Historique
UNCDF, the UN capital investment agency for the 49 least developed countries, provides seed capital and technical assistance to test new modalities of public and private financing for local development. These investments are designed to leverage financial flows from the private sector, national governments and developments partners, for maximum impact towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The goal of local development is to improve the quality of life of citizens at the grassroots level. The concept goes beyond local governance and decentralized provision of services to the spatial, institutional and economic linkages required for comprehensive development. It addresses the spectrum of shelter and housing, food security, education and health, infrastructure, resilient environments, citizen empowerment and representation, and fulfilling and rewarding economic activity.
The Local Development Finance challenge and UNCDF’s contribution
Least developed countries (LDCs) include some of the world’s fastest growing economies as well as countries whose growth in real terms is limited. Not all are growing at the rate required to keep pace with population increases. The balance of LDC economies and the growing sectors is unevenly spread across their territories and inequitably distributed through their societies, often producing relative disparities and disequilibria. These structural problems present serious challenges for equitable and sustainable development.
LDCs need support to promote sustainable and inclusive growth that empowers people and countries to unleash their potential. To answer to this challenge UNCDF adopted in its Business Plan (LDFP-BP 2014-2017), a new approach to local development finance that recognises the growing fiscal receipts and private capital within LDCs and their changed development needs. The challenge now is not only to provide new sources of capital but also to unlock existing sources of domestic and international capital available to LDCs and to ensure that these funds are available at the local level for local development and to increase resilience to shocks. To this end UNCDF applies its seed capital and technical assistance to develop innovative solutions that leverage or mobilize, allocate, and invest resource flows to the local level. Key factors are the demonstration effect of the innovation and the additional fund flows unleashed for local development. This requires strengthening the capacity of existing public and private institutions and the procedures they use, as well as providing the seed capital itself.
The LDFP-BP will be implemented in the next 4 years and a mid-term review will take place at the end of the period. It will be implemented through current programs (global thematic initiatives as well as country programs) and hopefully extended to additional countries. The list of current program countries in which UNCDF plans to implement its business plan is as follows:
- East Africa : Mozambique, Lesotho, Tanzania;
- West Africa : Mali, Guinea, Niger;
- Asia : Nepal, Bangladesh, Lao.
The possible additional countries are the following:
- East Africa : Ethiopia, Uganda.
- West Africa : Benin, Senegal, Niger, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau.
- Asia : Cambodia, Timor.
Devoirs et responsabilités
Objective of the assignment
Achieving a substantial increase in the availability of local development finance is not an easy task. UNCDF has developed a results framework to assess its contribution to this and two specific parameters have been identified:
- The net increase in local fiscal space[1] available for local development in sub-national territorial jurisdictions supported by UNCDF;
- The Gross increase in fixed capital formation[2] comprised of individual projects/investments under $20mlocated within sub-national territorial jurisdictions supported by UNCDF.
The related Outcomes and Output are defined in bigger detail in the attached document.
The objective of the assignment is to develop a methodology for the baseline study and apply this methodology to three of the priority countries identified above. The baseline will allow UNCDF to measure the impact of its initiatives in the priority countries and provide a coherent framework for measuring the impact of its instruments at the local level across program countries.
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall direction of the Deputy Director, Local Development Finance Practice, the Consultant will provide a complete study that includes the following:
- The development of a concrete and realistic methodology to calculate the baseline;
- The application of the methodology to calculate the baseline in the 3 of the 9 priority countries mentioned above.
Develop a concrete and realistic methodology to calculate the baseline
- Review Outcomes and Output of the Integrated Results and Resources Framework - IRRM (more specifically Outcome 1) and identify key sources of data to calculate the baseline for each country;
- Verify the availability of data or the feasibility of gathering information with the relevant UNCDF country and regional office teams. As availability of data could be problematic in LDCs countries, the Consultant will have to develop a creative methodology based on additional possible data collection methods: interview, focus groups, photography, etc.
Apply the methodology to calculate the baseline in at least 3 countries (1 per region)
- Gather information and data in coordination with country and regional technical teams;
- Fill information in a comprehensive template indicating the sources of information;
- Prepare a comprehensive baseline document including information on the 3 selected countries.
Deliverables:
- Draft and final methodological note on data collection and calculations of Outcome indicators;
- Final template with information on each country;
- Draft and final note on baseline.
[1] Fiscal space is defined as “the sum of financial resources available for improved delivery of basic social and economic services at the local level as a result of the budget and related decisions by governments at all levels without any prejudice to the sustainability of a governments financial position”. Source: International Monetary Fund, Finance and Development, Vol. 42/2, Back to Basics – Fiscal Space: What is it and How to Get it?, Peter Heller
[2] Gross Fixed Capital Formation is defined as the in the UN System of National Accounts applied by the IMF, World Bank and United Nations institutions. UNCDF adapts this indicator to the local level. See System of National Accounts, United Nations, 2008.
Compétences
- Fluency in writing and speaking French and English;
- Ability to manage workload with minimum supervision; and
- Collaborate with a wide range of colleagues and partners;
- Excellent interpersonal skills; including
- Ability to work with a wide range of actors in a multi-cultural context;
- Proven analytical, research and writing skill;s and
- Attention to detail.
Qualifications et expériences requises
Education:
- Masters in M&E, statistics, economics or any related field, with additional background in Economics, Public Finance, Business or Public Administration or related field.
Experience:
- A minimum of 15 years of professional experience in local development, finance and M&E. The major part of this should be in a developing country, preferably with an international financial institution;
- Strong knowledge in Public Finance and related communities of practice such as PFM, sub-national PEFA, Local Public Sector, etc.;
- Experience of local economic development in developing countries is a must;
- Successful track record in M&E.
Language:
- Strong written and spoken English and French.
Evaluation method
Consultants will be evaluated based on UNCDF’s cumulative analysis method. When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract shall be made to the 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 (70%) and financial (30%) criteria specific to the solicitation.
Evaluation criteria:
- Competencies (30%);
- Experience (30%);
- Education (10%);
- Daily rate (30%).
Proposal requirements:
The technical and financial proposal should contain the following information:
- Offeror’s letter/Application form, including financial offer – form can be found here: http://uncdf.org/en/hiring-consultants;
- Updated CV;
- Brief description of chosen work methodology/approach.
Please upload all documents as one file under “CV”.
Supporting Documentation:
LDFP Business plan:
http://uncdf.org/sites/default/files/Download/ldfp_-_business_plan_2014_-_2017.pdf.
IRRM: