Background

In response to key systemic challenges around the local self-governance and regional development agenda, UNDP, in partnership with the Austrian Development Agency and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation launched the project ‘Fostering Regional and Local Development in Georgia’ (RLD), back in 2012.

Building on the achievements of the previous phase, UNDP, the Austrian Development Agency and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation launched a second phase of the ‘Fostering Regional and Local Development in Georgia’ (RLD) project in the end of 2017.

The overarching goal of the project is to build strong LSG institutions with greater competences and capacities to act as catalysts for stimulating regional/local economies, engage citizens into local policy making and design and implement people-centred initiatives benefiting women, men, youth, ethnic minorities, IDPs and other population groups. In that way, the project will build a sound foundation for advanced decentralization and good governance at the local level and pave the way for more sustainable and inclusive growth, reduction of poverty and inequalities, and better quality of life of citizens.

To achieve this goal, the project proposes the Local Economic Development (LED) approach to be applied as a central instrument throughout the project implementation cycle, since LED is a participatory, bottom-up approach, which emphasizes the catalyst role of the public sector and ultimately aims to create sustainable economic development.

Project activities are planned in a way to form constituent and complementary parts of the LED process contributing to the three project outcomes:

1) Georgia implements adequate policy and institutional frameworks to foster decentralization and enable local economic development (LED)

2) Government institutions at local level are strengthened to deliver quality services enabling the business environment and incentivizing local economic actors

3) Local stakeholders, particularly communities, are economically empowered and have improved access to related participation in decision-making processes

Consequently, the project provides support to strengthen the capacities of both right holders and duty bearers in order to stimulate the dialogue and participatory decision making at the local level. The project operates in four regions (Racha-Lechkhumi-Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Guria and Kvemo Kartli) reaching out to 900 186 people, among them 462 340 women, 176 187 youth (15-29 years), 210 610 ethnic minorities, 85 156 residents of mountainous areas and 60 090 IDPs.

In total, the project will directly benefit 10 590 citizens of Georgia, while the whole population of Georgia (3 720 400 citizens) will be indirect beneficiaries of project interventions. The overall budget of the project is USD 5,486,145.

Duties and Responsibilities

The overall objective of the consultancy is to support the FRLD 2 team in smooth implementation of the project in the region. In particular, the regional coordinator will be responsible for identifying, planning, implementing and monitoring of all activities taking place in the region under the project. She/he will coordinate with the FRLD 2 Project Team, partner municipal leadership and organizations on daily basis to implement activities under the respective outputs of the project. Regional coordinator will represent the project at local level and participate in all project related affairs taking place in the region.

Under the direct supervision of the FRLD 2 Project Manager and in close cooperation with project team, the consultant is expected to assume following duties and responsibilities:   

• Coordinate implementation of LED related activities from the Decentralization Strategy/Action Plan and High Mountainous Development Strategy/Action Plan in the assigned region;
• Coordinate development of municipal profiles and establishment of business support services in assigned municipalities;
• Coordinate the follow up process of upgrading the existing MDDs and Action Plan and investment profiles in respective municipalities; monitor the implementation of MDD activities according to the Action Plan;
• Assist Local Self Governments in the region in applying MDDs and investment profiles in practice; 
• Coordinate support to regional administrations and municipalities to organize LED forums and ensure effective coordination of the workshops, meetings, seminars, trainings and other relevant events for the implementation of the project activities;
• Contribute to the development of the project annual work plans, progress reports and other project materials;
• Ensure consistency of the project activities with the project work plan;
• Establish and maintain effective cooperation with local counterparts, local CSOs and other stakeholders;
• Assist the Project Team in preparation of RFQs/RFPs, ToRs and other relevant documents for contracting the companies and recruiting experts/consultants for the implementation of the relevant project activities;
• Monitor the implementation of all Small Grants and municipal LED initiatives supported by FRLD 2 in the region; assess progress against the set indicator targets as well as implementation challenges, where relevant, and reflect the findings in monthly monitoring reports to be submitted to the FRLD 2 Project Manager;
• Collect the data on respective project activities according to the M&E system and submit monthly monitoring reports to the Project Manager in a predefined template;
• Organize the regional visits of the FRLD 2 project team members;
• Organize regional events;
• Perform other duties assigned by the project manager.

Deliverables

The regional consultant is expected to produce the following deliverables in English or Georgian:

• Monthly narrative report #1 - end of 1st month
• Monthly narrative report #2 - end of 2nd month
• Monthly narrative report #3 - end of 3rd month
• Monthly narrative report #4 - end of 4th month
• Monthly narrative report #5 - end of 5th month
• Monthly narrative report #6 - end of 6th month
• Monthly narrative report #7 - end of 7th month
• Monthly narrative report #8 - end of 8th month
• Monthly narrative report #9 - end of 9th month
• Monthly narrative report #10 - end of 10th month
• Monthly narrative report #11 - end of 11th month

The format of the Monthly narrative report will be agreed with the FRLD 2 Project Manager and M&E specialist. The report will include updates about the local context and developments in each municipality and respective region, description of implemented activities, progress updates on ongoing LED activities and local contractors’ monitoring results, work plan of the following month.

Management Arrangement: The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the UNDP Project Manager and in close consultation with FRLD 2 team.

Indicative Timing: The consultancy should be undertaken during November 2020 – October2021. Total level of effort for the consultancy is 160 days.

Payment Modality: The payment will be made on monthly basis upon satisfactory approval of the deliverables and time-sheets by the FRLD 2 Project Manager.

Competencies

Core Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards
• Understanding of the mandate and the role of UNDP would be an asset
• Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of UNDP
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism

Functional Competencies

• Possesses knowledge and understanding of national policy context, local self-governance and public administration system
• Demonstrated understanding of national policy context related to regional and local development, decentralization, public administration and local self-governance.
• Proven research and analytical skills
• Proven ability to deliver quality output working under tight deadlines
• Proven ability to coordinate with others and to work as part of a team
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills
• Ability to work independently and under pressure

Self-Management skills

• Builds strong relationships with the project staff members and partner agencies; focuses on impact and results for the project partners and responds positively to feedback
• Cooperates with project staff members and partner agencies effectively and demonstrates strong conflict resolution skills
• Consistently approaches work with energy, positivity and a constructive attitude;
• Demonstrates strong influencing and facilitation skills
• Remains calm, in control and good humored under pressure
• Demonstrates openness to change, new ideas and ability to manage ambiguity
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrates ability to transfer knowledge and competencies
• Is able to work independently and hurdle competing priorities

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Public Policy, Economics, Management or related field (minimum requirement: Bachelor's degree - 10 points, Master's - additional 5 points)

Experience:

• At least 2 years of professional experience in implementation of development programs/ projects (minimum requirement: 2 years - 10 points, 2 to 4 years - additional 2 points, more than 4 years - additoinal 3 points);
• At least 1 year of relevant professional experience in working with central/local government institutions, international organizations, and local Civil Society Organizations, local communities and private sector in the respective region (minimum requirement: 1 year - 15 points, 1 to 3 years - additional 2 points, more than 3 years - additional 3 points);
• Computer literacy (MS Word, MS Excel, MS Power Point etc.)

Language Requirements:

• Georgian and English language skills (both written and oral).

Evaluation:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis method: Offerors will be evaluated against combination of technical and financial criteria. Maximum obtainable score is 100, out of which the total score for technical criteria equals to 70 and for financial criteria – to 30. Offerors that do not meet Minimum Qualification Criteria will be automatically rejected, while the rest will form up the long list. The offerors who obtain minimum 35 points as a result of the desk review will be invited for the interview.Offerors who pass 70% threshold, i.e. obtain minimum 14 points, as a result of the interview will be requested the financial proposal. The interview will be conducted in both Georgian and English languages.

Financial Proposal:

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 – daily fee and transportation costs within the respective region for one-day monthly monitoring visits. Maximum 30 points will be assigned to the lowest price offer. All other price offers will be scored using the formula (inverse proportion):  Financial score X = 30* the lowest price offer/suggested price offer. All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal as well.