Background

The Joint SDG Fund Joint Programme on Reaping the Demographic Dividend and Managing the Socio-Economic Impact of COVID-19 by Applying an Integrated National Financing Framework in the Philippines (JP INFF) will apply the building blocks of the Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) to provide catalytic support – tools, technical assistance for strengthening systems, coordination and consensus building on priorities as part of a whole of government approach in support of We Recover As One. It will strengthen national planning and budgeting mechanisms to ensure that a more effective resource allocation, and establish a more diversified financing framework that can leverage additional resources for the implementation of COVID-19 recovery strategies, and ultimately, the achievement of the SDGs in an integrated manner. UNDP (lead), UNFPA and UNICEF are the Participating UN Organizations in this Joint Programme, supported by the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office.

One of the outputs of the JP INFF, in close collaboration with the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Department of Finance (DOF), is the publication of an updated Development Finance Assessment Report in the Philippines, following the 2014 publication and DFA snapshot published in 2018. This report shall provide an overview of the financing landscape in the Philippines, identify where resources are available and what are the financing gaps in attaining the SDGs given the impact of COVID-19. It shall also present what INFF means for the Philippine government and the state of progress of the INFF building blocks in the country. In addition, the report will look into the role of the private sector in the Philippines and how it can contribute towards the SDGs.

Objectives

The Development Finance Assessment report seeks to provide a snapshot of SDG Financing in 

the Philippines. Specifically, it will:

a. Identify resources available and depict the financing landscape of the country

1. Guided by the Development Finance Assessment methodology, and previous DFA in the Philippines reports, assess available resources in the country from domestic public finance, international public finance, private domestic finance and private international finance and recommend strategic actions to optimize the use for the SDGs;
2. Identify potential and untapped additional sources of financing for the SDGs

b. Assess the SDG Financing Gaps for select SDGs to be identified

1. Develop a methodology to estimate financing gaps for particular SDGs, based on the cost to attain specific SDG targets by 2030 and the available resources (from the financing landscape assessment)
2. Review government’s prioritization framework and strategy in terms of budget allocation, and assess its influence on financing the specific SDGs
3. Based on the assessment of the financing landscape, analyze the financing gap for Health, Education and Gender (SDGs 3, 4 and 5)?

c. Present the INFF in the context of the Philippines’ institutional mechanism for the SDGs, and in view of recent and ongoing public financial management reforms.

1. Assess the state of the INFF building blocks and how INFF is being practiced in the country
2. Review the previous Development Finance Assessment in the Philippines reports and assess if actions have been taken on the recommendations of the reports
3. Based on consultation workshops and discussions with senior officials, present government’s envisioned practice of the INFF in the country and recommend actionable steps
4. Assess how the private sector is currently contributing to the achievement of SDGs, and how government envisions private sector engagement and contribution to the SDGs?

d. Formulate the DFA report and INFF roadmap towards more integrated financing of the SDGs

Institutional Arrangements

The Consultant will be under the direct supervision of the JP INFF Coordinator and the overall guidance of the UNDP Country Office, through the Team Leader of the Institutions and Partnerships Programme, with whom all outputs shall be submitted and through whom all communications shall be coursed or copied.

To achieve the intended results, the Consultant will collaborate closely with the Sub-Committee on SDGs Secretariat based in NEDA and the assigned DOF focal throughout the assignment period. As necessary, and through the JP Coordinator, guidance will be also be sought from the SDG Finance Team in UNDP’s Bangkok Regional Hub and the Finance Sector Hub in New York. UNDP, NEDA and DOF shall provide comments and approve outputs within 10 working days upon receipt of output.

UNDP Philippines will not provide a workstation, administrative support, transportation, or ICT equipment for the consultant. The Consultant is expected to have his/her own equipment, office space, and internet connectivity.

The Consultant shall consider at least 5 – 10 working days lead time for UNDP to review outputs, give comments, and certify approval/acceptance of outputs.

Duration of Assignment, Duty Station and Travel

Duration: The Contractor will be engaged for 50 working days spread across the period of December 2021 to May 2022 unless revised in a mutually agreed upon timetable by UNDP and the Contractor. Changes in the duration of the contract will be implemented through issuance of a contract amendment.

