Antecedentes

United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)

UNCDF is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s 47 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 has been active in the area of financial inclusion over the past 25 years, through a market development approach combining support to governments and regulators, as well as to the private sector in order to develop scalable products and services for under-served and un-banked populations.

UNCDF mission 2030 is to accelerate the development of services leveraging digital finance & innovation by providing the right balance of technical expertise and financial support to government, private & non-profit sectors & academia. UNCDF 2024 goal is to empower millions of people to use services leveraging innovation and technology that contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

UNCDF inclusive digital economy strategy

UNCDF strategy ‘Leaving no one behind in the digital era’ is based on over a decade of experience in digital finance in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. UNCDF recognizes that reaching the full potential of digital financial inclusion in support of the Sustainable Development Goals aligns with the vision of promoting digital economies that leave no one behind.

UNCDF will focus on understanding the intersection of six categories of digital services entailing (i) agriculture, (ii) transport, (iii) energy, (iv) education, (v) health and (vi) finance across five categories of users: (i)women, (ii)youth, (iii)refugees,  (iv) migrants and (v) MSMEs.

To implement this strategy UNCDF will continue to apply a market development approach at country level. The objective of such an approach is to continuously seek to understand and intervene in select market systems to address underlying market dysfunctions that lead to improved efficiencies, effectiveness and sustainability.  The approach will seek to (1) leverage the roles and behaviours of current players in the marketplace, support them to continue doing what they do better or to change their behaviour, and (2) strengthen the systems and relationships among the various market and sector actors (3) work with current players to de-risk new business models to make digital solutions more inclusive for key segments and reduce the digital divide.

UNCDF inclusive digital economy strategy in Uganda

Since 2013, UNCDF has been implementing a market development approach on digital finance in Uganda.  With the support of the Sweden Development Agency (SIDA), UNCDF will execute the “Leaving no one behind in the digital era” strategy in country until 2024 under the “Connect” Rural Uganda Programme.  The Programme has the aim to develop an inclusive digital economy in Uganda with a specific focus at empowering rural communities, smallholders farmers, agri-business and refugees - to lead productive and healthy lives, by expanding access and usage of digital services.

The main expected outcomes of this new initiative include:

1. Rural community members in Uganda (smallholders farmers, agri-business & refugees) have the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to access and use digital services. They have better access to training and education through digital channels.
2. New business models and technologies for delivering services are scaled for rural communities in the education, health, finance, agriculture and energy sector.
3. Rural community members have improved access to and increasingly use digital payment accounts.
4. The Government of Uganda implements policies that enable access and usage of digital services.

In order to implement the program, UNCDF is looking for a Knowledge Management consultant.

Deberes y responsabilidades

Scope of the work

The Knowledge Management Consultant will be responsible for supporting the team during the first six months of the inception phase to attain the following outcomes:

• Assure visibility of the programme through several events (conferences and workshops) (40%)
• Coordinate the writing of research reports and manage the design and the dissemination of the reports during the inception phase (40%);
• Contribute to the networking and knowledge sharing among the UNCDF partners in Uganda (20%).

The table below outlines the list of key activities and deliverables, due date and payment structure foreseen.

Payment Schedule

Institutional Arrangement

• The Consultant will be supervised by Country Technical Specialist
• Reporting will be done through weekly meetings with Country Technical Specialist and Digital Knowledge management specialist
• All deliverables will be approved by the Country Technical Specialist and Digital Knowledge management specialist
• UNCDF will provide an office.
• Payments will be made upon receipt and acceptance by UNCDF of the contractor’s Certificate of Payment form specifying the outputs delivered as per agreed workplan and deliverable timeline.

Duration of the Work

• Maximum number of working days required for the assignment is 180 days spread over six months. The assignment might be renewed for other 60 days for six additional months.
• The target starting date is 1st July 2019.

Location of the Work

The Consultant will be based in Kampala, Uganda, and conduct regular in-country travel.

