Consultancy – Consultant – Climate Action Summit Support Specialist

Working in over 170 countries and territories, and with a key role in governance and SDG integration, UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) is responsible for developing relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan.  BPPS works closely with UNDP’s Crisis Bureau (CB) as part of UNDP’s Global Policy Network (GPN), which provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages; represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, South-South and Triangular cooperation initiatives, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas.  BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working.  BPPS supports UNDP and partners to be more innovative, knowledge and data driven including in its programme support efforts.

UNDP is uniquely placed to work with all sectors of society to help mobilize the institutions and resources required to achieve a 1.5-degree future. Specifically, UNDP is already providing technical support to its country partners to deliver on, and contribute to, sustainable development and resilience-building in the context of the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework for Action. This is done through a vision outlined in UNDP’s Strategic Plan (2018-2022) that responds to a changing development landscape and the evolving needs of our partners. 

UNDP’s support on climate change builds on an extensive portfolio of mitigation and adaptation projects and programmes for which UNDP provides oversight, quality assurance, and global and regional policy and technical advisory services.  A subset of this portfolio focuses on strengthening enabling actions for NDC implementation, with a focus on the policy, institutional, reporting and financing mechanisms. 

In addition to this extensive portfolio of support to countries, UNDP is also engaged at the global level as part of the UN System effort to advance ambitious climate action and NDC implementation.  In 2019, the focus of the Secretary General will be on the Climate Action Summit which he is hosting in New York in September.  The aim of this Summit is to mobilize political commitment to raise ambition and accelerate implementation of climate action in order to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.  UNDP has been explicitly requested to co-lead in the area of Resilience and Adaptation, as well as support deliverables on national ambition and enhancements of NDCs.  UNDP is also contributing to several other workstreams leading up to the Summit, including on nature-based solutions and energy.

UNDP is seeking an international consultant to support UNDP’s engagment in the Climate Summit, including coordination with its current climate change portfolio.  The consultant would be based full-time in New York, responsible for contributing substantive advice and technical expertise, advocacy, relationship building and knowledge to the thematic area of Climate Change within the Bureau, the Global Policy Network and UNDP as a whole.  S/he sits in the Climate Change Team and will collaborate directly with other teams as part of the Global Policy Network, including within BPPS and the Crisis Bureau, across UNDP’s Headquarters, Regional Hubs, Country Offices and Global Policy Centers.  The consultant will provide quality policy services and technical advice in the area of climate change in the context of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. S/he is responsible for performing and contributing to the following deliverables:

Provide technical and political analysis of global process and outcomes of events leading up to the Climate Summit, as relevant for countries and UNDP support (June – October 2019)

• Develop summary of relevant climate events, such as the Bonn Climate Change Conference (17-27 June)  andJune) and the the Abu Dhabi meeting, including analysis of outcomes with regards to the Climate Summit (by mid-July 2019)

• Develop summary of Climate Change Summit, including analysis of outcomes, what it means for countries and UNDP (particularly related to NDC implementation) and how it will inform UNFCCC processes going forward (by October 2019)

• Provide strategic and technical direction and support on UNDP’s Engagement Strategy for the Climate Summit (by October 2019)

• Draft and/or provide concrete inputs (talking points, researched text) to briefing notes and background documents for UNDP’s participation in global processes and key events in the lead up to and including the SG’s Climate Summit, (by September 2019)

Develop Knowledge Products and Communications Material (June – November 2019)

• Contribute to research, drafted texted and reviewingof for any knowledge products or communications material prepared for the Climate Summit (e.g. NDC update or data capture) (October 2019)

• Development of technical material as input to UNDP’s resource on NDC-SDG linkages, including a series of 3 case studies (November 2019)

Support coordination with external partners (June – November 2019)

• Support UNDP’s engagementLiaise with partners, follow up on progress, draft reports and prepare for any UNDP-organized events or activities in preparations for the Secretary General’s Climate Summit in September 2019, including coordination with the Secretary General’s Special Envoy team, other UN Agencies, and organizations/ and Governments leading workstreams (October 2019)

• Tracking progress of Summit thematic areas, as needed (October 2019)

• Provide technical inputs into preparation for and outcome analysis of Climate Core Group, Climate Principals and Climate Summit Steering Committee meetings (November 2019)

Provide specific technical review and advice on documents, letters, partnerships and other requests (June – November 2019)

• Review documents prepared by other colleagues within BPPS and/or external partners and provide inputs from a technical climate change perspective, particularly related to NDC implementation and workstreams of the Climate Summit (September 2019)

• Provide direct inputs into UNDP’s strategy documents related to climate change and NDC implementation in preparation of the Summit (September 2019). 

           Functional

• Demonstrated experience in supporting international processes in the area(s) of climate change, sustainable development, and related areas.

• Demonstrated understanding of the links between climate change/environment and development.

• Demonstrated experience working on climate change and related issues with international institutions.

• Experience working with UNDP and/or other multilateral, bilateral and civil society development partners is an asset.

• Excellent analytical, writing, and communications skills.

• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a global team.

  Corporate Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity and fairness, by modeling the UN/UNDP's values and ethical standards;

• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UN/UNDP; and

• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Academic qualifications:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in environmental management, sustainable development, international relations, economics, business administration, social sciences or related disciplines.

Experience:

• At least 7 years of professional work experience providing policy advice and programme support in the area of across different development contexts.

• Experience in following global political issues related to climate change, primarily the UNFCCC negotiation process, with associated expertise in understanding current global political dynamics and engagements on climate change

• Knowledge of critical global and regional actors, partnerships and coalitions supporting climate change efforts

• Relevant Eexperience working in developing country settings is required.

• Relevant Eexperience developing and leading on briefings and strategic advising to senior management and other high-level officials in multi-lateral or government organizations, sometimes with sensitive information

• Relevant Eexperience contributing to concrete project design, development and/or oversight of programming on climate change adaptation or mitigation; experience with the vertical funds (GEF, GCF, Adaptation Fund) an asset

• High quality analytic, writing and communications skills in English demonstrated through previous products

• Relevant eExperience working with UNDP in the area of climate change an asset, including familiarity with UNDP processes, systems and structures

  Language:

• Fluency in English, both written and oral. Working knowledge of another UN language is an asset

5. Application and Evaluation Procedure

The application package containing the following (to be uploaded as one file):

·         Online application with brief description of why the Offeror considers her/himself the most suitable for the assignment; and

·         Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects and specifying the relevant assignment period (from/to), as well as the email and telephone contacts of at least three (3) professional references.

Note: The above documents need to be scanned in one file and uploaded to the online application as one document.

Shortlisted candidates (ONLY) will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal.

·         The financial proposal should specify an all-inclusive daily fee (based on a 7-hour working day - lunch time is not included - and estimated 201.75 days per month).

·         The financial proposal must be all-inclusive and take into account various expenses that will be incurred during the contract, including: the daily professional fee; cost of travel from the home base to the duty station and vice versa, where required; living allowances at the duty station; communications, utilities and consumables; life, health and any other insurance; risks and inconveniences related to work under hardship and hazardous conditions (e.g., personal security needs, etc.), when applicable; and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services under the contract.

·         Any unforeseeable travel agreed between UNDP and Individual Consultant, will be supported by the project travel fund and will be arranged according to UNDP entitlements and travel policy.  Costs for airfares, terminal expenses, and living allowances should not be included in financial proposal.

·         If the Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.

The Financial Proposal is to be emailed as per the instruction in the separate email that will be sent to shortlisted candidates.

Evaluation process

Applicants are reviewed based on Required Skills and Experience stated above and based on the technical evaluation criteria outlined below.  Applicants will be evaluated based on cumulative scoring.  When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

·         Being 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 where technical criteria weighs 70% and Financial criteria/ Proposal weighs 30%.

Technical evaluation (desk review and interview) - Total 70% (700 points):

A desk review of candidates’ applications will be undertaken and rated against the following criteria.  A maximum of 550 points will be allocated to the desk review portion of the Technical Evaluation based on the following weighting:

• Criteria 1: Demonstrated experience in following global political issues related to climate change, primarily the UNFCCC negotiation process, with associated expertise in understanding current global political dynamics and engagements on climate change Weight = 15%; Maximum Points: 100;
• Criteria 2: Demonstrated knowledge of critical global and regional actors, partnerships and coalitions supporting climate change efforts Weight = 15%; Maximum Points: 100

• Criteria 3: Relevant Eexperience working in developing country settings, experience working with UNDP an asset Weight = 10%; Maximum Points: 75
• Criteria 4: Experience developing and leading on briefings and strategic advising to senior management and other high-level officials in multi-lateral or government organizations, sometimes with sensitive information Weight = 15%; Maximum Points: 100
• Criteria 5: Experience contributing to concrete project design, development and/or oversight of programming on climate change adaptation or mitigation; experience with the vertical funds (GEF, GCF, Adaptation Fund) an asset Weight = 10%; Maximum Points: 75
• Criteria 6: High quality analytic, writing and communications skills in English demonstrated through previous products Weight = 15%; Maximum Points: 100

Of the candidates who receive a minimum of 70% of points for the above desk review (385 points), the top 4 candidates will be invited for an interview.  The interview will contribute to the total technical evaluation score, andscore and be awarded up to 150 maximum points, with 105 points indicating a passing mark.  .

• Criteria 7: Interview Weight (= approx. 20%); Maximum Points: 150

Only those candidates who qualified for an interview, received a passing mark on the interview (105 points), and obtained a minimum of 70% (490 points) of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria (700 points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

Financial evaluation - Total 30% (300 points)

The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:

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

Contract Award

The candidate obtaining the highest combined scores of Technical and Financial evaluation will be considered technically qualified and will be offered to enter into a contract with UNDP.

Institutional arrangements

• The consultant will be HQ Based
• The consultant will be supervised by and report directly to the NDC Support Programme Manager;
• Payments will be made upon submission of a detailed time sheet and certification of payment form, and acceptance and confirmation by the Supervisor on days worked and outputs delivered;
• The consultant will be given access to relevant information necessary for execution of the tasks under this assignment;
• The consultant will be responsible for providing her/his laptop;

Payment modality

• Payment to the Individual Contractor will be made based on the actual number of days worked and deliverables accepted, and upon certification of satisfactory completion by the manager.
• The workweek will be based on 35 hours, i.e. on a 7-hour working day, with core hours being between 9h00 and 18h00 daily.

Annexes (click on the hyperlink to access the documents):

Annex 1 - IC Contract Template

Annex 2 – IC General Terms and Conditions

Annex 3 – RLA Template

Any request for clarification must be sent by email to cpu.bids@undp.org