Antecedentes

By 2050, the UN foresees that 66% of the world's population will be living in metropolitan cities and, thereby, increasing pressure on municipal governments to provide reliable access to public services. With this expanding population, there is a global shift to cities as primary agents of innovation and intervention and a general consensus that, to accommodate these new patterns, they need to be resilient, economically vibrant, more livable, sustainable, accessible, well-governed, and well-planned. To many cities, these demands elicit uncomfortable growing pains that force existing structures, policies, and regulations to stretch or break. In the Europe and Central Asia region, there are two intersecting trends: one of rapid depopulation of monotowns & another of expansion of capitals. Both of these are creating tensions – socio-economic decline in parts of the country, and overstretching of existing infrastructures, weak public services & weak social fabric in the growing urban areas.

NextGenUNDP recognizes that development is not static and fixed, but that the current times are especially dynamic, ever-changing, and evolving into a new pattern. UNDP also recognizes that in a multi-polar, interconnected and fast-paced world, a single development model is not enough. Agility, exploration and experimentation are critical in appreciating, addressing and, ultimately, closing the relevance gap - the difference between current practice and the speed of development change in the world. Grappling with complexity and uncertainty means that systemic change cannot be achieved by one state or organization alone, that no idea will achieve the necessary scale without multi-sector partnership, and that radically new development models are in high demand.

To this end, UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub (IRH) has pursued two approaches to accelerate learning on strategic risks and development of systemic solutions to complex challenges, and especially doing so at the local level. Under the framework of the City Experiment Fund, between 2018 and 2020, UNDP has explored rolling out a system-thinking framework & multi-sectoral approach on how to tackle local level challenges. Building on the emerging practice of portfolio design, in the IRH, RBEC COs & across UNDP, applying this methodological framework to the City Experiment Fund is likely to yield new models for transformation at the local level.

To that end, under the Transformative Governance & Finance Facility II, UNDP’s Innovation Team is seeking to support ten cities in the region in the articulation, design and dynamic management of portfolios. This work builds on the ongoing efforts at the regional level to develop a portfolio on urban transformation following the pandemic. The cities participating in the process have been divided into two subsequent cohorts. As per the CEF project description, Cohort no. 1 shall deliver their final results by the end of 2020, while Cohort no. 2 shall deliver theirs by August 31, 2021.

The expert in systems transformation and local development will support the UNDP IRH Team in: (1) development of methodology on how to approach designing a portfolio of interventions targeting specific socio-economic challenges circulating around air-pollution but not limited to that has been identified by the CO team at the local level, with clear roles for different stakeholders (2) development of capabilities of UNDP country team and local governments in using a systems and portfolio approach (3) Design a portfolio of interventions in 1 city in the Europe and Central Asia region (Almaty, Kazakhstan).

Deberes y responsabilidades

Consultant will provide advisory support to the UNDP IRH Innovation Team. Specific reporting and working relationships will be specified at the time of contracting for a specific assignment. Consultant will perform their duties from home through telephone, e-mail or other online communication channels (i.e. Microsoft Teams). Consultants are expected to attend relevant online meetings with designers working with the other 4 cities (Stepanavan, Armenia; Skopje, North Macedonia; Prizren, Kosovo[1] and Pljevlja, Montenegro) in the Cohort 2 of CEF, as well as cohort-wide progress update/learning sessions. No travel required.

The selected consultant will work closely with UNDP IRH to deliver the following key deliverables:

Deliverable 1: Development of methodology on how to approach designing a portfolio of interventions at the local level, with clear roles for different stakeholders. This deliverable includes following activities:

1. Designing and presenting a methodology on how to deploy the portfolio approach to address the challenges-as aforementioned- of the city of Almaty as defined in the CO proposal and revised during the CEF process (by end of April 2021)
2. Designing an aligned MEL (monitoring, evaluation and learning) protocol for the portfolio design process in cooperation with the IRH and CO team. (by end of April 2021)
3. Conducting learning and collaborative activities to identify existing initiatives in the country office and in the city.

