Background

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 built on this earlier engagement, established partnerships, and started in 2015 through the United Nations Recovery and Peacebuilding Programme (UN RPP). 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). UN RPP was designed to respond to, and mitigate, the causes and effects of the conflict in the east of Ukraine. It is an integral component of the UNDP Country Programme and is therefore fully aligned with the United Nations Partnership Framework (UNPF).

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, support economic recovery and promote reconciliation in the crisis-affected communities of Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts in Ukraine, thereby enhancing the credibility and legitimacy of local governments in the government-controlled areas of the regions. It will contribute to peacebuilding 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 economic recovery and development.

Component ??? of UN RPP “Community Security and Social Cohesion” aims to reach some of its goals through small grants and mini-initiatives fund establishment. This includes implementation support of the projects strengthening community security and social cohesion through testing innovative legal aid, access to justice, conflict resolution and peacebuilding mechanisms at local level.

UN RPP recognizes the importance of non-conflict dialogue practices for social cohesion and seeks a qualified professional to support the network of Ambassadors of Peace in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts and promote debating clubs among youth in the region.

Duties and Responsibilities

Main objectives of the assignment 

The overall objectives of this assignment are: 

• Support and promote the established network of Ambassadors of Peace (school teachers who have been trained non-conflict dialogue practices, informal education methods according to methodology developed by the Programme) in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts;
• Contribute to promotion of debating as a non-conflict dialogue practice in schools, universities and youth centers in UN RPP target communities of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.

Description of Responsibilities/Scope of work

The Individual Consultant for Promoting Non-Conflict Dialogue Practices, under the supervision of the Social Cohesion Specialist, will be responsible for:

a) Supporting and promoting the established network of Ambassadors of Peace in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts:

• Analyze already developed documentation on the network of Ambassadors of Peace and based on the conducted analysis develop content for a handbook including at least four blocks: general methods and instruments of informal education for schools; methods and exercises for working with stereotypes and discrimination; exercises for teaching human rights topics to school students; and methods of using debates as a non-conflict communication practice in schools.

• Conduct at least 2 regional capacity building trainings on non-conflict dialogue instruments organized by UN RPP for the Ambassadors of Peace network (Kramatorsk, Severodonetsk or neighboring communities).
• Prepare a report on the activities and indicate further actions to promote Ambassadors of Peace network on the regional level.

b) Contributing to promotion of debating as a non-conflict dialogue practice in schools, universities and youth centers in UN RPP target communities of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts:

• Develop action plan for promotion of debating in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts and approve with Supervisor.
• Develop and conduct a one 5-days training for trainers in Svyatohirsk for about 20 youth trainers among youth leaders who participated in similar UN RPP trainings/events. Necessary materials for the training must be prepared by the Consultant and agreed with Supervisor.
• Coordinate creation of 4 teams (2 in each oblast) among the trained local youth trainers who will conduct 16 local trainings in communities of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts and collect reports.
• Moderate two oblast level debate contests in Kramatorsk and Severodonetsk for youth.
• Moderate one regional debate contest between Donetsk and Luhansk oblast in Kramatorsk or Severodonetsk.
• Moderate one national-level debate contest in Kyiv.

The timeframe is spanning about 6 months, from March 2020 to August 2020. The requested services will be provided according to the agreed workplan and paid in lump sums according to the following schedule.

Proposed payment schedule

Payments will be made in three stages according to the proposed payment schedule below:

10% - upon submission and approval of report according to Deliverable 1

10% - upon submission and approval of report according to Deliverable 2

10% - upon submission and approval of report according to Deliverable 3

20% - upon submission and approval of report according to Deliverable 4

30% - upon submission and approval of report according to Deliverables 5 and 6

20% - upon submission and approval of report according to Deliverable 7

The payments will be paid out upon the full completion and acceptance of deliverables in accordance with certificate of payments provided by the Social Cohesion Specialist.

Administrative Arrangements

Financial proposals submitted by the candidates for this position should include cost for all logistical, secretarial, personal, travel, communication and other expenses. All expenses related to organization of the events and trainings are covered by UN RPP.

Monitoring and Progress Controls

The Consultant will work under supervision and directly report to the Social Cohesion Specialist according to the abovementioned schedule.  All reports and materials shall be prepared and transmitted electronically (Formats of: * .docx, * .xlsx, * .pptx,  * .pdf, etc.) to the electronic device or in the form of electronic communication with the final product. The materials/reports should be prepared 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. Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR, according to the abovementioned schedule. 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 number of anticipated working hours, logistical expenses, etc).  

The IC will be responsible for all 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.

Evaluation criteria

1. Relevant education – 10 points max

{7 pts. – at least Specialist’s/Master’s degree in Humanities, Pedagogics, Economics, Social Science or other related field; 10 pts. – PhD in one of the relevant areas};

2 Proved experience in conducting trainings on debates, communications and related topics, at least 5 relevant trainings held – 15 points max

{10 pts. – at least 5 trainings held; 12 pts. – 6-8 trainings held; 15 pts. – more than 8 trainings held};

3. Proved experience in moderating debates, at least 5 examples provided – 15 points max

{10 pts. – at least 5 debates moderated; 12 pts. – 6-8 debates moderated; 15 pts. – more than 8 debates moderated};

4. Proved experience in providing capacity building for teachers on informal education methods, at least 5 trainings held – 15 points max

{10 pts. – at least 5 trainings held; 12 pts. – 6-8 trainings held; 15 pts. – more than 8 trainings held};

5. Proved experience in preparing study/analytical materials, at least 1 example provided – 10 points max

{7 pts. – at least 1 example provided; 10 pts. – more than 1 example provided};

6. Professional fluency in Russian and Ukrainian, both written and oral – 5 points max

{5 pts. – professional fluence in Ukrainian and Russian, both written and oral}.

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) would 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

• Excellent communication and organization skills;
• Excellent computer skills (including, MS Word);
• Ability to set priorities, meet specific objectives, use political judgment and knowledge;
• Good interpersonal skills, diligence, open mindedness, and dedication;
• Excellent team and networking skills;
• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
• Fulfills all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Required Skills and Experience

1. At least Master’s degree or equivalent in Humanities, Pedagogics, Economics, Social Science or other related field;
2. Proved experience in conducting trainings on debates, communications and related topics, at least 5 relevant trainings held;
3. Proved experience in moderating debates, at least 5 examples provided;
4. Proved experience in providing capacity building for teachers on informal education methods, at least 5 trainings held;
5. Proved experience in preparing study/analytical materials, at least 1 example provided;
6. Professional fluency in Russian and Ukrainian, both written and oral, is essential.