Background

The Integrated National Financing Framework for Accelerating Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (INFF4SDGs) in Bangladesh is a Joint Programme (JP) to be implemented by UNDP, UN Women, UNCDF, and ILO. The JP is led by UNDP, where the UN Resident Coordinator (UNRC) Office of Bangladesh will coordinate the programme and report to external stakeholders within the UN system and Government. Additional support provided through joint UNEP/UNDP poverty environment action for SDGs programme.

The JP will support the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) to put in place an integrated financing framework to mobilize required resources from public and private sources more effectively for attaining SDGs by 2030.

Through the support of JP, the government will not only revisit the gaps in SDG financing estimated in 2017 but also adopt a forward-looking approach for engaging the public, private sector, and partners to meet the financing gap, keeping in consideration the country’s LDC graduation by 2024.

With support from the programme, the government will focus on fiscal space analysis and explore identifying new and innovative fiscal spaces and business models for the private sector for achieving SDGs. This JP will also help to establish a strong governance and coordination mechanism among the government and private sectors and an oversight mechanism for expenditure efficiencies and maximizing expenditure impacts.

As one of the most active and committed countries to achieve the SDGs with the highest level of political will, Bangladesh has already completed a Development Finance Assessment (DFA) in 2016 feeding into the formulation of the Bangladesh SDGs Financing Strategy (FS) in 2017. However, both the documents are now dated as they were prepared for the 7th Five Year Plan (FYP). Also, LDC graduation was not taken into consideration, and priorities of the new 8th FYP. Therefore, these developments along with a renewed commitment to strengthening Bangladesh’s Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) demand a revisit of both the documents.

The DFA offers a comprehensive analysis of the public and private financing outlook, financing policies and institutional structures, and opportunities to build a more integrated approach to financing. It is a tool designed to aggregate analysis and build collaboration among actors. Alongside the new analysis that it undertakes, the DFA draws together information from a wide range of sources and assessments that focus on financing flows or policy space.

A series of financing dialogues on the DFA process toward the articulation of the FS would be critical in order to develop a integrated financing framework. Under the guidance of a government-led national oversight team the DFA brings together government officials, private sector and other stakeholders to facilitate discussion on how to operationalise a more integrated approach to financing through an INFF. The DFA facilitates discussions on the challenges and opportunities across public and private financing and aims to build consensus on ways forward to establish and implement the FS.

Objectives of the assignment

The consultant will work closely with UN Women Programme analyst and International Consultant to conduct a review of the existing DFA and FS, will provide support to organize technical workshop/consultations with relevant ministries and civil society organizations to incorporate financing for gender equality agenda within DFA and INFF.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant is expected to conduct following tasks:

• Support the International consultant to conduct an in-depth review of the existing Development Finance Assessment (DFA) and Financing Strategy (FS) from a gender perspective; identify gaps, opportunities and develop recommendations to update the DFA and FS. Highlight how DFA and FS have analysed financial flows through a gender lens in the planning and budgeting process in relation to SDGs implementation in Bangladesh.
• Support International consultant to analyse gender implications of relevant financing policies or instruments that are in place, conduct a review of possible financial instruments to mobilize/align financial needs with national and global gender equality objectives and commitments. Review the effectiveness of existing Gender Responsive Budgeting and Revenue Collection mechanisms and recommend possible reforms to integrate these withing INFF.
• Based on the findings from DFA and FS analysis, work in a team with UNDP to develop the Bangladesh INFF. Develop tools and methodologies for INFF development and share with relevant stakeholders, particularly with women rights organizations and CSO. Support to organize multi-stakeholder consultations on financing for Gender Equality issues, particularly focusing on Bangladesh INFF.  

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the Programme Management Specialist, and under the direct supervision of the Programme Analyst of UN Women, the consultant will undertake the following tasks:

1. Work closely with the International Consultant and perform desk review of the key documents including DFA assessment/diagnostic, policies and instruments of financial strategy, gender budgeting and gender responsive revenue generation, national women development policy etc.
2. Prepare Inception Report by detailing out proposed methodologies for the review in collaboration with UN Women Programme Analyst and International Consultant, this should include details such as qualitative and quantitative methods to be deployed, sources of data and its collection procedure.
3. Work closely with UN Women Programme Analyst to maintain close collaboration with INFF technical working group and contribute to the implementation of planned interventions.
4. Develop information collection tools to be used to conduct the DFA, FS assessment in close collaboration with the International Consultant.
5. Conduct data collection from relevant sources and facilitate discussions/workshops as per requirement, support to facilitate multi-stakeholder consultations with relevant stakeholders.
6. Support International Consultant to prepare a final report (an analytical and comprehensive final report not exceeding 50 pages and contribute to INFF development in Bangladesh along with UNDP and other UN partner agencies).

Indicative timeline

Stage 1: Preparation Stage (20 days)

Stage 2: Data Collection, Analysis and Support Multi-Stakeholder consultations (20 days)

Stage 3: Synthesis and Reporting Stage (20 days)

Expected Deliverables

Payment Schedule linked with deliverables:

Duration of Assignment:

The dates required for this assignment are 60 working days over a period of nine months (April to December 2021) based on guidance from UN Women.

Supervision and performance evaluation

The national consultant will receive guidance from the Programme Management Specialist and will be under the direct supervision of the Programme Analyst of UN Women.

INPUTS:

UN Women will provide a strategic guidance to the consultant to develop assessment methodology and for data collection.

Travel and DSA:

No DSA will be paid at the duty station. If unforeseen travel outside the duty station is required for this assignment, upon prior agreement/approval from UN Women such travel expenses shall be borne by UNWOMEN and the individual contractor/SSA shall receive a per-diem not to exceed United Nations daily subsistence allowance rate in such other location(s) and actual travel cost.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UN Women.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.
• Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic qualifications:

• Minimum Master’s degree in Economics, Gender Studies, Social Science or from other relevant disciplines.

Essential knowledge and experience:

• Minimum 07 years of experience or proven track record in working on gender and macroeconomic issues, particularly with the government.
• Minimum 05 years of experience or proven track record in conducting financial assessments, developing tools and instruments for financial reforms at macro level.
• Proven experience in conducting studies research, assessment, summarizing advocacy points/recommendations on economic and financial issues from a gender perspective.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

Consultant must send a financial proposal based on Lump Sum Amount. The total amount quoted shall be all-inclusive and include all
costs components required to perform the deliverables identified in the TOR, including professional fee, only  and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the SSA in completing the assignment.
The contract price will be fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specified duration. Payments will be done upon
completion of the deliverables/outputs and as per below percentages

Evaluation Method and Criteria:
Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology.

Cumulative analysis-

The award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant up on Cumulative Analysis/evaluation and determined as:
1. Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
2. Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the
solicitation;
Only candidates obtaining a minimum 70 mark in technical evaluation will be considered eligible for financial evaluation.
Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 49 points out of 70)

Criteria-01; Educational Qualification and diversification - Max Point 10
Criteria-02; Years of experience or proven track record in working on gender and macroeconomic issues, particularly with the  government. - Max Point 20

Criteria-03; Years of experience or proven track record in conducting financial assessments, developing tools and instruments for financial reforms at macro level. - Max Point 25

Criteria-04; Proven experience in conducting studies research, assessment, summarizing advocacy points/recommendations on economic and financial issues from a gender perspective.- Max Point 10

Criteria-05; Track record in high quality report writing in English- Max Point 05

The total number of points allocated for the technical qualification component is 70. The technical qualification of the individual is evaluated based on following technical qualification evaluation criteria:

Only the candidates who have attained a minimum of 70% of total points (49) will be considered as technically-qualified candidate.

Interested candidates will submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications.
 

To be included as part of the proposal:

• Updated CV;
• Personal History Form(P11); which can be downloaded at http://www.unwomen.org/about-us/employment 
• Financial proposal: The financial proposal shall specify a daily rate and total fees; Financial proposal all-inclusive in lump basis.       
• Sample of at least two relevant reports (mandatory).

Only applications including all items mentioned above will be considered.

NOTE: Documents required before contract signing:

UN Personal History Form;
Full medical examination and Statement of Fitness to work and travel for consultants with travel involved. (This is not a requirement for RLA contracts);
Security Certificate BSAFE: EN: https://agora.unicef.org/course/info.php?id=17891
Individual subscribers over 65 years of age are required to undergo a full medical examination including x-rays at their own cost and obtaining medical clearance from the UN Medical Director prior to taking up their assignment;
Release letter in case the selected consultant is government official.
Only applications will all items mentioned above will be considered

Note: The individual consultant who does not meet the above eligibility criteria shall not be considered for further evaluation. Necessary documentation must be submitted to substantiate the above eligibility criteria