Background

The UNDP Global Centre for Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development (the ‘UNDP Global Centre’) aims to identify, co-design and share innovative and technological solutions for sustainable development through catalysing new insights, partnerships, and action on-the-ground in the countries where UNDP works. Our areas of focus are: Sustainable and Digital Agriculture, Sustainable Finance, and Smart Cities and Digitalisation. We aim to leverage expertise in Singapore, from across our global network of UNDP Country Offices and UNDP Accelerator Labs, and from experts and partners around the globe.

The Global Centre is a joint initiative of the Singapore Government and UNDP, currently being led by a small team that is focused on programme and partnership development – both with the public and private sector in Singapore and international partners, including the above UNDP network. Singapore Government partners include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE), the Economic Development Board (EDB), and the Public Service Division (PSD).

By 2050, nearly 70% of the world's population - an additional 2.5 billion people - will live in urban areas. This rapid urbanisation will bring new economic opportunities but is also likely to sharpen income disparities, increasing the potential for social conflict. In this context, it is a global development priority to build inclusive, liveable and sustainable urban areas: Smart Cities. The COVID-19 pandemic has also reaffirmed the importance of digital for the 2030 Agenda. This includes the role of digital products and services to improve lives and livelihoods, and the importance of inclusive digital public services.

However, any digital solutions must be founded on the needs, realities, and aspirations of ‘users’ – including citizens, and other beneficiaries. This includes emerging technologies, such as uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs, or ‘drones’). UAVs are common elements in visualisations or discussions of any ‘smart city’. Similarly, in international development more broadly, UAVs have been recognised for their potential – and efficiency – in delivering physical goods and resources across distances, conducting mapping or photography, for maintenance of critical infrastructure, and numerous other purposes. The UNDP Global Centre has recently undertaken an extensive analysis of UAV opportunities and challenges within a lower-income urban environment. This will be published shortly (a draft will be shared with the consultant selected for this assignment).

This study highlighted the potential for automated UAV operations – with routes defined by software or other markers, and with no pilot (or, a single pilot overseeing numerous flights). However, in the context of such large-scale and innovative applications, the efficiency of UAVs over manual logistics delivery is predicated on quality location data or geocoordinates – which automate UAV flight paths so they reach the exact location of the addressee as quickly and as safely as possible. Similarly, another broad category of use-cases for UAV deployments involves data collection – mapping infrastructure, agriculture, biodiversity, etc. through aerial surveys. Here too, the value of UAV-collected data is predicated on geocoding, an accurate representation of each data point’s exact location. Without precise addresses, UAV data collection efforts remain ‘unpinned’ in the real world – and are limited in their ability to inform effective real-world intervention.

These challenges highlight a broader issue across lower-income cities, and within many lower-income countries. Around the world, up to four billion people live in a place without a proper address. This results in significant difficulties in public service delivery, and can even result in broader exclusion from public and private services. However, in the context of the digital economy, this challenge could be exacerbated. With the potential increase in digital technologies – such as UAVs – for delivery, logistics, and other important services, such ‘unaddressed’ individuals and communities could become further marginalised.

However, this marginalisation in the context of UAVs may not be inevitable. UAVs largely do not need to use traditional addressing solutions – such as house numbers, or street names. This is because postal addresses largely lack the degree of spatial resolution, international standardisation, and integration with geocoding infrastructure (including satellites) required for precision landing. In the past, coordinates proved to be a reasonable solution for UAVs to chart flight paths and determine their position in real time – but coordinates are lengthy strings of digits prone to human error, and take a variety of possible forms incorporating a range of typographical symbols (decimal points, degree signs, single/double apostrophes, etc.). In response, proprietary addressing solutions have emerged. These aim to prioritise ease of use for non-specialist users and customers (particularly governments, emergency services, and logistics companies), which encourages greater uptake of UAV and other solutions in a wider range of domains. 

