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 International Technical Coordinator consultant, the national consultant will help to develop the project document by identifying and addressing information gaps (collection and analysis of baseline materials), establishing baseline activities and designing theory of change/implementation strategies, coordinating stakeholders in Maldives, leading resource mobilization efforts and partnership management with support from UNDP-Maldives, validating results and aligning ongoing initiatives to avoid duplication of efforts.

More specifically, support will be provided to the International Technical Coordinator on the  programme/project design and ensure the preparation and finalization of the UNDP/GEF Project Documents (ProDocs), the GEF CEO endorsement documents and other supporting documents (GEF Indicators, RIO markers, Social and Environmental Screening Procedures (SESP/ESMF), gender action plans among others) required for approval by the GEF, the Governments of Maldives and UNDP.

Environmental Safeguards Management Frameworks (ESMFs) will be country-specific and formulated by a national specialist, with the requirement of coordinating summary inputs in order to fulfill GEF’s SESP requirements. 

Since the work in the Indian Ocean is closely interlinked with the global ISLANDS umbrella programme, appropriate coordination and information exchange will take place under this assignment with the parent programme and regional projects in the other two regions (Asia-Pacific and Caribbean). This will require fulfilling requirements from the lead authors of the ISLANDS umbrella programme and the GEF in terms of information inputs to the parent programme, and the process may demand revisions/adjustments to original information materials supplied by the national consultant.

[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

[3] GEO SIDS Outlook 2014

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of ISLANDS International Technical Coordinator (for the Indian Ocean) and national UNDP programme officer, and in coordination with Ministry of Environment , the consultant will bear the following responsibilities, noting that one UNDP-GEF national project document is to be formulated and required summary inputs are provided for the regional level UNDP-GEF project documentation and CEO Endorsement document.

General responsibilities:

• In principle, in coordination with the International Technical Coordinator, UNDP and Ministry of Environment, identify and structure the data collection processes, review and analyze data received, establish/adopt methodologies for the development of baseline, theory of change, and project’s implementation approaches (main components, resource mobilization strategies, indicators, risks) for both the GEF CEO Endorsement and UNDP Project Documents.
• Define how data collected and technical analysis can be appropriately adapted to the scope, scale and needs of project stakeholders and the executing agency. Resource mobilization and partnership management strategies, including consultations on domestic (public, private) and external (donors, IFIs etc) resources, as required, will take one of central roles in this assignment.
• Work with government institutions, private sector, non-governmental and strategic organizations that are necessary for the formation of the project. Ensure that the regional and global coordination of efforts in the ISLANDS’ programme are well reflected/embedded in the national activities proposed by the project.
• Provide guidance and assistance, where required, to national consultants, such as gender, SESP/ESMF and economic instruments’ experts, regarding an organized plan for collection of baseline and project’s strategy information, as well as on preparation of documents required for the development of their thematic assignments.
• Review the reports and documents generated by such national consultants contracted, and ensure compliance with quality criteria, including modifications required for the acceptance of these products, so as to ensure their conformity with the standards of formulation of the final project document.
• Define operational strategies to support implementation of the theory of change and resource requirements for the effective project’s implementation. Ensure that all requirements from the GEF, Government of Maldives, and UNDP are fully reflected in the project documentation.
• Maintain regular communication with all relevant stakeholders as related to the project’s objectives in order to ensure required level consultations with all concerned parties.
• Support inception and project validation workshops as required in the formulation process.

Specific Responsibilities:

• In coordination with the International Technical Coordinator, UNDP and Ministry of Environment , develop data collection methodologies and plans for the national PPG team, covering aspects of the baseline, theory of change, main project’ components, project implementation indicators, risks and barriers, and resource mobilization for both the GEF CEO Endorsement and UNDP Project Documents.
• Based on approved project’s design and  information gathered, prepare a prodoc in English, in UNDP-GEF format, including an analysis of: global benefits, local and national context, relevance based on national priorities, main risks, their causes, barriers, baselines, strategies and activities for project implementation, monitoring and evaluation strategy, resource mobilization strategy, replicability strategy, sustainability, incremental cost matrix, risk analysis matrix, budget and budget notes (ATLAS format), results framework, executive summary, terms of reference and structure for decision making, work plan and relevant annexes, among others.
• In conjunction with UNDP and Ministry of Environment , develop the logical framework and incremental cost matrix to include in the project document strictly following the guidelines and expected results described in the project components defined in approved project design (child programme).
• Support the development of the project's theory of change, and other design parameters following UNDP regulations for nationally executed projects.
• Identify stakeholder organizations and institutions related to the project’s objectives and facilitate the elaboration of agreements for their involvement in the implementation phase of the ISLANDS programme, through letters of co-financing and partnership agreements on resource mobilization.
• Define needs for implementation and participation mechanisms.
• Ensure that project proposals are coordinated with national plans for on control of chemicals in products, hazardous and municipal waste management, circular economy principles (EPR and other mechanism) and innovation start-ups in packaging/recycling, product substitution and disposal business.
• Coordinate inputs on gender, SESP/ESMF and economic instruments’ application.
• Support the organization of work of the PPG phase from technical and management point of view to satisfy UNDP’s project management and administrative requirements.

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. 120 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-base with meeting with relevant stakeholders including visits project sites.

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. 

Competencies

• Proficiency of spoken and written English.
• Knowledge of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) on chemicals management (Stockholm, Basel, Rotterdam, Minamata Conventions), SAICM and their implementation is an asset.
• Knowledge of the policies and procedures of the GEF and UNDP, particularly in the area of chemicals and wastes, with specific focus on GEF-7 integrated waste management principles is a strong advantage.
• Excellent communication and IT skills.
• Design of Project proposals based on results-based management methodology.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• University degree in Environmental Sciences/Chemistry and/or Engineering, or Waste Management. Master’s degree is an advantage.

Experience 

• At least three (3) years of experience in the development (management of a logical framework or similar methodologies), execution, support and management of environmental projects, including monitoring and evaluation activities.

• Experience in project management related to the management of hazardous and municipal waste in respect to the scope of work set out by Stockholm, Basel, Rotterdam, Minamata Conventions, and the SAICM initiative.
• Relevant experience in consulting in international project management with the GEF is an asset.
• Relevant experience in drafting documents for the GEF in English is an asset.

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
• Technical proposal – the consultant to present a proposal for Methodology and Work Plan as part of their technical proposal
• Financial proposal indicating Daily consultancy fee

Note: Please note that UNDP jobsite system allows only one uploading of application document, so please make sure that you merge all your documents into one single file.

Evaluation of proposals

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

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%).

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