Background

Thailand is is facing severe socio-economic effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the pandemic the government imposed a partial lockdown and travel bans in April 2020 and increased health spending.  However, while the health impact is being contained, the economic impact of the pandemic and the efforts to curb the pandemic have led to a deep recession.

With a large tourism sector and intensive global supply chain links, Thailand’s economy is vulnerable to the pandemic.  Phuket is particularly vulnerable given that 80% of its economy depends on tourism, which relies heavily on global travel.  As in the rest of the country, the most vulnerable population are hit the hardest. Informal enterprise and informal employment are commonplace in Phuket, with those in informal jobs less well served by social protection and so more vulnerable to the shocks from COVID-19.  Migrant labour is also widely found, with migrants enjoying little or no protection – many have now returned home. Labour productivity is assumed to be low, particularly in informal jobs serving low-end tourism, which are accordingly poorly paid.

COVID-19 and associated economic shocks emphasize the urgency to rethink the future of Phuket, which is seen as a test bed for a new economy after the pandemic. The reasoning is that if the old economy has been seriously damaged, then the reconstruction should be oriented towards a new economy. The form of the new economy is under discussion but, as one element, there is consensus that a move away from low-end, low productivity tourism with linked adverse environmental impacts is overdue. 

Phuket Chamber of Commerce and leading business associations have recently issued a White Paper on the future of the Phuket economy. This suggests that, in the medium term, there should be other industries in addition to or complementary to tourism, such as marinas, education, health and wellness, tuna export, local food, and sports and events. These proposals are at an initial stage and have not been investigated in detail.

It is within this context that UNDP Thailand is responding to the urgent need to protect and ultimately recover the Phuket economy.  Apart from the national-level socio-economic impact assessment, UNDP Thailand has undertaken a socio-economic impact assessment for Phuket in close partnership with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Phuket Chamber of Commerce, and relevant line ministries and government agencies. The assessment primarily entailed the analysis of the pandemic’s impact on Phuket’s economic structure, its labour market, and the people’s livelihood. 

UNDP Thailand is also supporting the development of Phuket’s recovery from the impact of COVID by helping to secure the province’s resilience and ensure its progress towards sustainable development.  Initial studies have been undertaken which demonstrate that the acceleration and consolidation of COVID recovery will depend not only on a recovery vision but also adequate funding and human resources and suitable prioritized investments.

At the request of the Government, NESDC is preparing a Vision and Strategic framework, including flagship projects and an implementation guideline for a sustainable tourism in the Andaman provincial cluster of Phuket, Krabi and Phang-Nga.  Ultimately it is proposed that a Special Administrative Region of Tourism may be established for this three-province cluster. 

It has been agreed that UNDP Thailand will support the NESDC by providing an analysis of public and private funding resources available to Phuket and the processes used to identify and prioritize public and private investments.  The analyses will be used to recommend ways to enhance resource availability (including through the proposed Special Administrative Region of Tourism) and to identify and prioritize investments.  The recommendations will be directly applicable to Phuket and generally applicable to Krabi and Phang-Nga. 

The Phuket investment context will acknowledge that global and regional economic disruption, climate change uncertainties, the unpredictability of the trajectory of COVID-19 and the possibility of further pandemics require change in the economic base.  The context involves integration between sectors, efficient resource use, improved environmental management, and reduced vulnerability.  

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

A national consultant is being sought to work with the project’s co-team leader / regional development planner to undertake the analysis of infrastructure provision in Phuket and to advise on the overall status of basic infrastructure provision in the province, immediate and longer-term issues to be addressed and potential to be realised.   Infrastructure provision which mitigates climate change risk (public transport investment, renewable energy as examples) will be identified and prioritized. The infrastructure planner will set out the priority infrastructure investment needed to support sustainable and inclusive growth in Phuket.  

The infrastructure review will cover all forms of infrastructure supporting the economic, environmental and social needs of Phuket, with special reference to the tourism sector and the coordination of Phuket tourism development in the provinces of Krabi and Phang-Nga.  The review will consider growth forecasts and associated infrastructure requirements through to 2030, including the three-province vision and strategy being developed by NESDC.  The period post 2031 to 2040 will be considered but will have less weight attached to it as it forecasts beyond the planning horizon of the Phuket provincial government and the provincial governments of the NESDC-proposed 3-province cluster.   The infrastructure review will paint a strategic picture of the cost of and risks to growth.  It will:

• Collate and summarise population, housing and economic growth projections across Phuket;
• Describe the status of current infrastructure provision and projects already in the pipeline of Phuket local authorities and other infrastructure providers;
• Facilitate discussion across provincial stakeholders by highlighting the core infrastructure issues which require attention in order to enable sustainable social and economic growth;
• Highlight cumulative costs, funding streams and gaps in infrastructure funding;
• Identify the infrastructure funding required to promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth. 

It will include the following sectors: transport; energy; education; health and education; emergency services; utilities, including water resources; waste management; flood defenses and drainage; green infrastructure.  It will give emphasis to infrastructure prioritisation; the need to prioritise investment and Phuket infrastructure ranking criteria.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Institutional Arrangement

This position will work closely with Phuket Socio-Economic Impact Assessment International Consultant and will directly report to the Deputy Resident Representative of the UNDP Thailand.

UNDP will be responsible for coordinating with all responsible parties, including, among others, the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), Phuket Governor’s Office, and Phuket Chamber of Commerce.  

Day-to-day management will be jointly by the international and national co-team leaders (with the international co-team leader mostly working remotely). Progress meetings will be held (virtually if necessary).

Duration of the Work

12 April- 11 June 2021 within a timeframe of 35 working days.

Duty Station

Home- based with travel to Phuket, Thailand.

Competencies

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
• Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work;
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
• Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet in conducting research;
• Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;
• Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
• Positive, constructive attitude to work;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Required Skills and Experience

Education Qualification:

• A degree in urban planning, regional planning, civil engineering or related field;

Experience:

• More than 10 years of professional experience in national and sub-national public sector finance and public and private investment planning; 
• More than 10 years’ experience in public and private infrastructure provision.
• The consultant is required to have a strong knowledge of infrastructure projects and financing with particular experience in transport, urban and energy infrastructure projects preferably through working with the government, private sector or international organizations. 
• The consultant is required to have strong analytical skills and the ability to work in a team.

Language:

• Proficiency in English and Thai.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The contract will be 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, travel costs, living allowance (if any work is to be done outside the IC´s duty station) and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the IC 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:

• Deliverable 1 - Inception Report: 30% of total contract amount
• Deliverable 2 – Interim Technical Report: 40% of total contract amount
• Deliverable 3 – Final Technical Report: 30% of total contract amount

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%) *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;

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 700 points)

• Criteria 1: Relevance of education - Max 100 points;
• Criteria 2: Experience in public and private infrastructure provision - Max 300 points;
• Criteria 3: strong knowledge of infrastructure projects and financing with particular experience in transport, urban and energy infrastructure projects preferably through working with the government, private sector or international organizations - Max 250 points;
• Criteria 4: strong analytical skills and the ability to work in a team - Max 50 points;

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 490 points (70% of total 700 points in technical evaluation) would be considered for Financial Evaluation.

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.
• 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. Note: National Consultants shall quote prices in Thai Baht.

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=76242