Background

UNDP has been supporting the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in meeting its national and international environmental priorities and commitments. These include close to 40 projects in the area of biodiversity conservation, sustainable resource management, climate change and chemical management. UNDP’s support focusses on technical and policy advisory, institutional strengthening and building capacities of various stakeholders to utilize natural resources in a sustainable way, while increasing resilience to climate variability and associated risks and impacts. UNDP also supports India’s engagement with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and works with Central Ministries and state governments to implement GEF financed projects.

UNDP India along with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, is developing a GEF-supported project on sustainable management and restoration of degraded landscapes for achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN). The project aims to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) through ecosystem-based management and restoration of productive landscapes across degraded agricultural, forest, pastoral lands and surface water bodies.

UNDP seeks to engage a Value Chains and Private Sector Engagement Specialist who will be responsible for designing project interventions and approaches to establish LDN value chains and secure private sector engagement in project implementation. The consultant will be an expert in value chains analysis with experience in arid/semi-arid environments of India. 

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Preparatory Technical Studies and Reviews

Prepare inputs and support the required analyses/studies as agreed with the GEF Project Development Specialist and Sustainable Management Specialist including:

(a). Review and assess the project baseline for the full-size project covering assessment of best practices and lessons in using value chain approaches and market opportunities to support the achievement of land degradation neutrality (LDN); major commodities and value chains related to agriculture, forests  and allied sectors in the target landscape; key opportunities for establishing value chains in the project landscape that support the avoidance of land degradation and restoration of degraded land; existing mechanisms and partnerships for private sector engagement and potential complementarities; and identification of private sector stakeholders and level of awareness, capacity and interest in supporting achievement of LDN in the target landscape;

(b) On the basis of findings and stakeholder consultations, identify priorities and appropriate project interventions, including: mechanisms to enhance private sector engagement; a roadmap/methodology for establishing value chains; targeted opportunities for strengthening and/or establishing innovative value chains supporting achievement of LDN in the target landscape; awareness-raising and capacity development needs for private sector stakeholders including small-scale producers/micro-enterprises; and needed incentives, policy, financial and technical support to establish value chains;

(c). Identify, assess, and recommend potential private sector partners and partnership opportunities;

(d). Support the completion of any additional studies that are determined to be needed for the preparation of the ProDoc and all other final outputs as guided by the GEF Project Development Specialist.

2. Contributions to the Formulation of the ProDoc, CEO Endorsement Request and Mandatory and Project Specific Annexes:

(a). Prepare inputs and support the development of final PPG deliverables, as agreed with the GEF Project Development Specialist and Sustainable Land Management Specialist.

3. National, state and local level consultations and validation workshop:

(a) Participate in and contribute to the national, state and local level consultations and validation workshops, if needed; and

(b) Support necessary revisions that arise during the workshop, as appropriate.

4. Final Deliverables:

(a). A report summarizing the baseline analysis as described above and detailing priority project interventions for private sector engagement and strengthening/establishing value chains, with budget, ToR and timelines for implementation. This will include a roadmap/methodology for establishment of value chains that support the achievement of LDN;

(b) Mapping of potential private sector partners and partnership opportunities; and

(c) Appropriate inputs provided to the Final Project Document and Annexes, as agreed with GEF Project Development Specialist.

Competencies

• Analytical skills: Able to synthesize large sets of inputs and data to form coherent outputs
• Ability to effectively and efficiently interact with senior members and stakeholders
• Must be detail-oriented
• Communication skills: Able to communicate clear ideas across a variety of mediums
• Writing and presentation skills: Able to produce high quality reports and presentations
• Team skills: Able to work independently as well as in teams
• Great organizational and time-management skills

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualification:  

• Masters’ degree in business, economics, or a related field, such as agriculture, environment economics; 

Professional Experience: 

• Minimum 7 years of experience in agricultural economics and value chain analysis;
• Experience working with relevant private sector actors to strengthen/develop commodity markets;
• Familiarity and understanding of the concept of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) is an advantage;
• Excellent oral and written English language communication skills

Language Requirement:  Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.

5. Evaluation Criteria

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as Responsive to the requirement. Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

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

•           Technical Criteria weight - 70%;

•           Financial Criteria weight – 30 %

Technical Criteria (70% of the total evaluation)

1. Criteria 1: Prior Experience (30%)

1. Minimum 7 years of experience in agricultural economics and value chain analysis;

2. Criteria 2: Experience in develop commodity markets (30%)

1. Experience working with relevant private sector actors to strengthen/develop commodity markets

3. Criteria 3: National, state, and local level consultations and validation workshops (10%)

1. Contribute to the national, state and local level consultations and validation workshops, as needed;

Financial Proposal:

Technically qualified consultants will be requested to submit their lump sum rate i.e. consultants who score more than 70% i.e. 49 marks with respect to the above-mentioned evaluation criteria. Consultant should not specify their consultancy fee on their CV or with the submission. The CV will not be evaluated further in case the consultant submits the same.

Payment Scheduled: Payments will be deliverable linked per the following schedule of payments: