Antecedentes

Public Finance Management is throughout the Pacific a topic of importance for international and local partners equally. Numerous stakeholders, institutions and international actors have been engaged in reinforcing the frameworks, tools and actors linked to PFM. Parliament and supreme audit institution function in public financial management across the Pacific Islands region have been identify as an area requiring strengthening. A specific focus of UNDP in this regard is the parliament’s role in budget scrutiny; effective external audit of government budget execution by the supreme audit institutions, inclusion of citizens and civil society in budget processes, thorough and transparent parliamentary oversight of the external audit, and follow-up with government on recommendations. This consultancy focuses on facilitating CSOs, citizens and Parliaments engagement on PFM cycles.

Strengthening of public Finance Management and Governance in the Pacific Project (hereafter PFM) aims to strengthen oversight over public financial management in the Pacific region, though improving the budgetary scrutiny, public financial oversight and accountability capacities of parliaments, supreme audit institutions and civil society within the region, aligning with international public financial oversight and accountability standards, and fostering citizen engagement and oversight. Strengthening of Public Finance Management project is funded by the European Union (EU) and Implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Public Finance Management is often seen as either too politicised or too technical by citizens, civil society and other actors. As a result, individuals and communities with key information and capacity to provide insight on the effectiveness of budgetary measures often refrain from engaging with PFM actors. This feedback is particularly important in time of crisis when public monies are rapidly disbursed and economic stimulus designed. Effective oversight and feedback by citizens and civil society ensures that public funds reach their target in a fair way.

To support this essential feedback loop and engagement, the PFM project is opening an online space for all Pacific civil society and citizens to access training, information, expertise and exchange ideas on Public Finance Management.

Deberes y responsabilidades

Scope of Work

Reporting to the UNDP PFM Project Manager, the Community Manager Consultant will be responsible for the management of the PFM online community maintaining a high level of engagement activities and relevance. The following activities are anticipated to form the core of the tasks:

• Working with the Solevaka platform managers, develop and constantly refine the PFM community space to include space for education PFM modules, sharing of information and peer-to-peer exchanges;

• Develop and ensure continued growth of the PFM project network in the Pacific through regular outreach activities;

• Ensure the PFM community space remains relevant and lively, with regular production and sharing of content, moderation and responses provided for exchanges and regular updating of relevant information and tools;

• Draft or support drafting by members and publish content on various online mediums based on research conducted, social media posts of members and project’s publications to draw attention to members to evolving trends, new knowledge and useful/innovative tools;

• Organise online events including: guest speakers, PFM modules sessions, webinars and live chat exchanges amongst others on a weekly basis. Activities should aim at: growing network, informing members, discussing trends and Pacific-relevant content;

• Facilitate participation across the region and coordinate joint events and activities with UNDP and external partners.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Institutional Arrangement

The Consultant will report to the Project Manager, Public Finance Management Project, Effective Governance. Reporting and payment will be based on monthly deliverable reports and timesheets. The Consultant is to provide their own IT (computer).  

Duration of the Work

The consultant will be required to work for a period of up to 120days between June 2020 to December 2020.

Duty Station

This consultancy is home-based. Online presentations and exchanges will be taking place on the Pacific time-zone.

Competencias

Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity and fairness by modelling UN values and ethical standards;

• Demonstrates professional competence and is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;

• Display cultural, gender, nationality, religion and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies:

• Demonstrated ability to work harmoniously in a multi-cultural environment;

• Ability to work on own initiative as well as a member of a team and to work under pressure;

• Excellent relationship management;

• Excellent communication, facilitation, presentation and reporting skills;

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education

• Bachelor in Social science, IT or economics related field.

Experience

• At least 1 years of professional experience demonstrating ability to meet tight deadlines, engage with external audience and create professional content;

• Demonstrated professional, volunteer or personal experience engaging with online tools and platforms preferably managing online communities, producing content (social media/videos, blogs) or organizing/participating in distance training/webinars;

• Demonstrated passion for and experience in sustainable development, public finance or transparency/budget-related thematic with strong advantage for experience related to oversight, civil society engagement and/or public finance management;

• Experience engaging with civil society, citizens and/or community audiences in the Pacific through various mediums (online/face to face);

• Proven interest and understanding of innovation tools and trends, sustainable development/green finances, gender sensitive budgeting and/or social accountability an advantage.

Language requirements

• Fluency of English language is required;

   

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

Consultant must send a financial proposal based on Daily Fee. Consultant shall quote an all-inclusive Daily Fee for the contract period. The term “all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, communications, consumables, etc.) that could be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment are already factored into the daily fee submitted in the proposal. If applicable, travel or daily allowance cost (if any work is to be done outside the IC’s duty station) should be identified separately. Payments shall be done on a monthly basis based on actual days worked, upon verification of completion of deliverables and approval by the IC’s supervisor of a Time Sheet indicating the days worked in the period.

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.

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 proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points) [Please add/adjust the below criteria and points awarded to each as necessary]

• Criteria 1 - Relevance of Education – Max 10 points

• Criteria 2 - Relevance of work experience - Max 10 Points

• Criteria 3 – Specific experience of citizen budgets and related oversight activities – Max 20 points

• Criteria 4 - In-depth technical knowledge of budget cycles – Max 15 points

• Criteria 5 - Experience of engaging non-expert audience on PFM or oversight issues – Max 10 points

• Criteria 6 – Interest in innovation and PFM current debates – Max 5 points

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Documentation required

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information (in one (1) single document as the application supports only one upload) to demonstrate their qualifications:

• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability for the duration of the assignment using the template provided in Annex II.

• CV indicating all experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.

• Cover letter, including a brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment

• Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex II (in USD)

Incomplete, joint proposals and proposals sent to the wrong mailing address will not be accepted and only candidates for whom there is further interest will be contacted.

Individuals interested in this consultancy should apply and will be reviewed based on their own individual capacity. The successful individual may sign an Individual Contract with UNDP or request his/her employer to sign a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA) on their behalf by indicating this in the Offerors letter to Confirming Interest and Availability using Annex II.

Annexes

• Annex I - Individual IC General Terms and Conditions

• Annex II – Offeror’s Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability for the Individual IC, including Financial Proposal Template

Proposal Submission

• All applications must be clearly marked with the title of the consultancy (Consultant - Community Management) with reference (PN/FJI/047/20) and submitted via UN Job shop by 28th May 2020.
• Note: UNDP Jobs only supports single document upload hence ensure that the proposal consolidated and submitted as one single document.
• For further information concerning this Terms of Reference, please contact UNDP Pacific Office by email: procurement.fj@undp.org.  

Women applicants are encouraged to apply