Historique

United Nations Capital Development Fund

UNCDF is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s 48 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

UNCDF’s financing models work through two channels: financial inclusion that expands the opportunities for individuals, households, and small businesses to participate in the local economy, providing them with the tools they need to climb out of poverty and manage their financial lives; and by showing how localized investments — through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and structured project finance — can drive public and private funding that underpins local economic expansion and sustainable development.

By strengthening how finance works for poor people at the household, small enterprise, and local infrastructure levels, UNCDF contributes to SDG 1 on eradicating poverty and SDG 17 on the means of implementation. By identifying those market segments where innovative financing models can have transformational impact in helping to reach the last mile and address exclusion and inequalities of access, UNCDF contributes to a number of different SDGs.

UNCDF’s Energy Access Initiative: CleanStart Programme

UNCDF, through the CleanStart Programme (2012-2020), supports low-income consumers to transition to cleaner and more efficient energy. By 2020, CleanStart aims to have over 500,000 households and micro-entrepreneurs make the switch to clean energy, which translates into 2.5 million people benefitting altogether.

To this end, the CleanStart Programme promotes access to finance across the energy value chain from customer to enterprise by investing in early stage, innovative business ideas from SMEs that have the potential to make a step-change in improving the accessibility, affordability, and reliability of modern energy for people, especially those at the last-mile. Business ideas should have strong commercial-viability potential.

The initiative has four programme components. The (1) investment component as described above is complemented by three other components that centre around (2) providing technical advisory services to get concepts and business plans investment-ready by CleanStart, as well as general advice and linkages to non-financial resources such as experts and business development opportunities during the life of the partnership; (3) knowledge and learning through customer insights research and Thinkshops to discuss trending market topics; and (4) advocacy and partnerships with strategic partners to jointly support the improvement of the energy access market ecosystem so that business models can scale.

CleanStart global is supported by the Austrian Development Cooperation, the Government of Andorra, the Government of Liechtenstein, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, and the Swedish International Development Agency.

Purpose of the Long Term Agreement

UNCDF? would like to enter into a non-exclusive Framework Agreement, also known as Long-Term Agreement (LTA), with one or more individuals that will perform the services described below on a need-basis.? In UNCDF, an LTA is a framework agreement by and between UNCDF and a company or individual where the latter may, at any time within the duration of the LTA, be required to render the agreed services at the agreed and fixed unit prices for a minimum period of 12 months, with potential extension for up to two (2) additional years, depending on satisfactory performance of the company.

Under an LTA, UNCDF does not guarantee that any specific quantity of services shall be purchased during the term of this agreement.? The LTA does not form a financial obligation or commitment from UNDP at the time the LTA contract is signed and that such an agreement is non-exclusive.

Where a request for service arises, UNCDF can engage the individual on LTA through a “call-off” of the LTA.
Every call-off shall have specific tasks, scope of services and outputs to be delivered within a specific period of time. For this particular work, the call-off shall be formalized through the issuance of a Purchase Order, attaching thereto the TOR, and any other document relevant to the call-off. Financial commitments will only be established each time a Purchase Order for the specific services/TOR for Individual Contractor is committed.

The LTA shall have a cumulative ceiling amount that may accrue to the individual contractor during the life of the LTA, but said amount shall remain as an upper limit, and must not and cannot be interpreted nor understood as neither a financial commitment nor guarantee of business volume.

Devoirs et responsabilités

Partnerships Consultant for Energy Financing

The Partnerships Consultant – Energy Financing will support UNCDF’s CleanStart Programme with building partnerships both at the enterprise level with investors, funder, and technical service providers to fill the project delivery and investment readiness needs of portfolio partners, and at the programme level with donors by coordinating and supporting resource mobilization for existing and new partnerships towards the further achievement of and CleanStart goals. This role includes new project expansion (ideation and concept development) for future partnerships in order to diversify resources with impact investors, donors, associations and the private sector, and activities to build up CleanStart’s funding ‘attractiveness’ to partners, via improving results communication, CleanStart branding and showcasing at events, curating knowledge content, sourcing training opportunities for partners, and building a pipeline of new investment partners. Additionally, the Consultant will support activities agreed by the overall CleanStart programme to facilitate matching CleanStart future projects and clean energy financing outputs with the objectives of private sector and public sector funding partners.

Key scope of services

Detail

Final products

Estimated number of days

  1. Enterprise development and investment readiness support

 

  • Provide tools to the programme team to assess and diagnose support needs of portfolio partners during and after project implementation periods
  • Facilitate technical assistance, training, business development, and investment opportunities between portfolio partners and external providers
  • Support analytics and coordination efforts in building and marketing CleanStart’s investment pipeline to external investors and funding partners
  • Curate content and organize providers (speakers, hosts) for training sessions and thinkshops that deliver networking opportunities, industry insights, and opportunities to exhibit products from CleanStart portfolio partners

 

  • Curation of content for and organization of Thinkshop series and other knowledge sharing/training events for the off-grid solar sector in Uganda and other countries
  • Assisting with developing loans/guarantee pipeline through identification and support to enterprises on capital raise
  • Mechanisms created to manage investment pipeline (grants, loans, guarantee)
  • Conduct needs assessments for portfolio partners in terms of project delivery and investment readiness
  • 7 days per month
  1. Programme partnership development and expansion support

 

  • Support the programme team in the development of new resources and partnerships (funding and programme implementation related, including with academic institutions) in support of CleanStart’s programme objectives. This includes researching potential partnerships, coordinating and participating in meetings, writing proposals and creating materials (concept notes, presentation decks, briefing notes) to support partner engagement activities
  • Coordinate with monitoring and evaluation and Program Management team to ensure that existing partnerships and relationships are managed in support of CleanStart’s aims (including strategic planning, forecasting for pipeline, donor updates, and coordinating synergies between funders and grantees, etc)
  • Provide relevant support and funding updates to UNCDF, CleanStart team and Country Teams to align projects with donor opportunities and partnership interests
  • Support research, market scoping, and partnership coordination activities in new markets of strategic interest to CleanStart and UNCDF’s energy access agenda
  • As needed, coordinate with other programmes in Asia and Africa (for CleanStart) that enables achievement of deliverables of this consultancy.

 

  • Creation of new concept notes and proposals
  • Identification and facilitation of new strategic partnerships that provide either 1. Programme level funding 2. Challenge Fund Pipeline 3. Investment and technical assistance/business development support opportunities for portfolio partners 4. Visibility of CleanStart in clean energy access

 

  • 7 days per month
  1. CleanStart funding attractiveness and branding and visibility support

 

  • Create new content on CleanStart results as a programme, lessons learned/best practices and results of partners to disseminate at events and via social media
  • Consolidate CleanStart models and best practices in energy financing and SME lending for both UNCDF internal capacity building and external sector-based lessons sharing and technical support to companies and partners (i.e investment pipeline building practices; blended finance structuring)
  • Update (periodically, as needed) CleanStart knowledge products and branding material such as competency packs and donor decks as a means of increasing brand awareness
  • Support CleanStart and partners in showcasing work by participating in external events such as conferences and donor dialogues/workshops
  • Facilitate CleanStart’s contribution to global clean energy discussions through hosting events such as CleanStart Connect
  • Publish results and think pieces after events (thinkshops, conferences, etc) to demonstrate CleanStart’s thought leadership in the sector
  • Contribute to other knowledge management and branding products and publications as necessary.
  • Publication of CleanStart’s results via blogs, articles and papers and other publications to inform market development for clean energy access and clean energy finance

 

  • 7 days per month

Duration of Assignment, Duty Station and Places of Travel

The assignment, under this Long Term Agreement (On Call basis), is expected to have a duration of 3 years. The initial contract would be for one year with an option for renewal in subsequent years upon project needs, availability of funds and satisfactory performance of the consultant.
The individual consultant is expected to be based at the Bangkok regional office for UNCDF. Travel to UNCDF partner countries will be required. The schedule of travel will be determined according to the requirements of each programme country.

