Background

UNDP Rule of Law Support

Strengthening the rule of law and promoting human rights are cornerstones of UNDP’s work to achieve sustainable human development and eradicate extreme poverty. SDG 16 articulates the key role that governance and the rule of law play in promoting peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.

UNDP’s Global Programme on Strengthening the Rule of Law and Human Rights for Sustaining Peace and Fostering Development aids national partners to build resilient communities that are supported by just institutions.

With an in-country presence before, during and after a conflict, UNDP is increasingly expected to assume a substantive role in providing rule of law, justice and security assistance to countries threatened or affected by crisis and fragility. To meet these demands, UNDP’s Crisis Bureau (CB) has made rule of law a priority area for programming. Within CB, the Global Programme is the main operational and financial instrument for UNDP globally to engage on justice & security in crisis-affected countries. Drawing on some of UNDP’s most innovative rule of law programmes in crisis-affected and fragile situations, it has sought to expand such experiences to assist UNDP Country Offices to develop multi-year, comprehensive rule of law programmes that respond rapidly and effectively to the needs on the ground.  The Global Programme provides support to rule of law programmes in over 40 crisis-affected situations, with a total programming value of over USD 200 million.

The Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights team within CB is responsible for the implementation of the Global Programme, as well as practice development in the areas of rule of law, justice, security and human rights as they relate to crisis prevention and recovery in conflict and disaster settings. 

Objective:

The purpose of this procurement exercise is to contract an individual consultant who will help advance UNDP’s mandate in Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights through programme and policy support, including through providing technical expertise leading planning for the Rule of Law, Security and Human Rights Community of Practice Capstone Meeting.

Duties and Responsibilities

SCOPE OF WORK, RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ANALYTICAL WORK

Under the overall supervision of the Rule of Law, Justice, Security and Human Rights Team Leader and working closely with the RoLSHR team, the consultant’s overall functions will be as follows:

Support implementation of the Global Rule of Law and Human Rights Programme including ROL-related programming and feeding programmatic lessons into global policy with a special attention on innovation.

-Provide technical and operational backstopping to countries receiving or requesting support from the Global ROL-HR Programme.

-Contribute to increasing the quality of reporting on monitoring and evaluation to specific programme support countries and coordinate with relevant teams within UNDP to advance innovative approaches to rule of law in the field.

Lead planning and execution of the Rule of Law and Human Rights Community of Practice Capstone meeting, to take place in February 2020.

-Collaborate with ROLSHR team to develop vision and strategy for the Capstone, and lead drafting of related background information and materials (concept note, agenda, methodology, etc.).

-Serve as primary focal point for organizing logistics and coordinating participation from across the globe.

-Liaise with Community of Practice online facilitators to ensure relevant linkages with the Capstone meeting.

The consultant may also perform any other ad hoc functions as needed or determined by the RoLSHR Team Leader or the Global ROL-HR Programme Manager.

Expected outputs and deliverables:

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

• Strong partnering skills and ability to mobilize support for UNDP;
• Strong programme design skills;
• Strong analytical, negotiation and communication skills, including ability to produce high quality reports and programmes;
• Clear understanding and experience of policies and procedures for corporate due diligence and reputational risk management;
• Innovative approaches/experience on global development issues;
• Ability to function in a team environment.

Behavioural Competencies:

• Productive and efficient worker, highly motivated;
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize tasks;
• Strong initiative and is comfortable to pro-actively reach out to new and existing external partners;
• Performance-oriented and focused on results;
• Persistence and willingness to follow through;
• Strong interpersonal skills and flexibility;
• Ability to take instructions and to learn on the job;
• Communication and advocacy skills;
• Curiosity and desire to work a complex, international environment.

Corporate Competencies:

• Commitment to UNDP’s mission, vision and values;
• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP, and partner organizations;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Excellent understanding of international development issues and knowledge of the UN system.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic qualifications:

• Advanced university degree (Master's level) in International Relations, Law, Development or related field is required.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in areas of Rule of Law, Justice and Security and international relations is required;
• Demonstrable experience working in the UN systems, or related international organizations and familiarity with Peace Building, Crisis Prevention and Recovery issues is essential and required;
• Experience of working on conflict issues is required;
• Knowledge of UNDP/UN regulations, rules, policies, procedures and practices is required;
• Strong inter-personal skills and a demonstrated capacity to forge effective relations with colleagues and counterparts from different backgrounds is required; 
• Proven ability to effectively function in a multi-national, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic environment is required;
• Proven ability to deliver against hard deadlines under a lot of pressure in difficult settings is required.

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required;
• fluency is another UN language is preferred.

Application Procedure

The application package containing the following (to be uploaded as one file):

• A cover letter with a brief description of why the Offer considers her/himself the most suitable for the assignment;
• Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects and specifying the relevant assignment period (from/to), as well as the email and telephone contacts of at least three (3) professional references; and
• A two-page methodology on how the Offeror will conduct the work and approach in delivering on the required functions within the assignment period; and
• Financial Proposal using template provided.

Note: The above documents need to be scanned in one file and uploaded to the online application as one document.

Shortlisted candidates (ONLY) will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal.

• The financial proposal should specify an all-inclusive daily fee (based on a 7-hour working day - lunch time is not included - and estimated 21.75 days per month).
• The financial proposal must be all-inclusive and take into account various expenses that will be incurred during the contract, including: the daily professional fee; (excluding mission travel); travel costs to assume duties and living allowances at the duty station; communications, utilities and consumables; life, health and any other insurance; risks and inconveniences related to work under hardship and hazardous conditions (e.g., personal security needs, etc.), when applicable; and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services under the contract.
• In the case of unforeseeable travel requested by UNDP, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between UNDP and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.
• If the 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 a 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.

The Financial Proposal is to be emailed as per the instruction in the separate email that will be sent to shortlisted candidates.

Evaluation process

Applicants are reviewed based on Required Skills and Experience stated above and based on the technical evaluation criteria outlined below.  Applicants will be evaluated based on cumulative scoring.  When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Being 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 where technical criteria weighs 70% and Financial criteria/ Proposal weighs 30%.

Technical evaluation - Total 70% (70 points):

• Criteria 1. A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in areas of Rule of Law, Justice and Security and international relations is required; Maximum Points: 10;
• Criteria 2. Demonstrable experience working in the UN system, or similar international organizations, and familiarity with Peace Building, Crisis Prevention and Recovery issues is essential and required; Maximum Points: 15;
• Criteria 3. Experience of working on conflict issues is required; Maximum Points: 15;
• Criteria 4. Knowledge of UNDP/UN regulations, rules, policies, procedures and practices is required; Maximum Points: 10;
• Criteria 5. Strong inter-personal skills and a demonstrated capacity to forge effective relations with colleagues and counterparts from different backgrounds; Maximum Points: 10;
• Criteria 6. Proven ability to effectively function in a multi-national, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic environment; Maximum Points: 5;
• Criteria 7. Proven ability to deliver against hard deadlines under a lot of pressure in difficult settings; Maximum Points: 5; and
• Desk Review: Weight = 70 %; Maximum Points: 70.

UNDP will conduct a desk review of all applications received

Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (49 points) of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria (70 points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

Financial evaluation - Total 30% (30 points)

The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:

p = y (µ/z), 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

Contract Award

Candidate obtaining the highest combined scores in the combined score of Technical and Financial evaluation will be considered technically qualified and will be offered to enter into contract with UNDP.

Institutional arrangement

The consultant will work under the guidance and direct supervision of ROLHR Team Leader and will be responsible for the fulfilment of the deliverables as specified above.

• The Consultant will be requested to work in New York at UNDP HQ;
• The consultant will be supervised by and report directly to the ROLHR Team Leader;
• Payments will be made upon submission of a detailed time sheet and certification of payment form, and acceptance and confirmation by the Supervisor on days worked and outputs delivered;
• The consultant will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment;
• The consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own laptop, but internet, phone, scanner/printer, etc. will be made available by UNDP ICT whilst working in office;
• Any necessary missions must be approved in advance and in writing by the ROLHR Team Leader
• The Advanced and Basic Security in the Field II courses must be successfully completed prior to commencement of travel;
• The selected candidate is responsible for ensuring that s/he has the necessary vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director;
• The selected candidate is responsible for obtaining any visas needed in connection with travel with the necessary support from UNDP;
• Consultants are required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under https://dss.un.org/dssweb/;  

All related travel expenses will be supported by the project travel fund and will be arranged according to UNDP entitlements and travel policy. 

Payment modality

• Payment to the Individual Contractor will be made based on the actual number of days worked, deliverables accepted and upon certification of satisfactory completion by the manager.
• The work week will be based on 35 hours, i.e. on a 7-hour working day, with core hours being between 9h00 and 18h00 daily EST.

Annexes (click on the hyperlink to access the documents):

Annex 1 - UNDP P-11 Form for ICs

Annex 2 - IC Contract Template

Annex 3 – IC General Terms and Conditions

Annex 4 – RLA Template

Any request for clarification must be sent by email to cpu.bids@undp.org 

The UNDP Central Procurement Unit will respond by email and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all applicants.