Projects title:

 Strengthening Marine Protected Areas in Southeast China to Conserve Globally Significant Coastal Biodiversity (China-Protected Areas System Reform – C-PAR 4)

1.Background

This project aims to conserve globally significant coastal biodiversity in south-east (SE) China through integrated seascape planning and threat management, MPA network expansion and strengthened MPA operations. The project focuses on coastal ecosystems, using the Chinese white dolphin (CWD) as an indicator and flagship species to engage multiple stakeholders in novel ecosystem-based approaches. The target area for the project is three provinces in south-east China: Fujian, Guangdong and Guangxi.

The project objective is to conserve globally significant coastal biodiversity in SE China through integrated seascape planning and threat management, MPA network expansion and strengthened MPA operations. Three components are designed to achieve this object:

Component 1: Strengthened MPA legal framework and mainstreaming and expansion of MPA network. This will expand the area and improve the connectivity of MPAs protecting globally significant biodiversity, as well as piloting innovative mechanisms to mainstream biodiversity conservation into marine spatial planning, and improving MPA regulations and financing.

Component 2: Demonstrations of improved MPA and ESA (Ecologically Sensitive Area) management. This will strengthen the management effectiveness of MPAs in the project’s three pilot areas, build the capacity of MPA staff, enhance the participation of communities, and reduce locally specific threats in MPAs and across wider seascapes through participatory action and enforcement and improved awareness.

Component 3: Monitoring, evaluation and sharing of knowledge and information on coastal habitats and species. This will establish a functioning MPA Network linking MPAs across SE China, including a GIS-based information platform for knowledge and information sharing, enhance the coordination of research and monitoring for globally significant biodiversity, and ensure that the project is implemented effectively and knowledge and lessons learned are widely shared with project stakeholders, including the wider public in coastal SE China and nationally through the GEF-financed, C-PAR Program, of which this project is a part.

As the only C-PAR child project focusing on coastal and marine ecosystems, this project offers particular opportunities for replication and learning both across the marine environment, linking marine and terrestrial approaches, and between MPAs and terrestrial PAs.

This project has recently concluded its Midterm Review, in which it achieved an overall Satisfactory rating.

2. Social and Environmental Safeguards:

UNDP’s Social and Environmental Standards (SES) underpin our commitment to mainstream social and environmental sustainability in our Programmes and Projects to support sustainable development. The objectives of the standards are to:

• Strengthen the social and environmental outcomes of Programmes and Projects;
• Avoid adverse impacts to people and the environment;
• Minimize, mitigate, and manage adverse impacts where avoidance is not possible;
• Strengthen UNDP and partner capacities for managing social and environmental risks;
• Ensure full and effective stakeholder engagement, including through a mechanism to respond to complaints from project-affected people.

A key mechanism to ensure these standards are applied is through UNDP’s project-level Social and Environmental Screening Procedure (SESP) which is a requirement for all proposed projects. The objectives of the SESP are to: (a) Integrate the SES Overarching Principles (human rights, gender equality and environmental sustainability); (b) Identify potential social and environmental risks and their significance; (c) Determine the Project's risk category (Low, Moderate, High); and (d) Determine the level of social and environmental assessment and management required to address potential risks and impacts.  

UNDP’s SES and SESP came into effect January 1, 2021. All guidance on UNDPs Social and Environmental Safeguards can be found in the SES Toolkit.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments:

All proposals must be expressed in a lump sum amount. This amount must be “all-inclusive”. Please note that the terms “all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, living allowances, communications, consumables, etc.) that could possibly be incurred are already factored into the final amounts submitted in the proposal.

Payments shall be made to the individual contractor upon successful completion and certification by UNDP that services have been satisfactorily performed, based upon the actual number of working days and accomplishments of each deliverable.

Payment shall be made as a deliverables-based lump upon the receipt of the deliverables and certification of satisfactory performance by UNDP.

The Expert will share a Certificate of Payment (CoP) where he/he needs to indicate achieved outputs. Then the certificate of payment must be verified by the UNDP Team and certified by UNDP top management. The Expert is advised to keep a detailed timesheet of the days worked and tasks performed throughout the consultancy assignment. A bi-weekly update of the timesheet will be requested, and such documentation will support the payment process as deemed needful.

Recommended Presentation of Offer

For purposes of generating Offers whose contents are uniformly presented and to facilitate their comparative analysis, it is best to recommend the preferred contents and presentation of the Offer to be submitted, as well as the format/sequencing of their presentation. The following documents may be requested:

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
2. Personal CV or P11, 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;
3. Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per the template provided. The terms “all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, travel costs, living allowances, communications, consumables, etc.) that could possibly be incurred are already factored into the final amounts submitted in the Proposal. If an 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 the 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. 

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

Applicants are shortlisted based on the Required Skills and Experience stated in the TOR.

The selection of the best offer from the shortlisted candidates will be based on a Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a max. of 70% and combined with the price offer, which will be weighted a max of 30%.

Applicants are shortlisted based on the Required Skills and Experience stated in the TOR.

The selection of the best offer from the shortlisted candidates will be based on a Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a max. of 70% and combined with the price offer, which will be weighted a max of 30%.