Travel costs associated to the assignment will be paid as reimbursable basis and following the UNDP/UNCDF rules and regulations which states that consultants shall only be paid the most direct and most economical ticket, as will be quoted by the official UN travel agency.? Any amount in excess of the said quotation, such as class and airline preference of the consultant, shall be borne by the consultant. Daily living allowance will be paid as per UN Rate. Lodging and terminal expenses shall not exceed those allowed within UNCDF policy. Please note that consultants that are home-based will not be compensated for living expenses.

Monitoring and Progress Control

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the CleanStart Programme Manager and Programme Analyst, and in close collaboration with CleanStart partners. The Consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own laptop and other tools to perform services.

Payment to the Individual Contractor will be made based on the actual number of days agreed with UNCDF as reflected in the call-off (PO) and upon certification of satisfactory completion and acceptance of the output by the CleanStart PRogramme manager.

Supporting documents that will serve as conditions for disbursement are as follows: (i) submission of invoice and Certificate of Payment form; (ii) review, approval and written acceptance of outputs for each deliverable by CleanStart Programme Analyst; (iii) submission of time sheet and expenses with relevant documentation; and (iv) authorization of payment disbursement from the direct supervisor.

Compétences

Functional Competencies

  • Strong analytical skills;
  • Able to produce concise, executive level reports and presentations;
  • Excellent project management skills; able to manage multiple work streams effectively;
  • Good interpersonal skills and experience in working effectively in a multi-cultural environment, with sensitivity to diverse opinion.

Corporate Competencies

  • Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of UNCDF;
  • Demonstrate integrity by modelling the UN's values and ethical standards;
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Qualifications et expériences requises

Education

  • University and Master’s Degree in areas such as Sociology, Development Studies, Development Economics, etc;

Experience

  • At least 5 years of working experience in partnership development, including resource mobilization, in an international context.
  • At least 2 years of working experience in financial inclusion and/or clean energy finance sectors.
  • At least 1 year of experience in business development/investment readiness support to enterprises.

Language

  • Fluency in English (written and verbal) is required.

Evaluation of Applications

Applications will be rated on both technical and financial submissions.

The following selection method will be used: Highest rated proposal using the combined scoring method, which assigns the weight distribution between the technical and financial proposals. The weight distribution shall be 70% technical and 30% financial.

Step I: Screening/Longlisting

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

  • Master’s Degree in areas such as Sociology, Development Studies, Development Economics, etc;
  • At least 5 years of working experience in partnership development, including resource mobilization, in an international context;
  • Fluency in English (written and verbal)

Step II: Shortlisting by Desk Review

UNCDF will conduct a desk review to produce a shortlist of candidates
by evaluating the following criteria with the corresponding points (100 points)

  • At least 5 years of working experience in partnership development, including resource mobilization, in an international context (50 points);
  • At least 2 years of working experience in financial inclusion and/or clean energy finance sectors (30 Points);
  • At least 1 year of experience in business development/investment readiness support to enterprises (20 Points).

Step III: Interview

A competency-based Interview shall be conducted for the top 3 shortlisted candidates.
Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% on the total of Steps II Desk Review(20 points) +III Interview (80 points) will be considered as technically qualified and will be reviewed further for financial evaluation.

Step IV: Financial Evaluation

The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:
Lowest priced proposal/price of the proposal being evaluated x 30%.

Application Procedure

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Proposers who shall not submit below mentioned documents will not be considered for further evaluation.

  • When applying for this consultancy position, please apply with your official name as shown in the government issued identification document (e.g. passport and/or driver license). Contract award is subject to this verification;
  • 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; link to P11: http://sas.undp.org/documents/P11_Personal_history_form.doc;
  • Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how they will approach and complete the assignment;
  • Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application;
  • Confirmation of interest and Financial proposal: Template for Confirmation of Interest and Submission of Financial Proposal
  • Earliest Availability.

Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when traveling 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.

Both individual consultants and individuals employed by a company or institution are welcome to apply. Any individual employed by a company or institution who would like to submit an offer in response to a Procurement Notice for IC must do so in their individual capacity (providing a CV so that their qualifications may be judged accordingly).

Women candidates or women-owned businesses are strongly encouraged to apply. UNCDF 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.

Please include all documents into one file while submitting your application.

References

UNDP’s Individual Consultant’s General Terms and Conditions are provided here:
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf