Background

As part of the implementation of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGONU), the Ministry of Labour was separated with the Ministry of Public Services and Human Resource Development. With the aim to promote employment opportunities in the local economy, the Ministry of Labour has been engaging with private sector and organized series of consultation meetings. Throughout the consultation meetings, the Ministry of Labour acknowledged the crucial role of regulatory frameworks including relevant policies to enable the improvement of labour market and private sector development that contribute to South Sudan’s inclusive economic growth. The Ministry of labour believe that adequate regulatory framework must be in place to enable effective facilitation to the private sector, including potential foreign direct investors.
Currently, UNDP is implementing the Youth Empowerment and Employment through Private Sector and Value Chain Development project in close coordination and partnership with the Ministry of Labour and five states in the country – Western Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Lakes, and Central Equatoria. The project provides for technical assistance to be extended to government line agencies at national and state levels through the development of appropriate policies and frameworks that will accelerate result-based programming and sustainability. Upon the request from the Government of South Sudan, Ministry of Labour, UNDP agreed to provide technical assistance in identified prioritized areas indicated below:

1. Separation and Review of the Ministry’s Five years Strategic Plan
2. Formulation of policy on Occupational Safety and Health
3. Formulation of policy on Minimum Wages
4. Formulation of Regulations on Employment,
5. Review of the validated Policy on Vocational Training and Skills Development

In this context, the Ministry of Labour in partnership with UNDP South Sudan seeks to engage the services of qualified consultants to review and draft South Sudan’s Labour Standard, including on occupational safety and health. These policies will provide an enabling environment to increase employment and productivity of the economically active labour force.
With aim to perform above policy and regulatory framework, the Directorate of Occupational Safety Health in the Ministry of Labour is working collaboratively and leading the initiative through the Directorate of Policy, Planning and Labour Statistics which is principal for technical guidance; and processes for policy formulation; implementation; for the establishment and maintenance of Labour Market Information Systems; development of labour employment and standards and guidelines.

The purpose of the assignment is to provide technical support and guidance to the Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health in the drafting and review of the national regulatory framework on occupational safety and health in South Sudan. The lead Consultant (international) with the support of a national consultant will work closely with the Director General for Occupational Safety and Health and other relevant ministry staff. The Consultants will ensure that regulatory framework (policies on occupational safety and health) are developed consistent with the Labour Act 2017, and International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards regarding health and safety, decent work, as well as, relevant ILO conventions.

The main objective of the Consultancy is to draft the Occupational Safety and Health Policy documents of South Sudan.

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant is responsible for providing expertise to the Directorate in the drafting of the OSH policy in a coherent approach and in accordance with the South Sudan labour environment. The specific tasks of the consultant are underline as below:

• Prepare detailed work plan, in consultation with relevant units in the Ministry of Labour and UNDP South Sudan;
• Assess existing oil, chemical and non-chemical related workplace OSH practices in South Sudan in consultation of relevant stakeholders, including government line agencies;
• Review international OSH standards in the relevant sector and sub-sector/s, identifying best practices;
• Advise on environmental considerations in the OSH policy that is, guidelines on hazardous materials, chemical safety and workers welfare;
• Conduct comprehensive desk study which includes the review of related laws, by-laws including related policies and relevant guidelines;
• Advise the Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations on the general duties, obligations and responsibilities of employers in regard to health safety;
• Provide technical advise and inputs in the preparation of OSH training materials;
• Advise ministry on the provision of an OSH inspector;
• Identify tripartite (Ministry, Employers, Trade Unions) aggregable commitments, roles and responsibilities to be incorporated in the policy document;
• Advise on result-based workplace monitoring to ensure compliance with the OSH policy;
• Provide technical advise on administration and enforcement of the OSH Policy;
• Design appropriate OSH guidelines for machinery, plant and equipment;
• Provide standards for occupational health and on the cost and effectiveness of occupational health programs.
• Support the development of an overview of occupational hygiene and safety measures and ensure that suitable and enough risk assessments and health surveillance screening is in place across the country;
• Conduct policy dialogues that includes agenda setting, constraints and anticipated opportunities
• Draft preliminary policy documents including section, Sub-section and appendices
• Collect feedback from Ministry of Labour, UNDP, and other stakeholders on the draft policies and frameworks;
• Incorporate feedback in the draft documents and disseminate in the multi-stakeholder workshop
• Submit final draft to the Ministry of Labour.
• Prepare final assignment report including policy development process, lesson learnt and practices as well as a piece of knowledge product.

Deliverables:

The consultant will deliver the following key documents:

• Policy workshop and stakeholders dialogue proceeding report
• Comparative policy analysis report
• A Policy on Occupational Safety and Health, as well as, annex of each section which includes but not limited to the current situation, rational, vision, mission, and objectives, framework to enhance stakeholders commitments, training and  capacity development, issues on OSH funding arrangement, sectoral and cross sectoral policies, laws, bi-laws and directives including constraints, policy issues on MSEs, policy issues on environment pollution, OSH on people with different needs including gender sensitive, Workplace inspection.
• A final assignment report including knowledge product and adopted process in preparing policy documents, including expected steps and activities to be taken after the drafting of the policy.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies
Professionalism

• Demonstrates professional competence and expertise of the subject matter.
• Demonstrates experience in the subject matter.
• Demonstrates ability to negotiate and apply good judgment.
• Shows pride in work and in achievements.
• Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results.

Planning & Organizing

• Organizes and accurately completes multiple tasks by establishing priorities while taking into consideration special assignments, frequent interruptions, deadlines, available resources and multiple reporting relationships.
• Plans, coordinates and organizes workload while remaining aware of changing priorities and competing deadlines.
• Establishes, builds and maintains effective working relationships with staff, partners and beneficiaries to achieve the planned results.

Communicating Information and Ideas:

• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
• Delivers verbal/written information in a timely, clear, organised and easily understood manner;
• Strong communication skills and the ability to listen and take direction and leadership from others.

Self-Management & Emotional Intelligence:

• Creating synergies through self-control, and tolerates conditions of stress, uncertainty or ambiguity and continues to maintain a positive outlook to work productively.

Other Corporate competencies:

• Ability to establish effective working relations in a multicultural team environment;
• Excellent supervisory, team-building, diplomatic and interpersonal skills
• Resourcefulness, initiative and maturity of judgement.
• Strong communication and advocacy skills;
• Ability to work in a complex environment requiring liaison and collaboration with multiple factors;
• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity, tact and diplomacy;
• Excellent analytical, organizational and negotiation skills, especially resource management systems;
• Excellent networking skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Master’s degree in Public health, applied health and safety, environmental health, law, public policy, chemical engineering or any related fields from recognized University or institution; PhD in Public health, and environment science would be preferable.
• OSHA 500 and 501 Authorized Outreach qualification is highly preferred.
• Safety-related designation preferred (CSP, ASP, CIH, CHST, etc.)

Experience:

• At least 7 years of demonstrated professional experience related to occupational and health safety policy drafting and implementation with reputable institutions.
• Familiarity with health safety issues and dynamics in South Sudan or other country with similar situation is preferred
• Well versed on coordination, collaboration and partnership building in complex socio-political context with diverse stakeholders
• An advance knowledge in collect, analyse and report related to Health and Safety data and statistic. 

Language:

• Fluency in written and  Spoken English

The consultant can make use of the Government of South Sudan, Ministry of Labour and UNDP South Sudan country office facilities in Juba but is expected to use his own computer/laptop and cell phone.
The consultant will report to the Senior Program Advisor in UNDP and Director General Ministry of Labour, who will review and approve delivery of outputs.

Payment Schedule

• Inception report including desk policy review report. 10%
• Draft Policy on National Occupation Safety and Health, as well as, annex of each section. 40%
• Final draft Policy on National Occupation Safety and Health and final assignment report including knowledge product and adopted process in preparing policy documents. 40%
• Final assignment report including knowledge product and adopted process in preparing policy documents, and expected steps and activities to be taken after the drafting of the policy. 10%

Technical proposal comprising of the following:

• Articulation of technical approach to the assignment/tasks, including the methodology and indicative workplan/timeline
• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP
• Personal CV or P11, indicating all prior experience with similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and three (3) professional references
• Brief description (max. 1 page) of why you consider yourself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology (max. 1 page) for how you will approach and complete the assignment

Financial proposal: Indicating the all-inclusive, fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs.

Offers received will be evaluated using a Combined Scoring method, where the qualifications and Required Skills and Experience will be weighted 70%, and combined with the price offer, which will be weighted 30%.

International Consultant technical evaluation criteria
Criteria to be used for rating the qualifications and Required Skills and Experience is outlined below:

• Qualifications of the candidate in the required area or course applied for: Master’s degree in Public health, applied health & Safety, Environmental health, Law, Public policy, Chemical engineering or any related fields from recognized University or institution; PhD in Public health, and environment science (20%).
• At least 7 years of demonstrated professional experience related to occupational and health safety policy drafting and implementation and similar issues. (20%).
• Substantive and technical expertise in the areas mentioned in the criteria (20%).
• Extensive experience of providing policy advice (including report writing) at international level (10%).

NOTE: Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points in the Technical Evaluation will be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Financial evaluation (total 30 points)
All technically qualified proposals will be scored up to 30 based on the formula provided below. The maximum points (30) will be assigned to the lowest financial proposal. All other proposals receive points according to the following formula: p y (/z)
Where:

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

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.