Historique

Following the reforms repositioning the UN development system, the UN Maldives’ Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) is the most important planning and implementation instrument of the UN system in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda) in the country with a commitment to leave no one behind and in line with human rights and other international standards and obligations. It will outline the UN’s collective response to national development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the period of 2022-2026 and prepared and implemented in full consultation with the Government and other stakeholders, including development partners, international financial institutions, civil society, trade unions, private sector and beneficiaries. The UN Maldives’ new UNSDCF is expected to be a vehicle for supporting economic transformation, peaceful societies through sustainable development strategies specific to Maldives’s country contexts, and leveraging funding for financing for achieving the SDGs. The full UNSDCF roll-out process and timelines is outlined in the UNSDCF Roadmap.

The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Maldives launched the process of preparation and formulation of the UNSDCF 2022 – 2026 with the final independent evaluation of the UNDAF 2016-2020. The second stage of the process is the Common Country Analysis (CCA), which is the UN system’s independent, impartial and collective assessment and analysis of a country situation that lays grounds for developing the UNSDCF. This analysis for the UN in Maldives was completed and published on 6 March 2020, in a participatory manner with stakeholders from the Government and civil society. The analysis benefited from strategic multi-stakeholder dialogue and identification of vulnerable groups. While the original UNSDCF timeline earmarked the formulation of new UNSDCF in May 2020 the process was delayed due to COVID-19. Focusing on the economic and social response to the COVID-19 Government of Maldives requested for extension of the current UNDAF for an additional year, ending in December 2021, hence the new UNSDCF will be implemented starting from 2022 instead of the originally as 2021.

An SDG Mainstreaming, Acceleration and Policy Support (MAPS) exercise will take place in the last quarter of 2020 to support the development of the new UNSDCF, and national development planning in line with the 2030 Agenda.  The MAPS support will identify critical pathways and levers for the country to build back better from the pandemic while bringing the transformation for achieving the broader SDGs. A UNCT Gender Scorecard exercise and Business Operations Strategy (BOS 2.0) formulation process will feed into the new UNSDCF process.

The UNSDCF will be centered around a set of priority areas where the UN will contribute to Maldives’ development process over the next five years. These priority areas will be identified, in consultation with the Government, civil society and other stakeholders based upon the findings of the CCA, the UN’s cooperative advantages vis-à-vis the Government and other development actors, and be aligned with the Governments updated Strategic Action Plan (SAP) 2019-2023 and sectoral master plans and policies.

All UN entities that implement programmes in the Maldives, will participate in training on the theory of change, gender, results based management, human rights-based approach, leave no one behind and climate change. A strategic planning and prioritization retreat with government and bilateral  counterparts between January-March 2021 to collectively define strategic priorities, outcomes and intended development results for the upcoming program cycle. The UNSDCF will be drafted based upon the priority areas and development results identified and agreed during this process, informed by the MAPS engagement The final draft of the UNSDCF is expected to be finalized by March 2021 and signing of the document is expected to take place before June 2021.

The formulation of the UNSDCF should be as inclusive as possible, and with a special focus on vulnerable groups including youth, children, women, persons with disabilities, together with partners for the 2030 Agenda including civil society, private sector, and academia.  The UNSDCF should also clarify, based on available analyses, how the UN could play some catalytic roles to increase the flow of much broader public and private sector funding towards supporting SDGs (SDG Financing), while also determining how the work of UNSDCF itself could be funded and supported to enable the UNCT to collectively respond to the needs and priorities of the country in support of the 2030 Agenda and realization of SDGs. The UNCT will launch the UNINFO platform for Maldives with the new UNSDCF and the related Joint Work Plans.

To support the development of a quality inclusive UNSDCF, on behalf of the UN Country Team (UNCT), the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office is recruiting an international consultant to facilitate the process of formulating UNSDCF 2021-2025 in line with the new UNSDCF guidance and its consolidated annexes and companion pieces.

Devoirs et responsabilités

Grounded on the UN development system’s policy expertise, its comparative advantages, normative agenda, and ability to leverage, influence and unlock a broad range of resources for development, the UNSDCF is expected to reflect:

  1. A transformational shift in vision, strategy and implementation for the UN;
  2. The expectations national stakeholders have of the UN development system’s contribution to national development;
  3. a shared vision and strategic priorities of the UN system, framed within the broader landscape, and with the participation of bilateral and multilateralpartners;
  4. how the UN system and its partners will contribute to accelerating progress towards the 2030 Agenda, including opportunities for dovetailing with the World Bank, IMF and ADB and
  5. the financial and non-financial commitments of the UN system and partners in the wider context of the financing required to reach the SDGs in the country.

As indicated in the UN Cooperation Framework Guidance, the formulation of the UNSDCF will entail, but not limited to, the following:

  1. Desk review and development of a brief Inception Report outlining the consultant’s approach to work, including the action plan and timeline;
  2. Facilitating the UN internal visioning exercise; UN comparative advantage analysis; capacity analysis; and developing a theory of change;
  3. Capturing discussions of the UN Strategic Planning and Prioritization exercise and help to choose strategic priorities and related development results (outcomes) in which to invest its collective efforts, capacities, and resources;
  4. Preparing the UNSDCF narrative in accordance with outline as reflected in UNSDCF Outline of the Consolidated Annexes to the UNSDCF Guidance, first and final drafts;
  5. Developing a results matrix, including indicator definitions;
  6. Facilitating UNSDCF validation workshop, and
  7. Facilitating establishing the optimal and country tailored UNSDCF governance structure.

Accountable to the UN Resident Coordinator, the international consultant will formulate the UNSDCF 2022-2026 document.

 

 

Main Deliverables and Timeframe

No

Deliverable

Due date

1

Home based

  • Desk review and Inception report (detailing the approach and methodology, including the work plan to complete the assignment)

 

 

21 January 2021

2

Home based:

  • Consultations with UNCT;
  • Preparing a report of discussions of the multi-stakeholder consultations at the Strategic Planning and Prioritization Workshop

 

 

10 February 2021

3

Home based

  • Development and submission of the first draft of the UNSDCF document (including results matrices, monitoring and evaluation plan) and the legal annex document

 

28 February 2021

4

In-Country Mission (depending on COVID-19 status of Maldives):

  • Incorporation of the feedback and comments from UNCT and PSG, preparation of comments matrix and submission of the revised final draft UNSDCF document  
  • Facilitation of UNSDCF validation workshop

 

 

18 March 2021

5

Home based

  • Revision of UNSDCF document based on the Government feedback and finalization of the UNSDCF document.

 

31 March 2021

 

Duration and Payment Installments

The international consultant is expected to complete the formulation of the UNSDCF within 40 working days intermittently during 10 January and 31 March 2021.

The international consultant should indicate the lump sum and breakdown in the financial proposal following the template attached.

The international consultant’s payment shall be made in three instalments:

  1. 20% upon submission of an acceptable inception report;
  2. 40% upon submission of the first draft UNSDCF, incorporating draft Results Matrix and the Legal Annex;
  3. 40% upon submission of the Final UNSDCF document.

Compétences

  • Corporate Competencies

  • Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards and acts in accordance with the Standards of Conduct for international civil servants;
  • Advocates and 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 favouritism.

  • Functional Competencies

  • Knowledge about the UNDP programmes would be an advantage;
  • Proven strong analytical abilities;
  • Ability to work under pressure with several tasks and various deadlines;
  • Ability to actively generate creative, practical approaches and solutions to overcome challenging situations;
  • Excellent writing, presentation/public speaking skills;
  • A pro-active approach to problem-solving;
  • General IT Literacy

Qualifications et expériences requises

Education

  • Advanced university degree (Master’s and equivalent) in development studies, economics, social sciences, international relations or any other related field;

Experience

  • A minimum of 10 years of the relevant professional experience; (experience between 11-15 years or over 15 years of experience will be granted extra points)
  • Profound knowledge of the UN system and UN common country programming processes, in particular, the new CCA approach and new UNSDUNSDCF Guidance and its operationalization
  • Profound knowledge of 2030 Agenda for sustainable development/SDGs; and SDG localization and reporting and monitoring processes;
  • Previous experience of formulating UN system assistance framework document is an asset;
  • Substantial professional application of human rights, gender equality, women’s empowerment, environmental sustainability, results-based management, resilience, and capacity development in research; with excellent understanding of inclusive economic growth, decent work, development risks, hazards, vulnerabilities and challenges of upper-middle income countries, including those linked to climate change;
  • Experience in the discourse around UN development system reforms and related trainings/workshops of the UN System Staff College and other UN entities; 
  • Ability to design and implement participatory, inclusive, and innovative methods and tools;
  • Ability to deliver a high-analytical report in a very short time and ability to work effectively and constructively in a multi-agency setting;
  • At least 1-year experience in Maldives/South Asia or other relevant SIDS experience is highly desirable;

Language requirement

  • Fluency in written and spoken English is required

Application process

Interested individuals must submit the following as proposals in order to demonstrate their qualifications.

  • A letter indicating why the candidate considers himself/herself suitable for the required consultancy;
  • Submission of an updated detailed Personal CV and P11 form which can be downloaded from http://sas.undp.org/documents/p11_personal_history_form.doc
  • Technical Proposal - explaining why they are the most suitable for the work, providing a brief methodology on how they will approach and conduct the work, and highlighting their relevant work experience and skills for the assignment. The consultant’s curriculum vitae, outlining detailed qualifications, experience and skills should be presented in the UN P.11 form filled. References specified in P11 should be available and containing information for reference check, at least 3.
  • Financial proposal – This will include the fees, travel costs (in particular for missions, living allowance and others) considered inherent to the consulting. The financial proposal shall indicate the overall amount of the proposed all-inclusive (LUMPSUM), and shall be presented according to the breakdown costs as per template provided at the following link: (https://bit.ly/2KO1okS)
  • At least two references from recent previous jobs or three references contact details.

Note:Please note that UNDP jobsite system allows only one uploading of application document, so please make sure that you merge all your documents into one single file.

 

Evaluation criteria

The award of the contract will be made to the international consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as having received the highest combined score of the technical and financial scores.

-             Technical Criteria weight: 70%

-             Financial Criteria weight: 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70 points out of 100 points at the technical evaluation will be considered for the financial evaluation.

-             Criterion A: Relevant educational background (max 10 points)

-             Criterion B: Profound knowledge of the UN system and UN common country programming processes (previous experience with CCA/UNDAF formulations, evaluations and/or reviews; familiarity with the new CCA approach and the new UNSDCF Guidance and its operationalization; Extensive experience in Results-Based Management principles, Theory of Change; logic modeling/logical framework analysis, quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, report writing; and participatory approaches) (max 20 points)

-         Criterion C: At least 10 years’ experience of preparing multi-disciplinary country/national level situational analysis and report writing related to 2030 Agenda or SDGs (max 20 points)

-             Criteria D: Substantial professional application of human rights, gender equality, environmental sustainability, result-based management and capacity development in research (max 15 points)

-            Criterion E: 1 year of previous experience Maldives and South Asia (max 5 points)