UNDP Jobs - 82122- Individual Consultant - Scoping Study for UNDP Phi

Individual Consultant - Scoping Study for UNDP Philippines’ Advisory Services for the Private Sector and Pro-bono Private Sector Staffing

Location :

Manila, PHILIPPINES

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Dec-2018

Application Deadline :

03-Dec-18 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

National Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

3 months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

December 2018 - February 2019

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

Project Title

Scoping Study for UNDP Philippines’ Advisory Services for the Private Sector and Pro-bono Private Sector Staffing

Project Description
In September 2015, the Philippines, along with 192 countries, adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and “Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” (Agenda 2030), at the United Nations General Assembly. With 17 ambitious and wide-encompassing targets that aim to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all, the SDGs will not only require significant financing but will also require coordinated efforts from multiple stakeholders and sectors, from government, business, civil society and development partners.
Within this multi-stakeholder partnership, the private sector has huge potential to significantly impact development results. Under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), two indicators state: “Businesses operate according to internationally recognized standards of responsible business conduct” and “Businesses contribute directly to the Goals according to capacity and expertise.” With the private sector’s ability to create sustainable, innovative, and scalable market solutions to address the world’s problems, it plays a critical role in ensuring the achievement of SDGs by 2030.
The Philippines is on an unparalleled growth trajectory in the region. Annual GDP growth of over 6% per year over the last 5 years, solid economic fundamentals and at least USD 150 billion in domestic private credit provides fertile ground for private sector-driven growth. The risk that this growth will be unsustainable could also be an opportunity, with the SDG framework providing an opening for business contributing to a sustainable Philippines: socially, economically and environmentally.
The sustainability agenda is relatively well established within the private sector in the Philippines and awareness of the SDGs is fairly high, especially among large corporations. There is increasing demand from businesses to know and do more in the areas of corporate sustainability and inclusive business. At the same time, there are several organisations working within this area, in addition to the corporations themselves. These include Philippines Business for the Environment (PBE), Philippines Businesses for Social Progress (PBSP), Global Compact Network Philippines (GCNP), Philippines Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), and Makati Business Club (MBC). It is essential that the Philippines capitalizes on this burgeoning private sector interest, activity and impetus to accelerate achievement of the SDGs in the country.
While there is increasing awareness of SDGs and corporate sustainability among the private sector, businesses still require practical guidance and direction that resonate with the business community, highlighting how they can concretely contribute to, and benefit from, SDGs. The G20 Framework succinctly summarizes this idea, saying: “For private capital and innovation to flow towards advancing the Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), societies will have to structure incentives that simultaneously advance business and development.” It will be vital to maximise and harness the huge potential of the private sector as the engine for socially, environmentally and economically sustainable development.
Against this backdrop, UNDP has been strengthening its engagement with the private sector in recent years, both as a financing partner and as a collaborator for sharing expertise. In its work with a range of partners to support the Philippines in achieving its SDG commitments, UNDP Philippines places great emphasis on enabling the contributions of the private sector, through the creation of knowledge-sharing and investment platforms and harnessing private sector data and innovation approaches. A summary of recent UNDP work with the private sector is found in Annex A.
UNDP drives forward global and country-level collaborations with the private sector, plays a role as an integrator of SDGs and Agenda 2030 within the UN system, and is uniquely positioned as a facilitator between governments and the private sector. As a result, there exists broad expertise and knowledge within UNDP on a range of issues relating to private sector engagement for the SDGs and sustainability, from gender equality in business to value chain analysis. Meanwhile, there is increasing demand from corporations and business associations for deeper engagement with UNDP on these issues. The issue arises, therefore, of how to optimally reconcile this demand for sustainability with UNDP’s provision of advisory services. While there are organisations in the Philippines with expertise in such issues, there are also areas in which UNDP, as an international organisation with extensive local networks and hence ideally suited to bridging global and local agendas, is uniquely positioned to provide advisory services to private sector organisations in the country. The question is “what services are needed, by whom, and how best to deliver them?”.
UNDP Philippines plans to conduct a scoping study to assess the potential for matching this business demand with UNDP’s SDG-related advisory supply, to focus on how UNDP Philippines can develop a needs-based value-added product, model or mechanism for advisory services for the local private sector. This work intends to be innovative and creative in thinking and premised on “start-up” principles. Two consultant will be contracted by UNDP Philippines to conduct this scoping study. They will assess the viability of, and provide concrete recommendations on, two chief aspects of interest to UNDP in terms of its private sector collaborations:
1. A mechanism for UNDP fee-for-service development services to private sector organisations;
2. Pro-bono staffing by private sector organisations to UNDP.

