Background

Jobs in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) are some of the fastest growing worldwide, with 90% of future jobs requiring information and communication technology skills (EC, 2016). At the same time, because of automatization and artificial technology, many manual jobs are expected to disappear in a near and mid-term future. As a result, those with less access to new technologies and STEM are at high risk of being left behind. For example, while women have significant less access to STEM knowledge and professions worldwide compared to men, the jobs occupied by women have a 70 percent or higher probability of automation, according to the IMF.

If no pro-active measures are taken, new technologies are going to exacerbate already existing inequalities worldwide. The exclusion of women and some social groups in STEM knowledge, education, businesses, or jobs is not only a matter of human rights, it has significant costs for societies as it is a lost resource for innovation and for economic development. Therefore, opening opportunities for all -women/girls and men/boys- in STEM has multiplier positive benefits: It will reduce the risk of unemployment and poverty of those people whose jobs are likely to disappear, and at the same time it will accelerate inclusive economic development and advance towards innovative, prosperous and sustainable societies. Closing the gender gap in STEM by 2030 will significantly contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable development goals.

Boosting human capital and social inclusion in STEM requires an integrated approach to understand all the interconnected challenges and opportunities at the macro, meso, and micro levels, and to engage all the stakeholders that can trigger transformational change. With its holistic vision, wide country presence and expertise in policy support, UNDP is in a unique position to lead strategic change towards more innovative, inclusive, prosperous and sustainable economies through STEM.

UNDP is conducting an exercise to identify burdens, bottlenecks, opportunities, stakeholders and entry points of action for boosting human capital in STEM, with especial attention to gender equality and the inclusion of left behind groups. The expected outputs of this exercise are the mapping of current challenges and opportunities, as well as a concept note and a project document to accelerate transformational change in STEM.

Duties and Responsibilities

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES AND OUTPUTS

The consultant will perform the following duties:

1. Assessment of social inclusion in STEM field linked to economic and sustainable growth using system mapping of complex problems approach or related methodology. It should bring a holistic understanding of the problem and reduce the risk of developing superficial solutions. Aspects may include among others, barriers and opportunities for boosting human capital and gender equality in STEM; stakeholders that can influence change; current interventions in this area as well as innovative practices that can be tested and/or scaled up. The mapping will include suggested concrete solutions for UNDP.
2. Facilitate strategic thinking sessions with the BPPS multidisciplinary team using systems thinking methodologies to identify and agree on the entry points for UNDP.
3. Based on the results of the discussions, and under the leadership of the gender champion, develop a short concept note for a UNDP intervention that, among others, focuses on experimentation and innovation. In conversations with BPPS teams and other relevant stakeholders, transform the concept note into a full project document.
4. Develop a mapping of possible donors and assist in resource mobilization. Support the global gender champion in preparing speaking points, briefs, and other required assistance to push forward UNDP's work on STEM.

Step 1

TIMEFRAME AND LOCATION

• The assignment is for 4.5 months: December 2019 – April 2020 (85days)
• The consultancy is based in New York
• Missions for resource mobilization may be required.

Competencies

COMPETENCIES:

• Demonstrated capacity on systems thinking and capacity to translate strategies to actions;
• Proven capacity to conduct inclusive stakeholder mapping and to produce high quality and inclusive socio-economic analysis in the area(s) of STEM, employment, socio-economic policies and/or related;
• Capacity to facilitate group exercises following principles of participatory?methodologies, and formulation of projects, policies, action plans or relate
• Ability to gather, absorb, analyze, synthesize and present large amounts of complex information in simple and compelling manner;
• Demonstrated ability and willingness to work with different teams and stakeholders, understand their concerns, needs and priorities, and bring the interests together into a common goal.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic qualifications:

• Advanced university degree in economics, public policy economics, or related area in economics a must.
• Academic background on STEM and innovation.
• Studies on economic inclusion issues, including gender issues in the economy an asset.

