Background

Reconciliation in the Western Balkans has stalled and is being superseded by mounting ethnic divisions and polarization in the region, pointing specifically to denial of the past inflammatory discourse and ethnic segregation in education. Assuming that the (re)establishment of economic and social ties would suffice for the (re)building of relationships between formerly conflicted parties in the post-Yugoslav space is mistaken. With the recent history of massive and widespread human rights violations, it will only be the proper outcomes of the transitional justice mechanisms coupled with peace and dialogue that can substantially contribute to progress in reconciliation.

The UN supports the improved social cohesion and reconciliation across the Western Balkans. The project aims to achieve this goal through providing support to RYCO, as a mechanism, which is endorsed by governments and citizens alike. The project will support RYCO to work in partnership with civil society, education systems and schools, grass roots, youth institutions and youth in general for the consolidation of RYCO as a regionally owned mechanism with the capacity to promote reconciliation, mobility, diversity, democratic values, participation, active citizenship and intercultural learning. The expected outcome of this project is: Social Cohesion and Reconciliation – as measured by increasing embracing of diversity, attitudes of tolerance and reduced prejudice and discrimination by youth – is enhanced across the Western Balkans.

To achieve its outcome, the project will target youth[1], youth organizations and schools in WB as well as RYCO and will be achieved through the implementation of diverse activities along three main outputs:

Output 1: Capacities of schools to access and use RYCOs resources to undertake intercultural dialogue in the WB6 will be strengthened. The project will contribute towards enhancing the regional cooperation among youth institutions (mainly schools) and increase the introduction and use of topics on intercultural learning such as peace building and conflict resolution. The project will enable sharing of best practices on inclusive education and peace building transformative pedagogies, facilitate school exchanges and increase the capacities of schools to embrace the above principles.

Output 2: Capacities of youth groups and grassroots organizations to access and use RYCOs resources to engage in peacebuilding and social cohesion activities in the WB6 will be strengthened. Also, RYCO will be supported to increase its reach out to grassroots organizations and youth in the region, and to ensure that young people with fewest opportunities have access and participate in reconciliation processes and benefit from opportunities provided by RYCO. Empowerment of young girls will have a special focus in the activities under this component.  The long effects of sexual and gender-based violence, during and after the conflict can have lasting and harmful effects. It can dissuade young girls from attending schools and not participate fully in the life of the communities. The project will enhance the important role that young women should adopt in the peacebuilding process including empowering young girls to equally participate in peace building and become decision makers and actors in all areas. The project activities will also sensitize young male actors in accepting girls as equal partners in peacekeeping and peacebuilding processes. Mainstreaming gender in trainings conducted by the project will include among other topics, codes of conduct and response to Gender Biased Violence. Promoting tolerance and understanding within and out of marginalized groups through communication channels will help address the conflict-related issues that these groups face as a result of the tensions in society, which add up to their unfavorable discriminatory situation. It will also contribute to increasing tolerance towards groups/ethnicities seen as different further away, and thereby, contribute to peace and reconciliation.

Output 3: RYCOs capacities to enhance sustainable regional cooperation, peacebuilding and reconciliation amongst youth, through its small grants’ facility will be strengthened. Being a new institution and operating in a volatile environment, RYCO will be supported to strengthen its internal capacities and systems and will be enabled to achieve its mission. Considering that one of RYCO’s main tools to achieve its mission is through financial support to regional projects and initiatives, its grant facility system will be upgraded and strengthened through a tailor-made approach. RYCO will be equipped with effective tools to Monitoring and Evaluation, making it possible for it to measure the impact of its interventions. Finally, RYCO will be supported with an increase of human resources, especially in view of its Monitoring and Evaluation.

Output 4: Opportunities for youth from diverse backgrounds to identify common peace and security priorities and enter in constructive dialogue with their peers across divides will be created, confidence in and dialogue with decision-makers will be enhanced, and youth capacities to become actors for change will be strengthened. Under this heading, the project will conduct youth-led action research and make available regionally comparable, youth-focused conflict analysis and evidence base on youth perceptions on sustaining peace, as well as trainings on peacebuilding, leadership and advocacy and national and regional policy consultations. Moreover, RYCO, PBF projects and other peacebuilding actors’ evidence-base to engage young women and young men from diverse backgrounds to advocate for peace and social cohesion and participate in policy dialogues will be enhanced.  

[1] Defined for the purposes of this intervention within the scope of adolescents (14-18 y/a) and  youth (18-30 y/a), in accordance with UNICEF standards and official youth strategies of the participating countries.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of the assignment

The overall project is implemented with the joint participation of three UN Organizations of UNDP, UNICEF and UNFPA and in close partnership with RYCO, with UNDP the leading UN agency for the overall implementation and coordination of the joint project.?The implementation of this activity will be guided by UNDP and in close cooperation with RYCO.?

RYCO, the main implementing partner of the joint UN project, is a new entity established four years ago. RYCO Head Office (HO) is located in Tirana, while the organization has six Local Branch Offices (LBO) located in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

Through this project, UNDP aims to support RYCO’s institutional capacity building, among others, to map RYCO’s needs and propose a concept of n IT solution, to serve as an electronic database and institutional memory of RYCO. For this purpose, UNDP is looking to engage a National IT Expert who will conduct the mapping and conceptualization of the IT solution for RYCO.

RYCO uses a number of digital tools to organize its work (Google, Asana, Zoom, etc), but needs to develop a system which would secure protected data storage and management, as well as collaborative work in a remote working environment. The IT solution for RYCO needs to ensure the internal information flow, requests and approvals of the internal procedures as per the RYCO financial and procurement, program management, HR policies in place. The solution should allow RYCO management team to detect any deviation from the internal procedures at an early stage when opportunities still exist to manage them back on track by introducing so called alert systems. The IT solution shall also ensure the digital security of RYCO’s files, support the monitoring of the security system, and should be flexible in order to be easily updated and adapted to the needs of RYCO, if the internal procedures tracked through the IT solution will be adopted in the future.

The general purpose of this ToR is engagement of the IT expert to support RYCO in assessing the internal needs for an IT solution which complies with the above-mentioned specifications. The expert will also provide recommendations for the development of an IT concept for RYCO, alongside with the technical specification for a list of expected deliverables to be provided by an IT Company which will work on development of the IT solution.

The expert should have the knowledge and experience in preparation of technical and functional specifications for similar scale applications as well as extensive knowledge and experience in development, maintenance and administration of similar IT solutions.

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of UNDP Project Coordinator and in close cooperation with RYCO Director of Operations and RYCO UN Project Leader.

Deliverables, timeline and payment schedule

Specific tasks include the following with the timelines indicated:

Deliverable 1 (50% of total amount) – in close consultation with responsible RYCO staff members prepares a needs assessment/analysis in regard to RYCO needs for an IT solution and prepares a report following the assessment, including conclusions on existing shortcomings pertaining to the IT system in place (if any) and concrete recommendations on how to address them. If an IT solution need to be developed from the very beginning, the report should provide recommendations, of a technical character defining options of case, content, document management, to name only a few, which need to be introduced to the system so as to contribute to expected results, as indicated in the following deliverables  (by 15 May 2020);

Deliverable 2 (50% of total amount) – Creates a concept for the IT solution for RYCO and provides technical specification indicating a detailed list of expected deliverables to be provided by an IT Company which will work on development of the IT solution for RYCO (by 30 May 2020);

* For the UN, all references to Kosovo shall be understood in the context of Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999). For RYCO, this designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with Security Council Resolution 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling 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 favouritism;
• Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment;

Functional Competencies:

• Strong interpersonal skills, communication and diplomatic skills, ability to work in team;
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities;
• Strong organisational, coordination and time management skills;
• Ability to organise tasks independently and assume responsibility;
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: 

• Master’s Degree in Information Technology or related field;

Experience: 

• At least 10 years of working experience in information technology or related fields;
• At least 5 years of experience in maintenance and administration of software solutions and information systems (web sites, portals and/or applications);
• At least 5 years in planning, design and implementation of software solutions;
• At least 5 years’ experience in development, administration and management of IT solutions would be an advantage;
• Experience as trainer in IT field would be an advantage;
• Project management related to implementation of software solutions would be an advantage;
• Excellent, proven management, communication and team-building skills;
• Excellent knowledge English language, both written and spoken.
• Previous working experience in creating solutions for remote teams.

Language skills:

• Excellent oral and written proficiency in English required. 

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: 

a) Responsive/compliant/acceptable, and 

b) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical (P11 desk reviews) 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 

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation: 

Criteria A (Master’s Degree in Information Technology or related field) – max points: 10;

Criteria B (At least 10 years of experience in maintenance and administration of software solutions and information systems, web sites, portals and/or applications for comparable organizations) – max points: 20;  

Criteria C (At least 5 years’ experience in planning, design and implementation of software solutions for comparable organizations) – max points: 25 

Criteria D (At least 5 years’ experience in development, administration and management of IT solutions.) – max points: 10; 

Criteria E (Excellent knowledge English language, both written and spoken) – max points: 5; 

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation 

Application Procedure

The application should contain:

• 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.
• Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability-please fill in the attached form...  www.un.org.al/sites/default/files/IC_Offerors%20Letter%20to%20UNDP%20Confirming%20Interest%20and%20Availability.docx
• Latest personal Curriculum Vitae (CV) including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees, including past experience from similar projects or completed and signed UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SC) and Individual Contracts (IC) – Blank form Download here.
• Financial Proposal in ALL - specifying a total lump sum in Albanian Lek
  http://www.un.org.al/doc/Financial%20Offer%20template.doc (The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable -qualitative and quantitative- deliverables . Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR.  In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount-including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).- Please note that with regard to travel component you may provide an average estimated travel cost for one circuit with and without accommodation.
• Copy of Diplomas and copy of Passport. 

How to Submit the Application:

To submit your application online, please follow the steps below:

• Merge your CV or P11, Financial Proposal Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and cover letter into a single file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded;
• Click on the Job Title (job vacancy announcement);
• Click “Apply Now” button, fill in necessary information on the first page, and then click “Submit Application;”
• Upload your application/single file as indicated above with the merged documents (underlined above);
• You will receive an automatic response to your email confirming receipt of your application by the system.

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.

Due to a large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.