UNDP Jobs - 27481- ROSTER FOR LONG TERM AGREEMENT (LTA)

ROSTER FOR LONG TERM AGREEMENT (LTA) - CONSULTANTS FOR EDITING OF CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL REPORTS

Location :

New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Feb-2012

Application Deadline :

23-Jan-12 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

Expected Duration of Assignment :

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF Office)provides dedicated fund administration services when UNDP is appointed by the UN System to serve as the Administrative Agent (AA) and as their partner administrative interface for Multi-Donor Trust Funds (MDTFs) and Joint Programmes using the pass-through fund administration modality. The MPTF Office is the AA for 95 % of all UN MDTFs (representing 99.5 % of their value) thereby functioning as the de facto central service centre in the UN for the provision of transparent and accountable fund management services. The Office provides a one-stop shop with focused support and service to UN Country Teams (UNCTs), national governments and donors. It enhances the UN’s accountability for its growing role in MPTFs established in the context of humanitarian, transition, reconstruction and development programmes.

The MPTF Office has grown steadily over the past several years with an increasing number of partners and stakeholders. It currently has a portfolio of more than 45 distinct MDTFs and over 25 Joint Programmes (JPs). The increasing use of JPs and MDTFs is a direct application of the Aid Effectiveness Agenda and UN Reform initiatives and responds to the need to provide flexible, coordinated and predictable funding to support the achievement of national priorities. The MPTF Office portfolio includes country-level and global MDTFs, Delivering as One UN Funds and Joint Programmes (JPs). The MPTF Office works with MDTF Steering Committees, Resident Coordinators and Participating UN Organizations on projects and programmes implemented in more than 80 countries with contributions received from 60 contributors/development partners.

As part of its AA-services for these MDTFs and JPs, the MPTF Office is responsible to ensure the preparation of consolidated progress reports (narrative and financial) for the MDTFs and JPs it administers, as outlined in the relevant Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Participating UN Organizations and Standard Administrative Arrangement (SAA) with donors. Individual project reports, prepared by Participating UN Organizations of the various MDTFs/JPs, are consolidated on an annual basis and submitted to MDTF/JP Steering Committees, donors, Participating UN Organizations and other relevant stakeholders, finalized by 31 May of the year following the reporting year, and posted on the MPTF Office GATEWAY (http://mdtf.undp.org/).

The MPTF Office seeks the services of highly qualified editing consultants to assist MPTF Office Portfolio Managers with the editing of the consolidated annual progress reports for some specific MDTFs, as mentioned below. In addition, consultants included in the roster may also be requested to support the editing of consolidated annual progress reports for MDTFs not listed below, notably for new MDTFs that may become operational in the course of the coming years.

The MPTF Office is soliciting the submission of CVs from highly qualified experts and experienced consultants to be considered for registration in the MPTF Office consultants’ roster for editing of these annual consolidated progress reports. Only the applicants who pass all screening procedures will be included in the roster for the LTA with a duration of 3 years.

The roster will include editing consultants/experts for the following specific MDTFs as well as potentially for editing of other (annual) reports for other MDTFs set up to support transition, reconstruction and development programmes. For additional information about the following MDTFs listed below, as well as the rest of the MDTF and JP portfolio of the MPTF Office, please visit the MPTF Office GATEWAY (http://mdtf.undp.org/).

Global MDTFs focusing on development and transition issues

UN-REDD: editing 2011 and 2012 reports

Country-level MDTFs focusing on development and transition issues

Bhutan UN Country Fund: editing 2011 report
Kiribati One UN Fund: editing 2011 report
Lebanon Recovery Fund: editing 2011 report
Montenegro UN Country Fund: editing 2011 report
Nepal-UN Peace Fund: editing 2011, 2012 and 2013 reports
Sierra Leone MDTF: editing 2011, 2012 and 2013 reports
UNDG Iraq Trust Fund: editing 2011, 2012 and 2013 reports, including limited analysis and writing

Country-level Common Humanitarian Funds

CAR Common Humanitarian Fund: editing 2011, 2012 and 2013 financial reports
DRC Pooled Fund: editing 2011, 2012 and 2013 financial reports
Sudan Common Humanitarian Fund: editing 2011, 2012 and 2013 financial reports
Somalia Common Humanitarian Fund: editing 2011, 2012 and 2013 financial reports

