Background
Objective:
The purpose of this procurement exercise is to contract an individual consultant who will contribute to advance the SDG-F partnerships with external stakeholders, from the private and public sector with a particular focus on the African private sector across the region.
Backgorund:
The Sustainable Development Goals Fund (www.sdgfund.org, SDG-F) is an international multi-agency and multi-donor development mechanism created in 2014 by UNDP on behalf of the UN System to support sustainable development activities through integrated and multidimensional joint Programmes. The main objective of the SDG-F is to bring together UN agencies, national governments, academia, civil society and business to address the challenges of poverty.
The SDG-F Secretariat is the operational coordination unit for the Fund and services the SDG-F Steering Committee. The Secretariat sits in the Bureau for External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) of UNDP headquarters. The Secretariat is delegated by the Steering Committee to ensure policies and strategies decided by the Steering Committee are implemented and adhered to.
Following the agreements of the Addis Ababa for Financing Sustainable Development Conference and the 2030 Agenda for the Sustainable Development, the SDG Fund has identified that engaging a variety of stakeholders (governments, businesses, universities…) is key to ensure the achievement of SDGs. In this vein, the SDG Fund has established a Private Sector Advisory Group, composed of business leaders from all the world regions for guiding the SDG Fund in building a roadmap for how public-private alliances can provide large-scale solutions for achieving the new SDGs. In November 2015, together with Harvard University and Business Fights Poverty, the SDG Fund launched the groundbreaking report “Business and the United Nations” and in November 2016, will be launching a new report “Universality and SDGs”.
Duties and Responsibilities
SCOPE OF WORK, RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ANALYTICAL WORK
Under the general direction and overall guidance of SDG Fund’s Director and in close coordination with the SDG-F communications and partnerships sector team, the Private Sector and Philanthropy Consultant will contribute to advance the SDG-F partnerships with external stakeholders, from the private and public sector with a particular focus on the African private sector across the region. He/she will develop a range of engagement offerings between SDG Fund private sector partners, will follow-up the implementation and will contribute to sharing lessons learned along the process. He/she will collaborate with country offices in the region, UN Agencies and public and private partners to generate truly effective multi-stakeholders platforms to achieve SDGs.
Private sector engagement in Africa
Develop a portfolio of corporate partners and potential SDG-F initiatives for public-private partnerships, with particular focus on Africa
Build network of business and private sector partners
Provide support and technical advice to country offices on corporate alliance negotiations
Support ongoing public-private partnerships and the initiation of new forms of mutually beneficial collaborations
Inputs to and update of outreach/publicity material geared towards business partners and donors
Support country offices in establishing, implementing and assessing public-private partnerships
Dissemination of results and sharing in the form of lessons learned and best practices
Partnerships and resource mobilization
Analysis of key development and sectorial policies currently being discussed and implemented in the country and key donors willing to support these policies
Support the development and implementation of the SDG-F private sector and philanthropy engagement in Africa
Assessment of opportunities for resource mobilization and identification and mapping of current and potential partners, with a particular focus on African regional organizations, such as the African Union.
Drafting and revision of agreements with donors
Oversee institutional procedures pertaining to forging partnerships, ensuring adherence to global strategies and policy
Prepare briefings and all necessary follow up with potential and existing private sector, foundation and individual donors
In coordination with the communication and knowledge management team, devises communication activities for partnerships engagement
Philanthropy engagement
Establish good working relationships with relevant partners from the philanthropic sector and foundations
Foster and develop partnerships to identify synergies and potential alliances
Organize thematic and policy dialogues in order to mobilize and foster alliances and collective engagement among foundations and philanthropy stakeholders
Contributes to foundations knowledge networks and communities of practice.
Expected outputs and deliverables:
Monthly progress reports will document periodic attainment of specific deliverables related to the consultant’s duties and responsibilities stipulated in these terms of reference. The specific deliverables shall include the following:
Deliverables on Private sector engagement in Africa
Mapping of private sector engagement opportunities in the region.
Participation in key platforms (online and in person) for private sector engagement in Africa
Engagement with corporate partners and potential SDG-F initiatives for public-private partnerships
Study of prioritization of African regions with potential private sector engagement
Deliverables on Partnerships and resource mobilization
Analytical studies on key development and sectorial policies currently being discussed and implemented in the country and key donors willing to support these policies
Elaboration of best practices and case studies of public-private partnerships for achieving SDGs.
Support processes to facilitate partnerships (contribute to risk analysis, due diligence, preparation of proposals, coordination of meeting with potential donors, due diligence, preparation of MoU, follow-up of partnerships…)
Identify potential sources of resources and opportunities of engagement of the SDG Fund with public and private sector in the region.
Deliverables on Philanthropy engagement
Mapping of philanthropy actors in the region.
Analysis of philanthropic engagement in SDGs in the region.
Participation in philanthropic platforms.
Facilitate the processes of formalizing collaborations and contributions from philanthropic organizations in the region.
Provide advice to the SDG Fund management of philanthropic opportunities.
Competencies
Corporate:
Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN's values and ethical standards;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people fairly without favoritism.
Technical:
Partnerships skills;
Superior written and oral communication skills, with the ability to convey complex development concepts and recommendations in a clear and persuasive manner that is tailored to a range of audiences;
Familiarity with SDGs and the SDGF.
Professionalism:
Demonstrated ability in analytical thinking;
Strong organizational, reporting and writing abilities;
Capacity to work independently, plan, prioritize and deliver tasks on time.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Master's degree in social policy, public policy, international relations, politics, economics, development studies or a related area is required.
Experience:
Knowledge and experience working in corporate sustainable development in across the African regions;
At least 7 years of experience in international development working with and/or for Africa private sector on partnership initiatives related to sustainable development is required;
A track record of working on developing innovative solutions/partnerships and initiatives in the Africa Region. The consultant should provide evidence of working on such initiatives across the region;
Experience and understanding of corporate foundation’s strategies of financing sustainable development;
Experience in UN-business engagement and understanding of the SDG Fund;
Experience in coordinating research projects in the area of international development;
Experience in private sector engagement, and particularly understanding of the SDG Fund and the SDG Fund Private Sector.Advisory Group (PSAG).
Language:
Fluency in written and spoken English is required;
Working knowledge of other languages widely spoken in the region in Africa in addition to English would be an asset.
Application Procedure
The application package containing the following (to be uploaded as one file):
Online application with brief description of why the Offer considers her/himself the most suitable for the assignment; and
Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects and specifying the relevant assignment period (from/to), as well as the email and telephone contacts of at least three (3) professional references.
Note: The above documents need to be scanned in one file and uploaded to the online application as one document.
Shortlisted candidates (ONLY) will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal.
The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around the specific and measurable deliverables of the TOR. Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR, and deliverables accepted and certified by the technical manager.
The financial proposal must be all-inclusive and take into account various expenses that will be incurred during the contract, including: the daily professional fee; cost of travel from the home base to the duty station and vice versa, where required; living allowances at the duty station; communications, utilities and consumables; life, health and any other insurance; risks and inconveniences related to work under hardship and hazardous conditions (e.g., personal security needs, etc.), when applicable; and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services under the contract.
In the case of unforeseeable travel requested by UNDP, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between UNDP and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.
If the Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.
The Financial Proposal is to be emailed as per the instruction in the separate email that will be sent to shortlisted candidates.
Evaluation process
Applicants are reviewed based on Required Skills and Experience stated above and based on the technical evaluation criteria outlined below. Applicants will be evaluated based on cumulative scoring. 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:
Being 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 where technical criteria weighs 70% and Financial criteria/ Proposal weighs 30%.
Technical evaluation - Total 70% (700 points):
- Demonstrable relevant knowledge and experience working in private sector partnerships development initiatives across the African regions Weight = 10%; Maximum Points: 100;
- Relevant Experience forging partnerships with the private sector in the area of international development in the Africa regions Weight = 10 %; Maximum Points: 100;
- Relevance experience working in corporate sustainable development projects across the region. Weight = 10 %; Maximum Points: 100;
- Experience working with United Nations business engagements or related developing innovative solutions/partnerships and initiatives, particularly in the context of sustainable development: Weight = 10 %; Maximum Points: 100;
- Working knowledge of another widely spoken language in the regions, in addition to English, would be an asset: Weight = 5%; Maximum Points: 50; and
- Experience in private sector engagement, and particularly understanding of the SDG Fund and the SDG Fund Private Sector Advisory Group (PSAG). Weight = 15%; Maximum Points.
- Interview Weight = 10%; Maximum Points: 100.
Having reviewed applications received, UNDP will invite the candidates that achieve 70% of the desk review scores for interview. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (490 points) of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria (700 points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.
Financial evaluation - Total 30% (300 points)
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
Contract Award
Candidate obtaining the highest combined scores in the combined score of Technical and Financial evaluation will be considered technically qualified and will be offered to enter into contract with UNDP.
Institutional arrangement
The consultant will work under the guidance and direct supervision of SDG Fund’s Director and in close coordination with the SDG-F team and will be responsible for the fulfilment of the deliverables as specified above.
Payment modality
Payments will be made on the satisfactory delivery of the above specific deliverables as will be presented in progress reports based on the duties and responsibilities described above as well as the appropriate management of associated processes needed to achieve the above-mentioned tasks and objectives. Progress report that will be filled in a detailed time sheet that the consultant will submit with his monthly payment. Such timesheet will include the description of project, tasks and daily activities undertakes.
- The work week will be based on 35 hours, i.e. on a 7 hour working day, with core hours being between 9h00 and 18h00 daily.
Annexes (click on the hyperlink to access the documents):
Annex 1 - UNDP P-11 Form for ICs
Annex 2 - IC Contract Template
Annex 3 – IC General Terms and Conditions
Annex 4 – RLA Template
Any request for clarification must be sent by email to cpu.bids@undp.org
The UNDP Central Procurement Unit will respond by posting the answers in the Procurement Notice Site 37182 including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all applicants