Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations' global development network that advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life for themselves. Since its onset, UNDP has operated in more than 170 countries and working with local governments to meet development challenges, develop local capacity and help countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Joint Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Fund in Timor-Leste aims to assist the government of Timor-Leste to develop and establish a holistic and Integrated, National Financing Framework (INFF). The INFF will help to improve the governance and coordination, articulate a financing strategy and strengthen the monitoring and oversight framework. The value of this work has taken on even greater significance since the COVID-19 pandemic – in part because of the greater demands on public financing but also because Timor-Leste’s reserves through its Petroleum Fund have also been affected by the global economic downturn. Development financing is currently heavily reliant on financing from Timor-Leste’s petroleum fund. To reduce the reliance on petroleum funding, the Joint SDG Fund will help diversify financing sources and grow the fiscal space. Three financing areas have been identified for catalyzing strategic investments in People, Prosperity and Planet that emphasize financing - health, diaspora and climate financing, respectively.

The purpose of the Climate Finance component of the Joint Program is to explore viabilities of modern climate financial instruments in the context of Timor-Leste and to propose a Menu of Options for blended climate finance framework and to generate and leverage a pipeline of bankable green projects. The outcome will contribute to a positive shift in the Timor-Leste economy’s transition to sustainability through the financing and public policies that support climate-resilient initiatives. The current task implies the internalization of negative climate externalities to encourage investments that provide environmental benefits.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective of the Assignment

The objective of the assignment is to generate, define and coordinate a bankable project to support Timor-Leste’s climate resilient development pathway that is financed through a scalable climate financing mechanism. The bankable project will be a pilot to leverage private/public resources into SDG implementation, will last approximately one year, and likely be implemented by an external organization such as a local NGO/CSO.

Scope of work includes:

Task 1: Mapping climate finance opportunities in Timor-Leste and current CSOs/actors and scalable projects in climate change mitigation and adaptation

• Engage with CSOs, international agencies and development partners implementing climate change projects in Timor-Leste
• Assess the status of a national response to climate change through identifying ongoing and planned state-funded projects
• Engage with public and private sector actors on climate financing for pilot project and for longer term scale-up
• Assess current landscape of funding sources for ongoing projects on climate change mitigation and adaptation in Timor-Leste, including projects by NGOs, CSOs, government, and international community
• Assess CSOs/NGOs’ barriers to accessing climate finance and challenges for scale-up
• Develop list of innovative, viable financing ideas through consultation with local stakeholders, experts, and desk review
• Strengthen capacity of CSOs to increase access to funding via trainings on available options, proposal development

Task 2: Managing implementation of bankable program pilot

• Identify two to three scalable projects that has potential to be linked to climate financing mechanism
• Develop, document, coordinate, and monitor implementation of one bankable project, particularly coordination of financing aspect
• Collaborate with implementing organization(s) throughout the project cycle
• Liaising with relevant stakeholders for potential institutionalization of financing
• Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on project progress
• Disseminate results of pilot projects to stakeholders and relevant INFF secretariat members (co-chairs, TradeInvest, and CSO representative)

EXPECTED OUTPUTS AND DELIVERABLES

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

• Under the overall guidance of the UNDP Resident Representative and the Country Economist, the Consultant will work closely with the INFF team.
• The final approval authority for the outputs of the consultant is under Resident Representative attest.   
• The IC will maintain pro-active communications with the country economist and INFF team and provide interim reports, highlighting main findings and any specific concerns or issues that need to be addressed during subsequent meetings and discussions.
• The assignment is based in Dili, Timor-Leste.
• Shall any unexpected travel (authorized by UNDP) arise to municipalities outside Dili, it would be reimbursed by UNDP in accordance with current policies and procedures.

DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT

The assignment is expected for a period of 90 working days between July 2021 and April 2022, with approximately 45 days required in the first few months of the assignment and 45 days distributed over the remaining months for monitoring and reporting. Part of the work may be performed remotely, however the consultant must be available for regular meetings (virtual) with the CO management, INFF team and implementing partners and stakeholders. 

DUTY STATION

Dili, Timor-Leste. If part of the work is done home-based, the consultant will be attending meetings, workshops and other engagements at UNDP office in Dili, and other locations as needed.

Competencies

N/A

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or above in finance, economics, environmental economics, environmental sciences, environmental engineering, social sciences or other related fields.  

Professional Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of experience in project management, economics, business administration, climate change, resource mobilization, or related fields;
• Experience in working with international organizations and CSOs in Timor-Leste, particularly related to climate change and conservation;
• Practical experience and knowledge of climate change financing mechanisms, including carbon trading, domestic and international funding bodies, including those for Small Island Developing States
• Experience with the UNDP and/or UN agencies desirable;
• Experience with relevant government partners and private sector desirable

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English with excellent written communication skills, and strong experience writing reports is required
• Fluency in Tetum

SCOPE OF PRICE PROPOSAL AND SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS

Lump Sum Amount

The financial proposal must be expressed in the form of a lump sum all-inclusive cost linked to deliverables specified in TOR Section D, supported by a breakdown of costs as per the template provided. If in-country travel is required during the mission to Timor-Leste, UNDP will cover all the costs of transportation, hotels and meals.

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. 

Schedule of payments

Per deliverable/s upon submission of its completion deliverables report and accepted by UNDP, each deliverable as per the timeline mentioned in section D (expected outputs and deliverables).

RECOMMENDED PRESENTATION OF OFFER

Individual consultants interested in the assignment must submit the following documents to demonstrate their qualification:

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP (the template to be downloaded from the procurement notice link).
2. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experiences from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (2) professional references (to be downloaded from the procurement notice link).
3. Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided (the template to be downloaded from the procurement notice link).  

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF THE BEST OFFER

The candidates will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis OR combined scoring method

The applications will be evaluated using weighted scoring method, where the award of the contract should 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 a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

* Technical Criteria weight; 70%

* Financial Criteria weight; 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points of the technical criteria will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Detail Criteria