Delivered by end of April, app. 25 days

Deliverable 2: Conduct trainings and learnings sessions for UNDP country team and local governments on using a systems and portfolio approach. This deliverable includes:

1. Design of an overall framework relevant to local governments on learning through dynamic portfolio management (e.g. deep listening/sensemaking, systemic approaches & activation of portfolios) (by end of  June 2021)
2. Design and delivery of training sessions (at least 5, learning by doing) for the country office team (by end of August 2021)

Delivered by August 31, app. 35 days

Deliverable 3: Design and activate a portfolio of min. three interventions in one city in the Europe and Central Asia region (Almaty, Kazakhstan). This deliverable includes:

1. Organizing at least 5 workshops with the City Experiment Fund team/Innovation team, Kazakhstan and counterparts in the city (by end of June 2021);
2. Description of three leverages for engaging system dynamics within the city of Almaty, Kazakhstan to induce system response, resilience & transformation (by end of May 2021);
3. Designing at least three portfolio interventions, that prespond to strategic leverage points (by end of June 2021)
4. Write a consolidated report, including an investment and management framework for activation of the portfolio, including support in the development of respective TORs. (by end of August 2021)

Delivered by August 31, app. 40 days

3. Payments

Payment schedule is as following:

Timing and duration

The Assignment is expected to start on 30 March 2021 and be completed by 31 August 2021. The IC is expected to invest maximum 100 person/days to fulfil the required tasks stated in Section 2, throughout contract validity.

In order to fulfil required tasks for the development of deliverables as defined and listed above, the estimated number of days to be invested are also provided. The number of days presented as ‘estimated number of person/days to be invested’ are indicative. The IC may invest less/more than the estimated number of days for each deliverable and finalize the respective deliverable.

The payment for each deliverable will be made on the basis of the actual number of days invested for that respective deliverable.

[1] * References to Kosovo on this document shall be understood to be in the context of Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999)

Competencias

Corporate competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• 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;
• Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Functional competencies:

• Strategic vision, strong technical and analytical capabilities and demonstrated ability to gain the assistance and cooperation of others in a team endeavour through technical leadership in a broad range of operational areas; 
• Strong interpersonal skills and communication skills, resourcefulness, initiative, maturity of judgment, tact, and negotiating skills, and the ability to cope with situations which may pose conflict; 
• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN's values and ethical standards;
• Proven ability to work in a team, develop synergies and establish effective working relations within the RCO, local and central government counterparts, donors and NGOs;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
• Ability to handle effectively multiple tasks without compromising quality, team spirit and positive working relationships;
• Strong analytical aptitude and effective interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to solve complex problems with minimal supervision;
• Ability to lead formulation and evaluation of development programs and projects;
• Ability to work with small multi-disciplinary, multi-national teams to deliver quality products in high stress, short deadline situations;
• Demonstrated ability to assess complex situations in order to screen succinctly and clearly critical issues and draw forward-looking conclusions;
• Facilitation and training skills

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education

• Criteria A: Master’s degree in a relevant field in relevant development studies or related social science fields with solid experience in local development and innovation, an urban planning/development degree is an asset.

Experience

• Criteria B: At least 7 years of proven experience in local level transformation, urban policy innovation, multi-stakeholder engagement and application of multi-disciplinary approaches.
• Criteria C: Proven experience in the ECIS (Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States) Region;
• Criteria D: Experience in human centred design processes, experimentation, solution mapping, mentoring and coaching programmes targeting young people in the private and public sector.
• Criteria E: Experience in developing finance/investment models for delivering public value is an asset;

Language

• Criteria F: Excellent English writing and communication skills. 

Evaluation

Applicants meeting minimum qualification requirements stipulated within the Terms of Reference will be short-listed for technical evaluation.

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal.

The award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as: responsive/compliant/acceptable, and having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical (P11/CV desk reviews) and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Only candidates who will get at least 70% in technical evaluation (Criteria A-F) will be considered for financial evaluation.

The evaluation will be based on cumulative analysis (i.e. technical qualifications and price proposal).

The weight of the technical criteria is 70%; the weight of the financial proposal is 30%.

After conclusion of the technical evaluation, candidates who have obtained a minimum of 49 points out of a maximum 70 points will be considered for the financial evaluation.

Candidates who could not meet the minimum qualification requirements will be disqualified.

*Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor (e.g. fee, health insurance, office supplies, communications, vaccination, personal security needs and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services...).

Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org

Qualified women and members of minorities are encouraged to apply.

Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.

Please mind filling and confirming the type of assignment option according to Offeror’s Letter to UNDP section J. 

The following annexes are an integral part of this procurement notice. In case of any conflict between the provisions of the Annex III and the procurement notice and/or Annex I and/or Annex II, the provisions of Annex III are applicable.

• Annex 1: Terms of Reference
• Annex 2: Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability
• Annex 3: General Conditions of Contract for Services of Individual Consultants
• Annex 4: P11 (CV Template Form)