Antecedentes

UNDP recognizes that the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services and growing risks and impacts of climate change requires the world to urgently invest in a new green development paradigm. Based in UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS), the UNDP-GEF Unit’s goal is to assist developing countries to transition to green, low emission and climate resilient development. In line with UNDP’s sustainable development mandate, the UNDP-GEF team works closely with UNDP Country Offices, national and local governments, and UN and other partners to support partner countries in accessing a variety of vertical funds for global environment management (GEF Trust Fund, Least Developed Countries Fund, Special Climate Change Fund; Adaptation Fund, Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund), and combining this with other sources of public and private financing (domestic resources, carbon finance, bilateral vertical funds for global environment management, etc.). This financing is used to develop capacity, remove policy and regulatory barriers, and expand/transform green markets in order to increase resilience, reduce poverty and make green, low emission climate resilient development possible. UNDP – GEF Staff are organized into five thematic teams (Ecosystems and Biodiversity; Energy, Infrastructure, Transport and Technology; Low Emission and Climate Resilient Development; Water and Ocean Governance; and Chemical and waste) of technical specialists led by Principal Technical Advisors (PTAs). Each PTA supports, guides, and supervises a team of Region-based Senior Technical Advisors (STAs), Regional Technical Advisors (RTAs) and Regional Technical Specialists (RTSs).

Based at the UNDP Asia and Pacific Regional Centre, UNDP-GEF Ecosystem and Biodiversity Team in Bangkok provides support to 34 countries in the region as well as to some Arab states.  UNDP supported GEF financed projects and programmes are designed to help countries achieve outcomes outlined in UNDP’s Strategic Plan, UNDP country programmes, UNDAFs (United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks) and the GEF Focal Area Strategies. In line with the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the Accra Agenda for Action, these programmes and projects are implemented by national entities - typically a national government agency or department, or on occasion a non-governmental organization or another UN Agency.

The strategic objective of the Ecosystems and Biodiversity (EBD) team is to support the effective management of biodiversity and ecosystem services for Sustainable Development. To achieve this, the team focuses its efforts on three signature programmes: (i) Integrate EBD management into development planning and production sectors to safeguard biodiversity and maintain ecosystem functions that sustain human well-being; (ii) unlock the potential of protected areas, including indigenous and community conserved areas, to conserve biodiversity while contributing to sustainable development; and (iii) manage and rehabilitate ecosystems for adaptation to and mitigation of climate change.

In order to ensure the timely and effective delivery of project concept notes to meet the government’s request for support in the 34 countries, services of a Project Development and Monitoring Consultant is required.

Deberes y responsabilidades

Objective

Under overall guidance of the EBD RTAs for Asia and the Pacific, and in close collaboration with the country offices (COs), the consultant will provide technical support in the development of GEF financed project concepts that meet the standard eligibility criteria of the GEF biodiversity, land degradation and sustainable forest management focal areas, as well as to meet objectives set under the UNDP EBD Strategic Framework (2012-2020) and country programmes.

Scope of Work

For this assignment, the Consultant is primarily responsible for the following tasks:

  • In consultation with the RTAs and discussion with relevant Country Offices, develop project identification forms (PIFs) for the entire Ecosystem and Biodiversity portfolio in Asia and Pacific region;
  • Revise PIFs based on comments received from RTA, CO and the governments before internal UNDP submission and GEF submission;
  • Revise PIFs based on comments received from internal UNDP review and GEF Secretariat comments as applicable;
  • Undertake a social and environmental screening of the two PIFs using the standard UNDP SESP template;
  • Work with Country Offices to formulate a Project Preparation Grant (PPG) Initiation Plan, for the development of the full project document, detailing how PPG provided by GEF will be utilized;
  • Provide technical support for completion of annual project implementation reports;
  • Provide technical support to the CO and project counterparts on specific technical issues related to project implementation.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables:

The expected outputs from this assignment are:

  • Two PIRs finalized and submitted : Expected Due Date - September 30, 2015.

Two UNDP technically cleared Project Identification Forms (PIF) with SESP and PPG Initiation Plans:

  • Expected Due Date - October 30, 2015.

Institutional Arrangement

The consultant will report to the UNDP-GEF Regional Technical Advisors for Biodiversity and Ecosystems for Asia and the Pacific.  He/she will work closely with other staff in the UNDP Asia-Pacific Regional Centre, UNDP Country Office staff and government counterparts as appropriate.

Duration of the Work: September 22, 2015 – October 31, 2015  (up to 28 days worked).

Duty Station: Home based with no travel required.

Competencias

  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
  • Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;
  • Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
  • Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work;
  • Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
  • Comprehensiveness knowledge of Ecosystem and Biodiversity projects;
  • Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet in conducting research;
  • Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;
  • Excellent presentation and facilitation skills;
  • Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
  • Positive, constructive attitude to work;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education:

  • Master’s degree in Environmental Sciences, Environmental Management, Economics and other social sciences or a closely-related field.

Experience:

  • At least 6 years of relevant experience in Ecosystem and Biodiversity or closely-related field projects in developing countries including at the global level;
  • Demonstrable experience with project development, implementation, management and monitoring and evaluation of sustainable development projects, in particular in the areas of biodiversity and ecosystem management;
  • Demonstrated technical and intellectual skills in substantive area (biodiversity management, wildlife management and enforcement, protected area management, forest management);
  • Demonstrable experiences in communication for sustainable development projects with excellent drafting ability, presentation, and communication skills, both oral and written;
  • Experience in the policy development processes associated with environment and sustainable development issues;
  • Experience  with the GEF and UNDP-GEF systems, policies, and programming and in working in Asia and/or the Pacific;
  • Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain strategic partnerships;
  • Demonstrated  leadership, facilitation and coordination skills;
  • Demonstrated entrepreneurial abilities and demonstrated ability to work in an independent manner;
  • IT literacy, familiarity with e-presentation techniques and ability to operate with on-line web-based applications;
  • Working experience in an international organization is an advantage as is knowledge of UNDP policies, procedures and practices

Language:

  • Fluency in written and spoken English;
  • Knowledge of other UN languages is an asset.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

Consultant must send a financial proposal based on Lump Sum Amount.

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.

Payments will be done upon completion of the deliverables/outputs and as per below percentages:

  • Deliverable 1/ Two PIRs finalized and submitted: 30% of total contract amount;
  • Deliverable 2/ Two UNDP technically cleared Project Identification Forms (PIF) with SESP and PPG Initiation Plans: 70% of total contract amount.

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.

Evaluation Method and Criteria

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on Cumulative analysis.

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 (70%) and financial criteria (30%) specific to the solicitation.

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 500 points):

  • Criteria 1: Education- max 75 points;
  • Criteria 2: Experience - max 350 points;
  • Criteria 3: Language - max 75 points.

Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment. Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 350 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;
  • Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex 2.

Incomplete proposals may not be considered.

Annexes:

For any clarification regarding this assignment please write to brh.gef.procurement@undp.org