Antecedentes

Since 1951, UNDP has been working and partnering with different public private sector organisations in India to strengthen systems and institutions and promote Inclusive Growth and Livelihoods as well as Sustainable Energy, Environment and Resilience, with a focused agenda to leave no one behind.

UNDP India’s Communications department works closely with the verticals listed above, ensuring that the organisations’ communication reaches all its stakeholders – the government, private sector partners, implementation partners, beneficiaries and the general public. This is done by leveraging strategic communication tools, as well as by creating effective campaigns, community outreach, and media engagements.

Objective of the Assignment

With the rise of digital platforms, it is more important today than ever before to communicate through graphics. Graphics are one of the most effective, immediate and powerful ways through which UNDP can convey how its work improves people’s lives worldwide.

In this context, UNDP India is looking to contract individual designers/illustrators based in different parts of the country to deliver powerful communication design materials that demonstrate the impact of UNDP projects and initiatives in a range of areas where we work. These include inclusive growth, systems strengthening and institutions, energy and environment, and others related to UNDP core principles.

The consultants will work closely with UNDP communications unit and will produce products based on the content and guidance provided by the hiring unit. The consultants are responsible for ensuring all products are in full compliance with UNDP branding and style guide.

LTA objective and setup

The overall objective to set up this Long Term Agreement (On Call) is to facilitate and expedite the process by which UNDP will hire the services of individual designers/illustrators, once there are specific assignments in the next 3 years.

The assignments will typically be to design, layout and format publications, and other printed and web-based communications materials that demonstrate the impact of UNDP projects and initiatives in the country. In all activities UNDP commissioned, designers/illustrators are to ensure dignity of subjects, particularly in the context of people living or affected by HIV and children.

Deberes y responsabilidades

Duties and responsibilities

Working on an “on call” basis, the consultants will be responsible for design and layout of knowledge products – print and electronic versions, designs for digital use and event collaterals, including:

• Design print material such as illustrations, publications, newsletters, infographics, factsheets, brochures, flyers, posters, booklets and more; and digital material like presentations, infographics, GIFs, etc
• Layout existing copy in a user-friendly manner, incorporating feedback and content corrections from hiring unit
• Translate data into infographics
• Design event collaterals, including standees, backdrop, banners, posters and more
• Design logos and branding material
• Merchandise designing
• Any other design-related requirement
• Supply print-ready artwork, open files and collaborate in ensuring smooth printing processes

Scope of Work

GENERAL:

• Understanding and complying with UNDP branding guidelines
• Receive briefing from the Communications and Programme teams in UNDP
• Attend (or participate via conference call) in briefing calls
• Finalise the content in consultation with UNDP. All content requires approval from UNDP and/or its partners
• Deliver high-quality, engaging products including additional graphics where required and drafting content in English and Hindi if required
• Submit a rough draft of the design. UNDP may ask for changes upon the submission of the first rough draft. The designer/illustrator must comply with the changes and resubmit for approval
• Ability to deliver quality end products during tight timelines
• All final materials – including all open files (Ai, PSD, Id, etc.), file links to images and fonts – to be delivered in a hard drive

Copyright

• All graphics developed as part of the project to be submitted to UNDP
• All copyright over any products developed rests with UNDP. The designer/illustrator may not use, reproduce or otherwise disseminate or authorise others to use, reproduce or disseminate such works without prior consent from UNDP
• Purchase of any fonts/typography for any assignment will be based on actuals and must be handed over to UNDP

Supervisor

Head of Communications, UNDP India

Duration of the assignment

The assignment, under this Long-Term Agreement (On Call) Contract, is expected to have a duration of 3 years. The initial contract would be for one year (May 2021 – April 2022) with an option for renewal in subsequent years upon satisfactory performance evaluation.

Copyright

Copyright for all written, edited and designed material rests with UNDP India. No material may be used/published or reproduced without prior permission from UNDP India.

Geographic requirements

UNDP seeks to employ designers/illustrators working in all parts of the country.

Candidates are requested to clearly state in their technical proposal the region where they are based, according to the below categorisation:

• Region 1: New Delhi
• Region 2: North India
• Region 3: South India
• Region 4: East India (West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand)
• Region 5: Maharashtra
• Region 6: North East

Note: Non-Indian passport holders are required to provide proof of a valid work permit in India at the time of submitting the application. Please note, applicants holding business visas will not be considered.

Duty station and travel

There will be little to no travel required for this position.

LTA contracting modality and Call-off mechanism

The LTA to be signed will a fixed per hour and per day for one year. However, UNDP does not warrant that any quantity of services will be purchased during the term of the LTA as this will depend on forthcoming needs. 

Once the LTA is signed, if there is a specific requirement, the focal person in the Communications Unit would contact the top-ranking LTA designers/illustrators for that region (ranking to be set up as per evaluation method and criteria section below). Should this person not be available for the event, UNDP will contact the second ranked designer/illustrators in the region and so on.

Upon receipt of this communication, the LTA designer/illustrators would have to confirm their availability for the assignment within two days. If positive, s/he would inform UNDP of her availability.

Upon review of the same, UNDP will send the designer/illustrators a written communication confirming the requirement in the form of a work order or purchase order sent by email. The order will include details on the requirements, number of hours/days to be worked and other practical details. Price in the order will be based on daily fee included in the LTA contract and on the agreed costs. After the work order has been sent, no further costs would be reimbursed by UNDP (increased number of work days/hours, or additional costs) unless there is prior written authorisation by UNDP.

