Background

BACKGROUND

UNDP Global Mission Statement

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with national counterparts on their own solutions to global and national development challenges.

UNDP Afghanistan Mission Statement

UNDP supports stabilization, state-building, governance and development priorities in Afghanistan. UNDP support, in partnership with the Government, the United Nations system, the donor community and other development stakeholders, has contributed to institutional development efforts leading to positive impact on the lives of Afghan citizens. UNDP has working in Afghanistan for more than 50 years on challenges related to climate change, resilience, gender, governance, health, livelihood and rule of law. Over the years UNDP support has spanned such milestone efforts as the adoption of the Constitution; Presidential, Parliamentary and Provincial Council elections;

Guided by the government and its Development Councils, UNDP’s work is fully aligned with the Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework and National Priority Programmes and is carried out in close coordination with partner UN agencies under the One UN Framework. As the UN’s development network, we connect the Afghan government and people with the resources and information they need to drive their own development according to their own priorities, as well as to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals;

UNDP’s work on governance includes the provision of training, advice and equipment for government staff at all levels, as well as support for community organisations and individuals to monitor government services and hold their representatives to account. We provide training and equipment across a range of national institutions, including ministries, parliament, the Independent Election Commission and the Electoral Complaints Commission. We also support the IDLG and subnational bodies, including provincial councils, governors’ offices and municipalities;

By empowering citizens to understand and lobby for public services, and by supporting the government to set up responsive and efficient one-stop citizen service centres, we help local government help local people while simultaneously fostering citizen trust in the value and effectiveness of state functions.

Organizational Context

State-building and development efforts in Afghanistan are jeopardized by a widespread conflict which impacts negatively on the lives and the welfare of ordinary Afghans and on government access to – and public service delivery in - many districts. The subnational system in Afghanistan can be best described as following deconcentration. There are different government actors involved at the local level including 22 service delivery ministries, the Independent Directorate of Local Governance, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Economy.  The National Priority Programme on Local Governance (NPP 4) identifies the existing system of governance at the subnational level as not yet coherent, effective or functional in a way that is capable of meeting the current expectations of Afghan citizens.  It states that the Government at this level is composed of a range of entities whose roles, responsibilities and interrelationships are yet not fully defined in law and whose competences and resources are insufficient for addressing the challenges of local development;

UNDP and IDLG have been working on subnational governance together since the inception of IDLG in 2007 through ASGP, ASGP II and the ongoing LoGo project. The LoGo project built on the work of its predecessor projects with emphasis on policy development; participatory service delivery at the municipal level; strengthening of coordination and planning at the provincial level and enhancing outreach and accountability with the provincial councils. The project further expanded this foundation to include a further focus on accountable service delivery.  The main focus was on: 1) accountability, downwards through working with the population and civil society as well as on upwards accountability supporting monitoring and information flows; and 2) service delivery though linking the planning and budgeting with the population. It worked with different subnational governance actors including the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economy, the Independent Directorate of Local Governance and civil society;

The top three priorities of the Independent Directorate of Local Governance are: 1) service delivery; 2) accountability; and 3) clear functions and mandates. IDLG and UNDP worked together to address these jointly through the LoGo project. Based on the lessons learned from ASGP, the project built on a new theory of change aimed at improving service delivery by enhancing the accountability and transparency of the local governments to the women and men of Afghanistan and building the capacity of the local governments to plan, budget and monitor service delivery effectively with the ultimate aim of increasing the legitimacy of the government and the trust between the state and society. The Followed were four outputs for the LoGo Project:  

  1. Capacity of PGOs and Provincial Councils improved for inclusive accountable and transparent service delivery;
  2. Municipalities are able to generate more revenues and deliver improved services in a transparent, accountable and participatory manner;
  3. Civil Society and citizens have improved oversight capacity of local governance;
  4. IDLG is able to develop and implement policies to improve local government accountability and service delivery;

The LoGo project worked with relevant government ministries that cover subnational planning and budgeting, monitoring and evaluation and representative bodies as well as civic society. These include the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG), the Ministry of Economy (MoEc), and the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and ensuring complimentary with the other programmes, especially USAID, GIZ, UN Habitat and the World Bank;

The LoGo is scheduled to end by 30 June 2020, the Government of Afghanistan and donors have requested UNDP to formulate a successor project to LoGo.  For this purpose, UNDP is planning to hire a national expert on local governance to work jointly with an international expert and UNDP to develop a project document that builds on the lessons learnt from UNDP’s LoGo project and responds to the needs, priorities and vision of the Government for local governance in Afghanistan

Duties and Responsibilities

SCOPE OF WORK AND DELIVERABLES

Objective of the Assignment:

Under the overall direction of the UNDP Head of Governance for Peace Pillar and in close guidance of the designated Programme Officer the international consultant will be responsible for the drafting of project document for local governance following the LoGo Project for UNDP Afghanistan comprised of: executive summary; situational analysis; detailed approach (strategy) for support; description of project outcome, outputs, indicative activities; results and resources framework; project budget overview; project management arrangements including reporting arrangements; monitoring and evaluation framework; risk and issues logs, legal context; and detailed job terms of reference of national and international staff required.

Methodology:

The consultant will be expected to carry out a desk review and field work here in Kabul and provinces as described in the methodology below:

 Desk Review (5 working days):

The consultant shall conduct a desk review of all existing studies, legal documents, policies and information sources relevant to developments on local governance in Afghanistan. The consultant will also review documents and reports on political developments affecting local governance. He/she will also review project documents, reports and literatures on lessons learnt from projects of similar mandates such as ISLA, SHAHAR, ACCESS program and World Bank projects.  This can include but not limited to project documents, quarterly and annual reports, mid-term and final project evaluation reports.

 In-country field work in Kabul, Afghanistan:

a). Engagement with stakeholders (up to 20 working days);

The methodology for the field-work should include structured and unstructured interviews, focus groups discussions with partners, stakeholders and beneficiaries. The aim is to reach out to as many partners and stakeholders as possible to get a wider insight into local governance issues and reform agenda. The context in Afghanistan is rapidly changing, the objective is to build a new project that responds to the evolving needs and corresponds to government’s vision for local governance in Afghanistan.  

Below is a provisional list of stakeholders that should be consulted during the early stage of the assignment, the list however will be updated the assignment begins.   

  1. UN partners such as UNWOMEN, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNAMA;
  2. International Organizations: USAID- ISLA and SHAHAR Projects, UN-Habitat and World Bank Projects;
  3. Donors such as EU, SDC, SIDA, Italy, USAID, Dfid Korea, Canada, Japan etc;  
  4. Government of Afghanistan:  IDLG and its various departments at the centre and provinces, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Urban Development and Land, National Statistics Office, Provincial and District Governor Offices, Provincial Councils and Municipalities. Administrative Office of the President, Civil Service Commission and Advisors to the President;
  5. Beneficiaries:  Direct and indirect beneficiaries of projects Like Municipalities, CSOs, Government Staff and users of Service centers;
  6. UNDP Country Office, LoGo project staff, Global fund projects as well as relevant projects in livelihood Unit and access to justice and anti-corruption projects.  

 b) Drafting, presentation workshop, feedback (up to 15 working days). The consultant will be responsible for drafting the project document in Kabul, circulating it to UNDP, after which she/he will present it to the UNDP and other stakeholders as may be relevant at a workshop designed to generate and obtain feedback on the draft project document. The consultant is expected to circulate a draft project document at least 24 hours before the workshop comprising the following parts:

  1. Executive summary;
  2. Situational analysis;
  3. Detailed approach or strategy for support;
  4. Description of project outcome, outputs, indicative activities
  5. Results and resources framework;
  6. Project budget overview;
  7. Project management arrangements including reporting arrangements;
  8. Monitoring framework and evaluation;
  9. Risk and Issues logs;
  10. Legal context; and;
  11. Draft ToRs for international and national staff.

c). Production of final draft project document (up to 15 working days).

A final electronic copy of the draft project document, taking full account of comments gathered at the workshop on the draft, should be deposited with UNDP Programme (Governance for Peace Unit) prior to the consultant’s departure from Kabul.

