The UNDP Seoul Policy Centre (USPC) for Global Knowledge Exchange through Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Partnerships is one of UNDP’s five Global Policy Centres and constitutes an integral part of UNDP’s Global Policy Network (GPN). USPC represents UNDP in Korea, works with Korea on international issues, and shares Korea’s development experiences with other countries. Through ‘SDG Partnerships,’ USPC acts as a facilitator of global knowledge exchange on innovative and tested-and-proven policy solutions in three thematic areas:

1. Governance, specifically (i) transparency & accountability, and (ii) sexual & gender-based violence;
2. Resilience, specifically sustainable forestry; and
3. Development cooperation, specifically (i) capacity for addressing the challenges of development cooperation, and (ii) engagement of non-state development actors.

SDG Partnerships create and deepen a triangular cooperation among Korea, UNDP (USPC together with UNDP’s relevant global/regional teams), and partner countries (consisting of UNDP country offices and their partner Government institutions). They package Korea’s experience and knowledge, facilitate dynamic exchange of lessons learned & peer-to-peer mentoring, and support the national adaptation of the tools at the country level, by channeling seed funding and technical support to the partner countries through existing project facilities of UNDP country offices.

For the period of 2020-2021, from the resilience portfolio, USPC has a specific focus area for sharing Korea’s experiences & lessons learned with developing countries on sustainable forestry in context of SDG implementation.

Under the overall supervision of the Centre’s Director and the Green Economy Specialist, and in close partnership with other members of the USPC team and the GPN network, the Consultant will support the above aspects of the Centre’s work covering the resilience portfolio within the global development agenda.

Scope of Work

The SDGs and Resilience Consultant will support the formulation and implementation of USPC’s programme activities to support the SDG Partnerships on Sustainable Forestry as described in the Centre’s three-year programme, by conducting work in the following areas on a need basis:

(1) Provide technical, administrative and logistical support to implement SDG Partnership activities:

·        Monitor and support implementation activities in ongoing SDG Partnerships on Sustainable Forestry in Ghana, Tajikistan and Myanmar including substantive content preparation for webinars, study mission preparation and follow up with government counterparts

·        Provide support for activities in newly added SDG Partnerships on Sustainable Forestry, including, Mongolia

·        Continued support for SDG Partnership development and the identification and selection of topics, experts and partners

·        Provide substantive support in preparing project proposals and grant applications in relation to SDG Partnership scale up including wastewater management, in collaboration with COs and main partners in Korea

·        Draft meeting notes and briefings, terms of reference and supporting documents, planning documents, and progress and outcome reports for implementation of activities

·        Draft and design various outreach materials in English (e.g. reporting documents, publications, press releases, web and social media contents, multimedia)

(2) Provide technical support to identify/maintain partnerships with Korean development actors to share their innovative solutions and services with developing countries:

·        Ensure adequate follow up steps of SDG Partnership on Sustainable Forestry preparation and maintaining relationships with main partners including Korea Energy Agency, Korea Environment Corporation, Ministry of Environment and Korea Forest Service and National Institute of Forest Science

·        Help coordinate the organisation of knowledge sharing events (e.g. policy dialogues, thematic workshops, webinars)

·        Support the Resilience team’s day-to-day operations, communications and other needs including reporting to donors

(3) Support the production of knowledge products to facilitate the exchange of best practices and lessons on the SDGs and sustainable forestry, water quality, energy, waste management, circular, green economy and green recovery  

·        Provide substantive support in preparing knowledge products on SDG integration with a focus on Goal 6, Goal 15, Goal 16 and Goal 17

·        Policy research and the preparation of knowledge products on forest resilience especially in the context of natural disasters and human conflicts and the role of forestry in disaster mitigation and risk reduction

·        Provide research, editing and publication support for two ongoing USPC papers, on:

-        Understanding Nature-Based Solutions and its potential role in building resilience (by tackling climate adaptation and mitigation) and links to biodiversity, desertification and sustainable development goals: some lessons from Korea 

-        Korea’s experience in urban greening and forestry: how this can apply to COVID-19 recovery and “Building Back Better”

·        Policy research and the preparation of knowledge products on Korea’s Green New Deal; “Building Back Better” in the context of COVID-19; and the political and economic characteristics of promoting a green recovery

·        Provide substantive research on the nexus between green recovery, rapid technological change and the SDGs

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

deliverables of this assignment are expected as follows:

(1) Technical, administrative and logistical support provided to implement SDG partnership activities and events through:

• Monitor partnership activities and providing technical and logistical support for webinars and study missions
• Partnership consultations and meetings coordinated with and between COs and Korean partners
• Meeting notes, briefing notes, and progress and outcome reports drafted

(2) Production of knowledge products to facilitate the exchange of best practices and lessons on the SDGs and sustainable forestry, water quality, energy, waste management, circular, green economy and green recovery through:

• Support the publication of two ongoing USPC papers, on:
  • Understanding Nature-Based Solutions and its potential role in building resilience (by tackling climate adaptation and mitigation) and links to biodiversity, desertification and sustainable development goals: some lessons from Korea 
  • Korea’s experience in urban greening and forestry: how this can apply to COVID 19 recovery and Building Back Better
• Policy research and the preparation of knowledge products on Korea’s Green New Deal; “Building Back Better” in the context of COVID-19; and the political and economic characteristics of promoting a green recovery

(3) Ensure adequate follow up and maintain relationships with a variety of partners to support the continued day-to-day implementation of ongoing SDG Partnerships on Sustainable Forestry, ongoing research and future collaborations, through:

• Maintain relationships with main partners such as the Ministry of Environment, Korea Energy Agency, Korea Environment Corporation, Korea Forest Service and National Institute of Forest Science
• Help coordinate the organisation of knowledge sharing events (e.g. policy dialogues, thematic workshops, webinars)
• Respond to UNDP CO enquires and requests for information and knowledge sharing within the context of USPC’s mandate.

Institutional Arrangement

The Consultant will report to the Green Economy Specialist, while under the overall supervision of the Director of the UNDP Seoul Policy Centre.

Duration of the Work

15 February 2021 – 14 February 2022 (up to 196 working days). (Up to two years, initial one year with possibility of extension for another one year subject to satisfactory performance evaluation)

Duty Station

Seoul, The Republic of Korea with no travel.

Functional Competencies

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Shares knowledge and experience and contributes to UNDP Practice Areas and actively works towards continuing personal learning and development;
• Ability to provide quality policy advice services;
• In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues.
• Strong analytical skills to process qualitative information

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to go beyond established procedures and models, propose new approaches which expand the range of programmes;
• Ability to apply theory to specific country contexts, carry out high-quality research.

Management and Leadership

• Focuses on impact and result and responds positively to critical feedback;
• Assesses risk and applies common sense;
• Pursues creativity and innovation;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
• Builds strong relationships with peers and external actors;
• Works as part of a team with required flexibility, mutual support and feed-back.

Corporate Competencies: 

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

Educational Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in environment, public policy, resource economics, international studies or other relevant subjects is required

Experience

• Minimum two years of experience in development studies, or environmental policy or relevant field at the international level with demonstrated experience working with the United Nations.
• Minimum two years of experience with sustainable development and political economy related field in a global context and good knowledge of Korea’s development policy
• Demonstrate track record of high-quality research and support for publications on policies relating to sustainable development.

Language

• Fluency in written and spoken English is essential.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The contract will be 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.

Travel costs shall be reimbursed at actual but not exceeding the quotation from UNDP approved travel agent.

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% which consist of desk review, written test and interview in a proportion of 40%, 15%, and 15% respectively) and financial criteria (30%). Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced qualified proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

• Only those applications which are responsive, compliant and accept in general condition will be evaluated;
• The financial proposal shall specify a daily fee;
• The technical proposal shall be evaluated based on a desk review. For candidate who pass a desk review (70% of total points) will be eligible for a written test. Then candidate who pass (70% of total points) on desk review and written test will be eligible for an interview.

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points)

• Criteria 1: Relevance of education – Max 10 points
• Criteria 2: Relevance of work experience in development studies, or environmental policy or relevant field at the national and/or international level– Max 10 points
• Criteria 3: Experience with sustainable development and political economy related field in a global context and good knowledge of Korea’s development policy – Max 10 points
• Criteria 4: Good track record of high quality research and support for publications on policies relating to sustainable development- Max 10 points
• Criteria 5: Written exam – Max 15 points
• Criteria 6: Interview - Max 15 points

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 28 points (70% of technical evaluation as desk review) would be considered for written test, interview and Financial Evaluation respectively.

Documentation required

Interested individual consultants 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:

• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided in Annex II.
• Personal CV indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
• Cover letter detailing how the Candidate’s expertise and qualifications corresponds to the requirements of the assignment
• Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex II. Note: 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 UNDP 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 UNDP.

Incomplete proposals may not be considered. The shortlisted candidates may be contacted and the successful candidate will be notified.

To download form and related documents, please follow the link below:

https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=74545