Background

The UNDP Oslo Governance Centre (OGC) is UNDP’s Global Policy Centre for policy development and applied research with an overarching focus on democratic governance and peacebuilding in crisis, conflict and transitional contexts. The Oslo Governance Centre sits within the Governance and Peacebuilding Cluster, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support. It engages with Norwegian, Nordic and other partners from the South in undertaking applied research and developing policy options and tools for governance support in post-crisis and post-conflict environments, in order to find practical solutions on the ground. One of the thematic focus areas for the Centre is governance of inclusion, in particular how societies evolving from crisis and conflict govern diversity to prevent violent extremism.

In March 2016 the OGC organised and hosted a global meeting on Prevention of Violent Extremism (PVE) bringing together practitioners, decision-makers and academics from around the work to discuss the challenges, opportunities and unique roles played by development actors in efforts to address the root causes of violent extremism. The meeting helped to establish the OGC as the global focal point within UNDP to shape, monitor, gather, organise, disseminate and advice on research and knowledge generation relating to the PVE field.

More research is needed on both components of UNDP’s strategy: (1) understanding the dynamics behind the rise of violent extremism and (2) building a knowledge foundation based on comparative analysis to support policy development on governance systems and processes for managing diversity in society. UNDP will not address these research programmes on its own, but join partnerships and coalitions of academics and researchers.  Further policy research and analysis will ensure a better understanding of the contextual drivers that have tipped disaffection and radicalization into violent extremist behaviour and inform more effective conflict-sensitive programming on the ground.

The initiative will specifically look at the role of women, youth, religious organizations and leaders, and media when analysing problems and generating solutions, and at the way these play out in diverse socio-cultural and political settings.

While research on violent extremism is getting increased attention, there is still limited research on different models for governing diversity in multi-cultural societies. UNDP’s global project will support research partnerships and funding to achieve this objective. The research agenda will thus contribute to a better understanding of the challenges to achieving effective governance of diversity in multi-cultural and multi-confessional societies. The OGC is therefore looking for a consultant to lead OGC’s work on this portfolio.

Duties and Responsibilities

 Tasks will include, but not be limited to:

Developing OGC as a resource centre for PVE research

  • Serve as UNDP’s “custodian” of research related to violent extremism i.e. develop, structure and maintain a repository of existing research and lessons learned relating to violent extremism and particularly preventive development responses. This includes monitoring the global academic field of PVE research but also identifying relevant research and analysis generated by UNDP country and regional offices, other UN System actors, governments, civil society organisations and non-governmental organisations
  • Participate in and contribute to relevant global, regional and national research networks with a view to share within UNDP research and ensure that relevant research and lessons learned is available to inform UNDP’s planning and programming and that research and analysis generated by UNDP country and regional offices are disseminated effectively within UNDP and to external actors
  • Develop and manage, in collaboration with SIPRI, a research network on the relationship between peacebuilding and violent extremism to bring together a number of actors who are interested in this relationship, specifically, understanding how programs, projects and policies meant to promote peacebuilding may also impact prevention of violent extremism
  • Focus on monitoring and supporting research related to the role of women in PVE including gender-sensitive approaches to PVE programs
  • Monitor and disseminate news about PVE research to relevant UNDP colleagues

Support measurement aspects of PVE research

Working with relevant technical experts,

  • Support the Centre’s focus on providing tools and guidance for undertaking impact/outcome evaluations and assessments relating to PVE programming including supporting research projects and keeping abreast of external initiatives.
  • Support the identification of useful M&E indicators for measuring impact of PVE work i.e. what are good indicators currently being used and what baseline data serves as the point of comparison?
  • Support the development of a “lessons learned” and comparative analysis of PVE interventions in selected topics that have been prioritized in the UNDP framework so that we know what has worked and what might be done/programmed differently
  • Working with relevant UNDP teams in NY and the UNDP regional hubs, contribute to the preparation of guidance for UNDP staff in their programming that draws upon the work done on the indicators as well as on “lessons learned.”

Support and coordinate the research element of UNDP’s forthcoming Global Programme on PVE

  • Act as the primary focal point for OGC in its fulfilment of its role within UNDP’s forthcoming Global Programme on PVE
  • Ensure that the lessons-learnt from the PVE-related research work funded by the OGC is properly synthesised and shared.
  • Act as the global knowledge management focal point on PVE, supporting the sharing of information across regions and dialogue across regions including through chairing teleconferences, organising seminars and meetings and facilitating ongoing knowledge exchanges
  • Coordinate the establishment of a research-related portal on PVE, either by UNDP or in partnership with others, as appropriate.
  • Ensure skilled and innovative researchers and analysts working on PVE are included in any PVE-related roster developed

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

  • Knowledge and understanding of Governance of Diversity and issues related to Preventing Violent Extremism, and knowledge of the literatures relevant to these areas;
  • Demonstrated ability to organise and structure information and make comprehensive amounts of research available to a range of stakeholders;
  • Knowledge and understanding of UN/UNDP’s work and/or other multicultural/bilateral actors’ works and roles related to Governance of Diversity and issues related to Preventing Violent Extremism;
  • Demonstrated ability to develop new areas of work and activity, trouble-shooting problems and ensuring delivery of results,
  • Demonstrated ability to develop, maintain and grow professional networks including through organising thematic events and collaborative processes;
  • Demonstrated proficiency in outreach and coordination;
  • Demonstrated ability to write analytical background papers, briefing papers, talking points and speeches;
  • Ability to write and communicate in a clear and concise manner

Corporate Competencies:

  • Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
  • Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP, and partner organizations:
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Excellent understanding of international development issues and knowledge of the UN system.

Required Skills and Experience

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in political science, peace-studies, social sciences or other related disciplines
  • Post-graduate research activities such as Ph.D. research, think tank affiliation and/or a track record of academic and/or policy-oriented publications and/or research management is an advantage

Professional experience:

  • Minimum 7 years of professional work experience in the related field;
  • Knowledge of governance of diversity and preventing violent extremism;
  • Experience from academic/think tank environments
  • Experience in designing and organising research and policy conferences and workshops;
  • Proven experience in conducting research and writing papers.
  • UNDP or other programming experience is experience is an asset.

Language:                       

  • Fluency in English, both written and oral;
  • Working knowledge of a second UN language, preferably French or Arabic, is an asset.

Additional Information:

Institutional Arrangements:

The Senior Research and Policy Advisor (outputs 1 and 2) at the Oslo Governance Centre will supervise the consultancy, in liaison with the Senior Research and Policy Advisor (outputs 3 and 4).  The Consultant will also work closely with the Directorate of the Governance and Peacebuilding Cluster, BPPS, the Senior Coordinator of the Global Programme and other BPPS colleagues in New York, the UNDP Regional hubs and Country Offices, as appropriate.

The consultant will be based in the offices of the Oslo Governance Centre, Oslo, Norway.

Travel

The consultant is expected to arrange her/his own travel and be responsible for ticketing, visa and accommodation.

The fare will always be “most direct, most economical” at no additional cost to UNDP and the consultant will pay for any difference in price with the preferred route.

Travel costs for mission travels will be covered by OGC if prior approval is obtained.

Application procedure:

The application is a two-step process. Failing to comply with the submission process may result in disqualifying the applications.

Step 1: Submission of technical proposal. That will include providing application via UNDP Job-shop (jobs.undp.org )

Interested candidates should provide the following documents and information:

  • Uploading a CV/P11 and a statement of interest indicating all past experience for similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the candidate and at least three (3) professional references (the template can be downloaded from this link: http://sas.undp.org/Documents/P11_Personal_history_form.doc;
  • A mandatory, brief description and justification (approx. 300-500 words) of the approach proposed to conduct the tasks required for this assignment, demonstrating how the applicant’s qualifications and experience will enable him/her to successfully deliver against the requirements of this assignment.

 Step 2: Submission of Financial Proposals:

Applicants are required to submit their financial proposals in US Dollars for this consultancy to oslo.governance.centre@undp.org, using the financial proposal template available here: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=45780. The proposals should be sent via email to oslo.governance.centre@undp.org with the following subject heading: “Financial Proposal PVE” by the application deadline (3 August). Proposals received after the deadline may be rejected. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal should be all-inclusive professional daily fee, and include a detailed breakdown of the cost. The term ‘all-inclusive’ implies that all costs (professional fees, assignment- and mission- related travel expenses as provided above, communications, utilities, consumables, insurance, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor are already factored into the financial proposal. The cost of the assignment shall be linked to the deliverables specified above and reflected in the Section B. of the Financial Proposal template.

Criteria for selection:

Only those candidates who meet the minimum level of education and relevant years of experience requirements will be considered for the technical evaluation. The technical evaluation will include a desk review, and may also include interviews with shortlisted candidates.

Combined scoring method – where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a max of 70%, and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a max of 30%.

Method: cumulative analysis method will be used to evaluate proposals.

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:

  • 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.

Technical criteria weight: 70 (70% of total obtainable scores).

Financial criteria weight: 30 (30% of total obtainable scores)

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 (70%) points on technical part will be considered for the financial evaluation.

Criteria and scores for technical evaluation (total 70):

  • Expert knowledge and understanding of Governance of Diversity and issues related to Preventing Violent Extremism, and expert knowledge of the literatures relevant to these areas (15 points);
  • Demonstrated ability to organise and structure information and making comprehensive amounts of research available to a range of stakeholders (10 points)
  • Knowledge and understanding of UN/UNDP’s work and/or other multicultural/bilateral actors’ works and roles related to Governance of Diversity and issues related to Preventing Violent Extremism (10 points);
  • Demonstrated ability to develop, maintain and grow professional networks (7.5 points)
  • Demonstrated ability to write analytical background papers, briefing papers, talking points and speeches (10 points);
  • Experience in designing and organising research and policy conferences and workshops (10 points);
  • Brief description and justification (approx. 300-500 words) of the approach proposed to conduct the tasks required for the assignment, including the literature and stakeholders to be considered (7.5 points).

Criteria for financial evaluation (30 points maximum):

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:

The award of contract will be made to the individual consultant who receives the highest combined score out of the weighted technical and financial criteria as specified above.

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS_INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT (IC) http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf.