UNDP Jobs - 73195- Environmental Laboratory Quality Management Expert

Environmental Laboratory Quality Management Expert

Location :

Home-based with missions to Baku, Azerbaijan and Tbilisi, Georgia

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

28-Jul-17 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

estimated 1 August 2017 – 28 February 2018

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

approximately 40 days

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

The Global Environment Facility (GEF)
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) (www.thegef.org) unites 183 member governments—in partnership with international institutions, non-governmental organizations and the private sector—to address global environment issues. An independently operating financial organization, the GEF provides grants for projects related to biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, the ozone layer and persistent organic pollutants. Since 1991, the GEF has provided US$12.5 billion in grants and leveraged US$58 billion in co-financing for 3,690 projects in 165 developing countries. Through its Small Grants Programme (SGP) the GEF has made more than 20,000 grants totaling about US$1 billion to civil society and community-based organizations.

The GEF International Waters (IW) focal area targets transboundary water systems, such as shared river basins, lakes, groundwater and large marine ecosystems. The IW portfolio comprises 242 projects to date and some US$1.4 billion of GEF grants invested in 149 different countries. This investment has leveraged about US$8.4 billion in co-financing.

UNDP GEF Kura Project “Advancing Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) across the Kura river basin through implementation of the transboundary agreed actions and national plans” will be implementing the Strategic Action Program for the Kura River Basin in partnership with the Governments of Georgia and Azerbaijan. The SAP is framed around four agreed Ecosystem Quality Objectives (EQO) which are:

To achieve sustainable utilization of water resources to ensure access to water and preserve ecosystem services;
To achieve water quality such that it would ensure access to clean water for present and future generations and sustain ecosystem functions in the Kura river basin;
To achieve and maintain ecosystem status whereby they provide essential environmental and socio-economic services in a sustainable manner in the Kura River Basin; and,
To achieve mitigation of adverse impacts of flooding and climate change on infrastructures, riparian ecosystems and communities.

The GEF will support priority activities towards these objectives. The GEF funded SAP implementation Project has the objective “to integrate water resources management in the Kura river basin to address water-energy-food-ecosystem security nexus through the implementation of agreed actions in the SAP”.
There will be five components to support the countries to achieve this objective. These are:

Project Component 1: Establishment of effective cross sectoral IWRM governance protocols at the local, national and transboundary levels in the Kura Basin;
Project Component 2: Strengthening national capacities to implement multi-sectoral IWRM in the Kura basin;
Project Component 3: Stress reduction in critical areas and pre-feasibility studies to identify investment opportunities for improving river system health;
Project Component 4: Targeted education and involvement projects to empower stakeholders in implementing local / national / regional actions in support of SAP implementation;
Project Component 5: Enhancing science for governance by strengthening monitoring, information management and data analysis systems for IWRM.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Hydromet Department in Azerbaijan and National Environment Agency (NEA) in Georgia are mainly responsible for monitoring water quantities and qualities along the Kura river basin. Although the two agencies produce high volume of data on water quantity and quality, sometimes it is hard to compare their data for the same parameter because of the incompatibility in the laboratory analysis between the two agencies. The use of different laboratory analytical methods and the lack of Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) in the two laboratories led in most cases to unreliable and inaccurate laboratory results.

Therefore, Building the capacity of the environmental laboratories in the two countries on applying the ISO/IEC 17025 standards will ensure validity of their output results and its accuracy. It will also produce compatible and comparable laboratory results between the two agencies. This task s was included in the project document under outcome 5.4. This outcome will provide the two countries with a staged capacity building plan on the implementation of the SOPs in laboratory analysis according to ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation.

The services of a qualified and highly competent consultant will be required to assist the Project Management unit in developing the above-mentioned capacity building plan and support its implementation in the two countries.

Scope of Work
The Environmental Laboratory Quality Management expert will work closely with Both Hydromet laboratory in Azerbaijan and National Environment Agency in Georgia to assess the current capacities in preforming sampling and laboratory analysis for water quality parameters. The focus of the consultant will be to develop Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) for the laboratory analysis that comply with ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, train the laboratory staff in the two countries on the implementation of these SOPs, and support the two laboratories in getting the accreditation on sampling methods for water and sediment.

The consultant, in collaboration and close coordination with the Project Management Unit and the management of Hydromet and NEA, shall carry out the following activities:

Review the current Laboratory Operation Procedures in both Hydromet and NEA,
Field visits to both laboratories to assess the current resources available in each lab (Project to assist with scheduling and translation as needed);
Assessment of needs, current capacity, and gaps of the current operation procedures in the two laboratories in preforming field sampling and laboratory analysis of water samples;
Develop a technical report on the assessment of both Hydromet and NEA laboratories conditions and the needed capacities to be eligible for ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation process.
Develop all documentation for the SOPs for water quality sampling and laboratory analysis in line with ISO/IEC 17025
Develop capacity building plan to raise the capacities of the sampling and laboratory analysis staff in Hydromet and NEA in implementing the developed SOPs;
Conduct 3 training modules (2 days per training per country) on the implementation of the SOPs for the laboratory staff.;

Key Deliverables of the consultancy:

Development of a detailed workplan for implementation of activities
Develop a technical report on the assessment of both Hydromet and NEA laboratories conditions and the needed capacities to be eligible for ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation process
Develop capacity building plan for implementing the ISO/IEC 17025 Standard Operation Procedures in the sampling and laboratory analysis of water samples in the two laboratories;
Develop all documentation for the SOPs for water quality sampling and laboratory analysis in line with ISO/IEC 17025
Conduct 3 training modules (2 days per training per country) on the implementation of the SOPs for the laboratory staff.;
Develop a final report summarizing the main results obtained from implementing the Capacity Building plan and the recommendations for the future work to be done in both laboratories.

