Background

The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 47 least developed countries (LDCs). With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, in support of households, localities and small enterprises that are underserved, where development needs are greatest and where resources are scarcest.

UNCDF’s Local Development Finance Practice (LDFP) is a centre of excellence and innovative fund for local government finance and local economic development finance in the world’s 47 LDCs. To promote and support transformative investments through local governments and domestic banks in LDCs, LDFP designs, pilots and tests out financing mechanisms and business models in both public and private sectors that support locally designed public investments and revenue generating capital investment projects.

The investment financing toolboxes of UNCDF’s LDFP include Fiscal Decentralization, Local Development Funds for public capital investment programming, Structured Project Finance, Municipal Finance, SME Finance, and Public-Private Partnerships. UNCDF uses its investment tools through their thematic areas including Decentralization and Citizen Empowerment, Climate Change Adaptation, Food Security, Women’s Economic Empowerment, Local Economic Development, Cross Border Development and some Post-conflict environment.

To ensure the selected investments meet both financial and thematic impact requirements, according to measurable indicators, the LD Dual Key Investment Committee was established in 2017 to provide oversight on the investments and support the decision-making process on the financial and development impact credibility and sustainability.

Objective of the Assignment

The LD Dual Key Investment Committee (LDIC) is establishing long term agreements (LTA, also called IC Framework Agreement) with Thematic Impact Assessment Experts and Advisors to support the review, impact assessment, and technical quality assurance on the pipeline of revenue generating investments. In addition to the financial feasibility and sustainability of each investment, the LDIC ensures that each investment is evaluated against specific impact measurement standards addressing one, or a combination of, the following thematic areas: 

(a) Food Security and Nutrition

(b) Women’s Economic Empowerment

(c) Local Economic Development

(d) Municipal Finance

(e) Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation

Selected Thematic Impact Assessment Experts will work under the overall guidance of the Director of Local Development Finance Practice and Chair of the LD Dual Key Investment Committee, at UNCDF, and day to day supervision by the LDFP Senior Investment Manager.

Each applicant  must indicate the Thematic area(s) of expertise she/he is applying to (up to two thematic areas). After a competitive selection process, the LDIC secretariat will rank applicants under each thematic area(s) and will call upon the experts to engage in the LDIC based on their ranking and availability.

Selected Experts will be given, on average, one-week advance notice on their availability and to review the investment documents. The LDIC is scheduled virtually for 1.5 hours and is usually held at 9 am New York Time.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Services

The scope of services will include:

1. Acting as an independent advisor for the LD Dual Key Investment Committee on the review, impact assessment, and technical quality assurance for revenue generating investments according to the thematic area of the investment.
2. Participation in events and conferences to promote the Dual Key approach of local development finance and investing with impact.
3. Any other related duties as may be required.

Key Results Expected

• Substantive inputs and deliberation of independent assessments at the LDIC on the revenue generating investments against the thematic impact criteria.
• Proactive voice in the LD Dual Key Investment Committee on the potential positive or negative impacts, mitigation strategies, Risk Assessments, Monitoring and Evaluation Frameworks;

Duties and Responsibilities

The following are the outputs expected of the consultant as Thematic Impact Assessment Expert:

Duration of the Assignment

• Successful applicants will be engaged through LTA  also referred to as IC Framework Agreement for a duration of three (3) years.  Within the said period, the experts may be called upon to render the above listed services.
• It is estimated that over 40 Investment committees will be held in 2021. Most committees review one project at a time under a specific thematic development area. However, in certain situations, a portfolio review (more than one project) is reviewed in one investment committee.
• Applicants will be expected to dedicate one day preparation time to review each investment project prior to the LDIC date.
• Applicants will be expected to dedicate 2 hours for the LDIC to deliberate on their feedback, questions and technical review.
• At the end of the 3rd year, UNCDF shall re-open the tendering for the the same position, and all successful experts on the  may participate anew, except for those removed by UNCDF from the list of LTA holders for whatever cause.  Performance from previous engagements shall be considered during the new tender.

Provision of Monitoring and Progress Control

The experts will be under the guidance of Director of UNCDF Local Development Finance Practice Area and under the direct supervision of the with LDFP Senior Investment Manager. The experts are expected to be fully reachable via Internet, email and telephone. With expectation to conference/events, all LDIC meetings are conducted virtually.  The experts will be home-based and must possess the necessary communication facilities at their own premises. The experts will be expected to provide updates to LDFP Director and the LDFP Senior Investment Manager periodically during the assignment or as needed.

Contract Modality

• As noted above, the successful offerors shall be engaged through IC Framework Agreement for an initial 1 year and a succeeding 2 years, for a total duration of three (3) years .  The successful experts will be classified based on their selected thematic areas. In each thematic area, names of experts shall be ranked based on overall rating achieved during the selection process – the highest rated will be ranked first, and so on.
• UNCDF will engage the highest-ranking applicants (2-3) under each thematic area.  aUnder the IC Framework Agreement there will be no financial obligations,  until the expert is called off to render the services, which shall be triggered by a written request accompanied by this TOR and a Purchase Order indicating the full cost of the services. 
• Priority and availability requests to participate in the LDIC will be given to the highest-ranking experts under each thematic area.  Second ranking experts (or third, depending on the outcome of the selection process) shall be called off in the event that the highest-ranking expert is not available during the UNCDF-requested period of engagement.
• Experts will be compensated based on submitted monthly Certification of Payment forms (COPs) indicating the number of days and investment committee performed. COPs are certified and authorized for disbursement by the LD Senior Investment Manager before processing.
• At the end of every call-off, payment shall require a signed performance evaluation of the consultant for record and reference purposes.

Degree of Expertise (see Qualifications for each expertise, below)

Offerors may apply for any of the following thematic areas and qualifications will be determinate according the thematic area of interest.

(a) Food Security and Nutrition

(b) Women’s Economic Empowerment

(c) Local Economic Development

(d) Municipal Finance

(e) Climate change Adaptation and Mitigation

The preferred thematic areas shall be indicated by the offeror in his/her application.  Such preference need not be limited to one area.  UNCDF reserves the right to place an offeror in more than one (1) thematic areas, as may be determined from the review of qualifications and experiences.

Competencies

These competencies shall be required for all of the thematic areas:

Technical Competencies

• Analytic capacity and demonstrated ability to process, analyze and synthesize complex, technical information;
• Proven experience in development and working in different cultural settings.
• Strong analytical, assessment capabilities.

Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN's values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UN;
• Displays cultural, gender religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Communication

• Excellent ability and communication skills, both oral and written, including a proven ability to communicate complex processes or technical information orally and to prepare documents that are clear, concise and meaningful;

Teamwork

• Superior client orientation and inter-personal skills with a proven ability to work cooperatively with multi-disciplinary teams and staff and managers at all levels.

Required Skills and Experience

The qualification requirements for each of the thematic area are as follows:

(a) Food security and nutrition

• Master’s Degree in international development, Agriculture, Economics, Nutrition, Statistics, Agro-finance or a closely related field;
• Minimum of ten (10) years of relevant progressive experience related to Food Security and Nutrition or related areas. 
• Minimum of three (3) years of progressive experience related to investment for local development finance;
• Demonstrated experience in evaluating project proposals or investment from the food security perspective and providing advisory service;
• Experience working with a UN organization or a development organization is an asset;
• Proven cooperative and senior-level support skills;
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills;
• Proficiency in English (Speaking, Listening, Writing). Knowledge of another UN language desirable.

(b) Women’s Economic Empowerment

• Master’s Degree in gender studies, international development, social studies, economics, business, finance or other relevant disciplines;
• Minimum of ten (10) years of relevant progressive experience related to gender Mainstreaming, women’s economic empowerment or related areas;
• Minimum of three (3) years of progressive experience related to investment for local development finance;
• Demonstrated experience in evaluating project proposals or investment from the gender perspective and providing advisory service;
• Experience working with a UN organization or a development organization is an asset;
• Proven cooperative and senior-level support skills;
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills;
• Proficiency in English (Speaking, Listening, Writing). Knowledge of another UN language desirable.

(c) Local Economic Development

• Master’s Degree in international development, economics, business, finance or other relevant disciplines;
• Minimum of ten (10) years of relevant progressive experience related to Local Economic Development Areas;
• Minimum of three (3) years of progressive experience related to investment for local development finance;
• Demonstrated experience in evaluating project proposals or investment from the Local Economic Development perspective and providing advisory service;
• Experience working with a UN organization or a development organization is an asset;
• Proven cooperative and senior-level support skills;
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills;
• Proficiency in English (Speaking, Listening, Writing). Knowledge of another UN language desirable.

(d) Municipal Finance

• Master’s Degree in international development, public administration, Urban planning, economics, business, public finance or other relevant disciplines;
• Minimum of ten (10) years of relevant progressive experience related to municipal finance or in private sector financing of infrastructure projects or related areas;
• Minimum of three (3) years of progressive experience related to investment for local development finance;
• Demonstrated experience in evaluating project proposals or investment from the Municipal Finance perspective and providing advisory service;
• Experience working with a UN organization is an asset;
• Proven cooperative and senior-level support skills;
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills;
• Proficiency in English (Speaking, Listening, Writing). Knowledge of another UN language desirable.

(e) Climate change Adaptation and Mitigation

• Master’s Degree in international development, natural or environmental sciences, Environmental engineering, economics, forestry, clean energy climate finance or other relevant disciplines.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of relevant progressive experience related to sustainable development, green economy, climate change, ecosystem services, or related areas. 
• Minimum of three (3) years of progressive experience related to investment for local development finance;
• Demonstrated experience in evaluating project proposals or investment from the Climate Change perspective and providing advisory service;
• Experience working with a UN organization or a development organization is an asset;
• Proven cooperative and senior-level support skills;
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills;
• Proficiency in English (Speaking, Listening, Writing). Knowledge of another UN language desirable.

Application Procedure

Interested Experts must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Proposers who shall not submit below mentioned documents will not be considered for further evaluation. (Note: the system does not allow multiple uploads of documents. Applicants must make sure to upload all documents in one PDF file).

• Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability;
• Personal CV or UN P11 form, - indicating all past experience, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate AND names of at least three (3) professional references (e-mail addresses, telephone numbers);
• Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, outlining track record and direct relevance for the present assignment; Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application.  This is the section where the preferred thematic areas should be indicated;
• Signed Financial proposal, for the assignment outlining: All-inclusive daily fee in USD (including professional fees and other professional expenses, such as housing, insurance, taxes, etc.) Available at http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=29916).

If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNCDF under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNCDF. 

When applying for this consultancy position, the Offeror must apply with his/her official name as shown in the government issued identification document (e.g. passport and/or driver license). Contract award is subject to this verification;

Failure to submit all the below mentioned documents may result in rejection of the application.

Evaluation Process

Applications will be rated on both technical and financial submissions. The following selection method will be used: Highest rated proposal using the combined scoring method, which assigns the weight distribution between the technical and financial proposals. The overall combined score will be 100 points, where weight distribution shall be 70% technical (Desk Review) and 30% financial.

Step I: Screening:

Applications will be screened and only applicants meeting the following minimum criteria (listed under education and experience) will progress to the pool for shortlisting:

• Education requirements as indicated under each Thematic Area.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of relevant progressive experience related to one (or two) of the thematic area of interest:

(a) Food Security and Nutrition

(b) Women’s Economic Empowerment

(c) Local Economic Development

(d) Municipal Finance

(e) Climate change Adaptation

• Minimum of three (3) years of progressive experience related to investment for local development finance;
• Proficiency in English is a must, Fluency in French or Spanish or Arabic is an advantage.

Step II: Shortlisting by Desk Review (100 points X 70%)

UNCDF will conduct a desk review process to shortlist and technically evaluate candidates as per the following criteria: 

1. Education requirements and association with relevant publications (5 points)

2. Minimum of ten (10) years of relevant progressive experience related to the thematic area of interest (30 points)

(a) Food Security and Nutrition

(b) Women’s Economic Empowerment

(c) Local Economic Development

(d) Municipal Finance

(e) Climate change Adaptation 

3. Minimum of three (3) years of progressive experience related to investment for local development finance, investing with impact principles (20 points)

4. Demonstrated experience in evaluating project proposals or investments from the thematic area of interest perspective and providing advisory service (40 points) (please see above list of thematic areas:

5. Proficiency in English (Speaking, Listening, Writing). Additional UN language would be considered an asset. (5 points)

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% on the total of Step II: Desk Review will be considered as technically qualified and will be reviewed further for financial evaluation.

Step III: Financial Evaluation:

The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:

Lowest priced proposal/price of the proposal being evaluated x 30%.

The Price proposal must be submitted as an inclusive daily fee in USD.

Step IV: Short interview

This will assess suitability for the role, expectations and availability constraints and ensure that the r list of LTA holders is balanced to assess the volume and impact areas of the investments. The findings from the interview shall not, in any way, alter the outcome of the combined scoring arising from Steps I to III.  However, the outcome of the interview may impact the ranking of the consultants.

Step V: Award of LTA/IC Framework Agreement

LTA award shall  be made to candidates whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable vis-à-vis the requirements of the TOR and the project operating environment; and

• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical criteria (70%) and financial criteria (30%) specific to the solicitation.

Both individual consultants and individuals employed by a company or institution are welcome to apply.

Any individual employed by a company or institution who would like to submit an offer in response to a Procurement Notice for IC must do so in their individual capacity (providing a CV so that their qualifications may be judged accordingly).

Women candidates or women-owned businesses are strongly encouraged to apply.

UNCDF is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.  All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when traveling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org.

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