Background

The Service Contract modality was first introduced in UNDP in 1998 as an instrument in the field locations, for the engagement of UNDP’s locally recruited personnel (professional and support) for development projects.

It was also used to engage personnel that provide services that are outsourced to individuals where outsourcing to a company is not practical. 

SC´s are also used by other UN organizations as well for which UNDP provides administrative services.

In line with People for 2030, this modality needs to be modernized so that it is line with the business requirements of the organization and meets its commitments to staff.

In parallel, UNDP has decided to create a similar modality which provides for the hiring of international staff to undertake similar functions at Headquarters, Regional and Country Office locations globally. This new modality should be capable of being integrated in UNDP’s everyday operations and service provision in country and field offices.

UNDP has adopted a number of orientations to guide the design of the new and revised modalities, which include the following:

Programme, Project and Administrative Personnel

• Formerly Service Contract, to be used at Country and Regional Level.
• For project and programme activities or for certain, local administrative roles.
• Minimum contract duration of 6 months, maximum 4 years. No limit to the total time a person can be employed under the modality.
• May be considered as internal candidates for recruitment opportunities within UNDP (can apply together with staff, prior to external candidates, still respecting the order of retention stipulated by the Staff Rules).
• Alongside with existing benefits, propose a range of benefits which may be optional and available for purchase (e.g. medical and other insurance packages).
• Simplified compensation setting (i.e. no SC salary surveys; alignment with staff salary scales) and recruitment/selection process. Issues such as tax status would require further clarification.
• Simplified procedures for moves between service contracts with similar functions (e.g. procurement assistants in projects).

International Programme and Project Personnel (PPAP)

A new contract modality for the recruitment of international staff in Headquarters, Regional and Country office level duty stations only which is broadly similar than to the national PPAP contract apart from:

• For work on projects and programmes in an international context
• Minimum contract duration 6 months, renewable up to a maximum of 4 years in total

In addition, the consultant will need to propose a framework on functions that would be best suited to these contract modalities, generally non-core functions.

Duties and Responsibilities

The primary task of the consultant will be, within the context of the comprehensive review of non-staff contractual modalities in the context of the UNDP 2030 agenda and the OHR People for 2030 strategy, to review the current SC modality in line with a series of policy orientations, and to create a new, parallel modality to enable contract staff to be hired internationally.

The work includes collecting information, performing analyses, proposing changes to existing contract provisions and formulating a new contract framework for international staff. The individual contractor shall also consider the current conditions of service offered to SC holders to ensure the fitness of the compensation package and advise on options to enhance and streamline the administration of the modality. 

The Individual Contactor shall assist UNDP in the above tasks, and in addition in will deliver the following outcomes:

1. Working with internal UNDP focal points in finance, legal and administration to establish an internal administrative framework to support the new modality;
2.  Providing advice on oversight measures be taken with regards to the new modality and propose measures to mitigate any risk from its use;
3. Developing tools and simple processes for implementation by Country Offices and Regional Hubs and enhance its functionality and compatibility with UNDP ERP systems;
4. Developing training tools and materials for the launch of the contractual modality (ies) developed and deliver training to UNDP focal points upon completion.

Outputs/ Deliverables

Competencies

Corporate

• Demonstrate integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
• Advocates and promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Technical / Functional

• Knowledge of design processes and methodologies.
• Understanding of interactive digital technologies, standards and industry trends and experience in designing processes and workflows leveraging these trends.
• Ability to gather and document business and functional end user requirements.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic qualifications:

Advanced degree in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, Economics or a related discipline.

Experience:

• Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in Human resources management, including compensation and remuneration practices and development of compensation packages and conditions of service in an international organization setting or a multinational entity;
• In-depth understanding of UNDP, its policies, procedures and operations;
• Excellent written, presentation and oral communication skills in English;
• Ability to lead a consultation process and work with multiple stakeholders;
• Understanding of risk management and development of risk-based monitoring approaches.

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required

Application Procedure?

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

• A cover letter with a brief description of why the Offer considers her/himself the most suitable for the assignment;
• 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; and
• If applicable: A two-page methodology on how the Offeror will conduct the work including a Work Plan and approach in delivering the required outputs within the assignment period.

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

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

• Daily fee: The financial proposal should specify an all-inclusive daily fee (based on a 7 hour working day - lunch time is not included - and estimated 21.75 days per month).

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 weighs 70% and Financial criteria/ Proposal weighs 30%.

Technical evaluation - Total 70% (70 points):

• Criteria 1. In-depth knowledge of the latest research, challenges, developments and good practices in developing policies and procedures for Service Contracts from a range of private and public sector organizations Weight = 30%; Maximum Points: 21;
• Criteria 2. Experience with human resources management projects, including development of career or other talent management frameworks and/or programmes Weight = 20%; Maximum Points: 14;
• Criteria 3. Familiarity with the UN system, and/or other organizations of the wider UN system, incl. IFIs, international development banks, EU and similar organizations. Weight = 10%; Maximum Points: 7; and
• Criteria 4. Interview: Weight = 40%; Maximum Points: 28

Having reviewed applications received, UNDP will invite the top three shortlisted candidates for interview. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (49 points) of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria (70 points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

Financial evaluation - Total 30% (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

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 contract with UNDP.

Institutional arrangement

The consultant will work under the guidance and direct supervision of Special Advisor for Contracts and the Head of Policy in OHR and will be responsible for the fulfilment of the deliverables as specified above.

For BPPS ICs: The Consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own laptop.

Payment modality

• Daily fee: 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.