Background

The United Nations in Bangladesh is supporting the Government of Bangladesh to find innovative solutions to its development challenges through the broad framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aligning activities with the governments various national policies including but not limited to the 7th five-year plan. From the United Nations system, UNDP takes lead in the organizations work of rule of law, electoral reform, access to justice, human rights and human security, public administration, local governance and capacity development of democratic institutions like the Election Commission, the Judiciary, the National Human Rights Commission, the Bangladesh Police and the Parliament etc. Democratic Governance Portfolio of UNDP Bangladesh takes lead in advocating for policy reforms to capacity development, from implementation of national policies to awareness raising at the grassroots level.

Bangladesh has made significant progress in promoting competent, effective institutions that respect fundamental human rights and the rule of law, but challenges remain. UNDP-supported initiatives, including a National Human Rights Commission, a Justice Sector reform network, Partnerships for a Tolerant and Inclusive Bangladesh (PTIB), Strengthening Institutional Capacity for SDGs, engaging with Bangladesh Parliament and National Government Assessment Framework (NGAF) continue to improve the quality and scope of government services. Under the cooperation of UNDP’s ongoing engagement with Bangladesh Parliament, the project will continue to provide thematic leadership trainings; activate the SDG cell to provide research support; launch the constituency tracker officially (a constituency-based data repository platform for the parliamentarians) and improve its features further. UNDP Bangladesh commissioned a quick study in Dec 2019 to stock take the current scenario of civic education programming that different organizations are doing and areas where UNDP can contribute. Based on the recommendations of that study, UNDP Bangladesh will design programming areas for civic education in 2020. In the given context, UNDP Bangladesh is exploring avenues and scope to support the key Government institutions to implement national development policies and agendas in line with the framework of SDGs with a particular focus on SDG 16.

The main purpose of this assignment is to provide strategic advice to UNDP’s senior management (SM) on its overall strategy for supporting the Government of Bangladesh to implement its national priorities within the framework of the SDGs. The consultant is expected to work closely with the Head of the Democratic Governance Portfolio to continue to implement the Governance strategy of UNDP Bangladesh. Following the UNDP’s Governance strategy as well as the Country Project Document, the Consultant is expected to provide advisory support to implement the NGAF, parliament and civic education component of EI project.

Duties and Responsibilities

SCOPE OF WORK

The position demands strong knowledge and demonstrable experience in Bangladesh’s development policies and priorities and specialist knowledge on governance issues. In close consultation with the associated team members, the Consultant will provide strategic advice to the senior management of UNDP Bangladesh. Specifically, s/he will focus on the following broad areas:

a) National Governance Assessment Framework (NGAF):

• provide advisory support to the Project team and Working Group to implement the NGAF;
• review implementation strategy of 2019;
• advisory support to design the implementation plan based on lesson learned in 2019;
• advisory support to look at best possible alternative ways to implement the NGAF;
• advisory support to design and strategize activities with high-level government counterparts;
• advisory support to ensure broad-based ownership and political support on NGAF;
• advisory support to the development of knowledge products of NGAF.

b) Advisory and technical support for the Parliament Component

• advisory support to prepare activity plan in 2020 for Bangladesh Parliament;
• advisory support to strengthen UNDP’s relationship with Bangladesh Parliament;
• advisory support to activate an SDG cell for the parliamentarians and secretariat staffs;
• advisory support to improve My Constituency initiative, a constituency-based data repository platform;
• advisory support to arrange thematic leadership trainings and workshop;
• advisory support to set the strategy and implementation plan of an exchange programme designed for the Members of the Parliament (MPs) and Secretariat Officials;
• advisory support to implement planned activities for the parliament in 2020.

c) Advisory support to design youth focused programme:

• provide advisory support to mainstream youth in UNDP’s existing project following the UNDP’s Country Project Document and Government’s national priorities;
• advisory support to streamline the relationship of UNDP with the relevant government counterparts for youth focused project;
• advisory support to set priority intervention areas for UNDP Bangladesh in the field of civic education;
• advisory support to design youth led campaign focusing on civic education;
• advisory support to build partnership with youth organization and find out the best ways of engaging young people to promote civic education;
• advisory support to prepare knowledge products;

d) Advisory support to conceptualize series of dialogues on core governance issues  

e) Advisory support to explore core public service reform agenda and probable way forward plans

In addition to these, provide advisory support to senior management on the need of UNDP Country Office.

