Background
Knowledge for Development Management (K4DM) for ERD UN wing, a joint initiative of the GoB and UNDP Bangladesh is being undertaken in the context of the UNDAF Action Plan during the period 2014-16. In the context of declining ODA and increased emphasis on results, the project aims to explore :
- Simplify programming procedures and improve knowledge management;
- Promote new knowledge and resource partnerships under the canopy of South-South and Triangular as well as Public-Private Partnership modality; and
- Support a common expert pool, strategic knowledge generation and innovative programming.
To achieve its objectives, the project aims to work in conjunction with Development Effectiveness wing of ERD and UNDP supported project at General Economics Division (GED) titled ‘Support to Sustainable and Inclusive Planning’. The project is anchored in UN wing of ERD but it will seek to reach out all Implementing Partners including line ministries, ‘for-profit’ and ‘not-for-profit’ entities, civil society, think tanks, academia, eminent personnel and grassroots and ultimately will create an inclusive environment for attaining results stipulated in the UNDAF and the country’s 7th Five Year Plan. The Programme is being implemented by Economic Relations Division, Ministry of Finance. The implementation period of the project is from September 2014 to December 2017. Total budget of the project is USD 3.00 million which is funded by UNDP.
One of the major activities of the project is to establish a platform for engagement of the Non-resident Bangladeshi experts in the country’s development process. This involves setting-up a knowledge taxonomy of expertise in development finance and other technical specializations likely to be needed by ERD and develop a platform for effective and useful engagement of the Non-resident Bangladeshis (NRB) in the development process of the country.
Several initiatives were undertaken by different Government and non-Government agencies and organizations for engaging Bangladesh diaspora in the development process, but no platform or mechanism has been developed so far.
Historical as well as contemporary experiences of some countries show that the diaspora can be an agent of national development. Diaspora and migrant enterprise, investment and remittances have tremendous potential to positively contribute to the development nexus of the country. There are several other ways in which members of the Bangladeshi diasporas can contribute to social, economic and cultural development in their countries of origin through facilitating transnational exchange of ideas, knowledge, technologies and skills for full range of human development. The engagement may be in many different ways, including (1) policy advices, (2) advocacy and philanthropy, (3) remittances, investment, and entrepreneurship, (4) tourism and volunteerism, (5) protection of Bangladesh’s interests abroad etc.
Objective
Against this backdrop, main objective of the consultancy is exploring and harnessing the potentials of NRB engagement and facilitating development of a platform for effective NRB engagement through participation of NRBs and national partners.
Duties and Responsibilities
Scope of Work
The following list reflects the main activities that the consultant is expected to carry out within the contractual period.
Key tasks include:
- Explore existing status of NRB engagement in different areas and assess the status of contribution as well as potentials of NRB engagement in national development;
- Identify, in consultation with different Ministries/Divisions, UNDP and other stakeholders and review of international best practices, possible areas of NRB engagement along with feasibility of engagement and identification of relevant partners for implementing and developing partnership of engagement;
- Analyze policy issues and challenges and impediments of NRB engagement and suggest remedial measures to overcome the challenges;
- Prepare a tentative database of eminent NRB experts and professionals and associations/organizations of Bangladeshi diaspora communities across the world;
- Facilitate, in collaboration with different partners and stakeholders, implementation of events and programmes (national/international) through involvement of NRB experts and professionals;
- Produce a report, with reflections of lessons-learned, feedback of stakeholders and experiences of events organized, with policy recommendations and plan of actions for effective and sustainable engagement of NRBs in national development and attainment of SDGs;
- Develop a proposal for establishing a NRB platform with an indicative organogram and suggestions for its management modalities;
Expected Outputs and Deliverables
- Tasks 01: Inception report with detailed methodology, work plan. Days required: 05 Days;
- Task 02: Interim report on existing status of NRB engagement and their contribution, potentials of NRB engagement, challenges and impediments of NRB engagement along with recommendations for remedial measurements, identification of possible areas and feasibility of NRB engagement. Days required: 25 days;
- Task 03: Proposal for establishing a NRB platform along with an indicative organogram and management modalities and development of a database of eminent NRB experts and professionals and diaspora associations/organizations across the world. Days required: 10 days
- Task 04: Facilitate implementation of events (national/international) and programmes in collaboration with the partners through involvement of NRB experts and professionals: Days required: 10 days
- Task 05: Final and combined report with reflections of lessons-learned, feedback of stakeholders and experiences of events organized, with policy recommendations and plan of actions for effective and sustainable engagement of NRBs; Days required: 10 days;
Institutional Arrangement
- The consultant will report to the National Project Director, Knowledge for Development Management (K4DM) for ERD UN Wing project (Additional Secretary, UN Wing) and to the relevant ACD of UNDP.
Duration of the Work
- Total duration of the assignment is 60 working-days over a period of 5 months.
Duty Station
- The duty station of the consultant is Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Tentative Payment Schedule linked with deliverables:
- Deliverable 1: Inception report and methodology with detailed work plan and existing status of NRB engagement and their contribution, potentials of NRB engagement in Bangladesh which is acceptable to ERD and UNDP [20% of total contract amount];
- Deliverable 2: Submission of interim report on challenges and impediments of NRB engagement along with recommendations of remedial measurements, identification of possible areas and feasibility of NRB engagement which is acceptable to ERD and UNDP [20% of total contract amount];
- Deliverable 3: Submission of a proposal for establishing a NRB platform along with an indicative organogram and management modalities and development of a database of eminent NRB experts and professionals and diaspora associations/organizations across the world which is acceptable to ERD and UNDP [20% of total contract amount];
- Deliverable 4: Facilitating implementation of events (national/international) in collaboration with the partners through involvement of NRB experts and professionals which are acceptable to ERD and UNDP [20% of total contract amount];
- Deliverable 5: Submission of final and combined report with reflections of lessons-learned, feedback of stakeholders and experiences of events organized, with policy recommendations and plan of actions for effective and sustainable engagement of NRBs which is acceptable to ERD and UNDP [20% of total contract amount];
Competencies
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
- Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;
- Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
- Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work;
- Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
- Comprehensive knowledge of information system and design principle;
- Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;
- Excellent presentation and facilitation skills.
- Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
- Positive, constructive attitude to work;
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
Required Skills and Experience
Educational Qualifications:
- Masters degree in Public Policy, Development Studies, International Relations or related social science fields.
Experience
- At least seven years’ experience of policy analysis and preparation of analytical reports;
- Minimum five years’ experience in undertaking policy research preferably in the fields of diaspora, impact of migration etc.;
- At least three years’ experience in dealing with any one or more of the following: economic affairs, diaspora and economy, remittances and impact of migration;
- Good understanding on the public policy and policy issues;
- Experience of conducting coordination, collaboration and liaison with different partners including Government, non-Government and development partners.
Language requirements
- Fluency of English and Bangla language is required;
Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments
Consultant 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, living allowance and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment. The contract price will be fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specified duration. Payments will be done upon completion of the following deliverables/outputs:
Evaluation Method and Criteria:
Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology.
Cumulative analysis-
The award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant up on Cumulative Analysis/evaluation and determined as:
- 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;
Only candidates obtaining a minimum 70% mark in technical evaluation will be considered eligible for financial evaluation.
Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points)
- Criteria 1: Educational Qualifications – Max 10 Points
- Criteria 2: Years of experience of policy analysis and preparation of analytical report – Max 20 points
- Criteria 3: Years of experience in undertaking policy research preferably in the fields of diaspora, impact of migration etc.- Max 15 points
- Criteria 4: Years of experience in dealing with economic affairs, diaspora, remittances and migration– Max 15 Points
- Criteria 5: Experience of conducting coordination, collaboration and liaison with different partners including Government, non-Government and development partners.– Max 10 Points
Financial Evaluation (Total 30 marks)
All technical qualified proposals will be scored out 30 based on the formula provided below.
The maximum points (30) will be assigned to the lowest financial proposal. All other proposals received points according to the following formula:
p = y (µ/
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:
Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Proposers who shall not submit below mentioned documents will not be considered for further evaluation.
- 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) professional references; P11 can be downloaded from the link below: http://www.bd.undp.org/content/bangladesh/en/home/operations/jobs/
- Technical proposal, including a) a brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment; b) a brief methodology, on how you will approach and complete the assignment, including a tentative table of contents for the final report; and c) a list of similar assignment with topic/name of the assignment, duration, role of consultant and organization/project
- Financial Proposal: Financial Proposal has to be submitted through a standard interest and availability template which can be downloaded from the link below:
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