Background

By end-2013, some 140+ countries have accessed the GEF’s Biodiversity Enabling Activities (BD EA) with the aim of updating their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and fulfilling other related obligations under the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD). The new generation of NBSAPs being now produced will be aligned with the Aichi Targets that were agreed upon by CBD Parties during the COP10 in Nagoya, as part of the CBD’s Strategic Plan.

This project relates to Aichi Target 17, which predicates the development, adoption and initial implementation of NBSAPs as effective policy instruments for biodiversity mainstreaming. Target 17 relates to all other Aichi Targets with respect to biodiversity policy development.

UNDP and UNEP are the two main GEF agencies for BD EA. They noted that countries that accessed GEF funds for preparing their Post-Nagoya NBSAPs count on uneven levels of technical support for the task, in spite of current and growing demand for support services within the framework of their BD EA. Most countries receive only basic technical and operational support, while others, in particular those that accessed GEF funding directly, receive no support at all. Yet, experience shows that support is vital for a successful outcome of policy-oriented projects.

Through close collaboration, UNDP and UNEP obtained GEF funding for a new and joint global initiative (through a) that will address the technical support issue and make thereby a key contribution to the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Target 17 at the global level. Refer to the approved UNPD-UNEP Medium Size Project (in the GEF’s page and to the complete MSP file).

The project, will cement the ‘NBSAP global partnership’, together with the CBD Secretariat, a key partner in the equation. It will also provide quality and focused technical support to all countries that have accessed—or will access—GEF resources for BD EA. An important mechanism for support provision in the context of this partnership is the NBSAP Forum.

Given its global nature, the project is implemented directly by UNDP, more specifically by the functional cluster ‘Ecosystem & Biodiversity’ (EBD) within UNDP-GEF. Project implementation will be carried out in close collaboration with UNEP, in particular with UNEP’s centre of excellence, World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC), plus other relevant UNEP’ GEF division.

UNDP would like to create a roster of qualified consultants (English/French/Spanish/Russian speaking) to provide central and significant expert input to key products and activities foreseen under the project’s Output 2.1 (on Peer & Expert Review) and to co-support other related activities in this and in other biodiversity projects of UNDP-GEF where similar expert inputs may be required.

Duties and Responsibilities

 Scope and main tasks

In connection with the NBSAP’s Peer and Expert Review process, facilitated by the NBSAP Forum, the consultants will undertake expert review of NBSAPs (or parts thereof).

Working under the purview of the UNDP Country Office Environmental Focal Point and in close collaboration with the Project Coordinator, the consultants will:

Expertise mapping and support to match-making:

• Ensure the relevance and usefulness of the Peer and Expert Review mechanism in the NBSAP Forum;
• Prepare his/her own CV and biography in different languages, as well as, profile for the NBSAP Forum and related pages (e.g. LinkedIn) for the purpose of the Expert Review Platform;
• Outline, according to a pre-set ‘NBSAP expertise taxonomy’ (to be posted in the NBSAP Forum site), own profile of expertise and qualifications, as well as, interest in supporting NBSAP processes in different regions and countries;
• Indicate availability, through NBSAP Forum tools, for providing expert review support, keeping this information always up-to-date;
• Respond in a timely manner to requests for support.

Provision of Technical Support:

• Provide peer and expert review technical support to countries on a ‘demand-driven’ and ‘match-making’ basis for each phase of NBSAP development process;
• Be available to provide direct technical support to countries through: short-term missions, participation in webinars, and other project activities;
• Provide expert support to the global project team in the implementation of: Output 1.1 and 1.5 (Tools, methodologies, e-learning & guidance; the latter on CC resilience), Output 2.2 (Webinars) and Output 2.3 (Site moderation, adaptive feedback & evaluation).

Description of Key Outputs relevant for this Assignment:

• [1.1] User-friendly, customizable tools and assessment methodologies, e-learning, voluntary templates and other guidance material, including for benchmarking the technical quality of NBSAP products before submission, are developed and widely applied in GEF-financed NBSAP development processes. They are primarily disseminated through the NBSAP Forum;
• [2.2] Online webinars and both virtual and in person workshops are facilitated guiding NBSAP processes through critical steps and to the benefit of client countries;
• [2.3] A framework for monitoring client satisfaction and for creating a feedback loop for technical support.

Key performance indicators:

• Expertise and profile on display in the NBSAP Forum;
• Requests for support responded to within 48 hours, and support provided/delivered within 2 weeks of initial request;
• Takes timely actions to respond to additional countries’ requests for information on various NBSAP-related issues;
• Capacity to incorporate Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Planning into NBSAPs is strengthened through the NBSAP Forum;
• Quality inputs, as per demand, to other project products.

Working Arrangements:

• Successful candidates will be included in the UNDP-GEF Roster for Expert Review Support Consultants with specialisation in Biodiversity Planning and language mastery in English, French, Spanish and Russian for a period of up to 3 years;
• UNDP does not warrant that any quantity of services will be purchased during the term of entry into the expert roster as this will depend on forthcoming needs and performance appraisals;
• Entry into the Roster for Expert Review Support Consultants is non-exclusive (i.e. it does not prohibit UNDP from sourcing expertise from other rosters, individuals, or entities);
• The final nature and scope of each assignment may vary slightly from this Terms of Reference (TOR) and such details will be included in a separate TOR for each specific assignment;
• The financial proposal will specify only the all-inclusive daily fee and payments will be made to the consultant based on number of days worked payable against assigned deliverables.  Such fee would be the ceiling amount (for the first 12 months from the date of notification of inclusion in the roster);
• When a request for services arises from a UNDP Country Office (CO) or unit, the Roster focal point will identify three roster candidates most suitable for the assignment based on the Terms of Reference received and overall ranking of the individuals from the technical evaluation.  The Roster focal point will share the CVs of these three individuals with the CO/unit who will conduct a quick evaluation and select a candidate;
• The Roster focal point will contact by email the identified consultant to share the TOR, specific deliverables, and timeline;
• The consultant must advise within 48 hours whether s/he is available to deliver the requested service.  Thereafter an IC contract will be issued by the contracting unit/office. Conditions of a particular assignment may be negotiable;
• Templates and project documents will be provided by UNDP;
• The Consultant will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under each particular assignment;
• The Consultants will be responsible for providing her/his own working station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, etc.) and must have access to reliable internet connection;
• Payments will be made upon submission of a detailed time sheet and certification of payment form, and acceptance and confirmation by the Supervisor on days worked and outputs delivered.

Travel:

• Specific mission travel will depend on arrangements with the contracting unit and must be approved in advance and in writing by the contracting unit;
• The Advanced and Basic Security in the Field II courses must be successfully completed prior to commencement of travel;
• Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/ inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director;
• Consultants are required to comply with the UN security directives;
• Consultants are responsible for obtaining any visas needed in connection with travel with the necessary support from UNDP;
• The consultants will be responsible for making his/her own mission travel arrangements in line with UNDP travel policies;

All related travel expenses will be supported by the project travel fund and will be reimbursed as per UNDP travel rules and regulations upon submission of an F-10 claim form and supporting documents.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the 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 favouritism.

Functional Competencies:

Professionalism:

• Focuses on achieving results;
• Sets priorities, produces quality outputs, meets deadlines and manages time efficiently;
• Works toward creative solutions by analyzing problems carefully and logically;
• Has a dynamic, positive and adaptive attitude towards work-related challenges, bringing innovative and effective solutions to them;
• Facilitates meetings effectively and efficiently;
• Resolves conflicts as they arise.

Communication:

• Writes and presents clearly and convincingly.

Knowledge Management:

• Coaches, trains and shares knowledge and is willing to provide support to others who request advice or help.

Client Orientation:

• Maintains strong relationships with partners and clients.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree in relevant field for biodiversity planning - These may be in environmental management, biology, economics, social/political sciences, international relations, development studies, law, administration & management or other closely related field. (max 5points).

Experience:

• At least 8 years of working experience in biodiversity assessments or national reporting on matters that relate to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and alternatively to other related multilateral environmental agreements (max 5 points);
• Demonstrated working experience in applying technical expertise and advisory services to the needs of individual countries and regions (max 5 points);
• Experience liaising with international institutions, civil societies and/or governmental authorities (max 5 points);
• Experience in organizing and functioning as key resource person at capacity building workshops and webinars (max 5 points);
• Working experience with developing countries would be an asset (max 5 points);
• Experience in developing tools, methodologies, guidance and e-learning (max 5 points);
• Experience in biodiversity planning in general (i.e. strategies, action plans and global biodiversity targets) (max 5 points);
• Demonstrated experience in at least one of the specific areas of biodiversity planning, namely: process management and facilitation; stocktaking; stakeholder engagement; communication; biodiversity status and trends; linkages society & biodiversity; consumption patterns; incentives and subsidies that affect biodiversity; policy analysis and mainstreaming; institutional framework; capacity assessment; biodiversity data management; spatial planning; biodiversity valuation; biodiversity finance assessments; biodiversity expenditure review; target setting; strategy development; mainstreaming biodiversity into sectorial policies and practices; protected areas; biodiversity impact assessment; action planning; resource mobilisation for conservation; biodiversity monitoring frameworks; clearing house mechanism (CHM); CHM and website conceptualisation; national reporting (in particular to the CBD) (max 20 pts).

Language: (eliminatory)

• For all consultants: Good oral and written communication skills in English language;
• English speaking experts: Masters the language with the ease and writes it as a native;
• French speaking experts: Masters the language with ease and writes it as a native;
• Spanish speaking experts: Masters the language with ease and writes it as a native;
• Russian speaking experts: Masters the language with ease and writes it as a native.

Other Information:

Evaluation method and Inclusion in roster:

• Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be considered.  Interested consultants are advised to carefully study all the sections of this ToR and ensure that they meet the general requirements, as well as, specific qualifications described. Only applicants who pass all screening procedures will be included in the roster;
• Offers will be evaluated according to the Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications and written test will be weighted at 70% and the financial offer will be weighted at 30%;
• The technical criteria (education and experience (max 60 points), and written assessment (max 35pts)) will be based on a maximum 95 points;
• Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 39 points from the review of qualifications will be considered for the written assessment;
• Candidates obtaining a minimum of 66.5pts from the combined review of the qualifications and written assessment will be considered for financial evaluation;
• Financial score (max 100 points) shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal of those technically qualified;
• The financial proposal shall specify an all-inclusive daily fee.  In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal must additionally include a breakdown of this daily fee (including all foreseeable expenses to carry out assignments);
• Applicants receiving a Combined Score of 67.5 or higher and have accepted UNDP’s General Terms and Conditions will be included in the roster.

Application process:

• Candidates must clearly indicate in a cover/motivation letter for which of the four sought languages the application is for (English, French, Spanish and Russian), stating why s/he considers him/herself as an expert in the language in question and fulfils the technical profile sought with respect to the specific expertise required within the topic ‘biodiversity planning’;
• Candidates may apply for more than one assignment, but separate applications (one for each) must be submitted for each language, keeping in mind that products under all themes are expected more or less concomitantly;
• Applicants must submit a duly completed and signed UNDP Personal History form (P11) in English. They may optionally include a CV or résumé.

Please note you can upload only one document to this application (scan all documents in one single PDF file to attach). Incomplete applications will not be considered.

General Conditions of Contract for the ICs:
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf

UNDP Personal History form (P11) required of all applicants:
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/corporate/Careers/P11_Personal_history_form.doc