Procurement Notices

Background and Context:

An unprecedented El Niño-related drought has triggered a shock-year of hunger and hardship for poor and vulnerable people across southern African countries.  Mozambique is not an exemption.  Historically, the country suffers from recurrent disasters which have negative impacts on development gains. It ranks third among African countries most exposed to multiple weather-related hazards, suffering from periodic cyclones, droughts, floods, and related epidemics. The country’s economy is not sufficiently diverse and majority of the population still depend on subsistence and rain fed agriculture for their subsistence. Approximately 89% of households are engaged in agriculture, livestock, fisheries or forestry (Census, 2007).

Currently, the country is facing one of the most severe drought of the last 50 years in the south and central regions as a result of the El Niño.  The south is considered to be the worst affected of the two.  Recent assessment conducted by SETSAN (April 2016 Report) indicates that about 1.5 million people in these regions are facing acute food insecurity situation and need humanitarian assistance.  The drought is not only affecting the population, their livestock (cattle, goats and sheep) are affected too. In Mozambique especially in the south, livestock represents one of the main assets of the population in rural areas in terms of social and economic status. The southern part of the country is rich in livestock with about 1,067,932 cattle representing about 69% of total cattle in the country. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, currently 28% of the cattle in the south are at risk and facing lack of water and fodder and 3,126 cattle have been recorded dead due to the drought.

• Following the low rainfall and subsequent failure of agriculture production, scarcity of water both for domestic and animal needs, livelihoods, increased school dropout rate, nutritional concerns and the growing number of population in need of assistance, the Government of Mozambique, through the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGC) on 12 April 2016 declared a RED ALERT in conformity with the Law on disaster risk management (Lei –n0. 15/2014).   This is to effectively allow the Government and humanitarian actors to roll out the contingency plan to assist those affected and to further mobilize resources to complement ongoing responses.

The Government of Mozambique is currently providing assistance in the form of food, water, and nutrition supplements to the affected communities.  These efforts are being complemented by the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) including UN agencies.  However, the assistance needs to be more effectively communicated to the general public through various forms of social media including the local media stations in-country and thus incrementing resource mobilization.  Coordination also needs to be strengthened for an effective, holistic and more targeted responses.  This is of fundamental importance in terms of building back better and advocacy on the concept of resilience.  To this end, UNDP is seeking to engage a strategic communication consultant to be based in the Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) and support the communication function. S/he will be under the direct supervision of the United Nations Resident Coordinator /Resident Representative (RC/RR) and will work to support the HCT in communication and coordination matters related to the ongoing drought. 

• The consultant is required to provide strategic communications support services and outreach on the drought and broader aspects of the UN/UNDP humanitarian response;
• The consultant will deliver the following services to the HCT under the direct supervision of the RC/RR;

Strategic outreach:

• Conceptualize and implement a comprehensive strategy for outreach and positioning of UNDP, including developing, coordinating, and generating external partnerships and support around key events and with multiple target audiences;
• Strengthen outreach to communication, partners and key stakeholders in and outside the UN system through strategic products and services;

Advocacy and communications:

• Raise awareness on the drought responses through strategic partnerships with key media and development media organizations;
• Using the crises response platforms/fora, design specific messages to raise awareness among government institutions, the media and the humanitarian country team on the concept of resilience building against future shocks ad stresses.
• Prepare press releases or other information required to support the RC/RR in briefing meetings;
• Liaise with other UN communication specialists and press office representatives on dissemination of press releases;
• Identify and support opportunities to create visibility for UNDP through its partner network, identification of ‘high-level champions’, relevant meetings and relationships with like-minded organizations including NGOs;
• Prepare, and maintain the UN / UNDP social media accounts;
• Create and maintain a virtual centre on the drought responses;

Deliverables:

• Conceptualize and implement a comprehensive strategy for advocacy, outreach and positioning of UNDP as the lead and coordinator on the humanitarian actions;
• Strengthen outreach to partners and key stakeholders through strategic products and services in advocacy;
• Prepare press releases or other information required to support the RC/RR;
• Provide daily media monitoring by scanning online media for relevant news, interviews and articles to ensure UNDP visibility;
• Manage the conceptualization, execution and management of high profile events with the government on the drought;
• Timely and high quality production, compilation of info-graphics and other visual materials to illustrate the UNDP/UN response to the drought;
• Update UNDP social media networks daily, including Twitter and Facebook;

Application Submission Process: (ToRs)

The application submission is in 2 steps:

Step 1: Interested individual consultants must include the following documents when submitting the applications in UNDP job shop (Please note that only 1 (one) file can be uploaded therefore please include all docs in one file):

• Personal History Form (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 (the template can be downloaded from this link: http://europeandcis.undp.org/files/hrforms/P11_modified_for_SCs_and_ICs.doc).
• Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable candidate for the assignment, and a methodology on how s/he will approach and complete the assignment. At least 3 samples of articles and communication pieces in relation to crises response written and published by the candidate;

Step 2: Submission of Financial Proposal

• Applicants are instructed to submit their financial proposals, a lump sum, in US Dollars for this consultancy to procurement.mozambique@undp.org using the financial proposal template available here: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=45780. The proposals should be sent via email with the following subject heading: “Financial Proposal for Strategic Communication, 2016 drought, Mozambique" by the deadline for this vacancy. Proposals received after the deadline will not be considered. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal should be all-inclusive and include a breakdown. The term ‘all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, travel related expenses, communications, utilities, consumables, insurance, visa, cost of living in duty station, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Consultant are already factored into the financial proposal;

Application Evaluation Process

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis methodology (weighted scoring method), where the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation;
• Technical Criteria weight: [70%];
• Financial Criteria weight: [30%];

Only Individual Consultants obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70%) on the Technical evaluation would be considered for the Financial Evaluation;

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max. 100 points:

• Relevant experience in development communications – 40 points;
• Relevant experience in producing high quality writing for a business and development/donor audience and written samples of application - 30 points;
• Demonstrated understanding of advocacy and communication tools during crises – 30 points;

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max. 30 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;
• UNDP will provide office space in the RCO, and access to internet and a printer during the assignment (the cost of this facilities should not be included in the financial proposals);
• UNDP is applying fair and transparent selection process that would take into account both the technical qualification of Individual Consultants as well as their price proposals. The contract will be awarded to the candidate obtaining the highest combined technical and financial scores;
• UNDP retains the right to contact references directly;
• Payments will be made only upon confirmation of UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner.
• Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under www.undss.un.org;
• Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.

Corporate competencies:

• Commitment to promote the UNDP’s Mission, Vision. Values; and goals
• Sensitivity to cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age differences.
• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism;

Functional Competencies:

• Strong analytical and advocacy skills in humanitarian and development issues;
• Understanding of crises response issues to contribute to building resilience to future shocks and stresses;
• Proven track record of publications and knowledge products in crises management;
• Ability to produce high-quality outputs and in a timely manner while understanding and anticipating the evolving audience needs;
• Ability to focus on impact and results for the audience, promoting and demonstrating an ethic of Accountability to the Affected Population (AAP) in Early Recovery;
• Strong organizational skills;
• Strong verbal and written communication skills required;
• Ability to work independently, flexibly and under pressure utilizing initiative;
• Sound judgment, strategic thinking and the ability to manage competing priorities;
• Flexibility in responding to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment;

Behavioural Competencies:

• Productive and efficient worker, highly motivated;
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize tasks;
• Persistence and willingness to follow through;
• Strong advocacy and outreach skills and ability to communicate clearly and quickly;
• Ability to take instructions and to learn on the job;
• Ability to write clearly and convincingly, adapting style and content to different audiences and speak clearly and convincingly, demonstrating strong presentation skills in meetings, and adapting style and content to different audiences.

Education:

• An advanced degree in a communication, international affairs, public policy, journalism, or other relevant field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years of relevant national/international working experience in the field of development and strategic communications;
• Familiarity of disaster risk management and climate change adaptation in developing countries, especially within Africa;
• Demonstrated experience in producing high quality writing for a business and development/donor audience (candidates will be expected to submit written samples of their application);
• Knowledge of social media tools;
• The consultant shall support the RCO in other communications/knowledge management tasks that may arise during the assignment period. The consultant shall be ready to undertake internal travel if recommended by the RC/RR. The consultant will work closely with the communication officer of the UNDP as well as the other partners of the HCT in implementing this assignment;

Language:

• Fluency in English and Portuguese required (written and verbal);
• Working language other knowledge of other UN official language(s) is desirable.