Background

UNDP and the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning (MoEPP) are implementing the project “Macedonia’s Fourth National Communication (NC) and Third Biennial Update Report (BUR) on Climate Change under the UNFCCC (4th NC/3rd BUR)”. The immediate objective of the project is to assist the country in the preparation and submission of its Fourth National Communication and Third Biennial Update Report on Climate Change to the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for the fulfilment of its obligations to the Convention under FCCC/CP/2002/7/Add.2 and Dec.2/CP. 17 Annex III.

Initial climate finance relevant assessment has been elaborated within the Second BUR (SBUR), providing summary information about the support received for climate change activities during the 2014-2017 period from multilateral institutions, multilateral development banks and regional development banks disaggregated by donor and by type of support (financial, technology transfer, capacity-building or technical). The recommendations indicate the need to clarify criteria and methodology for support received as well as which projects to include in summary tables that must be reported in BURs, as it is uncertain whether this section relates to direct or indirect contributions; including the latter could present an ambiguous picture of the climate change investments in the country. Additionally, as there is no mechanism currently in place for the collection and assessment of climate change-related projects, appropriate methodology should be developed/identified.

Therefore, UNDP would like to engage a National Consultant that shall identify and analyze financial resources (international and national) invested and technical support received for climate change related activities in the country for the period 2018-2019. The information collected and analyzed shall serve as relevant chapter for the 3rd BUR.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective of the Assignment

The consultant is expected to collect, analyze and summarize data and information on national and international resources allocated for climate change in the period 2016 till 2019.

Scope of Work

• Review the relevant chapter of the Second BUR, technical review of the SBUR, and latest UNFCCC guidelines for preparation of BURs;
• Propose criteria for determination of climate change related programmes/projects/activities, as well as the most adequate methodology for regular collection of data and information on national/local resources allocated for climate change;
• Identify relevant national data sources and databases related to implementation of climate change programmes/projects/activities by central and local governments entities, CSOs, private sector, etc. which can be utilized for the needs of the BURs preparation;
• Collect, compile and analyze the collected data for climate change related programmes/projects/activities implemented in the country for the period 2018 - 2019 by central and local governments entities, CSOs, private sector, particularly:
  • Climate change finance from international and from national sources – governmental budget, local government budget, private funding etc.

• Financial, technical and capacity-building support received from the Global Environment Facility, Parties included in Annex II to the Convention and other developed country Parties, the Green Climate Fund and multilateral institutions for activities related to climate change;
• Identify constraints and gaps related to financial resources, technical and human capacities for development of climate change policies and implementation of relevant climate change programmes and projects on national and local levels;

• Review the state and budgets of the local governments, identify relevant budget lines that can be used for climate finance reporting, and prepare a summary of the financial information (state and local levels);
• Prepare a summary report that wil include the main findings and recommendations, and will serve as the Chapter “Information on Financial Resources” of the Third Biennial Update Report
• Present findings and recommendations at two workshops.

Expected outputs and deliverables:

The consultant is expected to prepare and submit the following deliverables:

• Criteria for determination of climate change related programmes/projects/activities, and the most adequate methodology for regular collection of data and information on national/local resources allocated for climate change (10 October 2019);
• Draft Summary Report (15 Nov 2019);
• Final report serving as chapter of the 3rd BUR “Finance, technology and capacity building needs and support received” (10 Dec 2019).

Institutional arrangment

The consultant will work under direct supervision of the UNDP Project Manager. He/she will be in regular communication with the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Chief Technical Advisor, UNFCCC Climate Focal Point as well as with the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Local Self Government, Ministry of Information and Sector for EU Integration to ensure better data collection.

The reports shall be prepared in English and Macedonian language.

Duration of the Work

The duration of the Consultant is estimated up to 50 working days in the period October 2019 - January 2020.

Duty station and travel

Travel is not expected.

Competencies

• Excellent communications and facilitation skills;
• Excellent analytical and negotiation skills.
• Excellent public speaking and presentation skills.

Required Skills and Experience

The selected candidates shall possess:

• Advanced University degree (at least M.Sc.) in economy or relevant;
• Minimum 3 years of experience in development/planning/assessment of local budgets/governmental institution budget;
• Experience with at least 1 relevant project related to research of environmental aspects of the state and/or local budgets.

Criteria for selection of best offer

The award of the contract shall be made to the offeror whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

a) Being responsive/compliant/acceptable, and

b) Having received the highest score based on the following weight of technical and financial criteria for solicitation as per the schedule below:

* Technical criteria weight: 70%

* Financial criteria weight: 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70%) in the technical evaluation shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

For the considered offers in the financial evaluation only, the lowest price offer will receive 30 points. The other offers will receive points in relation to the lowest offer, based on the following formula: (Pn / Pl) * 30 where Pn is the financial offer being evaluated and Pl is the lowest financial offer received.

Documents to be submitted

Interested offerors are invited submit the following documents/information to be considered:

1. Offeror’s letter, as per the following form LINK
2. Most updated CV with focus on required qualification as well as the contact details of at least three (3) professional references;
3. Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment,
4. Financial Proposal The financial proposal must be expressed in the form of a lumpsum all-inclusive cost, supported by breakdown of costs as per template provided in MK Denars for this consultancy.

The financial proposal must consider various expenses that will be incurred during the contract, including: the daily professional fee, communications, any other expenses related to this assignment;