UNDP Jobs - 70097- National Expert on Policy and Institutional Review

National Expert on Policy and Institutional Review for Urban Biodiversity and Ecosystem in Thailand (Open for Thai national only)

Location :

Bangkok, THAILAND

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

19-Jan-17 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

January to March 2017 with maximum 20 working days

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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

Available evidence and the decisions adopted by Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) indicate that a significant gap remains in finance for biodiversity management, for countries to drastically scale up their efforts and achieve the 20 Aichi Targets defined in the CBD’s Strategic Plan for 2011-2020. A preliminary assessment recently conducted under the auspices of the High-level Panel on Global Assessment of Resources for Implementing the CBD Strategic Plan estimated that the global investment required ranges between US$130 and 440 billion annually. While useful, this and similar other global estimates are based on extrapolations sensitive to the underlying assumptions. To define biodiversity finance needs and gaps with greater precision and determine related challenges and opportunities for resource mobilisation, detailed national-level (bottom-up) assessments are therefore required.

In this context, UNDP in October 2012 launched the Biodiversity Finance Initiative – BIOFIN, as a new global partnership seeking to address the biodiversity finance challenge in a comprehensive manner – building a sound business case for increased investment in the management of ecosystems and biodiversity, with a particular focus on the needs and transformational opportunities at the national level.

BIOFIN is managed by UNDP, in partnership with the European Commission and the Governments of Germany, Switzerland, Norway and Flanders. The US$28 million initiative was launched in October 2012 and will run through December 2018, with further support being sought to extend it. An additional US$3.1 million in finance is provided through several GEF-financed UNDP-managed projects working in core countries to support governments revising National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and to catalyse sustainable financing for Protected Areas.

Guided by a steering committee representing the partners, BIOFIN works along two main axes:

I) Globally-led development of a new methodological framework. An entirely new methodological framework is being developed and piloted for undertaking national-level “bottom-up” analyses of the finance-relevant enabling context; for determining the current / baseline investment in biodiversity; for quantifying the full cost of meeting national biodiversity conservation targets and the resulting finance gap; and for assessing the suitability of financial mechanisms and developing national resource mobilisation strategies that are fully appropriated by national governments and other key in-country stakeholders. The methodologies applied in the project will be refined through regional and global learning, and made available more widely.

II) Adaptation and implementation of this new methodological framework at national level. To help countries increase the importance attributed to biodiversity and in consequence bridge the financing gap, the work at national level will be led by Ministries of Finance, Economics or Planning and the Ministry of Environment. It is articulated through the following components:

Analyze the integration of biodiversity and ecosystem services in sectoral and development policy, planning and budgeting. Participating countries will analyse the current policy and institutional frameworks affecting biodiversity and ecosystem services both positively and negatively, and quantify related investments through comprehensive reviews of past and current (baseline) public and private expenditures. Analyses of impact, effectiveness and coherence will provide key opportunities for mainstreaming, aimed at reducing the cost of biodiversity management, such as through the removal of perverse incentives.
Assess future financing flows, needs and gaps for managing and conserving biodiversity and ecosystem services. Participating countries will project anticipated future investment in biodiversity, and determine the financing needed to meet agreed national priorities reflecting the CBD Aichi Targets, building on and interacting with the NBSAP process, and taking into account cost-effectiveness and the effects of an improved enabling environment. The difference between the projected future investment and the required investment will enable the quantification of the finance gap.
Develop comprehensive national Resource Mobilization Strategies to meet the biodiversity finance gap. Following an assessment of the full range of potential financing mechanisms (traditional and innovative, national and international), each participating country will develop a strategy to address the finance gap, combining suitable and nationally-adapted mechanisms. The strategy will analyse opportunities, risks and barriers related to the implementation of these mechanisms and provide solutions and recommendations, including on the enabling environment and safeguards.
Initiate implementation of the Resource Mobilization Strategy at national level. Countries will begin implementing recommendations pertaining to a priority subset of the identified financing mechanisms – regarding aspects such as institutional requirements, laws and regulations, taxes and fees, identification of legal thresholds, removal of biodiversity-harmful incentives, further feasibility studies and implementation plans, certification processes, public-private-partnerships, voluntary agreements, etc.

As of November 2015, 30 countries participate in BIOFIN including: Botswana, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Fiji, Guatemala, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Seychelles, South Africa, Thailand, Uganda and Zambia. For Thailand, the initiative has become operational in June 2014. The BIOFIN in Thailand is designed to support the country in translating the 12th National Economics and Social Development Plan, which highlights the importance of sustainable utilization of natural resources as a foundation to green growth and inclusive development, into implementation with financial strategies, especially with regards to the Integrated National Biodiversity Strategic and Action Plan (NBSAP). The work of UNDP’s BIOFIN is supported by the Office of National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) under the Office of the Prime Minister, the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and other key government agencies in Thailand.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective of the assignment:

A National Expert on Policy and Institutional Review for Thailand’s Urban Biodiversity and Ecosystem will be responsible for conducting a research and write-up on Policy and Institutional Review (PIR) for urban biodiversity and ecosystem in Thailand. The objective of assignment is to complete a standalone report on policy and institutional settings in Thailand for urban biodiversity and ecosystem, in particular. S/he will be part of BIOFIN Technical Advisory team in Thailand. S/he will receive technical guidance from Technical Team Leader in Thailand and the Senior Technical Advisor from the Global BIOFIN team about BIOFIN methodology.

Scope of Work:

The aim of the Biodiversity Policy and Institutional Review (PIR) is to analyse a country’s economic, legal, policy and institutional framework to initiate, improve and scale effective biodiversity finance solutions. The PIR establishes a baseline context and orientation for the entire BIOFIN process. The entry point of BIOFIN Thailand will focus on 4 ecosystems: Terrestrial, Wetlands, Coastal and Marine and Urban. The scope of this assignment will focus on the urban biodiversity and ecosystem. The framework of report will refer to the BIOFIN methodology as mentioned in the workbook version 2016 (See Annex I in TOR) and the context under the Convention on Biodiversity’s City Biodiversity Index (See Annex II in TOR).

Key duties and responsibilities:

Lead completion of the Biodiversity Policy and Institutional Review for Urban Ecosystem;
Consult with the BIOFIN Technical Team Leader and the Senior Technical Advisor of the Global BIOFIN to ensure that outputs are delivered on time and to high quality standards;
Coordinate the compilation of relevant data and liaise with relevant Ministries and partners as required;
Document decisions and assumptions made while completing the Policy and Institutional Review on Urban Ecosystems in Thailand;
Document lessons learned from conducting the BIOFIN Policy and Institutional Review report for Urban Ecosystem in Thailand ranging from institutional considerations to technical issues;
Highlight the recommendations and the main conclusions as a policy brief in the report;
Submission of a final Biodiversity PIR report for Urban Ecosystem for approval by BIOFIN Technical Advisory Team in Thailand and Global BIOFIN’s Senior Technical Advisor.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables:

A standalone report on Policy and Institutional Review for Thailand’s Urban Ecosystem will cover key findings as per main outlines of PIR report and data sources and data fields (See Annex IV in TOR).

Institutional Arrangement:

A National Expert will work closely with the Team Leader of BIOFIN Thailand and then coordinate with the Inclusive Green Growth and Sustainable Development Unit through the Project Management Unit of BIOFIN in UNDP Thailand.

Review Time Required: Two working weeks after submission of each output milestone for review/approval of deliverables to authorising payments.

Duration of the Work: January to March 2017 with maximum 20 working days.

Duty station and expected places of travel: Bangkok with no travel required.

Competencies

Strong analytical, writing and communication skills.
Ability to prepare publications, reports and presentations.
Ability to work with a multidisciplinary and multicultural team.
Strong motivation and ability to work and deliver under short deadlines.
Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to critical feedback.
Able to work independently with little or no supervision.
Familiarity with government strongly desired.
Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Thai national only with Master’s degree in economics, politics, environments or a closely related field or Bachelor’s degree with seven years of related experience in economics, politics, environments or a closely related field, or equivalent relevant work experience.

Experience:

At least seven years of experience, preferably in environmental policy and institutional setting issues.
Experience in dealing with international and national experts and academic institutions.
Exposure to environmental issues, biodiversity in particular.

Language:

Good command of English and Thai languages both spoken and written.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments:

The contract will be based on Lump Sum Amount (Thai Baht).

The total amount quoted shall be all-inclusive and include all costs components required to perform the deliverables identified in the TOR, including professional fee, travel costs, living allowance (if any work is to be done outside the IC´s duty station) and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment. The contract price will be fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specified duration. Payment will be made to the consultant upon the satisfactory delivery of above mentioned deliverables approved by the BIOFIN Technical Team Leader and the Senior Technical Advisor of Global BIOFIN. Upon completion of each assignment, the payment schedule shall be arranged as per below percentages:

Deliverable 1: The 1st draft of Policy and Institutional Review for Urban Ecosystem in Thailand as a result of conducting desk review, meetings and technical consultation sessions with BIOFIN Technical Advisory Team in Thailand - 20% of total contract amount (Approximate Date of Output: 10 February, 2017);
Deliverable 2: The 2nd draft report of Policy and Institutional Review for Urban Ecosystem in Thailand as a result of conducting desk review, meetings and technical consultation sessions with BIOFIN Technical Advisory Team in Thailand - 40% of total contract amount. (Approximate Date of Output: 24 February 2017);
Deliverable 3: The Final report of Policy and Institutional Review for Urban Ecosystem in Thailand with technical clearances by Senior Technical Advisor of Global BIOFIN and BIOFIN Thailand Technical Team Leader - 40% of total contract amount. (Approximate Date of Output: 10 March, 2017)

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.

Travel costs shall be reimbursed at actual but not exceeding the quotation from UNDP approved travel agent. The provided living allowance will not be exceeding UNDP DSA rates. Repatriation travel cost from home to duty station in Bangkok and return shall not be covered by UNDP.

Evaluation Method and Criteria:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the Cumulative analysis.

The award of the contract shall 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 set of weighted technical criteria (70%). and financial criteria (30%).

Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment. Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points)

Criteria 1: Education - max 30 points;
Criteria 2: Experiences with Environmental policy and institutional setting - max 30 points;
Criteria 3: Experience working with UN agency - max 5 points;
Criteria 4: Strong communication and writing skills - max 5 points.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 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 or 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;
A cover letter indicating brief description of a) why the candidate considers him/herself as the most suitable candidate for the assignment.
Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex 2. National consultants must quote prices in Thai Baht.

Incomplete proposals may not be considered.

Please click on the link below to download required documents:

http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=35053