Background

Building responsive and accountable institutions at all levels of government is central to ensuring that development is both effective and sustainable. An overarching theme to UNDP’s work to create responsive and accountable institutions throughout the Pacific region and encouraging strong citizen engagement. This increased engagement not only further improves responsiveness, but also ensures citizens feel a sense of ownership of, and commitment to, development decisions affecting their lives. 

For the majority of people in the region, local government remains the most accessible level of government. It is the most direct way for people to access basic services and opportunities to improve their lives, to participate in public processes where decisions affecting their lives are made, and to exercise their rights and obligations. As such, effective local governance is key to inclusive and sustainable development. It is also essential for improving the quality of life of people both in urban and rural settings and in particular in outer islands, reducing inequality across society, and enhancing relations between people and public institutions.

For a region like the Pacifics, relatively small population dispersed over a huge area in the Pacific Ocean makes efficient service delivery a daunting challenge. Environmental, social and economic factors, including limited land access and productive resources, have increased human mobility, including internal migration. Consequently, haphazard urbanization and urban development, and the creation of informal settlements have led to new forms of hardship and scant access to public services[1]. Further, it is not only the physical access and long distances between islands that makes service delivery difficult, generally, weak governance structures and limited human resources capacities, both at the national and the provincial levels, exacerbate the situation.

UNDP is strengthening its programming and support to local governance and subnational structures in the Pacific Region. In order to strategically position its support to improve local governance and economic development, strengthen local democracy and improve service delivery, the UNDP Pacific Office seeks to undertake an assessment and review of capacities of local authorities in selected Pacific countries. Based on the assessment, a comprehensive local governance support programme will be developed responsive to context of selected countries while at the same time addressing strategic regional issues to enhance capacities.  To do the above, UNDP is seeking the services of an expert consultant. The Expert will also be expected to take the lead in the design, conceptualization of a regional conference for relevant stakeholders on local governance and local development agenda for the Pacific.

Objectives

In undertaking the assessment and review of capacities, the consultant will seek to:

• To identify potential gaps and constraints in local policy implementation;

• To identify specific capacity development needs and to monitor the results of capacity development efforts;

• To formulate change plans and solicit donor or peer assistance for improving specific aspects of local governance;

• To engage civil society and private sector in local governance; and

• To provide an objective account of achievements of local elected leaders (especially at times of re-elections), and thus building accountability.

There are four main objectives to undertaking an assessment of governance at the local level:

1 Diagnostic: an assessment will be done to identify a problem and its scope;

2 Monitoring: an assessment will be done at regular intervals to keep a check on the success or failure of an initiative, policy or programme;

3 Evaluation: an assessment will be done to assess whether an initiative, policy or programme has achieved its pre-defined results and outcomes;

4 Dialogue: an assessment will also serve to engage citizens and communities in informed discussions about shared goals and priorities.

In undertaking the preparatory work for the regional conference local governance and local development, the consultant will seek to:

draft of a concept note, the identification of issues to be discussed at the regional level, and a draft agenda which include possible topics of discussions, possible speakers, possible partners and attendees to the regional conference.

[1] World Bank, Hardship and Vulnerability in the Pacific, 2014.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

The Consultant, working closely with the Deputy Team Leader Effective Governance, and the Effective Governance Team Leader, will be responsible for the following:

• Desk Review: Review the information on local government function and performance collected from the various sources, including the legal and policy framework from selected countries; Review UNDP’s ongoing local governance work in Palau and Solomon Islands including UNDP Pacific Center’s Local Governance Project under the Governance in the Pacific Project (GovPac), 2008-2011.

• Based on the information gathered in the desk review, develop the key guiding questions that will form the basis of the analytical framework for the assessment and review of local governments in selected pacific countries;

• Collect evidence, data and information from various sources to allow for an evidence-based analysis and recommendations. This will include semi-structured interviews and surveys to gather the perspectives of key informants[1]; and

• Produce a local government assessment report that discusses the status, recommendations for support to improve capacities. The Assessment report must also include a horizon scan of various ongoing initiatives and actors working and donors interested in the area of local governance and local development

• Produce a project document on strengthening capacities of selected local governments in the pacific countries

• Undertake the initial preparation for the UNDP Pacific Office to host a regional conference on the issue of local governance and local development to be hosted at the end of 2020. This would include a drafting of a concept note, the identification of issues to be discussed at the regional level, and a draft agenda which include possible topics of discussions, possible speakers, possible partners and attendees to the regional conference.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

• First Draft of Report - 30% payment

• Final Report, incorporating feedback from UNDP and other stakeholders and approved and accepted by UNDP as the final draft: 40% payment

• Submission and upon acceptance by UNDP of a Concept Note and provisional agenda for the Regional Conference on Local Governance and Local Development 30% payment

   

  Institutional Arrangement

• The Consultant will be required to work closely with the Effective Governance Deputy Team Leader, and the EG Team Leader.

• All reports and documents relating to the assignment will be submitted to the UNDP Pacific Office based in Fiji.

• In undertaking the assignment, UNDP will provide some logistical support to the consultant with the provision of relevant documents and facilitating virtual meetings and interviews.

   

  Duration of the Work

  The duration of the consultancy period is 30 working days, broken down into the following components:

• 3 days to undertake the desk review, (30 April-04 May 2020);

• 3 days to develop an inception report (05 – 11 May 2020);

• 14 days to conduct interviews and otherwise collect evidence and data (11 – 30 May 2020)

• 8 days to produce the first draft of the scoping report (01 – 12 June 2020); and

• 2 days to incorporate comments from UNDP and finalize the report (22-24 June 2020).

   

  Duty Station

The consultancy will be home-based.

[1] Due to the current COVID-19 Pandemic, UNDP is supporting this consultancy to be done virtually through VOIP technology and online survey tools

Competencies

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
• Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work;
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
• Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet in conducting research;
• Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;
• Excellent presentation and facilitation skills.
• Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
• Positive, constructive attitude to work;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Required Skills and Experience

Educational Qualifications:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in development economics, political science, urban planning, social sciences or related disciplines.

Experience:

• At least 5 years’ professional work experience relating to the area of local governance systems and institutions and local development; 
• At least 5 years’ professional work experience in decentralization and basic service delivery;
• Experience in drafting and writing policy, programmes, or substantive knowledge products in the areas of local governance, local development and decentralization;
• At least 5 year’s work or research experience on urban governance, planning, and development an asset; 
• Experience working in the Pacific region an asset;
• Experience working with UNDP an asset.

Language skills:

• Excellent writing, editing, and oral communication skills in English;

Functional Competencies:

• Ability to organize tasks independently and assume responsibility;

• Ability to capture, develop, share and effectively use information and knowledge;

• Strong oral and written communication skills;

• Excellent drafting, reporting and presentation skills;

• Results driven, ability to work under pressure and to meet required deadlines;

• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;

• Proven ability to work in a team, develop synergies and establish effective working relations within the practice teams, with persons of different Country Offices, and other counterparts (as required, e.g. donors and CSOs).

   

  Language requirements

  Fluency in English is required;

  Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The bidders must send a financial proposal based on lump sum payment at the completion of the deliverables.

The total amount quoted shall be all-inclusive and include all costs components required to perform the deliverables identified in the TOR, including professional fee, travel costs, living allowance (if any work is to be done outside the IC´s duty station) and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment. The contract price will be fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specified duration. Payments will be done upon completion of the deliverables/outputs and as per below percentages:

• First Draft of Report - 30% payment

• Final Report, incorporating feedback from UNDP and other stakeholders and approved and accepted by UNDP as the final draft: 40% payment

• Submission and upon acceptance by UNDP of a Concept Note and provisional agenda for the Regional Conference on Local Governance and Local Development 30% payment

Evaluation Method and Criteria

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis

The award of the contract shall 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 set of weighted technical criteria (70%). and financial criteria (30%). Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points)

• Criteria 1 (Minimum requirement) Post Graduate qualification in political science, law or related subject; Max 15 points

• Criteria 2: At least 12 years of experience in the field of democratic governance; Max 15 points

• Criteria 3: Proven knowledge of public service reform and core government institutional reform; Max 10 points

• Criteria 4: Proven experience of developing knowledge products in the area of democratic governance; Max 10 points

• Criteria 5: Previous experience working with governments in the Pacific; Max 10points and

• Criteria 6: Cultural and political awareness, diplomatic skills, ability to adapt and ability to work independently and take responsibility for delivering results. Max 10 points

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

Documentation required

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document:

• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided in Annex II.

• 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.

• Technical proposal, including a) a brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment; and b) a methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment.

• Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex II. Note: National consultants must quote prices in United States Dollars (USD).

   

Incomplete, joint proposals and proposals sent to the wrong mailing address will not be accepted and only candidates for whom there is further interest will be contacted.

Individuals interested in this consultancy should apply and will be reviewed based on their own individual capacity. The successful individual may sign an Individual Contract with UNDP or request his/her employer to sign a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA) on their behalf by indicating this in the Offerors letter to Confirming Interest and Availability using Annex II.

Annexes

• Annex I - Individual IC General Terms and Conditions

• Annex II – Offeror’s Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability for the Individual IC, including Financial Proposal Template

Proposal Submission

• All applications must be clearly marked with the title of the consultancy (Local Government Assessment and Support Consultant) with reference (PN/FJI/044/20) and submitted via UN Job shop by 1.00pm 29th April 2020 (Fiji Time).

• Note: UNDP Jobs only supports single document upload hence ensure that the proposal consolidated and submitted as one single document.

  For further information concerning this Terms of Reference, please contact UNDP Pacific Office by email: procurement.fj@undp.org.  

Women applicants are encouraged to apply