Background

With rapidly evolving context in Afghanistan and UNDP Country Office embarking on a new Country Programme (CP) from 2022 onwards, UNDP developed the Area Based Programming (ABP) Approach with the aim to move towards decentralized area-based programme implementation based on integrated multi sectoral portfolio model anchored on UNDP’s and UN agencies subnational presence and its network of local partners and adaptive management methods to be responsive to the unpredictable rapidly changing setting and maintain agility in UNDP interventions to area specific needs.

This ABP that resulted in seven priority areas was accompanied with a strategy for agile monitoring to effectively track programme progress, evolving situation at the decentralized local level and emerging risks which required systems and measures beyond existing monitoring mechanisms in place for the office. This agile monitoring strategy leverages emerging technologies (built on ICT, GIS, remote sensing, ODK, real time data visualization and analytics) with integrated system of community based and third-party systems that will allow UNDP to monitor remotely and effectively under the ABP framework.

However, current capacities within UNDP is not adequate enough to meet the growing demand of evidence-based data analytics and infographics based products required within the new CP and ABP. With the roll out of ABP planned from September 2021, there is an urgent need to bring a dedicated capacity and generate up to date analytics and actionable information for adaptive decision making.

Assignment Description

Against the above background, and towards the establishment of an agile and effective monitoring of UNDP AB programme, the specialized services of GIS, Information Management and Data Visualization and Analytics expert is urgently needed. The assignment will include the support to collection,

processing and management of thematic data coming from diverse sources, design of data collection

methods/surveys, creation of maps and analytics, production of data analytics and infographics using industry standard and innovative technologies.

Assignment Outcome

1. Improvement of tracking and creation of evidence base for ABP progress, evolving local situationandemergingriskstoprogrammeimplementation.

2. Moving from evidence base to almost real time monitoring, creation of analytics, collective analysis, intelligence and understanding for informed decision making and conflict sensitive adaptive programming.

Ensure timely programme delivery, progress reporting and communication building UNDP accountability to its stakeholders and donors

Duties and Responsibilities

SCOPE OF WORK AND DELIVERABLES

1. DataPreparationandProcessingforAreaBasedProgramme Monitoring

2. Productionofmaps,analytics,infographicsandreportingbriefsforABP

3. Supporttoimplementationofinnovativemonitoringtools

4. DesignandmanagementofSpatialDataKnowledgePortal

5. DataPreparationandProcessingforAreaBasedProgrammeandMonitoring

   • Guide and specify data formats, attributes, sample selection, and technical requirements toconduct analyticalrequirementsfortheABPapproachanditsmonitoringframework.

   • Compile, process and prepare data from diverse open and closed sources as required for theanalysisof ABPadaptivemanagement anditsmonitoring.

   • In close collaboration with Programme and DEU teams, support the data preparation fordevelopmentsituationbriefsandvulnerability analysis.

   • Collaborate with UN agencies in Afghanistan and UNDP regional offices on data requirementsandidentification, implementationofmonitoringtools.

6. Productionofmaps,analytics,infographicsandreportingbriefsforABP

   • Apply suitable analytics techniques to analyse the prepared and collected data for the ABPmonitoringframework.

   • Prepare map templates for commonly requested maps as per UNDP guidelines and produceclearandneatmapstosupport decisionmakingforadaptivemanagementof ABP.

   • Conduct trend, heat mapping and spatial analysis of data sets using GIS enabled software toinformABPprogress, localsituationandemergingrisks.

   • Produce visualizations of the incoming data on programme progress, results and patterns asrequiredforthe analysis andprogresstrackingof ABPto support adaptivemanagement.

   • Developa finalreportorapaperontheappliedmethods, analysisandfindings.

7. Supporttoimplementationofinnovativemonitoringtoolsandthird-partymonitoring.

As identified in the agile monitoring strategy for ABP, provide technical assistance in the

creation and roll out of smart digital monitoring tools and integrated systems with special focus on the dashboard and data visualization aspects.

• Supporttestingandscalingupofexistingprojectspecificmobilephoneandcommunitymonitorbased integratedmonitoringtools for ABP.

• Supportthemonitoringandreportingthroughtheuse ofremotesensingusinghighresolution

  satellite imageries for UNDP’s infrastructure and landscape improvement interventions.

• DesignandmanagementofSpatialDatabaseKnowledgePortal

  • Review,catalogue andprepareinventoryof existingvector,rasterandassociateddatasets.

  • Lead the geospatial data migration of UNDP Afghanistan from physical storage to cloudplatforminclosecollaborationwithICT unit.

  • SupportinpreparationandmaintenanceofUNDP Afghanistanmapinventory.

    Deliverables / Outputs

    Processing and analysis of the existing datasets of the ABP monitoring framework completed. Map and infographic templates with samples for at least one ABP region prepared.

    Requested maps for ABP and by senior management prepared. Datasets from UN agencies in Afghanistan collected and used for ABP monitoring. Concept Paper on UNDP AFG spatial database knowledge portal drafted. Innovative monitoring tool design and deployment initiated with programme and DEU team.

    Requested maps for ABP and by senior management prepared. Remote sensing through satellite imageries supported. Migration of spatial data to the cloud based on the Concept Paper completed. On needs basis, prepare data and analytics for situation update and vulnerability analysis (Upon programme request)

    Map inventory completed. Maps and infographics on ABP Programme progress, risks and local situation for the five priority regions of ABP prepared to be included in CO reporting.

    Paper reviewing the applied methods, analysis and findings for the ABP agile monitoring drafted and finalized. Requested maps for ABP, situation analysis, results reporting and by senior management prepared. Innovative monitoring tool design and deployment developed and running with programme and DEU team. Final Report on the assignment

Competencies

Competencies:

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstratesintegrity bymodellingtheUN’svaluesandethicalstandards;

• Promotesthevision,mission,andstrategicgoalsofUNDP;

• Maturitycombinedwithtactanddiplomacy;

• Displayscultural,gender,religion,race, nationalityandagesensitivityandadaptability;

• Treatsallpeoplefairlywithout favouritism.

Required Skills and Experience

Minimum Level of Education:

Master’s Degree or equivalent in GIS/Geoinformatics/Remote Sensing, Data Science or any related field or Bachelor’s degree with 5 years of relevant experience.

Work Experience and Expertise:

• Aminimumof3yearsofinternationalexperienceinapplieddatascience,GIS,spatialdatamanagement,datavisualizationforprogrammemonitoringparticularlyintheareasofhumanitarian/development.

• Expertise in programming and coding; ability to handle large scale and diverse datasets andtranslatethemintostructured information.

• TechnicalSkillsonArcGIS,QGIS,ImageProcessingprogrammes,Python,SQLandMSOfficePackageisarequirement.

• Excellenttechnicalwritingskillsandabilityto producehighquality resultsreportsandpapers.

• Excellentcommunication,relationshipskillsandastrongteamplayer.

Language:

• FluencyinwrittenandspokenEnglishisarequirement.

PRICE PROPOSAL AND SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS

Shortlisted candidates (ONLY) will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal. The consultant shall then submit a price proposal when requested by UNDP, in accordance with the below:

1. Daily Fee – The contractor shall propose a daily fee, which should be inclusive of his professional fee, local communication cost and insurance (inclusive of medical health insurance and evacuation). The number of working days for which the daily fee shall be payable under the contract of 135 working days.

Total number of effective person-days: 135 days spread over the period of six months.

Tentative Date of commencement: 8 August 2021

Expected Date of completion: 8 February 2022

2. The total professional fee shall be converted into a lump-sum contract and payments under the contract shall be made on submission and acceptance of deliverables under the contract in accordance with the schedule of payment linked with deliverables (as indicated in Table below)

and at the end of assignment.

UNDP reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines.

Evaluation Method and Criteria:

Individual Consultant will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

1. Responsive/compliant/acceptable,and

2. < > received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

   TechnicalCriteriaweight70%

3. FinancialCriteriaweight30%

   Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

   Technical Evaluation (70%) Qualification, Experience (70 marks):

   1. GeneralQualification(15marks);

   2. Experiencerelevantto theassignment(25marks);

   3. Proposal(30 marks)

      Financial Evaluation (30%):

      The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal: p = y (µ/z), where

      p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated

      y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal µ = price of the lowest priced proposal

      z = price of the proposal being evaluated

      Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

4. Personal CV or P11, 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) professionalreferences.

5. CoverLetterwithshortproposal(attachedwithCV):

   1. Briefdescriptionofwhytheindividualconsidershim/herselfasthemostsuitablefortheassignment.

   2. < > methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment and work plan as indicated above.All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNDP Afghanistan. UNDP Afghanistan will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.

      Annexes (click on the hyperlink to access the documents):

      • < >IC Contract Template (for information);< >Financial Proposal Template using the template provided by UNDP (to be completed at later stage upon request by UNDP);< >IC General Terms and Conditions (for information);< >RLA Template (if consultant wishes to be recruited through an employer) - (for information).Note: Incomplete application will result in automatic disqualification of candidate.
         

        Additional Questions (to be added on Jobs site during advertisement):

        1) Please prepare a brief methodology and workplan as to how you will approach and complete the assignment (maximum 1,000 words)