakeholder analysis and their roles. Chapter 2 Report: Business process analysis (The Analysis of the current
Chapter 3 Report: Business process re-
Chapter 4 Report: System design module
2 Weeks after accepting the Inception phase report.
Up to 4 Weeks.
Up to 4 Weeks
Up 1 Week
Deliverable 3 Chapter 5 Report: System requirements specification SRS Chapter 6: Analytics and Reporting Dashboard
Chapter 7: Cost estimation Data, Software and Hardware Up to 5 Weeks
Up to 1 Weeks
Up to 1 Weeks
Deliverable 4 & 5 Final Design Phase Report that includes: Consolidation of All provided reports.
Enterprise architecture framework (EAF)
Development of ECMS Design Demo
Up to 1 Week Up to 1 Week
Up to 2 Weeks
The assignment holder will be reporting to the ILO BEIT Project Manager and or the Officer in Charge. All the activities should be coordinated with BEIT team to ensure smooth implementation and to leverage on ILO strategic partnership with MOLSA. The assignment holder will be onboarded in the context of the other projects involved and relevant to the assignment including a Technical Working Group (TWG) that will be the stakeholder liaison group for the assignment. The ILO may provide documents to broaden the understanding of the assignment focus and the cross- cutting issues.
The assignment must be implemented in a dynamic approach that considers the feedback and comments in line with the validation process.
Education:
Advanced university degree (Master or PhD) in Information Systems, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Public Sector Innovation, or a related field.
Certifications in system analysis, enterprise architecture (e.g., TOGAF), business process management (e.g., BPMN), or project management (e.g., PMP) are considered strong assets.
Experience:
At least 10 years of professional experience in system design, digital transformation, and designing Management Information System (MIS) preferably in the public sector.
Proven track record in conducting stakeholder analysis, business process mapping and analysis and re-engineering for large-scale administrative or case management systems.
Proven experience in designing enterprise-grade digital platforms, including system automation, system requirements documentation (SRS), and interoperability frameworks is highly desirable.
Proven experience in developing enterprise architecture frameworks and information systems for labour inspection, regulatory compliance, and social protection is highly desirable.
Demonstrated experience in the Iraqi context and permanent presence on the ground in Iraq are highly desirable.
Technical Skills:
Proficiency in business process modelling techniques and tools.
In-depth understanding of system requirement specification (SRS) standards. Experience designing modular, interoperable system architectures and APIs..
Competence in identifying and defining functional and non-functional requirements.
Familiarity with Agile and Waterfall development methodologies, as well as DevOps principles.
Ability to design user-centric systems based on Human-Centered Design (HCD) principles.
Language:
Excellent English both written and spoken is must Working knowledge of Arabic is highly desirable
1. Timelines
Deliverables submitted according to agreed schedule.
Overall assignment completed within the 6-month contract period.
2. Achievement of Objectives
System stakeholder analysis clearly defines roles and expected services.
BPA identifies bottlenecks, gaps, and informs ECMS design.
Future-state processes ensure interoperability, digital enablement, efficiency, and user-centricity.
System Design Module, SRS, Dashboard, EAF, cost estimations and the demo presentation acceptance supports ECMS strategic and operational framework.
3. Quality of Work
Deliverables demonstrate analytical rigor, coherence, and alignment with ILO guidance and national policies.
Functional and non-functional requirements are comprehensive, actionable, and validated.
Draft outputs refined based on stakeholder feedback.
Reports are bilingual English, clear, and structured for technical and policy audiences.
4. Coordination and Engagement
Effective collaboration with ILO BEIT, MoLSA, and relevant stakeholders.
Systematic incorporation of feedback from policy, technical, technology and operational consultations.
Alignment and synergy with other ongoing projects ensured.
1. Progress payments: will be made in instalments equaivalent to number of working days quoted against each one of the deliverables described above, with a note that all deliverables are subject to ILO approval prior to payment:
2. In case of progress payments, payment schedule and timeframe shall be based on the number of days corresponding to the deliverables.
3. The daily fee shall be established within the fee range corresponding to the complexity of assignment and the
residence, as per the ILO Daily Fee Range Table.
4. If the external collaboration contract is to be established in local currency, the amount will be converted from USD to local currency using the United Nations Operational Rate of Exchange effective at the time of establishing the contract.
1. In case the consultant is based outside Iraq, and when travel is needed to Iraq, ILO will afford the flight cost for a two way shortest and most economic route from the country of residence to the city of assignment (i.e Erbil) and the way back and as per the confirmed need of the ILO team.
2. The ILO will afford the cost of VISA issuance to Iraq in case needed.
3. All movements inside the city of assignment are under the full responsibility of the consultant.
4. In case the consultant is based inside Iraq, the ILO will afford the travel cost between the governorate of the base and the governorate of the assignment, If needed.
5. Daily Substantial Allowance shall be provided by ILO subjected to the UN rules and regulations.
A Projects or technical tasks of a narrow scope and low complexity
B Projects or technical tasks of moderate complexity with either broad scope/limited depth or restricted scope/considerable depth
C Projects or technical tasks of broad scope and considerable depth
D Projects or technical tasks of broad scope, high complexity and impact
Projects or technical tasks of exceptionally complex programmatic scope, unusual complexity and/or sensitive nature
1 Limited technical skills and less than 3 years of relevant experience
2 Limited technical skills and more than 3 years of relevant experience
Specialized degree or training in the relevant field and more than 5 years of relevant experience
Specialized or technical knowledge and skills and more than 10 years of extensive relevant professional experience
Highly specialized skills and expertise with more than 15 years of extensive relevant experience
15 June 2026
31 December 2026
The external collaboration contract is the appropriate type of contract for the work to be undertaken.
The Terms of Reference are timebound and clearly output-based and the complexity vs experience/qualifications matrix has been carefully assessed above.
Note: If it is in the interest of the ILO, due to urgency of delivery or specialisation, an exception may be approved by the Deputy Director-General, the appropriate Assistant Director-General or Regional Director for a specified contract. The requesting organisational unit will enter the terms of reference and payment terms in the ILO e Sourcing platform, selecting the specific process for exceptions, which will be published by the UNGM/on the UNGM website for the directly selected external collaborator to submit their application. The report of the exception process should be uploaded in IRIS, together with the finalized terms of reference, payment schedule and a copy of the email approval from the Deputy Director-General, Assistant Director-General or Regional Director.
Excolls (Normal) – Contract value >$2500 & not an exception – open to all
Annex 1: Consultation levels:
The assignment holder will be responsible for developing the design phase documents for an electronic case management system ECMS for the labour and OHS inspection in federal Iraq in synergies and ensuring complementarities with injures and incident reporting and grievance redress mechanism GRM. The system design must be resulted from consultations at the following levels:
Level/Role Actors (but not limited to)
Policy Director Generals DGs and Deputies (Business Owners)
Technical & Programmatic Inspectors, employers, workers (Business Owners)
Technology The IT department at the MOLSA Minister Office (System Owner)
Enablers Any relevant enabler actors such as, but not inclusive, the Social Security Directorate under MOLSA, National Data Center and their enforced digitalization standards
Social Dialogue Tripartite engagement between government relevant actors, Workers Organization (Trade Unions) Employer Organization (Federations and Chambers)
Annex 2: Detailed activity descriptions:
1. Conduct a system(s) stakeholder analysis to comprehensively define their roles at all levels in the processes and identify the key services they expect the system to provide. While government identified priorities should be considered, they should not limit the scope of the design as other essential aspects should also be considered and recommended in the report, in line with ILO guidance.
2. Undertake a comprehensive business process analysis (BPA) to document and assess the existing (“AS IS”) workflows relevant to labour and OSH inspections, GRM, labour injures and incident reporting and case management. The analysis should map the full range of operational processes, including functions, levels of authority, data flows, types of data captured, key indicators, statistics, applicable regulations,
complaints and appeals procedures, payments, benefits or services delivered, and monitoring mechanisms. It should also assess the roles of actors at each level, the key attributes of data collected, methods of data quality management, and parameters for data segregation. The objective is to generate a detailed baseline of the current operational environment by identifying bottlenecks, overlaps, inefficiencies, regulatory gaps, and informal practices. All findings from the analysis should be systematically documented, including an evaluation of limitations in the existing system and identification of opportunities for process improvement to inform the design of an integrated ECMS.
