Background

The ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine has had a direct and highly negative impact on social cohesion, resilience, livelihoods, community security, and the rule of law. In late 2014 the Government of Ukraine requested technical assistance and financial support from the international community to assess priority recovery needs. This was due to a recognition of the need to urgently address reconstruction, economic recovery, and peacebuilding needs in areas affected both directly and indirectly by the conflict. In late 2014, the United Nations (UN), the World Bank (WB) and the European Union (EU) conducted a Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment, which was endorsed by the Cabinet of Ministers in mid-2015.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been active and present in eastern Ukraine for the past decade, prior to the conflict, with a focus on community development, civil society development, and environmental protection. Work on addressing the specific conflict-related development challenges discussed above built on this earlier engagement, established partnerships, and started in 2015 through the United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (UN RPP). The UN RPP is a multi-donor funded framework programme formulated and led by the UNDP in collaboration with the Government of Ukraine and in cooperation with a number of partnering UN agencies (UN Women, FAO, UNFPA).

The UN RPP was designed to respond to, and mitigate, the causes and effects of the conflict. It is based on findings of the Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment (RPA) and is aligned to the State Target Programme for Recovery as well as to the two oblast development strategies up to 2020. It takes into account, the opportunities that have arisen from the Minsk Protocol of September 2014, and the renewal of its cease-fire provisions (the latest cease-fire having been agreed in March 2018) and is also fully adjusted to the humanitarian-development nexus. It is an integral component of the UNDP Country Programme and is, therefore, fully aligned with the United Nations Partnership Framework (UNPF). It is closely interlinked with the Democratic Governance and Reform Programme, operating nationally and in all of Ukraine’s regions, and is consistent with the SDGs, in particular SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong institutions).

The Programme’s interventions are grouped under the following key Programme components, which reflect the region’s priority needs:

Component 1: Economic Recovery and Restoration of Critical Infrastructure

Component 2: Local Governance and Decentralization Reform

Component 3: Community Security and Social Cohesion.

The Programme, operates on the basis of a pooled funding arrangement, follows a multi-sectoral programme-based approach, and is implemented using an area-based methodology. It is a unifying interventions framework for 12 projects funded by 12 international partners and is worth about 80 million USD.

In October 2018, four UN agencies (UNDP, UN Women, FAO and the UNFPA) have countersigned a new joint project document, funded by the EU. The overall objective of the project is to restore effective governance and promote reconciliation in the crisis-affected communities of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, thereby enhancing the credibility and legitimacy of local governments in the government-controlled areas (GCAs) of the regions. It will contribute to peace building and prevent further escalation of the conflict in Ukraine through effective and accountable decentralization, gender-responsive recovery planning, and equal access to services, as well as enhanced community security and social cohesion.

This endeavour will be achieved through the pursuit of the following specific objectives:

1. To enhance local capacity for gender-responsive decentralisation and administrative reforms to improve governance, local development and the delivery of services.
2. To stimulate employment and economic growth by providing assistance to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) development through demand-driven business development services and professional skills training.
3. To enhance social cohesion and reconciliation through promotion of civic initiatives.
4. To support sector reforms and structural adjustments in health, education, and critical public infrastructure. To mitigate direct impacts of the conflict, and enhance the capacity of governmental authorities for the national coordination of actions to cope with emergencies arising from the conflict zone.

5. Supporting the implementation of the European Investment Bank’s Early Recovery Programme.

One of the priorities of objective 1, is to enhance local capacity for gender-responsive decentralization and administrative reforms to improve governance, local development and the delivery of services. Anti-corruption efforts are framed in the principles of good governance, including transparency, accountability, and participation of all stakeholders to ensure effective and efficient local governance for all people, including internally displaced persons. This will include a series of training sessions, round tables, elaboration of Anti-corruption Strategies and a small grants program. A best practices program is also foreseen as contributing to more effective governance.

Regarding best practices, in 2019 Novopskov Amalgamated Territorial Community (ATC), in Luhansk Oblast has become the first community in Ukraine to apply the "Islands of Integrity"™ anti-corruption methodology. As a result, the anti-corruption strategy was developed, along with the plan of action for Novopskov ATC. It has been made possible by the active involvement of the community itself – with the involvement of members of the public. Based on the positive results of Novopskov ATC, it was decided to disseminate this successful experience to other communities in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

Duties and Responsibilities

Main objectives of the assignment

The UNDP is seeking to contract National Consultant to support the elaboration of Anti-corruption Strategies and Action Plans for two target hromadas (Kurahove and Soledar) in Donetsk oblast (government-controlled area).

The plan must absorb the best approaches on strategic planning, the result-based monitoring and evaluation system, and other related issues.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Anti-corruption Specialist, the National Consultant will be responsible for the following key tasks:

• Develop a workplan with a timeline and submit to the Anti-corruption Specialist for approval;
• Prepare Agenda and Curriculum for Introductory and Final workshops for representatives of 2 target hromadas involved into the process of Anti-corruption Strategy elaboration;
• Organise and moderate half-day Introductory and Final workshops and other meetings with representatives of each target hromada (at least 12 participants in each hromada);
• Support and advise the authorities of each target hromada to set up a Coordination Group and Working Groups;
• Design and organise the questionnaires for employees and external stakeholders to identify the organization vulnerabilities to corruption;
• Conduct the questionnaires for employees and external stakeholders (with at least 200 inhabitants and 5 in-depth interviews);
• Analyse surveys’ results and systemise information obtained;
• Prepare the General Diagnosis Report presenting the diagnosis process and results - the activities/services identified as vulnerable to corruption;
• Prepare the In-depth Diagnosis Report presenting key activities/services vulnerability to corruption causes;
• Draft Anti-corruption Strategy and Actions Plan for each target hromada with necessary measures and risks' assessment;
• Draft any additional annexes describing/explaining reasons and goals of activities;
• Organize and moderate public consultations of the Anti-corruption Strategies and Actions Plans;
• Draft a Final report for each target hromada on the process of Anti-corruption Strategy and Actions Plan elaboration, its successes and challenges, bottlenecks, lessons learned, etc.;
• Submit Final Reports to Anti-corruption Specialist for approval;
• Perform other activities, related to the assignment, as requested by Anti-corruption Specialist.
• he volume of the Reports has to be enough to present all necessary information.

Deliverables and payment for services schedule

In view of the above, the Consultant’s responsibilities will be to provide the following deliverables:

Monitoring/Reporting requirements

The Consultant will directly report to UNDP Anti-corruption Specialist and Programme Coordinator on weekly or any other agreed basis. The Consultant will participate in the Project meetings (by Skype) and will share his/her work progress.

The Consultant should adhere to the system of monitoring, evaluation and quality control implemented by the UNDP and provide the necessary information, reports and statistics according to the present schedule or as soon as possible (within a reasonable time).

All reports and studies UNDP shall be transmitted electronically (Formats of: * .docx, * .xlsx, * .pptx, * .pdf) on electronic source or in the form of electronic communication. The studies/research/reports should be written in Ukrainian.

PROPOSED PAYMENT SCHEDULE

20% - upon completion of Deliverable 1;

30% - upon completion of Deliverables 2;

30% - upon completion of Deliverables 3;

20% - upon completion of Deliverables 4.

The payments will be processed upon full completion and acceptance of corresponding contractual obligations whereupon Anti-corruption Specialist signs the certification of acceptance.

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS

Applicants shall submit the following documents:

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

 Lump sum contract

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 on 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).

The Consultant will be responsible for all personal administrative expenses associated with undertaking this assignment including office accommodation, printing, stationary, telephone and electronic communications, and report copies incurred in this assignment.

Travel costs

All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel. In general, the UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class, he/she should do so using their own resources. In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant prior to travel, and will be reimbursed.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.

Evaluation of Applicants

• University degree (at least Specialist/Master degree or higher) in Social Sciences – Specialist/Master degree -10 points, PhD – 12 points;
• At least 5 years of professional experience in the field of governance or development – 5 years - 8 points, 6-8 years – 10 points, more than 8 years – 12 points;
• At least 3 years of proven experience in Strategies elaboration is required - 3 years - 6 points, 4-5 years- 10 points and more than 5 – 15 points;
• Proven experience in Anti-corruption Strategies development at the Local Level (at least 1 example of Anti-corruption Strategic Plan elaborated by applicant should be provided) - 1 example – 10 points, more than 1 example – 12 points;
• At least 5 years of experience in facilitating and delivering trainings and workshops is required – 5-8 years – 10 points, more than 8 years - 13 points;
• Fluency in verbal and written Ukrainian is required, knowledge of English will be an asset - Ukrainian – 5 points, Ukrainian/English – 6 points.

Maximum available technical score - 70 points.

EVALUATION METHOD

Cumulative analysis

Contract award shall be made to the incumbent whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and

b) having received the cumulative 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 70% from the maximum available technical score (49 points) will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

The maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal is allocated to the lowest price proposal and will equal to 30. All other price proposals will be evaluated and assigned points, as per below formula:

30 points [max points available for financial part] x [lowest of all evaluated offered prices among responsive offers]/[evaluated price].

The proposal obtaining the overall cumulatively highest score after adding the score of the technical proposal and the financial proposal will be considered as the most compliant offer and will be awarded a contract.

Competencies

• Ability for desk research and analytical work;
• Sound knowledge and proved experience in training guideline development;
• Familiarity with national legislation in anticorruption sphere;
• Ability to deliver outputs in a timely manner;
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills;
• Ability to handle politically sensitive issues with authorities, CSO’s, and within UNDP;
• Sound judgment and maturity to foster a positive work environment;
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team;
• Demonstrated strong analytical, coordination and facilitation skills;
• Strong user of computers and office software packages.

Required Skills and Experience

• University degree (at least Specialist/Master degree or higher) in Social Sciences is required;
• At least 5 years of professional experience in the field of governance or development;
• At least 3 years of proven experience in Strategies elaboration is required;
• Proven experience in Anti-corruption Strategies development at the Local Level (at least 1 example of Anti-corruption Strategic Plan elaborated by applicant should be provided);
• At least 5 years of experience in facilitating and delivering trainings and workshops is required;
• Fluency in verbal and written Ukrainian is required, knowledge of English will be an asset.