Background

The regional project “Climate Change Education and Awareness – “Climate Box” is implemented by the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub with the financial support from the Russian Government through the Climate Window of the Russia-UNDP Trust Fund for Development. The project is implemented from September 2017 until August 2019 in Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. 

In 2014-2015, UNDP developed and piloted in Russia a new innovative interactive learning toolkit on Climate Change – ”Climate Box”.  The toolkit was developed by an interdisciplinary team of Russian experts. The Climate Box consists of an illustrated textbook, the Climate Quiz game, a wall map illustrating the possible effects of climate change on nature and mankind, a poster with tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint, and a disk with all of the toolkit materials. Already in 2015 the Climate Boxes were successfully piloted in 157 secondary schools in the Russian cities of Moscow and Sochi. Over 11,300 school children have already been using the Climate Box. Over 500 teachers were trained and have been engaged into what they felt was a new, innovative and exciting learning process. In 2015, the Climate Box was translated into English and presented at the Educational Day of the international climate conference in Paris (COP-21). Initial success of the Climate Box in Russia, appreciation of climate change experts and teaches and numerous inquiries from other countries brought up an ambition to make it a truly international educational kit uniting children and teachers across the borders. 

In 2016, UNDP started replication of Climate Box project in Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Localized versions of the toolkits have been prepared, a team of Russian experts and teachers conducted training and experience sharing workshops with local teachers and educators in the three countries. Digital versions of the toolkit are also available to kids through web sites and mobile applications. The Climate Box is promoted in both Russian and local languages. The early feedback from the teachers has been very positive and a strong support from the national educational authorities has been mobilized. In 2017 the regional Climate Box project was presented at the UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn. 

In 2018-2019 the Climate Box project will (1) scale-up piloting of the Climate Box at the regional level including four more countries in the ECIS region – Armenia, Moldova, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, (2) support piloting and monitoring of the toolkit in seven ECIS countries – Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and (3) support cross-country exchanges and learning initiatives including an international student contest on climate change. 

Location: Home based and missions to the pilot countries

Duties and Responsibilities

The Technical Advisor will coordinate and support scaling-up and sub-regional piloting of the Climate Box (CB) and will facilitate sub-regional knowledge exchange among the partners. 

Specific tasks are as follows: 

• Advice the UNDP Country Offices in Armenia, Moldova, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and the local project partners on the preparation to and launch of the piloting of the Climate Box in these countries (based on the review of the Climate Box piloting experience in Russia and Central Asia);
• Support and facilitate piloting of the CB in seven countries: provide advice and consultations to local stakeholders, trouble-shooting, monitoring of the piloting phase;
• Upgrade and support implementation of the CB monitoring programme to obtain feedback and assess effectiveness of the CB piloting in three countries. The monitoring programme should track above all climate change impacts from the application of the Climate Box (reduced GHG emissions and improved resilience/knowledge of climate risks at schools and at households level). This will be done in partnership with the local CB experts; 
• Facilitate knowledge exchange and networking among the Climate Box partners in seven beneficiary countries of Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and Russia. This would include support to the organization of a regional student contest on climate change between Climate Box beneficiary countries and teachers and student knowledge exchanges across ECIS countries; 
• Provide advice and assistance for updating and enhancing the existing CB website and mobile application (to be commissioned through a separate contract). 
• Formulate and support implementation of the CB communication and outreach strategy and plan for 2018-2019. 
• Prepare power point presentations on the regional CB project for presentation at various international events.
• Support organization of a series of CB workshops in each of the participating countries. 
• Facilitate preparation for the final regional event to exchange experience on the piloting phase and scaling-up plans.
• Provide recommendations for future scaling up and replication of the CB. 
• Engage with UNFCCC on the further international replication of the Climate Box and providing practical recommendation/work plan for the international replication. 
• Prepare report on the project activities in 2018-2019 based on the inputs from the piloting countries. 

Payment schedule:

• Deliverable 1 - Detailed work plan and approach for the assignment (by 30 April 2018 - 10% of the total contract value)
• Deliverable 2 - Intermediate report on the progress with specific tasks outlined above in Section 2. of the TORs, including above all: (i) CB communication and outreach strategy and plan, (ii) Consolidated update on the development of adapted Climate Box tool-kits in Armenia, Moldova, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, (iii) Consolidated update on the progress with the training-of-trainers workshops, (iv) Updated power point presentation on Climate Box project (by 30 September 2018 - 20% of the total contract value)
• Deliverable 3 - Annual report on the project activities in 2018, including: (i) Report on the progress with the implementation of specific tasks outlined above in Section 2. of the TOR, (ii) Updated design of the Climate Box monitoring programme and its implementation plan, (iii) Report on the consultations with UNFCCC and other stakeholders on the further replication and scaling up of the Climate Box project, (iv) Technical inputs to the progress report to the donor – the Russia-UNDP Trust Fund for Development (31 January 2019 20% of the total contract value)
• Deliverable 4 - Report on the implementation of the Climate Box monitoring programme (30 June 2019 - 20% of the total contract value)
• Deliverable 5 - Final project report, including: (i) Detailed report on the implementation of all specific tasks outlined above in the Section 2. of the TORs, (ii) Recommendations for future scaling up and replication of the CB, (iii) Report on the implementation of the communication and outreach plan, (iv) Updated power point presentation on the project, (v) Depository of project photos, reports, publications, CB tool-kits in different languages uploaded on the web and shared with UNDP, (vi) Report on the final regional CB event, (vii) Technical inputs to the final report to the donor – the Russia-UNDP Trust Fund for Development (by 31 August 2019 - 30% of the total contract value)

Management and organizational arrangements
The consultant will work under the guidance and technical supervision of UNDP IRH CC&DRR Team. She/he will also work closely with participating UNDP Country Offices. 

Consultancy is estimated to start on 15 April 2018 and will be completed no later than 31 August 2019.

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability; 
• Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.
• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism;

Functional competencies:

• Good communication and time management skills, ability to work in a team;
• Strong interpersonal skills;
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education: 

• Minimum master’s degree in environment science or other relevant field.

Experience: 

• At least 7 years of relevant professional experience in the area of climate change. 
• Professional experience working with professional networks/relevant stakeholders in the ECIS region in education on climate change;
• Experience in writing and editing reports and knowledge products. 
• Experience in designing or managing educational projects on climate change. 

Language skills: 

• Fluency in written and spoken English and Russian languages is required for this assignment.

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 and financial criteria specific to the solicitation. 

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max. 35 points:

• Criteria A – Relevant university degree(s) completed – max points 5;
• Criteria B – Demonstrated relevant work experience for at least 7 years – max points 10;
• Criteria C – Demonstrated relevant experience in ECIS region– max points 5;
• Criteria D – Demonstrated writing reports – max 5 points;
• Criteria E – Experience in designing and/or managing educational projects on climate change – max points 10.

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max. 15 points.

Application procedures
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. 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://www.eurasia.undp.org/content/dam/rbec/docs/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc); please upload the P11 instead of your CV. 
• Financial Proposal* - specifying a total lump sum amount in USD for the tasks specified in this announcement. Mission related costs should not be included in the price offer as they will be covered separately as per UNDP rules and regulations.

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, health insurance, vaccination, personal security needs and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services...). 
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.