Background

UNDP’s new Strategic Plan (2014 – 2017) lays out a commitment to strengthening sustainable development pathways and building resilience in developing countries. In this context, UNDP is currently supporting a number of countries to implement a large portfolio of climate change adaptation projects, which have designated sets of indicators to track project activities and impact. Among these initiatives is one that focuses on supporting countries to advance their national adaptation plan (NAP) process, which is meant to result in the integration of climate change considerations into planning and budgeting systems at the country level. Several sources of financing including the Least Developed Country Fund, Special Climate Change Fund and bilateral funding from the Government of Japan and Germany is also supporting this body of work.

In this context, UNDP is seeking a consultant to support a set of initiatives that are underway which focus on supporting countries with the National Adaptation Plans process.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective

The overall objective of the assignment is to supporting initiatives aimed at advancing the NAP process in the in UNDP client countries. This will include assisting with a number of tasks relating to several sub-projects, financed by the Least Developed Country Fund, Special Climate Change Fund and others, under a UNDP-GEF supported programme of assistance to developing countries on NAPs.

 The main objective of this assignment will be to assist UNDP staff in the implementation of joint UNDP-FAO programme, supporting 8 countries to integrate agricultural sector adaptation into NAPs. This will also include forging links with the broader NAPs process in LDCs that are being supported by the UNDP-UNEP NAP Global Support Programme and its partners.

Scope of Work

The scope of this assignment will include the following tasks:

Contribute to the formulation of global and country project workplans including identification of activities, inputs, targets and indicators Coordination of UNDP-FAO NAP-Agriculture Project

  • Support inception and start-up of project, through briefing calls, consultations with key stakeholders of  the project and presentations and facilitation of meetings between agencies and ministries;
  • Formulation of country work plans for the project;
  • Prepare progress reports of country highlights;
  • Communicate project results on web-based platforms and social media.

Contribute to National Adaptation Plans Process training for multi-sectoral teams:

  • Design agendas in consultation with country stakeholders;
  • Customise training material appropriate to the country context;
  • Customise interactive exercises that are outcome oriented for follow-up of the training of country stakeholders;
  • Facilitate 4 country level trainings on the NAPs process.

Contribute to research and drafting of two knowledge products:

Prepare annotated outlines for two knowledge products:

  • Knowledge product on ‘Climate change adaptation for agricultural sector-based livelihoods: Tools, best practices, and lessons learnt,based on projects from the UNDP-GEF portfolio;
  • Handbook for integrating agricultural-sector climate change adaptation concerns into NAP:  tools and lessons learnt’ based on case studies from the NAP-Agriculture project.

Main steps to prepare these knowledge products:

  • Prepare annotated outlines for the 2 knowledge products for approval by UNDP;
  • Conduct research on how UNDP has supported countries to strengthen institutions for mainstreaming climate risk in agriculture, and in in agricultural planning and budgeting as well as with capacity support for comprehensive risk management;
  • Review of project and policy documents, interviews, survey data, presentations at relevant NAP workshops, UNDP workshops and international conferences ;
  • Prepare a zero draft of knowledge publication on climate change adaptation for agricultural sector-based livelihoods: Tools, best practices, and lessons learnt. The zero draft should be about 30-40 pages;
  • Prepare a zero draft of the handbook for integrating agriculture-climate change adaptation concerns into the NAPs process. The zero draft should be about 30-40 pages;
  • Incorporate comments from internal reviews and finalize knowledge publication on climate change adaptation for agricultural sector-based livelihoods: Tools, best practices, and lessons learnt;
  • Incorporate comments from internal reviews and finalize handbook for integrating agriculture-climate change adaptation concerns into the NAPs process.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables:

