Background

The Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan.  BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, South-South and triangular cooperation initiatives, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas.

As the UN system's development program and a GEF Implementing Agency since 1991, UNDP also supports countries in addressing development, climate, and ecosystem sustainability in an integrated manner. UNDP-GEF offers countries highly specialized technical services for eligibility assessment, program/project formulation, due diligence, mobilization of required co-financing, project implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and knowledge management.

In 2001, during COP-7 (Marrakesh), the Parties to the UNFCCC established a work program to support LDCs in addressing a number of priority needs (decision 5/CP.7). Of the six elements of this “LDC work program”, priority was given to support the preparation and implementation of NAPAs. At COP-17 in 2011 (Durban), it was recognized that insufficient progress has been made on the remaining elements of the LDC work program and that specific support was required to enable LDCs to participate more effectively in the UNFCCC process. Subsequent COP guidance has requested the GEF, through the LDCF to also support the remaining elements of the LDC work program (decisions 5/CP.144 and 5/CP.165).

Against this backdrop, BPPS/UNDP-GEF, in partnership with UNEP, and in close coordination with the GEF Secretariat, Chair of the LDC Group and the LDC Expert Group (LEG), has recently launched a global programme to assist LDCs to participate effectively in intergovernmental climate change processes. This UNDP-UNEP program, financed by the LDCF, will provide support to LDCs around three areas:

  • Strengthening coordination mechanisms, technical capacity, and negotiation skills of LDCs to participate effectively in intergovernmental climate change processes;
  • Strengthening institutional capacity for LDCs to manage climate change, with a focus on mechanisms for collecting, analysing and archiving data to support reporting under the UNFCCC; and
  • Ensuring knowledge generated through the project is collected and disseminated.

UNDP-GEF is recruiting an individual who has significant experience and familiarity on the different negotiation work streams as they relate to Least Developed Countries.  The incumbent (henceforth referred to as Technical Advisor (TA)) will provide overall technical guidance to the execution of the programme within a dedicated project team overseen by UNDP-GEF. The project team will be comprised of a Programme Coordinator (UNDP) as well as other project staff recruited by UNEP.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective:

The TA will contribute towards the effective implementation of the programme and ensure that all the activities are tailored to maximize benefits to negotiators from Least Developed Countries, taking into account their different levels of experiences and technical support needs. Under the direction of the Programme Coordinator, the TA will maintain constant communication and consultation with other climate change negotiators from Least Developed Countries (LDCs), the Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) and the Least Developed Countries Group (LDC Group). The TA will work in accordance with the objectives and outcomes of the LDCF Council approved UNDP project document governing this programme and in full alignment with UNDP’s Program and Operations Policies and Procedures.

Scope of Work:

The TA will fulfil the following tasks:

  • Contribute to the design and delivery of regional workshops and training and communication material aimed at enhancing the capacities of negotiators from LDCs;
  • Establish a community of practice including connections with and to other networks that exist which can provide critical information to LDCs on different work streams under the UNFCCC;
  • Provide constant updates (in written form and using an appropriate format that is agreed in advance) to the programme coordinator and the rest of the programme implementation team on developments of the intergovernmental CC processes so that relevant training materials to LDC negotiators can be updated accordingly;
  • When appropriate, serve as an advocate for partnerships with relevant organizations to improve delivery of capacity development activities, avoid duplication of efforts and capitalize on synergies that exist. Potential institutions to coordinate with include, but are not limited to: IIED, UNITAR, CDKN, ICCCAD, CVFTF, and PROVIA;
  • Other tasks as deemed appropriate by the programme coordinator to achieve the objective and outcomes of the LDCF council approved capacity building programme;
  • Assist and collaborate with UNDP’s Climate Change Policy Team to prepare and distribute key materials aimed at raising awareness and building the capacity of UNFCCC negotiators.

Expected output and deliverables:

In coordination with the programme coordinator, the TA will work to complete the following outputs:

  • Stocktaking of capacity gaps and needs of negotiators to strengthen their negotiating skills;
  • Establishment of a learning programme for LDC negotiators based on input from negotiators and other relevant partners;
  • Development of at least 5 training documents on negotiation terminology, formulating negotiation positions and understanding of UNFCCC negotiation processes;
  • Development of at least 3 training documents on selected negotiation topics/ workstreams;
  • Development and endorsement of a long-term strategy for the LDC group;
  • Satisfactory delivery of at least 8 regional training workshops throughout the life of the project, as follows: 2 for Anglophone Africa, 2 for Francophone Africa, 2 for Asia, 2 for the Pacific;
  • Satisfactory establishment of a community of practice that consolidates the existing capacity and expertise of skilled LDC representatives and provides ongoing technical support to all LDCs;
  • Development of at least 4 knowledge products on CC negotiations, translated into at least 5 LDC official languages and disseminated to corresponding LDCs.

Competencies

  • Demonstrated skills in information technology including Microsoft Office;
  • Experience in building partnerships and liaising with partner organizations;
  • Ability to work both independently, against tight deadlines;
  • Demonstrate an ability to undertake independent problem solving;
  • Show initiative and enthusiasm for the consultancy;
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
  • Be knowledgeable of UN system ideas and objectives;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Highest standards of integrity, discretion and loyalty.

Required Skills and Experience

The Technical advisor/ Intergovernmental Climate Change Negotiations Expert shall have the following qualifications:

Academic qualification:

  • Master’s degree in Climate Change and/or International Development; International Relations; International Economics, International Environmental Law or a closely related field.

Professional Experience:

  • A minimum of 8 years of experience in intergovernmental climate change negotiations;
  • Knowledge of climate change adaptation policy processes and sound knowledge on NAPs;
  • Experience in building partnerships and liaising with partner organizations.

Language requirements:

  • Excellent knowledge of English with exceptional communication skills.

Institutional arrangement:

The consultant will be supervised by the Programme Coordinator and UNDP/GEF Regional Technical Specialist (RTS). Payment will be approved by UNDP/GEF RTS upon satisfactory completion of deliverables.

Contract duration:

10 February 2015 - 31 January 2016 ( up to 80 days).

Duty Station:

Home-based. The contractor may be required to travel. Destination shall be assigned and approved prior to travel.

Financial proposal:

  • The contract will be based on daily fee: The financial proposal will specify the daily fee in USD. The payments will be made to the Individual Consultant based on approved timesheet on a monthly basis and upon completion of the deliverables.
  • Travel : Payment of travel costs including tickets, living allowance, terminal expenses and other travel related cost should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel. The provided living allowance will not be exceeding UNDP DSA rates. Repatriation travel cost from home to duty station in Bangkok and return shall not be covered by UNDP.

Evaluation method and criteria:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis

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 (70%) and financial criteria (30%). Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

Technical criteria for evaluation 70% (Maximum 500 points)

  • Academic qualification - 20%, maximum of 100 points;
  • Years of hands on experience on Intergovernmental Climate Change Negotiations - 30%, maximum of 150 points;
  • Knowledge of climate change adaptation policy processes and sound knowledge on NAPs - 10%, maximum of 50 points;
  • Experience in building partnerships and liaising with partner organizations - 10%, maximum of 50 points;
  • Excellent knowledge of the English and French language, with exceptional communication skills -  10%, maximum of 50 points; and
  • Availability - 20%, maximum of 100 points.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 350 technical 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:

  • Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided in Annex II ;
  • Personal CV and 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;
  • A One(1)-pager technical proposal specifying a brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment; and
  • Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex II.

Incomplete proposals may not be considered.

Annexes:

For any clarification regarding this assignment please write to brh.gef.procurement@undp.org.