Background
Background
Zimbabwe, like most parts of sub-Saharan Africa, is affected by one or several hazards[1] and these tend to affect agricultural production. El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle events (El Niño, La Niña and Neutral) have been influencing weather patterns leading to either drought, mid-season dry spells or flooding. Evidence shows that these events have been affecting agricultural production and water levels.[2] In the face of these conditions, the Government of Zimbabwe together with development partners including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the European Union (EU), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) setup the Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund (ZRBF) in May 2015. The current duration of the Fund is 6 years (2015-2021) but it is subject to extension if more funds are availed. The fund uses the following resilience definition,
“The ability of at-risk individuals, households, communities and systems to anticipate, cushion, adapt, bounce back better and move on from the effects of shocks and hazards in a manner that protects livelihoods and recovery gains, and supports sustainable transformation.”[3]
The overall objective of ZRBF is to contribute to the increased absorptive, adaptive, and transformative capacities of at-risk communities to protect development gains and achieve improved well-being outcomes. The plan is to achieve this through a set of interventions addressing the following components:
- Creating and utilizing an evidence base and capacity building;
- Increasing adaptive, absorptive and transformative capacities; and
- Setting up a crisis modifier that responds to humanitarian shocks.
The first component focuses on capacity building in the creation and generation of evidence at the national level in all resilience-related fields. It also encompasses the development of knowledge products on resilience-building in Zimbabwe. ZRBF, therefore, seeks the services of a Database Consultant. The Consultant will work with the Department of Civil Protection and its partners’ technical experts resulting in a functional Sendai Monitor for Zimbabwe.
[1] UNDP (2016), “Mapping of Selected Hazards Affecting Rural Livelihoods in Zimbabwe”.
[2] “UNDP (2017), El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle events and their impacts in Zimbabwe”.
[3] Zimbabwe Resilience Strategic Framework, March 2015.
Duties and Responsibilities
Proposed Consultancy
The Department of Civil Protection (DCP) with support of the ZRBF in 2019 conducted a stakeholder mapping exercise to identify the data sources for the SENDAI Monitor, subsequently, an online disaster loss database prototype was developed to collect, aggregate and analyse disaster loss data which feeds into the SENDAI reporting framework. ZRBF and DCP are continuing with this important activity in 2021 and 2022 which will culminate in the launch and utilisation of the Sendai Monitor for Zimbabwe.
Now the next step requires the engagement of a consultant to lead, the validation, refinement and adaptation of the prototype into a functional disaster loss database which will enable Zimbabwe to report on the SENDAI indicators and AU indicators. This will be done through further stakeholder consultations and mapping, incorporation of new disasters and refinement of DCP disaster loss information needs. The consultant will also recommend the appropriate technical specifications for the hosting of the database and the relevant hardware needs.
Specific Objectives
Working closely with the DCP focal person, The Consultant will seek to achieve the following objectives:
- Familiarise with and review the Sendai Monitor prototype and make necessary adjustments to suit all current reporting needs;
- Refine user needs according to input from DCP and stakeholders;
- Conduct stakeholder sensitisation and create their user roles in the system;
- Gather stakeholders’ feedback on the system and make necessary adjustments;
- Train and facilitate data entry exercise for all data requirements and reporting needs;
- Organise and facilitate a validation workshop for the Sendai Monitor for Zimbabwe;
- Finalise the Sendai Monitor for Zimbabwe system based on stakeholder submissions and handing over the system to DCP;
- And organise an Official Launch Event for the Sendai Monitor for Zimbabwe.
Deliverables
In conducting the assignment, the Consultant is expected to produce the following:
- Inception report, and stakeholder engagement workshop report with additional needs, if any. Due by October 2021;
- Training Manuals and Data Entry Report; and Validation Workshop Report. Due by December 2021;
- Final and functional Sendai Monitor for Zimbabwe and hand over to DCP An Official Launch Event; and end consultation report.
Institutional Arrangements
The Individual Contractor will report to ZRBF PMU’s Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist and the Director of the Department of Civil Protection and all deliverables must be signed off by the two. The consultant will also work closely with the selected experts from the relevant government departments for substantive aspects of the assignment.
The ZRBF PMU and the Department of Civil Protection will facilitate the necessary engagements with different stakeholders.
Milestone Pyments
In conducting the assignment, the Consultant is expected to produce the following:
- 15% upon submission and approval of Inception report, and stakeholder engagement workshop report with additional needs, if any. Due by October 2021;
- 40% upon submission of Training Manuals and Data Entry Report; and Validation Workshop Report. Due by December 2021;
- 45% upon submission of Final and functional Sendai Monitor for Zimbabwe and hand over to DCP An Official Launch Event; and end consultation report.
Competencies
Corporate Competencies
- Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards (human rights, peace, understanding between peoples and nations, tolerance, integrity, respect, results orientation (UNDP core ethics) impartiality;
- Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
Functional Competencies
- Knowledge and experience with project development, implementation and management;
- Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
- Demonstrates openness to change, flexibility, and ability to manage complexities;
- Ability to work under pressure and with multi-disciplinary and multicultural teams and possess excellent inter-personal skills;
- Demonstrates strong written and oral communication skills;
- Remains calm, in control and good-humoured even under pressure;
- Proven networking, team-building, organisational and communication skills;
- Ability to establish priorities for self and others, and to work independently.
Required Skills and Experience
Education
- Master’s degree or higher in Computer Science, Information Systems or other related qualifications.
Experience
- Minimum 5 years of working experience in database development for national or sub-national government;
- Previous experience in stakeholder engagement;
- Previous experience in organising successful training and validation workshops;
- Work experience in an international organisation is an advantage.
Language
- Excellent speaking and writing in English.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified individuals shoould submit the following to demonstrate their interest and qualifications:
- Personal CV or P11 Form, 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;
- Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided in the link below;
- Technical Proposal demonstrating full understanding of the TORs, approach and methodology to the task and workplan.
Please note that all the documents below must be submitted as one PDF file.
Applicants will be evaluated based on the Cumulative Analysis methodology [weighted scoring method], where the award of the contract will be made to the candidate whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
- Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
- Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.
Technical Criteria weight; [70%];
Financial Criteria weight; [30%].
Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% of the obtainable 100 points in technical evaluation would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.
Technical Evaluation Criteria:
Adequacy of Profile and Technical Proposal (Max 100 points)
General Conditions of Contract for the Services of Individual Contractors:
UNDP Personal History form (P11):
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/corporate/Careers/P11_Personal_history_form.doc
Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability: