Background

On average, UNDP responds to 11 or 12 mid-to-large scale crises each year. These events can dramatically change UNDP’s work in-country, sometimes for years to come. To help affected country offices better respond to the additional demands that arise out of conflict or disaster, UNDP has developed a range of services that can be rapidly activated, such as financial and human resources support, operational and programmatic guidelines, and specific early recovery programming tools, such as the Crisis Response Packages.  

UNDP‘s response to any crisis is a collaborative one. It brings together expertise, information and processes from different parts of the organization. This collaborative role of the organization is articulated in the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Immediate Crisis Response, which are the overarching guidelines that UNDP follows to react quickly and efficiently in times of crisis. 

In line with the existing SOP, SURGE Planning Teams are deployed for crisis  response levels 2 “where the CO requires expanded support” and 3 “when the magnitude of the crisis requires mobilization of all relevant divisions and units in the organization”. SURGE Planning Teams are deployed within 10 days of a crisis to support the concerned UNDP country office (CO) in the development of an integrated programmatic and operational response plan.  To cover all complexities involved, SURGE planning considers the “recovery needs of the country and the affected populations” as well as the “CO requirements to build its own capacity in order to effectively manage the increased workload”. The main tool in this planning and assessment mission is the SURGE Plan which is based on a first assessment of the situation and defines the responsibilities, timeframe and funding requirements for the first three months of response and early recovery.

Though the role of the SURGE Planning Team remains extremely relevant, crisis response After Action Reviews have revealed that there remains a visible gap in the provision of immediate support on the ground in the 0-48 hour period following a crisis. Since the merging of the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery and Bureau for Development Policy into BPPS, there have been discussions on the need to ensure that Country Offices have access to critical expertise in the immediate aftermath of crisis. To address this, a concept of a cadre of First Responders who would essentially be SURGE Advisors that are deployed immediately after a crisis is being proposed and has been piloted in UNDP’s response to the Pacific cyclone and Nepal earthquake. First Responders will provide critical immediate support to Country Offices in planning, preparing Flash Appeal proposals, developing a foundation for a recovery programme (including a short concept note for immediate resource mobilization), liaison with humanitarian actors on the ground, kick starting UNDP Crisis Response Packages, resource mobilization and external communications ensuring that UNDP is providing relevant and important information to community, donors and the media.

These critical roles will be taken on by UNDP First Responders, measures which will go onto enhance UNDP’s immediate crisis response capacities at the Country Office level, allowing them to respond quickly and effectively to both the immediate response and the recovery demands. 

First Responders will be identified from Regional and Central Bureaus as well as the Regional Hubs. In line with the anticipated immediate needs of COs after a crisis, nine First Responder profiles have been identified in consultation with different parts of UNDP.

  • Early Recovery Advisor – ERAs will be deployed from the Early Recovery Coordination roster.
  • Senior Advisor to the RC/CD – Advisors will be identified and deployed from the SURGE roster and the list of unassigned CD and DCDs in consultation with the relevant Regional Bureau and OHR.
  • Communications Advisor - Advisors will be identified and deployed from the SURGE roster in consultation with BERA.
  • Field Security Specialists – Specialists will be identified and deployed from the SURGE roster in consultation with BMSBMS
  • Resource Mobilization Advisor - Advisors will be identified and deployed from the SURGE roster in consultation with BERA
  • Programme Specialist – Advisors may provide specific technical support and/or overall ‘programme specialist’ support to the COs. Technical roles will center on the PDNA/PCNA/MIRA, Livelihoods - Debris Management, Emergency Employment etc. - Disaster Response and Local Governance and liaison with Humanitarian actors. ‘Programme Specialist’ duties will focus on setting the ground for SURGE Planning, advise on crisis response tools, planning for assessments, interagency funding issues etc.
  • Crisis Response Packages Specialist – Focus will on existing CRPs such as - Debris Management, Emergency Employment, National Recovery Coordination etc. and also possible future CRP in the areas of Rule of Law and Crisis Governance
  • Gender Advisor - Advisors will be identified and deployed from the SURGE roster and from the Regional Hubs and Headquarters in consultation with BPPS
  • Operations Advisor – Provide immediate operations support for immediate crisis response

First Responders release will be triggered in the immediate aftermath of a crisis or, when relevant, in preparation to an imminent crisis.

First Responders will be deployed within 24-72 hours, in the immediate aftermath of a crisis. They may also be deployed prior to predicted crises (cyclone, floods etc.) to assist country offices in planning the response, BCP etc. Deployment will be for an initial one week period, with an extension of up to one more week. First Responders may be asked to join SURGE Planning Teams and PDNA processes in certain circumstances.

Duties and Responsibilities

The objective of the First Responders training is to strengthen UNDP staff capability to use corporate crisis response tools when deployed to a country office in the immediate aftermath (or in the anticipation) of a crisis.

The training will essentially build on a simulation exercise that will provide the participants with a realistic experience of what it takes and what matters when deployed as a First Responder. CRU has developed a draft agenda and preliminary materials needed for the simulation and role play exercise.

The recruited consultant will have two key components of work. A) Review, contribute and finalize the agenda and simulation materials that have been developed; B) be the lead facilitator for the First Responder training and ensure maximum engagement of the participants as well as support the resource persons in delivering their sessions.

