Background

UNDP has worked in India since 1951 in almost all areas of human development, from systems and institutional strengthening to inclusive growth and sustainable livelihoods, as well as sustainable energy, environment and resilience. UNDP’s programmes are designed to integrate a global vision for catalytic change with India’s national priorities. Today, UNDP India works to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by transforming traditional models to do development differently.

UNDP India in collaboration with Coca Cola India Foundation have designed a project on Plastic Waste Recycling Management & Livelihood (PWML) to be implemented in close partnership with the Urban Local Bodies in select cities of West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. This initiative is designed to minimize the impacts and risks to environment and human health, by enhancing sustainable Plastic Waste Management practices, through a socio-technical model (segregation/collection/ recycling).

The socio-technical model while being economically sustainable also ensures compliance with regulations, to improve use of resources with a circular economy approach and in line with Swachh Bharat Mission of India; and Government of India Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules, 2016.

The PWML project’s main objective is to establish a sustainable community led approach for integrated plastic waste management and efficient recycling. The systematic approach will address better social security measures, job creation and impact livelihoods for the informal sector engagements. Mainstreaming Waste Pickers (Safai Sathis), will open new opportunities and lead to more sustainable ways of collection, segregation, processing and recycling of plastics.

Safai Sathis are mostly self-employed having no legally tenable employer-employee relationship either with the municipalities or the with scrap traders. They are not paid by the municipalities while with the waste traders the relationship is a sale-purchase transaction, at most a patron-client relationship built on years of dealing with the same scrap trader. Waste-pickers suffer from occupation related health issues, face regular harassment and extortion from both the police and the municipal authorities, and no social security benefits are available to workers in this sector.

In order to address the above challenges, the PWML project includes a key component on livelihoods that aims to:

  1. Strengthen access to institutionalized benefits and a social entitlement framework for Safai Sathis as envisioned in the larger partnership.
  2. Build capacity of the Safai Sathis for accessing alternative livelihood opportunities (micro-entrepreneurship) and skill development with a focus on enhancing their income-generation capabilities.
  3. Provide career guidance and skill training for second generation of Safai Sathis that would enable them to envision and access better opportunities.

The above initiatives intend to support mainstream Safai Sathis thorugh access to social entitlements, improved livelihood capabilities, improved incomes, and capacity built of the second-generation through career guidance and counselling. These interventions would be built around strengthening institutionalized and formalized benefits and entitlements framework for Safai Sathis as a means of bringing dignity to their profession. By empowering the Safai Sathis through alternative livelihood options and more institutionalized benefits, the project will not only strengthen the improved social conditions envisaged for them in the larger partnership, but also enable improved livelihood generation possibilities and income enhancement.

To complement and strengthen the livelihoods component of the project, UNDP is seeking to hire a consultant to carry out a baseline survey. The objective is to gather relevant baseline data for key project indicators to enable: determine the socio-economic status of the waste pickers in project locations; identifying their financial inclusion/medical / health and hygiene/ income status and aspirations; and map the existing waste management ecosystem in each city.  

Duties and Responsibilities

Working under the supervision of Project Officer/Officer-in-charge (Livelihoods), the scope of work expected from the Consultant-Research is outlined below:

  1. Background Research (secondary) - Conducting secondary research on waste management, socio-economic conditions of waste pickers as per DPR, reports and secondary data available.
  2. Conduct Primary Research
    1. Design of Survey – to include but not restricted to
  • To determine the demographic status of waste pickers including health and hygiene status
  • To determine their household income status and aspirations
  • To determine the status of inclusion of safai sathis in the local bodies as per the SWM Rule 2016.
  • To determine engagement in entrepreneurial activities related to waste management
  • To determine engagement in other entrepreneurial activities
  • To determine the status of access to various social entitlements and benefits received under social protection
  • To determine the status of enrollment of the second generation of waste pickers in academic institutions and determine their level of learning/ other engagements
  • To determine the aspirations of the second generation of waste pickers in academic institutions and determine their level of learning/ other engagements
  • To determine the challenges & expectations of the waste picker community for mainstreaming their services in the ecosystem from the policy makers/government bodies/local urban bodies
  • To determine the status of relevant SDG indicators that are SDG 1, SDG 3, SDG 5, SDG 8 and SDG 11
  • To determine the existing waste management ecosystem in each city.
  • To obtain a qualitative and quantitative understanding of the municipal waste generation and collection practices and logistics in the 3 cities- Kolkata, Lucknow & Amritsar
  • To map the existing recyclable market chain in the respective city

b.Sample selection – selection of appropriate sample for data analysis

c.Compilation of collected data – Overseeing and supervising the collection of data by field staff in each of the 03 cities. (Field staff for collection of data would be engaged by UNDP). Compilation of data collected.

d.Cleaning of data- Cleaning of the data compiled to standardize it for relevant data analysis.

e.Data analysis- Analysis of data using relevant tools.

7. Interim Reports – Preparation of interim reports based on preliminary findings

8. Concurrent Feedback-Concurrent feedback on key issues observed from the survey.

8. Draft Report-Preparation of draft report.

9. Final Report- Preparation of final reports incorporating feedback and final presentation

Competencies

  • Demonstrates substantive and technical knowledge to meet responsibilities sand requirements of the role with excellence.
  • Strong analytical skills
  • Plans and produces quality results to meet established goals
  • Demonstrates strong written communication skills
  • Demonstrates ability to meet demanding deadlines
  • Responds positively to critical feedback and different points of view

Required Skills and Experience

Payment terms

S.N

Deliverable

Duration from signing of the contract

% Payment

1.

Submission of inception report including proposed timelines, background research (secondary research) and finalization of survey tools for primary research

Within 02 weeks of signing of the contract

20

2.

Submission of first draft report and presentation

Within 03 month of signing of the contract

50

3.

Submission and acceptance of final report and presentation

Within 06 months of signing of the contract

30

(Kindly note: prior approved travel, boarding & lodging expense will be reimbursed as per actuals in line with UNDP rules.)

Evaluation Criteria

EVALUATION METHOD AND CRITERIA:

  1. Evaluation Method

Technical Scoring

Educational Qualification - 30 Marks;
Relevant Experience - 40 Marks.

Financial scoring

Financial Proposal-30 Marks.

  1. Criterial for Contract Award

Highest Combined Score (based on the 70% technical offer and 30% price weight distribution), where minimum score to pass in technical evaluation is 70%.

Duration of the Assignment:

6 months (estimated 30 working days)

Project Location:

The assignment will be home-based as well as field based. It will involve travel to in Amritsar, Lucknow and Kolkata with due approvals from the supervisor and as per UNDP policies and procedures

Required Academic Qualifications and Professional Experience: 

Recruitment Qualifications:

Educational

Minimum Masters Degree in Social Sciences preferably in Economics, Public Policy, Governance, social science or rural management related discipline with relevant professional qualification and necessary knowledge to undertake the assignment.

 

Experience

  • Minimum 7 years of working experience in managing M&E function in large implementation projects including those on securing social protection and entitlements and/or on securing livelihoods for beneficiaries.
  • Minimum 05 years of experience in creating reports based on qualitative and quantitative studies.

Functional Competencies

Job Knowledge/ Technical Expertise

  • Strong data analytics skills (advance knowledge of excel and SPSS to be preferred)
  • Strong computer skills (MS Word, Excel, Outlook and Power Point).
  • Extensive knowledge of qualitative study tools and knowledge product development

Communication skills

  • Sound communication, interpersonal skills, with an ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.
  • Excellent analytical, interviewing and writing skills.

Core Competencies

  • Demonstrates/safeguards ethics and integrity.
  • Works as a team member.
  • Ability to work independently and under pressure.
  • Travel extensively.

Language Requirements

Fluency in English - Reading, Writing and Speaking is essential.

Note:

  1. Any kind of miscellaneous charges i.e. internet, phone, relocation charges etc. will not be reimbursed;
  2. Travel, lodging and boarding as per UNDP rules subject to prior approval