Background

UNCDF is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s 47 Least Developed Countries (LDCs). UNCDF uses its capital mandate to support LDCs pursue inclusive growth. UNCDF promotes financial inclusion, also through digital financial services (DFS), as a key enabler of poverty reduction and inclusive growth; and it demonstrates how localizing finance outside the capital cities can accelerate growth in local economies, promote sustainable and climate-resilient infrastructure development, and empower local communities. Using capital grants, loans and credit enhancements, UNCDF tests financial models in inclusive finance and local development finance; ‘de-risks’ the local investment space; and provides proofs of concept, paving the way for larger and more risk-averse investors.

Hosted by UNCDF, the Centre for Financial Health is set-up as an umbrella platform towards convening a global coalition and thought leadership. The Centre for Financial Health acts as a convener, providing a platform to bring together global, regional and local actors committed to using financial and digital solutions to improve the financial lives of low-income families—helping them climb - and stay - out of poverty. The Centre creates space for thought leadership where best financial health practices and models are exchanged and lead to concrete action with governments and the private sector.

Scope of Work

Measuring and keeping track of people’s financial health is also critical to designing financial policies, programs, regulations, products, and services for ensuring good financial outcomes of individuals and households. These include, but are not limited to, financial literacy and financial inclusion strategies, financial consumer protections regulations, social safety mechanisms, wealth creation and livelihood support programs, and customer-centric financial products and services. Measuring and prioritizing financial health is equally important for public and private market actors to realize and demonstrate their contributions to the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

The measurement of financial health outcomes at country level and institutional level is fairly new. While there are a good deal of research and studies, mostly in high-income countries1, limited efforts are made in low- and middle-income countries where it is needed the most.

World Bank’s Global Findex survey provides insights on global financial health on financial resilience, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) 2020 international survey on adult financial literacy provides financial behaviour, literacy, and financial health insights for 26 markets. Yet there is no global database to access and understand country-specific financial health data and insights on its drivers and SDG impact.

UNCDF aims to develop a global database on financial health providing relevant macro and micro information on financial health, its drivers and impact, at national and sub-national level, and for different population segments. We aim to pilot the first prototype dashboard on a limited number of indicators on financial capability, financial inclusion, financial health and key SDGs. The dashboard will be presented to the key stakeholders to gather both their technical feedback as well as develop data partnerships for developing a fully functional dashboard for public consumption.

Under the direct supervision of the Financial Health Data and Measurement Specialist, the Dashboard and Web Design Consultant will be responsible for setting up the required cloud database and online financial health prototype dashboard. The Consultant will be expected to be home-based for this engagement.

Duties and Responsibilities

UNCDF has completed the initial dashboard development work including setting up a PostgreSQL database on Amazon Web Services (AWS), prototype webpage, and basic analytics. The link to the current dashboard is https://sean-add-hosting.d5hsudjzx0cil.amplifyapp.com/map. The Consultant will have to carry forward the initial work and complete the following activities and deliverables to deliver a fully functional online financial health dashboard:

1. Update and finalise the existing database by populating it with required data from multiple sources including Global Findex 2017, OECD.

• Upload the flat files on existing Postgres database on AWS

2. Improve the existing dashboard design to appropriately chart out country-level data and insights. Design/update the dashboard pages as mentioned below.

Landing page

• Include introduction to the financial health dashboard.
• Update the existing world map so that it appropriately and accurately presents the global financial resilience insights in a manner that is easily understandable to the users.
• The existing world map should also enable visualization of financial resilience indicators for different population segments including male, female, employed, unemployed, youth, older adults, primary and secondary education, poorest 40% and richest 60%, financially included and excluded.
• Include Get-Involved-Banners inviting institutions to partner for developing the dashboard further.
• Include Data Sources and Partnerships at the end.

Insights by Country page

Showcases financial health insights for different population segments including male, female, employed, unemployed, youth, older adults, primary and secondary education, poorest 40% and richest 60%, financially included and excluded. Leverage Global Findex 2017 for generating the below insights:

• Chart 1: Compares financial resilience
• Chart 2: Compares source of emergency funds
• Chart 3: Compares borrowing for health or medical purposes
• Chart 4: Compares government transfers (financial support)

Also showcases the following financial health insights from the OECD 2020 financial literacy survey data:

• Chart 5: % of people who reported experiencing financial shortfall in the last 12 months
• Chart 6: % of people reported having 3 months or more months of savings if income stops suddenly
• Chart 7: % of people who reported paying their bills on time and without delays
• Chart 8: A country-level static chart that showcases data on financial health drivers, status, and impact indicators

Advance Analytics page showcasing financial health correlations with its drivers and impacts (countries should be distinguished by income levels):

Financial inclusion

• Chart 1: Financial resilience and account ownership
• Chart 2: Financial resilience and active accounts
• Chart 3: Financial resilience and saved at a financial institution

Financial behaviour

• Chart 4: Financial resilience and saving for any reason
• Chart 5: Financial resilience and saving for old age

Impact

• Chart 6: Financial resilience and wellbeing
• Chart 7: Financial resilience and poverty
• Chart 8: Financial resilience and income inequality

About page describing:

• About the financial health dashboard
• How to use the dashboard
• Get involved
• Data Sources and Partnerships at the end

3. Improve dashboard design and aesthetics to comply with UNCDF requirements

• Use UNCDF-specific design elements, including colours, fonts, logo, and icons, in the dashboard
• Only licensed images approved by UNCDF should be used on the dashboard

4. Domain name and hosting

• Assist UNCDF in finalising a domain name and securely hosting dashboard online under the digital hub for financial health which is hosted at financialhealth.uncdf.org

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The table below outlines the list of key deliverables and estimated dates of completion:

Duration: 2 months

Duty Station:  Home-based (India)

Provision of Monitoring, Progress Controls & Payments:

• The Consultant shall work under the supervision of the Financial Health Data and Measurement Specialist.
• Payment shall be made only upon satisfactory completion and UNCDF’S written acceptance of each deliverable duly approved by the Global Lead for Financial Health and Innovations.
• Final payment shall require a signed performance evaluation of the Consultant.

Competencies

Core Competencies

Achieve Results

• Demonstrate focus on achieving quality results and impact

Engage and Partner

• Establish and develop networks that deliver powerful collaborations
• Demonstrate and encourage teamwork and co-creation internally and externally to achieve joint objectives and results

Enable Diversity and Inclusion

• Treat all individuals with respect, consider ethical implications and responds sensitively to all differences among people
• Demonstrate honesty and transparency

Technical Competencies

Dashboard development and analytics

• Expertise in developing impressive online dashboards in Tableau to obtain and analyse information effectively and efficiently

Database development and management

• Expertise in developing a PostgreSQL database to store and use large data safely, and build analytics applications on top of it, preferably on Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Website/platform development

• Expertise in website design in JavaScript, HTML, and CSS with strong working knowledge of front-end frameworks
• Expertise in integrating and implementing JavaScript graphics/visualization libraries

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualification:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Analytics, Data Analytics and/or a related discipline.

Experience:

• Minimum five (5) years of relevant experience and demonstrated increasing responsibilities in a field related to database and dashboard development.
• At least two (2) years of experience in developing a PostgreSQL database to store and use large data safely, and build analytics applications on top of it, preferably on Amazon Web Services (AWS).
• At least two (2) years of experience in website design in JavaScript, HTML, and CSS with strong working knowledge of front-end frameworks.
• At least one (1) year of experience in developing online dashboards in Tableau to obtain and analyse information effectively and efficiently.
• Experience working with the financial industry or development-oriented organizations is desirable.

Language:

• Fluent command of written and spoken English language is required.

Application Process

Interested individuals must submit the following documents as proposals in order to demonstrate their qualifications.

All applications must contain the following information:

• Cover letter with a summary statement of competencies in relation to this Terms of Reference (TOR);
• Curriculum Vitae and/or Completed and Signed P11-Personal History Form with names and current contacts of three referees.

Technically-qualified consultants, i.e. consultants who score the equivalent of or more than 70% with respect to the below-mentioned evaluation criteria, will be requested to submit their all-inclusive fixed total contract price. Consultants should not specify their financial proposals on their CV or with their submission. The CV will not be evaluated further in the event the consultant submits the same.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested documents.

Evaluation Method

Applicants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

• Preliminary Evaluation - Step I: Screening.
• Technical Evaluation Weight - 70% (Step II: Desk review 100).
• Financial Evaluation Weight - 30% (Step III).

Step I: Screening

Applications will be screened and only applicants meeting the following mandatory criteria will progress to the pool for shortlisting:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Analytics, Data Analytics and/or a related discipline.
• Minimum five (5) years of relevant experience and demonstrated increasing responsibilities in a field related to website and dashboard development.

Step II: Desk Review

A desk review will be conducted to produce a shortlist of applicants according to the criteria listed below.

• A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Analytics, Data Analytics and/or a related discipline. – 10 points
• Minimum five (5) years of relevant experience and demonstrated increasing responsibilities in a field related to website and dashboard development. – 20 points
• At least two (2) years of experience in developing a PostgreSQL database to store and use large data safely, and build analytics applications on top of it, preferably on Amazon Web Services (AWS). – 20 points
• At least two (2) years of experience in website design in JavaScript, HTML, and CSS with strong working knowledge of front-end frameworks. – 20 points
• At least one (1) year of experience in developing online dashboards in Tableau to obtain and analyse information effectively and efficiently. – 20 points
• Experience working with the financial industry or development-oriented organizations. – 10 points

Only applicants who obtain scores above 70% at the desk review will be considered technically qualified and will be subject to further review for a financial evaluation.

Step III: Financial Evaluation

The following formula will be used for evaluation of financial proposals:

Lowest priced proposal / Price of the proposal being evaluated x 30

Award Criteria

The contact shall be awarded to the best applicant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
• Having received the highest combined score: Technical (desk review) 70% + Financial 30% = 100%.

Individual consultants and persons employed by a company or institution are invited to apply. Any individual employed by a company or institution who would like to submit an offer in response to a Procurement Notice for individual consultant must do so in their individual capacity by providing a CV so that their qualifications may be judged accordingly. Women candidates or women-owned businesses are strongly encouraged to apply.

UNCDF is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.