Public Finance Management is throughout the Pacific a topic of importance for international and local partners equally. Numerous stakeholders, institutions and international actors have been engaged in reinforcing the frameworks, tools and actors linked to PFM. Parliament and supreme audit institution function in public financial management across the Pacific Islands region have been identify as an area requiring strengthening. A specific focus of UNDP in this regard is the parliament’s role in budget scrutiny; effective external audit of government budget execution by the supreme audit institutions, inclusion of citizens and civil society in budget processes, thorough and transparent parliamentary oversight of the external audit, and follow-up with government on recommendations. This consultancy focuses on facilitating CSOs, citizens and Parliaments engagement on PFM cycles.

Strengthening of public Finance Management and Governance in the Pacific Project (hereafter PFM) aims to strengthen oversight over public financial management in the Pacific region, though improving the budgetary scrutiny, public financial oversight and accountability capacities of parliaments, supreme audit institutions and civil society within the region, aligning with international public financial oversight and accountability standards, and fostering citizen engagement and oversight. Strengthening of Public Finance Management project is funded by the European Union (EU) and Implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

All Pacific Islands States have announced fiscal and/or economic measures to cope with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pacific Islands States economies are too often threatened by natural disaster and well versed in climate change related risks. The economic responses linked to the pandemic crisis are however an opportunity to build more resilient economies through tailored Public Finance Management tools. Similar argument have been pushed by the IMF for instance (Greening the Recovery https://www.imf.org/~/media/Files/Publications/covid19-special-notes/en-special-series-on-covid-19-greening-the-recovery.ashx?la=en)  and UNDP more generally (https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/news-centre/news/2020/UN_sets_out_COVID_social_and_economic_recovery_plan.html).

While government will be in the lead to design and propose solutions, Parliaments and civil society should be provided with essential knowledge and an overview of options in order to fully participate in the recovery debate. For this reason, the PFM project is looking to publish a series of “citizen guides” to the existing public finance tools which could help fund and facilitate green and resilient recovery in the Pacific.

Scope of Work

Reporting to the UNDP PFM Project Manager, the PFM Tools for Green Recovery Consultant will be responsible for the following activities:

• In coordination with relevant UNDP projects, identify categories of relevant green recovery tools and propose a format (currently envisaged is either a series of short briefs/case studies or one longer publication);

• Draft knowledge products including working on visuals with graphic designer for easy dissemination of key messages;

• Deliver two webinars for PFM project audience on the publications.

This consultancy might be extended to include in-country missions might the context allow it.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Institutional Arrangement

The Consultant will report to the Project Manager, Public Finance Management Project, Effective Governance. Reporting is to be undertaken as per Deliverables and Activities outlined above.

The Consultant to provide their own IT (computer).  

Duration of the Work

The consultant will be required to work for a period of up to 30 days between June 2020 to December 2020.

Duty Station

This consultancy is home-based. Online presentations and exchanges will be taking place on the Pacific time-zone.

Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity and fairness by modelling UN values and ethical standards;

• Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;

• Display cultural, gender, nationality, religion and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

• Demonstrated ability to work harmoniously in a multi-cultural environment;

• Ability to work on own initiative as well as a member of a team and to work under pressure;

• Excellent relationship management;

• Excellent communication, facilitation, presentation and reporting skills;

Education

• Masters in Sustainable Development, Economics, Public Finance Management, Development or related field providing insights in budget cycles or community engagement.

Experience

• At least 10 years of relevant professional experience related to public finance management and/or green economy tools;

• Proven in-depth technical knowledge of financial tools for sustainable development, green deals, risk-resilient budget proposals or related;

• Previous experience drafting publications in English;

• Preference will be given to candidates with experience of engaging non-expert audience on PFM or oversight issues with advantage given to experience working either in the Pacific or with communities with little technical understanding of PFM and/or Parliaments.

Language requirements

• Fluency of English language is required;

   

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

Consultant must send a financial proposal based on Daily Fee. Consultant shall quote an all-inclusive Daily Fee for the contract period. The term “all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, communications, consumables, etc.) that could be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment are already factored into the daily fee submitted in the proposal. If applicable, travel or daily allowance cost (if any work is to be done outside the IC’s duty station) should be identified separately. Payments shall be done on a monthly basis based on actual days worked, upon verification of completion of deliverables and approval by the IC’s supervisor of a Time Sheet indicating the days worked in the period.

In general, UNDP shall not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources

In the event of unforeseeable travel not anticipated in this TOR, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and the Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

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) [Please add/adjust the below criteria and points awarded to each as necessary]

• Criteria 1 - Relevance of Education – Max 10 points

• Criteria 2 - Relevance of work experience - Max 20 Points

• Criteria 3 – Specific experience of technical knowledge - Max 20 points

• Criteria 4 – Experience drafting publications– Max 10 points

• Criteria 5 - Experience of engaging non-expert audience on PFM or oversight issues – 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 (in one (1) single document as the application supports only one upload) to demonstrate their qualifications:

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

• CV indicating all 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, describing methodology and approach to complete the assignment

• Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex II (in 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 (Consultant - Public Finance Tools for Green Recovery) with reference (PN/FJI/048/20) and submitted via UN Job shop by 28th May 2020.

• 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