Background
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), acting as an implementing agency of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), is providing assistance to the Ministry of Environment of Albania in the preparation of the GEF Medium Size Project (MSP) “Establishing Albania’s Environmental Information Management and Monitoring System aligned with the global environmental reporting.”
In accordance with UNDP/GEF procedures, UNDP is hiring a team of consultants (international and national) to develop the MSP proposal for submission to the GEF Secretariat fully compliant with the enforced GEF rules and standards as part of the GEF Project Preparation Grant (PPG). The consultants will report to the Programme Officer for Environment Unit at UNDP Albania and work closely with UNDP Regional Technical Advisor.
The purpose of the PPG is to fully design the activities, outputs, and outcomes of the ‘Establishing Albania’s Environmental Information Management and Monitoring System aligned with the global environmental reporting’ medium size project and to fully develop a full set of project documentation for submission to the GEF Secretariat and approval. Normal rules for development of medium-sized GEF projects apply. Copies of the GEF templates and guidelines can be found at: http://www.thegef.org/gef/guidelines_templates
Project Description
Albania has become a Party to three Rio- Conventions after 1990-s which corresponds to the country’s change of regime and participation in international agreements on environmental protection. The national development agenda of Albania fully takes into consideration the fact that its development will only proceed by adequately taking into account, global processes and trends. The principles of the conventions, as well as of the European Union environmental policy, have been established as priority areas in the National Strategy for Development and Integration (NSDI) 2007-2013, which is under review for the period up to 2020. The Environmental Cross-cutting Strategy integral part of the NSDI is the basic document that represents the national policy on environmental protection. This document addresses all environmental components and sets general guidance on problems arising from sectors having an impact upon environment.
Reporting obligations under the existing environmental regulations have been restricted to compliance with environmental quality standards without including any information about policies’ effects and effectiveness. The lack of policy-oriented monitoring and information support tools hinders intersectoral collaboration throughout the entire policy process
In 2006 Albania, with UNDP support has conducted a self-assessment process aming at assessment of capacity needs (NCSA) and priorities with respect to the global environment and within the context of sustainable development so that Albania can meet the requirements of the Global Environmental Conventions in a coordinated and strategic manner
The NCSA highlighted that due to many problems existing in information collection and management systems, the government has limited capacity to meet its obligations, which results in uninformed constituency, poor knowledge of existing problems and their extent by the decision makers which in turn results in poor planning practices. The immediate need for sound and integrated information was articulated in NCSA as:
- Providing basis for the development of specific and yet future looking policies, strategies, plans, undertaking specific measures;
- Enabling the Civil Society organizations (CSO) and the general public in getting more aware and mobilized around solving particular issues and pressuring the government to adhere to its obligations;
- Reporting to the all three Rio Conventions to which Albania is the signatory and has commitments.
Reporting obligations under the existing environmental regulations have been restricted to compliance with environmental quality standards without including any information about policies’ effects and effectiveness. The lack of policy-oriented monitoring and information support tools hinders intersectoral collaboration throughout the entire policy process The key challenges and its causal linkages identified in the NCSA with regards to information management and reporting is summarized in figure 1 annexed herewith.
The existing Protected Areas (Biodiversity) Information System (PA-IS) is thought as the single, unique and more comprehensive national entry point for data and information on biodiversity in Albania. However, at its current scale and scope the PA-IS is limited to the protected areas network and cannot serve as a tool for informed decision making and reporting for broader natural resources management and conservation at national level and global level.
In addition, various projects carried out by many international and national agencies in the environment and natural resources management areas have generated a vast amount of data and information which are important for conservation and sustainable management of these resources within the country as well as within the region. These data and information are stored in various government and non-government agencies with no proper system established to interlink and retrieve for utilization.
Creating national wide environmental information system will therefore enable Albania monitoring and coordinating sectoral policies strategically to fulfill national obligations under global environmental agreements so that Albania can meet the requirements of the Global Environmental Conventions in a coordinated and strategic manner.
As an integral part (or the pre-requisite) of the national environmental information system establishment, the country needs to review various environmental and social economic indicators in order to create a well integrated and manageable monitoring systems that would form the foundation of national environmental information system.
The project is a response to the need for an environmental monitoring system that is integrated throughout the related government institutions, that is well coordinated and cooperates, using international monitoring standards for the selection of monitoring indicators, the data collection processes, the processing and reporting of this information covering all three Rio Conventions. The GEF contribution will develop national capacities in Albania to align its national environmental information management and monitoring system with global environmental monitoring and reporting priorities; including the compliance with the Multilateral Environment Agreements reporting obligations.
In particular the project will aim at:
- Development of the EIMS to enable integration of global environment commitments into planing and monitoring processes.
- Development and application of uniform indicators encompassing UNFCCC, CBD and CCD concerns and global environmental threats.
Stakeholder’s capacity for information management (collection processing) of key global environment data and utilization (interpretation and reporting) is enhanced at national and local level.
Duties and Responsibilities
The principal responsibility of IT and Information System Design Expert is to assist the international consultant on the development of the above mentioned project document fully compliant with the enforced GEF rules and standards as lead expert on capacity development and project design.
Within the framework of this ToR, the consultant is expected to perform the following tasks and duties which will complement and feed into tasks and inputs provided accordingly into different prodoc chapters (Project Background, baseline situation, threats and root causes, barriers, etc).
- Mapping of all institutions at central and local level involved in environmental information management and monitoring (output: an organizational chart or charts such as those) on page 18 of the UNECE 2nd EPR).
- Overview of the hardware/software (or off-line) requirements for current data gathering, processing, etc. for major environmental indicators (air, water, biodiversity (BD), etc.)
- Estimate of the hardware / software (or off-line) requirements for current data gathering, processing, etc. for major environmental indicators (air, water, BD, etc.)
- Assess existing capacities of stakeholders involved in environmental information management and monitoring, identify capacity gaps and list specific barriers to data collection, analysis, and utilization;
- Review environmental information management and monitoring standards, norms, indicators, procedures and IT architectures;
- Design a detailed project strategy for upgrading environmental information management and monitoring standards, norms, indicators, procedures and IT architectures, including an estimate of specific hardware and software acquisition, associated training needs, and indicators for Monitoring and Evaluation related to the actual Environemnt Information System.
- Design a detailed project strategy for strengthening institutional arrangements for a more cost-effective and coordinated multi-agency information management and monitoring system;
- Data manipulation according to convention requirements (including support for early warning systems, mobile-phone based interactive data collection or reporting, outreach and information for vulnerable populations, support for the post-2015 goals, use of data in educational initiatives related to the Rio Conventions and Education for Sustainable Development, support for Aarhus Information Centers, support to local governments, etc.).
- A description of organizational/institutional risks that could threaten the project’s successful implementation and recommendations on how to address these risks.
- A description of policy/regulatory risks that could threaten the project’s successful implementation and recommendations on how to address these risks.
Expected Deliverables
The key products to be delivered are as follows:
- Draft report (5th of November 2014)
- Together with international consultant deliver the final UNDP Project Document, Project Results Framework, GEF Tracking Tool and Request for CEO Endorsement and GEF Tracking Tool fully compliant with the enforced GEF rules and standards (15th of December 2014)
In addition, the incumbent will:
- Oversee completion of background studies, ensuring they are appropriate in scope and overall quality;
- Provide required sector analyses;
- Facilitate and guide consultations to determine project strategy, priorities, key partners, and key barriers to success for the targeted sector (IT and information managemet)
Payment Scehdule
The local consultant shall receive payment in two installments from UNDP as follows:
50% upon preparation and acceptance of the draft report;
50% upon preparation and acceptance of the draft UNDP Project Document, Project Results Framework, GEF Tracking Tool
This is a lump sum assignment. The Consultant will be responsible for all personal administrative and travel expenses associated with undertaking this assignment including office accommodation, printing, stationary, telephone and electronic communications, and report copies incurred in this assignment.
Competencies
Technical work
- Strong expertise IT and database development.
- Experience in developing institutional arrangements for multi-national projects in the respective sector (IT and information management)
- Familiarity with similar database and IT architecture and reporting formats.
- Ability to work in a team;
Partnerships
- Maturity and confidence in dealing with senior members of national institutions.
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
- Excellent written skills.
Required Skills and Experience
Education/Academic Qualification:
- Advanced University degree in the fields of computer sciences, environment science or a closely related field;
Work Experience:
- At least 5 years of relevant professional experience with IT and reporting methodologies;
- Good knowledge of the current IT framework in Albania the required changes/challenges to address Albania’s EU accession requirements;
- Demonstrated experience and success in analyzing and accomplishing databases and reporting tools related to predefined IT architecture;
- Experience in providing relevant consultancy services is preferable.
Language requirements:
- Very good working knowledge to communicate and write report in English;
Evaluation of Applicants
- Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated;
- Individual consultants will be evaluated based on Combined Scoring method taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal;
- Combined weighted scoring: Technical (70%); Financial (30%).
Application procedure
Qualified candidates are requested to apply by 15 October 2014 online.
The application should contain:
- Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position and a brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the work (if applicable). Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application.
- Filled P11 form for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs) - blank form to be downloaded here http://www.al.undp.org/content/albania/en/home/operations/jobs/. (Please upload the P11 instead of your CV). Make sure to include in 3 references in the P11 format where is requested.
- Financial Proposal* - specifying a total lump sum amount for the tasks specified in this TOR. The financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (number of anticipated working days – in home office and on mission, travel – international and local, per diems and any other possible costs), preferably according to the following template.
General Conditions of Contract for the ICs:
Please note that UNDP is not in the position to accept incomplete applications - please make sure that your application contains all details as specified below in this notice.