Background

NOTE: Signed Offeror’s Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability - https://www.ba.undp.org/content/dam/bosnia_and_herzegovina/docs/Operations/Jobs/Offerors%20Letter%20to%20UNDP%20Confirming%20Interest%20and%20Availability.docx - Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability.docx - to be sent to e-mail ba.shared.hr@undp.org with Subject: Job ID 95031.

Purpose
This consultancy will contribute to achieving results sought under project output on identification of policy recommendations and implementation of related advocacy actions. The scope of work for this consultancy will inform the program’s targeted actions to respond to recommendations identified at dialogue events, especially the Regional Dialogue for Women, held in February 2020.

The joint program has recognized the opportunity to support women and women’s organizations that have engaged with the program through a online mentoring platform, that would facilitate exchange of knowledge and experience among women peacebuilders, CSO activists, academic and media professionals and civil servants in three program countries.

 
Objective
The main objective of the consultancy will be to:
a) Gather business requirements for the online mentoring system that would support women’s leadership development under the Joint Programme, by evaluating the business models of available online mentoring systems on the market (especially in the SEE) and exchanging with the Joint Regional Program Coordinator on possible high-level system features and new opportunities of the system that would be fit for purpose, sustainable and with perspectives of programmatic future growth in relation to other UN capacity/community building efforts;
b) Develop a Terms of Reference with system requirements specification for procurement of the appropriate online mentoring platform;
c)  Support the system development process.

All candidates should note that this consultancy may be extended, depending on the fulfilment of the above objective.
 
Background Information
The Joint Regional Program “Dialogue for the Future” (DFF), implemented by UNDP, UNICEF and UNESCO in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and the Republic of Serbia, and funded by the UN Peacebuilding Fund, seeks to create more spaces for constructive dialogue between various communities, between citizens and their highest elected leaders, thus promoting peaceful coexistence, increased trust and genuine respect for diversity. Through a variety of activities in support of dialogue and social cohesion in and among the three project countries, the program engages with adolescents and youth, women, teachers and media, by:

• supporting dialogue and collaborative action around jointly identified priorities;
• empowering adolescents and youth for constructive engagement and leadership;
• nurturing inter-cultural dialogue;
• strengthening objective media reporting and positive storytelling; and
• empowering young girls and women for greater social activism.

The program relies on the concept of social cohesion developed by the Bertelsmann Foundation, which centers around the components of social relations, connectedness and focus on the common good as integrative elements. 

Working with women and women’s organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and the Republic of Serbia, the joint program has delivered tailored capacity building focusing on: leadership, social activism, public policy processes.

Initiated in January 2019, the program is set to close by end of April 2021.

Duties and Responsibilities

Since inception in January 2019, the joint regional program has organized 14 dialogue events to date, including youth, national and regional dialogues in the three project countries. These multi-stakeholder events brought together around 1,300 participants and served to identify common social cohesion priorities and recommendations to address them in collaborative manner. Ultimately, the priorities emanating from youth and national dialogue events were validated at a Regional Dialogue Platform event, serving as the main input into the selection of seven priority areas for a cross-border Small Grants Facility. In addition to supporting joint actions on social cohesion priorities, the program aims to advocate for targeted policy improvements in the three project countries, all contributing to better quality of social cohesion.

The selected Consultant is expected to perform the following tasks, under this consultancy:

a) Propose a viable, feasible and desirable model for an online mentoring platform that supports the desired outcomes of the Joint Program and supports its development;

Task 1: Review online mentoring business models, especially in Southeastern Europe, and establish high-level stack of requirements for the fit-for-purpose online mentoring platform. In consultation with Joint Regional Program Coordinator and with input from UNDP BiH Accelerator Lab, the Consultant will validate the primary purposes and goals of the future product, define its value proposition and evaluate the most relevant means of implementation. The consultant will evaluate the business models of available online mentoring systems on the market and exchange with the UNDP project staff on the possible business model and high-level system features that would be fit for purpose, make system sustainable and with perspectives of programmatic future growth in relation to other UNDP capacity/community building efforts. Estimated number of days for this task is 3.

Task 2:  Develop a Terms of Reference with system requirements specification for procurement of the appropriate online mentoring platform.
Based on the findings of the review process, the Consultant is expected to develop the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the future digital online mentoring platform, which include product specifications and a high-level stack of requirements, as well as the qualifications criteria for the prospective service providers. In particular, the document will explain all major functionalities, in the form of user stories, that the new platform will offer to the main user groups (mentors and mentees) that will assure compliance of the development outcomes with the identified purpose, goals and system value proposition.
The document will include all relevant technical detail presented in a reader-friendly manner and in line with UNDP tender/IC preparation requirements. Final deliverable approval will need to be provided by the Joint Regional Program Coordinator.  Estimated number of days for this task is 7.

Total number of days will not exceed 10 workdays overall. 

Developed and cleared ToR will be used to authorize final payment.

Deliverables/outputs

Competencies

Core values:

• Demonstrates integrity and fairness by modelling UN values and ethical standards;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Core competences:

• Results-Orientation: Plans and produces quality results to meet established goals, generates innovative, practical solutions to challenging situations;
• Communication: Excellent communication and advocacy skills, including the ability to convey complex concepts and recommendations, both orally and in writing, in a clear and persuasive style tailored to match different audiences;
• Teamwork: Ability to interact, establish and maintain effective working relations with a culturally diverse team; ability to work in an environment requiring liaison and collaboration with multiple actors including government representatives, donors and other stakeholders;
• Client orientation: Ability to establish and maintain productive partnerships with national partners and stakeholders and pro-activeness in identifying of beneficiaries and partners’ needs and matching them to appropriate solutions.
• Strong analytical and reporting?abilities; Excellent organizational and?facilitation skills; Excellent public presentation and moderation skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications/Education

• University degree in software development, computer engineering, business administration, project management or related field.

Experience

• At least 5 years of relevant experience in eliciting business requirements from business users and subject matter experts, analyzing, defining, documenting, and prioritizing requirements in an Agile software development environment; ;
• Experience in development of similar platforms is a strong asset. 

Languages Requirements

• Fluency in the languages of project countries. Fluency in English is an asset.

Other Requirements

• Excellent computer skills (MS Office applications) and ability to use information technologies as a tool and resource.

Longlisting/Shortlisting Criteria

Qualifications as stated in the ToR

Technical Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation

Individual  will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis

When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the candidate whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:
a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
b) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

• * Technical Criteria weight-70%
• * Financial Criteria weight- 30%

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

• Explaining why they are the most suitable for the work;
• Provide a brief methodology on how they will approach and conduct the work and sample of previous document/strategy/paper done by the consultant;
• Latest personal CVs, including past experience from similar projects, and email, telephone and any other contact details for references; inclusive of list of previous engagements (examples of consultant’s work) on similar projects in the project countries;
• Including past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references.

Please scan all above mentioned documents and upload as one attachment only online through this website.

Note:

• For an assignment requiring travel, consultants of 65 years or more require full medical examination and statement of fitness to work to engage in the consultancy.
• Due to large number of potential applicants, only competitively selected candidates will be contacted for remaining steps of the service procurement process.