Background
Due to the diverse and complex terrain of the Caucasus mountains, its significant influence and the influence of the Black Sea and Caspian Sea on the climate and weather of the region, Georgia is exposed to various climate-induced hazards including floods and flash floods, climate-induced geological hazards (including landslides, mudflow, debris flows), droughts, soil erosion, severe winds, hailstorms and avalanches. Furthermore, according to Georgia’s the 2nd and the 3rd National Communications, the frequency, intensity and geographical spread of extreme hydro meteorological hazards will increase under climate change and may result in significant impacts on key sectors including agriculture, critical infrastructure (transportation networks, buildings, roads, water supply, energy installations), natural resources and eco-systems, glaciers and forests.
To address the existing development challenges, UNDP Georgia is implementing a program aimed at reducing exposure of Georgia’s communities, livelihoods and infrastructure to climate-induced natural hazards through a well-functioning nation-wide multi-hazard early warning system and risk-informed local action. It will provide critical climate risk information that would enable the Government of Georgia to implement a number of nation-wide transformative policies and actions for reducing exposure and vulnerability of the population to climate-induced hazards, thus catalysing a paradigm shift in the national climate risk management, climate-proofed disaster risk reduction and early warning approaches.
The program encompasses two interrelated projects funded by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Global Climate Fund (GCF).
The GCF funded project interventions target expanding the hydro-meteorological and agrometeorological observation network, introducing methods and tools for gender sensitive vulnerability assessment, supporting establishment of a centralized multi-hazard disaster risk information and knowledge system, enhancing multi-hazard forecasting and modelling capacities and improving community resilience through implementation of early warning system (EWS) & risk reduction measures.
The project funded by SDC aims at reducing exposure and vulnerability of communities in Georgia, through development of multi-hazard risk information by introducing standardized and harmonized national multi-hazard mapping and risk assessment methodologies, effective national regulations, coordination mechanism and institutional capacities.
Geographical coverage of the program is nation-wide, covering all 11 major river basins in Georgia: Enguri, Rioni, Chorokhi-Adjaristskali, Supsa, Natanebi, Khobi, Kintrishi, Khrami-Ktsia, Alazani, Iori, Mtkvari (same as Kura) focusing on the following hazards: floods, landslides, mudflows, avalanches, hailstorms, windstorms and droughts.
At present existing capacities of national institutions do not enable forecasting of hazards with high precision and accuracy, nor is the regulatory and institutional setup appropriate to support a well-designed multi-hazard early warning system. Among others, introduction of modelling capacities is integral part of addressing those issues.
The program seeks to provide support to national institutions in building capacities for multi-hazard and risk modelling and mapping, operationalization of multi-hazard early warning system and community-based resilience building.
Duties and Responsibilities
The overall responsibility of the international meteorological expert is to lead the process of improvement of existing weather forecasting capabilities, as a cornerstone for all of the hazards to be included in the Multi-hazard Early Warning System(MHEWS). The international expert is expected to undertake verification of quality of local and global forecasting products by supporting the assessment of ECMWF, GFS, COSMO and WRF models, in hindcast and forecast mode. In particular, the expert will be involved in the assessment of quality of ECMWF, WRF and COSMO models against data from synoptic weather stations and in case ECMWF data are used as initial conditions or boundary conditions in evaluating the accuracy of results of existing WRF and COSMO models run at National Environmental Agency (NEA). Moreover, the expert will support NEA in assessing quality of satellite products to ensure bias correction and full deployment of those data sources into the forecasting platform. Additionally, the meteorological expert will be responsible to address the need of implementation of assimilation techniques in NEA. In parallel, he/she will undertake a thorough assessment of the meteorological trainings needs and provide trainings as per identified topics. The expert will also provide support to NEA in meteorological radar data acquisition, analysis and processing.
The duties and responsibilities provided in the ToR are for the first year of August 2020 - July 2021. The expected number of consultancy days is 60 including six missions to Tbilisi of up to 36 days. For the remaining two years precise tasks, consultancy and mission days will be specified in the corresponding ToRs.
The expert will work under overall guidance of Project Chief Technical Advisor and in cooperation with Forecasting and Early Warning Expert.
For the indicated one-year period the international expert will be responsible to:
- Support NEA in improvement of existing weather forecasting capabilities, including:
- Support on the verification of quality of local and global forecasting products
- Support on the accuracy analysis of satellite precipitation estimates
- Support on the inclusion of new modelling data sources into the local meteorological forecasting
- Provide support for the enhancement of the local area models implemented in NEA, support to enhance the horizontal resolution of the models to 1km (WRF) and 2.5km (COSMO)
- Provide advice on the inclusion of assimilation processes in the local models
- Provide support in further enhancements of the local meteorological models
- Support on the use of the HPC by the meteorological models
- Support NEA in data format, data flow and data processing for meteorological forecasting
- Develop trainings materials and provide trainings on:
- Access to automatic weather station data and use of GTS resources
- Format of automatic station data and conversion to PreBUFR format
- Data projections
- Introduction of assimilation of weather radar and satellite data in forecasting models
- Meteorological data formats, such as GRIB1, GRIB2 and netCDF
- Support NEA in weather radar analysis and processing
- Support NEA in the introduction of weather radar data in the forecasting
- Undertake assessment of other training and capacity development needs on meteorology in NEA and develop corresponding report and training plan.
Deliverables:
For the indicated one-year period the following deliverables are envisaged for this expert:
- Analysis of the verification of global and local meteorological model outputs
- Analysis of satellite precipitation estimates for Georgia
- Report on support provided regarding inclusion of global models into local models
- Report on proposed enhancements on local meteorological models to achieve the required horizontal resolution
- Report on recommendations for data formats, data flow and data processing for meteorological forecasting
- Training materials and report on implemented trainings
- Report on acquisition and analysis of weather radar data
- Report on the approach for weather radar data assimilation
- Report on assimilation approach for local models in Georgia
- Assessment report and training plan.
Management Arrangements:
The international expert will work under direct supervision of Team Leader in Capacity Building Policy and Planning and Project Coordinator. The Environment and Energy Team Leader will be engaged in overall supervision, while the Chief Technical Advisor will guide the expert’s work. The expert will be directly responsible to, reporting to, seeking approval from, and obtaining certificate of acceptance of deliverables from the above-mentioned persons.
Payment modality:
The payment during the first year will be made into five instalments upon satisfactory completion/submission and approval of the deliverables by the supervisor:
- 20% - upon successful submission of deliverables 1-2
- 50% - upon successful submission of deliverables 3-7
- 10% -upon successful submission of deliverable 8
- 10% - upon successful submission of deliverable 9
- 10% - upon successful submission of deliverable 10
Competencies
Corporate Competencies:
- Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
- Understanding of the mandate and the role of UNDP would be an asset;
- 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
Functional Competencies:
- Strong communication and analytical skills;
- Demonstrated skills in drafting reports;
- Ability to work under pressure with several tasks and various deadlines;
- Actively generates creative, practical approaches and solutions to overcome challenging situations;
- Excellent writing, presentation/public speaking skills;
- A pro-active approach to problem-solving;
- Computer literacy
Leadership and Self-Management skills:
- Builds strong relationships with the working group and with the project partners; focuses on impact and results for the project partners and responds positively to feedback;
- Cooperates with working group effectively and demonstrates strong conflict resolution skills;
- Consistently approaches work with energy, positivity and a constructive attitude;
- Demonstrates strong influencing and facilitation skills;
- Remains calm, in control and good humoured under pressure;
- Demonstrates openness to change, new ideas and ability to manage ambiguity;
- Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
- Demonstrates ability to transfer knowledge and competencies;
- Ability to work independently and hurdle competing priorities.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- At least Master’s degree in meteorology, hydrology or any related field (minimum requirement: 7 points)
Experience:
- At least 8 years of professional experience working with global and local meteorological forecasting models and data formats, flows and processing (minimum requirement: 8 years - 7 points, more than 8 - additional 3 points)
- At least 5 years’ experience in the use and implementation of WRF and/or COSMO models (minimum requirement: 5 years - 7 points, more than 5 - additional 1 point)
- At least 5 years’ experience in acquisition, analysis and assimilation of weather radar data, (minimum requirement: 5 years - 7 points, more than 5 - additional 1 point)
- At least 5 years’ experience in analysis of satellite precipitation estimates and introduction into local models (minimum requirement: 5 years - 7 points, more than 5 - additional 1 point)
- Familiarity and/or experience on Multi -hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS) is an asset (5 points)
- Experience in delivering trainings will be an asset (4 points)
Language Requirements:
- Proficiency in both spoken and written English
Evaluation:
Offerors will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis method, against combination of technical and financial criteria. Maximum total obtainable score is 100, out of which the total score for technical criteria (desk review and interview) equals to 70 and for financial criteria – to 30. Offerors that do not meet any of the Minimum Requirements will be automatically rejected, while the rest will form the long list. Technical evaluation will comprise of desk review and interview stages. Offerors who pass the 70% threshold, is obtain minimum 35 points as a result of the desk review will be invited to the interview. Offerors passing 70% threshold as a result of the interview (i.e. obtain minimum of 14 points) will be recommended for financial evaluation.
Financial Proposal:
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 instalments 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. Maximum 30 points will be assigned to the lowest price offer. All other price offers will be scored using the formula (inverse proportion): Financial score X = 30* the lowest price offer/suggested price offer. All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal as well.