Background

The United Nations in Bangladesh is supporting the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) to find innovative solutions to its development challenges through the broad framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aligning activities with the governments various national policies including but not limited to the 8th five-year plan. UNDP Bangladesh is exploring avenues to redefine its strategy in the development context of Bangladesh. Bangladesh will soon graduate to a lower middle-income country and UNDP Bangladesh will continue to engage with the Government during this transitional phase. The changing nature of engagement with donors and partners require that UNDP continuously demonstrates its value. In this context, UNDP is working on its strategic positioning in Bangladesh and how it organizes itself to be “fit for purpose” and able to support the alleviation of poverty and reduction of inequality and vulnerability in a relevant, efficient and effective manner.

 

In Asia and the Pacific, UNDP is increasingly being requested to provide governance related services that support governments in articulating their response to climate change. These services include strengthening government’s institutional and administrative frameworks to be able to deliver integrated climate policy and programming within a range of sectors; strengthening government’s planning and budgeting processes to be able to account transparently for climate relate services and climate finance; strengthening parliament and civil society’s roles in holding governments to account for their response to climate change and supporting sector ministries and local governments in integrating climate related services into their programming. 

  

To respond to the growing demands, UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub (BRH) has established a multi-disciplinary team to deliver services which can support governments to develop comprehensive approaches to govern the challenge of climate change in ways that support their overall development.  ‘Strengthening the Governance of Climate Finance to Enhance Gender Equality’ is a regional project that aims to ensure that more budget resources are allocated to address climate change and also promote gender equality in Asia Pacific. It also aims to strengthen the national and local planning and budgeting processes to enable public investments to deliver sustainable development goals in an integrated manner, focusing on enhancing gender equality whilst tackling climate change.

 

(A Climate Finance Network has now been established which will support select countries across Asia Pacific in fostering knowledge management across the region and provides support to the countries in implementation of climate finance reforms around six workstreams. One of the six workstream is tax and innovative finance. The project implementation will also mean an expansion in number of countries that are to be supported.)

 

The project, as part of its support to Ministries of Finance to integrate climate change into public financial management, seeks to enhance the focus on mitigation working at the national level and also through line ministries that can contribute the most to climate mitigation. There is emerging interest in carbon pricing in a number of countries in the Asia-Pacific as a measure to enhance mitigation actions and domestic resource mobilisation and the project aims to respond by exploring the range of carbon pricing mechanisms which can be instrumental in reducing carbon emissions. Carbon pricing mechanisms include carbon taxes, emissions trading schemes, carbon offset mechanisms, results-based climate finance and internal carbon prices set by state owned or private organizations.

 

The Project supports country governments in assessing the feasibility of introducing various carbon pricing mechanisms with an initial emphasis on carbon tax schemes that are gender and socially responsive. While there have been a few academic studies at the regional level, e.g the ‘The Economy-wide Impact of a Uniform Carbon Tax in ASEAN’ Ditya A. Nurdianto and Budy P. Resosudarmo, actual country based studies that have been done under the auspices of respective Ministries of Finance have been limited. Moreover, these studies do not delve deep into the redistributive angle and how carbon tax will fit within the wider fiscal policy context.

 

UNDP partners with country level experts, research entities and think tanks for collaborative research with governments to provide policy options for carbon tax. It is important that the policy choice for a carbon pricing including carbon tax is driven by country requirements, the emission reduction targets, the overall climate and fiscal framework of the country and finally the potential impact of the policy on women, men, people with disability and other marginalized groups. If designed well, carbon pricing mechanism could help the private sector to realign its operations towards greener operations. Support will be provided to the selected countries to examine viability of carbon taxes which would look at the opportunity cost of the carbon tax for the targeted countries. The aim is to provide evidence and policy advice to the governments of these countries to reduce carbon emissions through using the appropriate carbon pricing and tax structures. 

 

UNDP Bangladesh CO is also supporting the government of Bangladesh to prepare a smooth transition strategy as the country is scheduled to move out of the list of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in 2026. One area of the smooth and sustainable transition is the potential impacts on climate change related issues including finance (as Bangladesh will no longer be able to receive LDC-specific concessions).  Therefore, the country needs to prepare itself to address global commitments.  

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

 

The purpose of this assignment is to support work on aligning tax policy with Bangladesh’s climate action ambitions. In addition, the assignment will require providing support to the UNDP CO’s activities concerning a smooth transition strategy for Graduating out of LDC status.   

