Background

The United Nations County Team (UNCT) in Kuwait is currently in the process of preparing the first United Nations Partnership Framework (UNDPF[1]) for the period 2019-2023. The UNDPF will present the collective, coherent and integrated support of the UN system in line with national development priorities, Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR) recommendations and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, anchored in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A cornerstone of this process is the review of the current Common Country Analysis (CCA), that also will need to reflect the UNCT’s Vision 2030 for partnership with Kuwait as well as take into consideration the work of UNDP in CPAP 2015-2018, the world Bank, IMF and other United Nations Agencies, Funds and Programmes active in Kuwait. The CCA presents a concise analysis of the country’s development challenges and the areas in which UN agencies are mandated and have the comparative advantage to achieve results. The CCA will be provided to the consultant to be used as a basis for the formulation of the UNDPF.

The UNDPF will be drafted following a strategic prioritization workshop tentatively scheduled to take place on 2 – 3 May 2018. The UNDPF is a document intended to serve as a strategic framework for the UN’s Partnership with the State of Kuwait over the 2019-2023 period. The UNDPF must follow Results Based Management principles and be guided by the recently revised UNDG UNDPF Guidance[2].  It must be developed as per the UNDG provided “UNDPF document template”[3] and meet the UNDG prescribed “quality criteria for UNDPFs”[4]. It should take into consideration the peculiarity of Kuwait as a Net Contributing Country. It must incorporate the four principles for integrated programming: Leave no one behind; Human rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment; Sustainability and resilience; and Accountability. In addition, it will need to reflect, the basic principles and Standard Operating Principals (SOPs) of the “Delivering as One” approach.

[1] The UNCT is considering changing the title “UNDPF” 

[2] https://undg.org/document/2017-UNDPF-guidance/

[3] Refer Annex 4 of the UNDPF Guidance 2017

[4] Refer Annex 1 of the UNDPF Guidance 2017

Duties and Responsibilities

The Office of the UN Resident Coordinator is recruiting an international consultant to prepare the UNDPF Document for the UN Country Team in Kuwait

Specific tasks include:

1. To review relevant documents Government national plan, Vision 2035, new Kuwait, the different agencies plans, any other documents relevant to country assessment in relevance to the UNDPF;
2. Facilitation of the Strategic Prioritization Workshop (SPW) to agree on development priorities with national counterparts;
3. Define an agenda for the two-day SPW (27-28 June 2018) based on the above expected outcomes of the SPW Report, and the CCA that will identify the development priorities recommended for inclusion in the UNDPF;
4. Drafting the UNDPF Theory of Change and the Results and Resources Matrix[1]. This requires working with the UNCT Members and their specialized staff and potential implementing partners on the following:

• Prepare a causality analysis for each of the development priorities identified during the SPW, followed by a theory of change for each priority and an overall UNDPF theory of change that articulates the pathway of change, in particular, how UNDPF strategic priorities will contribute to the achievement of national priorities and the SDGs, as well as how the outcomes collectively support the achievement of selected priorities, with emphasis on complementarities and synergies.
• Draft and finalize UNDPF outcomes’ statements;
• Prepare a set of targets that all UNDPF indicators must meet. This will enable the UNCT to limit the number and enhance the quality of indicators;
• Develop a set of quality measurable indicators aligned with SDGs to be used to measure progress towards the chosen outcomes; and
• Identify (in the UNDPF) at least three (3) highly potential areas for UNCT joint programmes.

5. Drafting the UNDPF (2019 – 2023):

• Work with the UNCT and national partners to agree on the content and structure of the UNDPF document that is built around the main elements required by the UNDG;
• Prepare a first draft of the UNDPF document (consolidated narrative and RRM, including annexes) and submit it to the RCO for UNCT / PSG / GoK review;
• Incorporate comments and submit a revised draft for further review;
• Finalize the UNDPF document after incorporating the comments from the UNCT, PSG and relevant national counterparts.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The following schedule is expected to be used as a guide for the consultant in coming up with the final workplan with realistic timeline for the key deliverables.

Institutional Arrangement

1. The consultant will report to the UN Resident Coordinator through the Knowledge Management Associate and the deliverables and feedback required will be provided in line with the milestones noted above.
2. All submitted deliverables, reports, developed papers (reports, framework, agenda, matrixes and etc.) are subject to UN Resident Representative approval. These documents will serve as a justification of payments.
3. The Consultant will be provided with working place, access to internet ad printing machine when in country.

Duration of the Work

The assignment will be completed in the period from 30th May 2018 till 31st January 2019. The overall duration of work has been estimated to be 45 days, including 2 missions to Kuwait

Duty Station

The consultant is expected to be in Kuwait for SPW workshop, UNDPF theory of change discussions and will be based at UNRC office. Two round trips will be covered under this assignment.

[1] Annex 3 of the UNDPF Guidance 2017 provides the UNDG template for the UNDPF results and resources matrix.

Competencies

• Focus on client satisfaction;
• Facility with statistical data and knowledge of human rights and gender equality approaches; statistics of qualitative and quantitative data in similar UNDPFs and ability to develop clear and concise presentations
• Ability to share knowledge and experience and provide helpful feedback and advice.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master Degree in international development, social sciences, economics, Environment or another related field.

Experience and skills:

• Substantive knowledge of and skills in RBM concepts and its application in programming (to be confirmed by reference training participation or copy of certification);
• Previous experience in preparation/writing of UNDPF documents is must. The samples of templates to be submitted.
• Experience in the region related to UNDPF is definite advantage;
• Demonstrate the knowledge of UN agency mandates and activities; direct experience of UN programming at the country level aligned with Agenda 2035 and SDGs;
• Familiarity with the UNDPF process and the Delivering as One modality;
• Substantive knowledge of development issues in the region is required.
• Fluency in spoken and written English is must and Arabic is advantage

Scope of Price Proposal

The financial proposal submitted 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. The financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, living allowance, and the number of anticipated working days).

Travel: All envisaged travel and other related costs must be included in the financial proposal.

In the case of 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

Cumulative analysis

Total score=Technical Score + Financial Score.

Technical Criteria weight - 70%, 700 scores maximum 

Financial Criteria weight - 30%. 300 scores maximum

The selection of candidates will be done in 3 stages:

1st stage: Prior to detailed evaluation, all applications will be thoroughly screened against eligibility criteria (minimum qualification requirements) as set in the TOR to determine whether they are compliant/non-compliant.

2nd stage: Evaluation of technical proposals

Short-listed candidates will be evaluated based on the following criteria. Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 490 points (70%) at the Technical Evaluation would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

3rd stage: Financial evaluation

The cumulative analysis will be used based on the following methodology: All the offers of individual consultants who scored 490 (70% from 700) and more points during the desk review are acceptable for financial evaluation. The lowest financial qualified proposal receives 300 points and all the other technically qualified proposals receive points in inverse proportion per the formula:

The candidate achieving the highest cumulative score for both Technical and Financial evaluations will be recommended by the Evaluation Committee for contracting.

1. DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS.

Applicants are requested to compile and submit as one PDF file the below-requested documents:

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability; http://www.kw.undp.org/content/dam/kuwait/documents/Procurmenet/Template%20for%20Confirmation%20of%20Interest%20and%20Submission%20of%20Financial%20Proposal.docx
2. Achievement-based CV, including: Summary of experience with UNDPF preparation, UN joint programming and summary of past experience in a similar context and/or region, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the candidate and at least three (3) professional referees;
3. Technical Proposal includes:
   1. One page that highlights your track record of work experience that demonstrates your practical skills and abilities in these areas and how you’ve been involved in these tasks in the past and explaining why you are the most suitable for this assignment.
   2. Proposed Methodology, Approach and Implementation Plan – this section should demonstrate the Proposer’s response to the Terms of Reference aligned with 2035 agenda and SDGs by identifying the specific components proposed, how the requirements shall be addressed, as specified, point by point; providing a detailed description of the essential performance characteristics proposed; and demonstrating how the proposed methodology meets or exceeds the specifications.
4. Financial Proposal that indicates an all-inclusive Lump Sum Amount with a fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided.  If an 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, the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.  The consultant should be aware that the contract price is fixed regardless of changes in the cost components. http://www.kw.undp.org/content/dam/kuwait/documents/Procurmenet/Template%20for%20Confirmation%20of%20Interest%20and%20Submission%20of%20Financial%20Proposal.docx