Background

Purpose

To support the Serbian Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and Local self-governments (LSGs) to collect, process and disseminate data on existing emissions pollutants (air, water, waste) efficiently and effectively.

Objective

To contribute to the environmental protection by strengthening environmental pollution monitoring capacities of competent authorities.

Background Information

From 2017 the open data ecosystem in Serbia has been growing, attracting various stakeholders to explore open data opportunities. From small and mostly project supported initiatives, open data has become recognized as one of the enablers for the transparency and citizen engagement among government institutions. However, there are a number of institutions on the national level, mostly those who are owners of high-value datasets, still reluctant to engage and release open data.

In order to create strategic approach to open data release, future open data initiative will focus on deeper intervention within the selected sectors – public finance and environmental protection. In the area of environmental protection, UNDP will partner up SEPA, which is the main holder of data related to environmental protection. In accordance with the Law on Environmental Protection, SEPA collects data on sources of pollution for the National Register of Pollution Sources. According to the same Law, LSGs are obliged to keep local registers of pollution sources. Currently, only several local registers have been established in Serbia, which are not regularly updated. It should be emphasized that the National Register does not overlap with Local Registers, rather they complement each other. The quantitative and qualitative lack of data inhibits the creation of informed decisions and implementation of evidence-based policy making on the local level.

In order to enable more local registers on pollution sources, more and better quality data, and raise awareness among LSGs on importance of legal reporting obligations towards SEPA, UNDP and SEPA will organize a package of 50 trainings for all LSGs in Serbia, with 1 on 1 tailor made approach. Additionally, National Register of Pollution Sources Information System (NRPS IS) will be updated and advanced, in terms of providing an adequate information system for collecting and processing the data prescribed by local registers. Data collected through the newly implemented modules will be available to all local governments and will be a very good basis for the preparation of all planning documents on the local level, such as air and water protection, waste management, spatial plans, etc. This will be followed by the change in the legislative framework, in order to regulate newly implemented modules. Finally, air emission inventory and data dissemination system/portal with a Geographic Information System (GIS) component within the existing SEPA IT platform, which are currently lacking, will be developed throughout the support package to SEPA. This Portal will be used for dissemination of data on air emissions at the national and international levels, based on UNECE PRTR Protocol[1], UNECE LRTAP[2], and UNFCCC[3] conventions, as well as EU E-PRTR[4] and the IED Directive[5].

In order to support SEPA in advancing of the environmental pollution monitoring capacities, and raise the quality of data collected, UNDP will engage an expert to monitor implementation of the trainings for LSGs and SEPA, provide quality assurance of the process of NRPS IS update and review secondary legislation amendments proposal.

[1] Kyiv Protocol on Pollutant Release and Transfer Registers

[2] The Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution

[3] United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

[4] The European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register

[5] Industrial Emissions Directive

Duties and Responsibilities

The expert shall perform the following services:

• Participate in on-site visits of 5 one-day trainings for LSGs (organized in 5 cities of Serbia, dates and locations to be agreed with UDNP) and create 5 monitoring reports in accordance with the set goals and training outcomes, with recommendations for improvement;
• Develop a review of the business analysis for the GIS component within the NRPS IS (document in Serbian language, between 8 to 10 pages, to be provided by the UNDP);
• Develop a review of the configured module for data collection for the Local Register of Pollution Sources, in accordance with agreed specification;
• Develop a review for the quality assurance/quality control for data collection methodology (document in Serbian language, between 25 to 50 pages, to be provided by the UNDP);
• Develop a review of the report on the research results on pollutants emissions from transport (following the COPERT 5 model) for the period 1990 – 2021 (document in Serbian language, between 20 to 40 pages, to be provided by the UNDP);
• Develop a review of the amendment of the Rulebook on the methodology for the development of the national and local register of pollution sources, as well as the methodology for the types, methods and deadlines for data collection (and Rulebook Annexes);
• Develop a review of the calculation tool for air pollution emission for spatial data grid.

All reviews will be developed in a form of comments directly in the original documents (except for the configured module for data collection for the Local Registers of Pollution Sources and the calculation tool for air pollution emission for spatial data grid). Review shall be given on the draft and the final version of the documents.

All expenses related to the on-site training visits will be covered by the UNDP (travel and food). Trainings will take place in a period from October 2021 until December 2021.

Duties, responsibilities and key milestones

The consultant is responsible for the following deliverables:

All deliverables need to be written in Serbian language. All deliverables will have to be quality reviewed and approved/accepted by the Portfolio Manager – Competitiveness and Digital Governance Portfolio.

