Background

South-South Co-operation

The structural dynamics of international development co-operation have changed significantly in recent decades. Many countries have begun the transition away from receiving Official Development Assistance (ODA), while some, such as the Republic of Korea, have ‘graduated’ to become donors themselves. Such progress has led to the conceptual differentiation between traditional ‘Northern’ donors and emerging ‘Southern’ providers.

This gradual transformation in the development landscape has been underpinned by the steady rise of ‘South-South Co-operation (SSC)’, which the UN Office for South-South Co-operation defines as “A broad framework of collaborations among southern countries in the political, economic, social, cultural, environmental, and technical domains.”[1] As such, the scope of SSC is conceptually much broader than ODA, which is clearly defined and primarily incorporates grants and concessional loans. In fact, the definition is so comprehensive that it hinders uniform understanding, as there is still much disagreement pertaining to the inclusion of certain components such as policy formulation, the activities of private actors, commercial finance, and military operations[2].  Nonetheless, these differences in conceptual composition only substantiate the ubiquitous understanding that SSC has mobilized a broader array of resources and expertise from a more diverse group of actors.

In this regard, SSC has without a doubt evolved into an increasingly important driver of international

development. Recognizing the holistic importance of SSC to the international development co-operation system, the United Nations organized the High-Level Conference on South-South Co-operation in 2009 to highlight the role that various organizations could play in implementing and scaling SSC. Other processes such as the Busan High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness held in 2011, where the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation (GPEDC) was born, also sought to further strengthen the effectiveness of development co-operation with and in southern countries. Finally, in 2019, the BAPA+40 Conference was organized in order to take stock of progress in South-South and Triangular Co-operation (SSTC), including on strengthening its effectiveness. In a world where leading SSC providers, such as China and India, and emerging providers, such as Rwanda and Bangladesh, are increasingly scaling up their participation in SSC, it is evident that SSC will continue to play an increasingly important role in international development cooperation.

However, unlike traditional forms of development co-operation, southern providers have not

reached a consensus on principles of effective development co-operation.

Background on GPEDC Action Area 2.3 on Country-led Development Effectiveness of SSC

The Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation (the Global Partnership or GPEDC) is the primary multi-stakeholder platform for driving development effectiveness to “maximize the effectiveness of all forms of co-operation for development for the shared benefits of people, planet, prosperity and peace.”

It does so by promoting four effectiveness principles – country ownership, focus on results, inclusive

partnerships and transparency and mutual accountability. As a member of the GPEDC Steering Committee, Colombia has decided to lead an “Action Area” that explores development effectiveness of SSC and how it can be monitored and assessed. Under the direct leadership of the Colombian Presidential Agency of International Co-operation (APC Colombia), and building on a previous initiative by Mexico (former Co-chair and Steering Committee Member of the GPEDC), ‘Action Area 2.3’ brings together relevant stakeholders from the Global South to examine how the GPEDC effectiveness principles and indicator framework could potentially be useful and adjusted to the context of SSC (see also here). This includes piloting work with El Salvador, Mexico, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Cape Verde, and Rwanda.

The overall objective of this Action Area is to support country-led efforts to enhance the effectiveness of SSC (for more detailed information, see here). Like all forms of co-operation, it is vital that SSC is delivered effectively to maximize its development impact. This sentiment was echoed in paragraph 11 of the Report of the second High-level United Nations Conference on South- South Co-operation (BAPA+40), which calls for enhanced development effectiveness of this modality of co-operation. It was also reconfirmed in recent discussions at the 20th Session of the High-level Committee on SSC.

UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) at the UNDP Headquarters in New York supports the GPEDC, as well as Colombia in its leading role in carrying out the work outlined above. Moreover, UNDP Seoul Policy Centre (USPC) has been very active in supporting the follow-up programmes of the GPEDC; mainly the Busan Global Partnership Forum and KOICA’s Learning and Accelerating Programme. As such, BPPS and USPC have joined forces to support APC Colombia in developing the research paper that this consultancy is expected to deliver. This research paper is part of the Action Area work plan (see output 1.1) that Colombia has agreed with its Action Area Members.

Non-comprehensive Overview of Relevant Papers

Duties and Responsibilities

SCOPE OF WORK:

The purpose of the assignment is to produce a paper (approximately 10,000 words) assessing how the

effectiveness, which includes aspects of impact and results assessment, of SSC is currently being measured by southern actors. While these countries often identify themselves as both providers and

recipients of SSC, the focus of this paper will be on the perspective of the latter. Accordingly, the paper will achieve the following objectives:

1. Recap the state of research on existing SSC assessment frameworks and their relation to academic and grey literature on principles proposed to enhance the impact of SSC

2. Present the findings of a minimum of fifteen planned interviews with major recipients of SSC[1] in order to identify insights such as but not limited to:

3. How these countries define SSC (if any official definition) and think about/track the effectiveness of SSC that they receive

4. The existing mechanisms in place (if any) to measure SSC inflows and results (e.g. as

5. opposed to mechanisms tracking ODA/traditional North – South Co-operation)

6. The framework(s)/indicators being used to assess these SSC inflows and their effectiveness

7. in achieving concrete and lasting results for the SDGs

8. The reasons for using such framework(s)/indicators over other alternatives

9. Advantages and disadvantages of certain assessment methodologies

10. Conclude by proposing critical issues to consider when selecting a framework to assess the effectiveness of SSC.

Proposed Outline of Paper

1. Executive summary

2. Background on SSC and effectiveness

3. Literature review on the evaluation of SSC effectiveness and proposed approaches for assessing it

4. Analysis of interviews with recipients of SSC on evaluation frameworks and indicators

5. Conclusions and recommendations

6. References

7. Annexes (with suggested framework with elements for measuring the effectiveness of SSC from

   recipient perspective)

Expected Key Deliverables, Duration of the Work and Payment Scheme

The expected duration of this consultancy is 24 working days. The target starting date is 1st of October  2021, whereas the expected completion date is January 15th, 2022. For each deliverable, UNDP BPPS, USPC, and relevant implementing partners will have a period of two weeks to review outputs, provide comments, and certify approval/acceptance of outputs. As the paper produced by this consultancy will need to be used at specific events that are due to take place on non-negotiable dates, it is imperative that high-quality deliverables are provided prior to the stipulated deadlines. Failure to meet these target due dates may result in deducted or postponed payment.

This will be a lump-sum contract, and the payment will be based upon delivery of all the services specified in this TOR, as listed in the table above.

Competencies

Competencies

• Excellent qualitative research skills, particularly with interview-based methods, is required.

• Ability to concisely convey substantial amounts of content in written form is required.

• Clear understanding and display of UNDP corporate values and standards is required.

• Excellent display of functional competencies such as inter-personal skills, communication,

               professionalism, teamwork, as well as knowledge management and learning are required.

• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and to adhere to strict deadlines is required.

• Ability to establish and maintain good relationship with stakeholders is required.

• Experience in the usage of office and online meeting software packages is required.

• Knowledge of relevant UNDP corporate processes is an asset.

• Excellent command of written and oral English is required. Knowledge

Required Skills and Experience

Academic qualifications

• At least Master’s degree in development studies, economics, political science, public policy, or related discipline required. Doctorate degree in relevant discipline is an asset.

Experience

• At least 7 years of relevant work experience in providing policy analysis or support towards

               international development co-operation initiatives are required.

• Demonstrated knowledge on the topic of South-South and Triangular Co-operation as a development co-operation modality, based on a recent understanding of relevant academic and official discussions, is required.

• Familiarity with the GPEDC as well as the BAPA+40 follow up process is an asset.

• Experience with published papers on topics related to SSC is a strong asset.

Language

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required

• Good working knowledge of another official UN language, especially Spanish or French is an asset

Application Package

The application package containing the following (to be uploaded as one file):

• A cover letter with a brief description of why the Offeror considers her/himself the most suitable for the assignment;

• Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects and specifying the relevant assignment period (from/to), as well as the email and telephone contacts of at least three (3) professional references; and

• A one-page methodology on how the Offeror will conduct the work including a Work Plan and approach in delivering the required outputs within the assignment period; and

• One to two examples of previous written work on a topic related to international development cooperation (paper, policy brief etc.).

Note: The above documents need to be scanned in one file and uploaded to the online application as one document.

Shortlisted candidates (ONLY) will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal.

Financial proposal

• The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around the specific and measurable deliverables of the TOR. Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR, and deliverables accepted and certified by the technical manager.

• The financial proposal must be all-inclusive and take into account various expenses that will be incurred during the contract, including: the daily professional fee; (excluding mission travel); living allowances at the duty station; communications, utilities and consumables; life, health and any other insurance; risks and inconveniences related to work under hardship and hazardous conditions (e.g., personal security needs, etc.), when applicable; and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services under the contract.

• This consultancy is a home-based assignment, therefore, there is no envisaged travel cost to join duty station/repatriation travel.

• In the case of unforeseeable travel requested by UNDP, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between UNDP and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. In general, UNDP should 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.

• If the 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 a 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.

The Financial Proposal is to be emailed as per the instruction in the separate email that will be sent to shortlisted candidates.

Evaluation

• Evaluation process

  Applicants are reviewed based on Required Skills and Experience stated above and based on the technical evaluation criteria outlined below. 

  Applicants will be evaluated based on cumulative scoring.  When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Being responsive/compliant/acceptable; and

• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation where technical criteria weigh 70% and Financial criteria/ Proposal weighs 30%.

  Technical evaluation - Total 70% (70 points):

• 	Criteria	Max Pts
  1	A minimum of 7 years of professional working experience in providing policy analysis or support towards international development co-operation initiatives	10 points
  2	Previous experience working with international, multi-stakeholder processes or initiatives on the topic of South-South and/or Triangular Co-operation as a development co-operation modality, based on a recent understanding of relevant academic and official discussions.	15 points
  3	Familiarity with the GPEDC and effective development cooperation discourse as well as BAPA +40 follow up process.	10 points
  4	Previous experience in policy analysis with published papers on topics related to international development / South-South and/or Triangular Co-operation	5 points
  5	Interview	30 points

  Having reviewed applications received, UNDP will invite the top 3-4 shortlisted candidates for interviews. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

  Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (49 points) of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria (70 points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

  Financial evaluation - Total 30% (30 points)

  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

Contract Award, Institutional Arrangement, Payment Details