Procurement Notices

UNDP’s Country Accelerator Lab Network is a key initiative aimed at ensuring that UNDP is fit for purpose to deliver a new generation of solutions in line with the challenges the world faces. The initiative points out that increasingly interrelated development challenges require going beyond business as usual and single point, linear and silver bullet responses in development. Instead, they call for interdisciplinary approaches and non-linear solutions that crowd-in the collective efforts of a variety of partners, tap into local insights and the knowledge of people closest to the problem and require the solutions. The initiative is also a recognition and an investment in the emerging momentum among a growing number of UNDP Country Offices around joining disruptive, cutting edge methodologies with contextual, country-based insights and expertise to accelerate impact and progress toward the SDGs. It is envisioned to be the largest and fastest learning global network building on the latest thinking from the fields of complexity science, lead user innovation and collective intelligence to accelerate development impact.

The Network will surface and reinforce locally sourced solutions at scale while mobilizing a wide and dynamic partnership of actors contributing knowledge, resources and experience. The idea is to transform our collective approach by introducing new protocols, backed by evidence and practice, which accelerate the testing and dissemination of solutions within and across countries. This will enable the global community to collectively learn from local knowledge and ingenuity at a speed and at a scale that our societies and planet require. This will be achieved by:

• Building on locally-sourced solutions, finding things that work and expanding on them;
• Rapid testing and iteration to implement what works and go beyond the obvious solutions;
• Combining the best understanding, ideas and expertise to generate collective knowledge;
• Accelerating progress by bringing expertise, creativity and collective intelligence to bear.

The Accelerator Lab will undertake i) externally, interventions addressing priority development challenges, and ii) internally, experiments to embed new ways of doing development within the existing UNDP portfolio. The success of this institution-wide innovation initiative initially depends on mobilizing a wide array of dynamic partnerships to contribute knowledge, expertise and resources and translate those into top notch advisory and support. It also depends on defining what the Lab will address and how.

The Philippines has a rapidly growing innovation landscape, with government entities, private sector firms and non-profit organizations all working to promote innovation. It also faces the same global challenges in achieving the SDGs and its long-term vision, Ambisyon 2040. UNDP in the Philippines intends to set-up the Philippine Accelerator Lab that will support both the public and private sector in better tackling most critical and challenging risks facing the country, such as inequality, unemployment, or technological change.

Acknowledging the role of communications for the Accelerator Lab, the services of a Communications Consultant is being requested. The UNDP Accelerator Lab aims to use communications for advocacy, partnership development, social mobilization, collective intelligence, and behavioral insights.

The Communications Consultant shall carry out the following tasks:

1. In line with the Global Accelerator Lab communications strategy, support the national-level implementation of the communications and advocacy of the Lab, focusing on the achievement of the following results:

1. Roll-out of a country-level soft launch within July, including coordination with Lab core investors for either one of the following:
   1. Press conference
   2. Formal event with partners
   3. Solutions fair around identified development issues;
2. Creation of visual identifier to display the #AcceleratorLabs branding with a Philippines identify;
3. Developing key content and messages for different partners and audiences, including briefing and media materials for advocacy campaigns, and for website and social media platforms;

2. Support to the elaboration and implementation of the Lab strategy and workplan

1. Briefing materials for core partners on the work of the Lab and on opportunities for their support shaping the work of the Network.
2. Identification of storylines for publications and articles related to key development issues;
3. Inputs to the design and maintenance of the Lab web site and other digital and online platforms based on corporate requirements in cooperation with the Country Office’s Digital Services Team.
4. Dissemination of information and publications, assistance at public events such as roundtable discussions, press conferences, briefing sessions, interviews;
5. Technical supervision of translation/ adaptation/ rewriting of information received, printing and dissemination of publications and audio-visual materials, including contact with vendors;
6. Logistical support to the organization of publicity/outreach for the Lab, knowledge-sharing events, and media/promotional opportunities;
7. Organize a Lab media network that will support the dissemination of materials and conversations around the work of the Lab.

Expected outputs and deliverables

Institutional Arrangement

The Communications Consultant will directly report to the Deputy Resident Representative in the interim, until the Accelerator Lab Heads (Exploration, Solutions Mapping, and Experimentation) are still under recruitment. Upon entry on duty, the Consultant will report to the designated Accelerator Lab Head in charge of Communications. The Consultant will also work closely with the UNDP Philippines’ Team supporting the Lab, including the Senior Advisor, the Team Leader of Management Support, the Accelerator Lab Technical Consultant, the Communications Associate.

The Consultant will maintain pro-active communications with the Deputy Resident Representative and the Lab Team, and provide regular updates in the form of face to face updates and brief monthly reports, highlighting the work done and any specific concerns or issues that need to be addressed during subsequent meetings and discussions.

As may be necessary, s/he will collaborate with programme teams and key partners of the Country Office as well as the Regional Innovation Centre and the Communications Team based in UNDP’s Bangkok Regional Hub, and the Communications focal of the Global Accelerator Lab Team.

All outputs shall be reviewed by members of the Accelerator Lab Team and certified by the Team Leader, Management Support, prior to any payments. Local travels, when required, will be approved, covered and arranged by the Country Office following UNDP Financial Rules and Regulations. International travels are not expected.

Duration of work and duty station

The work shall be undertaken in 6 months with the possibility of extension. The Communications Consultant is expected to be present at the UNDP Philippines Country Office on a daily basis, unless a flexible work schedule is mutually agreed upon.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The Communications Consultant should send the financial proposal based on a lump-sum amount for the delivery of the outputs identified below. The total amount quoted shall be “all-inclusive”; all costs (professional fees, travel costs, living allowances, communications, consumables, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Consultant are already factored into the final amounts submitted in the proposal. It must include in its initial payment the actual cost of the IC’s travel to arrive at the designated Duty Station (completion of the journey can be considered as one of the deliverables payable upon arrival). DSA costs in relation to workshop proper must be included in the proposal.

Any deviations from the outputs and timelines will need to be agreed on the between the Communications Consultant and the Deputy Resident Representative, a.i. Payments will be done upon satisfactory completion of the deliverables by target due dates.

Corporate Competences

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN mission, vision, values and ethical standards
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability

Other Competencies

• Demonstrates strong analytical skills and mature judgement well-planned and organized;
• Ability to work in close collaboration with a group of national and international experts, to meet strict deadlines and plan the work according to priorities;
• Demonstrates capacity to plan, organize and execute effectively;
• Ability to establish effective working relations in a multi-cultural team environment;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Facilitates and encourages open communication in the team and with stakeholders;
• Excellent written communication and presentation/public speaking skills

Qualifications of the Successful Individual Contractor

Educational Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Development Communications, Journalism, Media Relations, or related field

Experience

• At least 7 years’ related, progressive work experience with international organizations, government, academe, civil society organization, or the private sector; at least 5 years’ progressive work experience with a Master’s Degree

• At least 3 years’ experience at the national level in providing communication packages to promote the activities of international development organization, UN experience is an advantage

• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages to promote the activities of an international development organization

• Proven skills in developing communications messages in various media platforms

Language requirements

• Excellent command in written and spoken English

Evaluation Method and Criteria

Offers will be evaluated based on combined scoring method – where the Technical Proposal will be evaluated based on qualifications in the CV. The Technical evaluation is weighted a max. of 70%.

The Financial Proposal that will be evaluated through submission of the Offeror's Letter to UNDP Confirming Insterest and Availability for the IC including Financial Proposal Template and combined with the price offer will be weighted a max of 30%;

For the evaluation of the Technical Proposal, the selection of the successful consultant must be based in the following qualifications (with the appropriate obtainable points):

Applicants who will only receive a minimum score of 70 points and above from the assessment of the CV will be qualified for the assessment of the Financial Proposal.

Recommended Presentation of Offer and Documentation

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document at https://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=86156.

• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided in Annex II.
• 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.
• Portfolio of related communications work
• Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex II. Note: National consultants must quote prices in Philippine Peso. Please indicate the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided and clearly stating payment percentage:

You may download the editable version of the Offeror's Letter to UNDP Confirming Insterest and Availability for the IC by clicking on this link: http://gofile.me/6xdJm/bE9TCw8fU

In view of the volume of applications UNDP receives, only shortlisted offerors will be notified.