Background

Background:

The COVID-19 crisis has significant impact on the labour markets in the Pacific Island Countries (PICs), including Marshall Islands, bringing disproportionate levels of unemployment and underemployment across different groups of people, sectors and regions. Large number of workers are affected by the reduced income from losses of jobs, decreased working hours and a decrease in business revenues due to the partial closure of markets. Young people and women among others in the informal sector are the most vulnerable to job losses resulting from the crisis. Even before the COVID-19 crisis, PICs have already experienced economic setbacks, affecting job opportunities, due to the disruption of external shocks like natural disasters.  The consequences of the current or other crisis are affecting not only the size of employment but also its composition in terms of forms of work, sector, skills and working conditions. A structural transformation from the hard-hit sectors to alternative options should be a national priority to cope with the changing dynamics, associated with how the emerging world of work will look like.

The best approach to strengthen the national economies in the PICs right now is to help reactivate labour markets and getting people back to work with some protection measures. On the longer term, countries should work toward safeguarding themselves against labour market vulnerabilities that were revealed during the crisis and addressing trends shaping the world of work, including climate change. This requires reorienting national employment policies towards promoting a more job-rich and resilient recovery.

Identifying employment policy priorities and transforming it into practice is a multifaceted process that require solid commitment and coordination from all actors involved. It requires extensive efforts to define recovery measures and employment resilience policies and map them instrumentally through national implementation mechanisms.

To support countries in their efforts to address the crisis, UNDP and  ILO are supporting the Government of the Marshall Islands to  undertake indepth analysis for the design and development of the National Employment Policy.

Objectives:

The objective of the consultancy assignment is to support (i) the review of the RMI national policies related to employment, (ii) the development of the RMI National Employment Policy 2022-2026.

The RMI NEP 2022-2026 in the context of the socio-economic recovery from COVID-19 shall address selected country-specific future of work challenges, such as demographic change, climate change and natural disasters, labour mobility, globalization and transition to the formal economy. The overall NEP will be aligned with the integrated approach to employment strategies, including the provisions made in Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122), promoting a coherent policy framework for creating more and better jobs, focusing on gender-responsive and results-based national employment policies and country-specific challenges concerning the future of work. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Key responsibilities:

• Conduct a desk review for the NEP based on the ILO Labour Market Monitoring report (2019), the RMI Labour Market Surveys, and Rapid Assessment Survey Findings, and further sources identified by the consultant.
• Conduct an employment situation analysis as part of the NEP. This includes a labour market analysis on major trends and assessment of economic growth, macroeconomic trends and development prospects in RMI, with a particular focus on key labour market indicators, labour force participation, employment, unemployment, labour migration and wages, working poverty, participation in informal economy. Analyse labour force survey and other relevant data for RMI and provide summary statistics of the main variables disaggregated by sex, age and disability status (where available), and their cross-sectoral variation, and summarize the main results in an appropriate graphical and tabular presentation, and concise narrative.
• The analysis should take into account the COVID-19 socio-economic impact and analysis of direct and indirect effects in RMI on sectors, enterprises and occupations most affected. In addition to direct effects on sectors and occupations, the analysis of the indirect effects will include an assessment to what extent the economy is reliant on regional and global trade, to identify the impact on economic sectors that are particularly affected by the global COVID-19 crisis (e.g. tourism), and their importance in terms of employment. The indirect effects include the impact on the economy of changes on capital flows (FDI and foreign institutional investment), migrant remittances and ODA, as well as labour mobility and migration flows.
• Identify policy options; propose NEP goals, objectives and targets, draft NEP action plan matrix (logical framework), design the institutional framework and mechanisms for NEP coordination and implementation, and design the monitoring and evaluation framework, including performance indicators.
• Prepare the NEP 2022-2026 document. This includes a draft annotated outline of the NEP structure, a draft version of the NEP as well as a final NEP based on consultation and review by MTED and ILO, and taking into account the feedback provided in stakeholder consultations. The NEP will be structured based on guidance and feedback by MTED, ILO and national stakeholders.[1]  Incorporate comments and suggestions obtained through focus group discussions, consultations and written feedback.
• Prepare guiding questions and methodology for focus group discussions and consultations. Conduct focus group discussions with relevant stakeholders, including Government, workers and employers’ organizations as well as other key stakeholders, in proposed priority areas based on the review of current policies and the recommended priorities of the RA Survey. Prepare a summary report documenting the focus group discussions and findings.

The consultant will identify various sources of information, and will also take into account sources provided by MTED, ILO and other stakeholders, including the following sources:

• ILO. Guide for the formulation of national employment policies, available at https://www.ilo.org/emppolicy/pubs/WCMS_188048/lang--en/index.htm
• RMI Rapid Assessment Survey on the impact of COVID-19 on businesses, households and employment
• ILO and ADB (2020) Tackling the COVID-19 youth employment crisis in Asia and the Pacific, available at https://www.ilo.org/asia/publications/WCMS_753369/lang--en/index.htm
• ADB (2020) Asian Development Outlook 2020 Update. September 2020, available at https://www.adb.org/publications/asian-development-outlook-2020-update ILO (2017) A study on the future of work in the Pacific, available at https://www.ilo.org/suva/publications/WCMS_553880/lang--en/index.htm
• ILO (2019) Future of Work for Climate Resilience in the Pacific Islands, available at https://www.ilo.org/suva/publications/WCMS_712546/lang--en/index.htm

Key Milestones:

Institutional arrangements:

The Consultancy will work under the close guidance of the Director of the RMI National Training Council and the UNDP Inclusive Growth Deputy Team Leader throughout the assignment period.

Duty Station:

Home based.

Duration of work: The expected duration of this assignment is 80 days with an expected start date of Monday the 18th of November 2021 1st and planned to be completed by Friday the 13th of May 2022. 

Deliverables:

[1] Further guidance on the steps, content and structure of formulating the NEP is available in the ILO Guide for the formulation of national employment policies.

Competencies

• Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity. 
• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.
• Self-development, initiative-taking.
• Acting as a team player and facilitating teamwork.
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively
• Creating synergies through self-control.
• Managing conflict.
• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member.
• Informed and transparent decision making

Required Skills and Experience

Qualifications:

• Minimum advanced degree in the field of labour economics, social development or related area with demonstrated expertise on employment issues.

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience in economic, social and employment policy and programme development in RMI with experience in labour market analysis. Relevant international experience and knowledge of labour markets in the Pacific would be an advantage.
• Excellent knowledge of statistical software for labour market analysis would be an asset.
• Excellent drafting and report writing skills. Ability to present information in readily understandable forms.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. Ability to work on own initiative as well as a member of a team. Ability to plan and organise work.
• Excellent command and proficient working ability in English.
• Experience in policy and programme monitoring and evaluation, including definition of performance indicators, is an asset.

Language requirement:

Proficiency in English (written and spoken) required.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

Consultancy 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, 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 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:

1. First payment of 20% will be made upon submission of deliverable 1 to the satisfaction of the UN team.  
2. Second payment of 30% will be made upon submission of deliverable 2 to the satisfaction of the UN team.
3. Third payment of 25% will be made upon submission of deliverable 3 to the satisfaction of the UN team.
4. Fourth payment of 25% will be made upon submission of deliverable 4 to the satisfaction of the UN team.

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points)

• Criteria 1: Relevance of Education – Max 5 points
• Criteria 2: Relevance of language and Key competencies - Max 5 Points
• Criteria 3: Technical expertise (required experience and knowledge for assignment) - Max 25 points
• Criteria 4: Relevance of Pacific experience in area of required technical expertise – Max 25 points
• Criteria 5: Quality of Assessment of approach/methodology to assignment – Max 10 Points

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

Shortlisted candidates shall be called for an interview which will be used to confirm and/or adjust the technical scores awarded based on documentation submitted.

Documentation required

Interested consultancies 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.
• Technical proposal, including a) a brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment;
• Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex II. Note: Consultancies must quote prices in United States Dollars (USD).

Note: Successful individual will be required to provide proof of medical insurance coverage before commencement of contract for the duration of the assignment.

Incomplete and joint proposals may not be considered. Consultancies with whom there is further interest will be contacted. The successful consultancy shall opt to sign an Individual Contract or a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA) through its company/employer with UNDP.

Annexes

• Annex I - Individual IC General Terms and Conditions
• Annex II – Offeror’s Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability for the Individual IC, including Financial Proposal Template

For any clarification regarding this assignment please write to Mr. Dale Kacivi - procurement.fj@undp.org/dale.kacivi@undp.org

All applications must be clearly marked with the title of consultancy and submitted by 5:00pm, 1st November 2021 (Fiji Time) online via UN Jobs website https://jobs.undp.org/ or etenderbox.pacific@undp.org