UNDP Jobs - 91778- Framework Agreement for 4 Economists

Framework Agreement for 4 Economists

Location :

Home-based with possible travel mission

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

01-Jul-2020

Application Deadline :

03-Jun-20 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

3 years (max 540 working days) depending on demand for services and good performance

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

For UNDP, adaptation to climate change means climate-resilient economic development and sustainable livelihoods, especially for vulnerable populations – the poor, women, and indigenous peoples. UNDP supports these goals by assisting over 80 countries to integrate current and future climate risks and uncertainties into national and sub-national development efforts. UNDP works with governments, the private sector, communities, and other partners to build responsive state institutions and public policies; strengthen public and private sector capacities to manage climate change risks and uncertainties; and formulate, finance and implement climate-resilient initiatives.

Together with partners, UNDP supports climate change risk management in the context of agriculture and food security, water resources, coastal zone development, public health, and climate change-related disaster risks. To finance this work at the national, sub-national and community levels, UNDP helps countries secure climate change adaptation finance that is available through vertical funds such as the Least Developed Countries Fund and the Special Climate Change Fund (both of which are managed by the Global Environment Facility, GEF), Green Climate Fund, as well as other multilateral and bilateral sources. Countries are supported to optimize the use of these public funds by also leveraging and catalysing private finance for adaptation.

Within the Environmental Finance unit, the work focuses on resilient livelihoods, food and agricultural systems, water management, climate information, resilient ecosystems and ecosystem-based adaptation, making the use and supply of energy more environmentally sustainable, affordable and accessible, to promote low emission and climate resilient urban and transport infrastructure, and to improve water and ocean governance and management and to sustain livelihoods at the local, national, regional and global scales.

In the context of the above, Environmental Finance unit is seeking an economist to provide technical assistance in the area of economics of adaptation, especially in areas such as cost-benefit analysis and investment appraisal. Support is also required to provide one-on-one technical assistance to client countries to identify capacity gaps and deliver training in comprehensive integrated climate-environment-socio-economic vulnerability assessments as well as economic based appraisal techniques for sector-based and distinct adaptation investments

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of work:

The consultants will work under the guidance and supervision of the Head of Climate Change Adaptation. The scope of work will vary depending on the specific assignment, but would include one or various of the below tasks:

Assist targeted countries to undertake cost-benefit analysis, economic analysis and assessment of adaptation projects that are seeking financing from various funds;
Assist targeted countries to plan for skills building programmes in economic and financial analysis related to climate change vulnerability assessments and adaptation appraisal techniques;
Sensitize senior decision makers on economic and financial appraisal techniques to evaluate adaptation options and how such tools/approaches can assist in the process of prioritization process for financing from domestic and external budgets;
Train technical personnel in ministries involved with sector planning and project formulation in applying economic and financial appraisal techniques for sector-based and distinct investment options. This is more specialized training designed to assist personnel with applying economic and financial assessment techniques to understand the impact of climate change impacts and adaptation on key sectors at both the micro and macro level. Evaluation techniques for adaptation and financial appraisal options will also be covered through this training;
Prepare cost-benefit analysis, economic and financial analysis and assessments;
Assist targeted countries to develop sector-specific economic and financial assessments of risk management measures that international funds could be used, together with domestic public and private funds to address those sector specific risks;
Assist targeted countries with one on one support to plan for skills enhancement on economic and financial appraisal for improved vulnerability assessments and adaptation appraisal techniques;
Provide direct training in the targeted countries on adaptation appraisal techniques for senior decision makers;
Provide in-depth training programmes on adaptation appraisal and vulnerability assessments for the targeted countries, when required, over the duration of the contract;
Provide remote technical advisory support to selected countries on the economics of adaptation including on applying economic and financial appraisal techniques.

Specific outputs:

An indicative list of outputs includes:

Completed cost-benefit analysis, economics analysis, financial appraisal and other assessments;

• Technical review and finalization of selected country reports on (a) economic impact of climate change on the relevant sectors; (b) economics of adaptation in the relevant sectors; (c) regional level analysis of the impact of climate change on relevant sectors; and (d) regional analysis;

• Technical support to model the impact of financing in selected countries using the end line survey data;

• Reports on the impact of the project on the resilience of livelihoods in targeted areas;

• Design Impact evaluation frameworks for selected countries that can be used to evaluate the impacts on targeted aspects of adaptation projects;

• Plan scope for missions and post mission assessment of areas of support needed given additional information gathered following the in-country workshop and project site visits;

• Liaise with country team on priority areas and capacity building needs to guide in country training material preparation on the economics of adaptation;

• Provide in-depth training programmes on economics of adaptation and investment appraisal;

• All PPTs and training material to be used for the trainings on the economics of adaptation and investment appraisal;

• Solutions for policy and regulation risks reducing barrier and conducive to incentivizing private investment;

• Investment proposals to access international finance;

• Drafts of appropriate number of journal quality articles, prepared in collaboration with UNDP staff, on the economics of adaptation pertaining to relevant sectors in the targeted countries.

Information on Working Arrangements:

The overall objective of these Framework Agreements is to facilitate and expedite the process by which the Environmental Finance unit can hire the services of Climate Change Adaptation Economists once there are specific assignments over the next 3 years;
Estimated level of effort including travel: approximately 180 working days over 12 months for each consultant. Maximum working days over the 3-year period would be 540 days per consultant;
UNDP does not guarantee that any quantity of services will be purchased during the term of the Framework Agreement as this will depend on forthcoming needs, good performance, and availability of resources;
IC as a Framework Agreement is non-exclusive (i.e. it does not prohibit UNDP from entering into another such framework agreement with other individuals or entities);
The Framework Agreements will be for a fixed all-inclusive daily fee;
Once the Framework Agreements are signed, if there is a specific assignment, the focal person at UNDP would contact the Consultant by email informing of the specific deliverables required, and timeline for delivery;
The consultant must advise within 48 hours whether s/he is available to deliver the requested service;
Thereafter a Purchase Order will be raised. Financial commitments will only be established each time the services are requested within the scope of the Framework Agreement through the transmitted email and purchase order;
Given the consultations to be undertaken during this assignment, the consultant is expected to be reasonably flexible with his/her availability for such consultations taking into consideration different time zones;
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 working station (i.e. laptop, internet, phone, scanner/printer, etc.) and must have access to a reliable internet connection;
The consultant will engage regularly with the supervisor by email and Skype on a weekly and/or as needed daily basis;
The consultant shall submit to the Supervisor a monthly progress report on the status of the implementation of tasks;
Payments will be made monthly upon submission of a detailed time sheet (including deliverables and their timely execution) and certification of payment form, and acceptance and confirmation by the supervisor on days worked (with “a day” calculated as 8 hours of work) and outputs delivered.

Travel:

International travel may be required. An estimated 3-4 missions during the first year (destinations to be identified) with expected total travel duration of approximately 4-6 days per mission. Expected mission travel would be discussed upon commencement of assignment and updated quarterly;
Any necessary mission travel must be approved in writing and in advance by the Head of Climate Change Adaptation;
The BSAFE Online Security Awareness Training Course must be successfully completed prior to commencement of travel;

Consultants are responsible for obtaining any visas needed in connection with travel with the necessary support from UNDP;
Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have insurance and vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director;
Consultants are required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under https://dss.un.org/dssweb/;
The consultant will be responsible for making his/her own mission travel arrangements in line with UNDP travel policies;
All related travel expenses will be reimbursed as per UNDP rules and regulations upon submission of an F-10 claim form and supporting documents. Costs for mission travel (including air tickets, living allowances) should not be included in the financial proposal.

Competencies

Corporate

Demonstrates commitment to UNDP’s vision, mission and values;
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.

Technical:

Analytic capacity and demonstrated ability to process, analyse and synthesise complex, technical information;
Proven ability to support the development of high-quality knowledge and training materials, and to train technical teams;
Proven experience in the developing country context and working in different cultural settings.

Functional:

Professionalism

Results-driven, initiative-taking, ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines;
Remains calm and in control even under pressure, and consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
Ability to work under minimum supervision;
Highly motivated with a positive attitude and problem-solving approach;
Self-motivated with ability to accept responsibility and accountability for decisions and actions;
Manage conflicting priorities and deadlines.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

At least Master’s degree in economics, finance and/or environmental economics (PhD degree is an added advantage). (15 points)

Experience

A minimum of 10 years of relevant work experience in areas such as application of (economic) cost-benefit analysis, investment appraisal for large-scale development projects involving grants and/or concessional finance (20 points);
Experience working with economic analysis in regards to environmental issues and/or financial appraisal of revenue generating projects (20 points);
Experience in areas of institutional capacity-building for public administrators on economics and finance development planning and budgeting, development management, public administration and related initiatives (15 points);
Experience working with, and delivering technical assistance to, public sector clients in LDCs or developing countries (10 points);
Familiarity with the UN System, in particular UNDP, UNCDF and/or Multilateral Development Banks (ADB/World Bank/African Development Bank) is preferred (10 points);
Knowledge of the main vertical funds (GEF, AF and GCF) dedicated to climate finance is desirable (max. 10 points).

Language:

Proficiency in written and spoken English. (Pass/ fail)

Evaluation Method:

Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated. Incomplete applications will not be considered;
Offers will be evaluated according to the Combined Scoring method – where the technical criteria will be weighted at 70% and the financial offer will be weighted at 30%;
The technical criteria (education, experience, language [max. 100 points] and interview [max. 30 points]) will be based on a maximum 130 points.
Only the top 10 candidates that have achieved a minimum of 70 points from the review of education, experience and language will be considered for the interview;
Candidates obtaining 21 points or higher in the interview will be deemed technically compliant and considered for financial evaluation;
Financial score (max 100 points) shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal of those technically qualified;
The financial proposal shall specify an all-inclusive daily fee. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal must additionally include a breakdown of this daily fee (including all foreseeable expenses to carry out the assignment);
Top 4 applicants receiving the Highest Combined Score and have accepted UNDP’s General Terms and Conditions will be awarded the contract.

Documentation to be submitted:

Applicants must submit a duly completed and signed UNDP Personal History form (P11) and/or CV including Education/Qualification, Professional Certification, Employment Records /Experience;

Applicants must reply to the mandatory questions asked by the system when submitting the application.
Applicants must submit a duly completed and signed Annex II Offeror´s letter to UNDP confirming interest and availability for the Individual Contractor (IC) assignment to be downloaded from the UNDP procurement site.

Links

UNDP Personal History form (P11) required of all applicants: P11 link.

General Conditions of Contract for the ICs: GTC-Link.

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LINK -https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=66032

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