PROCEDURES AND LOGISTICS

  • In Kabul, the consultant may either work from her/his accommodation or use the offices of the UNDP Country Office;
  • Transportation related to visits within Kabul and the field if needed will be provided to the consultant by UNDP in accordance with UNDP policies and procedures as appropriate subject to clearance and approval by the UNDP Afghanistan Security Unit;
  • The consultant should organize consultations with partners in accordance with established work schedules in Kabul;
  • The consultant should arrange for her/his own insurance including evacuation in emergencies and war risk insurance.  Related costs should be included in the consultant’s financial proposal;
  • The evolving security context and security risks in Kabul could impact on scheduled activities

Competencies

Competencies:

Corporate Competencies:

  • Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
  • Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
  • Maturity combined with tact and diplomacy;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Treats all people fairly without favouritism.

Knowledge and skills requirement:

  • Shows ability to communicate and to xercise advocacy skills in front of a diverse set of audience
  • Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
  • Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
  • Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
  • Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic environment;
  • Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors;
  • Ability to work independently with strong sense of initiative, discipline and self-motivation.
  • Knowledge of Afghanistan’s social, political and economic situation; 
  • Knowledge of UNDP and its mandate in the area of democratic governance and programme development;
  • Excellent analytical/conceptual thinking;
  • Excellent interpersonal/communication skills.

Required Skills and Experience

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES, QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

Academic Qualifications:

Master’s Degree in Governance, Local Governance, Public administration, Development studies, Political Science, International Relations or related disciplines.

Experience:

  • At least 10 years of work experience in development, governance and local governance project development and implementation with at least 5 years of work experience in post conflict settings;
  • Proven experience of project formulation with UNDP; with excellent knowledge of project local governance project management;
  • Strong project formulation, analytical and research skills;
  • Experience working with the UN and with multi-stakeholders: governments, NGOs, the UN/ multilateral/bilateral institutions and donor entities.

Language:

Fluency in written and spoken English is a requirement. 

PRICE PROPOSAL AND SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS

Shortlisted candidates (ONLY) will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal.  The consultant shall then submit a price proposal when requested by UNDP, in accordance with the below:

  • Daily Fee – The contractor shall propose a daily fee, which should be inclusive of his professional fee, local communication cost and insurance (inclusive of medical health insurance and evacuation). The number of working days for which the daily fee shall be payable under the contract of 55 working days.
  • DSA/Living Allowance – The Consultant shall be separately paid the Living allowance/DSA as per applicable UNDP rate for stay in Kabul and travel to other locations as per actual number of nights spent in Kabul or other locations. Deductions from DSA shall be made as per applicable UNDP policy when accommodation and other facilities are provided by UNDP. An estimated provision in this regard shall be included in the contract. The consultant need not quote for DSA in Financial Proposal.
  • Accommodation in Kabul - The Consultants are NOT allowed to stay in a place of their choice other than the UNDSS approved places in Kabul, Afghanistan. UNDP will provide accommodation to the Consultant for the duration of the stay in Afghanistan in UNDSS approved places. Deductions in this regard shall be made from DSA payment as per applicable UNDP Policy.
  • Travel & Visa – The contractor shall propose an estimated lump-sum for home-kabul-home travel (economy most direct route) and Afghanistan visa expenses.

The total professional fee shall be converted into a lump-sum contract and payments under the contract shall be made on submission and acceptance of deliverables under the contract in accordance with the schedule of payment linked with deliverables and at the end of assignment.

UNDP reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines.

Evaluation Method and Criteria:

Individual consultant will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

  • Responsive/compliant/acceptable, and;
  • Offering the lowest price/ cast and having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

* Technical Criteria weight 70%

* Financial Criteria weight 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical Evaluation (70%)

Qualification, Experience and Technical Proposal (70 marks):

  • General Qualification (15 marks);
  • Experience relevant to the assignment (35 marks);
  • Technical Proposal:  Brief methodology and workplan on how the consultant will approach and complete the work (please see mandatory question on jobs site for inputting response) (20 marks).

Financial Evaluation (30%):

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.

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Interested international Consultant must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications in one single PDF document:

  1. Personal CV or P11, 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;
  2. Technical Proposal (can be attached with CV or response can be provided to mandatory question on jobs site):
  • Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment;
  • Methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment and work plan as indicated above.

All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNDP Afghanistan.  UNDP Afghanistan will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

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

Note: Incomplete application will result in automatic disqualification of candidate.  

Additional Questions:

Please prepare a brief methodology and workplan as to how you will approach and complete the assignment (maximum 1000 words).