Background

In September 2009, the UN Secretary-General designated H.M. Queen Máxima of the Netherlands as his Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA).  As UNSGSA and Honorary Patron of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI), Queen Máxima raises awareness and advocates specific policies, investments and actions with governments, regulators, private companies, international institutions and diverse additional stakeholders, all with view of how inclusive financial systems can help to reduce poverty, equalize opportunity and accelerate progress toward numerous development goals.   She does so through country visits, speeches, meetings, the convening of stakeholders and other outreach.  This requires careful, comprehensive and rigorous analysis of local conditions, policies, available services and public priorities, as well as the needs of households, enterprises, and communities.

The UNSGSA’s work is done in partnership and with wide consultation among the many stakeholders working to advance financial inclusion—and those affected by it. She collaborates closely with an advisory Reference Group of leading international organizations in financial inclusion to share expertise and suggest strategic opportunities that she can advance through advocacy and partnerships. Reference Group members include: Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Better Than Cash Alliance, Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), The World Bank Group (including the International Finance Corporation), the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Omidyar Network.

Members of the Reference Group and many other in-country and global partners play an important role in converting advocacy into action. The UNSGSA also consults widely with UN country teams, financial standard setting bodies (SSBs), the G20/Global Partnership for Inclusive Finance (GPFI), foundations, private companies, bilateral donors, and civil society organizations.

A small staff works closely with Queen Máxima and her secretariat in The Hague to coordinate and advance her UN, G20 and other activities. The office of the UNSGSA is housed at UNDP’s Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy in New York and receives financial support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Senior Policy Consultant will report to the Director of the office.

Objectives 

The purpose of this procurement exercise is to contract at least ten individual consultants (at least one consultant per country) who will, on-call, provide overall advice and support to prepare the UNSGSA for a focused number of strategic advocacy and related efforts to advance the financial inclusion agenda in one of the following countries: Argentina, India, and Mozambique.

The consultant will further provide overall advice and support in follow up to the UNSGSA country visit to advance the financial inclusion agenda in one of the following countries: Argentina, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Vietnam

Duties and Responsibilities

SCOPE OF WORK, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ANALYTICAL WORK

Under the supervision of the Director of the Office of the UNSGSA, the Senior Policy Consultant will provide overall advice and support to prepare the UNSGSA for a focused number of strategic advocacy and related efforts to advance the financial inclusion agenda in Country (please see Duty Stations list). The consultancy assignment will last for up to 90 days (on-call) per anticipated start date of  1 December 2017  and will conclude on  31 December 2020.  Payments will be made upon certification by UNDP that the services related to the TORs have been satisfactorily performed and deliverables have been achieved. 

        Country-            Nature of Assignments -         Indicative number of working days

• Argentina            Possible visit follow up                      60
• Bangladesh         Follow – up                                      30
• India                     Possible visit and Follow up             60
• Indonesia             Follow up                                         30
• Mexico                 Follow up                                         90
• Mozambique      Possible visit and follow up                   60
• Nigeria                 Follow up                                          60
• Pakistan               Follow up                                         30
• Tanzania              follow up                                           30
• Vietnam               Follow up                                           50

Duties and Responsibilities

For Country Visit Preparation (applicable for Argentina, India, and Mozambique)

Phase 1 – pre-visit deliverables

1.       Draft a country overview (30 pages max) consisting of the following sections:

• General Country Background + Summary/Assessment of National Efforts to Date
• Composition of the Economy
• Politics
• Select Data on economy
• Financial System, including financial infrastructure (e.g. payment system)
• Status of Financial Inclusion
• MSME sector
• Ag-Finance
• Digital financial inclusion
• Mobile Finance & Telecommunications
• Any other area that will be identified

2.            Help identification and preparation of the field visit(s).

Phase 2 – pre-visit (Advance Party)

• Support the preparation of the Advance Party visit and support the team during the Advance Party, especially on finalizing the agenda, identifying (additional) meetings, and detailing the field visit.
• Take notes in all meetings and then share them with O/UNSGSA
• Contribute substantive input for meeting briefs that UNSGSA will hold with high-level public and private sector representatives:
  • Support the Office by proposing inputs for talking points and key background for meetings and roundtable meeting briefs
• Provide inputs to the agenda/program of the visit, including bilateral and other meeting suggestions.
• Gather information and engage with the Central Bank and other Governmental entities throughout the preparation process, to be able to provide inputs to all the documents and preparations described above.
• Participate in the Advance Party visit and field visit selection.

Phase 3 – Official visit/follow up visit and post-visit deliverables (applicable for all 10 countries listed above)

• Participate in an official country visit/follow up visit – if requested by the O/UNSGSA- and support UNSGSA and the Office (e.g. take comprehensive notes in all meetings).
• Provide comments on the drafting of the trip outcome note (up to 5 pages)

Key Expected Results:

• The Advance Party visit and the field visit selection are successful;
• The UNSGSA’s country visit to (Argentina/India/Mozambique) is well prepared, supported by insightful country overview paper, up-to-date briefs, background notes;

Post-visit follow up (applicable for all 10 countries listed above)

• Update the Office of the UNSGSA on key developments in financial inclusion in the country;
• Contribute to the follow up to the UNSGSA country visit through coordination, outreach, and engagement with country-level technical/expert-partners and government representatives to build and sustain advocacy momentum and implementation of visit recommendations;

Key Expected Results:

• The UNSGSA is aware of emerging trends, political and social developments and strategic opportunities in specific areas of financial inclusion in duty station country, and is presented with technically accurate, politically astute recommendations for high-level advocacy opportunities in a timely manner;
• Regular update reports on evolution of financial inclusion in the duty station country;
• The Office of the UNSGSA’s relationships with high level, global and national partners and stakeholders continue to deepen and expand, and the UNSGSA is well-informed of stakeholder views, priorities and activities in duty station country;
• The UNSGSA is informed on important developments relevant to her global advocacy.

Impact of Results

If effective, the consultant will contribute to the successful implementation of an ambitious national and global advocacy agenda for financial inclusion and to an Office that provides timely, insightful and technically accurate support to the UNSGSA.

Travel:

This consultancy does not require travel outside of duty station country as the consultancy will take place in the country. In the event of travel, the cost (including DSA) will be covered by the Office of the UNSGSA upon prior approval. Ticket cost will be based on economy class. Boarding passes are required to be presented along with F10s after returning from each mission/trip.

Expected outputs and deliverables:

Pre-visit (for Argentina, India, and Mozambique)

• Draft a country overview (30 pages max)
• Identify and detail field visit options
• Take notes in all meetings and then share them with O/UNSGSA
• Propose inputs for talking points and key background for meetings and roundtable meeting briefs
• Gather information and engage with the Central Bank and other Governmental entities throughout the preparation process
• Participate in the Advance Party visit and field visit selection

Official Visit/Follow up visit (applicable for all 10 countries)

• Participate in official country visit – if requested by the O/UNSGSA- and support UNSGSA and the Office (e.g. take comprehensive notes in all meetings).
• Provide comments on the drafting of the trip outcome note (up to 5 pages)

Follow up (applicable for all 10 countries)

• Update the Office of the UNSGSA on key developments in financial inclusion in the country;

Contribute to the follow up to the UNSGSA country visit through coordination, outreach, and engagement with country-level technical/expert-partners and government representatives to build and sustain advocacy momentum and implementation of visit recommendations

Competencies

Corporate Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of the UNSGSA and UNDP.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

• Experience and understanding of the diverse aspects of financial inclusion, with technical expertise in one or several specific sectors;
• Familiarity with national fiscal policy, regulatory or supervisory agencies, global financial standard-setting organizations, financial service companies and institutions, research community, multilateral organizations and the relevant donor community is an asset;
• Field-based and other relevant experience working with international organizations, including the UN system, developing country governments, donor agencies, MFIs, and/or NGOs and other civil society groups;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic qualifications:

• University degree or equivalent in International Development, Finance, Economics, Business, Public Policy, or related fields (required)

Years of experience:

• Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in financial inclusion and /or financial systems or other related development sectors (required)
• Experience in applied research, policy development, and/or delivery of financial services in developing country contexts or multilateral context is preferred.

The Senior Policy Consultant should demonstrate excellence:

• Technical knowledge and deep understanding of the breadth of financial inclusion in the duty station country and the field of stakeholders, with expertise in one or several areas through the first-hand experience of working on financial inclusion.
• Knowledge in the digital financial inclusion area and specifically in agent banking;
• Experience in leadership/high-level representational offices and with policy and advocacy issues at the national or global level, preferably related to financial issues although other relevant fields may be considered. Experience in government and policy setting organizations is an asset.
• Capacity to prioritize multiple tasks, meet deadlines even in imperfect conditions and thrive as part of a small and fast-moving team.
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills, with an ability to sum up key points concisely
• Success working independently and as a member of a team, and with partners in other time zones and from diverse and multi-cultural contexts, including working collaboratively.

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required;
• Fluency in written and spoken Spanish is required for Argentina and Mexico
• Working knowledge of another UN language would be an asset

Application Procedure

The application package containing the following (to be uploaded as one file):

• Online application with brief description of why the Offer considers her/himself the most suitable for the assignment; and
• Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects and specifying the relevant assignment period (from/to), as well as the email and telephone contacts of at least three (3) professional references.
• Writing Samples of original work

Note: The above documents need to be scanned into one file and uploaded to the online application as one document.

Shortlisted candidates (ONLY) will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal.

• The financial proposal should specify an all-inclusive daily fee (based on a 7- hour working day - lunchtime is not included - and estimated 21.75 days per month).
• The financial proposal must be all-inclusive and take into account various expenses that will be incurred during the contract, including: the daily professional fee; cost of travel from the home base to the duty station and vice versa, where required; living allowances at the duty station; communications, utilities and consumables; life, health and any other insurance; risks and inconveniences related to work under hardship and hazardous conditions (e.g., personal security needs, etc.), when applicable; and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services under the contract.

• In the case of unforeseeable travel requested by UNDP, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between UNDP and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. In general, UNDP should 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.
• If the Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.

 The Financial Proposal is to be emailed as per the instruction in the separate email that will be sent to shortlisted candidates.

Evaluation process

Applicants are reviewed based on Required Skills and Experience stated above and based on the technical evaluation criteria outlined below.  Applicants will be evaluated based on cumulative scoring.  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:

• Being 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 where technical criteria weigh 70% and Financial criteria/ Proposal weighs 30%.
• As this is a National consultancy, it is expected that candidates applying for this consultancy should be nationals of the countries listed above.
• Evaluation will be carried out on a country by country basis and candidates under each country will be grouped under a Lot.

Technical evaluation - Total 70% (700 points):

• Technical knowledge and deep understanding of the breadth of financial inclusion in the duty station country and the field of stakeholders, with expertise in one or several areas through the first-hand experience of working on financial inclusion. Maximum Points: 275;
• Knowledge in the digital financial inclusion area and specifically in agent banking. Maximum Points: 180;
• Experience in leadership/high-level representational offices and with policy and advocacy issues at the national or global level, preferably related to financial issues although other relevant fields may be considered. Experience in government and policy setting organizations is an asset. Maximum Points: 145
• Written test:  Maximum Points: 100.

Having reviewed applications received for each country, UNDP will invite the top three shortlisted candidates for a written test. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (490 points) of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria (700 points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

Financial evaluation - Total 30% (300 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

Framework Agreement

UNDP plans to enter into the Long-Term Agreement (LTA) with the TOP ranked successful Individual Contractors to assure resources availability at the required time frame and/or increased demand for services requested. The service of who will be used on an intermittent and repetitive basis when needed and based on the fixed unit price.  Other prospective applicants that are not contracted, at the UNDP’s discretion, may be placed on the roster of consultants to be used based on an on-call basis for similar services.

Please note that the LTA does not form a financial obligation or commitment from UNDP at the time the LTA contract is signed and that such an agreement is non-exclusive. When a specific need arises, the successful Individual Contractor/s will be approached and be provided with a specific TOR and deliverables (and time frame) but still within the scope of the responsibilities stated in the LTA. The successful Individual Contractor(s) is expected to provide Confirmation of Interest on the specific services required at the agreed LTA Daily Rate Consultancy Fee. Financial commitments will only be established each time a Purchase Order for the specific services/TOR for Individual Contractor is committed.

This LTA has a cumulative ceiling amount that may accrue to the individual contractor during the life of the LTA, but said amount shall remain as an upper limit, and must not and cannot be interpreted nor understood as neither a financial commitment nor guarantee of business volume.

Contract Award

Candidate obtaining the highest combined scores in the combined score of Technical and Financial evaluation will be considered technically qualified and will be offered to enter into a contract with UNDP.

Institutional arrangement

 The consultant will work under the guidance and direct supervision of the Director, Office of the UNSGSA and will be responsible for the fulfillment of the deliverables as specified above.

Payment modality

• Payment to the Individual Contractor will be made based on the actual number of days worked, deliverables accepted and upon certification of satisfactory completion by the manager.
• The work week will be based on 35 hours, i.e. on a 7 hour working day, with core hours being between 9h00 and 18h00 daily.

Annexes (click on the hyperlink to access the documents):

Annex 1 - UNDP P-11 Form for ICs

Annex 2 - IC Contract Template

Annex 3 – IC General Terms and Conditions

Annex 4 – RLA Template

Any request for clarification must be sent by email to cpu.bids@undp.org 

 The UNDP Central Procurement Unit will respond by email and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all applicants.