3. Based on the institutional assessment and analysis of existing (“AS IS”) processes, the consultant will have to develop optimized, future-state (“TO BE”) business processes in a consultative approach with the ICT governmental counterparts. These re-engineered processes and operations should ensure interoperability and integration requirements, be digitally enabled and user-centric, and aim to improve efficiency, accountability, and service delivery. The new processes must define functional roles, decision-making workflows, data flows, exception handling procedures, and service delivery standards across all relevant administrative levels. Emphasis should be placed on eliminating redundancies, enabling automation, and ensuring readiness for digital transformation. The re-engineered processes must be documented using recognized process modelling standards (Human-Centered Design (HCD), Waterfall, agile, DevOps, etc) and validated with key stakeholders to ensure institutional alignment and operational feasibility.
4. The consultant will develop a holistic conceptual architecture for the system design module that translates the proposed and validated re-engineered business processes. In this exercise, the consultant should detail the core functional areas, including but not limited to case intake, inspection actions, violation tracking, enforcement actions, reporting, and appeals, with clearly defined workflows, role- based access, and audit trails.
5. The consultant will develop a detailed and structured System Requirements Specification (SRS) document that outlines the complete set of requirements for the design, development, and implementation of the electronic case management system. The SRS should serve as a foundational reference for developers, system
integrators, and stakeholders. The consultant must clearly articulate both functional and non-functional requirements.
The functional requirements for the ECMS should delineate the features for system development to facilitate user tasks effectively. Clarity in these requirements is crucial for both the development team and the stakeholders involved. Typically, these functional requirements should outline the system’s behavior in particular scenarios and the underlying business logic identified from the consultation with Labour and OSH inspection Departments.
While the key non-functional requirements of the ECMS MIS commonly encompass the scope of:
• Usability & Performance.
• Reliability & Availability & Maintainability (RAM).
• Scalability & Flexibility.
• Recoverability & Security.
• Project Management Unit / Technical Work Group.
• Capacity Building and Development.
• Change management (Out of the scope of this assignment).
The SRS should be structured into the following key sections:
• Scope and Objectives of the system.
• Functional Requirements: detail user roles, use cases, workflows, and business logic.
• Usability Requirements: specify expectations for user experience, interface design, and accessibility.
• Interoperability Requirements: describe how the system will integrate with external platforms and data sources, adhering to national and international interoperability standards (National Data Center Guidance).
• Non-functional Requirements: cover performance benchmarks, security standards, workflow, data handling, and operational constraints.
• Implementation Considerations: outline project execution details, including software products and licensing, source code management, service delivery requirements, and capacity-building provisions.
• System Documentation: define and outline the documentation/Manuals
required for users, administrators, and developers and detail its purposes and scopes.
• Quality Assurance and Testing: specify approaches for system testing, validation, bug tracking, and quality control prior to deployment.
6. The consultant will develop a high-level Enterprise Architecture Farmwork (EAF) that defines how the ECMS will be structured, deployed, and managed across the institutional ecosystem. The EAF should clearly present the relationships among business processes, data structures, applications, and technology infrastructure. This should include (not limited to):
• Business architecture (core functions and non-function, actors, workflows).
• Data architecture (data entities, flows, standards, interoperability).
• Application architecture (services).
• Technology architecture (hardware, software, networking, cybersecurity).
7. The consultant will design the Analytics and Reporting Dashboard that enables real-time monitoring, evidence-based decision-making, and performance management. The dashboard should provide visual and tabular outputs aligned with key indicators related to service delivery, workload management, case outcomes, compliance trends, and user access. In this activity, the consultant will assess and outline the content of the Reporting Dashboard based on the development system design documents and the consultation with the system owners and business owners (the relevant entities of the government).
8. The consultant is expected to advise and provide a detailed cost estimation sheet covering prices and quantities of all components (technical/technology) required for the implementation and sustainability of the ECMS. This should include data-related costs, software costs, hardware requirements. The cost estimates must also factor in the annual cost estimation for maintenance, scalability considerations, and any other requirements identified as part in line with the assignment (perhaps licensing etc.).
9. The consultant is expected to develop and present an ECMS demonstration prototype to stakeholders, illustrating the proposed system’s key functionalities, user workflows, and operational features. The demonstration will support stakeholder validation and facilitate feedback for refinement of the final ECMS design report.
How to apply
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UNGM Link: https://www.ungm.org/Public/Notice/301406