Background

Background:

The Government of KP has adopted a multi-year Accelerated Implementation Programme (AIP) 2019-2022 to address the key development gaps in the Merged Areas (MA), erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). AIP is the first year program under the Tribal Decade Strategy (TDS) of the government that seeks to address development disparity of the MA and bring these areas at par with other areas of Pakistan.

The TDS, with detailed discussion of the development challenges and issues of the MA is available on the following link: Tribal Decade Strategy

The draft AIP is available of the following link: Accelerated Implementation Programme

UNDP is implementing its Merged Areas Governance Project (MAGP) as key partner in the process of erstwhile FATA development. MAGP seeks to support AIP implementation through technical assistance in the areas of project formulation, data collection and analysis to contribute to development of locally feasible solutions. In this regard several surveys are planned to inform policies and programs of the government and regulatory reform where necessary to promote private sector development. In this endeavor, the services of an International specialist are required.

This is a Home Based Assignment.

Duties and Responsibilities

UNDP is implementing its Merged Areas Governance Project (MAGP) as key partner in the process of erstwhile FATA development. MAGP seeks to support AIP implementation through technical assistance in the areas of project formulation, data collection and analysis to contribute to development of locally feasible solutions. In this regard several surveys are planned to inform policies and programs of the government and regulatory reform where necessary to promote private sector development. In this endeavor, the services of the following specialist(s) are required:

1. Technical Assistance on BIZ Assessment Survey. BIZ Assessment of the MA of KP is proposed to generate insights useful to design policies, programmes, and regulatory reforms necessary for Micro and Small Enterprise (MSE) development. The MA include 7 districts and 6 subdivisions. The proposed survey will focus on understanding the economic and financial conditions in the region and how they affect individuals as well as businesses.  
2. Provide technical assistance and quality assuring five other similar surveys coming up in the pipeline.
3. Design a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Methodology for Pakistan Bureau of Statistic (BoS).

1. Institutional Arrangement and Duty Station:

The Consultant will be working under the direct supervision of the Lead Technical Advisor with close coordination with the Task Team Lead.  The consultant will be based off-site.

Competencies

Building Strategic Partnerships

• Makes effective use of UNDP’s resources and comparative advantage to strengthen partnerships
• Creates networks and promotes initiatives with partner organizations

Innovation and New Approaches

• Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking, especially for Fata reforms contexts
• Conceptualizes more effective approaches to program development and implementation

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing

• Participating in the development of policies and innovative approaches and promoting their application throughout the organization
• Promotes UNDP as a learning/knowledge sharing organization, with a focus on Fata reforms

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

• Possesses expert knowledge of advanced concepts in primary discipline, a broad knowledge of related disciplines, as well as an in-depth knowledge of relevant organizational policies and procedures, with expertise in reforms contexts
• Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself personally
• Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments

Client Orientation

• Anticipates constraints in the delivery of services and identifies solutions
• Proactively identifies, develops and discusses solutions for clients

Core Competencies

• Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents
• Staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation
• Promoting effective teams 
• Very good communication skills. Ability to express clearly and concisely in both written and oral forms
• Transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking
• Ability to be flexible and react to changing circumstances, e.g. security situation

Required Skills and Experience

Qualification

1. Doctorate degree in economics or a closely related discipline.
2. Active research in the subject area of the assignment (demonstrated by peer reviewed publications)

1. Minimum 7 years of relevant experience in related field such as economics, conflict studies, economics of extractive industries.
2. Excellent communication skills, flawless writing, and editing in English.

1. APPLICATION PROCESS AND SELECTION CRITERIA

The following documents must be submitted by interested persons to become an eligible candidate. Failing to comply with the requirements will result in disqualifying the applicant.  Due to the large number of applications we receive, only the successful candidate will be informed about the outcome or status of the selection process.

Interested individual consultants must include the following documents when submitting the applications:

• CV 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 - UNDP retains the right to contact references directly

• One or more analytical pieces demonstrating expertise (may be linked in CV or annexed)
• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability and Financial Proposal,

Applicants are instructed to submit their financial proposals in US Dollars for this consultancy using the annex to the Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability template available here: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=45780.

1. FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount and payment terms around specific and measurable deliverable. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal should include only the daily fee and number of days. Nothing else will be reimbursed.

1. TRAVEL

It is a home based assignment.  Any unexpected approval travel would be reimbursed by UNDP in accordance with policies and procedures.

1. EVALUATION PROCESS

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis methodology (weighted scoring method), where the award of the contract will 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 technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Technical Criteria weight: 70%

Financial Criteria weight:  30%

Only consultants obtaining a minimum of 70% on the Technical evaluation will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.