UNDP Jobs - 52098- International Consultant-Study for Addressing Disa

International Consultant-Study for Addressing Disability Issues

Location :

Home based, BANGLADESH

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

17-Dec-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

30 working days from December 2014 to February 2015

Languages Required :

English

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

Urban Partnership for Poverty Reduction Project (UPPRP) is being implemented in informal settlements of 23 towns during the period 2008-2014 with technical support of UNDP and UN-Habitat in partnership with the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) of the Local Government Division, Ministry of Local Government, and Rural Development & Cooperatives. Local Government institutions (LGIs) are the main actor to implement the project with direct participation and contribution of local community.The project is being implemented by funds of USD 100 million, the majority of which is provided by UK aid. It aims to reduce urban poverty by improving the livelihoods and living conditions of 3 million urban poor, especially women and children.

UPRR is the largest urban poverty reduction initiative in Bangladesh. The project works forenhancing the capacity and access of community, poor and extreme households (HHs)with multiple vulnerabilities living in poor settlement, especially women, to manage their own development.The key strategies include community mobilisation; improvement of physical infrastructure; support for livelihoods development; developing partnerships between communities and service providers; and influencing policy.

Of two major funds of UPPR, Socio-Economic Fund (SEF) supports a range of interventions to improve and expand socio-economic opportunities of poor and extreme poor living in poor settlement to support their livelihoods and social activities. This help to build the human, financial and social capital of these households to support themselves for get out of existing poverty.

Background to addressing the disability issue

Disability is not a health issue rather it is cross-sectoral concern that includes social welfare, education, health, employment and income generation, accessibility issues relating to transport, infrastructure and built environment, and access to water and sanitation. However, most of the times, it is commonly seen as person specific limitation rather than readjustments to the surrounding environment that could enable them. There are no concrete information about prevalence rate and absolute number of disable people in Bangladesh but anecdotal information and a number of micro studies generally suggest a disability prevalence rate of between 5%-14%, which is close to the WHO estimates (10%). Action Aid-Bangladesh and Social Assistance and Rehabilitation for the Physically Vulnerable (SARPV) put the disabled population at 8.8% of the total population.

The Constitution of Bangladesh has a strong commitment in its article 15 (D) to introduce Social Security Programme for the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) along with other segment of population who are socially insecure.Bangladesh is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In order to promote rights of PWD, “Protecting National Disable Forum” was set up in February 1991 and in 1993, a 53 member National Coordination Committee was formed. Two years later, the Government adopted a national policy for serving the needs of PWD. In 2000, a National Forum of Organizations Working with the Disabled (NFOWD) was set up. Finally, in August 2001, the Disability Welfare Act came into existence. The Act promotes equality of opportunities and provision of benefits for persons with disabilities. Soon after promulgation of the act, an Inter-Ministerial Task Force was set up to develop a National Action Plan. In addition, District Disability Welfare Committees were set-up; among which many then formulated District Action Plan for welfare for PWD. Presently the GoB is put this issue as one of the priority due affiliation of head of the government.

UPPR’s communities also see the issue as one of the development challenges while they identify the pain and hurdle of PWD or HHs with PWD. Therefore, they tried to their best to supports and gave attention to those HHs or PWD in their inclusive development process. Thereby the put disability as one indicator of the four categories of social vulnerability in the Participatory Identification of Poor (PIP) for their future targeting and regularly incorporated it by communities in their Community Action Plan (CAP).

From 2009 providing material supports (assistive devices) to the PWD was in center of the UPPR’s work. Gradually it enlarged and accommodated different SEF grants following the suitability of grants to PWD. Later on UPPRP had strategic direction how to comprehensively address this issue in 2011. Therefore, other essential areas are incorporated like as supporting schools for disable children for their metal development and sensitization of community, technical skill development, support for business startup and linking PWD with the other specialized service providers.

Duties and Responsibilities

Description of the Assignment

Consultancy to do a study for documenting the gap, lesson learned and recommendation in line with UPPPR’s strategic direction for addressing disability issue/s with present synergies and overlapping goal of GoB’s, INGOs/NNGOs and Disable People Organizations (DPOs) interventions. Determine successful aspects for policy influence and broadly identified way forward congenial to UPPR’s complexity, coverage and multi-level and sectoral aspect for future adoption.

Scope of Work

The contracted individual will be responsible for carrying out the assignment with the following specific tasks but not limited to:

Desk review and interviews with HQ, town team colleagues and community people to identify the extent of implementation of the disability strategy, the probable barrier that created gap and challenges faced to take other initiatives;
Explore the mainstreaming the PWD in existing and innovative SEF grant support as well as support from SIF to resolve the water, sanitation and transportation needs of PWD;
Measure the progress of linking of PWD and disable peoples organizations (DPOs) with specialized service providers and partner/s;
Find out the synergies and overlapping goal of UPPR’s strategic direction with GoB, INGO/NNGO and DPOs for addressing disability issues and successful influence catered by UPPR in certain policy areas related to disability;
Recommend the way forward that is congenial to UPPR’s complexity, coverage and multi-level and sectoral aspect for future adoption;

Expected Outputs:

Work plan and time schedule for completing the study. Submitting study document that includes methodology, questionnaires, sampling strategy and detailed study plan and time schedule;

Timeline (from date of contract signing): Phase 1: End of Week 1

Desk review and interviews with HQ, town team colleagues, UPPR participants, relevant GoB, INGO/NNGO and DPOs . Field visits to areas where pilots were undertaken;

Timeline (from date of contract signing): Phase 2: End of Week 4

Soft and Hard copies of the draft study report with signed cover letter.

Timeline (from date of contract signing) Phase 3: End of Week 5

Completion report summarizing tools and methodologies applied, lessons learnt, and recommendations relevant to the formulation/execution future intervention/s to address disability.

A completion report that includes:

Relevance and effectiveness of the targeting of PWDs, appropriateness of support, monitoring mechanisms and community involvement;
Comparison with those of the GoB’s/ INGO/ NNGOs and existing DPOs interventions with UPPR and policy areas to be pursued and its strategies;
On extent the UPPPR disability strategy was followed, challenges and any other initiatives taken;
Mainstreaming the PWDs in existing and innovative SEF and SIF works;
What coverage and how effective access catered for PWD or DPOs through partnership and linkage.

Recommend the way forward that is congenial to UPPR’s complexity, coverage and multi-level and sectoral aspect for future adoption.

Timeline (from date of contract signing): Phase 4: End of Week 6

Impact of Results

The key results have an impact on addressing disability issue effectively in urban programming in general. In particular, the key results have an impact on establishing an evidence base on the effectiveness of the UPPR’s interventions for disability to inform advocacy initiatives and delivery for the next Urban Program.

Institutional Arrangement

Further, the study will be coordinated and overseen by SEF Coordinator under the overall supervision of International Project Manager. Support will be provided by the M&E Coordinator. The International Project Manager will certify milestone deliverables.

Duration of the Work and Duty Station and expected places of travel:

The work is estimated to require 30 working days within December 2014 to February 2015.

The individual is expected to work from home and will also require 6 days mission in Bangladesh inclusive of international travel days;
Project towns across Bangladesh and other areas as per project requirement;
UPPR will provide all necessary data and contacts. During the field visit UPPR will facilitate the visit and provide transport and office space as required. UPPR will not provide a laptop.

Final Products/Services:

Hard and soft copies of the final study report;
All relevant data sets and analysis, including syntax if applicable;
Completion Report summarizing tools and methodologies applied, lessons learnt, and recommendation.

Scope of Bid Price and Schedule of Payment

Remuneration of the successful contractor will be fixed and bids should be submitted on this basis. No adjustment will be given for the period and determined by the specified outputs as per this ToR. The price should take into account all HR costs and professional fees, travel costs, DSA, subsistence and ancillary expenses.

UNDP shall effect payments, by bank transfer to the consultancy firm’s bank account, upon acceptance by UNDP (in consultation with UPPR) of the deliverables specified in the ToR. Payments will be made in tranches based on the following percentages and milestones.

1st Payment:

30% of total contract will be paid after submission of project inception document which will include the research questions and methodology, sampling strategy, detailed study plan and time schedule.

