| Overview : Terms of Reference Ref: PN/FJI-041-18 Post Title: VRN Report Facilitator for Fiji 2030 Agenda and SDGs | Project Name: UNDP Regional SDG Project | Contract Type: Individual Contract | Duty Station: Suva, Fiji | Duration of the Contract: - 80 working days
- 10 Jan 2019 to 31 July 2019
Consultancy Proposal should be sent via email to etenderbox.pacific@undp.org no later than 12th December , 2018 (Fiji Time) clearly stating the title of consultancy applied for. Any proposals received after this date/time will not be accepted. Any request for clarification must be sent in writing, or by standard electronic communication to procurement.fj@undp.org. UNDP will respond in writing or by standard electronic mail and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all consultants. Incomplete, late and joint proposals will not be considered and only offers for which there is further interest will be contacted. Failure to submit your application as stated as per the application submission guide (Procurement Notice) on the above link will be considered incomplete and therefore application will not be considered. NOTE: Proposals must be sent to the designated email (etenderbox.pacific@undp.org) Please do NOT copy or directly email applications to UNDP staff. |
Objectives: The overall objective of the consultancy service is to help facilitate the formulation of the first country SDG report/Voluntary National Review in line with UNDG guidelines on VNR and Country SDG reporting. The process should be inclusive and consultative using mechanisms for multi-stakeholder consultations and inclusive of left-behind groups to raise their voice. The consultant will develop and coordinate a process for the delivery of the VNR report for Fiji that ensures the production of a credible, high-quality and well-supported VNR report, to be shared and presented at the meeting of the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) on sustainable development in 2019. The HLPF is convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council and it will be held from Monday, 8 July, to Friday, 18 July 2019; including the three-day ministerial meeting of the Forum. The consultancy will be provided based on the following key principles: (i) help Fiji’s first VNR Report meet the international requirements and standards; (ii) strengthen the national ownership, provide added values and align to the national review/reporting process and quality of Fiji’s first SDG report and (iii) utilize UNDP’s comparative advantages and past experiences in supporting Fiji in achieving, monitoring and reporting on MDGs and preparing the SDG Action Plan and in close cooperation with other development partners, especially within the UN Delivering as One and joint framework of UN support on SDGs in Fiji. |
Background 1. a Country Situation Fiji’s National Development Plan (NDP) provides the forward looking vision for “Transforming Fiji” towards an even more progressive, vibrant and inclusive society. It outlines a framework that encompasses strategic policy initiatives, new approaches to development and the aspirations of all Fijians. The NDP provides a detailed action agenda with specific targets and policies that are aligned to the long-term aspirations of transformational national development. Inclusive socio-economic development that ensures environmental protection is at the centre of the NDP, while recognizing and addressing the integrated nature of development and the need for multi-sectoral solutions. The NDP is aligned with global commitments including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. With an overall theme of Transforming Fiji, the NDP strives to steer Fiji towards a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future by 2036 building upon major targets. These include: a fourfold increase in GDP per person from the current FJD $10,000, SDG 8 reduction in unemployment rate to below 4 percent, SDG 1 incidence of national poverty reduced to 10% from the current 28.4%, SDG 6 100% access to safe water, adequate sanitation, SDG 7 reliable electricity, SDG 4 quality education and SDG 3 health services and SDG 11 affordable housing, SDG 13 reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030, SDG 14 establish MPAs targeting 30% of Fiji’s marine areas. Fiji is at a point of strength with a rapidly expanding economy, improving infrastructure and institutions, a large number of young people, growing digital connectivity, a stronger standing in the international arena, and continuing inherent geographical and environmental advantages. These positive developments and advantages provide a sound platform for Fiji’s future prosperity. The Voluntary National Review (VNR) of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs will also provide an opportunity to review the progress of the NDP and identify opportunities and challenges for accelerating the implementation of the development plan. 1. b The 2030 Agenda and SDGs The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted in September 2015 in which member states pledged their commitment to implement 17 goals and 169 targets. The sustainable development goals (SDGs) and targets encompass the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. The 2030 Agenda and SDGs incorporates the “unfinished business” of the Millennium Development Goals and provides a common basis for addressing some of the key challenges such as poverty, climate change and conflict to ensure people enjoy peace and prosperity. The SDGs and targets will be monitored and reviewed using a set of global indicators under a framework agreed to by UN Statistical Commission and adopted by the Economic and Social Council in June 2017. The global indicator framework, includes a set of 230 indicators which are designed to act as the basis for monitoring and reviewing the progress made in implementing SDGs. Given that progress on the achievement of SDGs will primarily be focused at the national level it is recognized that for each country there is a need to localize and priorities the targets and indicators to reflect the local context, national priorities and capacity to collect and analyze data. In the case of Fiji and given that the NDP has embraced the SDGs, it is envisaged that the process for producing the Voluntary National Review will be closely aligned to the process for reviewing progress under the NDP, with the VNR helping reinforce the strong connection between the priorities of the NDP and the underlying themes of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. It has also been anticipated that complementary monitoring will transpire at regional and global levels. In the Pacific, it has been agreed that a sustainable development progress report will be produced every four years to complement voluntary national review reporting. At the Asia- Pacific regional level, annual reporting will be produced to coincide with the meetings of the High Level Political Forum (HLPF). |
Scope of work/Output Areas Under the direct supervision of the Head of Climate Change and International Cooperation Division at Ministry of Economy and the UNDP Pacific Office, Inclusive Growth Acting Team Leader, and in consultation with UN agencies and CROP development partners, the consultant will: - Draft work plan of SDGs VNR reporting, in cooperation with the SDGs Team at Ministry of Economy, ensuring the final agreement on the process by the relevant Government authority, that is aligned with the UN requirements/standards for consultations, namely; recognizes international experiences in VNR/SDG reporting and embraces innovative mechanisms for multi-stakeholder consultations and left-behind groups to raise their voice.
Deliverable: draft of Fiji’s SDG VNR report formulation work plan. Timeline: January 2019 - Use UN guidelines on VNR and SDG reporting to prepare a framework for the Fiji VNR. Timeline: January 2019
- Facilitate the development of the VNR framework, including identification of main policy messages to focus on, in cooperation with the SDG team at the Ministry of Economy and in consultation with Government and civil society organizations (CSOs). Identify the inputs, resources and perspectives needed for each section and coordinating with the Government and SDG Focal points to secure the necessary resources and leadership/involvement of the appropriate entities. Deliverable: Final draft of the Fiji’s VNR report formulation work plan and related materials. Timeline: January 2019.
- Facilitate the development of draft VNR with inputs from relevant stakeholders through a comprehensive and participatory consultation process. Deliverable: Final draft of the Fiji’s VNR report. Timeline: February 2019
- Facilitate consultation with SDG Task Force on the draft VNR. Timeline: February 2019
- Based comments and feedback on the draft VNR from the consultation process with Government and CSOs, revise the draft VNR. Timeline: March 2019
- Coordinate final consultation with SDGs Taskforce on the final draft of the VNR. Timeline: April 2019
- Facilitate the submission final draft version of the Fiji VNR for Cabinet approval including the submission of 700 words key message on the Fiji VNR to UNDESA. Timeline: May 2019
- Facilitate the development of the layout, design and publication of the Fiji VNR. Timeline: June 2019
- Presentation of the Fiji SDGs VNR to the High-Level Political Forum. Timeline: July 2019
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Resources Provided UNDP will provide following relevant background documents: - Latest version on the VNR Reporting Guidelines
- Other documents that are relevant and available.
All documents and data provided to the consultants are confidential and cannot be used for any other purposes or shared with a third party without any written approval from UNDP and other development partners. Physical facility for the work of the consultant will be provided by the Government of Fiji, including venues for technical meetings/consultations. The consultant is expected to make arrangements for consultation meetings with stakeholders, however, where necessary, Ministry of Economy and development partners will arrange meetings with relevant government agencies and experts. |
Supervision/Reporting - Head of Climate Change and International Cooperation Division at Ministry of Economy and the UNDP Pacific Office, Inclusive Growth Deputy Team Leader.
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Requirement for Qualifications & Experience Educational Qualifications: - Master Degree in development, economics or social science and/or related fields.
Experience - Sound knowledge and understanding of the Agenda 2030, SDGs, both processes and contents, sound knowledge of UN guidelines on VNR/SDG reporting processes and contents/technical requirements.
- Good knowledge of international experiences in VNR/SDG reporting processes and SDG reports, knowledge on Fiji’s SDG process is an advantage; Action Plan and MDG experiences, knowledge on international experiences in VNR/SDG reporting processes and SDG reports is an advantage.
- Good knowledge about Fiji’s stakeholders on SDGs and have contacts with development partners/NGOs that are working with/facilitating the engagement of vulnerable groups in SDG reporting/monitoring/VNR process.
- Minimum 2 years of working experiences in designing process for and facilitating engagement of stakeholders/vulnerable groups in consultative process (on SDGs/MDG is an asset).
- Knowledge of Fiji’s development context and coordination mechanisms is an advantage.
- Strong facilitation skills, good command of writing and making presentations in English.
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Deliverable: | Percent of contract amount | Signing of contract | 20% | VNR formulation plan which would include a multi-stakeholder engagement plan and outline of the VNR; | 10% | Multi-stakeholder consultation workshop report | 10% | First draft of the VNR Report | 30% | Final Draft of the VNR Report including the key messages to be presented at the HLPF | 20% | Prepare VNR Report presentation for Fiji High Level Representative to the HLPF | 10% |
Evaluation Cumulative analysis The proposals will be evaluated using the cumulative analysis method with a split 70% technical and 30% financial scoring. The proposal with the highest cumulative scoring will be awarded the contract. Applications will be evaluated technically and points are attributed based on how well the proposal meets the requirements of the Terms of Reference using the guidelines detailed in the table below: When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract may be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as: a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and b) having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation. * Technical Criteria weighting; 70% * Financial Criteria weighting; 30% Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points in the Technical Evaluation would be considered for the Financial Evaluation. Interviews may be conducted as part of technical assessment for shortlisted proposals. |
Criteria | Points | Percentage | Qualifications | | 70% | Minimum of Master’s Degree in International Affairs, Development Studies, Economics, Political or Social Science. | 5 | Experience | | Experience in Human Development Work in Fiji and good knowledge of Fiji’s development context and coordination mechanisms. | 20 | Sound knowledge and understanding of the Agenda 2030, SDGs, and National Development Planning and Reporting (in terms of both processes and contents), Knowledge of UN guidelines on VNR/SDG reporting processes and contents/technical requirements. | 15 | Minimum 2 years of working experiences in designing process for and facilitating engagement of stakeholders/vulnerable groups in consultative process for national or sub-national or sector development reports | 15 | Evidence of strong consultation facilitation skills, analytical skills, report writing, and presenting in English. | 15 | Technical Criteria | | 70% | Financial Criteria – Lowest Price | | 30% | Total | | 100% |
Proposal Submission Offerors must send the following documents. - Signed CV including names of at least 3 referees
- Cover letter setting out:
How the proposer meets the qualifications and experience required. Please find an innovative product, project, idea, piece of research and write (no more than one page) telling us about the innovation and how it might be utilised in a Pacific and/or SIDS context - Completed template for confirmation of Interest and Submission of Financial Proposal
Interested Candidates must accept UNDP General Terms and Conditions for Individual Consultants Consultant must send a financial proposal based on a Lump Sum Amount. The total amount quoted shall be all-inclusive and include all costs components required to perform the deliverables identified in the TOR, including professional fee, travel costs, living allowance (if any work is to be done outside the IC´s duty station) and any other applicable cost to be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment. The contract price will be fixed output-based price regardless of extension of the herein specified duration. Payments will be done upon completion of the deliverables/outputs. In general, UNDP shall 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 In the event of unforeseeable travel not anticipated in this TOR, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and the Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. The P11 form and Template for confirmation of interest and Submission of Financial Proposal is available under the procurement section of UNDP Fiji website (www.pacific.undp.org) |
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