Antecedentes

On 15th October 2015, the Government of Myanmar (GoM) and eight Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) signed a Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) signaling the start of a new effort for political dialogue to end the country’s armed conflict. The NCA sets-up a Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee (JMC) as the key instrument to implement provisions of the NCA, monitor adherence (of the parties) to the Code of Conduct, investigate alleged violations and undertake problem-solving functions.

The JMC is a tripartite political mechanism, comprising of Government/Tatmadaw, EAO and civilian representatives, and follows a cascading structure from union, to state/region to local levels (JMC-U, JMC-S/R and JMC-L). Where the JMC is a political structure, the Technical Secretariat Center (TSC) functions as its implementation arm, and inter alia, follows a similar cascading structure from union, to state/region to local levels (TSC-U, TSC-S, and TSC-L). The JMC and TSC have been in operation for over one year, although its committee and secretariat structures are not fully set-up or are operating at nominal levels. Over the past one year, the JMC has convened committee meetings, undertaken some training for JMC members and TSC staff, drafted and put in place a number of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and undertaken pilot Monitoring, Verification and Reporting (MVR) missions.

On 24 February 2016, the JMC requested the United Nations (UN) for institutional, financial and technical support. On 16 May 2016, the Office of the State Counsellor advised the UN to support the JMC in the interim and to prepare a Myanmar-based UN platform for longer-term support. Following these requests, on 1 June 2016, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) initiated a 3-month interim (financial) support to the JMC, subsequently extended until end-December 2016, to bridge the time needed to set-up the Platform. On 23 February 2017, the JMC Support Platform received formal approval from the Joint Coordination Body (JCB). Preparations are currently underway to operationalize the project and to mobilize the full resources required. 

The JMC Support Platform, established and managed in-country; will serve as a conduit for international assistance to, and providing coordinated financial, institutional and technical assistance in support of the JMC’s mandate and functions vis-à-vis the NCA.

One of the key results of the JMC Support Platform is to provide technical assistance to the JMC, to ensure that its functions are effective, credible and informed by international humanitarian law and international human rights law. In order to provide this assistance, the JMC Support Platform plans to undertake a comprehensive technical needs assessment (TNA) during the inception period of the project.

Against this background, UNDP on behalf of the UNRCO wishes to identify a senior international consultant to design and undertake the TNA.

Deberes y responsabilidades

Under the direct supervision of UNDP Pillar 1 Team Leader and in collaboration with the UN

Peace and Development Advisor, the consultant will undertake the following scope of work:

The TNA will look at both institutional capacity development needs including structures, systems, processes and policies, as well as individual-level capacity needs including specialized skills and knowledge (awareness of mandates and duties, skills and capacities to undertake duties, sensitivity to cross-cutting issues such as protection and gender etc.). The focus will be to design and implement a process that is fully reflective of the mandate of the JMC as given by the NCA as well as of the existing skills, capacities and knowledge of the key stakeholders involved in the JMC.

The TNA will be a participatory exercise. The implementation will be led by the Consultant in partnership with the TSC, and with support and quality assurance from the UN/UNDP teams. The TNA will aim to consult and outreach a broad section of JMC members and TSC personnel at union, state/region and local levels, as well as relevant external stakeholders.

Based on the methodology eventually selected, it is expected that the TNA data collection will be both quantitative and qualitative. It is expected that the data-collection will be undertaken by the Consultant and the TSC staffand with support and quality assurance from the UN/UNDP teams.

The assessment process will be undertaken in 4 principal stages:

1. Preparation and Methodology design

• The groundwork for the TNA will be laid at this stage, including the joint conceptualization of the assessment, the selection and development of tools, the identification of the sample, and the development of a detailed competency profiles. Data review of all existing JMC normative documents and policies, and work plans
• Review of trainings and capacity-building activities (exposure tours etc.) previously supplied to the JMC, including training curricula
• Facilitate design discussions with JMC and TSC
• Design of a basic competency framework against which the present institutional set up and the knowledge, skills and capacities are being assessed.  This will differentiate among different requirements for members of the JMC and TSC in diverse roles.  The focus of the TNA will be on the substantive Monitoring, Verification and Conflict Resolution functions of the JMC.     
• Design the methodology for data collection and research tools (i.e. survey, interview guide etc).
• Present TNA methodology to JMC and JMC Support Platform for validation and approval (including assessment objective, competency framework, target group, approach/strategy, size and structure of sample, methods of data collection, implementation plan).

