Background

UNDP in Ukraine is now developing a full-sized project document based on the Child Project Concept Note/Project Identification Form (PIF) titled “Promoting sustainable livestock management and ecosystem conservation in Northern Ukraine” approved by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) in May 2019 as part of a package of child projects under the Food Systems, Land Use and Restoration (FOLUR) Impact Program. The project aims to demonstrate a large-scale transformative change of agriculture and food systems, land degradation neutrality, climate, biodiversity, and economic benefits, by putting in the center the model of sustainable cattle management, through cooperatives of land users (on peat soils) as well as partnership agreements with larger enterprises (at forest-steppe areas) working together with water engineers to restore land, zone it, subsequently decide and apply best land use or conservation regime.

The project is aiming to generate multiple benefits for global environment and local development by demonstrating restoration, improved conservation and sustainable management of degraded agricultural lands in the northern part of Ukraine, and strengthening national inventory and land planning framework governing agricultural land management, that has high replication potential.

The project responds to national priorities and the Project Document needs to be prepared by March 2020 in alignment with Ukraine’s national strategies and based on targeted research, background information and baseline data that include maps containing key information on target geographical and administrative areas (four Polissia oblasts of Ukraine – Rivne, Chernigiv, Volyn and Zhytomyr oblasts).

In this context the United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine seeks to engage a Geospatial Data Specialist to collect, aggregate and analyse geospatial data through GIS, covering specific geographic features, land cover, and other features to map target geographical and administrative areas in four above mentioned oblasts in Northern Ukraine (Polissia) for the purpose of the full Project Document.

Duties and Responsibilities

TASKS AND SCOPE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

A Geospatial Data Specialist under this assignment is to 1) collect, aggregate and analyse geospatial data through GIS, covering specific geographic features, land cover, and other features to map target geographical and administrative areas and 2) provide specific geo-spatial analyses on demand during the project development phase to inform key aspects of the project development process. The specialist will also work with project partners and stakeholders to validate geospatial data, if necessary. For example, the specialist may need to work directly with protected areas staff to confirm shape file data for protected area boundaries.

Specific requirements:

1.1 Maps:

1. Types of maps to be used: topographic (physical), political maps and satellite images.
2. The maps should include data which has been updated no later than 1 January 2015 or newer if possible.

c)  Source geospatial data and related raster and vector thematic layers should correspond to the scale: 1:100,000, or smaller in order to accurately calculate geospatial shapes to the nearest hectare.

d) Coordinate system and projection of resulting materials - EPSG 4326.

1.2. Featured thematic layers:

1. Administrative boundaries of the target area: oblast, district, and amalgamated communities for four Northern oblast of Ukraine – Rivne, Volyn, Chernigiv and Zhytomyr.

2. Various road types (vector layer).

3. Settlements (vector layer).

4. Open water surfaces (vector layer).

5. Protected areas: reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and other protected areas (distinguished by type of PA) (vector layer).

6. Land use category (vector layer):

6.1. uncertain;

6.2. land use is absent;

6.3. forest;

6.4. arable land, crops;

6.5. pastures, hayfields, grassy vegetation;

6.6. peatlands, swamps

6.7. Badlands (????????)

7. Vegetation (vector layer):

7.1. Steppe forest

7.2. Natural peatland vegetation

7.3. Fodder crops (hay, etc.)

7.4. Other agricultural vegetation (i.e. food crops, etc.)

7.5. Fallow lands

7.6 Forests

8. Soil category (vector layer):

8.1. unspecified;

8.2. marshy;

8.3. peat bog;

8.4. peat-marsh;

8.5. peat heights and transitional;

8.6. lowland peatlands;

8.7. lowland peatlands (with iron concretions);

8.8. lowland peatlands (with carbonate concretions);Peat-based organic soils

8.9. Medium and deep peatlands - weakly and moderately decomposed, drained;

8.10. Medium and deep peatlands - heavily decomposed, drained.

10. Key Biodiversity Areas as indicated for the targeted region at www.keybiodiversityareas.org

11. Emerald sites (https://rm.coe.int/updated-list-of-officially-adopted-emerald-sites-december-2019-/168098ef51)

12. Forest management areas under state management (any not otherwise covered under protected areas)

13. Other relevant natural resource management zone boundaries (e.g. hunting management areas, etc.)

14. Potential ecological corridors (data to be provided by project team and/or scientific experts)

Note: In any case where requested geo-referenced GIS data layers do not exist, or existing data is not readily available, the contractor will not be required to create data layers from scratch. The task will be completed with whatever existing data can be obtained within a timeframe to meet the time requirements of the assignment.

1.3. Preliminary Estimate of Thematic Maps Required

a. 1-2 maps for each of four oblasts (4 maps total) indicating administrative boundaries, settlements, roads, waterways, agricultural land (????? ????????????????????? ????? ? ?????? ?????? ?????????????????????? ???????????), Protected Areas, Key Biodiversity Areas, Emerald sites,  forest cover, peatlands (based on the available soil maps), degraded lands, and project restoration sites

b. 1 map for entire landscape northern Ukraine landscape (Volyn, Zhytomir, Rivno, Kiev, Vinnitsa, Chmelnitsky and Chernigiv oblasts), indicating: administrative boundaries (oblasts), forest cover, waterways, protected areas, agricultural lands, degraded lands, major settlements (at appropriate scale)

c. 1 map for each planned restoration site (at appropriate scale), indicating land cover, land use, degraded area, and any overlapping protected areas (based on the available drainage system maps and inputs from other national experts)

1.4. Preliminary Estimate of Geospatial Analysis and Calculations Required

a. Calculations of hectares within geographic scope of project, by oblast (potentially by district, if feasible):

- steppe forest

- peatlands

- pasturelands

- feedstock land (hay fields, etc.)

- protected areas

- Key Biodiversity Areas

- degraded peatlands

- degraded forest

- degraded agricultural land (arable land and pastureland)

- area to be restored for each restoration site

DELIVERABLEs and SCHEDULE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

MANAGEMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

• The principal responsibility for managing this assignment resides with UNDP Country Office in Ukraine.
• The Geospatial Data Specialist will receive guidance from the International Project Development Specialist (Team Leader), specifically regarding content and quality assurance of the deliverables under this assignment which will serve as inputs for the ProDoc formulation.
• The Geospatial Data Specialist will report to the UNDP Programme Analyst of Environment portfolio.
• Any copyrights and other kinds of intellectual property emerging in the course of contract implementation and produced by the Individual Consultant under the contract shall be retained by UNDP.
• UNDP will be the final authority to control the quality and evaluate the work. No reports or documents should be published or distributed to third parties without approval of UNDP
• No travel is expected under this assignment. Should any travel be needed to deliver expected results, travel costs (including local tickets, per diems and terminal expenses) will be covered by UNDP (subject to prior approval by the UNDP Programme Analyst of Environment portfolio).

TERMS OF PAYMENT

Payment will be made in one instalment (100% of the contract amount) upon endorsement of the finalized deliverables by UNDP.

Competencies

• Determination and focus on goals and results
• Good time and task management skills
• Client orientation
• Excellent knowledge of geospatial data
• Experience sourcing environmental geospatial data, including shape files, remote sensing data, satellite images, etc.
• Geospatial data management and analysis, quality assurance
• Analysis of remote sensing data, including satellite images

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualification/Education

• Minimum Bachelor’s Degree in a discipline related to geospatial data for natural resource management. Degrees could include natural resources management, agro-economics, geography, climate sciences, applied mathematics or other closely related fields. Master’s degree or higher is preferred. 

Experience

• Minimum 5 years of working experience in use of GIS to analyse geospatial data, preferably in the following types of subject areas: biodiversity, conservation, ecosystem restoration or rehabilitation, land management and agriculture, protected areas etc.
• Minimum 3 years of experience of creating, gathering, organizing, integrating and maintaining geospatial datasets (both spatial vector and raster data).
• Proven ability (based on CV information) to efficiently handle all the GIS and graphics related work during the assignment from researching sources, collecting data, analysing existing conditions, developing maps, to final delivery of maps and GIS data to a client.
• Experience of working for or cooperating with international organizations, would be an asset, but not required.

Language skills:

• Working level of English is required. 
• Fluency in Ukrainian.

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 instalments 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 shall include a breakdown of this lump sum amount per number of anticipated working days.  

EVALUATION

Selection 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 would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Evaluation criteria:

The following criteria will be rated as indicated below:

• Educational background (Minimum Bachelor’s Degree in a discipline related to geospatial data for natural resource management. Degrees could include natural resources management, agro-economics, geography, climate sciences, applied mathematics or other closely related fields) – 10 points maximum: (PhD related to natural resources management, agro-economics, geography, climate sciences, applied mathematics = 10 points, Masters related to natural resources management, agro-economics, geography, climate sciences, applied mathematics = 8 points, Bachelor’s Degree related to natural resources management, agro-economics, geography, climate sciences, applied mathematics = 7 points.
• Minimum 5 years of demonstrable experience related to experience in developing and/or implementing GIS, preferably in the following types of subject areas: biodiversity, conservation, ecosystem restoration or rehabilitation, land management and agriculture, protected areas etc – 20 points maximum: 5-6 years = 13 points; 7-8 years = 14 points; 8 years and more = 15 points, specific experience with biodiversity, conservation, ecosystem restoration or rehabilitation, land management and agriculture, protected areas +5 points.
• Minimum 3 years of experience of creating, gathering, organizing, integrating and maintain geospatial dataset (both spatial vector and raster data) – 13 points maximum (3-4 years = 9 points; 5-6 years = 11 points; 7 years and more = 13 points).
• Proven ability (based on CV information) to efficiently handle all the GIS and Graphics related work during the assignment from researching source, collecting data, analyzing existing conditions, developing maps, to final delivery of maps and GIS data to a client (list of or reference to prepared materials/publications required) - 15 points maximum: (1-3 related assignments = 12 points; over 3 related assignments = 15 points;)
• Experience of working for or cooperating with international organizations, would be an asset = +2 points.
• Language skills – 10 points maximum: (fluent writing and oral skills in Ukrainian and knowledge of English (working level) = 8 points, fluent English = +2 points).

MAXIMUM: 70 points

Financial Scoring:

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].

MAXIMUM: 30 points

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.