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in policy advice, research, analysis and/or project implementation in the area of labor market, inclusive growth, economic social inclusion in STEM, employment, self-employment, education, socio-economic policies or related.
• Proven experience in systems thinking, facilitation methodologies, and formulation of projects, policies, action plans or related.
• Demonstrated skills and experience liaising and coordinating with different stakeholders, including with donors.
• Experience working with the UN an asset, especially with UNDP.

Language:

• Proficiency in English language for report writing, and for presenting ideas in a concise and compelling manner

SELECTION

A-Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments All proposals must be expressed in the following pricing option:

Daily Fee:

1. The Daily fee must be “all-inclusive[1]”; and
2. an IC Time Sheet must be submitted by the Contractor, duly approved by the Individual Contractor’s supervisor, which shall serve as the basis for the payment of fees.

B-Application Submission Process

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

Step 1:

Interested individual consultants must include the following documents when submitting the applications in UNDP job website (please note that only 1 (one) file can be uploaded therefore please include all documents in a single file).

• Personal History Form (P11), indicating all past experience of similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional referees (the template can be downloaded from this link): http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/corporate/Careers/P11_Personal_history_form.doc
• An updated curriculum vitae
• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP, explaining why they are the most suitable for the assignment;Annex II Offeror´s letter to UNDP confirming interest and availability for the Individual Contractor (IC) assignment: https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=61241 (Reference 61241)
• Short methodological approach on how the consultant envisions to carry out this consultancy.

Step 2:

Submission of Financial Proposal

Applicants are instructed to submit their financial proposals in US Dollars for this consultancy to procurement.stem@undp.org using the financial proposal template available here: https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=196340

The proposals should be sent via email with the following subject heading: “Consultant – STEM and Inclusive Economic Growth Specialist  - deadline 29 November 2019. Proposals received after the deadline will be rejected. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal should be all-inclusive and include a breakdown. The term ‘all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, communications, utilities, consumables, insurance, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor are already factored into the financial proposal. 

C-Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

Applicants will be screened against qualifications and competencies specified below through a desk review and an interview. Applicants will be evaluated based on: Cumulative analysis method that combines the results of technical and financial evaluation results.

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.

Only the highest ranked candidates who would be found qualified for the job will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

The consultant’s offer will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

A-Technical qualifications (Weight 70 points)

• Criteria A: Advanced university degree in economics, public policy economics, or related: 5 points
• Criteria B: Background on STEM and/or innovation, and studies on economic inclusion and gender issues in economy: 5 points
• Criteria C: Minimum of 7 years’ experience in policy advice, research, analysis and/or project implementation in the area of social inclusion in STEM, employment, self-employment, education, socio-economic policies or related: 15 points;
• Criteria D: Demonstrated skills and experience in systems thinking and formulation of projects, policies, action plans or related. Demonstrated capacity to translate strategies to actions: 15 points;
• Criteria E: Proven capacity to conduct inclusive stakeholder mapping and to produce high quality socio-economic analysis: 10 points
• Criteria F: Ability to gather, absorb, analyze, synthesize and present large amounts of complex information in simple and compelling manner: 15 points
• Criteria G: Demonstrated skills and experience liaising and coordinating with different stakeholders, including with donors. Experience working with the UN an asset (5 points)

Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

B. Financial Evaluation Criteria - 30 points:

p = y (µ/z), where

p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated
y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal
µ = price of the lowest priced proposal
z = price of the proposal being evaluated

UNDP will apply a fair and transparent selection process that will take into account both the technical qualification of Individual Consultants as well as their price proposals. The contract will be awarded to the candidate obtaining the highest combined technical and financial scores. Please go the following link for the General Conditions of Individual Contracts:

http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf

UNDP retains the right to contact references directly.

Payments will be made only upon confirmation by UNDP that contract obligations have been delivered 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.

Accessibility

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.

[1] The term “All inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, travel costs, living allowances, communications, consummables, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor are already factored into the final amounts submitted in the proposal