Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

The Fiji Multi Country Office (MCO) covers 14 Pacific countries, with field offices/presence in 6 countries, and six ‘focus countries’ (Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Tonga and Samoa). Each field presence is led by a national Country Programme Coordinator with a Programme Officer in Tonga. UN Women, in partnership with Pacific Islands Governments, regional organizations, CSOs, donors and UN agencies, focuses on delivering within four interlinked programme areas:

• Women’s Political Empowerment and Leadership (WPEL)
• Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE)
• Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG)
• Gender and Protection in Humanitarian Action (GPiHA) and Disaster Risk Reduction

The Spotlight Initiative is a global, multi-year partnership between the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU), focusing on eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG). The initiative places SDG 5 at the centre of efforts (as well as SDG 16) with the aim to provide an enabling environment for the implementation of all goals. Spotlight provides a model for partnership with donors, civil society, and all UN partners, to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a comprehensive manner leveraging comparative expertise.

The Spotlight Initiative in Samoa focuses on domestic violence and intimate partner violence, building on existing Government commitments to ending domestic and intimate partner violence and cultural institutions in Samoa that support ending violence against women and girls. The programme will contextualize local and international best practices in preventing and responding to violence and learn from emerging practice on what works in Samoa. The implementing UN organizations for the Spotlight Initiative programme are the UN Women, UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA and UNESCO.

The Spotlight Initiative has completed its Phase 1 and is progressing towards the implementation of all activities under Phase 2 which will end by December 2023.  To ensure that Phase 2 is well coordinated and managed, the Programme seeks to recruit a Programme Technical Coherence Lead and Project Coordinator to provide substantial technical guidance and support to the RCO and the UN organisations in the last nine months of the programme.

UN Women’s programme on Ending Violence against women and girls (EVAWG) is recognised worldwide as a social, political, and public health problem as well as a fundamental violation of human rights. It aims - through innovative approaches to prevention, access to essential services, and policy development - to transform the social norms that allow violence against women and girls to continue and to support national and regional institutions meet their gender equality commitments.

In this regard UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office (MCO) in close consultation with the UN Women Samoa Office seeks to hire a consultant to ensure the implementation of a common strategic direction and planning process among the recipient UN agencies and the achievement of objectives and results of the Spotlight Initiative Samoa.

Objectives of the Assignment

This consultation will be done in close collaboration with the Resident Coordinators Office Samoa and the UN Women Samoa Country Programme Coordinator. The consultant will provide technical guidance for the planning and implementation of Phase 2 Spotlight Initiative while and in ensuring coordination and reporting mechanisms for RUNOs are supported:

• Coordination of Spotlight Initiative in collaboration with the RCO.
• Provide Technical Coherence lead for Spotlight Initiative and RUNOs.
• Coordinate the Spotlight deliverable under UN Women for Phase 2.
• All report drafting and presentation to Spotlight Secretariat and Joint Steering Committee members.
• Engage with and select stakeholders for consultations related to Spotlight.

The RCO has committed to adopting and institutionalizing this role within their office to ensure that Spotlight reporting and coordination is in line with their planning.

Scope of Work/Duties and Responsibilities

Under direct supervision of Samoa Resident Coordinators Office and Samoa Country Programme Coordinator, with support from UN Women Programme Specialist (EVAWG), the Consultant will perform the following task including specific tasks which are as follows:

The following is the objective of the consultancy:

Ensure the implementation of a common strategic direction and planning process among the recipient UN agencies and the achievement of objectives and results:

• Ensure the global programme coordination common strategic guidance and planning, and oversee a coherent and effective implementation of the programme through adopting results-based approach, creativity and innovation according to the needs of the programme;
• Coordinate the elaboration of common annual work plans and budgets, ensuring coherence among the recipient agencies;
• Oversee the implementation of approved common plans and budgets and provide oversight on the technical and financial management of the various components of the joint programme in line with the agreed plans and budgets;
• Coordinate the joint JSC meetings and NRG meetings to support the governance and management functions of the RCO in overseeing both governance mechanisms, in partnership with the relevant UN agencies. 
• In coordination with Spotlight team members, undertake regular monitoring of field operations in close liaison with the participating agencies;
• Organize, prepare and follow up on Steering Committee meetings, events, workshops and high-level missions, including Secretariat function to the Steering Committee.
• In close collaboration with Spotlight Technical Specialists ensure context-relevant and sensitive planning and coordination;
• Maintain excellent relations with donors and coordinate joint meetings with the agencies;
• Manage and, directly as well as in matrix arrangement, supervise Spotlight team members to fulfil the responsibilities of oversight, partnership engagement, reporting, and communication.

Ensuring effective and coherent technical and financial management and reporting in close collaboration of participating agencies:

• In close collaboration with the Spotlight Team members, analyze reports on programme achievements in terms of achieved results and consolidate narrative and financial reports received from the four participating UN agencies according to the planned annual calendar of the programme and in particular:
• Ensure the development of the annual work plan, monitoring and evaluation plan;
• Ensure programme budget monitoring: expenses monitoring to ensure service delivery in line with the approved programme budget;
• Undertake monitoring missions and regular meetings with all involved stakeholders, including programme partner, and advice on the strategy of intervention;
• Review the agencies´ quarterly and annual consolidated reports to ensure alignment and harmonization of the Spotlight Program reporting obligations to be submitted to relevant entities;
• Ensure that reports are of high quality and transmitted on time to the stakeholders of the programme, especially EU, CROP agencies, national entities and CSOs;
• In close collaboration with Spotlight Technical Specialists ensure context relevant and sensitive reporting;
• Ensure appropriate reporting to Steering Committee meetings, Spotlight Secretariat, and high-level mission.

In close collaboration with UN Women Fiji MCO and Samoa Country VAWG team members:

• Support transition from Spotlight Initiative to VAWG related interventions including but not exclusively;
• Facilitate national consultations with relevant stakeholders and draft report on findings;
• Work closely with UN Women partners for technical support on Spotlight deliverables;
• Support UN Women team in VAWG related design and implementation plans as informed by national consultations;
• Ensuring effective and coherent technical support of Project Transition under the VAWG UN Women programme.

Duration of the assignment

The total duration of the contract assignment is tentatively planned for up to 120 non-consecutive working days within a 6-month period effective from June 2023.

The Consultant is expected to work on the deliverables as specified in Section V below.

Expected Deliverables

The Consultant is expected to work and deliver the following results:

The consultant is also required to coordinate with NOLA to arrange and support the cost of disability inclusive support services required. They may include: translation of  materials (as required), interpreters and support for a co-trainer. This may be added as part of the consultants financial proposal.

All the documents, including consultation material and reports should be written in the English language.

Note that all materials, including video footage and images will remain property of UN Women and cannot be used without UN Women’s permission.

Upon receipt of final deliverables and prior to the payment of the installment, the deliverables, related reports and documents will be reviewed and approved by UN Women within one week.

Inputs

• The Consultant will submit drafts of all reports and documents to UN Women for review and comment.  UN Women will review all documents and reports within one week of submission.  The Consultant will then submit final documents that incorporate and respond to UN Women feedback.
• RCO Samoa will provide the Consultant with background materials for the training preparations including the Spotlight Materials.
• The Consultant is expected to work in the RCO designated premises for printing of relevant documents or should they be required to work on-site at any point during the assignment and may access the UN Women Samoa Office support when required.

Performance evaluation

Contractor’s performance will be evaluated based on timeliness, responsibility, initiative, communication, accuracy, and quality of the products delivered.

Financial Arrangement

Payment will be disbursed in tranches upon submission and approval of deliverables and certification by the project managers that the services have been satisfactorily performed as per the delivery table above.

1st instalment:  upon approval of the deliverables 1

2nd   and Final instalment: upon approval of the deliverables 2,3-10.

Travel

No travel is envisaged for the implementation of the current assignments, unless otherwise advised by UN Women.  UN Women will apply the standard UN Travel Rules and Guidelines if travel is envisaged.

If required, during the consultancy assignment’s related missions, UN Women Fiji Multi Country Office in close consultation with the UN Women Samoa Office will cover travel cost for the Consultant for the agreed upon routing and in conformity with UN Women applicable rules and regulations.

Due to the geographical local of the UN Women Samoa Field Office, including its implementing partners, any boat/ferry cost involved should be covered at economy class rate as per UN Women Travel Rules and Guidelines. 

Should the Consultant wish to travel on a different class of travel (by sea or by air), he/she can do so using his/her own personal expenses on the difference/s in amount noted.

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
• Accountability
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Leading by Example

Functional Competencies:

• Good programme formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation skills
• Good knowledge of Results Based Management
• Ability to gather and interpret data, reach logical conclusions and present findings and recommendations
• Good analytical skills

Required Qualifications and Experience

The Consultant should fulfill the following requirements:

Education

• Master’s degree or equivalent in gender and development studies, human rights, disability inclusion or related fields.
• A first-level university degree with 2 additional years of progressively responsible experience at the national and/or international level may be accepted in lieu of Master’s degree.

Experience and Skills

• At least 2 years (with Masters’ degree) or 4 years (with first-level university degree) of progressively responsible experience of working and collaborating with the local disability organizations in assisting/supporting training for persons with disabilities and activities on gender equality and women’s leadership.
• At least a minimum of 5 years’ proven record in strategic networking and leading/facilitating and training  and policy consultations with the persons with disabilities.
• At least minimum of 3 years’ proven expertise in gender equality and working on women’s rights and leadership.
• Experience development and conducting training programmes and policy consultations with a focus on disability and gender equality and women’s empowerment.
• Good analysis, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Ability to write reports and proof of communication in the Samoan language is an added advantage.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in written and spoken English and Samoan is required.
• Computer literacy and ability to effectively use office technology equipment, IT tools, including ability to use internet and email.

Evaluation

Initially, individual consultants will be short-listed based on the following minimum qualification criteria:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in gender and development studies, human rights, disability inclusion or related fields.  A first-level university degree with 2 additional years of progressively responsible experience at the national and/or international level may be accepted in lieu of Master’s degree.
• At least 2 years (with Masters’ degree) or 4 years (with first-level university degree) of progressively responsible experience of working and collaborating with the local disability organizations in assisting/supporting training and policy consultations for persons with disabilities and activities on gender equality and women’s leadership.

The shortlisted individual consultant will be further evaluated based on a cumulative analysis scheme, with a total score being obtained upon the combination of weighted technical and financial attributes. 

Cost under this method of analysis is rendered as an award criterion, which will be 30% out of a total score of 100 points.

Evaluation of submitted offers will be done based on the following formula:

where:

Technical evaluation will be presented through desk review of applications. Interviews and/or written tests will be organized if needed only, depending on the short-listed candidates’ qualifications.

Technical Qualification Evaluation Criteria: The technical part is evaluated based on its responsiveness to the Terms of Reference (TOR).

Financial Evaluation Criteria: In this Second Stage, the financial proposal of candidates, who have attained minimum 70% score in the technical evaluation (at least 49 points), will be compared.

Winning Candidate

The winning candidate will be the candidate who has accumulated the highest aggregated score (technical scoring + financial scoring).

Submission of application

Interested candidates are requested to submit fully completed application on the UNDP Vacancy Site. 

Submission Package:

1. Cover letter explaining the suitability of the consultant: applicants are encouraged to address experience and qualifications listed in the ‘criteria for technical evaluation’.
2. Duly filled Personal History Form (P11) and/or Curriculum Vitae (CV) of Consultant including records of experience in similar assignments and specific outputs obtained; P11 can be downloaded at: https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us/employment
3. Financial proposal – specifying a total lump sum amount for the tasks specified in this Terms of Reference.  The financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (daily rate and number of anticipate working days and any other possible costs).
4. Please read, use and complete ANNEX I and ANNEX II below to provide your financial proposal.

Applications without a complete financial proposal will be treated as incomplete and will not be considered for further assessment.  UN Women reserves the right to accept or reject any bid.

The consultancy recruitment process will be governed by the rules and regulations of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).

UN Women Statement on Diversity and Inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.  

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.  

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United  Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination.  All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check).

Deadline of all submission: 11th June 2023

Annex I

Price Proposal Guideline and Template

The prospective Consultant should take the following explanations into account during submission of his/her price proposal.

Lump Sum Amount

The price proposal should indicate a "lump sum amount" which is "all-inclusive"; All costs (professional fees, living allowances, communications, consumables, travel, and accommodation expenses during home-based work, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor needs to be factored into the proposed price.

UN Women will not withhold any amount of the payments for tax and/or social security related payments. UN Women shall have no liability for taxes, duties, or other similar charges payable by the Individual Contractor in respect of any amounts paid to the Individual Contractor under this Contract, and the Contractor acknowledges that UN Women will not issue any statements of earnings to the Individual contractor in respect of any such payments.

Contract price is fixed to activities/deliverables indicated in the ToR, regardless of the changes in the cost components (such as days invested for completion of the deliverables.)

Please incorporate in the financials the cost of disability inclusive support required under other related costs: translation of  materials (as required), interpreters and support for a co-trainer)

Travel costs

No travel is envisaged for the implementation of the current assignments, unless otherwise advised by UN Women.  UN Women will apply the standard UN Travel Rules and Guidelines if travel is envisaged.

If required, during the consultancy assignment’s related missions, UN Women Fiji Multi Country Office in close consultation with the UN Women Samoa Office will cover travel cost for the Consultant for the agreed upon routing and in conformity with UN Women applicable rules and regulations.

Due to the geographical local of the UN Women Samoa Field Office, including its implementing partners, any boat/ferry cost involved should be covered at economy class rate as per UN Women Travel Rules and Guidelines. 

Should the Consultant wish to travel on a different class of travel (by sea or by air), he/she can do so using his/her own personal expenses on the difference/s in amount noted.

Daily Subsistence Allowance

Not applicable.

Currency of the price proposal

The applicants are requested to submit their price proposals in TALA$.

In case of proposals in other currency, these shall be converted into TALA using the official UN exchange rate for currency conversion to TALA at the date of applications’ submission deadline.

Annex II

Price Proposal Submission Form

[ Mandatory document for the Consultant to complete and submit]

To:          United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women

Ref:         IC/SSA National Consultant – To provide substantial technical guidance and support to the RCO and the  UN organisations in Phase 2 of the Spotlight Initiative in Samoa, UN Women Samoa Office

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Sir / Madam,

I, the undersigned, offer to provide professional consulting services to UN Women within the scope of the referred Assignment.  Having examined, understood, and agreed to the Terms of Reference and its annexes, the receipt of which are hereby duly acknowledged, I, the undersigned, offer to deliver professional services, in conformity with the Terms of Reference.

My maximum total price proposal for the assignment is given below:

Estimated Costs (in TALA$)

*** Please be informed that for shorter assignments than a full day, the daily rate will be pro-rated into hourly rate.

I confirm that my financial proposal will remain unchanged.  I also confirm that the price that I quote is gross, and is inclusive of all legal expenses, including but not limited to social security, income tax, pension, etc., which shall be required by applicable laws.

I agree that my proposal shall remain binding upon me for 60 working days.

I understand that you are not bound to accept any proposal you may receive.