Background

The Solomon Islands Government (SIG) launched the 20-year National Development Strategy (NDS) 2016-2035 in April 2016 and resolve to embark on more serious and aggressive efforts to advance and implement the NDS and rolling Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP). The NDS presents a strategic direction for the future development of Solomon Islands and it focuses on key areas of Social and Economic livelihoods. NDS has five (5) broad objectives of economic growth, poverty alleviation, quality health and education, environmentally sustainable development and good governance which in turn are linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other international commitments.

To effectively implement the NDS to further achieve the SDGs plus other commitments, SIG through the National Development Strategy Implementation Oversight Committee (NDSIOC) initiated a Development Finance Assessment (DFA) to assess commitments with the support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Asia Pacific Effective Facility with the aim of developing a financing frame work for the NDS, the SDGs and other international commitments. The DFA Team undertook a comprehensive assessment of public and private finance trends, considered the potential for different types of finance to contribute to the outcomes targeted by the NDS and developed a roadmap of recommendations.

As a result of the DFA assessment, in 2018 the Solomon Islands Integrated Financing Framework (SIIFF) was developed. The development of the SIIFF, as recommended in the DFA, adapts the concept of an integrated national financing framework that was called for in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA), in Ethiopia 2015. SIIFF aimed to link the aspirations of the NDS to government policies and operations and mobilize necessary funding towards implementation and realization of the objectives of NDS. SIIFF provides support to the NDS by providing the guidance on the different kinds of funding and investment necessary across the respective public and private sectors including Public Private Partnership to collectively achieve the NDS. Also, SIIFF provides guide to the government when mobilizing and securing development cooperation assistance with development partners, private and civil sectors and other stakeholders. The SIIFF is designed to act as a bridge between the aspirations of the long-term NDS and the design and implementation of short and medium operational policymaking.

The SIIFF’s successful implementation rests not only with MNPDC but other key government ministries and agencies that also play a very crucial role. As it is, the SIIFF document does not share similar attention and prioritization as other government documents therefore proves very challenging. Slow response from other key government ministries and agencies to get on board and support SIIFF has delayed the implementation of this important strategic document. The SIIFF will also play an important role supporting the transition process as the Solomon Islands graduates from Least Developed Country to a Developing Country status.

Duties and Responsibilities

The main objectives of the consultancy is to support the implementation of the SIIFF through:

• Sensitizing the SIIFF across relevant government ministries and agencies to better understand their roles and responsibilities and how to execute their roles in the wider SIG machinery;
• Sensitizing the SIIFF with other key stakeholders including the Private Sector, State Owned Enterprises, Civil Sector Organizations, International and national NGOs and other stakeholders. The purpose of this is for closer coordination and reporting of all funding resources that contribute to the development aspirations of the NDS;
• Strengthening internal MNPDC staff understanding and roles required to successfully coordinate the implementation of the SIIFF across government and key development partners.
• Training relevant MNPDC staff on economic forecasting focusing on analyzing traditional and non-traditional financing streams by sector on an annual basis towards achieving the NDS.

Key outputs and responsibilities:

1. Review the current Solomon Islands Integrated Financing Framework (SIIFF) and identify innovative financing tools to accelerate the implementation of the sustainable financing of the National Sustainable Development Strategy as well as support the economic recovery as a result of the negative impacts of COVID 19;
2. Review the current SIIFF and identify areas and recommendations for strengthening the national financing framework to accelerate the implementation of the national sustainable development strategy and support the economic recovery as a result of the negative impacts of COVID 19;
3. Review the government machinery of aligning the allocations of the national budget to the implementation of sector development goals, targets and deliverables;
4. Identify challenges and bottlenecks and formulate recommendations for strengthening the coherence of the sector budget allocations to the national sustainable development strategy and implementation plan;  
5. Develop a communications strategy to sensitize the SIIFF throughout the whole of government and wider development partner stakeholders including donors, development partners, private sector and NGOs;
6. Conduct and annual forum on SIIFF and sustainable development financing to help sensitize the SIIFF throughout the whole of government and wider development partner stakeholders including donors, development partners, private sector and NGOs;
7. Develop and implement a training programme for relevant MNPDC staff as well as relevant staff across government ministries and agencies on economic forecasting focusing on analyzing traditional and non-traditional financing streams by sector on an annual basis towards achieving the NDS.
8. Develop a terms-of-reference for an appropriate governance body such as a steering committee support the development and implementation of the SIIFF and support the Ministry of National Planning and Development Coordination to establish this steering committee. The ToR should include membership of this governance body;
9. Provide secretariat and technical support to the Ministry of National Planning and Development Coordination for hosting and running of this steering committee meeting on a monthly basis;

Institutional arrangements:

The National expert will work under the close guidance of the Lead expert and the UNDP Country Office throughout the assignment period.

Duty Station:

The selected consultant will be based in the capital of the Solomon Islands; Honiara.

Duration of work: The expected duration of this assignment is 90 days with a start date of 7 December 2021, and planned to be completed by 30 April 2022. The timeframe and expected deliverables are shown in the table below:

Competencies

• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity. 
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.
• Self-development, initiative-taking.
• Acting as a team player and facilitating team work.
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
• Creating synergies through self-control.
• Managing conflict.
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member.
• Informed and transparent decision-making.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualification

• Minimum Master’s degree (or equivalent) or Undergraduate in development, planning, public finance, development finance, public administration, social policy, economics, business administration or related fields.   

Professional Experience

• Minimum 3 years of relevant Master’s degree experience or 7 years of relevant undergraduate experience in development planning, public finance, public administration, social policy, economics.  

Language requirement:

• Proficiency in English (written and spoken) required.

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 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:

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 the following methodology - Cumulative analysis

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as a) responsive/compliant/acceptable; and b) having received the highest score out of set of weighted technical criteria (70%). and financial criteria (30%). Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points)

• Criteria 1: Relevance of Education – Max 5 points
• Criteria 2: Relevance of language and Key competencies - Max 5 Points
• Criteria 3: Relevance of experience in national planning - Max 25 points
• Criteria 4: Relevance of experience in public finance and Monitoring and Evaluation – Max 20 points
• Criteria 5: Quality of Assessment of approach/methodology to assignment – Max 15 Points

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Shortlisted candidates shall be called for an interview which will be used to confirm and/or adjust the technical scores awarded based on documentation submitted.

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 II.
• Personal CV, 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.
• Technical proposal, including a) a brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment;
• Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex II. Note: National consultants must quote prices in United States Dollars (USD).

Note: Successful individual will be required to provide proof of medical insurance coverage before commencement of contract for the duration of the assignment.

Incomplete and joint proposals may not be considered. Consultants with whom there is further interest will be contacted. The successful consultant shall opt to sign an Individual Contract or a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA) through its company/employer with UNDP.

Submission

For any clarification regarding this assignment please write to Mr. Dale Kacivi - procurement.fj@undp.org/dale.kacivi@undp.org

All applications must be clearly marked with the title of consultancy and submitted by 5:00pm, 2nd December 2021 (Fiji Time) online via UN Jobs website https://jobs.undp.org/ or etenderbox.pacific@undp.org