Background

The UN General Assembly resolution 72/279 elevated the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (now renamed the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework) as “the most important instrument for planning and implementation of the UN development activities at country level in support of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda)”. The United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (Cooperation Framework) is a strategic, medium-term results framework that describes the collective vision and response of the UN system to national development priorities and results on the basis of normative programming principles.

The Cooperation Framework is nationally owned, and anchored on national development priorities, the 2030 Agenda and the principles of the UN Charter. It outlines the UN development system’s contributions sought by national stakeholders to reach the SDGs in an integrated manner, with a commitment to leave no one behind, human rights and other international standards and obligations.

Based on the UN development system’s policy expertise and its comparative advantages, its normative agenda, and its ability to leverage, influence and unlock a broad range of resources for development, the Cooperation Framework reflects:

• The expectations national stakeholders have of the UN development system’s contribution to national development;
• A shared vision and strategic priorities of the United Nations, framed within the broader landscape of partners;
• The strategic partners with whom the UN system will work in pursuit of development solutions;
• How the UN system and its partners will contribute to accelerating progress towards the 2030 Agenda; and
• The financial and non-financial commitments of the UN system and partners in the wider context of the financing required to reach the SDGs in the country.

The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Uganda has launched the process of preparation and formulation of the “2021 – 2025 Cooperation Framework”, a process that starts with the development of the Common Country Analysis (CCA), as the next partnership strategy between the Government of Uganda and the UNCT towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).? The development of the Cooperation Framework will be inclusive, participatory, co-led by the UN System and the Government and premised on the tenets of SDGs. The CCA is the UN system’s independent, impartial and collective assessment and analysis of a country situation for its internal use in developing the Cooperation Framework. It examines progress, gaps, opportunities and bottlenecks vis-à-vis a country’s commitment to achieving the 2030 Agenda, UN norms and standards, and the principles of the UN Charter, including as reflected in the Cooperation Framework Guiding Principles[1].?

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective:

The overall purpose of engaging the consultant is two-fold:

• To consolidate the findings of the Common Country Analysis bringing together different analyses including the draft by the UN Team of Experts; and
• To facilitate the development of the UN Cooperation Framework for Uganda.

Scope:

Common Country Analysis

The UN CCA has drawn from and add to existing data, statistics, analyses, reviews, research, capacities and resources from within and outside the UN system. These include national and sector-specific development visions and strategies, national budget allocations, and development financing from domestic and international, private and public sources. To leave no one behind, the CCA has entailed generating evidence and data disaggregated not only by income, gender, geography and age, but also other grounds of discrimination prohibited under international law. Social, cultural, economic, political, legislative and other systemic drivers of exclusion have been examined and described.

In summary, the CCA has addressed the following aspects:

• Country Context - a brief analysis of the country situation, and its status in relation to the economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainable development;
• National vision for sustainable development - an analysis of the country’s key development priorities and needs;
• Country progress towards the 2030 Agenda - an analytical overview of the status and progress on the SDGs;
• An analysis of the specific groups that have been left behind or are at risk of being left behind;
• An analysis of the country’s implementation of its commitments under all relevant internationally agreed norms and standards and UN Charter values, as instrumental to achieving the 2030 Agenda;
• An analysis of the relevant regional, sub-regional and transboundary factors and trends, and their impact on the country’s progress towards the SDGs
• An examination of the country’s financial landscape for sustainable development, based on a mapping and analysis of financial flows;
• An analysis of the various multidimensional risks and threats that could potentially impact the country’s development trajectory across the political, development, humanitarian, peacebuilding and human rights spectrum; and
• An analysis of gaps and challenges towards achieving the 2030 Agenda.

Developing the Cooperation Framework 2021-2025:

As provided for in the UN Cooperation Framework Internal Guidance, the development of the Cooperation Framework will entail, but not limited to the following in line with Roadmap (Annex 1) for the process:

• Facilitating the UN internal visioning exercise; UN comparative advantage analysis; SWOT analysis; and developing the theory of change;
• Facilitating the UN prioritization process – facilitating the UN, in consultation with national partners, to choose strategic priorities and related development results (outcomes and outputs) in which to invest its collective efforts, capacities and resources;?
• Drafting the Cooperation Framework narrative;
• Developing a results matrix, including indicator definitions;
• Developing a costed Monitoring and Evaluation Plan.
• Facilitating the UNCT configuration dialogue;
• Facilitating the development of the Cooperation Framework governance structure and guide;
• Facilitating the development of SDG financing strategy for the country and Cooperation Framework funding frameworks;
• Facilitating the preparation of the Cooperation Framework communication strategy;
• Facilitating the development of UN joint workplans;

Competencies

Corporate Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN's values and ethical standards;
• Sensitivity to cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age differences;
• Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment;
• Ability to exercise sound political judgment.

Functional Competencies

• Outstanding communication (spoken and written) skills, including the ability to write reports, conduct consultations and interviews and to articulate ideas in a clear and concise style;
• Good knowledge of the UN system and UN common country programming processes (CCA/Cooperation Framework);
• Ability to review and synthesize large amounts of information rapidly, and to distinguish major trends from minor details;
• Ability to conceptualize and analyze problems to identify key issues, underlying problems, and how they relate;
• Technical competence in complex analysis;
• Familiarity with statistical data and knowledge of human rights and gender equality approaches;
• Familiarity with indicators and monitoring and evaluation methodologies;
• Ability to respond positively to critical feedback and differing points of view;
• Ability to handle a large volume of work under time constraints;
• Practical experience in the region and knowledge of the development and humanitarian issues in Uganda is an asset;
• Ability to share knowledge and experience and provide helpful feedback and advice.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• Advanced university degree in international development, economics, development studies, social science, evaluation, international relations or related field. A PhD is preferred.

Experience:

• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience specifically in the area of international development initiatives and development organizations;
• Extensive knowledge of, and experience in applying, qualitative and quantitative analytical methods and in a wide range of analytical approaches;
• Proven track record in Policy and providing policy advice;
• Strong understanding and knowledge of economics and human development issues, particularly those related to poverty reduction and SDGs, and humanitarian issues, including forced displacement
• Excellent facilitation skills with experience in leading multi-stakeholder discussions
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
• Knowledge about the UN system and expertise on the rights-based approach, gender, environmental sustainability and capacity assessment an advantage
• Substantive knowledge of and skills in Results-Based Management principles (Accountability, National Ownership and Inclusiveness) and its application in programming;
• Previous experience in preparation/writing of Cooperation Framework documents, with experience in the region a distinct asset;
• Demonstrated knowledge of UN agency mandates and activities; direct experience of UN programming at the country level; familiarity with the Cooperation Framework process and the Delivering as One modality;
• At least led, designed, and written two UNDAF/Cooperation Framework documents.

Language

• Fluency in spoken and written English;

Methodology

The consultant will develop a detailed technically sound methodology for completing the assignment. The methodology shall put into consideration the human rights approach to data, international data protection standards and the UN Principles on Personal Data Protection and Privacy.? The methodology shall ensure a highly participatory process involving a wide range of national stakeholders – government, development partners, international financial institutions, private sector, civil society, international NGOs, trade unions, youth, women, children and other vulnerable groups of persons at risk of or already being left behind.

Duties and Responsibilities

United Nations Country Team

The UNCT, under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator, will provide the overall strategic oversight and guidance for the entire process. The UNCT will be responsible for approving all the deliverables.

Programme Reference Group

The Programme Reference Group (PRG) ?will provide quality assurance, ensuring that all milestones along the Roadmap are met on time, and also ensure effective engagement and participation of relevant stakeholders.

Office of the UN Resident Coordinator

The RCO will be responsible for the overall coordination and day to day management of the assignment on behalf of the UNCT.? It will provide guidance, data and analytical support as well as quality assurance, in consultation and coordination with the UNCT, PRG, the UN Task Team, Government entities, development partners and relevant stakeholders, including NGOs, CSOs and the Private Sectors.? The responsibility of the RCO includes but is not limited to:

• Ensuring that relevant background documentation required for desk reviews are provided to the consultant;
• Provision of lists of contacts in advance and additional support upon request;
• Organization of group consultative meetings, briefing and debriefing sessions with the UNCT, the RC, PRG and the Government counterparts, where needed;
• Provision of office/working space during the assignment, if required. The consultants will however, have to use their own office equipment (e.g. computer/laptop, phones);
• Coordinate the inclusive and comprehensive review of the draft research results and draft reports;
• Facilitate the provision of necessary inputs (reference document and written inputs, as required) to the process;
• Identify and coordinate the relevant trainings including but not limited to HRBA, gender mainstreaming and Results-Based Management, as stipulated in the design Roadmap.