Once the services are completed and have been approved by the Communications Unit, the designer/illustrators will send the following documentation for payment purposes:

a) Complete invoice indicating number of hours/days worked and additional costs (if any);

b) Supporting documentation (bills/vouchers) for reimbursements of any costs if applicable;

c) Copy of the UNDP order for the assignment.

Note: For certain designers/illustrators used regularly, UNDP may agree to regular (monthly or bi-monthly) payments to designers/illustrators for payment of all work orders done in the period.

Contract management

UNDP Communications Unit would request LTA holders to report on a quarterly basis.

UNDP will regularly monitor the performance of these LTA holders, based on the following Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• KPI 1: Responsiveness: Designers/illustrators should respond and confirm their availability event within 2 days of UNDP’s notification by email/telephone/WhatsApp.
• KPI 2: Quality of the final deliverable taken are as per work order submitted.
• KPI 3: Accuracy of payment documentation. Designer/illustrator shall provide complete payment documentation including accurate invoices with correct quantities, unit price, complete bills/vouchers for reimbursement, etc.
• KPI 4: Communication and Reporting. Designer/illustrator shall communicate and provide reports in a timely and professional manner.

UNDP would conduct bi-annual performance reviews of these LTAs, which might include meeting with the LTA holders and feedback from other stakeholders.

If the designer/illustrator fails to meet UNDP’s performance requirements detailed above, s/he will receive in the first instance a warning to improve their performance. Continued failure to meet performance requirements may result on termination of the LTA.

Competencias

Core Competencies:

• Integrity and confidentiality
• Professionalism
• Communication
• Creativity

Functional Competencies:

• Strong graphic design skills
• Excellent organisational skills
• Experience in producing corporate products
• Understanding of UN, including UNDP, development issues and UN reform
• Knowledge of UN branding language and style guide
• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure

Behavioural Competencies:

• Ability to be flexible and respond to changes as part of the review and feedback process
• Strong interpersonal skills, able to communicate and work with diverse people
• Participate effectively in team-based, information-sharing environment, collaborating and cooperating with others
• Focus on impact and results for the project

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education Qualifications:

• Degree in communications, arts, media or any relevant field is an asset

Experience:

• Minimum three years of relevant professional experience in communications for development organisations, including experience in the preparation of publications, infographics, etc
• Excellent design skills, including typography, layout, colour theory, etc. (as demonstrated by samples submitted with application) 
• Minimum three years demonstrated experience using design and illustration software such as Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Keynote etc is required
• Knowledge of infographics programmes such as Infogram, Canva, etc, an asset.
• Previous work experience with the UN System on communications highly desirable

Other Requirements:

• It is desirable that the candidate should hold a license of Adobe Creative Cloud (valid for the contract period) and any other design software with functional hardware (I7 Processor, minimum 1 Tera byte hard disk, Video card, minimum 16 GB RAM or higher configuration) to deliver the tasks at the New Delhi office of UNDP

Candidates are requested to go through the required qualification and experience requirements stated above and only apply when they meet such criteria. Evaluation will be based as per details in below section.

Application procedure

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

Technically qualified consultants will be requested to submit their daily fee rate i.e. consultants who score more than 70% i.e. 49 marks with respect to the above-mentioned evaluation criteria. Consultant should not specify their consultancy fee on their CV or with the submission. The CV will not be evaluated further in case the consultant submits the same.

Note: Consultant must send a financial proposal, when requested, based on per hour and per day Fee in Indian Rupees.

This Daily Fee will be the basis for UNDP to calculate rates below one-day duration: half-day rate will be 60% of daily fee. Note: for contract purposes “daily” would be understood as 8 hours of work, and “half day” as 4 hours of work.

Evaluation Method and Criteria

Individual Consultants will be evaluated based on the Cumulative Analysis methodology. The ranking of designers/illustrators shall be made based on proposals that are a) responsive/compliant/acceptable; and b) having received the highest score out of set of weighted technical criteria and financial criteria as per below weightages (technical-financial): 70%-30%. Minimum score to pass in technical evaluation is 70%, hence only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

UNDP will sign Long Term Agreement (LTA) with 4-6 top ranked designers/illustrators per region according to their cumulative evaluation (technical + financial) score.
Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points)

• Relevant experience and qualification – 30 points
• Quality of sample of 1 publication (at least 30 pages) or a set of 5 infographics/illustrations - 10 points
• Quality of Portfolio: 30 points

Technically qualified consultants will be requested to submit their daily fee rate i.e. consultants who score more than 70% i.e. 49 marks with respect to the above-mentioned evaluation criteria. Consultant should not specify their consultancy fee on their CV or with the submission. The CV will not be evaluated further in case the consultant submits the same.

Documentation required

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document:

• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability
• Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
• At least one publication/ booklet/brochure or 3-5 samples of illustrations/infographics that highlight the applicant’s knowledge and mastery of graphic design.
• Share complete portfolio of work – online/pdf version
• Non-Indian passport holders are required to provide proof of a valid work permit at the time of submitting the application. Please note, applicants holding business visas will not be considered
• Technical proposal, including a) a brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment; b) Clear statement of the regions s/he is applying for; c) Clear statement of the region in India where s/he is based; d) Link to work samples.
• Financial proposal - Only technically qualified consultants will be requested to submit their fee, as stating specifying the all-inclusive per hour and per day fee in Indian Rupees. i.e. consultants who score more than 70% i.e. 49 marks with respect to the above-mentioned evaluation criteria. Consultant should not specify their consultancy fee on their CV or with the submission. The CV will not be evaluated further in case the consultant submits the same.
• 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 will be reimbursed with prior approval only.
• Payments shall be done monthly 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.

For any clarification, please write to ic.india@undp.org