Institutional Arrangements

The Consultant shall report to, and be supervised by, the Team Leader, Management Support Unit (MSU), UNDP Philippines. The Team Leader will endorse the above outputs, following review with the Country Director and Senior Economist of UNDP Philippines. Outputs will be reviewed within 10 working days of receipt.

To achieve the intended results, the consultant will collaborate with various entities. The consultant will work closely with the UNDP Philippines Country Office Senior Management and Programme Teams. They will also coordinate with other arms of UNDP as needed, e.g. the Regional Partnerships Specialist and the Chief for Innovation and Private Sector Business Development based in the UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub, the Global Programme Advisor - Private Sector, UNDP Bureau of Policy and Programme Support, Senior Adviser – Private Sector in the Executive Office of UNDP HQ (responsible for the SDG Impact project), and the UNDP Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD). They will also interact with corporations – the selection of whom will be proposed by the consultant as per Output 1 – and various business associations such as Philippines Business for the Environment (PBE), Philippines Businesses for Social Progress (PBSP), Global Compact Network Philippines (GCNP), Philippines Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and Makati Business Club (MBC). The consultant are free to propose other organisations they wish to meet to achieve the objectives, e.g. UN agencies, development partners, etc. The full list of planned stakeholders for consultations is to be outlined in Output 1.

UNDP Philippines will not provide a workstation, administrative support, transportation or ICT equipment for the consultant. However, temporary workstations can be provided for when the consultant report to the UNDP offices.

Duration of Work
The assignment will be a 3-month consultancy (65 working days spread over 3 months), unless revised in a mutually agreed timetable between the Consultant and the Country Director and subject to availability of funds.

Duty Station
UNDP Philippines Country Office, Rockwell Business Center Sheridan, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, Philippines. The Consultant are not required to report daily at the duty station but shall have an agreed reporting schedule with the Country Director and other relevant UNDP personnel.

Travel
As may be deemed relevant to the assignment, the Consultant may be required to travel within the Philippines or the Asia-Pacific region. Travels will be endorsed by the Team Leader, Management Support Unit, for approval by the Country Director. Travel expenses, to be covered by UNDP Philippines, will be agreed prior to travel and a travel report is to be submitted after trips are completed.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The Consultant must send a financial proposal based on an all-inclusive lump-sum amount for the delivery of the outputs below. The total amount quoted shall include all cost components required to deliver the goods and services identified above, including professional fees and any other applicable costs (e.g. transportation to and from residence for meetings within Metro Manila, supplies and materials, equipment, reproduction, communications, etc.) to be incurred by the Consultant in completing the assignment.

The contract price will be fixed output-based price. Any deviations from the outputs and timelines, as well will need to be agreed on between the between the Consultant and the Country Director. Travel, as deemed relevant by UNDP, will be covered and arranged by UNDP following UNDP Financial Rules and Regulations.

Payments will be made upon satisfactory completion of the deliverables by target due dates. Outputs will be certified by the Team Leader, Management Support Unit, prior to payments.

First Tranche 10% - Upon submission and UNDP certification of a detailed work plan for scoping study, including: (1) Key areas of enquiry and (2) List of stakeholders with whom to engage;
Second Tranche 10% - Upon submission and UNDP certification of an outline and/or annotated Table of Contents of Scoping Report for validation with Senior Management;
Third Tranche 10% - Upon submission and UNDP certification of a Monthly Progress Report for the 1st month, highlighting updates, issues and any barriers;
Fourth Tranche 10%-Upon submission and UNDP certification of a Monthly Progress Report for the 2nd month, highlighting updates, issues and any barriers;
Fifth Tranche 25% - Upon submission and UNDP certification of Scoping Report covering both Advisory Services and Pro-bono Staffing;
Sixth Tranche 10% - Upon submission and UNDP certification of a presentation of report to UNDP Senior Management for feedback;
Seventh Tranche 25% - Upon submission and UNDP certification of a Revised Scoping Report.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

The Consultant will be responsible for preparing a report that encompasses two major tasks:

1. Mechanism for UNDP fee-for-service development services to private sector organisations

Scope the potential of such a mechanism, including analysis of what businesses need in terms of advisory services, the level of demand for such services, and the modality with which they want such services to be delivered. A guiding question will be “what services does the private sector need and who can provide such services to them?”. For this, a thorough mapping of local organisations that could potentially provide such services and their respective capabilities will be required, followed by proposals on UNDP’s positioning vis-à-vis these organisations. The above analysis will need to be grounded on both the business demand aspect and UNDP’s niche areas of work where it can add most value. For the latter, the consultant will need to closely monitor developments in UNDP’s ongoing private sector strategies at HQ level. It will be important to factor in how UNDP can provide such services in an overall SDG ecosystem without displacing the work of local organisations or substituting local expertise.

In terms of technical areas, it is for the scoping study to recommend, but they may include, for example, policies for sustainable business, SDG-aligned investing strategies, inclusive business, gender equality and business, value chains, business and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), impact management, financial inclusion, etc. Along with the technical themes, there may be different kinds of interventions that the private sector wants, such as enhanced capacity for research and analysis, reporting, evaluations, or convening platforms for multi-stakeholder engagement.

Once the needs are identified, and the feasibility of providing them assessed, the consultant will propose an appropriate platform through which this collaboration can take place, in the form of an IT solution. How does this operate, who are the users, what information does it require, how do private sector entities seek advisory services through it, how does UNDP respond, etc. are key questions that need to be answered in formulating this platform or mechanism. The objective is that this would be a fee-for-service mechanism, whereby private sector organisations fund UNDP. The consultant will assess the viability of this in the short, medium and long term, and make proposals for alternative funding or operating models if interim options are found to be necessary. Consideration will need be given to the different sizes of private sector organisations, ranging from conglomerates to SMEs, all of which have different needs, ability to fund such services and levels of interest.

2. Pro-bono staffing by private sector organisations to UNDP:

In addition to the above mechanism for advisory services, the consultant are also required to assess the potential for staff members of private sector organisations to be seconded to work in UNDP for a limited duration to work on a range of issues relating to SDGs and the private sector, sustainability and private sector engagement. The aim is to create a ‘win-win’ situation whereby the private sector secondees are able to learn about the global sustainability agenda and nurture partnerships with the UN and UNDP that they then internalize within their own organisations, while UNDP can harness the skills and knowledge of the private sector and gain a deeper understanding of corporate sustainability from the inside of corporations themselves. The study will identify whether the private sector is interested in such a system, the level of that interest, whether it is feasible, and, if so, the specific areas of interest of the private sector. It will also provide recommendations, based on primary data, on the preferred modalities and logistical arrangements of such secondments, for example time periods, working patterns, level of inputs, expectations of provisions from UNDP, etc.

In conducting the scoping study for 1. and 2. above, the consultant may identify other potential areas/modalities/mechanisms through which engagement between UNDP and the private sector in the Philippines can be enhanced. In addition, the consultant may identify linkages between their study and

existing UNDP projects and initiatives, potential collaborations, and business opportunities relating to the SDGs where private sector can infuse capital. The consultant are expected to incorporate such issues and recommendations within the report. The report should also consider issues relating to Due Diligence of the private companies that could become collaborators with UNDP, for example how UNDP would conduct Due Diligence reviews, as well highlighting any risks (legal, reputational, financial, security, etc.) to the proposed engagements.

The Consultant are expected to reach out to, and engage with, a broad range of local stakeholders, namely companies and business associations, in the conduct of their study, to gather opinions and validate the feasibility of their recommendations. The consultant will draw upon relevant case studies—both national and international—in the conduct of the study. The consultant are expected to coordinate closely and align with Executive Office in UNDP HQ regarding the recently launched SDG Impact project on the possible line-up of services arising from the project. The consultant are expected to think broadly and innovatively in making their proposals and recommendations, while ensuring that they are evidence-based and realistic in the local context.

UNDP Philippines will furnish any relevant and shareable private sector-related materials to the consultant to aid their work, both from Philippines and UNDP globally, e.g. reports, assessments, studies, databases, etc., UNDP will also facilitate introductions to partner organisations as well as internal UNDP colleagues that bear relevance to the study in question.

Competencies

CORPORATE

Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN mission, vision, values and ethical standards;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Promotes UNDP’s agenda in meetings.

FUNCTIONAL

Ability to work in close collaboration with a group of national and international experts, to meet strict deadlines and plan the work according to priorities;
Initiative, good analytical skills, mature judgment and ability to work under tight schedule while respecting deadlines achievement, ethics and honesty;
Ability to establish effective working relations in a multicultural team environment;
Strong initiative and desire to succeed, accountable and willingness to be pro-active in identifying suitable companies and engaging in appropriate business opportunities;
Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
Builds strong relationships with internal and external clients
Demonstrates capacity to plan, organize and execute effectively
Encourages risk-taking in the pursuit of creativity and innovation
Demonstrated ability to function in a team environment and to deal with complex multi-stakeholder environment
Willingness to be pro-active in identifying suitable companies for collaboration;
Good ability to use information and communication technologies as tools and resources.
Excellent written communication and presentation/public speaking skills, focus on results, ability to interact productively in a teamwork environment;
Proven experience in communicating with senior level private sector executives and government officials.

Required Skills and Experience

TECHNICAL

Education (20 points)

Master’s Degree in Economics, Business Administration/Management, Social/Political Sciences or a related field with at least 7 years of relevant, progressive work experience; or Bachelor’s Degree with at least 9 years of relevant, progressive work experience;

Experience (80 points)

At least 5 years of professional and relevant work experience in corporate sustainability, sustainable development and/or multi-stakeholder development cooperation; Working experience in or with private sector organisations is preferred; (30 points)
Knowledge of international development, Agenda 2030/Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and UNDP’s global and country-level work is preferred; Possess strong intellectual interest in inclusive development and strong knowledge of the role of the private sector in driving poverty reduction and sustainable development, public-private-partnerships, and inclusive business models; (30 points)
Capacity to work in a multicultural work environment and engage with a diverse set of partners including Government, development and communities, with proven experience in and effective communication skills for dialoguing with senior officials and executives. Established local network of Philippine companies and business associations is highly regarded (10 points)
Experience in the use of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems (10 points)

Language

Proficiency in English and Filipino language in both oral and written is preferred.

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

The Combined Scoring Method shall serve as basis for evaluating offers. The technical qualifications will be weighted a maximum of 70% (Education 20%; Experience 80%), and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a max of 30%.

Application Requirements:

Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability (Financial Proposal);
Curriculum Vitae or P11 indicating all past experiences from similar projects, as well as the contact details
(email and telephone number) of the candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how they will approach and complete the assignment. Maximum 2 pages for both of the above.
Samples of publications.

Application requirements should be emailed to procurement.ph@undp.org and registry.ph@undp.org on or before 3 December 2018, COB 5PM (Manila, Philippines).

Attachments can be downloaded at the below link (Financial Proposal Template and P11 Form):

http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=51645

In view of the volume of applications UNDP receives, only shortlisted offerors will be notified.