Background

Applicants who previously applied need not apply again.

The Ecosystem Based Adaptation (EBA) Programme for Mountain Ecosystems in Uganda, Nepal and Peru aims to strengthen the capacities of these three countries, which are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts, to build ecosystem resilience for promoting ecosystem-based adaptation (EBA) options and to reduce the vulnerability of communities, with particular emphasis on mountain ecosystems.
The programme is funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) through its International Climate Initiative, and is implemented through a partnership of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
 
Climate change impacts are already affecting the functioning and integrity of several ecosystems on Mount Elgon and are adding to the stress resulting from other anthropogenic interventions such as unsustainable land use practices. The project countries and targeted ecosystems have been identified as particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts. A multitude of communities depend upon the services provided by these ecosystems.EBA is defined as the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services as part of an overall adaptation strategy to help people to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change. EBA uses the range of opportunities for the sustainable management, conservation, and restoration of ecosystems to provide services that enable people to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
 
Specifically the project supports the following 4 components:
  • The development of methodologies and tools for mountain ecosystems;
  • The application of the above tools and methodologies at the national level;
  • The implementation of EBA pilots at the ecosystem level; and
  • The formulation of national policies and building an economic case for EBA at the national level.
The project creates new opportunities for experimental learning between regions and among countries within the same region. Through parallel and cooperative development and application of methodologies and tools and the implementation of pilot projects, the project will shorten the learning curve of local and national institutions and fast-track the transfer of knowledge and experience in relation to building ecosystem resilience.
The five year (2011-2015) Ecosystem Based Adaptation to climate Change Adaptation (EBA) Project is implemented by the Ministry of Water and Environment in partnership with UNDP, IUCN and UNEP. The different partners are responsible for certain components through the coordination of the Programme Management Unit (PMU) within the MWE, covering the implementation in the districts of Kapchorwa, Kween, Bulambuli

Duties and Responsibilities

Consultancy Rationale

This consultancy contributes to attainment of component 4 of the project – making a case for EbA at National level. This involves applying learning both from the pilot sites in Components 2 and 3, and from related initiatives and research conducted in mountain ecosystems in the country and beyond. It also involves mainstreaming EbA approaches into existing public sector finance and policy processes (on-going and emerging), and related initiatives, in order to maximize impact.  This consultancy is geared towards developing an EBA Policy and Financing Framework for future use in the country, covering policy needs and revenue options for EBA scale-up beyond mountain regions having made a case for EBA’s viability in the Mt. Elgon Ecosystem.
 
Scope of Work

Consultancy Objectives:

The Programme Management Unit is seeking to engage a Consultant to:
  • Conduct an analysis of the policy, institutional and expenditure environment in Uganda;
  • Identify opportunities for EbA to feed into public sector policy and finance processes;
  • Develop targeted products (eg methodologies) for use in the public sector policy and finance processes so as to make a case for EBA at national level and
  • Develop guidelines and training materials on how to mainstream EbA into the policy and financing frameworks.
Detailed Consultancy Activities:
 
The purpose of this work is to identify existing policy opportunities and open up opportunities to feed into existing public sector finance and policy processes and by feeding in, to get ecosystem-based approaches to be considered routinely as part of the suite of adaptation options available to national and local government.

To this effect the consultancy will produce:
  • A detailed analysis of the current gaps in the natural resources sectoral policy and budget frameworks;
  • Opportunities that exist in the public sector and finance processes that EBA can take advantage of;
  • Targeted products for use in the public sector policy and finance processes using the EBA options cost benefit analysis;  
  • Guidelines and training materials on how to mainstream EbA into the policy and financing frameworks; 
  • A five minute documentary depicting a case for EBA options as part of the broader strategies in the country.
 Consultancy Final Deliverables:
  • Inception Report;
  • A draft Consultancy report detailing;
  • Gaps identified and the opportunities that EBA can take advantage of in the policy and finance processes;
  • EBA targeted products for use in the public sector policy and finance processes;
  • A detailed final report, having the following;
  • Guidelines on how to mainstream EbA into the policy and financing frameworks Training materials on how to mainstream EBA into policy and financing frameworks; 
  • An Action plan to be used in monitoring the achievement of the goals and targets of the guidelines;
  • The lessons learnt in the process and recommendations on improving the methods.

