UNDP Jobs - 50887- Consultant for Report on MDGs and Post-2015 Delopm

Consultant for Report on MDGs and Post-2015 Delopment Agenda in ASEAN Member States

Location :

Home-based with no travel required

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

17-Nov-2014

Application Deadline :

05-Nov-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

3 months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

3 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

The Millennium Developmental Goals (MDGs) represent a shared global commitment to improving the standard of living for people across the world. Since their launch, the MDGs have become the overarching framework for development. They have helped to rally political support for development, fostered the prioritisation of poverty-reducing policies in national strategies, and served as a guide to and benchmark for development progress.

The purposes of the MDGs are also aligned with the mandate of ASEAN, in particular the purposes detailed in the ASEAN Charter to alleviate poverty and narrow the development gap within ASEAN and to promote inclusive and sustainable development to ensure the high quality of life of its peoples. These overlapping goals have led to consistent ASEAN support for MDG achievement in its Member States. This includes the development and implementation of the "ASEAN Roadmap to the Attainment of the Millennium Development Goals", a framework for collective action towards MDG achievement, adopted in 2011 as a follow-up action to the Joint Declaration on the Attainment of the Millennium Development Goals in ASEAN.

Meanwhile, there have been several efforts to monitor MDG progress in Asia-Pacific. At the regional level, UNDP, ESCAP, and the ADB formed a tripartite regional partnership in 2004 to track and report on the MDGs. Eight regional MDG reports were subsequently released, most recently the 2012/13 report titled "Asia-Pacific Aspirations: Perspectives for a Post-2015 Development Agenda". At the sub-regional level, in 2008 ASEAN published "Poverty Reduction and Social Development in ASEAN: Towards an ASEAN Roadmap for the Implementation of the MDGs Plus". ASEAN later released the "2012 ASEAN Statistical Report on the MDGs", an authoritative collection of data on MDG indicators led by the ASEAN Community Statistical System Committee. MDG monitoring has also taken place at the national level, with nearly all ASEAN Member States publishing national MDG progress reports, including Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam in 2013. Platforms for ASEAN Member States to share with each other their respective achievements, challenges, and lessons learnt in attaining MDGs were shared in inter-sectoral ASEAN workshops in 2008 (Bangkok), 2011 (Bangkok) and 2012 (Yangon).

As 2015 approaches, planning for the post-MDG era is underway. At the global level, work on a follow up development framework is nearing completion. As mandated by the Rio+20 outcome document, an Open Working Group (OWG) of the General Assembly was created to propose a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a follow up to the MDGs. Several processes were also launched to feed into this effort. The UN Secretary-General created a High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda to produce recommendations; global, regional, and national consultations were conducted; and the global UN MyWorld survey collected citizen opinions. Following this extensive consultation period, the OWG released in July 2014 a draft proposal for the new SDGs. The work is not yet complete as the indicators and targets are still to be finalised but the UN General Assembly is expected to adopt the new framework in September 2015.

As the global framework is finalised, individual countries can also reflect on their own post-2015 priorities and how they will tackle challenges related to sustainable development and poverty reduction. As part of this process, it is now possible to assess not only country progress towards the MDGs but country achievements in reaching them. It is also useful to consider new and emerging challenges for the post-2015 development landscape not covered by the MDGs.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objectives

The objective of the assignment is to draft a report assessing MDG achievement and identifying post-2015 development challenges in ASEAN Member States.

Scope of Work

Under the guidance of the Team Leader – Inclusive Growth and Poverty Reduction, the consultant is expected to draft a report that includes the following:

Assessment of MDG achievement in ASEAN Member States, highlighting both areas of success and common challenges persisting across countries and across goals;
Identification of remaining and emerging sustainable development and poverty-related challenges in the region not included in the MDGs but relevant to ASEAN Member States in forming post-2015 development strategies;
Suggestions for areas and modes where regional support and collaboration can help countries tackle priority areas for development identified as critical for ASEAN Member States in the post-2015 era;
Review of the new global development framework for its relevance to ASEAN Member States, including how the SDGs reflect the priorities of ASEAN and how they might be used to help fight poverty in the region;

In completing the draft report, the consultant is further expected to:

Collaborate with staff in UNDP Country Offices to identify data and analysis on MDGs and post-2015 priorities;
Collect and aggregate data and analysis on MDG achievement in ASEAN Member States from relevant global, regional, and national data sources, such as: the global UN MDG database, the ASEAN Statistical Report on the MDGs, relevant government agencies and statistical offices of ASEAN Member States, and/or publications and databases of other international organisations;
Consult as needed with selected government officials responsible for the MDGs;
Collaborate with ASEAN Secretariat staff during the data collection and drafting process, particularly for identifying emerging challenges and areas for regional support of post-2015 development priorities in the region;
Participate in a stocktaking workshop in the region to present and receive feedback on the report;
Revise the report based on feedback received from UNDP staff and relevant ASEAN staff and sectoral bodies.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables:

Work plan including a detailed schedule, data requirements, and annotated outline by 30th November 2014;
Database on MDG achievement in ASEAN Member States by 6th January 2015;
Draft assessment report by 6th January 2015, including an executive summary. The revised draft will be reviewed internally and externally with feedback provided to the expert;
Revised final report incorporating relevant feedback by 28th January 2015;

Institutional Arrangement:

The consultant will be guided by the Team Leader-Inclusive Growth and Poverty Reduction/UNDP-APRC and will work closely with other members of the UNDP-APRC Inclusive Growth and Poverty Reduction team.

Duration of the Work:

This assignment is expected to last 3 months, with possible extension until completion. Work is expected to commence from 17 November 2014 until 16 January 2015.

Duty Station:

Home-based with no travel required.

Competencies

Corporate:

Demonstrates integrity and fairness, by modeling the UN/UNDP’s values and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional/Technical:

Strong analytical skills;
Excellent writing skills;
Excellent communication skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Educational Qualifications:

Advanced university degree in economics, development economics, development studies, public policy, or other relevant social sciences relevant to this assignment.

Experience:

At least 10 years of work experience in social and economic development, and/or international development. A geographic focus on the Asia-Pacific region would be an advantage;
Experience with working on issues pertaining to the MDGs;
Familiarity with current issues being discussed as part of the post-2015 agenda;
Track record of working with multi-lateral institutions and government.

Language:

Excellent English proficiency.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments:

Output-based Lump-sum payment.

The consultant will receive a lump sum, which will cover the fee for his/her rendered services. The total amount paid will be in one tranche upon a successful completion of the assigned tasks, certified as satisfactory by the IGPR Practice Team Leader or Officer in Charge.

Evaluation Method and Criteria:

The award of the contract will 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 350 technical points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical Criteria for Evaluation - 70% (Maximum 100 points):

Experience related to services - Max 50 points;
Expertise & Availability – Max 50 points.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Documentation required:

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document:

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.
Financial proposal, the proposals should indicate all-inclusive daily professional fee.

Incomplete proposals may not be considered.

Annex - Individual IC General Terms and Conditions

For any clarification regarding this assignment please write to rcb.procurement.th@undp.org.