 EXPECTED OUTPUTS AND DELIVERABLES 

  1. Consolidate the key policies, tools and procedures to be known by all participants prior to the trainings and prepare an online questionnaire to evaluate participants knowledge prior to the training;
  2. Review and finalize the draft scripts and the materials produced for the simulation exercises, as well as the training agenda, timelines and methodology;
  3. Finalize the list of all the activities to be performed by the groups and templates to be provided to the participants with the support of CRU staff;
  4. Prepare a guidance note for the participants summarizing the material at their disposal;
  5. Evaluate logistics needs (number of breakout rooms, material for presentation, simulation, etc.);
  6. Contribute to the finalization of the training agenda and session planning, including the coordination of related background documentation.
  7. Facilitate the training to promote maximum participation from participants, support and advise the resource persons on how to maximize active engagement of the group in discussion, raising issues, making recommendations and drawing conclusions.
  8. Evaluation – development of training evaluation questionnaire as well as preparation of a training report.

Deliverables:

  1. Provide detailed guidelines to session leads for their inputs to the workshop programme, as well as general guidelines for all participants;
  2. Successful facilitation of the workshop.
  3. Technical advice and support to participants during the workshop
  4. development of training evaluation questionnaire and debrief with the organizing team.

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT / REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS  

The Consultant will be under the overall supervision of CRU Management, the guidance of the Team Leader of CRU’s Rapid Response and Preparedness Team and work closely with its members as well as with other teams in CRU.

DURATION OF THE WORK

The recruited consultant will facilitate two First Responder trainings, with the initial training to be held in October 2017 and the second in Spring 2018.

The consultant is expected to work for 11 working days within three periods for each of the two trainings:

  • A preparatory period for agenda finalization and session planning (approx. 5 days), to be conducted remotely
  • Workshop facilitation – 5 days, to be conducted on-site
  • A post- workshop period – 1 day, to be conducted remotely

The consultant will provide regular progress updates to the Programme Specialist (CRU) in close collaboration with the workshop team.

The contract will be issued based on 22 working days, with payment to be done based on deliverables for each of the two trainings.

 

 

Competencies

  • Excellent interpersonal skills and communications skills;
  • Excellent planning, organisational skills and teambuilding and facilitation skills;
  • Excellent English writing and editing skills;
  • Good analytical, problem solving, negotiation, and diplomatic skills;
  • Ready to work flexible schedules throughout the consultancy term;
  • Sound knowledge of political, social and humanitarian context in which UNDP operates;
  • Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards; promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of the UN;
  • Displays sensitivity and adaptability; treats all people fairly without favouritism.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Advanced university degree (Master’s level) in law, development, political science, or other relevant field.

Experience:

  • 10 years’ relevant experience in crisis and emergency response strategy development, guidance and planning.
  • Experience in facilitating team building and business planning in the UN on issues related to crisis and emergency response.
  • Demonstrated experience of strong public presentation skills and written communication skills, experience relevant to crisis and emergency response processes and tools will be considered an asset.
  • Strong inter-personal skills and a demonstrated capacity to forge effective relations with colleagues and counterparts from different backgrounds.
  • Proven ability to effectively function in a multi-national, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic environment.
  • Knowledge of UNDP corporate structure and processes, standard operating procedures, particularly in crisis settings is essential.

Language Requirements:

  • Fluency in English, both oral and written, is required; working knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.

Application Submission Process:

The application is a two-step process. Failing to comply with the submission process may result in disqualification of the application:

  • Personal CV and/or UNDP Personal History Form 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.- To note, a completed PH 11 Form will be required at the time a consultant signs an Individual Contract (IC) or his/her employer, if employed, signs a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA) for work associated with this assignment.
  • Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment (300 words maximum).

Step 2: Submission of Financial Proposal (Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for financial proposals)

  • Upon completion of the Technical evaluation, only applicants meeting all minimum requirements and obtaining a minimum of 70 points (or 70%) on technical evaluation will be considered for the Financial Evaluation and will be approached for submission of their financial proposals.
  • Financial proposals must be all-inclusive and must be expressed based on a daily fee in US dollars.  The term ‘all inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, travel related expenses, communications, utilities, consumables, insurance, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor are already factored into the daily fee;

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% (70 points):

Criteria of desk review:

  • Number of years in crisis and emergency response strategy development, guidance and planning – 30 points
  • Experience in facilitating team building and business planning in the UN on issues related to crisis and emergency response. – 30 points
  • Demonstrated experience of strong public presentation skills and written communication skills, experience relevant to crisis and emergency response processes and tools will be considered an asset.– 20 points
  • Knowledge of UNDP corporate structure and processes, standard operating procedures, particularly in crisis settings is essential. – 20 points

Following the desk review, UNDP may invite shortlisted candidates for an interview. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (70 points) of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria (70 points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

Financial evaluation - Total 30%

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.

Payment modality

  • An IC Time Sheet must be submitted by the Contractor, duly approved by the Individual Contractor’s supervisor, which shall serve as the basis for the payment of fees.

Annexes (click on the hyperlink to access the documents):