Background

UNDP is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

Within the GPN, the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan.  BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas.  BPPS works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response.  BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP’s development programmes. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working.  BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts.

Climate change mitigation – or reducing greenhouse gas emissions - is essential to fulfilling commitments to the Paris Agreement and limiting the global mean temperature increase to 1.5° C above pre-industrial levels. UNDP, with more than 280 climate change mitigation projects and programs in over 110 countries, is a key actor supporting countries in their emission reduction plans, contributing to ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions. Activities in energy, as well as forests and agriculture, will be critical to meeting global mitigation objectives. 

UNDP’s approach to forestry aligns with the SDG 15 and contributes to UNDP's 'signature solution' on environment and nature-based solutions for development. Deforestation and forest degradation accounts for more than 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and it is clear that the stabilization of global temperatures cannot be achieved without reducing emissions from the forest sector. UNDP's Climate and Forests programme supports countries to conserve and sustainably manage forests and ensure sustainable and equitable development paths that lead towards carbon neutrality. More information here: www.climateandforests-undp.org.

The Climate and Forests programme has been selected to support the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force (GCFTF) initiative.  This involves supporting the preparation and implementation of projects for the more than 30 developing country sub-national jurisdictions participating in the initiative to develop strategies and investment plans for innovative forested landscape transformation.  This will be done in coordination with the secretariat for the GCFTF (based in Colorado University), the governance arrangements for the initiative, and other existing partners.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision and leadership of the Principal Technical Advisor, Climate and Forests programme, the prospective consultant will support UNDP’s contribution to the GCFTF initiative, provide substantive input and play a significant role in ensuring the overall objectives of the initiative are met.

As a member of the UNDP Climate and Forests programme, the consultant will also contribute to the overall success of the team, engage effectively with team members, support their contributions to the GCFTF initiative, and contribute to the overall portfolio as needed.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The consultant will be responsible for the following deliverables:

1.  Contribute to the implementation and adaptive management of the UNDP-GCFTF annual work plan

2.  Contribute to the quality assurance of interventions at the jurisdictional level

• Coordinate and, if necessary, finalize the assessment of proposals
• Engage with the GCFTF secretariat and implementation partners
• Support and facilitate technical inputs from UNDP REDD+ team members and other relevant UNDP inputs

3.  Contribute to the achievement of expected GCFTF outcomes and the overall results of the Climate and Forests Team’s global project

• Contribute to identification and development of innovative, transformative approaches to forest and climate landscape management
• Contribute to Climate & Forest Team efforts to support jurisdictions access carbon market transactions
• Support the development and implementation of interventions where UNDP acts as the lead partner
• Coordinate with donors, GCFTF secretariat, jurisdictions and implementation partners

4.  Develop a think piece to collect and analyze the lessons learned from jurisdictional approaches under the initiative to date

• Review all final reports and prepare analysis of results achieved and lessons learned  (by thematic area; e.g. strategies, investment plans quality and quantity; gender and social inclusion results)
• Develop annotated outline for review
• Identify stakeholders for case study interviews (jurisdiction, Civil Society Organization partners, regional stakeholders e.g. women or indigenous peoples)
• First draft report (to be reviewed and approved)
• Revised draft circulated to partners selected for peer review (if needed)
• Final report including findings from completed Responsible Party Agreements and recommendations for improvements

Institutional Arrangement

The individual consultant will be supervised by, and report to the Principal Policy and Technical Advisor, Climate and Forests, Nature, Climate and Energy (NCE), BPPS. In addition, s/he will be expected to liaise, collaborate and work with the UNDP Climate and Forests programme and NCE REDD+ stakeholders, GCFTF Secretariat and implementation partners.

The Individual Consultant will be homebased with possible travels as required to Geneva, Switzerland, Panama City, Panama and GCFTF participating locations. S/he will also contribute to the overall success of the team, engage effectively with team members, support their contributions to the GCFTF initiative, and contribute to the overall portfolio as needed.

Duration of the Work

The consultancy will be for a duration of up to 195 days over 11 months, commencing on 3 August 2020 through 30 June 2021.

Competencies

• Excellent English written communication skills, with analytic capacity and ability to synthesize project outputs and relevant findings for the preparation of quality project reports
• Ability to understand new terminology and concepts easily and to synthesize information from different sources into a coherent product
• Maturity and confidence in dealing with senior and high-ranking members of international, regional and national institutions
• Excellent team player with good interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to demonstrate sufficient technical knowledge to perform effectively and independently
• Ability to manage workload with minimum supervision
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines
• Ability to accommodate additional demands on short notice
• Displays sensitivity and adaptability to different cultures, genders, religions, races, nationalities and age groups

Required Skills and Experience

The individual contractor must have a Master’s degree in environmental management, international development, public policy or any related degree. A tertiary qualification in economics, law, or project management is desirable.  S/he must have at least 3-5 years relevant work experience, preferably in Latin America. Experience working on REDD+ issues is highly desirable. Operational language fluency in English and Spanish is required; working knowledge of Portuguese desirable.  Knowledge of French and/or Bahasa is an advantage.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

UNDP applies a fair and transparent selection process that would take into account both the technical qualification of Individual Consultants as well as their financial proposals. The contract will be awarded to the candidate whose offer:

• Is deemed technically responsive / compliant / acceptable (only technically responsive applications/ candidates will be considered for the financial evaluation)
• And has obtained the highest combined technical and financial scores.

The individual contractor will be compensated based on an all-inclusive daily fee, to be paid on a monthly basis, upon submission of a signed  Certificate of Payment and time sheet, to be cleared and approved by the Principal Technical Advisor. In the event that mission travel is required, this will be administered and compensated separately in accordance with standard UNDP travel policies and procedures.

Presentation of Offer

Applicants will apply online and will be requested to submit/upload the following:

1. Personal CV or P11 form for ICs, 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. Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how they will approach and complete the assignment. A methodology is recommended for intellectual services, but may be omitted for support services.

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

The application submission is a two-step process.

Step 1:  Interested individual consultants must apply online and include the following documents when submitting the application in the UNDP job shop.

• Personal History Form (P11 form)  or
• An updated curriculum vitae (CV)

Step 2: Submission of Financial Proposal

Technically qualified applicants will be instructed to submit their financial proposals using the UNDP IC Offeror’s letter template. Daily fee/rate must be expressed in US dollars. The offeror’s letter/financial proposal should be submitted separately by email to the panel/staff who will conclude the technical-financial evaluation.

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

Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a maximum of 70%, and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a max of 30%. Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70 points (100 maximum points) would be considered for the financial criteria.

The key criteria for rating the qualifications are as follows:              

Technical Criteria – 70% of total evaluation

• Educational background:  Master's degree in environmental management, international development, public policy or any related degree (15 points)
• Experience:
  • 3-5 years relevant work experience, preferably in the Amazon biome, particularly Brazil (30 points);
  • Experience working on REDD+ issues is highly desirable (20 points)
  • Demonstrated technical expertise with carbon markets and standards relevant for forest emission reductions (20 points)
• Language requirement: Fluency in English and Spanish is required; working knowledge of Portuguese desirable. Working knowledge of French and/or Bahasa a plus (15 points)

Financial Criteria:   30% of total evaluation (30 points)

• Only technically qualified shortlisted candidates will be instructed to submit their financial offer (UNDP IC Offeror letter template).