Background

COVID-19 Crisis in MILF Camps

Globally, COVID-19 crisis has started as a health crisis and has already evolved into an economic crisis and gradually becoming a human development crisis. It has started to bring severe impacts on large number of countries and populations, and the Philippines is not an exemption.

While COVID-19’s medical impact on BARMM has been small, the economic impact has been larger. Access to markets, labor, and informal manufacturing and trading have all been impacted by the lockdown. The scale of the impact, however, is not fully known and understood, especially on the MILF camps and communities. The MILF camps and communities are less equipped to prepare for and respond to COVID-19 worsening their existing access to basic services, livelihood, and social protection. It is also not clear as to the extent to which the newly decommissioned combatants and their communities will need additional support to deal with the impacts of COVID-19.

If not responded urgently and appropriately, the COVID-19 crisis can undermine the progress of the Bangsamoro government in ensuring peace and stability in the region. The UNDP Philippines, together with BARMM ministries, GPH, JNC, JTFCT, TFDCC seek to understand the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis in MILF Camps, including those outside the BARMM as well as the measures needed to support the most vulnerable groups covering short-term and medium-term strategies. Specifically, the assessment should focus on the following aspects:

                i.              Disruption to local value chains and markets caused by the lockdown;

                ii.             Impact on small and medium enterprises, and on access to capital and credit;

                iii.            Impact on employment, both formal and informal, especially in agriculture, fisheries, and livestock;

                iv.            Impact on the provision of social services, especially health and education, and access to sanitation and hygiene;

                v.             Impact on food security and nutrition;

                vi.            Impact on LGU finances and capacities from addressing the consequences of the crisis;

              vii.           Community resilience to current and future pandemics;

              viii.          Negative impacts on social cohesion and local peace, including proliferation of misinformation and negative narratives 

                              presenting the pandemic as “punishment;”

                ix.            Existing public and private sector, and civil society, resources to address the impact of the crisis.

                x.             Conditions and social protection of vulnerable groups (women, youth, children, senior citizens, PWD, widows and orphans,

                             IDPs, IPs, poor families).

The assessment can also draw a comparison of pre-COVID and post-COVID situations in the sectors indicated above. The assessment should also be able to examine, where feasible, initial actions of different actors –BARMM, camp leadership, LGUs, community members, NGOs/INGOs, private sector—on COVID-19 prevention, control and response and the extent to which these were responsive / effective.

The assessment will need to be closely coordinated with relevant BARMM ministries (MILG, BPDA), GPH, JNC, JTFCT, TFDCC, UNDP, national and regional government agencies, as well as other potential stakeholders that are currently involved in discussions around response and recovery. Also, the assessment will need to be rapid in nature to allow for an immediate design and delivery of response measures to reduce adverse impacts at the community and household levels.

Methodology

The rapid assessment should follow a multi-pronged approach to identify the impact of COVID-19 crisis in the MILF camps. Meanwhile, relevant data can be obtained in different ways including (i) secondary data from the BARMM ministries and/or agencies, MILF, GPH, MinDA and local government units; (ii) surveys and key informant interviews with commanders and camp leaders, and other concerned sectors, (iii) conversations, bearing in mind “social distancing” restrictions, with select groups of stakeholders in the camps/ communities; and (iv) online surveys in areas with the right access to bandwidth/internet

A total of ten (10) out of the thirty-three (33) base commands and camps can be selected as an “indicative sample” and be assessed based on the following criteria:

                i.              Remoter and less resilient camps/ base commands;

                ii.             Camps/ base commands hosting itinerant traders and reliant on local markets, and hence vulnerable to the economic impact of the lockdown;

                iii.            Geographical distribution across the five BARMM provinces as well as from Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato and other adjoining areas;

                iv.            Camps/ base commands where decommissioned combatants will reside, and which may therefore experience additional economic strain.

The rapid assessment shall provide a basis for fine-tuning the activity design for the utilization of COVID-19 funds; designing the relevant components of the BARMM recovery plan; establishing priorities for further OPAPP assistance; and additional resource mobilization from development partners. It shall also provide the initial basis for planning a more fundamental transformation of the camps and communities involved.

Analysis should also examine effects on both economic and social indicators, such as sectoral growth, investment and employment, poverty and hunger, health, and education, among others. Analysis should also include assessment of COVID-19 impacts on peace and security in BARMM, particularly examining impacts on camps and base commands and peace process mechanisms. Finally, the Lead Consultant shall include mapping of ongoing BARMM government and local government units’ responses on COVID-19 and recommend policy options broken down into two categories – (i) short-term measures and (ii) medium-long term measures.

Institutional Arrangements

For the duration of the contract, the Consultant shall report to the UNDP Outcome Lead for Peace in the delivery of the terms of reference. Reporting is output-based, and deliverables must be submitted to UNDP Outcome Lead for Peace. It is expected that the Consultant will inform UNDP, BARMM ministries (MILG, BPDA), GPH, JNC, JTFCT, TFDCC of the schedule with government agencies, non-government organizations, and local government units for the meetings and consultations. UNDP Team, both at the Country Office and the Cotabato Field Office, can also assist the Consultant in setting up meetings and liaising with BARMM ministries and other key stakeholders.

