Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Guyana, acting as an implementing agency of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), is providing assistance to the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MNRE) in the preparation of the GEF Medium Size Project (MSP) “Strengthening Technical Capacities to Mainstream and Monitor Rio Convention Implementation through Policy Coordination.”

In accordance with UNDP/GEF procedures, UNDP is hiring an Individual Contractor to develop the MSP proposal for ‘Strengthening Technical Capacities to Mainstream and Monitor Rio Convention Implementation through Policy Coordination’ for submission to the GEF Secretariat fully compliant with the enforced GEF rules and standards as part of the GEF Project Preparation Grant (PPG). The Contractor will report to the Head of the Environment, Extractive Industry & Energy Unit at UNDP Guyana and work closely with UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub Regional Technical Advisor.
 
The purpose of the PPG is to fully design the activities, outputs, and outcomes of the ‘Strengthening Technical Capacities to Mainstream and Monitor Rio Convention Implementation through Policy Coordination’ MSP and to fully develop a full set of project documentation for submission to the GEF Secretariat and approval. Normal rules for development of medium-sized GEF projects apply. Copies of the GEF templates and guidelines can be found at: http://www.thegef.org/gef/guidelines_templates

Project Description

The project addresses the three Rio Convention obligations related to assessing and integrating global environmental priorities into national development frameworks.  In particular, the project will contribute to developing national capacities under CCCD Programme Framework 1, “Integrating global environmental needs into management information systems and monitoring”.

Environmental monitoring in Guyana is currently characterized as unsatisfactory and insufficient as indicated by the on-going loss of primary forests with high biodiversity values and poor reforestation practice as well as missed targets under REDD+.  Environmental governance is largely subordinated to high value resource extraction industries of mining, mainly gold, and timber.  Agencies and commissions with their particular missions and mandates are, for the most part, constrained to adopt best practices and innovative approaches, largely because there is limited absorptive institutional and technical capacity.

Taking into account the existing barriers for achieving global environmental benefits, this project will strengthen a set of targeted technical and institutional capacities to improve the quality of existing policies, programmes and plans from a Rio Convention perspective.  The project’s strategy is to take a measured approach to building the technical capacities of staff in MNRE as well as in the various environmental agencies and commissions to better meet Rio Convention obligations.

The technical capacities developed will be tested through a set of learn-by-doing mainstreaming and monitoring exercises on one or two high value development policies, programmes, or plans.  Lessons learned from these exercises will inform the institutionalization of consultative and collaborative arrangements, further legitimized and authorized through adaptive collaborative management and appropriate memoranda of agreements.  These arrangements will initially be funded through the project’s execution arrangements, which will demonstrate best practice approaches to engaging stakeholders and securing commitments to effectively integrate Rio Convention obligations within economic development priorities.

The institutional sustainability of the Rio Convention mainstreaming and monitoring will be further enhanced by widening the participation of stakeholders in extensive policy dialogues and public awareness. workshops. Awareness activities will include parliamentarians, civil society, high schools, NGOs, the Private sector, and indigenous and local community stakeholders.

Duties and Responsibilities

The principal responsibility of the international consultant is to contribute to the development of the MSP project document fully compliant with the enforced GEF rules and standards as lead expert on capacity development and project design, closely collaborating with the national project coordinator and (who will be the team leader) and national consultants on institutional, organizational and public awareness capacities and UNDP on setting PPG implementation strategy.

Within the framework of this ToR, Capacity Development and Project Design Specialist is expected to perform the following tasks and duties:

• Work together with the local consultants (LC), UNDP and national counterparts on setting PPG implementation strategy;
• Finalize PPG work plan, TOR for LCs, and design consultation and validation workshops;
• Oversee completion of background studies, ensuring they are appropriate in scope and provide required analyses;
• Facilitate and guide consultations to determine project strategy, priorities, key partners, and key barriers to success;
• Provide technical and professional support to the LC and national stakeholders;
• Develop the project strategy; detailed budget, work plan and logical framework, develop a replication strategy;
• Assume main responsibility for finalizing the project document, with significant input from all local consultants.

Another key role of the project development expert should be to look for other key partners that the project might partner with and seek co-financing from, working closely with the UNDP Country Office and UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub.

Besides a desk review of the relevant documents the consultant will undertake two missions to the country, in full collaboration with the UNDP Country Office and team of consultants. The missions will include:

• Consultations with key partners in National Government, responsible for environmental management as well as relevant sectoral ministries;
• Facilitation of project validation workshop.

The responsibility of the international Capacity Development and Project Design Specialist is to work on development and preparation of a Medium Size Project document for submission to GEF Secretariat.

Expected Deliverables:

The key products to be delivered are as follows:

• Detailed Assignment Workplan (within 1 week of start of the assignment);
• Detailed PPG work plan and design of consultation and validation workshops (within 1 week of start of the assignment);
• Draft UNDP Project Document, Project Results Framework, Social and Environmental Screening,  GEF Request for CEO Endorsement (3 August 2015);
• Final UNDP Project Document, Project Results Framework, Social and Environmental Screening. GEF Request for CEO Endorsement fully compliant with the enforced GEF rules and standards (3 September 2015).

In addition, the incumbent will:

• Oversee completion of background studies, ensuring they are appropriate in scope and overall quality;
• Provide required analyses;
• Facilitate and guide consultations to determine project strategy, priorities, key partners, and key barriers to success.