Although exciting, these proprietary addressing solutions come with their own risks – and cities need to be cautious not to over-rely on such commercial addressing services. They could lead to financial costs and difficulties in scaling, particularly recognising that proprietary solutions rarely release their source code for modification or inspection. They may also reduce the possibility for interoperability and innovative ‘mashups’ with related technologies – and in the context of UAV deployment, could delay the development of shared-use digital systems and related physical infrastructure. Cities using inflexible proprietary softwares could also be ‘locking’ themselves in to certain design decisions or trade-offs which disproportionately affect them. By contrast, open source addressing solutions – which are non-propriertary, and potentially use-case agnostic - could be a valuable component of a city’s UAV explorations.

The purpose of this assignment is to explore open-source addressing solutions in a lower-income urban context (i.e. a city located in a low-income, lower-middle income, or upper-middle-income country, based on World Bank definitions that can be found here). Therefore, each IC is expected to be based in a relevant country (and/or city), where these UAV flights will take place.

Duties and Responsibilities

As lower-income cities increasingly engage with the potential of UAVs, there is an important need to highlight the potential for non-propriertary and open-source addressing solutions. This can mitigate some of the above challenges, but also provide city officials with improved visibility regarding potential options – ensuring they are suitably informed when procuring or contracting commercial solutions. In many contexts, commercial and propertiary addressing solutions will be the most suitable option. However, this may not always be the case.

With this in mind, the UNDP Global Centre is looking to hire four Individual Consultants (IC) to demonstrate the potential of open-source addressing solutions for urban drone deployments. In particular, the UNDP Global Centre will work with the IC to identify a lower-income urban setting, a suitable use-case (e.g. photography, mapping, etc.), and a suitable open-source addressing solution(s). The IC is expected to share some initial thinking as part of the application process (see ’Recommended Presentation of Offer’ section below).

The IC will be expected to have extensive practical experience of urban UAV technologies and operations (including possessing the necessary certifications, approvals, and suitable levels of insurance), strong relationships with city administration(s) and relevant city officials where this project can be undertaken, and excellent knowledge of the UAV (and broader) open-source landscape and associated communities. The IC will be responsible for identifying, testing, and validating the role and relevance of open-source addressing solutions for UAV urban deployments in lower-income cities.

In particular, the scope of work will include:

1. Identifying urban use-case(s) in a lower-income urban setting to test identified open-source addressing solutions, in a lower-income urban city familiar to the IC. A long-list of potential use-cases (and accompanying addressing solutions) should be submitted to the UNDP Global Centre, for refinement in collaboration with the IC.
2. Conducting UAV flights in the context of the use-case, and to demonstrate the open-source addressing solution(s). This could be accompanied by evaluation of solutions alongside propriertary addressing services. Ideally, the IC should have existing relationships or familiarity with the city administration. The IC must also demonstrate compliance with all local and national (and other) UAV operating requirements.
3. Providing extensive documentation to allow others in the UAV and open-source community to replicate the use-case(s), and apply the open-source addressing solution(s) in their own work. This should include highlighting broader opportunities – such as the role of geocoding (or addressing) APIs or other interfaces – and identifying any coding or development needs for the open source addressing solution(s). If custom code is developed as part of this assignment, the IC should publish this on a free-to-access repository under a suitable license.
4. Delivering a summary report of the project. This should include significant technical and operational detail, and be drafted as a ‘Process Paper’ – i.e. including all successes, failings, and other learning. The report should also be accompanied by at least 30 high-resolution photographs that document the entire workflow, flight (and accompanying use-case(s)), and other operational aspects.

The IC shall work closely with UNDP staff and partners (particularly the local UNDP Country Office) for this assignment.

Expected Outputs/Deliverables and Payment Scheme

Competencies

Core Competencies

Ethics and Values:

• Demonstrates commitment to the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Demonstrates and promotes the highest standard of integrity, impartiality, fairness and incorruptibility in all matters affecting his/her work and status.

Organisational Awareness:

• Promotes the mission, vision and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment understands the structure and hierarchy of UN/UNDP, process flows throughout the organization, products and services, their measures of effectiveness, and perceptions of clients;
• Excellent knowledge of development issues and internationally-agreed development goals;

Working in Teams:

• Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
• Works collaboratively with colleagues inside UN/UNDP as well as its partners and other stakeholders to pursue common goals.
• Ability to work at ease in a multicultural setting.