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

The editing consultants are expected to assist the MPTF Office in the final editing of specific MDTF and/or JP consolidated annual progress report(s) in English. The scope of the work includes the following:

Editing the reports to ensure clarity, consistency and readability for the intended audience, as well as including conformity with UN terminology and language
Pointing out factual inconsistencies, faulty logic and awkward or unclear passages and suggest solutions
Ensuring that all quotations, document references to annexes, tables and other reference materials within the report are correctly labeled and/or attributed
Carrying out some limited analysis and writing for selected reports
If required, preparing communications pieces associated with selected reports
As required, having regular telephone and email contact with the relevant MPTF Office Portfolio Manager(s) throughout the process.

The consultants will work from home and take responsibility for individual deadlines and deliverables as outlined in Terms of Reference (ToR) and Individual Contract (IC) contract or Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), whichever is applicable.

Deliverables

The following deliverables will be the responsibility of the consultants based on agreed upon timeline for each item (specific timelines will be developed for each MDTF):

The final report should be duly edited and laid-out, and be ready for printing
All reports will follow a standardized report format, with some MDTF-specific characteristics, including executive summary, table of content, narrative analysis of project/thematic sector progress, financial analysis and relevant annexes – see MPTF Office GATEWAY (http://mdtf.undp.org/) for examples of previous year’s reports.

Competencies

The consultant(s) is expected to have the following competencies:

Excellent analytical and editing / writing skills in English
Excellent organizational skills
Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines, multitask and work under pressure, and readiness to work flexible hours to ensure that agreed upon timeline is adhered to.
Proven capacity to work collaboratively in a consultative team environment while taking responsibility for individual deadlines and deliverables.
Knowledge and understanding of the UN system, the mandates of constituent agencies, and UN corporate standards and language requirements.

Required Skills and Experience

The consultant(s) are expected to have the following major experience and language skills:

Strong command of English
Minimum of 5 years experience as an editor editing corporate publications and products;
Knowledge of project management, results-based reporting, monitoring and evaluation and basic financial terminology and analysis;
Experience of working for UN organizations and knowledge of UN terms, language and style is an asset;
Demonstrated experience in the usage of standard software packages.
Must be able to provide the final report in Word-format and edit charts, graphs and tables that support the narrative.

Application Process:

Interested applicants should follow UNDP standard online application procedure, mindful of the following instruction:

After submitting the online form, you will be prompted to upload your CV. During the selection process, qualified applicants will be requested to complete a Personal History Form (P11), including references.

Selection Process:

The selection process will be led by the UNDP MPTF Office
Short-listed candidates will be requested to participate in an interview with the selection panel
The technical selection will be based on a balanced assessment of candidate(s) experience, education, work samples, areas of expertise and language skills.
Short-listed candidates will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal. The Financial Proposal with a lump sum amount should include the payment terms in USD around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments are made in installments or upon completion of the entire contract).
The selection of the Consultant will be made in accordance with the quality and cost based selection method (70% technical component and 30% price/cost component).

Contracting Arrangements:

The successful candidates will be requested to enter into a Long Term Agreement (LTA) and will be included in the MPTF Office’s consultancy roster for a period of 3 years.
The LTA does not necessarily mean that a contract with the MPTF Office is guaranteed. This will depend on forthcoming needs. Where a request for services arises, the MPTF Office shall directly contract the consultant from the roster without the need for further selection process. A specific Terms of Reference (ToR) outlining the outputs for each assignment shall be provided and an Individual Contract (IC) or Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), whichever is applicable, will be issued to the consultant, detailing the time frame. Conditions of a particular assignment may be negotiable.

Estimated Timeframes:

It is expected that the consultant(s) will sign an LTA for a roster for a period of 3 years. The Individual Consultant (IC) or Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), whichever is applicable, contract for 2012 assignments is expected to be signed in February 2012. The length and timeline of the IC consultancy or RLA, whichever is applicable, will be based on the specific MDTF and the type of report(s) to be edited. Considering that annual consolidated progress reports should be provided to donors and steering committees no later than five months (31 May) after the end of the calendar year, the work of the editing consultants will be largely limited to the months of April and May; the peak in workload will normally be in the second half of May.