Historique

The UNDP Regional Hub for Arab States, in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank, has developed a regional programme on Parliaments for the 2030 Agenda. The 2030 Agenda recognizes that effective, accountable and inclusive institutions – including Parliaments – are key to localizing the SDGs and ensuring equality, accuracy, and efficiency in the monitoring of their implementation at the national level. Within this context, UNDP has published a Handbook on Parliaments’ Role in Implementing the SDGs and developed a model workshop that seeks to support national parliamentary actors in assessing the readiness and capacities if their parliament and in identifying respective approaches and mechanisms for SDG implementation. In a two-year pilot phase, Parliaments in four countries will be supported to play a full role in realizing the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. Moreover, the programme entails support on the regional level in partnership with UNESCWA, including the establishment of a parliamentary network and the organization of annual regional fora, and global activities, such as the organization of side events during the annual High Level Political Forum.

In this framework, it is recognized that Parliamentary Strategic Development Planning is especially relevant against the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. Strategic Development Plans can both strengthen parliamentary capacity and responsiveness and align the parliamentary institution with development priorities outlined in the SDGs and other international standards. By ensuring that the strategic planning process is adequately inclusive and involves all parliamentary stakeholders, the plan furthermore can become an effective toll and positive starting point for national and international partners seeking to ensure sustainable and democratic development. UNDP and the IsDB are thus envisaging to develop a Handbook on Parliamentary Sustainable Development Planning for the 2030 within the framework of their joint Programme.

Within this context, the UNDP Jordan Country Office in Amman is developing a Project with the Jordanian House of Representatives with the objective to enhance the capacities of the Jordanian HoR to play a full role in Jordan’s implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The Government of Jordan is a key driver of the 2030 Agenda, and is delivering upon a roadmap towards achieving the SDGs that ensures their integration into national development priorities, as highlighted in the First Voluntary National Review that was presented at the UN High Level Political Forum in July 2017. The House of Representatives was involved in the consultative process that led to the development of the roadmap and the VNR; however, looking ahead, the House of Representatives will need to take a significantly enhanced role in promoting inclusive and accountable implementation and monitoring of the SDGs than it so far has played.

With the objective to identify and explain mechanisms and principles through which parliamentary and constitutional assemblies and constitution-making bodies can fulfill their role as Sustaining Peace actors, a Handbook on the Role of Parliaments and Constitutions in Sustaining Peace has been developed (to be published). The Handbook will be substantiated with further expert input, peer-reviewed, and launched in 2018. The content and methodology of the Handbook will be presented to and discussed with UN Staff through a consultation workshop at the UNDP Regional Hub in Amman. Moreover, the structure of previously developed national roundtables will be revisited and restructured based on lessons learned and experiences from a previous roundtable in New York. These efforts are part of UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Arab States’ and the Oslo Governance Center’s commitment to establish dialogue platforms and contribute to a relevant analysis and exchange of international best practices.

Devoirs et responsabilités

The overall objective of this assignment is to support the strengthening of peaceful and democratic transformations the Arab States with a view to fostering inclusive political processes, specifically strengthening parliaments and constitution-making bodies in terms of their preventive governance capacity, accountability, participation and representation to promote legitimate and dynamic social contracts in line with SDG 16.

To support these processes, the Junior Consultant is required to support the activities outlined in the joint UNDP-IsDB Programme Parliaments for 2030 Agenda, including support to the organization and facilitation of national workshops with Parliaments in Jordan, Tunisia, Somalia and potentially Saudi Arabia, including the conduct of assessment exercises evaluating parliamentary SDG readiness; support to the development and implementation of Parliamentary SDG Action Plans; support to the organization and facilitation of regional events, such as the Annual Regional Forum for Arab Parliamentarians on the 2030 Agenda, scheduled for September 2018; support to the establishment of a network of Arab Parliamentarians on the 2030 Agenda; and support to the organization of events on the global level, such as the HLFP Side Event on  Parliaments’ Role in Implementing SDGs for Sustainable and Resilient Societies in July 2018. The individual is furthermore expected to support the coordination and communication with international partners involved in these activities, such as the IsDB, UNESCWA and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Moreover, the Junior Consultant is expected to develop a Handbook on Parliamentary Sustainable Development Planning for the 2030 Agenda within the framework of the UNDP-IsDB Program. UNDP has previously supported several strategic development plans of Parliaments over the years. The Handbook will draw on this experience by presenting lessons learned, best practices, current legislative and parliamentary process trends, and guidelines as part of an effort to improve parliamentary strategic development planning for the Agenda 2030.

The individual is further expected to provide support to the UNDP Country Office Jordan in the development of the above-named Parliamentary Support Project with the Jordanian House of Representatives. This will include the drafting of a Project Document, the organization and facilitation of meetings with national and international partners, as well as the development of initial activities, such as workshops with committees and self-assessment exercises.

Moreover, the Junior Consultant will support the initiative on the Role of Parliaments and Constitutions in Sustaining Peace. This will include support to the finalization of the Handbook, support to the organization of the consultation workshop with UN staff, and support to the review of national activities related to the Handbook, including the national roundtables, based on lessons learned from a previous roundtable in Iraq. Furthermore, the Junior Consultant will support the implementation of further national roundtables.

The purpose of the assignment is to support all above-mentioned initiatives and tasks under the overall guidance of the IPP Programme Specialist.

DURATION OF THE WORK AND DUTY STATION 

The consultant is expected to start on the 15th of May for 150 working days spread over a period of 8 months. All work will be in Amman-Jordan, at the Regional Hub Office.  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 upon UNDP IC rules and regulations

Compétences

Core Values:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism

Core Competencies:

• Enthusiasm
• Commitment
• Excellent Planning and organizational skills.
• High proficiency in computer literacy, graphics and use of internet
• Able to work efficiently with minimal supervision

Qualifications et expériences requises

Education:

• Master’s degree in governance, political science or law, legislative studies, related fields, such as conflict studies, peace building, human rights, policing, etc.

Professional Experience: 

• Minimum 1 year of technical expertise, including working experience in developing countries, in the field of governance including both local and international, public administration, conflict management;
• Experience in drafting and designing documents or similar documents in related fields with international organizations (UN);
• Experience in strategic prioritisation in the field of parliamentary development;
• Working experience in conflict or post-conflict countries required for the conduct of the exercise itself, and for understanding the particular context of the evaluation;
• Proven work experience in use of participatory methods for identifying goals and measurable target indicators;
• Knowledge of theories, principles and methods in the combination of selective fields of the following: legislative, oversight, representation, etc.;
• Past service/experience in the UN system.  

Language Requirements

• Fluency in English (written and oral)

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Candidates that fail to submit the required information will not be considered.

Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;

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;

Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per the table given in section D. template provided. 

All necessary information including: Complete Procurement Notice, The Selection Criteria, and Annexes are found on the following link under Procurement http://procurement-notices.undp.org/

Interested candidate shall apply the CV/P11 to Job advertisement website, hence consultant should submit to website:  Proc.contract.rscjo@undp.org : not later than May 2nd 2018 the following documents:

• CV/P11
• Confirm availability and Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per the table given in section D. template provided. 
• Brief description of why you consider yourself as the most suitable for the assignment

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

Interested candidates should provide daily fees for requested services with detailed breakdown (consultancy fees, * number of working days). Payments shall be made to the consultant based on a duly completed time sheet on monthly basis

EVALUATION

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

Step I: Screening and desk review:

Applications will be screened and only candidates meeting the following minimum criteria will progress to the pool for shortlisting:

• Master’s degree in governance, political science or law, legislative studies, related fields, such as conflict studies, peace building, human rights, policing, or related fields;
• At least 1 year of technical expertise, including working experience in developing countries, in the field of governance including both local and international, public administration, conflict management;
• Language proficiency in written and oral English.
• Previous UN Experience

Shortlisted Candidates will be assessed and scored against the following evaluation criteria.

Evaluation of Candidates (max 100 points):

• Master’s degree in governance, political science or law, legislative studies, related fields, such as conflict studies, peace building, human rights, policing, or related fields (20 points);
• At least 1 year of technical expertise, including working experience in developing countries, in the field of governance including both local and international, public administration, conflict management at the national or international level (20 points);
• Experience in drafting and designing documents or similar documents in related fields with international organizations or UN projects (10 points);
• Experience in strategic prioritization in the field of parliamentary development (10 points);
• Experience in conflict or post-conflict countries required for the conduct of the exercise itself, and for understanding the particular context of the evaluation (20 points);
• Proven work experience in use of participatory methods for identifying goals and measurable target indicators; Knowledge of theories, principles and methods in the combination of selective fields of the following: legislative, oversight, representation, etc. (20 points);

The final evaluation will combine the scores of desk review and financial proposal with the following weights assigned to each:

• Shortlisting/ Desk review: 70%;
• Financial proposal: 30%.