Communicating Information and Ideas:

• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
• Delivers verbal/written information in a timely, clear, organized and easily understood manner;
• Strong communication skills and the ability to listen and take direction and leadership from others.

Self-Management and Emotional Intelligence:

• Creating synergies through self-control, tolerates conditions of stress, uncertainty or ambiguity and continues to maintain a positive outlook and to work productively.

Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Learning:

• Ability to efficiently handle and share information and knowledge

Functional competencies:

• Language: Excellent English writing and presentation skills are required. Working knowledge of another UN language is considered an asset;
• Competencies: Knowledge of technologies and approaches relevant to open-source.

Required Skills and Experience

Qualifications of the Successful Individual Contractor

• Academic Qualifications: Master’s degree in computer science, data science, engineering, or related technology field is desirable; extensive professional qualifications and credentials relating to UAV operations is expected;
• Work experience: At least five years of demonstrated experience in urban UAV deployments in lower-income cities (including extensive experience in the city selected by the IC). The IC should also have  considerable familiarity with the proprierary and open-source addressing landscape (including in relation to UAV operations);

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 Institutional Arrangement

• The IC will work under the direct supervision of and report to the Director, UNDP GC-TISD.

Duration of the Work

• This contract is for 15 working days;
• Reviews, feedback, approvals, and acceptance of outputs/deliverables by UNDP might require up to five working days.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

• All proposals must be expressed in the form of an all-inclusive lumpsum amount. The contract price is fixed regardless of changes in the cost components;
• Payment to the Contractor will be made according to number of days worked and successful implementation of deliverables.

Recommended Presentation of Offer

Offerors must submit the following documents with their application:

• 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.
• Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment (including demonstrating understanding of the assignment) and a methodology on how they will approach and complete the assignment – including detailing the particular UAV and addressing use-case. This document should also include justification for a particular open-source addressing solution (including mentioning, briefly, why other open-source and propriertary solutions are not suitable for the proposed context and/or use-case). Highlighting any gaps or considerations in the Scope of Work is encouraged.
• Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total lumpsum price, supported by a breakdown of costs (including any local permitting or other 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. 

How to Apply:

• Kindly download the Letter of Confirmation of interest and availability, Financial Proposal Template and General Terms & Conditions mentioned below;
• Read and agree to the General Terms & Conditions;
• Click the ‘apply’ icon and complete what is required;
• Scan all documents into 1 pdf folder and then upload;
• For clarification questions, please email to procurement.sg@undp.org. The clarification question deadline is three (3) days before the closing. When emailing for clarification questions, please put " Drone Expert Consultant " as the subject matter.

Forms and General terms & conditions to be downloaded:

• The Letter of Confirmation Interest with Financial Proposal template at:  Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability with Financial proposal template  
• General Conditions of Contract is available here: GENERAL CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT
• The General Terms & Conditions for Reimbursement Loan Agreement is available at: General Conditions to RLA

Incomplete proposals may not be considered. The shortlisted candidates will be contacted, and the successful candidates will be notified. 

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

Applicants are reviewed based on Required Skills and Experience stated above and based on the technical evaluation criteria outlined below.Applicants will be evaluated based on cumulative scoring.When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Being responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation where technical criteria weigh 70% and Financial criteria/ Proposal weighs 30%.

Technical evaluation – Total 70% (70 points):

The technical evaluation will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevant work experience in urban UAV deployment or broader operations in lower-income cities (45 points)
• Knowledge of propriertary and open-source addressing solutions relevant to UAV deployments (15 points)
• Relevant educational and/or professional qualification (10 points)

Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (49 points) of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria (70 points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

Financial evaluation – Total 30% (30 points)

The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:

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

Contract Award

Candidates obtaining the highest combined scores in the combined score of Technical and Financial evaluation will be considered technically qualified and will be offered to enter into a contract with UNDP.

Note: 

This is pilot assignment  to explore open-source addressing solutions in a lower-income urban context (i.e. a city located in a low-income, lower-middle income, or upper-middle-income country, based on World Bank definitions that can be found here). Hence, four best offerors  having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria  will be awarded  a contract.