In the spring of 2014, conflict erupted in the oblasts of Donetsk and Luhansk (collectively known as the Donbas), where pro-Russian separatists took control of regional and local government offices in Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. Similar moves in other parts of the country were quickly suppressed, but in the Donbas separatist forces succeeded in taking over much of the two oblasts’ territory, until the government of Ukraine regained control and separatists forces stopped their advance. Despite the Minsk Protocol of September 2014 and the renewal of its cease-fire provisions in February 2015, the conflict is still not resolved. A “contact line” continues to separate Ukrainian government-controlled areas from non-government-controlled areas.
UNDP initiated support for early recovery in the context of conflict-affected populations, weak governance and the need to support social cohesion among affected communities with vulnerable groups in eastern Ukraine. By early 2016, UNDP was working through a series of projects with support from ten international partners, and a field presence was established in Kramatorsk and Severodonetsk to support implementation, using area-based methodologies to respond to emerging needs in specific communities most affected by the conflict. This reinforced the pre-existing field presence in both regions through the Community-based Approach (CBA) project, which had been carrying out community-based development projects since 2008. 
In late 2016 the recovery projects were integrated into one programme framework under the Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (RPP) with the following three components: 1. Economic recovery and restoration of critical infrastructure; 2. Local governance and decentralization reform; 3. Community security and social cohesion. 
The conflict in eastern Ukraine has weakened the regional and local governments of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts. Critical to peace and prosperity is public trust in local government, and the success of the national policy to decentralize government administration. Governance deficits at all levels in Ukraine have been key drivers of civil unrest. A vicious cycle of corruption, along with a lack of accountability and transparency have significantly challenged the implementation of critical governance reforms, including decentralization and local government restructuring, which international bodies have recommended for over two decades.    In pursuing its ambitious decentralization agenda, Ukraine must enact territorial-administrative reform to consolidate units of local governance. While the implementation of far-reaching governance reforms has begun, the results to date have fallen short of expectations. 

The consultant will perform as Senior Local Governance Adviser for Component 2 of the Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme, Local governance and decentralization reform, and will help ensure the impact, coherence and quality of UNDP’s local governance programming.

The Consultant will also play an essential role in linking strategic reform efforts in government with the interventions on the ground and help to ensure that challenges on the ground are fed into central policy making by building relationships with national level authorities. He/She will also engage with international development partners and build strategic partnerships with other UN agencies and development partners, to identify new opportunities for UNDP to maximize its impact and visibility in this area, and support development of new proposals and project documents. 
This is a short-term assignment due to the transitional nature of the programming in eastern Ukraine and requires substantive advisory knowledge to formulate and recommend new approaches and initiatives in the subject area.

The Consultant will be based in in Kramatorsk, Donetsk oblast, with frequent travel to Luhansk oblast and occasional travel to Kyiv. A detailed mission plan will be agreed with the Primary Supervisor.
In order to achieve the above objectives, the Consultant will:

• Advise on implementation of the Annual Work Plan for all of Component 2 of the RPP programme, with special attention to Project 00084715/Restoration of Governance and Reconciliation in Crisis-Affected Communities of Ukraine;
• Ensure technical soundness and coherence of programme and project activities; 
• Develop knowledge products including research, lessons learned, good practice notes;
• Provide knowledge development and mentoring to national team members;  
• Formulate approaches and activities to utilize and apply the information and recommendations from the Price Waterhouse Coopers analysis of local governance (Dec 2016 report);
• Formulate concept notes on emerging issues for Ukraine related to local governance and decentralisation reform;
• Provide thought leadership and convey relevant comparative international experiences on local governance and decentralisation reform;
• Interact with relevant government and non-government organizations at the national level on national policy issues that affect implementation at the local level;
• Provide technical input into all programme and project activities; 
• Contribute to monitoring and evaluation and programme and project reporting, with attention to methodological soundness and relevance to the objectives of the programme and projects;
• Under the supervision of the RPP Portfolio Manager, provide donor outreach and coordination with national and international partners, including actively contributing to new funding opportunities;
• Provide strategic guidance and advice to UNDP Country Office and the eastern Ukraine regional Office on ensuring better coordinated approaches to local governance and decentralisation reform;
• Coordinate actively with other UN agencies on the subject matter and contribute subject-matter expertise to the work of the UNET (Eastern Region Country Team).

