2. MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT
UNDP is looking to contract a National Expert on Strategic Planning (hereinafter referred to as “Consultant”) to design the Development Strategy for Poltava Community (further – Strategy). The consultant will also elaborate the Implementation Plan of the mentioned Strategy (IPDS), as well as the evaluation and monitoring system. The consultant should also adapt the Strategy to the sustainable development goals in close cooperation with local administration, UNDP and other relevant stakeholders.
It is envisaged that the Consultant will perform their duties according to the following framework:
- Related workplans, timeframes, methodologies and relevant data assessment should be agreed with UNDP.
- The elaboration of the Strategy, as well as the IPDS of the mentioned strategy will be provided according to the methodology. This also should consider the relevant legislation of Ukraine governing the decentralisation processes, as well as international standards and regulations, including the integration of UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030. Integrate human rights and gender equality into the analysis and development of targets, baselines and indicators in the Strategy.
- Final documents and presentation of the Strategy and IPDS should be approved by the UNDP.
3. DESCRIPTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES / SCOPE OF WORK
The Consultant is expected to perform according to the suggested scope of the work framework, however, the Consultant may suggest their own methodology. The framework is as follows:
- Preparatory activities.
- Assess the socio-economic situation of the target territory.
- Develop and agree with Coordinator on Strategic Planning UNDP a complete methodology for the assignment implementation (elaboration of socio-economic development strategies) in selected community, including: 1) integration of gender-based and vulnerability-based data; 2) a mechanism of sharing the planning results at local, regional and national levels.
- Draft a “situational analysis” as part of the strategic planning process based on existing UNDP analytical documents (document analyses on local socio-economic development) in selected communities.
- Conduct strategic sessions and workshops with stakeholders, resulting in a strategic plan that is widely accepted by the stakeholders.
- Finalize activities.
1st stage: Preparatory activities
The Consultant will develop and agree with the UNDP on detailed methodology of the strategy designing process of Poltava Community together with the IPDS, while taking into account gender-based aspects and approaches aimed at ensuring human rights and environmental safety. Additionally, the Consultant will develop an expert work schedule with specific activities, expected results and success indicators.
The Consultant will conduct desk research and prepare an analytical report on the socio-economic situation of the community (at least 10 (ten) pages of A4 format in 10 Calibri font, Ukrainian language) as well as an overview of existing programs and plans for local development (at least 5 (five) A4 pages in 10 Calibri font, Ukrainian language).
It is also expected that the Consultant will provide all necessary support to the local authorities in the official launching and approval of the project`s activities in the hromada (i.e. the preparation of all necessary documents, letters, provision of technical support, etc.).
2nd stage: Assessment of the socio-economic situation of the territory
The Consultant will perform desk research and several rounds of interviews (offline and/or online depending upon methodology offered) with key stakeholders to understand the current profile of the territory and draft a long list of potential improvement ideas.
The following activities will be performed during this stage:
- Performing in-depth analyses to define the current hromadas` profile:
- Current plans of the territory (current budget, perspective directions, existing planning documents and development programs);
- Economy and job structure;
- Demography;
- Infrastructure;
- Major habits prevalent in the territory;
- Other.
- PESTEL (Political, Economic, Social, Technical, Environmental, Legal) analysis, including:
- Political cluster analysis to map precise authority regulations and policy;
- Economical cluster study to identify people’s income and the ways it is generated; assess authority’s financial capabilities; analyze the structure of the hromadas` economy and jobs, skills available by workforce, and the wealth/income situation of citizens;
- Social cluster examination to specify demographic and cultural aspects (i.e., living conditions, education, consumer debt and labor, tourism development, and cultural offerings, such as heritage);
- Technological analysis to determine the level of technological developments and assess the status of infrastructure and industrial structures;
- Environmental cluster study to consider the local, national and international environmental issues in terms of infrastructure advancements.
- Legal cluster analysis to understand national legislation in terms of city development.
3. Creating a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threads) profile of the territory;
4. Creating a long list of new ideas for the territory for the next five years, including ideas on potential mission/vision statements.
3rd stage: Conducting strategy sessions/workshops with stakeholders to come up wtih a commonly accepted strategy.
During the third stage of the project the Consultant coordinates Working Group on Strategy Development (WGSD) in the community, which will consist of all relevant stakeholders.
At least 7 (seven) meetings of the working group will be conducted to:
- formulate and discuss the results of the current social-economic situation and formulate and discuss forecasts and scenarios of community`s development;
- formulate a strategic vision of the community;
- prepare a draft structure of strategic and operational goals and objectives of the Strategy;
- prepare a list of the priority development projects that meet the objectives of the Strategy, as well as the draft project forms;
- develop a draft of IPDS of the community;
- elaborate Strategy’s monitoring and evaluation system;
- approve the final versions of the Strategy and IPDS;
Minutes of the WGSD meetings, including a descriptive report of the events and list of the participants, will be submitted to specialist UNDP.