2nd Payment:

30% of total contract value will be paid after submission of Soft and Hard copies of the Data collection with selected beneficiaries/parents and community/organizations/institutions/personnel.

3rd Payment:

40% of total contract value will be paid after delivery of hard and soft copies of the final submission of Final Report and all datasets.

Terms:

The selected contractor will prepare and submit the work plans for approval and report progresses on weekly basis, to the SEF Coordinator and M & E Coordinator with a copy to IPM of UPPRP;
Payment for services of the contractor will be made upon satisfactory certification by the IPM.

Recommended Presentation of Proposal

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

Technical Proposal

Background of the Proposal-Description of logical importance for addressing the issues and it depth of implication in economy, society and family level and the present and past responses of GoB, INGO/NNGO and the progress;
Relevant Experience – Description of experience in projects of a comparable nature, with specific description of technical specialization of individual in the field of social or legal research/study , and list of current and past assignments;
Human Resources - The Technical Proposal needs to contain the details of qualification and experience of the individual including membership or enlistment with the expert organization, working experience focus to disability issue and further specialization and relevant experience/exposure and required expertise/skills to complete the tasks i.e. legal, linguistic, drafting and editing expertise, among others;
Process - The Technical Proposal needs to contain a detail description of the process the contractor intends to follow to complete the tasks including a detailed work plan and time schedule for completion/delivery of the final product (the updated and revised text of the BD codes) which, after selection of the contractor, will be agreed upon by the Project in consultation with the SEF Coordinator, M&E Coordinator and IPM in the early stages of the commencement;
Tools and Methodologies - The Technical Proposal must detail tools and methodologies that will be used to ensure the accuracy of the update and revision by the contractor. In particular, in order to deliver the task to the highest standard, checks using processes including software-built processes should be applied by the selected contractor.

Cover letter:

The cover letter should complement the consultant’s CV and provide a detailed description of the consultant’s relevant experience and skillset and their approach to undertaking this work;
Sample of similar work done previously.

(Kindly note, all the above required documents to be uploaded together in a single file)

Evaluation

Individuals will be evaluated based on the following methodologies:

Cumulative analysis

When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should 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 70% of the technical criteria weight points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical Criteria:

Expertise in assessing physical and other disability issues and their mainstreaming: 25 Points;
Expertise in undertaking qualitative research, including with community members and project stakeholders - 15 points;
Expertise in researching and assessing community and respective stakeholders’ mobilization initiatives related to addressing disability issues.:10 points;
Methodology of study and using tools -10 points;
Samples of similar work -10points;
Financial - 30 Points.

Total: 100 Points

Responsibilities of the Contractor regarding cost component:

All cost related to this assignment including logistics, office arrangements, accommodation, etc. (including when in travel within Bangladesh) shall be borne by the contractor;
Achieving the deliverables shall be the sole responsibility of the contractor. Any delay shall be communicated and plan to achieve the deliverables shall be communicated by the contractor to the UPPR team.

Responsibilities of UNDP regarding cost component:

UNDP shall pay the lump sum amount quoted in the financial proposal and shall be paid as achievement of milestones as per the TOR.

Identification of Risk and Risk Mitigation Plan:

Risk Identification – delay in the delivery of milestones due external factors. The consultant will be solely responsible for the deliverables and will be responsible to achieve these milestones.

A focal person/team from the UPPR project will coordinate the task between the consultant and UPPR. The International Project Manager will assure the quality of final products.

Key Performance Indicator:

The achievement of milestone deliverables.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards (human rights, peace, understanding between peoples and nations, tolerance, integrity, respect, results orientation (UNDP core ethics) impartiality;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

Development and poverty knowledge (especially in urban context);
Extensive knowledge of community financial services and community mobilization in development;
Proven research and evaluation capacities;
Proven ability to write very high quality reports (in the English language);
Excellent communication skills (written and oral).

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

A Master’s Degree in a relevant discipline such as Anthropology, Sociology, Development Studies or any other field of Social Science;

Experience:

At least 5 year Experience in social research in South Asian Countries and work experience in related field;
Experience with stakeholder interviews and focus group discussions are essential;
5 years working experience related to physical and other disabilities and their mainstreaming.

Language:

Fluency in English (Written and Oral).