UNDP Jobs - 91557- International Consultant to Conduct Research on (i

International Consultant to Conduct Research on (i) Disaster and Climate Resilience related Household Expenditure and (ii) Landscape Analysis of Governance of Climate Finance in Bangladesh

Location :

Home based with Dhaka visit, BANGLADESH

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

17-May-20 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

30 days over a period of 5.5 months

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. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Objectives

Objective of the assignment is to carry out two studies (i) disaster and climate resilience related household expenditure review in rural and urban areas from CC hotspots of Bangladesh; and (ii) revise Climate Change Strategy of UNDP Country Office 2020-2025 based on an in-depth analysis of current and future landscape of governance of climate finance at national and international levels.

Background and Rationale

Findings from the first study will be utilized for effective decisions on climate budget planning and formulations in vulnerable areas by the government, development partners and private sector. The second study will be shaping UNDP’s strategy in the current and emerging context of evolving climate finance landscape – domestic and international. Both studies will inform UNDP CO’s strategy for accelerating and climate-proofing SDG achievements. The studies should identify UNDP’s value proposition to support Bangladesh in advancing climate resilient development.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

Study 1: Disaster and Climate Resilience related Household Expenditure

Investigate the state of climate finance in the climate change hotspots identified in the ‘nationwide climate vulnerability assessment’ and Delta Plan 2100. Different regions of Bangladesh are prone to different types of climate extremes or disasters. Therefore, there can be different types and levels of actions and corresponding expenditures in different regions of Bangladesh. The study will investigate the socioeconomic determinants of climate finance like gender, income, location, etc. as well as other household-level attributes that influence household’s decision to finance climate actions like education, access to drinking water, employment, age, etc. It will also investigate welfare impacts of climate change and the potential income impacts created by climate finance.
Develop research questions on climate household expenditure closely following the questionnaire structures in Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) and Bangladesh Integrated Household Survey (BIHS). The survey questionnaire will be used to investigate the household level state of climate finance including the factors influencing climate expenditures and the welfare effects of climate finance, in selected rural and urban areas of Bangladesh. This would also include a guideline for the enumerators for collecting data.
Train UNDP funded enumerators remotely to conduct surveys on 40,000 households. (UNDP enumerators will clean the data and provide it back to the study team for the analysis of the data.)
Analyze data with statistical econometric regression analysis and issue policy report with findings/ results in any globally renowned research/ policy website on environment / climate change /development. The report includes policy recommendations on how the survey could feed into planning and budget formulation. It will also include as much gender-disaggregated data as possible for gender analysis.
Produce a blog for any globally renowned research/ policy website on environment / climate change /development with policy recommendations on how the survey could feed into planning and budget formulation’

Study 2: Landscape Analysis of Governance of Climate Finance in Bangladesh

Carry out literature review and facilitate 1 consultation workshop involving UNDP staff as well as bilateral meetings with the government and development partners in Dhaka to explore current and future landscape of governance of climate finance, both in public and private sector. The workshop will be organized by UNDP.
Revise Climate Change Strategy of UNDP Country Office 2020-2025 based on an in-depth analysis of current and future landscape of governance of climate finance at national and international levels.

Deliverables

Based on the scope of the work outlined above, the following are the deliverables from the individual consultant:

Study 1: Disaster and Climate Resilience related Household Expenditure

An Inception Report, which includes the methodology and plan of work.
A policy report on ‘detailed household expenditure survey and analysis in relation to climate change in Bangladesh’ and a blog on the study findings, issued and published online by any globally renowned policy research institute on climate change/ environment/ development. A debriefing presentation will be also made.
Recommendations on how findings can inform the planning and budgeting process.

Study 2: Landscape Analysis of Governance of Climate Finance in Bangladesh

An Inception Report with methodology of the study and plan of work.
A revised Climate Change Strategy of UNDP Country Office 2020-2025 based on an in-depth analysis of current and future landscape of governance of climate finance at national and international levels.

Supervision and Performance Evaluation

The consultant will be closely working with the Climate Change team of UNDP and seek guidance from the Climate Change Specialist of UNDP Country Office in Bangladesh and the Gender and Climate Finance Expert of Climate Finance Governance Project of UNDP Bangladesh who will coordinate the whole study process.

Timeframe and Deadlines

Study 1

An Inception Report, which includes the methodology and plan of work – 5 working days
A policy report on ‘detailed household expenditure survey and analysis in relation to climate change in Bangladesh’ including recommendations on how findings can inform the planning and budgeting process and a blog on the study findings, issued and published online by any globally renowned policy research institute on climate change/ environment/ development. A debriefing presentation will be also made – 15 working days

Study 2

An Inception Report with methodology of the study and plan of work – 3 working days
A revised Climate Change Strategy of UNDP Country Office 2020-2025 based on an in-depth analysis of current and future landscape of governance of climate finance at national and international levels – 7 working days

Travel

study 1: Work from home

Study 2: five days home based with one mission in Bangladesh for another five days excluding travel time.

The consultant will conduct few workshops in Dhaka, expenses related to arrangement of workshop and travel to workshop be borne by project as per UNDP rate and policy.

Documents

The Consultants will prepare and submit the above-mentioned documents during the assignment period. The format for the deliverables should be agreed on at the beginning of the assignment and cleared by the Climate Change Specialist of UNDP CO. Further work or revision of the documents may be required if it is considered that the documents do not meet the ToR, errors of fact or the documents are incomplete or not of an acceptable standard.

Inputs – UNDP and Consultant

Input from Consultant: The consultancy will be primarily home based focused on delivery with a short 5-day mission to Dhaka. UNDP Bangladesh will not provide office space and other administrative support to the International Consultant.

Input from UNDP: Mobilization of field staff, carry out the survey, input questionnaire into database, organization of workshop

Competencies

Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN's values and ethical standards (human rights, peace);
Understanding between peoples and nations, tolerance, integrity, respect, and impartiality;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

Minimum master’s degree in Economics, Environment, Development Studies or related field.

Experience:

Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in conducting research, assessments, and reviews of climate finance. Previous experience of working with UN agencies/bilateral development partners;
Proven experience in carrying out studies of international standards. Previous experience in climate expenditure reviews;
At least 5 major climate finance and governance related analysis published.

Cumulative analysis-

The award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant up on Cumulative Analysis/evaluation and determined as:

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;

Only candidates obtaining a minimum 70% mark in technical evaluation will be considered eligible for financial evaluation.

Technical Evaluation Criteria (Total 70 marks)

Educational Qualification – 15 Marks;
Working experiences in research, assessments, and reviews of climate finance – 20 Marks;
Publication on climate finance and governance related analysis – 20 Marks;
Good understanding of climate change vulnerabilities in Bangladesh – 7 Marks;
Working Experience with UN/bilateral donors – 8 Marks.

Financial Evaluation (Total 30 marks)

All technical qualified proposals will be scored out 30 based on the formula provided below. The maximum points (30) will be assigned to the lowest financial proposal. All other proposals received points according to the following formula:

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.

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). 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).

Financial Milestone

1st Installment: 30% of the total contract amount – After the submission of the Inception Reports for study 1 and 2, which includes the methodology, plan of work and cleared by the project;
Final Installment: 70% of the total contract amount – After the submission of all the deliverables and cleared by the project.

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

Proposal

Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment and a methodology on how they will approach and complete the assignment;
Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
Personal CV, 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;
Financial Proposal: Financial Proposal has to be submitted through a standard interest and availability template which can be downloaded from the link below:

http://www.bd.undp.org/content/dam/bangladesh/docs/Jobs/Interest%20and%20Submission%20of%20Financial%20Proposal-Template%20for%20Confirmation.docx