Due to the restrictive/preventive measures connected with COVID-19 pandemic and war or any other possible tough conditions, the WGSD meeting can be conducted online.
However, any replacement of the meeting with a similar one in remote mode (online) should be approved by UNDP in advance.
If the remote mode is applied, all the video records of WGSD meetings should be submitted to specialist UNDP
4th stage: Finalizing activities
The Strategy will be compiled and presented to the community at public hearings. It is expected that the Consultant will provide all necessary support to local administration in conducting the aforementioned public hearings. The consultant will organize the collection of the feedback. After the feedback will be collected, needed changes (if any) will be implemented in the document.
Additionally, the Consultant will develop and provide the UNDP with written guidance for the Strategy’s implementation/monitoring (at least 5 (five) A4 pages in Calibri 10 font, Ukrainian language) and provide technical and methodological advice and recommendations in the initiating and institutionalization of appropriate strategy implementation and monitoring structures (at least 3 (three) A4 pages of Calibri font 10, Ukrainian language).
The Consultant is expected to provide all necessary support to the local authorities in approval of the documents according to the relevant legislation.
5th stage: Elaboration of the short version of the Strategy.
The Consultant is expected to elaborate the short version of the Strategy for printing and submit it to UNDP for approval.
At the end of assignment, the Consultant shall prepare a final report with clear description of fulfilled tasks and achieved results, including recommendations on the next steps for further support and development of Poltava Community to achieve sustainable development. The report must be reviewed and approved by the UNDP’s designated supervisor.
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS:
- During the implementation of objectives, the Consultant shall strictly comply with the COVID-19 requirements provided by the Ministry of Health.
- The incumbent will promote UNDP’s mandate as a gender-responsive organization with zero tolerance to any kind of discriminatory and abusive behavior, including sexual harassment, sexual misconduct and apply the UN System Code of Conduct.
(https://www.un.org/management/sites/www.un.org.management/files/un-system-model-code-conduct.pdf).
- Consultant is responsible for ensuring his/her proper security. It is recommended to consult with UNDP on security in the region, especially before the field phase of the assignment.
4. DELIVERABLES
No. |
Task description |
Due date |
No. 1 |
– Collecting and assessing the state and local statistical information on social-economic development of the community; – Analyzing the existing sociological assessments and analytical reports about the community, which had been elaborated under the international technical assistance. Based on the desk research, the Analytical report on the social-economic situation of the community (at least 10 (ten) A4 pages of Calibri font 10, Ukrainian language) as well as an overview of the existing local development programs and plans for local development (at least 5 (five) A4 pages of Calibri font 10, Ukrainian language) were prepared by the Consultant and approved by UNDP Specialist.
|
4 weeks from the start of the contract |
No. 2 |
|
14 weeks from the start of the contract |
No. 3 |
|
22 weeks from the start of the contract |
No. 4 |
|
30 weeks from the start of the contract |
No. 5 |
|
31 weeks from the start of the contract |
5. MONITORING / REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
The Consultant will work under the overall guidance of the UNDP Social-Economic Development Specialist. The consultant, through weekly meetings, will report directly to both the UNDP Social-Economic Development Specialist and Programme Coordinator.
The consultant will regularly participate in Project meetings (by Skype, ZOOM) and will share his/her work progress. Moreover, the consultant must provide one Inception Report, three Interim Reports and one Final report – in accordance with the schedule covered in these Terms of Reference. Interim Reports will include work progress, as well as issues to be addressed, while the Final Report will include the achievements, lessons learned, and recommendations for further actions.
6. PROPOSED PAYMENT SCHEDULE
The UNDP will pay the negotiated amount in five tranches according to the following payment schedule:
- the first payment upon completion of Deliverable 1 and approval of the Inception Report (20% of total contract amount);
- the second payment upon completion of Deliverable 2 and approval of the 1st Interim Report (20% of total contract amount);
- the third payment upon completion of Deliverable 3 and approval of the 2nd Interim Report (20% of total contract amount);
- the fourth payment upon completion of Deliverable 4 and approval of the 3rd Interim Report (30% of total contract amount);
- the fifth payment upon completion of Deliverable 5 and approval of the Final Report (10% of total contract amount).
The payments will be paid upon the full completion and acceptance of the contract’s obligations, whereupon the Programme Coordinator signs the certification of acceptance.