UNDP Jobs - 88565- Technical Reporting Consultant on UNDP-GEF Project

Technical Reporting Consultant on UNDP-GEF Project on Healthcare Waste Management (IRH)

Location :

Home-based

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

23-Nov-19 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Estimated December 2019-May 2020

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

app. 40 working days over 6 months

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

This Terms of Reference (ToR) refers to the regional component of the GEF-funded project entitled “Reducing UPOPs and Mercury Releases from the Health Sector in Africa”. The overall objective of this full-size project (GEF/MedWaste Africa), implemented by UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub (IRH) in partnership with WHO and the NGO Health Care Without Harm (HCWH), is to implement best environmental practices and introduce non-incineration healthcare waste treatment technologies and mercury-free medical devices in four Sub-Saharan African countries (Ghana, Madagascar, Tanzania and Zambia) to reduce harmful releases from the health sector.

The project promotes best practices and techniques for healthcare waste management (HCWM) with the aim of minimizing or eliminating releases of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) to help countries meet their obligations under the Stockholm Convention on POPs. The project also supports these countries in phasing down the use of Mercury-containing medical devices and products, while improving practices for Mercury-containing wastes with the objective to reduce releases of Mercury in support of countries’ future obligations under the Minamata Convention. Finally, because the project improves healthcare waste management systems (e.g. through improved classification, segregation, storage, transport and disposal) the project also contributes to the reduction of the spread of infections both at healthcare facility level as well as in places where healthcare waste is being handled.

The project document has been designed to address the following components (regional and national):

Activity 1. Disseminate technical guidelines, establish mid-term evaluation criteria and technology allocation formula, and build teams of national experts on BAT/BEP at the regional level (Regional component - implemented by UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub and national component);
Activity 2. Health Care Waste National plans, implementation strategies, and national policies in each recipient country (National component);
Activity 3a. Make available in the region affordable non-incineration HCWM systems and mercury-free devices that conform to BAT and international standards (Regional component);
Activity 3b. Demonstrate HCWM systems, recycling, mercury waste management and mercury reduction at the model facilities, and establish national training infrastructures (National component);
Activity 4a. Evaluate the capacities of each recipient country to absorb additional non-incineration HCWM systems and mercury-free devices and distribute technologies based on the evaluation results and allocation formula (Regional component);
Activity 4b. Expand HCWM systems and the phase-out of mercury in the recipient countries and disseminate results in the Africa region (National component and regional component).

In particular, the consultant will provide support to the regional project team of the GEF/MedWaste Africa project regionally implemented by UNDP IRH in close cooperation with the MPU/Chemicals team of UNDP.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will carry out the following tasks:

In close coordination with regional/national project teams and UNDP Country Offices in respective project countries, collect/review project’s technical results and develop following key technical reporting of the project: Project’s exit roadmaps covering regional and national components; Technical lessons learnt report on GEF/MedWaste Africa project; Technical replication tools to facilitate replication/scale up of non-incineration and mercury free technologies demonstrated in project countries; Economic analysis (investment, operational cost analysis) of technology demonstrations implemented in project countries; Sustainability checklist for model healthcare facilities (HCFs); Comparative experience paper for wider applicability of UNDP supported healthcare waste projects (in close coordination with UNDP MPU/Chemicals team)
Support the review and development of project’s best practices, fact sheets and case studies;
Provide support to regional reporting such as progress reports, final closure reports and others where necessary.

Duration
The Contract will enter into effect upon signature by both parties, expected for 6 (six) months of duration. The consultant is expected to start in December 2019.

Travel requirements
No travel is assigned at this stage.

Schedule of payments and expected outputs
The total number of days of work is estimated approximately 40 working days. The breakdown corresponds to the expected outputs and schedule of payments as follows:

35% of payment upon submission of the interim report including progress report on the development of project’s technical reports with specific updates on (1) project’s exit roadmaps; 2) lessons learnt report; 3) technical replication tools; 4) economic analysis of demo projects; 5) sustainability checklist at facility level; 6) project’s case studies (approx. 14 working days; due date – 10 February 2020)
40% of payment upon submission of the final report including final drafts of following technical reports: (1) project’s exit roadmaps; 2) lessons learnt report; 3) technical replication tools; 4) economic analysis of demo projects; 5) sustainability checklist at facility level; 6) project’s case studies (approx. 16 working days; due date – 10 April 2020);
25% of payment upon submission of the comparative experience paper for wider applicability of UNDP supported healthcare waste projects (approx. 10 working days; due date – 30 April 2020);

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

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

Functional competencies:

Ability to analyze policy documents and make constructive policy suggestions;
Strong interpersonal skills, communication and diplomatic skills, ability to work in a team;
Capacity building skills and flexibility depending on the public;
Demonstration of commitment to the Project’s mission, vision and values;
Good writing and reporting skills;
Good presentation skills;
Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations, and to meet tight deadlines.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Minimum Master’s degree (preferably a Ph.D.) in Environmental Engineering, Public Health or a directly related field is required;

Experience:

At least 7 years’ relevant experience in health-care waste management including waste assessments; development of national policies and plans; training; segregation, minimization, storage, transport, treatment, disposal of health-care waste, and procurement, commissioning, set-up of non-incineration technologies;
Previous work experience in mercury waste management and mercury-free alternatives;
Proven record of technical writing and reporting in similar assignments;
Previous experience in environmental health, infection control and prevention, and health delivery systems is an asset;
Relevant work experience in project participating countries is an asset;
Experience with the goals of international organizations (preferably in UN systems), in particular those of the UNDP, GEF and project’s partners (WHO, Health Care Without Harm, and current and future potential additional donors) is an asset;

Languages:

Excellent writing and oral communication skills in English;
Proficiency in French is desired.

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; having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical (P11 desk reviews), interviews and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Only candidates who receive min 70% of points in technical evaluation (Criteria A-G) will be considered for the financial evaluation.

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

Criteria A Educational background – max points: 5;
Criteria B Relevant experience in health-care waste management (preferably with non-incineration treatment technologies and mercury free alternatives) – max points: 25;
Criteria C Proven record of technical writing and reporting in similar assignments – max points: 20;
Criteria D Previous experience in environmental health, infection control and prevention, and health delivery systems – max points: 7;
Criteria E Relevant work experience in project participating countries – max points: 5;
Criteria F Experience with the goals of international organizations (preferably in UN systems), in particular those of the UNDP, GEF and project’s partners (WHO, Health Care Without Harm, and current and future potential additional donors – max points: 5;
Criteria G Proficiency in French – max points:3.

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

Application procedures

The application submission is a two-step process. Failing to comply with the submission process may result in disqualifying the applications.

Step 1: Interested candidates must include the following documents when submitting the applications (Please group all your documents into one (1) single PDF attachment as the system only allows upload of one document):

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.
Three (3) samples of previous work (in English) similar to the assignment (links can be shared as well)
Filled P11 form or CV 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);
Offeror’s Letter (blank template can be downloaded from https://bit.ly/2KO1okS).

Step 2: Submission of Financial Proposal – Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and requested to provide a financial offer.

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