Background

The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) is a partnership of national governments, UN agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks and financing mechanisms, the private sector, and knowledge institutions that aims to promote the resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks in support of sustainable development. CDRI promotes rapid development of resilient infrastructure through three strategic priorities, including technical support and capacity building, research and knowledge management, and advocacy and partnerships. As of September 2022, 31 countries, six international organisations, and two private sector organisations are members of the coalition.

CDRI’s Biennial Report on Global Infrastructure Resilience will focus global attention on the critical and multi-faceted challenges posed to disaster and climate resilient infrastructure, with a thematic focus on nature-based solutions.

The Report will be launched at the G20 Summit in 2023 during India’s presidency. A core initiative within the Report is the first ever fully probabilistic risk assessment covering global infrastructure sectors — that is expected to inform planning, decision making and investment in disaster and climate resilient infrastructure by providing credible and fully comparable probabilistic risk metrics that cover every country and territory in the world. In addition, the Report comprises thematic chapters on nature-based solutions, financing for resilient infrastructure, and monitoring the progress of global commitments on infrastructure resilience.

UNDP’s Synergy with Infrastructure Resilience and CDRI

UNDP has been a key partner to the CDRI right since its inception. UNDP supported the CDRI in its two International Conferences in 2018 and 2019 which paved the way for its formal launch. Globally, UNDP’s role in infrastructure resilience has been in the following ways:

• UNDP works to promote resilience at the level of communities and governments through several interventions and considers these resilience measures essential to building infrastructure resilience. For example, UNDP has promoted building codes and regulations in several countries, which contribute to improving the standards and capacities for improving regulations and building resilience.   
• UNDP helps countries conduct risk assessment which addresses infrastructure planning. UNDP also supports assessment of infrastructure damage and loss after major disasters. These assessments contribute to development planning as well as recovery and reconstruction of infrastructure.    
• UNDP helps countries adopt policies and implement programmes to build more resilient community infrastructure to protect the lives and livelihoods of people who depend upon small-scale infrastructure, such as roads, draining, irrigation, and electricity and water conduits.

UNDP is supporting the CDRI in the coordination, drafting, editing and production of the report.

The Report is spearheaded by the Coordinating Lead Author and the Project Management Office and entails a hierarchy of authors contributing across the six pillars in varied capacities. 

Pillar 1: Global Infrastructure Risk Model

The Model is the first ever fully probabilistic risk assessment covering global infrastructure sectors. It is expected that it will inform planning, decision making and investment in disaster and climate resilient infrastructure by providing credible and fully comparable probabilistic risk metrics that cover every country and territory in the world.

Pillar 2: Global Infrastructure Resilience Index

The Index will highlight the progress of various countries in developing disaster and climate resilient infrastructure by combining metrics from the global risk and resilience assessment done in Pillar 1 with the metrics of infrastructure investment and quality of infrastructure governance. These will be derived from the Global Infrastructure Resilience Survey (GIRS) - a global survey that will collect and analyse infrastructure management and decision-making data to develop a novel global database on global infrastructure resilience.

Pillar 3: Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for Disaster and Climate Resilient Infrastructure

Pillar 3 will discuss the common economic, social, political, institutional issues that need to be addressed at the global, national, and sub-national levels to unlock and realize the potential of nature-based solutions in disaster and climate resilient infrastructure. The Pillar will advocate for mainstreaming and greater uptake of nature-based solutions for resilient infrastructure.

Pillar 4: Progress Monitoring

This pillar will include reviewing the progress towards achieving the goals and targets of the Sendai Framework and other associated international commitments on disaster and climate risk reduction and assessing countries’ progress in achieving them

Pillar 5: Financing for Disaster and Climate Resilient Infrastructure

This pillar of will discuss the financial models and mechanisms, as well as opportunities that can be leveraged to support the development of disaster and climate resilient infrastructure. It will elaborate the economic and financial case for resilience and identify innovative approaches to mobilize finance

Duties and Responsibilities

The Goal of Pillar 4 of the Biennial Report is to: “Assess global progress in closing the infrastructure resilience gap”

Ultimately, progress in achieving disaster and climate resilient infrastructure is best measured through outcome data on damage and loss to infrastructure assets and the disruption of essential services.  Indicators were developed to measure progress in the achievement of Global Target 4 of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, namely “Substantially reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services, among them health and educational facilities, including through developing their resilience by 2030”. 

Unfortunately, few countries maintain or update national databases of disaster loss and damage that systematically record loss and damage to infrastructure assets.  At present, therefore, outcome monitoring remains an aspirational goal. 

Given this limitation, the first edition of Global Infrastructure Resilience will develop a range of output and input indicators based on Pillar 1 and 2 to produce a baseline of infrastructure risk and resilience for each country and territory.  This baseline can be updated biennially.  This output and input level monitoring would be validated through outcome level case studies from selected post-disaster loss and damage assessments.  

UNDP seeks to hire a technical expert to lead the development of Pillar 4 of the Biennial Report on Global Infrastructure Resilience.

Responsibilities and Deliverables

The Coordinating Lead Author will have overall responsibility for the development of Pillar 4 Progress Monitoring of global goals related to infrastructure resilience.  

Specific responsibilities:

1. Developing the baseline of infrastructure risk and resilience for each country and territory, illustrating that baseline through outcome level case studies from selected post-disaster loss and damage assessments
2. Overseeing the integration of quantitative, statistical, graphic and cartographic information from Pillars 1 and 2 into the draft Report including data related to:
   1. Loss Exceedance Curves
   2. Average Annual Loss
   3. Probable Maximum Loss
3. Preparing Annexures to the Report summarising and presenting the results of Pillars 1 and 2
4. Integrating all the above information into the Data Platform and other digital media that will accompany the publication of the report. The data platform allows remote users to visualize, query, download and analyse the risk information produced in the Global Infrastructure Risk Model.

Deliverables

In close coordination with the Coordinating Lead Author, the deliverables of this assignment would be:

1. Baseline for monitoring progress in disaster and climate infrastructure resilience designed using the outputs of Pillars 1 and 2.
2. Case studies from recent Post Disaster Need Assessment exercises to illustrate and validate the baseline selected and prepared.
3. Review of other relevant indicators from the SFDRR and SDG monitoring processes.
4. Draft chapter on progress monitoring prepared and submitted to the Coordinating Lead Author
5. Quantitative, statistical, graphic and cartographic information, based on the outputs of Pillar 1 and 2 prepared for integration in the Draft Report.
6. Statistical tables, infographics and cartographic products prepared to include as Annexures of the Report 

Complete finalisation, revision and correction of all statistical, graphic and cartographic information in the Report and its Annexures

Competencies

Functional Competencies   

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

• Good knowledge on academic writing, research practices and journal referencing
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.

Communication skills

• Good communication, interpersonal skills, with an ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.

Core Competencies

• Demonstrates/safeguards ethics and integrity
• Works as a team membe

Required Skills and Experience

Qualifications and requirements:

Candidates should meet the following requirements:

1. Education:  Advanced university degree in a subject area relevant to disaster and climate risk and resilience (for example, civil engineering, architecture, geography).  A PhD would be desirable.
2. Experience: At least fifteen years of professional experience in developing indicators and indexes to measure disaster risk and resilience, in particular based on probabilistic modelling techniques.  Experience in using this information to engage governments would also be desirable.
3. Global reports: Professional experience in the development and production of global reports on disaster risk and resilience issues is essential
4. International background:  Experience acquired two or more geographic regions, including at least one from the Global South
5. Languages: Fluency in English.  Knowledge of other UN languages would be also desirable.
6. Publication history: At least five publications in academic journals (as author or co-author) relevant to the present assignment

Duration of the assignment:

The assignment would be for 6 months, between January 1 and June 30, 2023, with a total estimated dedication of 60 consultant days.

Work Schedule

valuation Method and criteria:

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)

• Educational Qualification 35marks.
• Relevant Experience 35 marks.

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.

The contract shall be awarded on the merit basis.

Note: Please ensure that all the documents to be uploaded should be combined in a single PDF file before uploading as the system has provision of uploading only one document.

General Conditions for Individual Contract-
http://www.in.undp.org/content/dam/india/docs/procurement/UNDP%20General%20Conditions%20for%20Individual%20Contracts.pdf 

UNDP 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.