Competencies

  • Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
  • Mature judgment and initiative; 
  • Ability to think out-of-the-box; 
  • Ability to present complex issues in simple and clear manner;
  • Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
  • Ability to work under pressure and deliver high quality results on time; 
  • Initiative and independence.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:
  • A Master’s Degree or professional qualification in public policy, public finance, economics, accounting or a related field, or natural/environmental sciences, social sciences with a specialization in environmental finance and development, or other closely related field.
Experience:
  • Experience with working with various stakeholders in Uganda including civil society, government institutions, and international organizations; and experience carrying out similar assignments;
  • At least 10 years of work experience at the national level, with excellent knowledge of the climate change policy, adaptation approaches and institutional environment;
  • Demonstrated experience in policy formulation & implementation, and design and/or revision of public finance mechanisms;
  • Demonstrated experience in working with senior government officials, particularly from Finance / Planning, and with bilateral or multilateral donor agencies;
  • Demonstrated experience in conducting training and capacity building, particularly in the public sector; 
  • Demonstrated experience in conceptualizing and overseeing the production of high quality documentary films or other means of communication to a popular audience;
Language Skills:
  • Proven experience in report writing and drafting and excellent ability to communicate in English both written and spoken.
Core skills:
  • Analytic capacity and demonstrated ability to process analyze and synthesize complex, technical information from different disciplines;
  • Ability to innovate, combining methodological approaches and data from various levels and disciplines including economics, finance, development and conservation;
  • Proven ability to support the development of high quality knowledge and training materials, as well as audio-visual communications product.

Consultancy Implementation Arrangements

The contract will be performance-based, spanning a period of 10 months spread over a period of 1 year. Terms and conditions of service linked to the type of proposed contract will apply.
 
The consultant will be under the overall supervision and guidance of the EBA Programme Management Unit (PMU) and will report every month. Coordination of the consultancy activities with the EBA partner/implementing organizations, and stakeholders in the Mount Elgon districts and national level, will be conducted with the EBA secretariat (PMU), to ensure appropriate communications about the project and easy access to stakeholders.
 
It is expected that this contract will require the consultants to closely work with the regional colleagues more especially the EBA- UNDP Global technical Coordinator.
The partners in co-ordination with the Uganda EBA National Programme Coordinator will provide technical guidance during the implementation of the consultancy activities. The consultancy technical reports will be submitted to the Uganda EBA National Programme Coordinator.
 
The contractor shall be invited to present the milestone results of the consultancy at selected workshops or meetings of the project. Costs for any such participation are not included in this tender or contract. The consultant shall be home based reporting every 2 weeks to the National Coordinator. Field based interviews shall be carried out in the districts of Sironko, Bulambuli, Kween and Kapchorwa.

 Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

Payment shall be by the lump sum modality in the following 3 instilments. These shall be all inclusive and the contract price is fixed regardless of changes in the cost components
  • Upon signature of contract by both parties and presentation of an approved inception report (1 week after signing of contract) - 20%;
  • Presentation of acceptable and approved Draft report,   (4 months after signing of contract) - 30%; 
  • Submission and acceptance of Final Report, (10 months after signing the contract) - 50%.
Evaluation Method and Criteria:

Cumulative analysis

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
  • Responsive/compliant/acceptable, and; 
  • Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation;
  • Technical Criteria weight; - 70%;
  • Financial Criteria weight; - 30%.
Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation
 
Technical Criteria – Maximum 70 points:

Criteria                                                                                  
  • Education (Advanced degree or higher in Public Finance) - 10;
  • Language skills - 5;
  • Knowledge of the Public Finance - 10;
  • Relevant experience in conducting similar assignments - 15;
  • Relevance of experience in report writing and drafting - 10;
  • Description of approach/methodology to assignment-   20.
Application Procedure

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications in one single PDF document not exceeding 5mbs:
 
Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP (Annex II);
  • Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
Technical proposal:
  • Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment;
  • A methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment;
  • Financial proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided (Annex II).
  • For further details, please contact Justine.naiga-bagonza@undp.org; Diana.nabbanja@undp.org; and agnes.kintu@undp.org.