UNDP Jobs - 54895- Electoral Graphics Designer (ELECT II Project)

Electoral Graphics Designer (ELECT II Project) - UNDP

Location :

Kabul, AFGHANISTAN

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

31-Mar-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Up to 90 working days over 12 month period

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

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. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

UNDP supports stabilization, state building, governance and development priorities in Afghanistan. UNDP support, in partnership with the Government, the United Nations system, the donor community and other development stakeholders, has contributed to institutional development efforts leading to positive impact on the lives of Afghan citizens.

Over the years UNDP support has spanned such milestone efforts as the adoption of the Constitution; Presidential, Parliamentary and Provincial Council elections; institutional development through capacity-building to the legislative, the judicial and executive arms of the state, and key ministries, Government agencies and commissions at the national and sub national levels.

UNDP Afghanistan is committed to the highest standards of transparency and accountability and works in close coordination with the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the UN system as a whole to maximize the impact of its development efforts on the ground.

Years of conflict have damaged Afghanistan’s economic, political, physical, social and institutional structures. Reconstruction demands a secure environment in which there is credible leadership and enforced rule of law. Strong, legitimate and effective public administration structures, responsive to the needs of ordinary citizens - including the poor – are a precursor to any sustainable development. To this end, UNDP supports Afghan electoral institutions so that they can become more effective vehicles for development.

The UNDP Enhancing Legal and Electoral Capacity for Tomorrow (ELECT) project- phase I (2006 – 2011) provided technical and operational assistance to Afghan electoral bodies throughout the 2009 Presidential and provincial council elections and 2010 parliamentary elections.

ELECT II, which commenced January 2012, was conceived as a targeted and focused project providing a support and advisory role, with a particular focus on institutional strengthening and capacity development during the inter-election period. In line with the process of transition or Afghanisation, as articulated in the Kabul Conference in July 2010, the number of international staff was significantly reduced from previous years.

As the result of a project Mid-term Review and a UN Needs Assessment Mission, the ELECT II project has been extended beyond its original end date of December 2013 until December 2015, and the project objectives have been revised to now include direct electoral assistance for the conduct of the 2014 Presidential and Provincial Council Elections and the 2015 Parliamentary elections.

The overall objective of ELECT II is to support the national electoral institutions to plan and conduct credible elections, most immediately the 2015 Parliamentary and district elections, and to better ensure the integrity of the process. Continuing long-term assistance through support to capacity building of national electoral authorities beyond 2010 is in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2096 (2013).This assistance is closely coordinated with UNAMA, UN Department for Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and UN Electoral Assistance Division (EAD).

The three key outputs for ELECT II are;

Output 1: Institutional, operational and technical capacity of the IEC is developed to ensure well organized, future Afghan-led electoral processes;
Output 2: The quality of the voter registry is improved to support future electoral operations;
Output 3: Capacity of the IEC is strengthened to encourage broader democratic Participation

With regard to the conducted Presidential and Provincial Elections on 5 April 2014 it is expected that the scope of work of the project will be amended in order to provide support to the upcoming parliamentary elections planned for 2015.

Specifically, and as a means to contribute to its goal (Output 3) long-term capacity development, post-ELECT programming should:

Build on the achievements made, to date, in establishing an efficient, Afghan-led Independent Electoral Authority;
Support the IEC in the transition from internationally-supported institution to self-sustaining institution; and
Provide technical and operational capacity-building assistance, with a view to sustain and transfer knowledge to Afghans.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work, Expected Outputs and Deliverables;

Scope of Work;

The International Electoral Graphics Designer will report to UNDP ELECT Pillar 2 STA, closely coordinate with the Election Information Management Specialist, and in the execution of these duties and responsibilities the International Electoral Graphics Designer will advise and assist the Independent Election Commission (IEC) in the following key functions to achieve the desired results:

Key Functions;

Provide technical support to IEC on all aspects of the ballot paper production process, including, designing, printing, packaging, storage and security;
Advise IEC in the development of multiple options for design and process for generation of Ballot paper for District Council Elections ( 398 districts) ;
Assist IEC in the optimizing of the process for ballot paper design and production for Wolesi Jirga and District Elections and
Advise the IEC on quality control mechanisms that can ensure that sensitive printed materials are procured and produced according to graphic standards and technical specifications;
Performs other tasks, duties and responsibilities required for the successful implementation of the project.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables;

Deployment 1:

Develop multiple options for optimized ballot design and production

Deployment 2:

Assist IEC with development of ballot artwork and other sensitive material with security features as well as transfer of candidate nomination data into final ballot designs

Deployment 3:

Assist IEC with oversight of printing of sensitive material, ensuring that packing and required security features are implemented accordingly
Final report to be submitted to UNDP ELECT Pillar 2 STA

Impact of Results;

The key results will impact on the overall ELECT efficiency in providing advisory services and success in strategy development and planning for IEC staff capacity development and institutional consolidation;
Optimization of the ballot design and in particularly for district elections and its production will minimize time for generating large amount of different ballots in anyhow short timeframe as well establishing proper quality assurance mechanism for print production so materials are produced according to specification will result in more efficient use of resources, thus ensure client satisfaction and enhance UNDP credibility in the area of election sensitive material production.

