Background

The Istanbul Regional Hub (IRH) is UNDP’s main knowledge and advisory hub for the Europe and CIS Region (ECIS). It aims to connect the region to a global network of development experts, to build knowledge and capacity, and to forge partnerships to meet the development challenges of a large and diverse region. IRH also aims to capture and disseminate development successes and best practices in the region and to improve the impact of UNDP’s work through effective communications and advocacy. 

In order to achieve these aims, the IRH employs a team of in-house policy advisers and specialists, backed by an extensive roster of outside experts. Programme advisers and specialists provide demand-driven advisory services, access to knowledge, and technical backstopping to RBEC country offices and GEF IW Projects implemented in the region. The countries to be served under this roster are those in Eastern Europe, Caucasus, Central Asia, and Egypt, Libya, Chad, and Sudan.

The UNDP GEF International Waters Team provides support to the process of developing, implementing, and evaluating national and international water management projects.  It also covers the thematic areas of Sustainable Development Goal #6, as well as green production, social inclusion, and stakeholder outreach for fresh water management projects. They may also be responsible for leading and managing the regional practice work through communities of practice (COP) in their respective areas of expertise.

The UNDP GEF IW – Fresh Water Team provides support to the process of nationalizing, implementing and monitoring the global 2030 sustainable development agenda.  As fresh water management is cross cutting to the SDGs, it also covers the thematic areas of employment and inclusive growth, green economies and green jobs, social protection and social inclusion, as well as poverty and inequality measurement. 

UNDP IRH invites applications from qualified experts to establish a roster of consultants to work on various consultancy assignments in the region. 
The roster will include consultants/experts in SDG #6 Water Supply and Sanitation and Integrated Water Resources Management for the following areas of specialization:

• Water Quantity: Environmental flow, Surface water and ground water supply and demand management; Sectoral water quantity management; Climate change adaptation for water management, including flood and drought management; conjunctive ground and surface water use; hydrological flow modelling; and water use efficiency.
• Water Quality: Water quality monitoring; Water Pollution abatement and law enforcement; Laboratory standard Operation Procedures and ISO 17025 Accreditation for fresh water monitoring; waste water treatment; and health and sanitation.
• River Ecology: Fresh water ecology, and catchment area management; Environmental flow monitoring; Aquatic and wetland biodiversity; fresh water fisheries, aquaculture; aquatic flora and fauna; macro invertebrates; catchment area protection; hydro morphology; and, hydro geology.
• Information Management and Decision Support Systems: mathematical modelling; database development, and GIS
• Sectoral Water Uses: agriculture, hydropower/energy, municipal, industrial, etc.
• Institutional Aspects: Legal and institutional aspects for fresh water management and water governance, and policy; Transboundary water resource management and water diplomacy, mediation, and conflict resolution; Application of the EU Water Framework Directive and Daughter Directives; and, GEF International Waters Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis and Strategic Action Program development, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Water Resource Economics:  Water pricing, water tariffs, water nexus; public private partnership development; and, economic modelling for water resources.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Gender mainstreaming for natural resources management; Stakeholder education and outreach for water management, including public participation; Demographic and socio-economic aspects of IWRM and freshwater management; civil society engagement; Animation, digital education, infographics for education and social marketing; Technical translation related to fresh water and environment into national languages; and, Capacity building for IWRM sustainable implementation. 

These TORs are for Consultants Wishing to be Considered for the Roster for the Thematic Area of “Fresh Water Management” GEF International Waters

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) International Waters
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) (www.thegef.org) unites 183 member governments—in partnership with international institutions, non-governmental organizations and the private sector—to address global environment issues. An independently operating financial organization, the GEF provides grants for projects related to biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, the ozone layer and persistent organic pollutants. Since 1991, the GEF has provided US$12.5 billion in grants and leveraged US$58 billion in co-financing for 3,690 projects in 165 developing countries. Through its Small Grants Programme (SGP) the GEF has made more than 20,000 grants totaling about US$1 billion to civil society and community-based organizations.

The GEF International Waters (IW) focal area targets transboundary water systems, such as shared river basins, lakes, groundwater and large marine ecosystems. The IW portfolio comprises 242 projects to date and some US$1.4 billion of GEF grants invested in 149 different countries. This investment has leveraged about US$8.4 billion in co-financing.

Duties and Responsibilities

Consultants on the Roster will be expected to be qualified to provide expertise on the specialties listed above. Those selected to serve on the IRH Fresh Water Roster may be required to provide support to GEF International Waters projects and to Country Offices in the development of IWRM projects at the national and transboundary level. The objective of this vetted roster is to enhance project implementation, provide nationally and internationally based expertise to project and country teams who are familiar and experienced in application of IWRM within the IRH RBEC countries. This also expands the opportunities of Project Managers to draw upon experts with specifically relevant regional knowledge and experiences. These experts will provide short term technical inputs, based on selection criteria needed for specific assignments. These inputs will be based on the UNDP Individual Contract mechanisms and selection will be based according to UNDP rules.

Roster members selected for the consultancy assignment will work with UNDP Country Offices and/or the Istanbul Regional Hub in the following areas:

• Collection and assessment of data; 
• Conduct technical needs analyses and identifying gaps; 
• Draft reports and make recommendations;
• Develop plans for adoption and implementation;
• Develop curriculum and support creation of educational materials for various levels;
• Conduct capacity building and educational efforts;
• Conduct stakeholder analysis and outreach including gender mainstreaming;
• Develop monitoring and evaluation criteria;
• Review Strategic policies and legislation programs and projects at regional, national and local levels; 
• Provide support to stakeholder workshop development and implementation;
• Mentoring of young professionals; 
• Contribute to workshops and trainings including organizing and chairing as needed;
• Make presentations in meetings;
• Academic conference and other conference organization;
• Conduct monitoring and evaluations; and,
• Provide guidance on including freshwater management into SDGs as a cross cutting issue. 

Competencies

Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
• Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment

Functional competencies:

• Strong interpersonal skills, communication and diplomatic skills, ability to work in a team
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback
• Ability to work under pressure and stressful situations
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities
• Excellent public speaking and presentation skills

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Masters Degree in field relevant to areas of specialization required; 
• Relevant professional training in the area of specialization is preferred

Experience 

• At least 5 years experience in International Fresh Water Resources Management required; Extensive experience in International Fresh Water Resources Management preferred
• Professional experience in implementation or development of environmental or water management efforts required, experience in IWRM projects an asset
• Relevant National or Regional experience is an asset.
• Previous professional experience in contribution to similar efforts with United Nations or similar organizations in this or a related field required, experience in GEF IW transboundary project preferred

Language skills:

• Professional proficiency in English, Russian, French, or Arabic required
• Fluency in any additional national languages of the region is an asset 

Evaluation of Applicants

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal.
The award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated 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. 

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation 

• Criteria A: Education – Max 15 points
• Criteria B: Professional years experience in field of specialization- Max 15 points
• Criteria C: Professional experience in water management or environmental efforts – Max 10 points
• Criteria D: Relevant national or regional experience – Max 10 points
• Criteria E: Professional experience with United Nations or similar organization and experience with GEF projects – Max 10 points
• Criteria F: Language Abilities – Max 10 points

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation 

Only the highest ranked candidates who would be found qualified for the job will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Contracting Arrangements:
Successful candidates will be included into UNDP RBEC Vetted Experts Roster for Area of UNDP-GEF IW Fresh Water Management for the period of 3 years. Entry into the expert roster system does not necessarily mean that contract with UNDP is guaranteed. This will depend on forthcoming needs. During this period, IRH which manages the roster, can regularly follow up with consultants as well as UNDP offices in ECIS on their assignments. Financial proposal (daily fee in USD) provided by the consultant is the all-inclusive maximum daily fee payable and is bound to the period of 3 years (unless the consultant applies to the roster during its re-opening). 
Profiles of roster members will be published at UNDP internal platform and accessible to UNDP IRH and Country Offices.
Where a request for services arises, the UNDP IRH or UNDP office will share a specific Terms of Reference (TOR) outlining specific services, outputs and timeline for that assignment with consultant(s) matching the requested profile and consultants will be requested to provide a price offer. A consultant offering a best value for money will be contracted.

Payments:
Payments will be made as specified in the actual contract upon confirmation of UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner.

Application procedures

Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via this website. The application should contain:

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position and your specific area(s) of specialization. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application. 
• Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees 
• (blank form can be downloaded from http://www.eurasia.undp.org/content/dam/rbec/docs/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc); please upload the P11 instead of your CV. 
• Financial Proposal* in USD – specifying all-inclusive maximum daily fee
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials

*Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor (e.g. fee, health insurance, office supplies, communications, vaccination, personal security needs and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services...). 

Payments will be made only upon confirmation of UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner. 

Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org
General Terms and conditions as well as other related documents can be found under: http://on.undp.org/t7fJs.

Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply.
Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.