The selected consultant will be home based. Mission to the Philippines may be needed at a later stage depending on COVID-19 travel restrictions as well as project progress and therefore shall be agreed separately with UNDP.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and declaration of State of Public Health Emergency in the Philippines, all work and travel of the Individual Consultant shall be done within the guidelines and protocols set by the local and national government. Field work, trainings, meetings, and coordination shall be done in compliance with community quarantine policies.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The Consultant must send a financial proposal based on an all-inclusive lump-sum amount for the delivery of the outputs below. The total amount quoted shall include all cost components required to deliver the goods and services identified above, including professional daily fees X number of person-days and any other applicable costs (eg. software and online tool/platform subscriptions) to be incurred by the Consultant in completing the assignment. Travel, as deemed relevant by UNDP and compliant with government guidelines on community quarantine, will be arranged and paid for by UNDP and should not be included in the financial proposal.

Medical/health insurance must be purchased by the individual at his/her own expense, and upon award of contract, the Contractor must be ready to submit proof of insurance valid during contract duration

The contract price will be fixed output-based price. Any deviations from the outputs and timelines will need to be agreed on between the Consultant and the UNDP effected through a contract amendment.

Payments will be made upon satisfactory completion of the deliverables by target due dates. Outputs will be certified by the Joint Programme Coordinator, prior to release of payments.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work and Deliverables

Following the above objectives, the consultant is expected to produce the following outputs:

• Output 1: Inception Report. The inception report shall include an initial analysis of the financing trends and priorities and shall detail the scope of the DFA as approved by the JP INFF Management Team and NEDA.
• Output 2: Assess and define INFF for the Philippines with the JP TWG and the SDG Subcommittee. The consultant, with the assistance of the JP INFF Core Group and Management Team, shall conduct an assessment of INFF and its building blocks in the Philippines. This assessment shall then be presented during a workshop among members of the JP INFF Technical Working Group and the SDG Subcommittee to a) validate the assessment the state of INFF building blocks, b) define how INFF is to be implemented in the Philippines, c) articulate the role of the private sector in attaining the SDGs, and d) propose a medium-term action plan for implementing an INFF for the SDGs in the Philippines
• Output 3: Financing Gap assessment. Informed by the DFA Guidebook, present the financing landscape of the country and government’s budget prioritization strategy. In consideration of the national SDG targets and the financing landscape, assess the financing gap for select SDGs (to be identified during Inception Report presentation to the JP INFF). The scope of this financing gap assessment shall be further refined in the approved inception report. This may entail supervision/coordination of other researchers who will conduct financing gap assessments for specific SDGs.
• Output 4: Development Finance Assessment Report. Draft the Development Finance Assessment: SDG Financing in the Philippines Report (tentative title), capturing the INFF roadmap for the Philippines, and present findings in validation workshops before finalizing the report.

The report shall tentatively have the following outline:

• Overview of SDGs in the Philippines amidst the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic (desk review)
• The Philippine Financing Landscape (from Outputs 2 and 3)
• SDG financing gap (topics still for confirmation)
  • Health (to include reducing teenage pregnancy)
  • Education
  • Gender
• An INFF for the Philippines
  • Assessment of the building blocks (focusing on public sector)
  • Leveraging private sector financing for the SDGs
  • Roadmap / way forward
• Conclusion and Recommendations

The Individual Contractor is expected to accomplish the following activities with corresponding deliverables:

Competencies

• 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;
• 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.

Required Skills and Experience

Offers will be evaluated based on the combined scoring method :

• Technical qualifications = 70%
• Financial Proposal = 30%

For the evaluation of the Technical Proposal, the selection of the successful consultant must be based on the following qualifications (with the appropriate obtainable points).

Only offerors who will obtain a minimum of 49 out of 70 obtainable points  will be shortlisted and considered eligible for evaluation of the financial proposal.

Recommended Presentation of Offer

Interested applicants 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 of a maximum of one document.

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP
2. Personal CV or P11, indicating all experience from similar projects highlighting the following the qualifications and competencies identified above. Contact details (email and telephone number) of the candidate should be indicated.
3. At least 2 samples of relevant written work on SDG Financing, Public/private sector financing, and/or public financial management
4. Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided. If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP. Medical/health insurance must be purchased by the individual at his/her own expense, and upon award of contract, the consultant must be ready to submit proof of insurance valid during contract duration.

Note: The above documents need to be scanned in one file and uploaded to the online application as one document.

Interested applicants to note that personal Medical/health insurance (to be purchased by the individual at his/her own expense) is mandatory for the issuance of contracts. Upon award of the contract, the consultant must be ready to submit proof of insurance valid during the contract duration.

The following templates / Annexes and IC General Terms & Conditions can be downloaded from http://gofile.me/6xdJm/bE9TCw8fU:

• General Terms and Conditions for Individual Contract
• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability
• P-11 form

In view of the volume of applications, UNDP receives, only shortlisted offerors will be notified.