Working Arrangements;

Institutional Arrangements

The consultant will report directly to the ELECT II Election Information Management Specialist;
The consultant will provide updates on developments to both ELECT II Pillar Two Head, and Election Information Management Specialist on a weekly basis, as well as daily needs basis;
The consultant will liaise with the IEC and ELECT Project Sections on all matters related to his/her assignment;
UNDP ELECT project will provide office space within the ELECT Project Offices;
The consultant will be provided with I.C.T. equipment (laptop, mobile phone, mobile radio) and security devices (personal body armor and helmet) and will be fully included in the UNDP Security regime;
Subject to availability of space, UNDP will secure accommodation at one of the following MOSS Compliant locations (costs covered by consultant): UNOCA Compound or the Green Village Compound. The consultant must take accommodation at one of these two locations due to security directives;
UNDP will provide transport from the accommodation to the office and return.

Duration of the Work;

The consultant will provide the services for the duration of the contract;
The consultant will work 5 days a week, with possibility to work 6 days on supervisors request during the contract period;
The contract will be up to 90 working days.

Duty Station;

The Consultant will be based in Kabul, Afghanistan;
If there is a need to travel to the provinces approved allowances will be paid.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments;

Lump Sum Amount;

The financial proposal shall specify a daily fee and payment terms around the 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 terms of reference (TOR). In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of the daily fee (including initial travel, insurance, living allowance, and number of anticipated working days).

Notes:

Living Allowance – The contractor shall propose a living allowance at the Kabul applicable rate of USD 181 per day for his/her stay at the duty station. The contractor is NOT allowed to stay in a place of his/her choice other than the UNDSS approved places. UNDP will provide MORSS compliant accommodation to the contractor. The cost of accommodation to be directly paid by the contractor.

Rest & Recuperation (R&R) – The contractor shall be entitled for one paid (USD 2,606) R&R (7 calendar days) during the course of the assignment after 42 days of continuous stay in the duty station. During these 7 R&R days when the contractor is away from Kabul, the contractor shall be paid the DSA at half rate (USD 90.5 per day) should the contractor retain his/her room in GV for these 7 days.

Additional travel might be required and cost will be reimbursed upon provision of UNDP claim forms;

The total contract price, inclusive of the above elements, shall be converted into a lump sum contract and payments under the contract shall be made on submission and acceptance of deliverables under the contract in accordance with the above mentioned schedule of payment.

Evaluation Method and Criteria;

The award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

Having received the highest combined score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation:

Technical Criteria Weight – 70%

Note: Applicants must submit a short technical proposal describing his or her approach, methodology and timeline to achieve the deliverables.

Financial Criteria Weight – 30%

The offer will be evaluated by using the Best Value for money approach (combined scoring method – using the 70% - 30% distribution for technical and financial proposals respectively).

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 40 technical points out of the 70 obtainable points would be considered for the financial evaluation.

Criteria & Maximum Marks;

Technical : 70 marks

Relevance of Education and or experience– Max 10 points
Relevance of experience as per criteria – Max 40points
Interview – Max 20 points

Financial: 30 marks;

The assignment is based on a lump sum contract amount and payment is based only upon certification and acceptance of the deliverables and/or monthly reports received as indicated above. In the event of non-performance and pre-termination where payments cannot be made in full or may have to suspended, the final payment will be pro-rated against received and accepted deliverables.

Competencies

Core Competencies;

Demonstrated capacity to strongly promote knowledge sharing and knowledge products and systems;
Initiative and sound judgment;
Displays writing and organizational skills; and
Demonstrated ability to work in a diverse team setting;

Functional competencies:

Ability to manage complexities and openness to change;
Ability to lead effectively, mentoring as well as conflict resolution skills;
Ability to work effectively and harmoniously in a team, especially with colleagues from varied cultures and ethnical backgrounds;
Ability to adapt to a difficult working environment, under pressure and with limited timeframes;
Ability to remain calm, in control and good humoured even under pressure;

Communication:

Speaks and writes clearly and effectively;
Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately;
Asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication;
Tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience;
Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed;
Strong interpersonal and communication skills including facilitation skills in training related activities.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

BA degree in Graphic Arts or Design or 10 years of relevant, diversified, and professional experience in graphic arts, design, and printing technologies.

Experience:

Previous experience in assisting in the design of electoral public outreach materials, voter registration cards, and ballot papers;
Advanced graphic computer skills;
Excellent knowledge of election related issues;
Ability to apply development theory to the specific country context to identify creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations;
Excellent graphic skills;
Previous experience in Afghanistan or other Islamic countries an asset;
Knowledge/experience of UN system, preferable;
Advanced computers skills.

Language Requirements;

Fluency in English required;
Fluency of Pashto and/or Dari Languages an asset.

Application procedure:

The award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as;

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information:

Personal CV and P11, including at least three professional references; (Annex)
Technical proposal describing his or her approach, methodology and timeline to achieve the deliverables (to be included in the online submission);
Financial proposal that indicates the fixed total contact price for a six-month assignment, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per the template provided. (Annex)

Only 3-5 best candidates would be invited to the interview and be requested to submit financial proposals.

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information:

Personal CV and P11, including at least three professional references; (Annex);
Technical proposal describing his or her approach, methodology and timeline to achieve the deliverables (to be included in the online submission);
Financial proposal that indicates the fixed total contact price for a six-month assignment, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per the template provided. (Annex).

Please note that UNDP jobsite system allows only one uploading of application document, so please make sure that you merge all your documents into a single file.

Only 3-5 best candidates would be invited to the interview and be requested to submit financial proposals.