Background

The Spotlight Initiative is a global partnership between the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) including harmful practices. The sustainable development goal principle of “leaving no one behind and helping first those furthest behind’ guides the Spotlight Initiative by paying particular attention to the specific needs of our most vulnerable women affected by domestic violence and intimate partner violence. The Spotlight Initiative aims to end VAWG by supporting efforts by government and civil society organizations through six outcome pillars: (1) Legislations and policies (2) Institutions (3) Prevention (4) Response Services (5) Data/Research (6) Women’s Rights Movement & Civil Society Organizations (CSO). The Spotlight initiative takes a gender transformative approach by recognizing and practicing an integrated coherent approach across pillars to ensure the ‘leave no one behind’ principle is mainstreamed across all outcomes. 

Samoa Umbrella for Non-Government Organisation (SUNGO) is a key implementing partner under Pillar 6 of the Spotlight Initiative in Samoa.  The scope of support for SUNGO falls under Outcome 6 of the program to strengthen the core technical and functional capacities of relevant CSOs in project management and capacity development.  CSOs will play a key role in implementing prevention and response initiatives. Advocating with decision-makers on positive change in laws and policies, and maintaining accountability of rights holders on DV/IPV issues across the civil society sector. 

UNDP in partnership with SUNGO seeks through this request for proposal, the services of a consultant to develop a CSO user-centered toolkit focusing on gender equality (women and girls) in project design and management.  The services provided by the consultant will support the implementation of SUNGO and Taskforce CSO Capacity Response Joint Workplan 2021 – 2025 on gender equality (GE) and ending violence against women & girls (EVAWG). Also, it will provide CSO’s with access to user-centered information and resources to help them design innovative projects that adequately address domestic violence and violence against women and girls. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

The consultant will work directly with SUNGO CEO with assistance from the UNDP Spotlight Coordinator to:

• Produce CSO user-centered information and resources for project design focusing on women and girls in addressing domestic violence and violence against women and girls. 

• Conduct a capacity development/ training for SUNGO team on access, use and dissemination of these resources.  

The consultant will work on this assignment for a period of 30 working days ending 31 August 2021. 

Expected Deliverables and Outcomes

1.  Develop a work plan and training program agenda with clear and achievable assignment objectives and outcomes.

2. Engage with relevant CSOs, Taskforce members and the Spotlight Initiative CSO National Reference Group to obtain input in developing user-centered information and resources.

3. Develop and produce user-centered information and resources on gender mainstreaming in project design. This includes a gender mainstreaming checklist or how to integrate women and girls into results-focused project design and project proposal writing. Ensure these materials and resources align with SDGs, global best practices and innovative approaches.

4. Extract and produce relevant gender mainstreaming indicators aligning with SDGs and national gender indicators used for reporting on UPR and CEDAW to produce a CSO Gender Scorecard checklist for easy monitoring and reporting purposes.

5. Develop a gender scorecard checklist for reporting purposes as outlined in output 3 above to assist with building CSO capacities in monitoring or auditing their own program implementation efforts.

6. Ensure all new changes are reflected in the Taskforce on EVAWG & GE for CSO capacity response joint work plan coordinated by SUNGO.   

7. Provide all the final and endorsed materials, information, and resources as a toolkit package both in hardcopy and electronic form to SUNGO CEO for printing.

8. Conduct a training session for SUNGO staff on the access, usage and dissemination of materials and resources developed.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies

• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Demonstrates commitment to the Government of Samoa mission, vision and values
• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards.

• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP.
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.
• Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for any form of violence including sexual harassment.

Functional Competencies                                                                                                            

• Good understanding and knowledge of gender equality/gender-responsive project designs or proposal writing and in particular for violence against women and girls, domestic violence.
• Excellent communication, presentation skills in Samoa and English language; ability to communicate effectively and in a credible manner with various partners including government, civil society, UN agencies; development partners; and communities.
• Good understanding of and experience in developing user-centered materials and resources focusing on women and girls for civil society organizations
• Strong knowledge and understanding of SDG-relevant gender indicators, government human rights & CEDAW gender reporting indicators at national and global levels.

Leadership and Self-Management

• Ability  to work in tight schedules or timeframes
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure
• Demonstrate openness to change and ability to manage complexities
• Good inter-personal and teamwork skills in Samoan language, networking aptitude, ability to work in multicultural environment

Required Skills and Experience

Qualification and Experience – Evaluation of CVs for Shortlisting

• Minimum formal qualification from a recognized university Bachelor’s degree in Gender studies, social science, project management, Leadership, and management or relevant field. (Mandatory)  (15%).
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in the indicated fields of expertise or competencies in project design or project management focusing on gender equality or mainstreaming of women and girls. (Mandatory) (20%).  
• Demonstrated experience in developing user-centered resources for civil society organizations focusing on the integration of women and girls into project design. (Mandatory) (20%)
• Strong understanding of the civil society sector in Samoa and their work in relation to gender equality. (Desirable)  (15%).
• Ability to work in a flexible and responsive manner to engage multisectoral stakeholders from government and civil society organizations in consultations, dialogue and planning processes. (Desirable) (10%)
• Strong experience in developing gender-responsive or social inclusion materials and resources (Desirable) (10%)
• Proficiency in communication, presentation skills, written and spoken Samoan and English (Mandatory) (10%)

Evaluation of Proposals

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 the pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

TECHNICAL CRITERIA WEIGHT – 70%

FINANCIAL CRITERIA WEIGHT – 30%

Technical Evaluation Criteria will be based on the information provided in the CV and the relevant documents must be submitted as evidence to support the above-required criteria [maximum 100 points]. Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% of the total technical points (49 points) will be considered for the Financial Evaluation. Interviews may be conducted as part of the technical assessment for shortlisted proposals.

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For further enquiries, email procurement.ws@undp.org.  Email submissions will not be allowed but apply through this link only.

Download the full Terms of Reference and forms for submission from the UNDP Procurement Website of https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=81170