Travel to the field and other relevant locations may be required and will be compensated according to UN polices.

Please note that consultants already residing at the duty station will not be compensated for living expenses

Competencias

• Ability to oversee communication of projects related to financial inclusion, economic development or other issues pertaining to the sustainable development goals (SDGs);
• Ability to translate complex ideas and technical concepts into plain and snappy language.
• Ability to listen and collaborate with a wide range of players, to work independently, being pro-active and taking the initiative
• Ability to manage new media
• Fully proficient computer skills and use of relevant software and other applications; web design and/or maintenance;
• Builds strong relationships with clients and external actors;

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education:

• University Degree in communications, journalism, marketing, social sciences, or related discipline.

Experience:

• 5 years of experience in communications at the national or international level, including   experience in media relations.
• 2 years of experience leading the coordination of events/conferences
• Outstanding oral and written communications and editing skills, with proven ability to meet tight deadlines.
• Experience writing persuasive copy for a range of audiences, including press releases, articles, blogs, newsletters;
• Experience working in large development agency is desirable;
• Excellent IT skills, including databases and office software packages;
• Familiarity with financial inclusion and digital financial services is desirable;

Language requirements:

• Outstanding writing and oral skills in English are mandatory.

Evaluation Method and Criteria

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 proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology.

• Technical Evaluation Weight - 70% x [(Desk review 100 Points X 20%) +(Written Test 100 points X 40%) +( Interview: 100 Points*40%) = 100 Points]
• Financial Evaluation Weight 30% X 100 points

The Technical Evaluation will entail three key steps:

Step 1: Longlisting.

Longlisting (100*20%): UNCDF will produce a longlist of candidates. Applications will be screened and only applicants having obtained 80% in accordance to the below requirements will be invited to the test:

• University Degree in communications, journalism, marketing, social sciences, or related discipline.
• 5 years of experience in communications at the national or international level, including   experience in media relations.

Step 2: Written test (up to 100 points X 40%): A written test will be administered to all candidates that obtained 80% or more in Step 1. The test will be scored with pass/fail, and the minimum required score to pass is 70%.

Step 3: Interview - Shortlisting criteria for interview  (Maximum 100 points X 40%) are as follows:

• Track record in implementing strategic outreach and communications activities for international organizations, UN Agencies, NGOs, or social business, international business. – max 40 points
• 2 years of experience leading the coordination of events/conferences- max 15 points
• Outstanding oral and written communications and editing skills, with proven ability to meet tight deadlines. —max 15 points
• Experience writing persuasive copy for a range of audiences, including press releases, articles, blogs, newsletters; - max 30 points.

Step- four: Financial Evaluation

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

Award Criteria
The contact shall be awarded to the applicant whose offer have been evaluated and determined as:
Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and Having received the highest combined weight (technical proposal & Interview) 70% + financial 30%= 100%.

Application process

Interested individuals must submit the following as proposals in order to demonstrate their qualifications: (NOTE: THE SYSTEM DOES NOT ALLOW MULTIPLE UPLOADS OF DOCUMENTS THEREFORE APPLICANTS MUST MAKE SURE TO UPLOAD ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS IN ONE FILE). Proposers who shall not submit below mentioned documents will not be considered for further evaluation.

All applications must contain the following information:

• A cover letter responding to competency criteria indicating why the candidate considers himself/herself suitable for the required consultancy as well as stating earliest availability.  Please paste this letter into the “Resume and Motivation” section of the electronic application.
• CV indicating all past experiences from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email, telephone, skype) of the Candidate with at least three (3) professional references. Link to P11: http://sas.undp.org/documents/P11_Personal_history_form.doc
• Earliest availability and proposed schedule for consultancy.
• Confirmation of interest and Financial proposal: Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP. The Financial Proposal shall indicate the all-inclusive daily fee, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided.

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. 

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.

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.

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

Both individual consultants and individual 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.
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