Duration of Work, Duty Station, and Travel

The Consultant shall be engaged for 46 working days spread over 2 months. The target start-of-work date is 28 September 2020 – 30 November 2020.

The position will be home-based but the Lead Consultant should be accessible and available for discussions and reporting on the progress of activities as may be required by this initiative. Though the consultant is not required to report regularly at the Country Office but shall agree with the UNDP Team on a regular schedule to report on the status and provide feedback on the outputs. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and declaration of State of Public Health Emergency in the Philippines, all work of the Lead Consultant shall be done within the guidelines and protocols set by the local government. Coordination/meetings shall be done through phone or online communication until such time that the quarantine is lifted.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The Lead Consultant should send a financial proposal based on a lump-sum amount for the delivery of the outputs identified below. The total amount quoted shall include all costs of components required to deliver the goods and services identified above, including professional fees and any other applicable costs (i.e., transportation/travel to and from residence for meetings within BARMM, supplies, and materials, communications, etc.) to be incurred by the Lead Consultant in completing the assignment.

The contract price will be a fixed output-based price. Any deviations from the outputs and timelines will need to be agreed upon between the Lead Consultant and UNDP. Any changes will be reflected through the issuance of the contract amendment.

Payments will be done upon satisfactory completion of the deliverables by target due dates. Outputs will be reviewed and certified by the UNDP Outcome Lead for Peace, prior to the release of payments. Furthermore, contracts will only be issued subject to the confirmation that the Lead Consultant is covered under personal health/medical and other insurances.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Consultant will be under the overall supervision of the UNDP Outcome Lead for Peace. The Consultant will work in close coordination with relevant BARMM ministries (MILG, BPDA), GPH, JNC, JTFCT, TFDCC, national and regional government agencies.

The scope of work for this assignment will be largely around the following key functions:

• Coordination with key stakeholders, such as BARMM Government, national and regional government agencies;
• Planning and conduct of the rapid assessment of COVID-19 impact and response in MILF Camps;
• Scoping of the current responses of the BARMM Government to COVID-19; and,
• Formulating policy recommendations to mitigate the negative impacts of the COVID-19 crisis in the MILF camps and communities.

For this rapid assessment, the following are the specific deliverables:

• Inception report including methodology and detailed implementation plan (including proposed Activity Design);
• Conduct of the socio-economic impact assessment;
• Draft assessment report on socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 in MILF camps, including key findings and recommendations
• Final assessment report incorporating comments from the UNDP, BARMM ministries (MILG, BPDA), GPH, JNC, JTFCT, TFDCC, and other relevant stakeholders; and
• Presentation of the final report to UNDP, BARMM ministries (MILG, BPDA), GPH, JNC, JTFCT, TFDCC, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Report enhancement and submission of the final report with policy recommendations

Competencies

Corporate

-       Demonstrates integrity by modeling UN mission, vision, values, and ethical standards;

-       Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity, and adaptability; and

-       Promotes UNDP’s agenda in meetings.

Other Competencies

-       Ability to work in close collaboration with a group of national and international experts, to meet strict deadlines and plan the work according to priorities;

-       Demonstrates capacity to plan, organize and execute effectively;

-       The initiative, good analytical skills, mature judgment, and ability to work under tight schedule while respecting deadlines and achievement, ethics, and honesty;

-       Ability to establish effective working relations in a diverse environment;

-       Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude

-       Build strong relationships with internal and external clients;

-       Demonstrated ability to function in a team environment and to deal with the complex multi-stakeholder environment;

-       Good ability to use information and communication technologies as tools and resources’;

-               Excellent written communication and presentation/public speaking skills focus on results, ability to interact productively in a teamwork environment.

Required Skills and Experience

Offers will be evaluated based on the combined scoring method :

• Technical qualifications = 70%
• Financial Proposal =    30%

For the evaluation of the Technical Proposal, the selection of the successful consultant must be based on the following qualifications (with the appropriate obtainable points): 

Applicants who will only receive 70 points from the assessment of the CV will be qualified for the assessment of the Financial Proposal.

Recommended Presentation of Offer

Interested applicants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document. 

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
2. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate
3. Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided.  Medical/health insurance must be purchased by the individual at his/her own expense, and upon award of the contract, the consultant must be ready to submit proof of insurance valid during the contract duration.

Interested applicants to note that personal Medical/health insurance (to be purchased by the individual at his/her own expense) is mandatory for the issuance of contracts. Upon award of the contract, the consultant must be ready to submit proof of insurance valid during the contract duration.

The following templates / Annexes and IC General Terms & Conditions can be downloaded from http://gofile.me/6xdJm/bE9TCw8fU:

• General Terms and Conditions for Individual Contract
• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability
• P-11 form

In view of the volume of applications, UNDP receives, only shortlisted offerors will be notified.