1. Consultant

Under the overall supervision of the Head of the Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO), the consultant will be responsible for preparation, implementation and administration of the assignment, which includes but is not limited to:

• Regular communication and coordination with the UN RCO, UNCT, PRG, National Task Team, Government entities, development partners, including relevant stakeholders such as NGOs, CSOs and the Private Sectors among other partners;
• Desk review, conceptual and analytical secondary research on relevant areas published in existing studies, research and survey reports as well as UN and Uganda official documents;
• Facilitate discussions among UNCT and PRG about the concept and findings of the CCA and progress on the development of the Cooperation Framework;
• Meet with relevant Government officials and other partners including development partners, NGOs, civil society and ?the private sector to seek independent analysis to integrate into ?various sections of the CCA and Cooperation Framework document, as required;
• Meet with representatives of select external partners to give them a brief overview of the Cooperation Framework and to gather their views and expectations from the UN in Uganda, as required;
• Draft an annotated outline and prepare the methodology for the analysis of the reports, indicating which key issues will be raised in each section of the report, and present to UNCT – prepare inception report;
• Prepare coordinate the preparation of draft Cooperation Framework report;
• Facilitate discussion within the UNCT and larger stakeholders’ community, as required, on the draft CCA and Cooperation Framework to validate the draft reports;
• Revise the reports in line with the findings from the validation session and comments/feedback;
• Submit final reports.

UN Team of Experts

The UN Team of Experts under the leadership of UN Resident Coordinator is responsible for conducting the preliminary analysis of the country’s context; producing a zero draft CCA document; and working with international consultant to finalize the CCA document.

National Task Team

Representatives from UN, Government of Uganda, Private Sector and Civil Society Organizations, will form the core drafting team [1] for the Cooperation Framework.

Joint UN Team on M&E

The M&E team will provide technical assistance in the development of the CCA and the Cooperation Framework, especially by ensuring that the UN prioritization is based on robust analysis of UN comparative advantage and the Cooperation Framework’s theory of change and results framework are logical.

Duration:

Overall, the process of developing the CCA and the Cooperation Framework is expected to take between six to nine months, covering the period August 2019 to March 2020.

• The consultant is expected finalize the consolidation of the CCA assignment within thirty (30) working days, from the date of signing the contract, spread between August and October 2019;
• The consultant is expected complete the facilitation of the formulation of the Cooperation Framework within 120 working days from the date of signing the contract, spread between October 2019 and March 2020.

Reporting Arrangements

The consultant will contractually report to the Head of RCO. He/she will be technically guided by the Programme Reference Group (PRG), the Development Coordination Officer – (Data management, monitoring/ reporting) in RCO, the UNCT and the National Task Team.

Payment

The Consultants’ payment shall be made in four instalments of:

• 15% upon signing of the contract and submission of an acceptable inception report;
• 15% upon submission of the Final CCA document;
• 20% upon submission of an acceptable draft Cooperation Framework document;
• 50% upon submission of the Final Cooperation Framework document - narrative, theory of change, results framework, M&E Plan, Communication Strategy, Funding Strategy, Management Structure.

Note:

• All installments will be processed subject to UNCT’s assessment of the basic requirements of completeness and quality of content in line with the Terms of Reference;
• Budget: all costs directly related to this contract will be covered through the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator.? Short-listed consultants are required to submit financial proposals to conduct the assignment which will include all the costs associated with the assignment, including travel, accommodation and fees;
• The assignment will be a combination of field and home-based work.? The consultant is expected to undertake three missions to Kampala within assignment.

[1] Core drafting team (national task team) will include nominees from UN, Government of Uganda, private sector, Select CSOs, academia, among others.

Submission of Application:

The candidate is required to submit an electronic application directly uploaded on the UNDP jobs website with all the requirements as listed here below. Annexes and further information may be downloaded on http://procurement-notices.undp.org no.58478.

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications in one single PDF document to this website - http://jobs.undp.org no. 87028.

• Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP (Annex II);
• Personal CV, 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.

Technical proposal:

• Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment;
• A methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment;
• Financial proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided (Annex II);
• Annexes 1 and II - may be downloaded from the UNDP Procurement Notices Website -http://procurement-notices.undp.org/?For further clarifications, please contact; janet.anyango@undp.org; moses.lutwama@undp.org

Interested applicants should submit applications through uploading of all their required documentation in one single pdf document on this website only.