Background

This vacancy is about the completion of the UN Joint SDG Fund (the Fund) process of technical review related to Component 1 of the First Call on SDG Financing [link to download].

The Fund supports countries as they accelerate their progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It operates through a series of Calls for the United Nations (UN) system that lead to the implementation of transformative Joint Programmes (JPs), under the leadership of Resident Coordinators (RCs). In doing so the Fund is committed to forge paths and partnerships that unlock public and private capital for the SDGs at scale

The Joint SDG Fund launched in December 2019 its first Call for Concept Notes with a focus on SDG Financing. The Call has two components. Component 1 is about the development of SDG-aligned financing strategies and related capacities for implementation. The scope of the work is broadly defined as the strategies and capacities that promote the financing as well as related legal, institutional and market arrangements that contribute to the achievement of strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth, through directly and indirectly supporting the framework of the SDGs.

The UN system has traditionally supported governments and other stakeholders in linking planning to budgeting and financing, conducting thematic/sector expenditure reviews, the costing of SDG-aligned strategies and developing related financing plans and frameworks.

The Joint SDG Fund selection cycle consists of the following two steps: eligibility check and technical review. The eligibility check is done by the Fund’s Secretariat. The vacancy is related to the technical review process on eligible Joint Programmes.

Duties and Responsibilities

Technical experts will be responsible for conducting the technical review of eligible Joint programmes received through the Call (Component 1). Experts will review Joint Programmes independently, consistently, and in a timely manner. All proposals scoring above 70% will be considered for approval based on a series of criteria that are weighted and shared with experts in advance. Approvals maybe conditioned to recommendations. Up to 10 consultants will be hired to complete the task.
All the experts will perform the following functions

• Conduct the technical review of (simplified template) of Joint Programmes in a timely manner;
• Ensure overall consistency within the technical review;
• Score Joint Programmes based on agreed criteria (provided by the fund);

Each expert will:

• Be familiar with the TOR of the Joint SDG Fund and the specific Call on SDG Financing;
• Participate in any webinar/workshop organized by the Fund’s Secretariat on the technical review approach, issues, and standards;
• Provide written comments and numeric scoring against the agreed criteria based on the approach proposed in this note and instructions provided by the Fund Secretariat;
• When deemed required, provide recommendations conditional to the approval.
• Review assigned proposals with independence and impartiality.

The Fund’s Secretariat will be responsible to oversee the overall technical review process, share the list of Joint Programmes that qualify for technical review, provide guidance and support throughout the technical review process; and perform the final check of the consistency of the technical assessment.
Timeline

The technical review process will take place in March/April 2020. Indicatively, each expert
will be asked to evaluate 10 Joint Programmes (depending on the total number of Programmes received and experts hired received). Each expert will be requested to allocate 12 days for the review and scoring of the programme.

Competencies

Communication

• Communicates clearly and effectively
• Facilitates and encourages open communication

Ethics and Values

• Demonstrates an appreciation of differences in values and learning from cultural diversity

Working in Teams

• Works effectively with colleagues in achieving shared objectives
• Creates team spirit and unity of purpose across the organization
• Works collaboratively with team members in sharing information openly and displaying cultural awareness and sensitivity.

Partnerships

• Ability to engage with other agencies, donors, and other development stakeholders and forge productive working relationships.

Results-based Management

• Ability to manage programmes and projects with a strategy aimed at improved performance and demonstrable results.

Required Skills and Experience

Institutional Arrangement

• The Consultant will report to the Investment Advisor of the Joint SDG Fund. The Secretariat of the Joint SDG Fund is hosted in Multi-Partnership Trust Fund Office, New York, USA.

Duration of the Work

• The work needs to be completed between late March and April 2020. A maximum of 20 workdays are estimated. The number of days will depend on the number of applications received by the Fund with an expected review of two Joint Programmes by a single person each day.

Duty Station

• Home based. The consultant works remotely, with virtual skype meetings to discuss content.

Qualifications of the Successful Individual Contractor
Education:

• Advance University degree or equivalent in economics, financed or development.

Experience

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in development finance or related field;
• Relevant exposure and experience in working in a development context;
• Knowledge of the UN Development System and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
• Competence in and experience of project/programme design or evaluation.

Language

• Fluent in written and spoken English

Application Procedure

• The application package containing the following (to be uploaded as one file):
• Brief (1-2 paragraph) description of why the Offer considers her/himself the most suitable for the assignment and how the Offeror will approach the required outputs within the assignment period and a link (if any) to an online portfolio showing samples of similar work;
• Personal CV or P11, indicating all experience from similar projects and specifying the relevant assignment period (from/to) as well as the email and telephone contacts of at least three (3) professional references;
• The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount or a daily rate, and payment terms around the specific and measurable deliverables of the TOR. Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR, and deliverables accepted and certified by the technical manager.  

Note: The above documents need to be scanned in one file and uploaded to the online application as one document.

• The financial proposal must be all-inclusive and take into account various expenses that will be incurred during the contract, including: the daily professional fee; cost of travel from the home base to the duty station and vice versa, where required; living allowances at the duty station; communications, utilities and consumables; life, health and any other insurance; risks and inconveniences related to work under hardship and hazardous conditions (e.g., personal security needs, etc.), when applicable; and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services under the contract.
• This consultancy is a home-based assignment
• If the Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.

Evaluation process

• Applicants are reviewed based on Required Skills and Experience stated above and based on the technical evaluation criteria outlined below.  Applicants will be evaluated based on cumulative scoring.  When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
• Being 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 where technical criteria weighs 70% and Financial criteria/ Proposal weighs 30%.

Technical evaluation - Total 70% (700 points)

• Experience in development finance. Weight = 60%; Maximum Points: 420;
• Experience with the United Nations/Development Banks in a development context. Weight = 20%; Maximum Points: 140;
• Experience in developing and documenting policies, procedures, tools and templates in a UN setting. Weight = 20%; Maximum Points: 140
• Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (490 points) of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria (700 points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

Financial evaluation - Total 30% (300 points)

• The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:
• 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

Contract Award

• Candidate obtaining the highest combined scores in the combined score of Technical and Financial evaluation will be considered technically qualified and will be offered to enter into contract with UNDP.
• The Consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own laptop.

Payment modality

• Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified above and deliverables accepted and upon certification of satisfactory completion by the manager.  

Annexes (click on the hyperlink to access the documents):

Annex 1 - UNDP P-11 Form for ICs

Annex 2 - IC Contract Template

Annex 3 – IC General Terms and Conditions

Annex 4 – RLA Template