  • At least 8 consultations with countries completed including delivery of 8 draft work plans. This includes preparation of meeting agendas for work planning, coordination and implementation meetings (Expected number of days worked-60 days);
  • 8 reports of stock-takings of relevant initiatives in the Agriculture sector, gaps and needs and analysis of entry points for NAPs elements in the agriculture sector to inform ongoing project activities (Expected number of days worked-25 days);
  • Preparing of agendas and facilitation of 4 trainings on the NAPs process in 4 countries under the UNDP-FAO initiative to integrate NAPs in the Agriculture sector (Expected number of days worked-50 days);
  • Prepare Knowledge product on ‘Climate change adaptation for agricultural sector-based livelihoods: Tools, best practices, and lessons learnt,’ based on projects from the UNDP-GEF portfolio (Expected number of days worked-50 days);
  • Prepare Handbook for integrating agricultural-sector climate change adaptation concerns into NAP: tools and lessons learnt’ based on case studies from the NAP-Agriculture project (Expected number of days worked-46 days);
  • Possibly up-to 2 to 3 Country NAP Support missions (Expected number of days worked-30 days).

Institutional Arrangement

The Consultant will carry out his/her tasks under the overall guidance of the UNDP /GEF’s Head for Climate Change Adaptation and the Lead Technical Specialist for the Global Support Programme for NAPs. He/she will work closely with other staff involved in the programme, UNDP Country Office staff and project counterparts as appropriate.

Contract Duration:

  • 1 September 2015- 15 August 2016 (up to 261 working days).

Duty Station:

  • Bangkok based.

Expected places of travel:

  • Travels to other locations where relevant to assignment are required;
  • Destination shall be assigned and approved prior to travel.

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, nationalityand age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Treats all people fairly without favouritism.

Functional Competencies:

Communication:

  • Communicate effectively, both in writing and verbally, to a varied and broad audience in a simple and concise manner.

Professionalism:

  • Capable of working in a high pressure environment with sharp and frequent deadlines, managing many tasks simultaneously;
  • Excellent analytical and organizational skills;
  • Exercise  the  highest  level  of  responsibility  and  be able  to  handle  confidential  and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner.

 Teamwork:

  • Work well in a team to advance the priorities of UNDP and the LDCF;
  • Projects a positive image and is ready to take on a wide range of tasks;
  • Focuses on results for the client;
  • Welcomes constructive feedback.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Master’s degree in Sustainable Development, Environment Sciences, Social Sciences or other closely related field: doctorate an asset;
  • A doctoral level degree in any of the above fields will be an additional asset.

Experience:

  • A minimum of 4 years of experience in research and/or academia on development issues including natural resource management and development, sustainable development;
  • Excellent knowledge of sustainable development outcomes, with a sound understanding of political economy of development, social issues as well as quantitative or qualitative research methods;
  • Proven strong research and analytic abilities;
  • Experience working with developing countries on development issues.

Language:

  • Excellent oral and written communication skills in English language.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

Consultant must send a financial proposal based on Daily Fee.

Consultant shall quote an all-inclusive Daily Fee for the contract period. The term “all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, communications, consumables, etc.) that could be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment are already factored into the daily fee submitted in the proposal. If applicable, travel or daily allowance cost (if any work is to be done outside the IC’s duty station) should be identified separately. Payments shall be done on a monthly basis based on actual days worked, upon verification of completion of deliverables and approval by the IC’s supervisor of a Time Sheet indicating the days worked in the period.

In general, UNDP shall not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the event of unforeseeable travel not anticipated in this TOR, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and the Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Shortlisted candidates shall be called for an interview which will be used to confirm and/or adjust the technical scores awarded based on documentation submitted.

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%) specific to the solicitation.

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 500 points):

  • Criteria 1 - Education - Max 100 points;
  • Criteria 2 - Experience in research and/or academia on development issues including natural resource management and development, sustainable development - Max 100 points;
  • Criteria 3 - Knowledge of sustainable development outcomes, with a sound understanding of political economy of development, social issues as well as quantitative or qualitative research methods - 125 points;
  • Criteria 4 - Proven strong research and analytic abilities - Max 75 points;
  • Criteria 5 - Experience working with developing countries on development issues- Max 50 points;
  • Criteria 6 - Excellent oral and written communication skills in English language - Max 50 points.

Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment. Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 350 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 2;
  • 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;
  • Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex 2;
  • Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment.

Incomplete proposals may not be considered.

Annexes: