Background
Due to the diverse and complex terrain of the Caucasus mountains, its significant influence and the influence of the Black Sea and Caspian Sea on the climate and weather of the region, Georgia is exposed to various climate-induced hazards including floods and flash floods, climate-induced geological hazards (including landslides, mudflow, debris flows), droughts, soil erosion, severe winds, hailstorms and avalanches. Furthermore, according to Georgia’s the 2nd and the 3rd National Communications, the frequency, intensity and geographical spread of extreme hydro meteorological hazards will increase under climate change and may result in significant impacts on key sectors including agriculture, critical infrastructure (transportation networks, buildings, roads, water supply, energy installations), natural resources and eco-systems, glaciers and forests.
To address the existing development challenges, UNDP Georgia designed a program aimed at reducing exposure of Georgia’s communities, livelihoods and infrastructure to climate-induced natural hazards through a well-functioning nation-wide multi-hazard early warning system and risk-informed local action. The project will achieve transformative change in disaster risk reduction and risk management in Georgia via providing critical climate risk information that would enable the Government of Georgia to implement number of nation-wide transformative policies and actions for reducing exposure and vulnerability of the population to climate-induced hazards. To this end, the project will rehabilitate the national hydrometric network to systematically collect data on climate induced hazards. The project will undertake relevant technical studies to model and map all relevant climate induced natural hazards for Georgia to provide a single source of definitive hazard mapping of the appropriate technical specification and level of detail for all uses, building upon modern modelling methods and software. The project will address the lack of gender-sensitive socio-economic data and relevant capacities for risk, damages, losses, exposure and vulnerability assessments by developing and harmonising methodologies and technologies for the systematic collection of socioeconomic information required to assess climate induced hazard damages, losses, exposure and vulnerability. The project will also support the development of platforms for the coordination and dissemination of climate-risk information across all sectors through the development of a centralised multi-hazard disaster risk information system. This will enable the systematic use of climate-risk information in decision making and importantly, in the management and reduction of climate-induced risks across all sectors.
The centralized multi-hazard disaster risk information system will consist of a national e-Library, databases (including the GIS database), information systems and knowledge portal (web knowledge portal) to increase awareness, provide interactive hazard maps, with integration of social media and possible mobile application to increase community engagement and allow two-way flow of information. It will be an integral part of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) being developed for Georgia and provide the information access and sharing platform for geospatial information on hazards for use by all sectors.
The system will represent a major shift in how government departments currently work and will need to be supported by the introduction of appropriate data sharing protocols and importantly by extensive training and capacity building to ensure sustainability.
Duties and Responsibilities
The overall responsibility of the international expert is to lead the process of development of centralized multi-hazard disaster risk information system. The international expert should provide overall technical guidance in development and testing of centralised system and undertake quality assurance role for all deliverables. The international expert will work under direct supervision of Team Leader and Project Manager. The Environment and Energy Team Leader will be engaged in overall supervision, while the Chief Technical Advisor will guide the expert’s work. The expert will be directly responsible to, reporting to, seeking approval from, and obtaining certificate of acceptance of deliverables from the above-mentioned persons. The duties and responsibilities provided in the ToR are for the first year of August 2019-August 2020. The expected number of consultancy days is 35 including three missions of up to 15 days. For the remaining two years precise tasks, consultancy and mission days will be specified in the corresponding ToRs.
For the indicated one-year period the international expert will be responsible to:
- Develop ToR for national company to be engaged in the development of the centralized multi-hazard disaster risk information system;
- Participate in recruitment of national company by supporting:
- development of RFP (Request for Proposal)/RFQ (Request for Quotation) specifications;
- development of evaluation criteria;
- evaluation of proposals of national companies and selection of winner.
- Develop ToR of Data and Information Technical Working Group (TWG), support in identification of possible members and topics of meeting agendas;
- Lead the national company in assessment of existing data/information sharing capacities and development of the multi-hazard disaster risk information and knowledge system by assisting in:
- reviewing and describing existing platforms/systems, data specifications, metadata and standards applied;
- reviewing and describing existing hardware and software infrastructure as well as institutional capacities of major stakeholders;
- reviewing and describing existing databases;
- reviewing and describing existing data flows and data sharing practices and interoperability of systems;
- developing system design (incl. User Experience, User Interface (UX/UI)).
- Establish User Personas (profiles) and define User Journeys (Process chart for each persona to map out what types of ways in which different people/groups will interact with the platform) in close cooperation with the national company;
- Develop system design concept.
Deliverables for the first year of the assignement:
- ToR of national company responsible for the development of centralized multi-hazard disaster risk information and knowledge system (mid - August 2019);
- Final RFP/RFQ for recruiting national company (end of August 2019);
- ToR and composition of Data and Information TWG (mid-September 2019);
- Reviewed draft report on the detailed review and assessment of existing data/information sharing capacities (mid-December 2019);
- Draft system design concept (mid-December 2019);
- Conceptualized User Persona and User Journeys (end of January 2020);
- Cleared final report on existing data/information sharing capacities (end of March 2020);
- Final system design concept (end of April 2020);
- Cleared final system design (incl. UX/UI) (end of August 2020)
Payment modality:
The payment schedule is given below and will be made upon satisfactory completion/submission and approval of the deliverables by the supervisor:
- 40% - upon successful submission of deliverables 1-3
- 20% - upon successful submission of deliverables 4-5
- 30% - upon successful submission of deliverable 6-8
- 10% - upon successful submission of deliverable 9
Competencies
Corporate competencies:
- Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
- Understanding of the mandate and the role of UNDP would be an asset;
- 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
Functional competencies:
- Strong communication and analytical skills;
- Demonstrated skills in drafting reports;
- Ability to work under pressure with several tasks and various deadlines;
- Actively generates creative, practical approaches and solutions to overcome challenging situations;
- Excellent writing, presentation/public speaking skills;
- A pro-active approach to problem-solving;
- Computer literacy
Leadership and Self-Management skills:
- Builds strong relationships with the working group and with the project partners; focuses on impact and results for the project partners and responds positively to feedback;
- Cooperates with working group effectively and demonstrates strong conflict resolution skills;
- Consistently approaches work with energy, positivity and a constructive attitude;
- Demonstrates strong influencing and facilitation skills;
- Remains calm, in control and good humoured under pressure;
- Demonstrates openness to change, new ideas and ability to manage ambiguity;
- Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills;
- Demonstrates ability to transfer knowledge and competencies;
- Ability to work independently and hurdle competing priorities.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- At least Master’s degree in Information Technologies, GIS or any related field (minimum requirement: 7 points);
Experience:
- At least 5 years of experience in development of information management systems (minimum requirement: 5 years - 10 points; more than 5 years – additional 2 points);
- At least 3 years of management experience (including writing ToRs for the systems development) of development of GIS platforms (minimum requirement: 3 years - 9 points; more than 3 years – additional 2 points);
- At least 3 years of experience in development of system architecture (minimum requirement: 3 years - 9 points; more than 3 years – additional 2 points);
- Familiarity and/or experience of platforms on Multi -hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS) is an asset (5 points);
- Experience of working in Georgia and/or knowledge of the region’s context is an asset (4 points).
Language Requirements:
- Proficiency in both spoken and written English.
Evaluation:
Offerors will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis method, against combination of technical and financial criteria. Maximum total obtainable score is 100, out of which the total score for technical criteria (desk review and interview) equals to 70 and for financial criteria – to 30. Offerors that do not meet any of the Minimum Requirements will be automatically rejected, while the rest will form the long list. Technical evaluation will comprise of desk review and interview stages. Offerors who pass the 70% threshold, is obtain minimum 35 points as a result of the desk review will be invited to the interview. Offerors passing 70% threshold as a result of the interview (i.e. obtain minimum of 14 points) will be recommended for financial evaluation.
Financial Proposal:
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. Maximum 30 points will be assigned to the lowest price offer. All other price offers will be scored using the formula (inverse proportion): Financial score X = 30* the lowest price offer/suggested price offer. All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal as well.