Request for Proposal (RFP) - Consultancy Services at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a United Nations organization tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human development. Headquartered in New York City, it is the largest UN development aid agency, with offices in 170 countries.

Applications are invited for:

Title: Request for Proposal (RFP) Consultancy - Technical support for Crisis Response, Recovery and Stabilization, CB, CSMT/UNDP

Background
UNDP’s policy work carried out at HQ, Regional and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan. Within the GPN, the Crisis Bureau guides UNDP’s corporate crisis and fragility-related strategies and vision for crisis prevention, response and recovery and leads corporate support in response to crisis.

Support to country operations is coordinated by the Country Support Management Team (CSMT). The overall goal of the CSMT is to ensure strong, coherent and coordinated support to country offices (COs), as it relates to crisis and fragility, within the full spectrum of the GPN’s service offer. The CSMT takes the lead in a UNDP-wide approach to strengthen UNDP capacity in preventing, preparing for, responding to and recovering from crisis, including meeting urgent support requirements generated by the rapid demobilization or disengagement of members of armed forces and groups during conflict or sudden signature of a comprehensive peace agreement or partial peace agreements).

In the aftermath of major crises, Country Offices (COs) often have to respond to multiple demands and pressures in addition to their usual workload prior to the crisis. Under these circumstances, COs have a critical need for additional capacity to help them meet these demands and facilitate immediate recovery needs or to provide support on stabilization initiatives. In addition to the capacities within CSMT, UNDP has several deployable options that can be drawn on to support COs in the aftermath of a crisis. These capacities include UNDP First Responders and Surge Advisors, external experts from the GPN/ExpRes roster and Stand-by Partners.

The GPN through Recovery Solutions and Human Mobility Team (RSHM) provides technical support for the implementation of the Strategic Plan’s Integrated Results and Resources Framework (IRRF) output 3.3 on Risk informed and gender responsive recovery solutions, including stabilization at the regional, national and sub-national levels. Furthermore, the Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) Evaluation of UNDP Support to Conflict-Affected Countries recommended ensuring organization-wide policy coherence and the adoption of a programmatic framework for country offices for the management of large stabilization facilities.

The Senior Advisor will provide HQ and regional strategic support on Stabilization and Reintegration through the Crisis Bureau’s Recovery Solutions and Human Mobility Team. The advisor will also support the Crisis Bureau’s Crisis Management Support Team (CSMT) on responding to man-made crises. He/she will also provide policy and guidance support on related on issues related to adaptive management.

Duties and Responsibilities
The specific objectives of the consultancy are to:

For Stabilization and Reintegration:

• Liaise with various stakeholders to finalize the UNDP Guidance Note on Stabilization Programming.
• Collect practices, suggestions and case studies on UNDP’s approach to stabilization to inform the formulation of policy and programme guidance.
• Review the UNDP Guidance on Stabilization Programming, integrating country office and regional perspectives.
• Draft the UNDP Policy on Stabilization UNDP corporate position on stabilization.
• In consultation with Regional Bureau for Africa and relevant service centers and hubs, support the formulation of knowledge products for the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC).
• In consultation with the Regional Bureau for Africa and relevant service centers and hubs, support the formulation of knowledge products in one or more of the following countries: Chad, Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria and Mozambique.
• Present on UNDP policy and programme guidance in meetings with stakeholders, including during the sessions of the UNDP Stabilization Academy.

For Crisis Response and Recovery:

• Immediately “360” deployable to Country Offices, Regional Hubs and/or HQ to support CSMT’s work on crisis response and recovery.
• Remotely available “24/7” to provide programmatic and operational advice to COs and Regional Hubs on a range of response and recovery issues.
• Deploy as first responder – within 48 hours after a crisis - to support Country Offices in initial assessment, the setup of appropriate temporary crisis response structures, draft early recovery projects proposals and prepare for the SURGE Planning mission.
• Support recovery programming in times of crisis, the implementation of timely, sequenced and appropriate UNDP response and recovery activities, safe and sustainable response actions and timely and commensurate funding allocations.
• Support country level post-crisis assessment processes (e.g., recovery and peacebuilding assessments) from a process design and coordination perspective, working closely with GPN technical teams.
• Strategic high level advises to RRs and UNDP Senior Management.
• Support initiatives to strengthen the capacity of COs for crisis preparedness, response and recovery through organizational learning activities in collaboration with GPN Teams (e.g., training packages and modules, workshops, web-based materials, webinars etc.).
• CSMT support to priority countries.

Required Skills and Experience
Academic qualifications:

• Masters’ degree in economics, agriculture, business management, conflict and peace, development, or other relevant area. (required)

Experience:

• At least 15 years of direct experience in programme development and implementation, development of country strategies, country programme documents, policies and programmes on reconciliation and reintegration and conflict sensitivity analyses. (required)
• Solid experience in adaptive management approaches and application of humanitarian development and peace nexus. (required)
• Substantive knowledge in UNDP practice areas required, including Governance, Climate Change and Environment, Resilience and Recovery, Peacebuilding. (required)
• Experience in developing problem analysis and theory of change framework with full consideration of inclusion and integration approaches. (required)

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required;
• Working knowledge of another UN language would be an asset

Competencies:

• Proven drafting skills and substantive knowledge of development issues in UNDP practice areas.
• Proven ability to deliver quality output including reports writing and making presentation under tight deadlines.
• Familiarity and working experience on the development issues and context in the MENA and Lake Chad Basin region and specifically Yemen and other relevant countries.
• Familiarity with UNDP or UN operations in conflict settings will be advantageous.
• Commitment to respecting deadlines and the delivery of outputs within the agreed timeframe.

Application Closing Date
5th April, 2022.

Submission of Documents
Interested applicants should Click Here to submit applications.

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

• A cover letter with a brief description of why the Offer considers her/himself the most suitable for the assignment;
• 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;

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

Additional Information

• Shortlisted candidates (ONLY) will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal.
• The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around the specific and measurable deliverables of the TOR. Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR, and deliverables accepted and certified by the technical manager.
• 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; (excluding mission travel); 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.
• This consultancy is a home-based assignment, therefore, there is no envisaged travel cost to join duty station/repatriation travel.
• In the case of unforeseeable travel requested by UNDP, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between UNDP and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.
• 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.

Click Here for a more clarifications on the RFP.