2. Roll-out (will follow agreed data collection methodology)

The assessment process will depend on the choice of methodology. It is assumed that a combination of interviews, focus group discussions, individual interviews and survey/ questionnaire will be applied. The data-collection will reach JMC members at union, state/region and local levels, TSC staff at union, state/region and local levels, and also key external stakeholders including local level civilian ceasefire monitors, civil society and communities in target states/regions.

• Train data collection teams. Carry-out the data collection
• Data analysis
• Prepare and present a report on preliminary findings to JMC and JMC Support Platform

3. Report and Response Plans

• Draft final TNA report
• Draft technical assistance and capacity-development plan that outlines TA and training activities against immediate, medium-term and long-term horizons
• Present report and plan to JMC and JMC Support Platform, to validate findings and plan
• Finalize TNA and response plan.

Application Procedures – please ensure that the following items are uploaded as one package.

A duly completed Letter of Confirmation/Interest using the template provided by UNDP;

A Personal CV and P11 indicating all past experiences from similar assignments as well as contact details (email and telephone number) of the candidate and at least 3 professional references;

A technical proposal (no more than 2 pages) presenting the offeror’s methodology, approach and implementation plan for the assignment;

A financial proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs as per template provided;

If the offeror works for an organization/company/institution and he/she expects his/her manager/employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP), he/she must indicate this at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated into the financial proposal.

Institutional Arrangements

The consultant will report to the Head of UNDP’s Pillar I, and work in close consultation with the Peace and Development Adviser in UN RCO as well as collaborate closely with the leadership and team of the TSC of JMC.

The consultant will be responsible for arranging and directly covering costs of international transportation to and from Myanmar.

UNDP is responsible for securing official approvals (visa, security clearance for field visits etc.) and will assist in facilitating meeting requests with external stakeholders (e.g. introductory letters, requests for meeting etc.) upon request.

UNDP will arrange and finance the consultant’s work-related in-country air and ground travel in accordance with the agreed work plan.

The consultant is entitled to costing daily subsistence allowance in the financial proposal for days spent outside the home-base and for work-related in-country travel not organized by UNDP.

UNDP will provide a work-space in Yangon.

The consultant is responsible for providing own laptop computers and mobile phones for use during this assignment,

Schedule of Payments

20% at submission and acceptance of methodology

40% at submission and acceptance of Draft TNA report and plan

40% at submission and acceptance of Final TNA report and plan

Payment: Within thirty (30) days from the date of meeting the following conditions:

a)         UNDP’s written acceptance (i.e., not mere receipt) of the quality of the outputs; and

b)         Receipt of invoice from the Service Provider.

The consultancy will be for a total of 53 days.

You have to register and submit your proposal at https://etendring.partneragencies.org 

Please visit http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=36886  for User Manual & FAQs of e-Tendering and to get more detail.

Competencias

Corporate Competencies:
• Demonstrates integrity by modeling 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:
• Good knowledge of the natural resource management particularly lake and watershed management, the concept of
sustainability and sustainable development in the region and developing countries;
• Ability to quickly grasp and synthesize inputs from a range of disciplines related to sustainable financial mechanism for
environmental conservation;
• Ability to advocate and provide technical advice on the relevant sector/theme;
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision;
• Promotes a knowledge sharing and learning culture in the office;
• Sensitivity to and responsiveness to all partners, respectful and helpful relations with all UN/UNDP staff;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Remains calm, in control and good humoured even under pressure;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage.

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education:

• Master’s Degree  or  equivalent  Advanced  Degree  in Economics,  Social  Sciences,  International Relations, Political Sciences or in a related field of expertise. 

Experience:

• A minimum of 10 years of working experience in one or more of the following areas: ceasefire monitoring, security, peace process support, peace infrastructures or peacebuilding in an international conflict or post-conflict context. Experience in ceasefire monitoring will be considered an asset.
• Proven experience in designing and undertaking similar technical needs assessments.
• An in-depth understanding of military affairs and UN/UNDP role in peacebuilding, and significant leadership experience in both the military and UN/UNDP peace work.
• Significant leadership experience in UN peace work in which ceasefire issues were relevant issues, and experience engaging with state and non-state actors on related matters.
• Significant leadership experience in UN peace work in the regional context, and capacity to share perspectives on the UN role in these processes with national stakeholders. 

Language:
      • Strong English Language skills (both written and spoken)
Please?combine all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one
document.

Technical Evaluation Score are as follows;