Historique

Thailand is facing severe socio-economic effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the pandemic the government imposed a partial lockdown and travel bans in April 2020 and increased health spending.  However, while the health impact is being contained, the economic impact of the pandemic and the efforts to curb the pandemic have led to a deep recession. 

With a large tourism sector and intensive global supply chain links, Thailand’s economy is vulnerable to the pandemic.  Phuket is particularly vulnerable given that 80% of its economy depends on tourism, which relies heavily on global travel.  As in the rest of the country, the most vulnerable population are hit the hardest. Informal enterprise and informal employment are commonplace in Phuket, with those in informal jobs less well served by social protection and so more vulnerable to the shocks from COVID-19.  Migrant labour is also widely found, with migrants enjoying little or no protection – many have now returned home. Labour productivity is assumed to be low, particularly in informal jobs serving low-end tourism, which are accordingly poorly paid.

COVID-19 and associated economic shocks emphasize the urgency to rethink the future of Phuket, which is seen as a test bed for a new economy after the pandemic. The reasoning is that if the old economy has been seriously damaged, then the reconstruction should be oriented towards a new economy. The form of the new economy is under discussion but, as one element, there is consensus that a move away from low-end, low productivity tourism with linked adverse environmental impacts is overdue. 

Phuket Chamber of Commerce and leading business associations have recently issued a White Paper on the future of the Phuket economy. This suggests that, in the medium term, there should be other industries in addition to or complementary to tourism, such as marinas, education, health and wellness, tuna export, local food, and sports and events. These proposals are at an initial stage and have not been investigated in detail.

It is within this context that UNDP Thailand is responding to the urgent need to protect and ultimately recover the Phuket economy.  Apart from the national-level socio-economic impact assessment, UNDP Thailand has undertaken a socio-economic impact assessment for Phuket in close partnership with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Phuket Chamber of Commerce, and relevant line ministries and government agencies. The assessment primarily entailed the analysis of the pandemic’s impact on Phuket’s economic structure, its labour market, and the people’s livelihood. 

UNDP Thailand is also supporting the development of Phuket’s recovery from the impact of COVID by helping to secure the province’s resilience and ensure its progress towards sustainable development.  Initial studies have been undertaken which demonstrate that the acceleration and consolidation of COVID recovery will depend not only on a recovery vision but also adequate funding and human resources and suitable prioritized investments.

At the request of the Government, NESDC is preparing a Vision and Strategic framework, including flagship projects and an implementation guideline for a sustainable tourism in the Andaman provincial cluster of Phuket, Krabi and Phang-Nga.   

It has been agreed that UNDP Thailand will support the NESDC by providing: an analysis of public and private funding resources available to Phuket and the processes used to identify and prioritize public and private investments; and as appropriate, recommendations for alternative resources and mechanisms for prioritizing project investments using existing or new proposed administrative structures.  The recommendations will be directly applicable to Phuket and generally applicable to Krabi and Phang-Nga. 

The Phuket investment context will acknowledge that global and regional economic disruption, climate change uncertainties, the unpredictability of the trajectory of COVID-19 and the possibility of further pandemics require change in the economic base.  The context involves integration between sectors, efficient resource use, improved environmental management, and reduced vulnerability.

Devoirs et responsabilités

Scope of Work

A national consultant is being sought to work with the co-team leader / project economist to undertake the analysis of financial resources available to Phuket and the processes of identification and prioritization of public and private investments.  The consultant will also make recommendations to enhance financial availability (including to the proposed Special Administrative Region of Tourism) and to identify and prioritize investments.  The recommendations will be directly applicable to Phuket and generally applicable to Krabi and Phang-Nga. 

The Financial Expert will be a specialist in public and private sector development finance and will provide support to: (i) reviewing indicative financial availability and funding gap and sources estimates, investment prioritization (in support of the project economist) and identification of sources of funding.  The scope of the work will include reviews of:

• Public sector - State Budget, sub-national budgets and other government programs at the national and subnational levels.  The impact of the establishment of a Special Administrative Region of Tourism will also be considered.
• Private investment – consideration will be given to ensuring adequate provincial capacity to review and negotiate private sector investor proposals and package infrastructure development to be attractive for private investment; 
• Commercial Banks – consideration will be given to strengthening the bond market to mobilize capital for local infrastructure projects; creating additional security for potential investors through the use of financial guarantee mechanisms; 
• Climate financing – the consultant will explore the availability of concessional funding in priority areas such as climate change resilience and green growth; packaging commercial projects with inclusion of climate funding priority areas to leverage finance; improving project preparation capacity.  
• Local level revenue generation – consideration will be given to the progressive development of access to financial resources at the local level through mechanisms such as local revenue generation as part of own-source local government financing. 
• Key points for own-source revenues:
  • Consider reform land-use regulation to build land-based commercial activities and development gains recapturing;
  • Consider shift from sale of Land Use Rights to rental/lease arrangements and recoupment of value gains via taxation and collaborative development to reduce local burden;
• Consideration will be given to the generation of government-related private investments through lease, tariff, franchising, commercializing, or creating fees for use of public services either directly or with private sector participation.
• Examples of alternative or innovative public and / or private financing and project prioritization in other Thai provinces or internationally will be identified and considered for relevance and appropriateness.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Institutional Arrangement

This position will work closely with Phuket Socio-Economic Impact Assessment International Consultant and will directly report to the Deputy Resident Representative of the UNDP Thailand.

UNDP will be responsible for coordinating with all responsible parties, including, among others, the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), Phuket Governor’s Office, and Phuket Chamber of Commerce.  

Day-to-day management will be jointly by the international and national co-team leaders (with the international co-team leader mostly working remotely). Progress meetings will be held (virtually if necessary).

Duration of the Work

12 April- 11 June 2021 within a timeframe of 40 working days.

Duty Station

Home- based with travel to Phuket, Thailand.

Compétences

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
• Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work;
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
• Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet in conducting research;
• Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;
• Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
• Positive, constructive attitude to work;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Qualifications et expériences requises

Education Qualification:

• At least a master’s degree in economics, finance, or a related discipline;

Experience:

• At least 10 years of professional experience in national and sub-national public sector finance and public and private investment planning; 
• with sufficient knowledge of relevant stakeholders in the 3-provinces in the NESDC cluster and especially in Phuket.  

Language:

• Proficiency in English and Thai.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The contract will be based on Lump Sum Amount

The total amount quoted shall be all-inclusive and include all costs components required to perform the deliverables identified in the TOR, including professional fee, travel costs, living allowance (if any work is to be done outside the IC´s duty station) and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment. The contract price will be fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specified duration. Payments will be done upon completion of the deliverables/outputs and as per below percentages:

• Deliverable 1 - Inception Report: 30% of total contract amount
• Deliverable 2 – Interim Technical Report: 40% of total contract amount
• Deliverable 3 – Final Technical Report: 30% of total contract amount

In general, UNDP shall not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the event of unforeseeable travel not anticipated in this TOR, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and the Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Travel costs shall be reimbursed at actual but not exceeding the quotation from UNDP approved travel agent.   

Evaluation Method and Criteria

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology;

Cumulative analysis

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as a) responsive/compliant/acceptable; and b) having received the highest score out of set of weighted technical criteria (70%) *and financial criteria (30%). Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced qualified proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

• Only those applications which are responsive, compliant and accept in general condition will be evaluated;

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 700 points)

• Criteria 1: Relevance of education - Max 150 points;
• Criteria 2: Professional experience in national and sub-national public sector finance and public and private investment planning - Max 300 points;
• Criteria 3: Experience in evaluation, research, writing, communication, and developing 

communication products - Max 20 points;

• Criteria 4: knowledge of relevant stakeholders in the 3-provinces in the NESDC cluster and especially in Phuket- Max 250 points;

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 490 points (70% of total 700 points in technical evaluation) would be considered for Financial Evaluation.

Documentation required

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document:

• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided in Annex II.
• Personal 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.
• Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex II. Note: If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP. Note: National Consultants shall quote prices in Thai Baht.

Incomplete proposals may not be considered. The shortlisted candidates may be contacted and the successful candidate will be notified.

To download form and related documents (e.g. Letter of confimration of Interest and Availability), please follow the link below:

https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=76241