Background

The Aspire to Innovate (a2i) Programme builds on the Government of Bangladesh’s efforts to introduce a citizen-centric culture of innovation in the civil service to improve public service delivery and make services more inclusive, accessible, affordable and reliable. This project is aligned with the government and a2i’s recent commendable efforts in creating digitally assisted prototype solutions to improve public services for supporting the development momentum of the country and addressing emerging development needs and challenges. This project aims to support the government in instilling those innovations and building up necessary institutional mechanisms so that efforts already made would be incentivized and scaled up to bring sustainable impact. In addition, this project intends to engage with the private sector in this journey to foster broader partnership to attune the country with changes taking place in the contemporary world.

This project will have three components:

1.         Institutionalizing Public Service Innovation and Improving Accountability

2.         Catalysing stronger e-governance mechanism

3.         Incubating inter-agency co-ordination hub for e-services.

In line with above objectives, over the years a2i has developed digital solutions to accelerate and strengthen protocols of public services and created many digital platforms to cater to the needs of citizens in a rapidly evolving development context. It is believed that these efforts would support the government in instilling innovation and building up the necessary institutional mechanisms so that efforts already made would be incentivized and scaled up to bring sustainable impact.

In order to determine the extent of the digital assisted interventions and whether these interventions have been able to fulfil these expectations and stated results described in the Project Document, and also what extent lessons learned have been incorporated for further refinement of the project interventions, detailed evaluation needs to be undertaken.

For this purpose, it is essential for a2i to conduct baseline studies, impact evaluations and/or assessments on some of the project innovations or interventions such as the National Portal, Muktopaath, e-Mutation, District Branding, SPS, SDG Tracker, 333 Helpline, e-Nothi, a2i Innovation Fund, i-Lab initiatives, Digital Center, Teachers Portal, etc. These evaluations and/or assessments would help the project and relevant stakeholders to document project attributions, successes, lessons learned, challenges and risks associated with the implementation of those interventions and components. The research- based findings would help the project to refine its implementation strategies and scale up success stories both, nationally and internationally.     

‘Aspire to Innovate (a2i) Programme’ is going to recruit a National Consultant Research in order to support the project to conduct baseline studies, implement impact evaluations and/or assessment on certain project interventions. 

Objectives: 

The overall objectives of the assignment will be:

1. Disseminate and document the successes, lesson learned, challenges and risks of a2i.
2. Lead and implement internal and external research, assessments and evaluations of a2i interventions.
3. Scale up success stories nationally and internationally

Duties and Responsibilities

• Conduct meetings/workshops with relevant team and prepare a prioritized research mapping to accelerate proposed research, evaluation, impact studies and baseline. It is to be note that the cost of meeting and workshop and other arrangement will be borne by a2i.
• Prepare an annual research plan with allocated research budget for each research outcome.
• Develop and circulate ToRs for hiring of consultants/firms to conduct research on certain issue/interventions with sound portrayal of the background, objectives, scopes of works, research methods, qualifications, deliverables, competencies, etc.
• Ensure strategic guidance and advisory support to the consultant/firms for the execution of the research.
• Coordinate and lead internal and external survey work, field assessments and develop methodology and tools for data collection and analysis.
• Facilitate the evaluation and editing of the proposals submitted by consultants/firms.
• Oversee the identification of initiatives of the project for impact evaluations.
• Finalize research methodology and the conduction of evaluations.
• Spearhead and develop report writing/article development/proposals/concept note development/research papers/policy briefs/ flyer etc.
• Lead to publish articles in national and international journals.
• Coordinate the distribution of relevant findings with project components to instil research findings in the decision-making process.
• Collaborate with the government, research organizations, UN Agencies and other development partners to identify new research areas and exchange knowledge.
• Exchange knowledge products with international audiences through South-South Cooperation and identify international scopes for publication.
• Spearhead and provide strategic guidance for the creation of the mid-line/end-line report.
• Perform any other activities assigned by the authority.   

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Familiar with and shares the vision of human development as laid out in the flagship HDR series.
• Should have very competent/outstanding writing skill in Bangla and English

Functional Competencies:

• Encourages Knowledge Sharing and Learning.
• Disseminates specialized knowledge and experience.
• Actively works towards continuing personal learning and development in one or more Practice Areas, acts on learning plan and applies newly acquired skills.

Leadership and Self-Management:

• Focuses on result for the client;
• Has demonstrable leadership skill;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
• Demonstrates openness to change;
• Responds positively to feedback and differing points of view.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

Minimum Master’s in Political Science/ Social Science/ Public Policy/Development Studies/Business Administration or any other relevant discipline.

Experience/other qualifications:

• At least overall 10 years of professional experience in conducting qualitative and quantitative research/evaluation research/survey at any national or international organization.
• Where minimum 5 years of experience in research management/ impact or assessment studies.

Supervision and Performance Evaluation:

The Research Consultant will be working under the supervision of the Programme Advisor of the a2i Programme. The Programme Advisor will be responsible for reviewing the performance and approve the deliverables.

Timeframe and deadlines:

The assignment will be for 90 working days over 5.5 months(Tentative).

Reporting authority:

The National Consultant Research will closely work with the Programme Advisor, Aspire to Innovate (a2i) Programme. Therefore, the activities of the incumbent will be regularly monitored by the Programme Advisor, Aspire to Innovate (a2i) Programme.

Duty Station and expected places of travel:

Dhaka with travel to any district if required for the assignment.

Tentative Payment Schedule:

• The incumbent will be paid on deliverable basis.

Financial Proposal

Total lump sum:

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the ToR.  To assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days). 

Payment of the Consultant as per deliverables

Travel

All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel to a higher class, he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs, including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Evaluation of the Candidates:

Evaluation of the Candidates: Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis: The candidates will be evaluated through Cumulative Analysis method. The award of the contract will 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 a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points in the technical evaluation would be considered for Financial Evaluation.

Technical Evaluation Criteria (Total 70 marks)-Maximum weight: 70%

• Educational qualification (15 Marks)
• Experience in conducting research or baseline and impact/assessment studies on social/development issues/digital platforms (20 marks)
• Experience in the development of research papers/policy briefs/flyer/proposal/concept note etc.(15 marks)
• Proposed execution processes/technical proposal including methodology and work plan. (20 marks)

Financial Evaluation (Total 30 marks)
All technical qualified proposals will be scored out 30 based on the formula provided below. The maximum points (30) will be assigned to the lowest financial proposal. All other proposals received points according to the following formula:

                                            p = y (µ/z)

where:

p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated

y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal

µ = price of the lowest priced proposal

z = price of the proposal being evaluated

Recommended Presentation of Offer:

Interested individuals must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications.

Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;

Personal CV or P11, 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;

• http://www.bd.undp.org/content/bangladesh/en/home/operations/jobs/

Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment and a methodology on how she/she will approach and complete the assignment.

Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided

• http://www.bd.undp.org/content/dam/bangladesh/docs/Jobs/Interest%20and%20Submission%20of%20Financial%20Proposal-Template%20for%20Confirmation.docx

Suppose an organization/company/institution employs an Offeror 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). In this case, the Offeror must indicate this at this point and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated into the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.  

Methodology/Technical proposal

Please combine all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows you to upload a maximum of one document.

Note: The individual consultant who does not submit the above documents/requirements shall not be considered for further evaluation.