Background

In 2015 the world adopted the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), marking a historic shift in the global development agenda. A major focus moving forward will be the implementation agenda, particularly bottom-up local actions and solutions to achieve results across the range of environmental sustainability issues addressed in the SDGs. This project seeks to establish the enabling environment to make this happen in Kuwait.

The passage of this new global agenda converges with the enactment of Kuwait’s new Environmental Protection Law (EPL) (Law No. 42 of 2014), which sets an ambitious vision to scale-up environmental protection results across all sectors of development. The new law is a critical turning point for environmental governance in Kuwait, setting a more ambitious vision for environmental sustainability and providing the Kuwait Environment Public Authority (KEPA) an enhanced mandate to set implementing regulations, seek actions by sectoral Ministries, and achieving improved environmental compliance and enforcement.

The project supports a set of two strategic outputs meant to set an enabling environment for implementation of the new EPL: (1) Capacities for Effective Participation in Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), (2) Environmental Information Systems (EIS) enhanced including the use of statistics and indicators for measuring EPL implementation.

The project goal is to support the improvement of the sustainable management of the environment and natural resources in Kuwait and to contribute towards the development and implementation of comprehensive and integrated environmental strategies and policies for Kuwait based on the EPL and Kuwait’s commitments under the MEA and SDGs.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Change Agreement all highlight that for development to be sustainable in the 21st century it must be resilient to increasingly complex ecological risks. In response, there are a number of global goals under the SDGs that together form a scaled-up agenda alongside other SDGs through an integrative manner for making development more environmentally sustainable:

• SDG 6 Ensure Availability and Sustainable Management of Water for All
• SDG 7 Ensuring Access to Affordable, Reliable, Sustainable and Modern Energy for All
• SDG 11 Making Cities and Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable
• SDG 12 Ensure Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns
• SDG 13 Take Urgent Action on Climate Change and Its Impacts
• SDG 14 Conserve and Sustainably Use the Oceans, Seas and Marine Resources
• SDG 15 Sustainable Use of Ecosystems and Combat Land Degradation & Biodiversity Loss

Altogether, these ‘green SDGs’ along the other SDGs represent a comprehensive and integrated approach with major breakthrough and shift in the development agenda. As the world now moves to the SDG implementation agenda, a key focus is on bottom-up local solutions. This holds special importance for Kuwait, which faces a number of serious environmental risks to the sustainability of its development goals.

The capacity to implement the SDGs and achieve greater environmental sustainability remains a major challenge in Kuwait. The project will align itself to assist Kuwait to meet its commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda, and helping to implement measures called by the new EPL is crucial to fulfil such commitments through an integrated environmental governance support.

National monitoring is the most important level of monitoring and will rely on nationally defined sets of indicators. National ownership at all levels of the SDG framework is critical, and national monitoring must respond to national priorities and needs. Good data and clear metrics are critical for each country to take stock of where it stands, devise pathways for achieving the goals and track progress. The work and outcome of this consultancy will complement the work of the recently established SDGs National Committee, to make sure all efforts are combined towards the achievement of the SDGs. 

Duties and Responsibilities

The objective of the assignment is to provide an overview of national data availability, quality and data gaps in regards to indictors for reporting against the proposed SDG targets, specifically; SDG6: Clean Water and Sanitation; SDG7: Affordable and Clean Energy; SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities; SDG13: Climate Action; SDG14: Life below Water; and SDG15: Life on land. And identify potential areas to strengthen national monitoring and reporting capacity to assist national SDG readiness and planning.

Under the supervision of the Kuwait Environmental Governance Initiative (KEGI) Project Manager, the consultant will assume the following key functions:

• Review the status of SDG reporting and identify national priorities relating to the environment pillars of the SDGs, global targets and indicators and potential partnerships amongst stakeholders.

• Identify a list of indicators, based on official statistics at the national level that could be used to report on the targets identified in the SDGs, recommend appropriate, realistic, quantifiable national targets and indicators for each of the above-mentioned SDGs.
• Identify baseline data for each proposed indicator, assess the data sources, quality and methodology for data collection, review methodological developments and issues related to the indicators and their metadata. To make sure all identified data and proposed methodologies are linked with the work of Central Statistical Bureau (CSB).

• For targets where there are data gaps in terms of the availability of official statistics, review and identify indicators that could be supplied from data sources from outside government including academia, private sector, utilities, civil society etc.
• Review national environmental indicators used to report on the governments commitments under international environmental agreements and integrate these indictors into the SDG framework where possible.
• Review the status, issues and challenges of tracking/monitoring the SDGs and provide guidance on monitoring SDG indicators, data collection and management through strengthening national monitoring and reporting capacity and develop a monitoring framework for the specific SDGs.
• Develop a methodology for SDG Integration in the National Development Plan by highlighting the interlinkages between the SDGs.
• Develop and implement a capacity building road map in statistical areas relevant to the SDGs monitoring for key stakeholders in the SDG environmental pillars.
• Document and share success stories and best practices in national indicators systems for tracking and achieving the SDG environmental pillars, institutional best practice processes and principles for implementing the SDGs.  
• Assist in the development of a SDG data-user forum, tools for data analysis and an open dashboard/ data portal on the state of the SDGs.
• Complement the work of the recently established SDGs National Committee, to make sure all efforts are combined towards the achievement of the SDGs. To make sure to avoid and repetitive or contradiction in the efforts.  

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND DELIVERABLES

The consultant will report to the Project Manager of the KEGI project and present an inception report and workplan with table of contents outlined within two weeks of signing the contract. The consultant will coordinate with KEPA, UNDP regional hub, UNEP, Central Statistical Bureau and the General Secretariat of the Supreme Council of Planning and Development for technical support and capacity building workshops.

The consultant will present a report on:

• The current state of SDG indicators and data availability in Kuwait, gaps identified, methodologies for data collection and reporting.
• Recommendations and methodologies for tracking and monitoring SDG indicators and integration in the National Development Planning.
• Mapping of the different institutions and their role in SDG implementation, including institutional capacity, the effectiveness of arrangements for public participation, quality review, follow-up, monitoring and evaluations framework.
• Best practice from regional and international approaches to SDG implementation
• Potential improvements, including commentary on stakeholders’ suggestions
• Monitoring and tracking framework for SDG implementation

Capacity building workshop and training material for key stakeholders on reporting, monitoring, tracking of the environmental pillars in the SDGs.

Concept note, terms of reference for SDG data portal development (reporting requirements, data types, frequency).

Institutional Arrangement

• The consult will report directly to UNDP Project Manager.
• He/she will liaise directly with project team on day to day matters for supplying documentations, obtaining information and arranging for the delivery of the expected outputs. 
• The scheduled payments will be based on deliverables supported by submission of approved reports, each report should be priory approved by KEPA and UNDP Project Manager. These interim and final reports with all attachments (work plan, assessments, etc) will serve as justification of payments and prove of work provided.
• The consultant will be based in KEPA and provided with access to printing machine, phone and internet access during regular office hours, while in Kuwait.

Duration of the Work

The consultancy will require 100 working days from December 1st 2017- June 1st 2018 with 2 travels.

Duty Station

Kuwait, KEPA office.   

Competencies

• Possess a solid understanding of the institutional arrangements and resources required to carry out the scope of works;
• Demonstrate flexibility in the event adjustments are required based on the findings, both at the organizational and technical levels, for successful implementation of the consultancy;
• Experience in working with government institutions in GCC countries/Arab region and UN, is an added advantage;
• Demonstrate competence in report writing, presenting information and consulting with stakeholders;
• Strong communication, drafting, presentation and reporting skills; 
• Written and spoken proficiency in English is required, Knowledge of Arabic Language will be an added value.
• Proves integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards and diversity;
• Identifies stakeholders’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions.

Required Skills and Experience

I. Academic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in one of the following fields: environmental policy, international development studies, environmental statistics or closely related fields.

or

• Master’s degree in one of the following fields: environmental policy, international development studies, environmental statistics or closely related fields

II. Years of experience:

• 10 years of experience working on environmental development issues, MDGs or development of SDGs and environmental policy for Bachelor degree holders;
• 5 years of experience working on environmental development issues, MDGs or development of SDGs and environmental policy for Master degree holders;
• Experience in working with, and analyzing data, using relevant tools/computer programs (Excel, online survey tools) to present findings
• Written and spoken proficiency in English. Knowledge of Arabic language is an advantage.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

Lump Sum Amount

The financial proposal submitted shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. The financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, living allowance, and number of anticipated working days).

Travel: All envisaged travel and other related costs must be included in the financial proposal.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

EVALUATION

Cumulative analysis

Total score=Technical Score + Financial Score.

Technical Criteria weight - 70%, 700 scores maximum 

Financial Criteria weight - 30%. 300 scores maximum

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 490 from 700 point in the Technical part of evaluation would be considered for the Financial Evaluation

The selection of candidates will be done in 3 stages:

1st stage: Prior to detailed evaluation, all applications will be thoroughly screened against eligibility criteria (minimum qualification requirements) as set in the TOR in order to determine whether they are compliant/non-compliant.

2nd stage: Evaluation of technical proposals

Short-listed candidates will be evaluated based on the following criteria. Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 490 points (70%) at the Technical Evaluation would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

3rd stage: Financial evaluation

Cumulative analysis will be used based on the following methodology: All the offers of individual consultants who scored 490 (70% from 700) and more points during the desk review are acceptable for financial evaluation. The lowest financial qualified proposal receives 300 points and all the other technically qualified proposals receive points in inverse proportion per the formula:

The candidate achieving the highest cumulative score for both Technical and Financial evaluations will be recommended by the Evaluation Committee for contracting.

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS.

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
2. 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;
3. Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how they will approach and complete the assignment;
4. Technical Proposal with clear methodology of conducting Assessment of national readiness and capacity building needs for implementing the environmental pillars of the Sustainable Development Goals;
5. Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided. If an 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 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. 

Links for the documents to be submitted:

• P11  http://www.kw.undp.org/content/dam/kuwait/documents/Procurmenet/P11%20modified%20for%20SCs%20and%20ICs.doc
• Template for Confirmation of Interest and Submission of Financial Proposal; http://www.kw.undp.org/content/dam/kuwait/documents/Procurmenet/Template%20for%20Confirmation%20of%20Interest%20and%20Submission%20of%20Financial%20Proposal.docx