DELIVERABLES

1. Submission of advisory note on the implementation plan of NGAF in 2020;
2. Submission of advisory note on the conceptualization of a series of dialogues on core governance issues;
3. Submission of advisory support report on UNDP’s engagement with Bangladesh Parliament;
4. Submission of advisory support note on UNDP’s intervention in civic education;
5. Submission of advisory report on the progress of NGAF implementation in 2020;
6. Submission of advisory report of the progress of implementation of parliament activity.

DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT, DUTY STATION

The assignment will take 70 working days over a period of 11 month starting from February 2020 till 31 December 2020 (tentetive). This assignment will be mainly Dhaka based. Any such field mission will be arranged by UNDP country office and based on prior discussion and planning.

SUPERVISION, REPORTING AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

Under the broad guidance of the Resident Representative of UNDP Bangladesh, the Strategic Advisor will work directly under the supervision of Head of the Governance Cluster of UNDP Bangladesh.

DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST AND AVAILABILITY

The consultant shall disclose his/her interest and availability by filling up the form “OFFEROR’S LETTER TO UNDP CONFIRMING INTEREST AND AVAILABILITY FOR THE INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTOR (IC) ASSIGNMENT

Competencies

Corporate Responsibility and Teamwork

• Serves and promotes the vision, mission, values, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Plans, prioritizes, and delivers tasks on time.

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Knowledge management and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example; excellent knowledge of capacity building theory and the application of methodology; good understanding of capacity assessment methodologies; excellent ability to identify significant capacity building opportunities; ability to get capacity building; excellent ability to demonstrate national capacities building;
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral) in English;
• Display understanding of the relevant contemporary ICT tools and continuously act towards personal capacity building;
• Ability to provide top quality policy advice services on governance issues;
• Established track record of delivering strong analytical products with policy relevance;
• In-depth practical knowledge of inter-disciplinary development issues.

Development and Operational Effectiveness

• Ability to engage with high ranking UNDP managers, government officials and international donor community and provide policy advisory support services;
• Ability to identify opportunities, conceptualize and develop project reports;
• Ability to effectively support in strategic planning, results-based management and reporting;
• Ability to undertake result based management and reporting.

Management and Leadership

• Builds strong relationships with stakeholders, focuses on impact and result for the stakeholders and responds positively to feedback;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates good oral and written communication skills;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities; Sets clear performance goals and standards; executes responsibilities accordingly.

Communications and Networking

• Has an excellent oral communication skill in English and conflict resolution competency to manage inter-group dynamics and mediate conflicting interests of varied actors;
• Has an excellent written communication skill in English, with analytic capacity and ability to synthesize project outputs and relevant findings for the preparation of quality project reports;
• Maturity and confidence in dealing with senior and high-ranking members of national and international institutions, government and non-government.

Job Knowledge & Expertise

• Demonstrates substantive and technical knowledge to meet responsibilities and post requirements with excellence;
• Uses ICT and web-based management systems effectively as a tool and resource;
• Is motivated and demonstrates a capacity to pursue personal development and learn.
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Language Requirement

Strong written and spoken skills of the UN working language of the duty station.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: 

• Minimum Masters or equivalent in Government and Politics, Law, Social Science, International Development, Public Administration.

Experience: 

• Minimum 12 years of progressive professional experience on governance issues;
• At least 5 years of experience working with high-level government officials;
• Proven experience on qualitative and quantitative research applicable in the context of development interventions and specifically in governance;
• Prior experience of development planning and policy guidance matters at the national level;
• Demonstrated experience in developing Governance Assessment Frameworks, designing strategy for Parliamentary engagement; designing youth focused projects;
• Proven experience of working with UNDP/UN agencies/Development Partners in the relevant area.

Cumulative analysis-

The award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant up on Cumulative Analysis/evaluation and determined as:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation;

Only candidates obtaining a minimum 70% mark in technical evaluation will be considered eligible for financial evaluation.

Technical Evaluation Criteria (Total 70 marks)

Financial Evaluation (Total 30 marks)

All technical qualified proposals will be scored out 30 based on the formula provided below. The maximum points (30) will be assigned to the lowest financial proposal. All other proposals received points according to the following formula:

p = y (µ/z)

where:

• p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated;
• y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal;
• µ = price of the lowest priced proposal;
• z = price of the proposal being evaluated.

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 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 will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).

Financial Milestone

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

Proposal

• Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
• Personal CV, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
• Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment and a methodology on how they will approach and complete the assignment;
• Financial Proposal: Financial Proposal has to be submitted through a standard interest and availability template which can be downloaded from the link below:

http://www.bd.undp.org/content/dam/bangladesh/docs/Jobs/Interest%20and%20Submission%20of%20Financial%20Proposal-Template%20for%20Confirmation.docx