 

Scope of work

 

The core outcome from this consultancy will be substantive contributions to a paper that highlights how tax policy and tax laws can be used to support climate ambitions developed by government and stakeholders in Bangladesh. The Strategic Advisor will consult with the stakeholders listed below and collect relevant information and data collected on core components of the prospective paper. The consultant will conduct stakeholders’ interviews as per agreed schedule, prepare interview reports and submit to the CO. The paper will also look at other complementary public policy objectives, with a focus on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency policies that can also help support the climate agenda of the GoB and avoid turning this into ‘pure mitigation’ objectives, given strong objections among decision makers in Bangladesh in signing up for an ambitious mitigation agenda that is not clear to have tangible benefits to Bangladesh. The main outcomes will be a detailed study and policy brief on how to align tax policy with Bangladesh’s climate ambitions. The consultant will also provide advise and support CO work on sustainable transition from a LDC to a middle income developing country with focus on bringing qualitative changes in the way public policies are made and implemented.

 

 

Core components of the paper are to be:

 

  1. Highlight key sources of climate ambitions in Bangladesh, and where tax policy and tax laws can support achievement of these.
  2. Principles for ‘operationalizing’ climate tax regime implementation in support of Bangladesh’s climate ambitions through e.g.
    1. aligning collection system of carbon tax with same administrative systems as existing taxes; 
    2. ensuring that tax design corresponds to principles of good public revenue management (e.g., minimizing income fluctuations to the government); 
    3. basing carbon tax on emerging best practice on carbon tax design globally.) 
  3. Existing plans created in Bangladesh as starting points:
    1. Five year work plans: how can appropriate taxation measures support climate ambitions, including under the 8th five year plan?
    2. NDCs: how can tax legislation and regulation support the objectives Bangladesh has signed up for under its NDC?
  4. Assessing the benefits from ‘climate taxation measures’ for Bangladesh:
    1. Assess effectiveness of such fiscal interventions in terms of reducing carbon emissions and increasing revenues
    2. Growth and innovation benefits assessments: evidence from other countries.
    3. Opportunity cost assessment
    4. Co-benefits with adaptation
    5. Access to international climate finance from climate taxation efforts, and positive spillover effects in Bangladesh
  5. Sectoral focus to be chosen:
    1. Options: energy, agriculture, transport, tbd.
    2. Suggested focus on sector where much background work already done, and broad consultations possible e.g. garment sector?
  6. Learning from Bangladesh’s adaptation efforts: cases of successes and failures in building a tax system that supports national climate efforts.
  7. Taxes as a tool to provide climate incentive structures for industry in Bangladesh: options.
  8. Embedding Bangladesh’s taxation reform in its climate-related visions:
    1. Carbon neutrality
    2. Vision for graduating from LDC status (planned for 2026).
    3. Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan and others as appropriate.

 

List of Stakeholders for consultations:

 

  • Relevant stakeholders, including National Board of Revenue (NBR), Private sector actors: including FBCCI, BGMEA, BKMEA, BWCCI, Private Banks, Climate finance business entities
  • National climate tax experts in universities and think tanks
  • Leaders in sectoral ministries that are most likely to raise ‘climate taxes’
  • Leaders of groups representing strata of society disproportionately affected by climate taxes, be it negatively (e.g. trade unions of highly polluting industries) or positive (e.g. renewable energy industry representatives).

 

 

Expected Outputs/Deliverables:

  • Relevant information and data collected on core components 1 - 4 of the prospective paper, compiled in agreed format and to be shared with the CO and the regional mitigation expert;
  • Collected data and information on core components 1 – 4 of the prospective paper analyzed and interpreted for the further use by the CO and the mitigation expert;
  • Stakeholders’ interviews conducted as per agreed schedule, with interview reports duly prepared and submitted to the CO.

 

 

Timeline

  

Deliverables / Outputs

Target Due Dates

Days

Payment percentage

Collecting, analyzing and interpreting data on core components of the prospective paper

31th May 2022

10

20%

Report on results from stakeholder interviews

30th June 2022

10

20%

Final report aligning tax policy with Bangladesh’s climate action ambitions

31st August 2022

10

20%

Policy Brief aligning tax policy with Bangladesh’s climate action ambitions

30th Sept 2022

10

20%

Support UNDP CO’s activities on transition strategy for Graduating out of LDC status

15th December 2022

10

20%

 

 

Key Performance Indicators and Service Level

The performance of service will be evaluated based on the actual quality deliverables, the relevance to areas of scoping described, the approval from the relevant COs where the deliverables are required. 

 

If the service provider does not meet the required service level, UNDP will not certify payments for the deliverable i.e. no payment will be made until UNDP certifies and accepts the deliverables. Eventually, if the deliverables are not met as per specifications, the contract may be terminated as per UNDP Procurement rules and regulations.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

  • Promotes UN's Values and ethical standards (tolerance, integrity, respect, results orientation, impartiality)
  • Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and sensitivity and adaptability
  • Demonstrates integrity by modeling in the UN's values and ethical standards (human rights, peace, understanding between people and nations, tolerance, integrity, respect, results orientation, UNDP core ethics, impartiality.