Payment for Services

The international Capacity Development and Project Design Specialist shall receive payment in four installments from UNDP as follows:

• 25%  upon preparation and acceptance of the assignment work plan, PPG work plan, design of consultation and validation workshops;
• 25%  upon completion of consultation and validation workshops in Guyana (following the 2nd mission);
• 35%  upon preparation and acceptance of the draft UNDP Project Document, Project Results Framework, GEF Request for CEO Endorsement;
• 15%   upon clearance by Regional Technical Advisor of the project documentation fully compliant with the enforced GEF rules and standards and its submission to GEF Secretariat which includes assistance to UNDP with response to any GEF Sec comments.

Responsibility for Expenses and their Reimbursement

This is a lump sum assignment. The Consultant will be responsible for all personal administrative and travel expenses associated with undertaking this assignment including office accommodation, printing, stationary, telephone and electronic communications, and report copies incurred in this assignment.

Responsibility for Managing the People and the Work Plan

The principal responsibility for managing the consultant will lie with the Head of Environment Section of UNDP Guyana and with the Regional Technical Advisor at the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub. The timeframe and duration of activities are estimated to be broken down as follows:

Activity - Duration (estimated) / days - Estimated Timing and deadline  

• Preparation of the Assignment Workplan - 1 - July 6th , 2015
• Preparation of the PPG work plan, design of consultation and validation workshops - 1  - July 6th , 2015
• Mission 1 - Guyana  - 3 - July 13th – 16th 2015
• Development of Project Results Framework -  2 - July 24th , 2015
• Preparation of Draft Request for CEO Endorsement - 4 - August 3rd , 2015
• Preparation of Draft UNDP Project Document - 6 - August 3rd , 2015
• Preparation of GEF Tracking Tool (CD Scorecards)  - 2 - August 3rd , 2015
• Mission 2 – Guyana (Validation Workshop) - 3 - August 17th – 20th , 2015
• Finalization of Project Document & RCE - 1  - September 3rd , 2015
• Revisions of Documents following GEF comments - 2 - Until November 30th 2015

Total working days  - Approx.25.

Prior to approval of the Request for CEO Endorsement, UNDP Project Document fully compliant with the enforced GEF rules and standards, a draft version shall be submitted for comments to UNDP by 3rd August 2015. UNDP and the stakeholders will submit comments and suggestions within 10 working days after receiving the draft. The finalized documents shall be submitted by 3rd September 2015 with the aim of getting the project documents all approved by the GEF Secretariat by the end of November 2015 hence by the end of the assignment.

If any discrepancies have emerged between impressions and findings of the consultant and the aforementioned parties, these should be explained in an annex attached to the final report.

Competencies

Technical work

• Strong expertise in Environmental Management;
• Familiarity with the International Conventions addressing Climate Change, Desertification and Biodiversity Conservation;
• Ability to pick up new terminology and concepts easily;
• Familiarity with GEF policies, templates and requirements for MSP.

Partnerships

• Maturity and confidence in dealing with senior members of national institutions;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Excellent written communication skills, with analytic capacity and ability to synthesize relevant collected data and findings for the preparation of quality analysis for the project proposal;
• Excellent coordination skills and result oriented collaboration with colleagues – especially for this case the national level consultants.

 Results

• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Good team player who has ability to maintain good relationships.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Advanced University degree in the fields of environmental management, public administration or relevant related fields;
• Proven expert knowledge in the GEF CCCD/CB2 Project Cycle.

Experience

• At least 7 years of relevant professional experience;
• Proven experience in developing/implementing similar projects – preferably in the region;
• Experience in developing institutional arrangements for multi-national projects;
• Previous successful experience in development and approval of the GEF project documents;
• Experience in drafting project proposals;
• Previous experience with UNDP is a great advantage;
• Experience of work in the region is an asset.

Languages

• Excellent English writing skills are essential.

Evaluation of applicants

• Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated;
• Individual consultants will be evaluated based on Combined Scoring method taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal;
• Combined weighted scoring: Technical (70%); Financial (30%).

General Conditions of Contract for the ICs:
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf.

UNDP Personal History form (P11):
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/corporate/Careers/P11_Personal_history_form.doc.

Application procedures:

Qualified candidates are requested to apply by 19 June 2015 by sending their application packages to jobs.guyana@undp.org with the subject line “UNDP/GEF Project on Rio Conventions”.

The application should contain:

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position and a brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the work (if applicable). Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application.
• Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees, please upload the P11 instead of your CV. (a template can be downloaded from http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/corporate/Careers/P11_Personal_history_form.doc.);
• Financial Proposal* - specifying a total lump sum amount for the tasks specified in this announcement. The financial proposal shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (number of anticipated working days – in home office and on mission, travel – international and local, per diems and any other possible costs), preferably according to the following template.                            

Nr. of  units* - Units - Rate/USD - Total/USD

Work in home office**

• PPG Workplan, Workshops Design - 2 - man/days -  - 0
• Prodoc, RCE, and Tracking Tools - 17 - man/days -  - 0

Work on Mission**

• Mission 1 - 3 - man/days -  - 0
• Mission 2 - 3 - man/days -  - 0

Sub-total fee - 0                                                                           

Travel costs

International travel to and from country/ies - 2 - mission -  - 0

DSA - 6 - overnights -  - 0

Sub-total travel costs - 0                                                                                                          

Miscellaneous (communication, printing, visa) - 0                                                                

Total - 0                                                                                                                                  

* Estimate are indicated in the TOR, the applicant is requested to review and revise, if applicable

** Add rows as needed

Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor during the contract period (e.g. fee, health insurance, vaccination, office costs and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services...). All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel.

Payments will be made only upon confirmation of UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner.

Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org

General Terms and conditions as well as other related documents can be found under: http://europeandcis.undp.org/home/jobs
Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply.
Due to a large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.
Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials. Please group all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.