Background

Due to their small size and narrow resource bases, Small Island Development States (SIDS) are import-dependent economies. On a per capita basis, waste generation in SIDS is rising. In 2014 it was slightly lower than in OECD countries (1.29 kg/capita/day, compared to 1.35 kg/capita/day), but as of 2019 is 2.3 kg/capita/day, 48% higher than that of OECD countries[1].

As SIDS progress import-dependent development pathways, the quantities and variety of products that are being imported (ranging from mercury containing thermometers to plastic [food] packaging, from second hand electronic products to motor vehicles, from agricultural chemicals to industrial chemicals) is rapidly increasing. This is leading to the generation of a large variety of different types of hazardous and toxic wastes which SIDS do not have the technical capacity or required treatment facilities to address alone[2]. Waste volumes are also increasing due to changing consumption patterns, and the disposal of these growing levels of imports of non-biodegradable materials. The disposal of non-biodegradable materials, and industrial and agricultural chemicals pose an increasing challenge[3].

The remoteness of the Indian Ocean SIDS makes the export and logistics of recyclables and hazardous wastes challenging and costly. The tourism sector and related job opportunities are important to the Indian Ocean SIDS economies but come with the challenges of increased waste volumes (in particular plastics), especially during tourism peak seasons. Waste management and recycling systems currently in place often cannot deal with the increase in supply/demand. In addition, the agricultural sector and health care sector also come with their challenges, as a significant number of products used in these sectors end up generating hazardous wastes and/or lead to chemical emissions to air, water and soil.

Priorities that are common among Indian Ocean SIDS and that will be addressed through the ISLANDS programme applying national and regional approaches, include:

• Improving import and export control of hazardous chemicals and products containing them;
• Implementing integrated national and regional waste management systems focusing on Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM), Health Care Waste Management (HCWM) and hazardous wastes (including PCBs, POPs containing products like e-waste, end-of-life vehicles, etc.);
• Building capacity for the assessment and introduction of safer/greener alternatives in supply chains (agriculture, tourism, health care);
• Reducing marine litter by reducing waste generation and improving waste management systems;
• Phasing-out Hg/POPs-containing products.

 As one of the Implementing Agencies of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), UNDP is supporting developing countries to develop and implement projects aimed at such challenges and planned activities to overcome those in Maldives as a part of a regional programme for the Indian  Ocean, and, at a broader and global level, will coordinate work with the parent programme (PFD) and other regional programmes in the Asia-Pacific and Caribbean Oceans which will be managed by UN Environment as the lead GEF agency in partnerships with FAO, Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and implementing partners such as the Basel Convention Regional Center for the Caribbean region and Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment (SPREP) for the Asia-Pacific region.

With this background, and in order to support such efforts of the Governments of Mauritius, Comoros, Maldives and Seychelles, UNDP in its capacity as the Implementing Agency for the GEF, requires the support of a national PPG Phase Technical Consultant. The Technical Consultant is requested to support the Project Preparation Grant (PPG) phase during which the detailed preparation of the country project in Maldives.

Objective of the consultancy

Under the guidance of the PPG National Technical consultant, the Financial Instruments/EPR consultant will help will act as an advisor and technical resource person with respect to reviewing and recommending environmental viable financial instruments in relation to better control of lifecycle product and waste management including sound disposal as part of the project’s planned activities.

This Specialist will report directly to the PPG National Technical consultant and will work under the overall guidance of UNDP-Maldives, and the UNDP/GEF Regional Technical Advisor/Specialist on Chemical Management in UNDP Regional Bureau of Asia Pacific (RBAP), in close coordination with the Ministry of Environment of Maldives.

The national consultant will work in close cooperation with the relevant local Maldives agencies (ministries, research institutions, NGOs) and other stakeholders relevant for the subject-matter of the project and will support the creation of conditions conducive to strengthening the national ownership of the project.

[1] SIDS Waste Management Outlook, 2019, IETC (not available online as of 12 March 2019)

[2] Cleaner Pacific Strategy, https://www.sprep.org/attachments/Publications/WMPC/cleaner-pacific-strategy-2025.pdf

s[3] GEO SIDS Outlook 2014

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of National Technical Coordinator (for the Indian Ocean) and national UNDP programme officer, and in coordination with Ministry of Environment, the Financial Instruments /EPR consultant will bear the following responsibilities.

General responsibilities:

• Review the available documentation on the project, including the project PIF and draft UNDP Project Documentation.
• Review and analyze the current national legislative framework in the country to assess the current enabling environment for Extended Producer Responsibility from the perspective of such areas as:
  • Legal criteria and standards of quality and performance associated with product life cycles and production; green alternative processes and products; and appropriate management of end-of-life products and waste materials from the production process
  • National level experience, access and availability, of environmental financial instruments to support and incentivize sustainable production, consumption and/or waste management surrounding product life cycles and associated processes, and/or around development and implementation of environmentally friendly innovation, redesign, safer waste disposal processes, and overall implementation of circularity in production processes
  • Policy or fiscal incentives targeting both consumers and private sector and their roles and responsibilities for turning in/taking back end-of-life chemicals and chemical containing products, and safely handling such throughout the related product lifecycle.
• Based on the initial analysis, prepare recommendations for improvements in the legislative framework, and ways in which fiscal instruments, private and public investment and any other key partnerships and fiscal products might be appropriate to set up a long term incentivization, revenue generation to support regulatory systems, and an overall access-to-finance mechanism to support minimization and safe handling of chemicals and products containing chemicals throughout the product life cycle. Key opportunities, barriers or requirements for stakeholder sensitization shall be included in the recommendations.
• Summarize these recommendations in a formal report which will be used in the formulation of the project documents for UNDP and GEF.
• Assist in finalizing relevant sections of the UNDP Project Document and provide inputs into the regional GEF programme document for the Indian Ocean in respect to the prospects of using such instruments on a longer-term basis to ensure creation of circular economy approaches in the country, and the region.
• In implementing this work, conduct relevant consultations with stakeholders, public, private and non-governmental organizations and collect the stakeholders’ feedback. Incorporate the comments, if appropriate, into the project’s related documentation and Results Framework.

Expected Activities and Products

The Consultant will be remunerated upon delivery of the products listed below.

Duration of consultancy

The consultancy has a duration of approx. 25 working days over 15 months. After initial deliverables are completed, the consultant would then remain on stand-by to address any GEF comments which would be received after submission of endorsement package. The delay in the delivery of the products will have consequences on the payment and the recommendations for inclusion in the UNDP roster.

The start date will be counted from the day after the contract is signed. Delivery before the set time limit does not entail additional compensation, but it will be favorably valued.

Work location

Home-based.

The consultant will assess the relevance of national trips, considering the methodology section of this ToR. The costs associated with travel to regions necessary to complete the products described in the ToR will be borne by the project.

Confidentiality  

The contractor should keep strict confidentiality on all the information that has become available within the framework of this contract, except that which is public. 

Evaluation of proposals

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on Cumulative analysis. The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as having received the highest score out of set of weighted technical criteria (70%), and financial criteria (30%).

Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 70 points)

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Final selection based on interview

Competencies

• Professional knowledge of environmental finance instruments/EPR in Maldives
• Experience in international project proposal writing and implementation is an asset.
• Prior experience with UNDP is a strong advantage.
• Proficiency of spoken and written English.
• Ability to present ideas in writing in a clear and concise way.
• Ability to lead strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
• Builds strong relationships with clients, focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to feedback.
• Excellent communication and IT skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• University degree in economics, finance, environmental economics or related fields. Masters degree in related fields will be considered an advantage.

Experience

• At least two (2) years of experience in review and application of environmental finance instruments/EPR in environmental projects.
• Experience of applying the EPR and environmental finance instruments in waste management business as advantage.
• Experience in GEF projects will be considered as advantage.

Language requirement

• Fluency in written and spoken English and Dhivehi is required.

Application process

Interested individuals must submit the following as proposals in order to demonstrate their qualifications:

• A letter indicating why the candidate considers himself/herself suitable for the required consultancy
• Submission of an updated detailed Personal CV or P11 form which can be downloaded from  http://sas.undp.org/documents/p11_personal_history_form.doc
• At least two references from recent previous jobs or three references contact details
• Financial proposal indicating Daily consultancy fee

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