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodologies:

Step I: Screening and desk review:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology.

Technical Criteria (CV review and Desk Review/Interview optional) – maximum 70 points. Only candidates who obtained at least 70% of points from the CV desk review (who will score at least 49 points) will be considered for the next evaluation stage, i.e., financial evaluation.

Applications will be first screened, and only candidates meeting the following minimum criteria will progress to the pool for shortlisting:

Technical Evaluation (70 Points, 70% weight)

Financial evaluation - Total 30% (30 points)

The following formula will be used to evaluate the 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

Instructions for on-line submissions

Step 1:  Please prepare all required documents electronically.

Step 2: Combine all documents in ONE SINGLE FILE (preferably in PDF however, Word format can also be accepted) and upload to the UNDP Jobs links

Step 3: After that, you will receive an auto-reply from the UNDP jobs if your offer is received successfully.

Interested applicants are advised to carefully review this advertisement and ensure that they meet the requirements and qualifications described. 

Given the volume of applications that UNDP receives, only shortlisted offerors will be notified.

UNDP reserves the right to reject any incomplete applications.

Please be informed that we don’t accept applications submitted via email.

Interested Offerors are required to submit an application via UNDP Jobsite system as the application screening and evaluation will be done through UNDP Jobsite system. Please note that UNDP Jobsite system allows only one uploading of application documents, so please make sure that you merge all your documents into a single file. Your online application submission will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an email acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. In such cases, please resubmit the application if necessary. Please combine all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows you to upload a maximum of one document.

Any request for clarification/additional information on this procurement notice shall be communicated in writing to UNDP office or send to email mohammed.abbas@undp.org with a copy to huda.alsaud@undp.org    the Procurement Unit would endeavor to provide information expeditiously, only requests receiving at least 3 working days prior to the submission deadline will be entertained. Any delay in providing such information will not be considered as a reason for extending the submission deadline. The UNDP's response (including an explanation of the query but without identifying the source of inquiry) will be posted in the Individual Consultant (IC) Procurement Notice page as provided above. Therefore, all prospective Offerors are advised to visit the page regularly to make obtain updates related to this Individual Consultant (IC) Procurement Notice

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.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Interested applicants are advised to carefully review this advertisement and ensure that they meet the requirements and qualifications described. 

The interested offeror must read the Individual Consultant (IC) Procurement Notice, which can be viewed at https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=97385 for more detailed information about terms of references, instructions for the offeror, and to download the documents to be submitted in the offer online.

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.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Annexes to the TOR

N/A

Approval

This TOR is approved by:

Signature                           

Name and Designation  

Date of Signing

Instructions to Applicants: Click on the "Apply now" button. Input your information in the appropriate Sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume and motivation. Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. Please ensure that CV or P11 and the Cover letter are combined in one file.

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.

A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

Office/Unit/Project Description 

UNDP, the global development network for the United Nations system, is on the ground in 177 countries and is uniquely equipped to help developing countries build the requisite policies, capacity, and supportive environment that are needed to accelerate and sustain human development.   UNDP is an operational backbone to the UN system: providing human resources, payroll, financial transactions, common premises, treasury investments, procurement, legal services to UN agencies. UNDP provides IT support for 13 UN entities with 40,000 United Nations and external users of the UNDP’s ERP system, as well as information and communication technology (ICT) and application solutions for the United Nations field presence. To support the UNDP Digital Strategy and enable the digital transformation of the organization, the Information and Technology Management (ITM) Office is tasked with developing and operating the enabling corporate technology platforms and providing related services that power the digital transformation including: (1) advice, administration and acceleration services to promote delivery of maximum business value of each platform; (2) a global service desk operation; (3) and outreach services to promote knowledge sharing and effective, agile planning and governance of technology development and utilization.

Within the Information and Technology Management (ITM) Office is the Global Support and Capacity Building that has the basic mandate of providing a single point of contact to manage client support, service requests and incidents related to the organization’s corporate applications including Enterprise Resource Planning systems, Content Management systems, Microsoft collaboration tools among others. The unit is currently operating on a follow-the-sun method providing support to UNDP country offices in the Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North and South America time zones. In addition, it provides extended support to various units within the Information and Technology Management (ITM) Office; and, to various offices and work streams within the Bureau of Management Services (BMS) and UNDP partners across the globe.

To meet increasing end-user requirements, the Global Support and Capacity Building team is seeking to retain the services of a Software Developer Analyst. The Software Developer Analyst will be engaged in supporting UNDP’s Digital Transformation pathway in using digital technologies to improve the quality, relevance and impact of UNDP´s work, while also improving the efficiency of UNDP’s operational systems and internal processes. This pathway involves developing automation tools, improved data usage, and greater efficiency.

The Software Developer Analyst will assist in realizing UNDP’s digital strategy and contribute to the organization’s investment in automatizing process flows within the Global Support and Capacity Building and support the colleagues in utilizing digital technologies for daily operations. The function of the Software Developer is to develop and refine process automation for the Global Support and Capacity Building, create and configure reports/dashboards, and build capacity within the team.

Institutional Arrangement

The Software Developer Analyst will report to the Chief of the Global Support and Capacity Building

Instructions to Applicants: Click on the "Apply now" button. Input your information in the appropriate Sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume and motivation. Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. Please ensure that CV or P11 and the Cover letter are combined in one file.

The following documents shall be required from the applicants:

Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.

A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.

Office/Unit/Project Description

Globally the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, UNDP offers a global perspective, as well as local insights to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

The UNDP Tax for SDGs Initiative is managed by the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS’s) Sustainable Finance Hub (SFH), with resource persons embedded in the SDG Finance Teams in Amman, Bangkok, Istanbul, Panama and Pretoria.

The UNDP Tax for SDGs Initiative has a particular emphasis on linking tax administration and tax and fiscal policies with the broader SDGs. Building on UNDP Country Office portfolios and already existing engagements with Ministries, UNDP brings a stronger focus on the role of tax and fiscal policy in achieving Agenda 2030. The initiative places a particular focus on reducing inequalities in tax and fiscal policy as well as taking forward climate action and environmental goals, and health outcomes. Representing the views of developing countries in the global normative tax discussions is critical and to this effect the UNDP Tax for SDGs Initiative will also work to bring evidence and perspectives from developing countries into the regional and international discussions on taxation.

Tax for SDGs Initiative is looking for a full-time Communications Analyst to plan, implement and coordinate the initiative’s communication efforts and ensure strategic and impactful outreach on the initiative’s work.

Institutional Arrangement

The Communications Analyst will report to the Head of Tax for SDGs (based in New York).

Collaboration and coordination with the rest of the UNDP Tax Team, Regional Bureaus and Country Offices as well as OECD Colleagues at TIWB Secretariat will be required.

For detailed TOR (terms of reference) please refer to the attachment in the notice via the link: 

http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=97389  

The FE (Final evaluator) will assess project performance against expectations set out in the project’s Logical Framework/Results Framework (see ToR Annex A). The FE will assess results according to the criteria outlined in the Guidance for TEs of UNDP projects (United Nations Development Programme - Evaluation Guidelines (undp.org). 

The Findings section of the FE report will cover the topics listed below. A full outline of the FE report’s content is provided in ToR Annex C.

The asterisk “(*)” indicates the criteria for which a rating is required.

Findings

i. Project Design/Formulation

• National priorities and country drivenness

• Theory of Change

• Gender equality and women’s empowerment

• Social and Environmental Standards (Safeguards)

• Analysis of Results Framework: project logic and strategy, indicators

• Assumptions and Risks

• Lessons from other relevant projects (e.g. same focal area) incorporated into project design

• Planned stakeholder participation

• Linkages between project and other interventions within the sector

• Management arrangements

ii. Project Implementation

• Adaptive management (changes to the project design and project outputs during implementation)

• Actual stakeholder participation and partnership arrangements

• Project Finance and Co-finance

• Monitoring & Evaluation: design at entry (*), implementation (*), and overall assessment of M&E (*)

• Implementing Agency (UNDP) (*) and Executing Agency (*), overall project oversight/implementation and execution (*)

• Risk Management, including Social and Environmental Standards (Safeguards)

iii. Project Results

• Assess the achievement of outcomes against indicators by reporting on the level of progress for each objective and outcome indicator at the time of the FE and noting final achievements

• Relevance (*), Effectiveness (*), Efficiency (*) and overall project outcome (*)

• Sustainability: financial (*), socio-political (*), institutional framework and governance (*), environmental (*), overall likelihood of sustainability (*)

• Country ownership

• Gender equality and women’s empowerment

• Cross-cutting issues (poverty alleviation, improved governance, climate change mitigation and adaptation, capacity development, South-South cooperation, knowledge management, etc., as relevant)

• Catalytic Role / Replication Effect 

• Progress to impact

Main Findings, Conclusions, Recommendations and Lessons Learned

• The FE consultant will include a summary of the main findings of the FE report. Findings should be presented as statements of fact that are based on analysis of the data.

• The section on conclusions will be written in light of the findings. Conclusions should be comprehensive and balanced statements that are well substantiated by evidence and logically connected to the FE findings. They should highlight the strengths, weaknesses and results of the project, respond to key evaluation questions and provide insights into the identification of and/or solutions to important problems or issues pertinent to project beneficiaries and UNDP, including issues in relation to gender equality and women’s empowerment. 

• Recommendations should provide concrete, practical, feasible and targeted recommendations directed to the intended users of the evaluation about what actions to take and decisions to make. The recommendations should be specifically supported by the evidence and linked to the findings and conclusions around key questions addressed by the evaluation. 

• The FE report should also include lessons that can be taken from the evaluation, including best practices in addressing issues relating to relevance, performance and success that can provide knowledge gained from the particular circumstance (programmatic and evaluation methods used, partnerships, financial leveraging, etc.) that are applicable to other UNDP interventions. When possible, the FE consultant should include examples of good practices in project design and implementation.

• It is important for the conclusions, recommendations and lessons learned of the FE report to incorporate gender equality and empowerment of women.