Deliverables:

• Deliverable 1: Report on assessment of the Annual Work Plan for Component 2 and recommendations and technical input for improving effectiveness, impact, technical soundness, coherence with national reform and policy of activities; analysis of the Price, Waterhouse Coopers report and detailed proposal for utilization by UNDP and government of the findings, including formulation of topics for in-depth study and workshops; identification of appropriate data from the PWC study for use in the RPP M&E plan, including feasibility of collecting longitudinal data, selection of baselines, targets and indicators. Due date: 24 June 2017.
• Deliverable 2: Concept notes (at least 3) on emerging issues for Ukraine related to local governance and decentralization reform; report on thought leadership through interactive learning and study sessions for team members and government/civil society counterparts. Due date: 24 July 2017.
• Deliverable 3: Report on analysis of implementation of the Annual Work Plan, including substantive issues of activity relevance and impact; report on donor outreach and coordination with national and international partners, including contribution to new funding opportunities; report on strategic guidance and advice to ensure better coordinated approaches to local governance and decentralization reform, including specific recommendations and assistance for their adoption. Due date: 24 August 2017.

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling UNDP’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; must comply with national laws and are subject to UNDP’s Code of Conduct;
• Professionalism; 
• Planning and management:  Ability to work to tight deadlines;
• Teamwork:   Ability to interact and to establish and maintain effective working relations with people of different national and multi-cultural backgrounds; strong interpersonal skills;
• Communication:   Excellent communication skills.

Professional Experience for the Consultant:

• At least 12 years’ experience in Local Governance and Decentralization Reform at national or international level (of which 7 shall be in transitional, or post-conflict contexts);
• At least Master’s degree in political science, public administration or other relevant field;
• At least 5 years’ experience as a strategic adviser to senior officials in national or international local governance systems;
• At least 5 years’ experience in developing and implementing local governance and decentralization reform projects;
• Experience in donor liaison and resource mobilization.

Language Requirements:

• The Consultant must have professional fluency in English as well as in either Ukrainian or Russian.

Assets:

• Good understanding of development programming within an international organization preferably with UNDP; 
• Understanding of UNDP’s programming policies and procedures highly desirable;
• Demonstrated understanding of local governance systems relevant to the Ukrainian institutions and context.

Proposed payment schedule
UNDP will pay the negotiated amount in 3 tranches according to the following payment schedule:

• first payment upon completion of Deliverable 1 (30%);
• second payment upon completion of Deliverable 2 (30%);
• third payment upon completion of Deliverable 3 (40%).

The payments will be paid upon the full completion and acceptance of contractual obligations whereupon the Recovery and Peacebuilding Portfolio Manager signs the certification of acceptance.

Monitoring/Reporting Requirements:

• The consultant will report to the Portfolio Manager of the Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme in Kramatorsk and work closely with the RPP Component 2 Team Leader and relevant substantive staff in the Country Office, particularly the Strategic Governance Advisor;
• The consultant shall provide the deliverables as stated above, to be certified by the Portfolio Manager of RPP in Kramatorsk. 

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals
Applicants shall submit the following documents:

• Personal CV/P11, including information about past experience in similar projects / assignments and contact details for referees;
• Financial proposal;
• Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP.

Financial proposal

Lump sum contract. The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) 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 TOR.  In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).   

Travel costs

• All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel.  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;
• In the case of travel out of Kramatorsk for training, supervising, and/or mapping, and an unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Evaluation criteria
UNDP will use a two-stage procedure for evaluating applications with an evaluation of the technical proposal being completed prior to any price proposals are compared. The technical part will be evaluated on the basis of its relevance to the Terms of Reference.

The following criteria will be rated as indicated below:
Experience:

• Experience in Local Governance and Decentralization Reform at national or international level (of which 7 shall be in transitional, or post-conflict contexts) – 20 points max:12-13 years – 15 points; 14-15 years – 18 points; more than 15 years – 20 points;
• Education – 10 points max: Master degree in political science, public administration or other relevant field - 8 points; PhD or similar – 10 points;
• Extensive experience as a strategic adviser to senior officials in national or international local governance systems – 15 points max: 5-8 years – 10 points; 9-12 years – 12 points; more than 12 – 15 points;
• Experience in developing and implementing local governance and decentralization reform projects – 15 points max: 5-8 years – 10 points; 9-12 years – 12 points; more 12 – 15 points;
• Experience in donor liaison and resource mobilization – 5 points max;
• Language proficiency – 5 points max.

Maximum available technical score - 70 points.

Evaluation method

Cumulative analysis.
Contract award shall be made to the incumbent whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
• having received the cumulative highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation. 

* Technical Criteria weight: 70%;

* Financial Criteria weight: 30%.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum 70% from the maximum available technical score (49 points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal is allocated to the lowest price proposal and will equal to 30. All other price proposals will be evaluated and assigned points, as per below formula:

• 30 points [max points available for financial part] x [lowest of all evaluated offered prices among responsive offers] / [evaluated price].

The proposal obtaining the overall cumulatively highest score after adding the score of the technical proposal and the financial proposal  will be considered as the most compliant offer and will be awarded a contract.