Background

Bangladesh is a signatory to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC has taken a number of decisions in recent years to encourage developing country Parties to take climate change mitigation actions in forestry sector. The role of forests and reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (REDD+) have been fully recognised and enshrined in the Paris Agreements.

As part of the country’s long-term strategy to reduce GHG emissions, largely described in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), the Government of Bangladesh has taken initial steps to contribute to this global effort to address climate change, and one of such steps is to develop its capacity to implement REDD+. The Government of Bangladesh prepared and endorsed its REDD+ Readiness Roadmap in 2012. To support this effort, the UN-REDD Bangladesh National Programme was established to provide technical capacity development assistance to the Government of Bangladesh. It will focus on designing and implementing the National REDD+ Strategy and in meeting the international requirements under the Warsaw Framework for REDD+ in-order to receive results-based finance.

One of the key components of the REDD+ readiness process is to develop a National REDD+ Strategy. The National REDD+ Strategy lays out public policy approaches and interventions required to effectively address key drivers and causes of deforestation and forest degradation (D&D). Such policy approaches and interventions are called REDD+ policies and measures (hereafter referred to as PAMs). Drivers has been identified and PAMs has been drafted for Bangladesh along with an indication of costs involved. The financing plan is also under preparation. Forest Referecne Level has also been drafted along with the National Forest Monitoring System. Some key committees for REDD+ management has been proposed for restructuring.

The objective of this assignment is to carry out an analyisis on institutional arrangement for effective delivery of REDD+ programme in Bangladesh. This will form an integral part of National REDD+ Strategy

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of work:

• Review of exisiting information / literature for example, - REDD+ strategy document for other countries, REDD+ Readiness Preparation Proposal (R-PP) of Bangladesh, National Programme Document, existing Office Order relating to different committees related to REDD+ management, stakeholder analysis report, Drivers report, Governance and Land Tenure Report, PAMs report, National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS) report, to gain an idea of vertical and horizontal, cross sectoral institutional arrangement necessary to successfully implement REDD+ activities in Bangladesh.
• Develop REDD+ managemement mechanism – processes, coordination, management, outreach and reporting mechanism acorss committess (National REDD+ Steering Committee, Technical Working Groups, REDD+ Stakeholder Forum), institutions and relevant stakeholders for operationalization of REDD+ and implementation of PAMs.
• Assess, identify and agree on specific roles to be played by non-forest sectors (direct drivers, key institutional players, etc) in the implementation of REDD+ (PAMs, safeguards, MRV)
• Assess the role of (and responsibility) of local communities (lPs, CSO/NGOs, minorities and women, etc) in the implementation of REDD+ activities, and monitoring of safeguards (including multiple benefits) and forests.
• Assess the feasibility (socioeconomic, political and institutional) of the PAMs/strategic options through analysis of risks, and opportunities for the proposed options, including an analysis of institutional capacity.
• Prepare a matrix on corruption risks of the PAMs/strategic options, including institutional safeguard measures / monitoring mechanism to mitigate those risks.
• Develop 4-6 pages policy brief on it.
• University/BBS/SRDI/SOB

Expected Results and Deliverables:

The expected outputs and deliverable schedule is as follows:

Supervision and Performance Evaluation:

The consultant will report directly to the Governance Activity Coordinator, UN-REDD Bangladesh National Programme. In addition, the consultant will obtain inputs from the National Project Director, and Programme Manager. The deliverables will be submitted in electronic and hard form on time by the consultant to UNDP Bangladesh

Inputs (UNDP and Consultant)

The project will provide all necessary documents (mentioned in Scope of Work) for review by consultant. The project will also arrange smaller meetings/ national consultation. Office space is available if the consultant chooses to work at Project Management Unit office. The consultant is expected to bring his/her own laptop and software.

Tentative payment schedule:

1. 1st payment: 20% of the total contract amount will be paid after submission of Table of Content for Institutional arrangement for REDD+ in Bangladesh and accepted by the Contract administrator.
2. 2nd payment: 60% of the total contract amount will be paid after submission of the First Draft Institutional arrangement for REDD+ in Bangladesh and accepted by the Contract administrator.
3. Final payment: 20% of the total contract amount will be paid after submission of the Final Draft Institutional arrangement for REDD+ in Bangladesh and accepted by the Contract administrator.

 Duty Station

Home-Based with several brainstorming and sharing meetings in the Project Management Unit Office at Bangladesh Forest Department and meetings/workshops in Dhaka.

Duration of Work

The duration of work will be for 35 working days over a period of 05 months. The expected start date is October 2018

Competencies

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
• Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work;
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
• Knowledge of development programme, global development concerns on conservation, and climate change;
• Experience in formulating and/or leading national strategy /policy
• Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet in conducting research;
• Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;
• Excellent presentation and facilitation skills.
• Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
• Positive, constructive attitude to work;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Required Skills and Experience

Educational Qualifications

• Minimum Master’s degree in forestry, Natural Resources Management, Public Administration and similar discipline.

Experience:

• At least 15 years’ working experience in forestry sector of Bangladesh.
• At least 05 years working experience in: pubic administration, institutional assessment & development process in Bangladesh
• Experience in working with United Nations or other international organizations or donor funded project will be added value.
• Familiarity with the concept and practice of REDD+, and broad knowledge of climate change will be an advantage.
• Excellent understanding of the key UNFCCC decisions on REDD+;

Language:

• Fluency in English and Bangla is required.

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 (including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).

In-country travel (if required) will be met by UNDP and DSA will be paid as per UNDP policy. If unforeseen travel outside the Duty Station not required by the Terms of Reference, is requested by UNDP, and upon prior written agreement, such travel be at the UNDP’s expense and the Individual Contractor shall receive a per diem not to exceed United Nations daily subsistence allowance rate in such other location(s).

Evaluation of the Candidates:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology.

Cumulative analysis-

The award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant up on Cumulative Analysis/evaluation and determined as:

1. Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
2. 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 49% mark in technical evaluation will be considered eligible for financial evaluation.

Technical Evaluation Criteria (Total 70 marks):

1. Level and relevance of education -5 marks
2. Experience of work in the relevant field specially climate change, forest and Environment, REDD+ -  25 marks
3. Proven experience (minimum 2 assignments) in national institutional analysis in the provision with similar service - 25 marks
4. Experience & working with Govt.  & United Nations or other international organizations or donor funded project- 15 marks

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.

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Proposers who shall not submit below mentioned documents will not be considered for further evaluation.

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; P11 can be downloaded from the link below: http://www.bd.undp.org/content/bangladesh/en/home/operations/jobs/

Financial Proposal: Financial Proposal has to be submitted through a standard interest and availability template which can be downloaded from the link below:

http://www.bd.undp.org/content/dam/bangladesh/docs/Jobs/Interest%20and%20Submission%20of%20Financial%20Proposal-Template%20for%20Confirmation.docx

Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment and a methodology on how they will approach and complete the assignment. 

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