 

Functional Competencies:

 

Knowledge Management and Learning

  • Promotes knowledge management and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example, excellent knowledge of capacity building theory and the application of methodology, good understanding of capacity assessment methodologies, excellent ability to identify significant capacity building opportunities, ability to get capacity building, excellent ability to demonstrate national capacities building (mastery of the tools and their application)
  • Excellent analytical skills in research and data collection, as evidence in relevant reports, consulting assignments, or publications. Please provide a list of publication/ assignment/ report with details of timeline and organization
  • Excellent understanding of key relevant sectors and their stakeholders (ie, sectors heavily impacted by climate taxes).
  • Strong understanding of relations between the three organs of the state and power/influence dynamics with thorough and demonstrated analysis.
  • Excellent communication skills (written and oral) in English
  • Ability to provide top quality policy advice services on economic issues
  • Established track record of delivering strong analytical products with policy relevance
  • In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues

 

Development and Operational Effectiveness

  • Ability to engage with high-ranking UNDP Managers, Government Officials and international donor community and provide policy advisory support services
  • Ability to identify opportunities, conceptualize and develop project reports
  • Ability to effectively support in strategic planning, results-based management, and reporting
  • Ability to implement new systems and affect staff behavioral/attitude change
  • Ability to undertake result-based management and reporting

 

Management and Leadership

  • Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
  • Builds strong relationship with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback, timely responses to queries
  • Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities
  • Demonstrates strong administrative skills and result oriented approach to work
  • Provides inspiration and leadership to project staff as well as all the partners.

 

Communications and Networking 

  • Has an excellent oral communication skill in English and conflict resolution competency to manage inter-group dynamics and mediate conflicting interests of varied actors.
  • Has an excellent written communication skill in English, with analytic capacity and ability to synthesize project outputs and relevant findings for the preparation of quality project reports.

Language:

  • Fluency in written and spoken English is required in addition to national language.
  • Working knowledge of another UN language would be an asset.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic qualifications:

  • University degree (Minimum Masters or above) that demonstrably covers both environment and tax issues (e.g. economics, finance or public policy with relevant understanding of climate issues; or environmental sciences or similar with exposure to tax issues).

 

Experience:

 

  • Minimum 20 years of experience of working in the field of poverty alleviation, environment, climate change, local and democratic governance, policy support etc.
  • Minimum 5 years of professional experiences relating to climate change, with previous project or research work on climate taxation.
  • Excellent understanding of climate finance and tax issues in Bangladesh, with additional knowledge of broader environmental fiscal issues.
  • Experience of conducting minimum two previous studies for development agencies. Please provide list of studies.
  • Proven knowledge and skills on qualitative and quantitative research applicable in the context of development interventions and specifically in governance
  • Prior experience of development planning and policy guidance matters at the national level.
  • Prior experience in a senior government position will be an added advantage

 

Institutional Arrangements:

The Senior Strategic Advisor will work directly under the supervision of the Resident Representative of UNDP Bangladesh. The assignment will have 50 working days over a period of 7 months until 15th   December 2022. The consultant will work with the Bangladesh Climate Change Specialist, the BRH Gender and Climate Finance Specialist, the Regional IRFF Specialist and the Regional Climate Mitigation Specialist.

 

EVALUATION

 

Evaluation of the Candidates:

 

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology.

 

Cumulative Analysis:

 

When using this weighted scoring method, 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 and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

 

* Technical Criteria weight; 70%

* Financial Criteria weight; 30%

 

Only candidates obtaining a minimum 70% mark in technical evaluation will be considered eligible for financial evaluation.

 

Technical Evaluation Criteria (Total 70 marks):

 

Criteria

Weight

Max. Point

Technical

70%

70

Relevant educational qualification 

20%

20

Knowledge on relevant GoB institutions on tax and climate policy

10%

10

Relevant work experience

20%

20

Evidence of previous relevant outputs (e.g. publications)/ experience of conducting studies in relevant field

20%

20

 

Financial proposal

30%

30

 

Total

100%

100

 

 

Financial Evaluation (Total 30 marks):

 

All technical qualified proposals will be scored out 30 based on the formula provided below. The maximum points (30) will be assigned to the lowest financial proposal. All other proposals received points according to the following formula:

p = y (µ/z)

where:

p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated

y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal

µ = price of the lowest priced proposal

z = price of the proposal being evaluated

 

Recommended Presentation of Offer

 

Interested individuals must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications.

 

  1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
  2. Personal CV or P11, 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;
  3. Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided   http://www.bd.undp.org/content/dam/bangladesh/docs/Jobs/Interest%20and%20Submission%20of%20Financial%20Proposal-Template%20for%20Confirmation.docx
  4. Suppose an organization/company/institution employs an Offeror and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA). In this case, the Offeror must indicate this at this point and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated into the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.  

Please combine all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows you to upload a maximum of one document.

Note: The individual consultant who does not submit the above documents/requirements shall not be considered for further evaluation.

For any clarification regarding this assignment please write to ebidbox@undp.org.