Competencies

• Consistently ensures timeliness and quality of project work.
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills.
• Evidence of ability to express ideas clearly; to work independently and in teams.
• Ability to summarize and systematize complex information and identify priorities for follow up activities.
• Shares knowledge and experience.
• Focuses on results and responds positively to feedback.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Demonstrates integrity by modelling ethical standards.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental protection or similar field; Master’s degree will be considered as an asset;

Work Experience:

• At least 10 years of working experience in projects related to environmental protection;
• Experience in work with local self-governments will be considered an asset;
• Excellent organizational and communication skills;
• Full computer literacy.

Language requirements:

• Excellent Serbian language speaking and writing skills.

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS.

Application Procedure:

Qualified and interested candidates are asked to submit their applications via UNDP Web site: UNDP in Serbia under section “Jobs” no later than 20 October 2021.

Application should include: 

• CV in English language containing date of birth, contact information (home address, phone number, e-mail) and timeline of work experience (including description of duties).  
• Offeror’s Letter (only PDF format will be accepted) confirming Interest and availability for the Individual Contractor (IC) Assignment. Can be downloaded from the following link: http://www.undp.org.rs/download/ic/Confirmation.docx. The Offeror’s Letter shall include financial proposal specifying a total lump sum amount for the tasks specified in this announcement with a breakdown of costs.
• Cover Letter – explaining why you are the most suitable for the work should be included in the CV.

In order to apply please merge above listed documents into a single PDF file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded.

Note: Only the short-listed applicants will be contacted and requested to submit signed Offeror’s Letter Confirming Interest and Availability including a price for the work envisaged in the section "Description of Responsibilities".

Any request for clarification must be sent by standard electronic communication to the e-mail vacancy.rs@undp.org. The procuring UNDP entity will respond by standard electronic mail and will send response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all consultants.

Financial Proposal:

• Lump sum contracts

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR.  In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (i.e. number of anticipated working days).

Travel

All expenses related to the on-site training visits will be covered by the UNDP (travel and food). Trainings will take place in a period from October 2021 until December 2021.

Evaluation

Additional Information:

• Individual Contract (IC) will be applicable for individual consultants applying in their own capacity. If the applicant is employed by any legal entity, IC would be issued upon submission of Consent letter from the employer acknowledging the engagement with UNDP. Template of General Conditions on IC could be found on: https://rs.undp.org/content/dam/serbia/downloads/General%20Conditions%20for%20Individual%20Contracts.pdf 
• Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA) will be applicable for applicants employed by any legal entity. Template of RLA with General Terms and Conditions could be found on: https://www.undp.org.rs/download/RLA%20with%20General%20Terms%20and%20Conditions.doc . In the case of engagement of Civil servants under IC contract modality a no-objection letter should be provided by the Government entity. The ‘no-objection’ letter must also state that the employer formally certifies that their employees are allowed to receive short-term consultancy assignment from another entity without being on “leave-without-pay” status (if applicable) and include any conditions and restrictions on granting such permission, if any. If the previous is not applicable ‘leave-without-pay’ confirmation should be submitted.

Engagement of Government Officials and Employees

Government Officials or Employees are civil servants of UN Member States.  As such, if they will be engaged by UNDP under an IC which they will be signing in their individual capacity (i.e., engagement is not done through RLA signed by their Government employer), the following conditions must be met prior to the award of contract: 

(i)  A “No-objection” letter in respect of the individual is received from the Government employing him/her, and; 

(ii) The individual must provide an official documentation from his/her employer formally certifying his or her status as being on “official leave without pay” for the duration of the IC. 

The above requirements are also applicable to Government-owned and controlled enterprises and well as other semi/partially or fully owned Government entities, whether or not the Government ownership is of majority or minority status.   

UNDP recognizes the possibility that there are situations when the Government entity employing the individual that UNDP wishes to engage is one that allows its employees to receive external short-term consultancy assignments (including but not limited to research institutions, state-owned colleges/universities, etc.), whereby a status of “on-leave-without-pay” is not required.  Under such circumstance, the individual entering into an IC with UNDP must still provide a “No-objection” letter from the Government employing him/her.  The “no objection” letter required under (i) above must also state that the employer formally certifies that their employees are allowed to receive short-term consultancy assignment from another entity without being on “leave-without-pay” status and include any conditions and restrictions on granting such permission, if any.  The said document may be obtained by, and put on record of, UNDP, in lieu of the document (ii) listed above.