Background

In recent years, the world has witnessed new waves of violent extremism that have taken the lives of many innocent people. While security and law enforcement approaches are necessary to manage and respond to the threat of violent extremism, these measures will not be sufficient in and of themselves to reduce the prevalence and potential impact of violent extremism over the long-term.

The prevention of violent extremism requires security measures to be complemented with additional measures based on socio-economic causes and solutions, anchored in robust analysis of the diverse local drivers of violent extremism. UNDP’s conceptual framework consists of 11 interlinked building blocks forming a theory of change that explains how development can help prevent violent extremism. Enhancing the fight against corruption and widespread impunity is an important component of that strategy. Countries or local communities that make a solid effort to reduce the petty and grand corruption that fuel people’s perceptions of injustice provide a visible sign that causes of inequality and marginalization are being addressed. UNDP strategies at the national level aim to design new initiatives (including fast track projects to address immediate challenges) and also include an analysis and adaptation of UNDP and other major existing portfolio of projects, examining how they may positively or negatively influence the drivers of radicalization and violent extremism.

The Anti-Corruption for Peaceful and Inclusive Societies (ACPIS) project is guided by the strong link between governance, peace-building and development. This link is the focus of UNDP’s global strategy on ‘Preventing Violent Extremism through Inclusive Development and the Promotion of Tolerance and Respect for Diversity’, which advocates a comprehensive development response to addressing radicalization and violent extremism. The strategy acknowledges that the prevention of violent extremism needs to go beyond reactive security concerns and that it will not be possible to deliver peaceful, just and inclusive societies when corruption continues to deprive many people of important development dividends. This global strategy calls for action to address the development related causes of this threat, such as perceptions of injustice, human rights violations, social-political exclusion, widespread corruption and the sustained mistreatment of certain groups.

Corruption is arguably one of several factors that, over the long-term, contribute to an enabling environment for violent extremism either acting as an enabler or a driver of violent extremism. While little empirical evidence exists about this dynamic, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, anecdotal evidence indicates that corruption contributes to an enabling environment for violent extremism in at least two ways:

• weakening law enforcement efforts by undermining the capacity and integrity of law enforcement agencies, including police, border protection, prosecutors, courts and prisons (see, e.g. Louise Shelley, Dirty Entanglements: Corruption, Crime, and Terrorism, 2014); and

stoking anger towards the state and other groups by perpetuating citizens’ marginalization, offending their sense of justice and undermining their dignity (e.g. Sarah Chayes, Thieves of State: Why Corruption Threatens Global Security, 2015).

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of work:

With financial support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Australia, UNDP’s ACPIS intends to elaborate a regional flagship empirical research on the linkages between violent extremism and corruption in the Asia Pacific region.

The objective of this consultancy is to collect/analyse data at the country level, elaborate country specific case study and human interest story. This will contribute to the finalization of the regional flagship research on the links between corruption and violent extremism.

Five countries from the Asia-Pacific Region will contribute to the study and feature in the final flagship research. The study will contain three components:

• an analysis of the applicability of existing literature on the links between corruption and violent extremism to the Asia-Pacific region;
• the generation and analysis of new empirical data on the links between corruption and violent extremism from 5 countries in the Asia-Pacific region; and
• identification of entry points for action by the UNDP and relevant partners at the local, country, regional and global levels to address the issue of corruption and violent extremism.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The consultant will be responsible for the following deliverables:

Under the direct supervision of UNDP Country Office focal point and the ACPIS team based in Singapore and in close coordination with the lead international consultant, the incumbent will be contracted to carry out the tasks as described above.  The consultant will be responsible for the following deliverables:

1. Attend preparatory regional workshop to be held in mid-August, 2017 to agree on research elements of the consultancy;
2. Draft country case study and human interest story and revise, as needed;
3. Finalize country case study plans in consultation with the lead international consultant, UNDP staff and other experts designated by UNDP;
4. Gather country level data and carry out initial analysis of the data per study plans;
5. Carry out interviews, surveys, focus groups discussions per study plans;
6. Consolidate all the information and submit to UNDP in a timely manner.

Institutional Arrangement:

 The consultant will work under the supervision of Team Leader/Programme Specialist (Democratic Governance and Social Advocacy) of UNDP Thailand, and with partners and Country Office team in completing the listed scope of work.

Duration:

15 August  2017–  31 October 2017 with maximum of 30  working days

Duty Station:

Bangkok, Thailand, with travel to Manila, the Philippines during 21 – 24 August 2017

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• 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 favouritism.

Technical Competencies:

• Analytic capacity and demonstrated ability to process, analyse and synthesise complex, technical information;
• Proven ability to support the development of high quality knowledge and training materials, and to train technical teams;
• Proven experience in the developing country context and working in different cultural settings.

Communication:

• Communicate effectively in writing to a varied and broad audience in a simple and concise manner.

Professionalism:

• Capable of working in a high pressure environment with sharp and frequent deadlines, managing many tasks simultaneously;
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills.

Teamwork:

• Projects a positive image and is ready to take on a wide range of tasks;
• Focuses on results for the client;
• Welcomes constructive feedback.

Required Skills and Experience

Experience:

• At least seven years of experience in policy analysis or relevant research at national level;
• Experience of working at the regional level or contributing to the regional level research is an asset;
• Track record in data collection and analysis using software such as STATA, SPSS, SAS etc, especially as it relates to development and/or governance with a specific focus on anti-corruption, preventing violent extremism or related area;
• Experience in different data collection methodologies, including conducting focus group discussions, surveys, interviews, etc.;
• A sound knowledge of country’s political and socio-economic context, ongoing reforms particularly as they relate to the fight against corruption and preventing violent extremism;
• Excellent English communication, writing and editing skills.

Education:

• At least a Master’s degree in development studies, public administration, law, political science, journalism, international relations, or related field would be preferred

Language Requirements:

• Excellent oral and written English.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payment :

Consultant must send a financial proposal based on Lump Sum Amount. The total amount quoted shall be all-inclusive and include all costs components required to perform the deliverables identified in the TOR, including professional fee, travel costs, living allowance (for travel to Manila, the Philippines during 21 – 24 August 2017)  and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment. The contract price will be fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specified duration. Payments will be done upon completion of the deliverables/outputs and as per below percentages:

• Deliverable 1 : attendance in the  workshop in the Philippines and research plan: 30 % of total contract amount
• Deliverable 2 : initial analysis of country data : 30 % of total contract amount
• Deliverable 3 : Case study on corruption and extreme violence in Thailand: 40% of total contract amount

In general, UNDP shall 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 event of unforeseeable travel not anticipated in this TOR, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and the Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Travel costs shall be reimbursed at actual but not exceeding the quotation from UNDP approved travel agent.  The provided living allowance will not be exceeding UNDP DSA rates. Repatriation travel cost from home to duty station in Bangkok and return shall not be covered by UNDP.

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the Cumulative analysis.

The award of the contract shall 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 set of weighted technical criteria (70%). and financial criteria (30%).

Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment. Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points)

•     Criteria 1: Experience in anti-corruption issues.– max 25 points;

•     Criteria 2: Experience in project development, project management and developing project documents – max 15 points;

•     Criteria 3: Knowledge of public administration in Thailand – max 25 Points;

•     Criteria 4: Relevant education - max 5 points

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Documents to be included when submtting the proposals:

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document:

• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided in Annex III.
• Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
• Financial proposal (Annex III) that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided. The term "all inclusive" implies all cost (professional fees, international travel costs, living allowances etc). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified above. Note: National consultants must quote prices in Thai Baht.
• Brief description of approach to work/technical proposal of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a proposed methodology on how they will approach and complete the assignment; (max 1 page); Attach excerpt of no more than 10 pages of 1-2 relevant previous research samples

Incomplete proposals may not be considered.

ANNEXES

Annex I - TOR_ Consultant for Anti_Corruption and Violence

Annex II- General Condition of Contract

Annex III - Financial proposal and Offeror's Letter To UNDP Confirming Interest and Avail for IC

All documents can be downloaded at : http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=39498