UNDP Jobs - 54920- Consultant: UN informal Interagency Task Team for

Consultant: UN informal Interagency Task Team for Sustainable Procurement in the Health Sector (iIATT-SPHS)

Location :

Istanbul, with two missions to Copenhagen, Denmark (3 working days each), TURKEY

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

03-Apr-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Estimated April 2015 – 31 December 2015

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

Approximately 140 working days

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

In June 2012, at the RIO+20 UN Global Conference on Sustainable Development, world leaders renewed their commitment to advancing sustainable development, and further re-affirmed that its enactment is the only viable solution for addressing the world’s growing environmental, social and economic problems. A new spirit of collective responsibility emerged from RIO+20 which included a call for greater accountability and transparency about progress made in achieving sustainable development. (1)

The UN’s journey towards their own operational climate neutrality began officially on 5th June 2007 when UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon publicly called on all UN agencies, funds and programmes to ‘go green’ and become climate neutral. Driven initially by the UN initiative “Greening the Blue” (2), with an interest to promote climate neutrality within the UN, the focus was largely on addressing associated greenhouse gas emissions. However, the Sustainable UN facility in collaboration with sustainability focal points in about 60 UN entities and the HLCM procurement network has extended the focus area onto other critically important purchasing categories as well including the focus on resource depletion and eco- and human-toxicity in the procurement in the context of procurements for the health sector.

Linkages between health sector procurement and the environment are increasingly better understood. For example, procurement is one of the most significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions from the health sector (3/4/5/6) and relevant studies show that the greatest environmental impact of national health system is linked to procurement and supply chain management decisions, especially in regards to pharmaceuticals (7) and health products, their production, use and disposal.

The UN can undoubtedly be a market shaping force in regards to greening procurement processes and criteria as they have a sizable portion of some segments of the global pharmaceutical market and a normative mandate to address the environmental issues associated with their procurement. Governments and international development actors – by virtue of their cumulative global purchasing power – can also influence a major shift in environmental and social standards applied to products and services. There are a number of on-going ‘greening’ initiatives in the health sector, but limited to specific regions or institutions, with a limited impact globally. Conversely, there are many opportunities for local, national and regional initiatives (e.g. the WHO guidelines on green procurement can guide hospitals and health care facilities globally on how to implement environmentally sustainable procurement practices).

The informal Interagency Task Team on Sustainable Procurement in the Health Sector (iIATT-SPHS) was established in May 2012 with an aim to leverage the normative mandate and joint procurement volume (about US$ 3.5 billion annually) of participating UN agencies to influence the global health aid market towards reducing its environmental footprint, particularly through the introduction of green procurement criteria. In 2014 global health financing institutions have been approached to join forces in introducing environmental safeguarding policies and green procurement criteria, thereby further strengthening the purchasing power within the global health aid market and iIATT-SPHS members now include UNDP, UNOPS, UNICEF, UNFPA, WHO, UNHCR, UNEP, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, UNITAID and Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance.

Since its start the iIATT-SPHS has been supported and coordinated by a Secretariat administered by UNDP. Within UNDP, the Secretariat is linked with the Bureau of Management (BOM) (procurement team, New York), the Nordic Liaison Office (UN procurement hub, Copenhagen), the Bureau of Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) (HIV, Health and Development (HHD) team, New York, Istanbul) and the Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS (RBEC, New York/Istanbul).

One of the key activities iIATT-SPHS Secretariat will focus on in 2015 is the implementation of green procurement criteria in the procurement practices of iIATT-SPHS members. The overall objective of this activity is to achieve that the members’ procurement policy and practices in the health sector promote and protect health and do not adversely impact on the environment or on human health and well-being. With this call, the HHD Team at the IRH is seeking the services of an international consultant with a focus on health and sustainable development, to support the process of introducing green procurement practices into UNDP’s health sector procurement processes. The consultant will also be a catalyst for and reviewing and sharing lessons learnt from other iIATT-SPHS members and other green procurement initiatives.

Notes:

(1) A new global partnership: eradicate poverty and transform economies through sustainable development. Report of the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda (2013). New York. United Nations,
(2) http://www.greeningtheblue.org/
(3) http://www.ghgprotocol.org/files/ghgp/Guidance-Document_Pharmaceutical-Product-and-Medical-Device-GHG-Accounting_November-2012.pdf
(4) http://www.eurasia.undp.org/content/dam/rbec/docs/Carbon-footprint-of-UNDP-Global-Fund-health-initiatives-in-Montenegro-and-Tajikistan.pdf
(5) http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/HIV-AIDS/Regional%20practices/UNDP%20final%20report%20+%20case%20reports%20carbon%20foot%20printing.pdf
(6) http://www.eurasia.undp.org/content/dam/rbec/docs/UNDP%20Waste%20Management%20Tajikistan_web_FINAL.pdf
(7) http://www.slideshare.net/undpeuropeandcis/hamelmann-global-consultation-sphs-140408

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the guidance and supervision of both HHD Team Leader at UNDP’s Istanbul Regional Hub, the Consultant ensures the delivery of iIATT-SPHS members’ procurement analysis, with offering data-based recommendations which products and product categories shall be in focus for the implementation of green procurement criteria in their respective tender processes, as well as developing a questionnaire for assessing the environmental profile of intermediaries. Given the past and on-going initiatives of iIATT-SPHS members on greening their procurement practices, in-depth analysis of these initiatives shall be conducted and knowledge gained shared among the iIATT-SPHS members. As a part of the consultancy, consultant will particularly assist the UNDP PSO team based in Copenhagen, Denmark, on all the tasks specified under the Description of Responsibilities. UNDP PSO supports UNDP Country Offices and Business Units in Direct Procurement activities related to UNDP Practice Areas, especially in the areas of Implementation of Global Fund -GFATM- projects (entailing mainly laboratory and medical equipment/consumables), Democratic Governance (Election-related projects), and Crisis Prevention and Recovery (CPR).

Reports to the HHD Team Leader at UNDP’s Istanbul Regional Hub (Supervisor) who is also the Coordinator of the iIATT-SPHS Secretariat;
Collaborates through RBEC’s HHD Team Leader and the Associate Coordinator of the iIATT-SPHS Secretariat with the UNDP Procurement Support Office, Global Procurement Team Leader, all iIATT-SPHS members, and all external stakeholders.
Conduct the landscape analysis of current green procurement initiatives undertaken by the UNDP Procurement Support Office, Global Procurement Unit (UNDP PSO GPU) and the UNDP GF Partnership PSM Team;
Carry out the analysis of the UNDP PSO GPU and the UNDP GF Partnership PSM Team procurement;
Recommend key product and product categories which should be in focus for an introduction of green procurement criteria at UNDP PSO GPU and the UNDP GF Partnership PSM Team;
Recommend green procurement criteria for the selected products and product categories which will be implemented in renewed Long-Term Agreements (LTAs) and tender documentation at UNDP PSO GPU and the UNDP GF Partnership PSM Team;
Develop a questionnaire which will serve to assess the environmental profile of the UNDP PSO GPU and the UNDP GF Partnership PSM Team intermediaries/ suppliers / manufacturers;
Analyse data obtained through the questionnaire and produce a report on the environmental profile of UNDP PSO GPU and the UNDP GF Partnership PSM Team intermediaries/ suppliers / manufacturers;
Assess previous, current and planned GF policies with regards to the green procurement. Activities in the country should include: Environmental review of previous, current and planned policies; Interpretation of the GF new green procurement regulations, questionnaires and codes of conduct into UNDP context which can be easily and fast implemented at UNDP PSO GPU and the UNDP GF Partnership PSM Team procurement practice; Carrying out stakeholder interviews with the GF and UNDP PSO GPU and the UNDP GF Partnership PSM Team to assess the feasibility of implementation of green procurement criteria and recommend approach in which this task can be easily accomplished; Reevaluating the effectiveness of the green procurement implementation strategy and identifying possible approaches for improvement;
Review and share lessons learnt from other iIATT-SPHS members and other green procurement initiatives;
Carry out the analysis of the iIATT-SPHS members’ procurement;
Provide a final report on the main tasks conducted, results obtained and lessons learned (approximate number of pages – 20 - 25).

Specific deliverables will be agreed upon with the Supervisor at the beginning of each month, in writing. Payments will be made once a month upon submitted satisfactory progress report against deliverables and confirmation of their timely execution and acceptance by the Supervisor.

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

Demonstrates integrity according to UN’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;
Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Functional competencies:

Excellent research and intelligence gathering skills;
Team-working, leadership but also able to work independently;
Excellent communication skills, oral and written;
Cross-disciplinary vision;
Ability to work in difficult environments and being able to motivate others;
Ability to meet the deadlines;
Flexibility and creativity.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education:

Master degree in a development-related field such as economics, public or business administration, environmental engineering or related field. Additional course/diploma in relevant field is an asset.

Experience:

At least 3 years of relevant experience at the national or international level, preferably in the area of health, sustainable development, procurement, supply-chain management;
Very good and up-to-date knowledge on green health procurement practices is a further asset;
Proven experience in developing environmental requirements for procurement practices;
Previous experience in the UN or UNDP is an advantage;
Strong IT skills (experience with in-depth research and handling large databases is an asset).

Language skills:

Fluency and ability to communicate and perform complex tasks in English;
Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable;
Knowledge of other regional languages would be an asset.

Evaluation of Applicants:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and a financial proposal of a lump sum amount in US$.

The award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

Responsive/compliant/acceptable;
Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Only the highest ranked candidates who would be found qualified for the job will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation - max. 56 points:

Education and additional qualifications (courses, diplomas) - max. 8 points;
At least 3 years of relevant experience at the national or international level, preferably in the area of health, sustainable development, procurement, supply-chain management - max. 17 points;
Up-to-date knowledge on green health procurement practices - max. 5 points;
Proven experience in developing environmental requirements for procurement practices - max. 13 points;
Proven experience working with UN organizations - max. 6 points;
Communication skills and languages - max. 3 points;
Strong IT skills - max. 4 points;

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation - max. 24 points.

Application procedures:

Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via this website. The application should contain:

Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application;
Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees (blank form can be downloaded from http://europeandcis.undp.org/files/hrforms/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc ); please upload the P11 instead of your CV.
Financial Proposal* - specifying a total lump sum amount in USD for the tasks specified in this announcement. The financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (number of anticipated working days, travel to join the duty station and any other possible costs);
Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials. Please group all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.

*Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor during the contract period (e.g. fee, health insurance, travel to join the duty station, vaccination and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services...). All envisaged costs (including two missions to Copenhagen, Denmark (3 working days each)) must be included in the financial proposal.

Payments will be made on a monthly basis upon confirmation of UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner.

Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org

General Terms and conditions as well as other related documents can be found under: http://on.undp.org/t7fJs.