UNDP Jobs - 45304- National Consultant - Round Table Process National

National Consultant - Round Table Process National Technical Consultant

Location :

Vientiane, LAO PDR

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

05-May-2014

Application Deadline :

30-Apr-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Eight Months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Eight Months

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

Since 1983 the Lao PDR has been participating in the Round Table Process (RTP), with the support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The RTP serves as the primary platform for in-depth dialogue between the Government of Lao PDR and Development Partners on key development issues. Initially, the RTMs were held tri-annually in Geneva. However, since 1999 the Round Table Process has turned the meeting into a continuing process held in country, and not merely a one-off meeting held every three years.

The Government of Lao PDR, under the leadership of the Department of International Cooperation (DIC), Ministry of Planning and Investment, is managing the Round Table Process as part of the roles and responsibility outlined in the Prime Minister Decree No 75 on Official Development Assistance (ODA).

The Round Table Process primarily consists of three main mechanisms – High Level Round Table Meetings (RTMs), annual Round Table Implementation Meetings (RTIMs) and 10 Sector/Thematic Working Groups (SWGs/TWGs). In late 2014, the Round Table Implementation Meeting (2014 RTIM) will be organised in Vientiane.

In order to prepare for this year’s RTIM and to help the Government in ensuring the effectiveness of the Round Table Process in Lao PDR, DIC together with UNDP Lao PDR is seeking a professional and experienced national consultant to assist both DIC in ensuring an effective preparation and providing substantive and administrative support to DIC towards the preparation of the upcoming RTIM and associated activities and technical support for the effectiveness of the Round Table Process in Lao PDR.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of work:

The primary responsibilities of the selected consultant include:

Coordinate the process of preparing the Round Table Meetings and Round Table Implementation Meetings;
Contribute substantive inputs to the preparation of the technical background document, reports and other relevant documents;
Provide technical inputs for the better coordination processes between DIC and Sector Working Groups (SWGs).
Contribute to the RTP communication and promotional materials;
Provide substantive inputs to the ODA figures and reports, and the implementation progress of the Vientiane Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and Country Action Plan (VDCAP);
Working with DIC and UNDP to ensure the mutual understandings and capacity building of the government officials.

To fulfill the primary functions above, the consultant shall:

Guide DIC to report on the follow up and actions on the 2013 11th HL RTM;
Provide substantive inputs for the preparation of the 2014 Provincial Round Table Consultation;
Prepare and provide substantive inputs and comments to 2014 Annual RTIM related documents, such as draft RTIM high quality substantive background document, presentations, remarks, annotated agenda, press release, logistics note, instruction to SWGs, meeting minutes, and reports based on inputs from RTM Secretariat, SWGs, LMs and DPs for the 2014 RTIM;
Assist DIC to prepare the 2014 RTIM report and follow up action plan such as 2015 High Level RTM Roadmap and Work Plan and circulate to all stakeholders concerned as well as post an electronic file on the RTM website for further information and references;
Provide inputs for the internal review of the Round Table Process in Lao PDR;
Provide technical inputs and ensure effective coordination of RTP and SWGs and the organization of the meetings of Chairs and Co-Chairs of SWGs;
Provide substantive inputs for the functioning of the RTM website and update (http://www.rtm.org.la)
Provide inputs for communication materials and meeting information package both print and electronic.
Provide comments and substantive inputs and analysis on ODA communication materials, and ensure the operationalization of the Aid Management Platform (AMP) and accuracy of the ODA data and the annual Foreign Aid Implementation Report;
Help both DIC and UNDP Lao PDR develop monitoring system and relevant tools, monitor and structure of the report on the implementation progress of the VDCAP, including Busan commitments and other emerging aid and development effectiveness agenda to ensure greater development effectiveness in Lao PDR;
Suggest how to move forward with aid effectiveness agenda based on global commitments;
Provide reports, briefing notes, policy papers and other relevant materials when the Government attends key aid coordination and aid effectiveness meetings, conferences, seminars, etc. at the country, regional and global levels.
Ensure that DIC and its Government counterparts have common understanding about aid coordination and development effectiveness;
Perform any relevant tasks, including the coordination as supervised by both DIC and UNDP.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Provides helpful feedback and advice;
Strong analytical skills;
Plans and produces quality results to meet established goals;
Generates innovative, practical solutions to challenging situations;
Conceptualizes and analyzes problems to identify key issues, underlying problems, and how they relate;
Demonstrates substantive and technical knowledge to meet responsibilities and post requirements with excellence.

Cooperated Competencies:

Demonstrates leadership, team building and coordinating skills;
Demonstrates commitment to human development principles and values;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Shares knowledge and experience;
Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

Recognized degree (preferably PhD level) in social and economic development policy, public policy, social science and relevant degree;
Experience with RTP, NSEDP, MDGs is an asset;
Working experience with international organizations, especially the UN is considered to be an asset.

Years of experience:

At least 10 years of relevant experience in the socio-economic development plan, aid coordination, development effectiveness, and ODA analysis.

Languages:

Excellent command of English.

Aplication:

All interested and qualified candidates should apply on-line using the following links:

UNDP Lao PDR Country Office website at http://www.la.undp.org/content/lao_pdr/en/home/operations/jobs/ or
UNDP Jobs at http://jobs.undp.org/.

In order to make submission please read the attached relevant documents:

TOR (Annex I);
Individual Contract & General Terms and Conditions (Annex II);
Reimbursable Loan Agreement (for a consultant assigned by a firm) & General Conditions (Annex III) .

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

Technical Proposal:

Explaining why you are the most suitable for the work ;
Providing a brief methodology on how they will approach and conduct the work including the work schedule for the delivery of outputs/deliverable ;
CV including past experience in similar project and contact reference of at least 3 references for whom you have rendered preferably the similar service ;

Financial proposal:

Detailed financial proposal: Lump sum offer with clear cost breakdown against each deliverable.

Note:

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days). All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. UNDP accept travel costs not exceeding of an economy class air ticket.

Instructions for on-line submissions:

Step 1: Please prepare all required documents electronically;
Step 2: Combine all documents in ONE SINGLE FILE (preferably in PDF however Word format can be also accepted) and upload to the UNDP Jobs using the links above;
Step 3: After that you will receive an auto reply from the UNDP jobs if your offer is received successfully.

Evaluation of Proposals

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis
Evaluation of proposals and award criteria:

Short listing of applications according to technical criteria (a to b);
The 3-5 applications with the highest score will be interviewed ;
Final evaluation includes interview scoring (criteria c) and financial proposal.

Cumulative analysis: The award of the contract will be made to a consultant who 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:
* Technical Criteria weight; [0.7];
* Financial Criteria weight; [0.3].

Only a consultant obtaining a minimum of 49 points in the technical rating would be considered for the financial evaluation.

For detailed information, please refer to Annex 1- Terms of Reference (TOR). TOR and General Terms and Conditions for Individual Consultants can be also downloaded at http://www.la.undp.org/content/lao_pdr/en/home/operations/jobs/

Note:

Any request for clarification must be sent in writing to the following e-mail: phouthamath.sayyabounsou@undp.org .

UNDP Lao PDR will respond in writing by standard electronic mail and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all consultants.

The copies of the response will be also placed on our web-site at http://www.la.undp.org/content/lao_pdr/en/home/operations/jobs/ and linked to the current Procurement Notice.

All interested candidates are encouraged to visit the above web-site for updates.

Please note that only short-listed candidates will be notified.

Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

For more detailed information about UNDP Lao PDR please visit our website at http://www.undplao.org.