Background

UNDP’s programme of work in the area of development finance focuses on research, advocacy and active engagement in international debates, as well as on country level support.

UNDP works to influence the international agenda on thematic areas such as international public finance, aid effectiveness, innovative sources of development finance, sovereign debt, private finance and the ‘enabling global environment’ for sustainable development.

UNDP also provides practical policy support to developing countries. For example, we support countries to access climate finance and other sources of environmental finance, as well as support their efforts to use those resources effectively.

On the post-2015 development agenda, UNDP carries out research, policy advice and global advocacy on financing options for the new development framework and in so doing, support the work of the larger in-house team on post-2015, as well as the work of the broader UN system in this area. UNDP actively contributed to the preparatory process for the Third International Conference on Financing for Development which took place in Addis Ababa in July 2015. At the conference, UNDP launched a new initiative, jointly with the OECD, to support countries on domestic resource mobilization. This initiative, Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB), is seeking to build tax audit capacity in developing countries.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision and guidance of the Director for Strategic Policy at UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, the consultant will:

  • Research and prepare briefing papers, strategy papers, talking points and other background material as requested;
  • Undertake other background research and data requests in support of the supervisor on request;
  • Follow and report on international policy discussions on tax cooperation and broader financing for development, including providing advice on appropriate follow-up for UNDP;
  • Support outreach to UNDP’s key partners on financing for development in general, and on TIWB in particular;
  • Organise events, round-tables and other meetings as required, with an emphasis on outreach related to TIWB;
  • Support UNDP’s external communications on FfD follow-up;
  • Liaise with other UNDP offices around the world on the FfD conference follow-up and FfD issues more generally;
  • Occasional travel may be required.

Deliverables/Timelines:

  • By 15 September 2015: detailed business plan for the rollout of TIWB agreed with the OECD and finalized;
  • By 30 October 2015: project document for TIWB finalized and PACed;
  • By 30 November 2015: platform for the exchange of tax auditors finalized and fully operational;
  • By 30 January 2016: completion of first round of tax-audits;
  • By 30 March 2016: review of first round and implications for the design and adjustment of the project drawn out;
  • By 15 April 2016: analytical report on substantive findings from the initial phase of the TIWB project finalized.

Competencies

Technical Competencies:

  • Excellent writing and presentation skills;
  • Excellent research and analytical skills;
  • Strong networking and facilitation skills;
  • Good team player and ability to work to work within tight deadlines and under pressure;
  • Excellent and demonstrable knowledge of current trends and debates in development financing, and especially around the Financing for Development conference process, outcomes of Addis, and debates around tax;
  • Knowledge of the MDG framework and the post-2015 discussions currently underway at the international level;
  • Sound understanding of and experience working in the UN system, either in support of member states or UN entities.

Corporate Competencies:

  • Strong commitment to UNDP’s values and ethics;
  • Promotes the mission and strategic goals of UNDP.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Masters’ degree in development, economics, international relations or related field.

Experience:

  • At least 3 years work experience in a position directly related to the area of financing and/or development, and preferably Financing for Development processes and Addis conference;
  • Experience in tax issues, and preferably in tax administration;
  • Experience in policy research and advocacy;
  • Publications and/or writing record desirable.

Language:

  • Fluent in English.

Application Procedure: 

The application is a two-step process. Failing to comply with the submission process may result in disqualifying the applications:

Step 1: Interested individual consultants shall submit their application through UNDP jobsite and include:

Step 2: Submission of Financial Proposal:

  • Only applicants meeting all minimum requirements and obtaining a minimum of 70% on technical evaluation will be approached for submission of financial proposals and considered for the Financial Evaluation;
  • Financial proposals must be all inclusive and must be expressed on the basis of a daily fee in USD (United States Dollar).
  • Payment will be made upon monthly submission of a certificate of payment request, indicating outputs achieved and days worked to be verified and cleared for payment by the supervisor.

Evaluation of Applicants:

The selection will be based on a combined scoring method – where the technical evaluation (desk review and possibly interview) will be weighted 70% and combined with the price offer which will be weighted 30%.

Technical Evaluation:

Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications/competencies will be evaluated based on the below technical evaluation criteria with the corresponding points (out of a total of 100 points):

  • Professional experience in advising international institutions and/or governments on financing and sustainable development issues: 35 points;
  • Knowledge of current trends and debates regarding development financing and tax issues and experience in policy research: 35 points;
  • Strong familiarity of the UN system and development agenda setting processes, specifically Financing for Development processes: 30 points.

The technical evaluation will include a desk review and may also include interviews with shortlisted candidates. In case interviews are also conducted, evaluation criteria will be based on the competencies and qualifications requirements in this Terms of Reference.

Only applicants obtaining a minimum of 70 of the obtainable points of 100 points (70%) in technical evaluation would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Financial Evaluation:

The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:

p = y (µ/z), where

  • p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated;
  • y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal;
  • µ = price of the lowest priced proposal;
  • z = price of the proposal being evaluated.

UNDP applies a fair and transparent selection process that takes into account both the technical qualification of Individual Consultants as well as their price proposals. The contract will be awarded to the candidate obtaining the highest combined technical and financial scores.

Other Important Considerations:

Office and equipment:

UNDP will provide the following office facilities: a) office space/access to UNDP premise; b) Telephone and internet connection.

Annexes and References:

Individual Consultant's General Terms and Conditions are provided here:
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf

UNDP Personal History Form (P.11) - www.sas.undp.org/Documents/P11_Personal_history_form.doc