Background

UNDP is the UN’s global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to development knowledge, experience and resources that can help them build a better life for their citizens and populations. UNDP’s networks link and coordinate global and national efforts to help countries build and share solutions to the challenges in the areas of Governance and Peacebuilding, Poverty Reduction and Inclusive Growth, Environment and Energy, HIV/AIDS and Gender Equality.

UNDP’s Governance and Peacebuilding Cluster focuses on fostering inclusive participation, strengthening responsive governing institutions, and promoting rule of law, justice, security and human rights. Strengthening the rule of law and promoting human rights are cornerstones of UNDP’s work to achieve sustainable human development and eradicate extreme poverty in line with UNDP 2014-2017 Strategic Plan

UNDP’s current human rights policy includes three different areas of support:
1.Support to national systems for promotion and protection of human rights with a specific focus on National Human Rights Institutions
2.Promotion and application of a human rights-based approach to development programming; and
3.Greater engagement with the international human rights machinery in particular support to Universal Periodic Review processes in country

UNDP has recently operationalized Social and Environmental Standards.  UNDP is also in the process of conceptualizing and designing a new vehicle for global programming for human rights and rule of law and stronger partnerships with NHRI at a global, regional and country level.

UNDP seeks to engage the services of a human rights consultant to support the Rule of Law, Justice, Security and Human Rights team in the Governance and Peacebuilding Cluster to advance on various key deliverables in relation to forthcoming corporate and partnership priorities on the human rights portfolio.

Purpose of the consultancy

The purpose of the consultancy is to support the Rule of Law, Justice, Security and Human Rights team in the Governance and Peacebuilding Cluster advance on various key deliverables in relation to forthcoming corporate and partnership priorities on the human rights portfolio.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will report to the Rule of Law, Justice and Human Rights Policy Advisor and work closely with the Rule of Law, Justice, Security and Human Rights team. The consultant’s functions and responsibilities will be as follows:

Under the guidance of the Policy Advisor for Rule of Law, Justice and Human Rights, the consultant will complete the following key deliverables:

• Support roll-out of the HRBA Guidance Note to UNDP Country Offices and UNDP programme formulation efforts for human rights and rule of law at global and country level and support UNDP’s senior level participation in the UNDG Inter-Agency Working Group on Human Rights (20 days) 31 January;
• Draft and/or input on required briefs related to human rights for UNDP senior management  including a position paper on the Right to Development and the Sustainable Development Goals for the 18th session of the Working Group on the Right to Development and on Business and Human Rights (10 days) 28 February;
• Support UNDP engagement with the 29th Annual Meeting of the International  Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in March 2016 including research and drafting of briefs, remarks and engagement on specific issues and finalize the UNDP – OHCHR – ICC joint knowledge product on Global Principles of Capacity Assessment of National Human Rights Institutions  (20 days) – 30 March;
• Coordinate research on the impact of UNDP’s support to National Human Rights Institutions  (30 days) 30 April;
• Coordinate the Fourth Annual Seminar Series on NHRIs in June 2016 including drafting and supporting agreement on the concept and lead coordination on all aspects of the seminar (20 days) 30 May;
• Coordinate support and follow-up to the Sixth Annual Partnership meeting between UNDP, the ICC-NHRIs and OHCHR in June 2016 and complete advocacy product on the Fourth Annual Seminar Series (20 days) 30 June.

Expected Outputs, Deliverables and Deadlines:

• Support roll-out of the HRBA Guidance Note to UNDP Country Offices and UNDP programme formulation efforts for human rights and rule of law at global and country level and support UNDP’s senior level participation in the UNDG Inter-Agency Working Group on Human Rights.  (Number of day(s) - 20 days - Date due 31 January 2016);
• Draft and/or input on required briefs related to human rights for UNDP senior management  including a position paper on the Right to Development and the Sustainable Development Goals for the 18th session of the Working Group on the Right to Development and on Business and Human Rights.  (Number of day(s) - 10 days -  Date due 28 February 2016);
• Support UNDP engagement with the 29th Annual Meeting of the International  Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in March 2016 including research and drafting of briefs, remarks and engagement on specific issues and finalize the UNDP – OHCHR – ICC joint knowledge product on Global Principles of Capacity Assessment of National Human Rights Institutions. (Number of day(s) - 20 days - Date due  30 March 2016);
• Coordinate research on the impact of UNDP’s support to National Human Rights Institutions.  (Number of day(s) - 30 days -Date due 30 April 2016);
• Coordinate the Fourth Annual Seminar Series on NHRIs in June 2016 including drafting and supporting agreement on the concept and lead coordination on all aspects of the seminar. (Number of day(s) - 20 days - Date due 30 May 2016);
• Coordinate support and follow-up to the Sixth Annual Partnership meeting between UNDP, the ICC-NHRIs and OHCHR in June 2016 and complete advocacy product on the Fourth Annual Seminar Series.  (Number of day(s) - 20 days -  Date due  30 June 2016).

Institutional Arrangement

The assignment is office based and the consultant shall report to the Rule of Law, Justice, and Human Rights Policy Advisor, and work in close coordination with the Policy Specialists for Human Rights. The consultant and UNDP shall agree on a specific work schedule for the various deliverables upon the commencement of the contract and weekly progress will be shared with UNDP.

Competencies

• Proven ability to research, write and communicate in a clear and concise manner;
• Ability to multitask and prioritize tasks with minimal supervision;
• Proven strong analytical and communication skills, including distilling complex information to communicate key messages in an engaging and succinct manner;
• Strong interpersonal skills, including ability to work effectively as a member of a team;
• Commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
• Sensitivity to cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age differences.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree in human rights or international development.

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in academia, research institutions, or international development organisations in international development with a focus on human rights;
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the human rights-based approach to development programming and the UN human rights machinery including National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs);
• Demonstrated research, writing and analytical skills on human rights and UNDP’s work on human rights;
• Experience in policy and programme management and formulation;
• Prior experience with UNDP and with the production of corporate knowledge products and briefs.

Language:

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English required.

 Recommended Presentation of Offer

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 must include the following documents when submitting the applications in UNDP job shop (Please note that only 1 (one) file can be uploaded therefore please include all docs in one file):

• Personal History Form (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 (the template can be downloaded from this link: http://europeandcis.undp.org/files/hrforms/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc);
• Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how they will approach and complete the assignment.

Step 2:

Submission of Financial Proposal

Applicants are instructed to submit their financial proposals indicating an all-inclusive daily fee in US Dollars for this consultancy to bpps.procurement@undp.org, using the financial proposal template available here: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=43528. The proposals should be sent via e-mail with the following subject heading: “BPPS Human Rights Consultancy “by the deadline for this vacancy.

Proposals to be received after the deadline may be rejected. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal should be all-inclusive and include a breakdown. The term ‘all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, travel related expenses, communications, utilities, consumables, insurance, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor are already factored into the financial proposal.

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a maximum of 70 points and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a max of 30 points out of 100 points.

Method

Cumulative analysis method will be used to evaluate proposals.

When using this weighted scoring method, 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 and financial criteria specific to the solicitation;
• Technical Criteria weight: 70%;
• Financial Criteria weight: 30%.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points on technical part will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical Proposal

Criteria to pass technical evaluation requires a minimum of 49 points out of 70 points.

Criteria 1:  

• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in academia, research institutions, or international development organisations, in international development with a focus on human rights. (15 Points)

Criteria 2:  

• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the human rights-based approach to development programming and the UN human rights machinery including National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs). (20 points)

Criteria 3:  

• Demonstrated research, writing and analytical skills on human rights and UNDP’s work on human rights. (20 Points);

Criteria 4:  

• Prior experience with UNDP and with the production of corporate knowledge products and briefs (10 Points);

Criteria 5:  

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English (5 points)

Criteria for financial evaluation (30 points)

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.

Financial Proposal (30% weight of combined score)

Please submit an all-inclusive lump sum daily fee.

Financial proposals must be all inclusive and must be expressed on the basis of a daily fee.  The term ‘all inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, travel related expenses - i.e. return travel from home to duty station (Istanbul, Turkey) if required by applicant, communications, utilities, consumables, insurance, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor are already factored into the daily fee.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses will be agreed upon, between UNDP and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. In general, UNDP will 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.

Working arrangements

The consultancy is based in New York. The consultant must utilize his / her own computer for the consultancy. Any additional costs for printing, telephone calls or ancillary costs will be paid by UNDP and should not be included in the financial proposal.

Contracts will be based on all - inclusive daily fee in US dollars:

Payments will be made to the Individual Consultant based on the number of days worked, and certification of payments by the Team Leader (Supervisor).

More information

Existing literature and further information to get a better understanding of the work can be found from the UNDP website here.

http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/ourwork/democraticgovernance/focus_areas/focus_human_rights.html.

Only selected candidate will be contacted.  UNDP reserves the right to have an interview.