Historique

Lao PDR is, per capita, the most heavily bombed country in the world. More than forty years after the end of the 1964-1973 Indochina Conflict, unexploded ordnance (UXO) remains a major humanitarian and socio-economic challenge to the country, causing deaths and injuries, limiting access to potentially productive land and adding substantial costs to processes of development. The Government of Lao PDR has been active in the process of clearance since shortly after the conflict. Lao PDR has advocated for the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) and hosted the first Meeting of States Parties in 2010. It also embraced the UXO issue as a key development matter by locally establishing the Sustainable Development Goal 18 (SDG18), “Remove the UXO obstacle to national development”. The current National Strategic Plan for the UXO Sector in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic 2011 – 2020, “The Safe Path Forward II” (SPFII), details that the goal of the Government and its development partners over the 2011 -2020 period is to reduce the humanitarian and socio-economic threats posed by UXO to the point where the residual contamination and challenges can be adequately addressed by a sustainable national capacity fully integrated into the regular institutional set-up of the Government.
In 1996 the Government of Lao PDR established UXO Lao, the Lao national UXO programme, with support from UNDP, UNICEF, and other partners. The organization undertakes surveys to identify UXO contamination, facilitates clearance of land, assigns roving tasks to respond to UXO discovery by the public, and provides risk education activities in affected areas. UXO Lao’s national office is in Vientiane and serves provincial offices in the nine most heavily impacted provinces – Attapeu, Champasak, Huaphanh, Khammuane, Luang Prabang, Saravan, Savannakhet, Sekong, and Xiengkouang.
The National Regulatory Authority for the UXO/Mine Action Sector in Lao PDR (NRA) was established by the Government of Lao PDR in 2005 (becoming operational in 2006), with the task of coordinating, facilitating and regulating the overall management of the UXO sector in Lao PDR, including national, commercial, and humanitarian operators. The NRA leads the country’s policy formulation with regards to the UXO Sector, accredits
operators, coordinates operational activities, manages information and data on UXO and manages the quality of operations in the sector. The NRA has the lead responsibility for the regulation, coordination, facilitation and oversight of all work in the UXO Sector and for ensuring that Lao PDR fulfils its legal obligations as a State Party to the CCM.
The UNDP/ Government of Lao PDR UXO project “Moving towards achieving SDG 18 - Removing the UXO obstacle to Development in Lao PDR” has been designed based on the recommendations of the 2015 evaluation of UNDP’s ongoing support to the UXO sector, as well as the decision by the Government of Lao and UNDP to utilize a project modality in lieu of the Trust Fund. SGD 18 is also aligned with the Government of Lao’s 8th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (8th NSEDP), UXO Sector SPF II 2011-2020, UXO Sector 5-year plan 2016-2020 as well as national gender equality strategies and relevant international conventions and norms. All are designed to contribute to progress towards achieving the national SDG18. This project provides the programmatic and technical support necessary for the national institutions within the UXO Sector (NRA and UXO Lao), to pursue the targets set out in the UXO Sector Five Year Work Plan 2016-2020, as well as the NRA’s strategy for accelerated survey and clearance, Mine Risk Education (MRE) and Victim’s Assistance (VA) activities. Hence, it provides a sector overview of what is required to support the NRA for the coming five years, irrespective of whether the support will be provided via UNDP or directly to these two institutions.
UNDP is committed to providing sector-level technical support and leadership to the NRA and UXO Lao, focusing on assisting national regulation, UXO clearance prioritization, coordination & facilitation, information management, quality management, programme management, work planning, financial management, as well as programmatic oversight and management. This is designed to assist in the developing of national capacities to oversee and steer the sector and strengthen the integration of gender-sensitive approaches. UNDP is also committed to providing resource mobilization support as requested from the Government of Lao PDR. The year 2020 will be the critical period for the UXO sector where the realization of the way forward in achieving SDG 18 will be articulated and agreed in the development of a new long-term strategy. There is also the development of the Lao PDR next NSEDP (9th), and 2020 will be the tenth anniversary of the CCM, as well as the development and finalization of the next National Strategic Plan (2021 – 2030).
NRA CNA Purpose
The overall objective of the CNA will be to identify areas for organizational improvement and Capacity Development within the NRA (both at the HQ and provincial level); this will enable the NRA to better achieve its mandated deliverables, to better achieve sustainable regulation, coordination, facilitation and a national clearance capability within the UXO Sector in Lao PDR.
The template ‘one size fits all’ solution very rarely produces productive outcomes and, therefore, for each individual NRA entity the CNA should be conducted around the following pertinent questions: ‘capacity for whom?’, ‘capacity for what?’ and ‘capacity for why?’; this will elicit differing responses thereby creating more productive outcomes and recommendations.

Devoirs et responsabilités

The CNA will be required to identify and realize the NRA’s current and future capacity, asset needs and technical competences as it will determine the purpose and direction of the future Capacity Development effort. This will involve analyzing the current capacity to determine opportunities and constraints to the achievement of clearly identified deliverables. It should be noted that subsequent Capacity Development Project Proposals will be developed based on findings from the NRA CNA. The CNA should therefore provide a clear pathway for the NRA, ensuring that the CNA is ‘owned and driven’ by the NRA in order to attain the required levels of sustainability.
The CNA should analyze all facets of NRA’s mandated deliverables of regulation, coordination, facilitation and being the recognized national clearance entity of the UXO Sector on behalf of the Government; specifically, the assessment themes as detailed below in conjunction with the UNDP Capacity Development model should form the basis of the CNA, from which recommendations should be made for subsequent Capacity Development project initiatives; additionally, the identification of niche areas across all themes where the NRA can further add advantage and efficiency to the UXO Sector would also be beneficial.
Expected Results and Deliverables
• NRA CNA Inception Reports – Phase 1
These should be prepared after the desk review and when the CNA methodology is finalized. It should detail specifically the methodology to be used, the activities to be undertaken, as well as the CNA’s team understanding of the purpose and background of the CNA. Additionally, it should include a proposed schedule of tasks, specifying responsibilities relative to each, detailing any time and resource constraints of the CNA along with proposed remedial actions.
• NRA CNA Senior Management Briefing – Phase 2
This will be conducted for UNDP, NRA Senior Management towards the end of the CNA, with the main assessment findings and recommendations being presented. The briefing will take the form of a PPP along with a question and answer session.
• Draft NRA CNA Report – Phase 3
The report will summarize the results of the activities undertaken and the initial findings and analysis by the CNA Team. It will be shared with UNDP, NRA for review and feedback.
• Final NRA CNA Report – Phase 3
The NRA CNA Final Evaluation Report will be based on feedback from the previous Draft Evaluation Report and will be submitted to UNDP, the NRA, and agreed focal points for the Government of Lao PDR.
Given the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic and the resultant restrictions may require many of the in-person missions / activities to be carried out remotely using electronic conferencing means.
Team Composition
The CNA will be conducted by a team of three, with the role of ‘Team Leader’ being selected from one of the two ‘Experts’, following consultation with UNDP and the CNA team:
• An International Capacity Development Expert – Team leader.
• A National UXO/Mine Action Expert.

Compétences

• Demonstrable in-depth understanding of the UNDP Capacity Development Model, strategic planning and institutional Mine Action development.

• Fluency in English, both written and verbal
• Strong reporting and analytical skills.

• Experience working in the similar sectors in Lao PDR

Qualifications et expériences requises

• Master’s degree or recognized military technical qualifications.
• Ten years’ experience working with complex programmatic CNAs, including developing national Mine Action institutions.

Requirements for submission of proposals:

All interested and qualified International or National Independent Consultant should apply on-line using the following links:

UNDP Lao PDR Country Office website at https://www.la.undp.org/content/lao_pdr/en/home/jobs.html  or 

In order to make your submission, please read the relevant documents available on the link below

1. TOR (Annex I)
2. IC General Terms and Conditions _ Annex II;
3. OFFEROR’S LETTER TO UNDP CONFIRMING INTEREST AND AVAILABILITY _ Annex III
4. P11 Form

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

1. Technical and Financial Proposal as per Annex III “OFFEROR’S LETTER TO UNDP CONFIRMING INTEREST AND AVAILABILITY” 

       (i)     Explaining why you are the most suitable for the work;

       (ii) Providing a brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the work including the work schedule for the delivery of outputs/deliverable;

      (iii) P11 Form  Education and work experience, including past experience in similar projects and contact references of at least 3 references for whom you have rendered preferably the similar services;

2. Financial proposal:

     (i)  Detailed financial proposal: Lump sum offer with clear cost breakdown against each deliverable.

Note: The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon monthly outputs, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR.  In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days). All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. UNDP accept travel costs not exceeding of an economy class air ticket.

Instructions for on-line submissions:

1. Step 1:  Please prepare all required documents electronically;
2. Step 2: Combine all documents in ONE SINGLE FILE (preferably in PDF however Word format can be also accepted) and upload to the UNDP Jobs using the links above;
3. Step 3: After that you will receive an auto reply from the UNDP jobs if your offer is received successfully.

Incomplete proposals or proposals received after the deadline will be rejected.

Please kindly refer to the Terms of Reference Annex I for detailed information on:

Project’s background

Scope of work and Responsibilities

Deliverables

Requirements for Experience and Qualifications

Evaluation of Proposals:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis methodology.

• 10%. Education and background
• 11%. Proven record of leading complex programmatic assessments for at least 10 years, including Mine Action programmes
• 10%. Demonstrable in-depth understanding of Capacity Development and strategic planning
• 10%. Fluency in English both in speaking and writing; for international consultant, knowledge of Lao is an asset
• 10%. Strong drafting and analytical skills
• 2%. Experience in evaluating a financing mechanism is an asset
• 2%. Knowledge of the context of Lao PDR is an asset 
• 15%. Technical approach as illustrated in the description of the proposed methodology. Timeline reflecting proposed activities, which emphasis the ability to meet the proposed deadlines
• 30% Financial proposal

Only a consultant obtaining a minimum of 49 points in the technical rating would be considered for the financial evaluation.

Note:  Any request for clarification must be sent in writing to the following e-mail: surith.sengsavang@undp.org with CC to minyoung.kim@undp.org.

UNDP Lao PDR will respond in writing by standard electronic mail and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all consultants.

Please note that only short-listed candidates will be notified. 

Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

For more detailed information about UNDP Lao PDR please visit our website at

https://www.la.undp.org/content/lao_pdr/en/home.html