Timeframe for Deliverables and financial arrangements

Submit detailed work plan for implementation of activities
Start date: 1 August 2017
End date: 15 August 2017
Payment due: 10% of the total lumpsum on delivery and approval by the CTA

Review the current operating procedures and capacities available in Hydromet in Azerbaijan and NEA in Georgia (including 5 days field visit to the region);
Start date: 16 August 2017
End Date: 15 Sep. 2017

Develop a technical report on the assessment of both Hydromet and NEA laboratories conditions and the needed capacities to be eligible for ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation process
Start date: 16 Sep. 2017
End date: 30 Sep. 2017
Payment due: 10% of the total lumpsum on delivery and approval by the CTA

Develop capacity building plan for implementing the ISO/IEC 17025 Standard Operation Procedures in the sampling and laboratory analysis of water samples in the two laboratories;
Start date: 1 Oct. 2017
End date: 31 Oct. 2017
Payment due: 20% of the total lumpsum on delivery and approval by the CTA

Develop all documentation for the SOPs for water quality sampling and laboratory analysis in line with ISO/IEC 17025
Start date: 1 Nov. 2017
End date: 30 Nov. 2017
Payment due: 30% of the total lumpsum on delivery and approval by the CTA

Conduct 3 training modules (2 days per training per country) on the implementation of the SOPs for the laboratory staff.;
Start date: 1 Nov. 2017
End date: 28 Feb. 2018
Payment due: 20% of the total lumpsum on delivery and approval by the CTA

Develop a final report summarizing the main results obtained from implementing the Capacity Building plan and the recommendations for the future work to be done in both laboratories.
Start date: 15 Feb. 2018
End date: 28 Feb. 2018
Payment due: 10% of the total lumpsum on delivery and approval by the CTA

Information on Working Arrangements:

The international Environmental Laboratory Quality Management Expert will report to the Project Chief Technical Advisor / Regional Project Coordinator (CTA/RPC). Deliverables will be reviewed and approved by the CTA/RPC.

Competencies

Functional competencies

Strong communication and management skills and demonstrable capacity to work with a multi-national team and to work with government institutions;
Demonstrated ability to work in chemistry laboratories and conducting chemical analysis;
Demonstrated ability in developing and implementing SOPs and ISO 17025;
Ability to conduct needs assessment studies and develop capacity needs plans;
Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations;
Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities.

Corporate competencies

Demonstrates integrity by modeling 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;
Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

Masters degree in analytical science, environmental management, or related fields required; Masters degree focusing on laboratory quality management and accreditation systems is an asset. (Criteria A - Max. 10 Pts)

Experience

At least 5 years of demonstrated experience as a quality manager in an environmental monitoring laboratory. (Criteria B – 10 Pts)
Be a trained lead auditor with a minimum of two years of experience in auditing - ISO 17025 systems. (Criteria C – 10 Pts)
Knowledge and experience in documentation as required by ISO 17025 (Criteria D – 10 Pts)
Proven experience in auditing and developing the SOPs for sampling and analysis of water quality samples in line with ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation (Criteria E – 15 Pts)
Experience in working with UNDP and GEF through multiple sectors/ministries or work experience in GEF International Waters, experience in former Soviet States, and with preforming water quality monitoring in line with EU WFD methodologies is an asset (Criteria F - Max. 5 Pts);

Language:
English is the working language for this assignment, therefore excellent oral and written communication skills in English are required. Ability to communicate in Russian or national languages of Azerbaijan and Georgia is an advantage (Criteria G – 10 Pts)

Evaluation of Applicants

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal.
The award of the contract should 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 P11 desk reviews and interviews and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Only candidates who will get min. 70% of points in desk review will be invited for an interview.

Evaluation Criteria
Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max. 70 points:

Criteria A – Academic qualification / education – max points 10;
Criteria B – Experience – max points 10;
Criteria C – Experience– max points 10;
Criteria D – Experience– max points 10;
Criteria E – Experience – max points 15;
Criteria F – Experience – max points 5;
Criteria G – Interview (communication skills and technical) – max points 10

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max. 30 points

Time Frame

The expected time frame for the Consultant to complete these activities is 7 months starting from August 1, 2017. The expected level of effort during this period is approximately 40 days (20 days home based plus 4 field missions to the region countries with 5 working days per each mission (each mission will include 3 days in Azerbaijan and 2 days in Georgia).

Financial Arrangements

Payments as percentage of lump sum will be made monthly on the following based on approval and timely completion of above all deliverables described above.
Any delay of deliverable must be approved by the CTA in writing.

Procedures for Applying
Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via this website. 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. 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 (blank form can be downloaded from http://europeandcis.undp.org/files/hrforms/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc ); please upload the P11 instead of your CV.
A proposal for the workplan and methodology indicating the work to be done for achieving the task, main points to be discussed with the countries and to also be addressed in your report, plan for visiting countries, the structure of your final report.
Financial Proposal in USD* - specifying a) total amount for the tasks specified in this announcement and b) mission related costs (i) travel costs and ii) per diem) for four field missions to the region with 5 days per mission (3 days in Azerbaijan, 2 days in Georgia)

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials

*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, national taxes, health insurance, vaccination, personal security needs and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services...). All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal.

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://on.undp.org/t7fJs.

Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply.
Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.