Background

The UNDP-GEF “Generate global environmental benefits through environmental education and raising awareness of stakeholders” project  aims to address priority capacity needs related to the environmental literacy of key stakeholders, such as the need to increase skills and knowledge of staff in organizations involved in implementing environmental management practices; the need to increase consideration of environmental obligations in various social-economic development programmes; and the need to increase awareness of decision-makers on global environmental issues and country’s obligations under

The objective of the project is to strengthen the capacity to use environmental education (EE) and awareness raising as tools to address natural resource management issues. It will, on one hand, increase the public knowledge on the environment and the need to protect nature, and, on the other hand, transfer the required knowledge to the targeted beneficiaries to allow them to be development actors without harming the environment. Through the activities of the project, it will include support for the dissemination of environmental information on state-of-the-art technologies for climate change mitigation and adaptation, conservation of biodiversity and prevention of soil degradation. It will also provide resources for raising the capacity of decision-makers in governing bodies, who are promoting the sustainable development of the country.

The project will support the development and demonstration of an innovative EE programme by promoting advanced environmental management approaches and principles that are recognized globally in addressing environmental issues, fulfilling commitments obligated and reporting under the global international conventions. This project will implement capacity development activities through an adaptive collaborative management approach to engage stakeholders as collaborators in the design and implementation of project activities that take into account unintended consequences arising from policy interventions.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of work
Under the overall guidance of the UNDP SGR Portfolio Analyst and direct supervision of the Project Technical Task Leader, and in close collaboration with the Project team the incumbent will assess the capacity of Community Based organizations (CBOs) in place in Armenia to conduct EE. The expected major activities are:

• To review and analyze existing CBOs, playing an important role in framing the environmental policy, EE and raising awareness to identify the gaps and needs hindering inclusion of EE their activities.
• Based on the findings to prepare recommendations on enhancing capacities of selected CBOs to implement environmental education and public awareness campaigns.

The incumbent will perform the following tasks:

• Identify/prioritize CBOs playing an important role in framing the environmental policy, EE and awareness raising
• Assess capacity of existing CBOs to identify their strengths and weaknesses with special focus on environmental education and public awareness;
• Conduct training need analysis in the identified organizations to identify capacity gaps and needs in the EE area and hindering inclusion of EE into their activities.
• Identify and study projects and initiatives that have been recently implemented by CBOs in the field of EE.  Outline the keys of success as well as barriers and lessoned learned.
• Identify existing network(s) of CBOs in the field of environmental policy, EE and awareness raising and outline the existing mechanism of collaboration.
• Prepare recommendations on enhancing capacities of selected CBOs to implement EE and public awareness campaigns.

Organization of the work

• The consultant will work collaboratively with the project team and relevant officials. In addition to e-mail and phone, the consultant should be available for meetings and regular contacting.
• Conduct consultations with relevant CBOs and other stakeholders.
• If needed incorporate the recommendations from stakeholders into the report.
• The ongoing works will be discussed during regular meeting with team members and stakeholders.
• Participate in relevant project events, make contributions through presentations, if needed.
• The outcomes of consultancy services will be presented during wrap-up workshop with participation of stakeholders.
• Prepare final report with detailed analysis and recommendations, incorporating final recommendations of stakeholders and project partners.

The primary responsibility of the consultant is to efficiently deliver the following tasks and deliverables at a high level of quality and competence within the agreed schedule by ensuring the required resources. The expected final product of this task is the produced descriptive and analytical report on assessed capacity of CBOs related to EE in Armenia, and recommendations on their enhancing capacities.

OUTPUTS

1. Interim report on capacities of CBOs, including their  strengths and weaknesses, training needs and recommendations on enhancing capacities of selected CBOs to implement environmental education and public awareness campaigns, as well as summary of projects and initiatives that have been recently implemented by CBOs in the field of EE (in Armenian).
2. Final report integrating all the components listed above and recommendations from relevant stakeholders (in Armenian).

Competencies

• Good knowledge of activities of NGOs and other CBOs dealing with environmental issues, particularly with EE and raising awareness in area of ecology/environment/nature protection;
• Knowledge of MEAs
• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to establish and maintain effective work relationships with people of different social and cultural backgrounds;
• Maturity and confidence in dealing with senior members of national institutions;
• High sense of responsibility; proven ability to work under time pressure and handle multiple activities and tasks concurrently;
• Excellent writing, communication and coordination skills, ability to express ideas clearly in both verbally and in writing;
• Ability to work independently and to participate effectively in a team based information sharing;
• Good technical skills (computer literacy, knowledge of MS office software and web based applications).
   

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

• Advanced university degree with qualification in environment, education or other related fields; a relevant university degree in combination with qualifying experience in the subject area may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Professional experience:

• At least 5 years of proven experience in public education, environmental sector or relevant field;
• Proven experience in capacity/training need assesment;
• Experience in EE sector is an asset;
• Strong track record in desk review, data collection and analysis in the field of education/environment;
• Experience of working with NGOs dealing with environmental issues;
• Experience of work with international organizations is an asset.

Language:

• Fluency in Armenian. Knowledge of English is an asset.

Other Information

Candidates will be evaluated using a cumulative analysis method taking into consideration the combination of the applicants' technical qualifications and experience, and financial proposal.
The contract will be awarded to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Technically responsive/compliant/acceptable to the requirements of the ToR;
• Having received the highest cumulative (technical & financial) score out of below defined technical and financial criteria.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (49 points) in the technical evaluation would be considered for financial evaluation.
Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation - max. 70 points

• Criteria A – Advanced university degree with qualification in environment, education or other relevant discipline. - max. points 10;
• Criteria B – At least 5 years of proven experience in public education, environmental sector or relevant field. - max. points 10
• Criteria C – Proven experience in capacity/ training need assesment. - max. points 10
• Criteria D – Experience in EE sector -  max. points 5
• Criteria E – Strong track record in desk review, data collection and analysis in the field of education/environment. - max. points 10
• Criteria F – Experience of working with NGOs dealing with environmental issues - max. points 5;
• Criteria G – Brief proposal with the description of milestones and methods -  max. points 15
• Criteria H– Experience of work with international organizations – max. points 5;

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation - max. 30 points.
The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal is allocated to the lowest price proposal. All other price proposals receive points in inverse proportion.

Payment mode:

• The following lump sum payable modality is envisaged for implementation of the task:
• Output 1 – 60 %
• Output 2– 40 %
• Evaluation of outcomes the responsibility of UNDP.
• Payment will be issued according to the claims and submitted deliverables.
• In case if the conditions of the ToR are not met the contract may be terminated or the consultancy fee may be reduced.

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS.

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

• Mandatory submission of UNDP Personal History form P11.
• Letter of interest;
• Brief proposal with the description of milestones and methods;
• Financial proposal on the task implementation.

Note: Please note you can upload only one document to this application (scan all documents in one single PDF file to attach).
UNDP Personal History form (P11) required of all applicants.
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/library/corporate/Careers/P11_Personal_history_form.doc.
General Conditions of Contract for ICs is available here:
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf.