Procurement Notices

A. Project Title:

Filipino Women and the Future of Work: Closing the Gender Gap through Empowering Women in STEM Education and Employment

B. Project Description

Over the last decade, the prospect of mass automation and digitization have become an inescapable reality. While it is still incredibly difficult to estimate the ultimate impact of mechatronic, information, and communication technologies on the economy, the picture is starting to become a bit clearer as projections begin to converge.

With the availability of big data, a wide range of non-routine cognitive tasks are now becoming vulnerable to computerization1. Mobile robotics also provides a means of directly leveraging technologies to aid the computerization of a growing scope of manual tasks. On a global level, experts warn that many occupations will suffer. By 2030, between 75 million and 375 million people may need to find other jobs and gain new skills2. Another report by researchers from Oxford University estimate that, in America, around half of all jobs are at high risk of being automated and digitized1.

Although estimates of the people affected may vary, researches concur that emerging technologies are bringing about change to work. Furthermore, with existing gender gap in skills, particularly those related to fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), these technologies have differential impact on women and men. Evidence shows that women continue to be underrepresented in the STEM industry with only 35% of all students enrolled in STEM related fields of high education and 28% of workers in the critical information and communication technology field being women3.

In the Philippines, the fields of STEM are still dominated by men. In fact, according to 2019 fact sheet by Philippine Statistics Authority4, close to 60% of engineering students and 97% of students enrolled in information technology-related programs are men. On the other hand, the most common fields of study for women remain to be business administration, mass communication, and agriculture3—fields and industries that are most susceptible to automation and digitization2.

Consequently, these gaps in enrollment of women in the fields of STEM translate to low participation of women in the industries where automation and digitization are creating new job opportunities.

Technologically, the lack of women in STEM also results in gender-biased technologies and algorithms that perpetuate gender ideologies that disadvantage women5,6. As more and more digital tools are built by men, and with an already low labor force participation rate of Filipino women at 47% (compared to 75% among Filipino men)3, unless programmes and efforts that will encourage and promote women participation in STEM will be put in place, the future of work and society driven by technological advancements will only magnify existing gender inequalities and gaps in the Philippines.

The project supports the implementation of the regional programme, Transforming Future of Work for Gender Equality (TFoW4GE), which explore new innovations and/or scaling up on existing local initiatives to address gender inequality within the context of Future of Work. The project recognizes the value of increased women’s participation in STEM in promoting women’s empowerment, removing gender inequality and discriminatory practices, and contributing to achieving national development goals aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Thus, the project aims to achieve increased participation of women in STEM, by providing equal access to opportunities both in education and employment.

Specifically, based on recommendations of existing studies, including the 2019 policy paper of UNESCO on gender, education, and STEM7 and 2019 report of ILO on women and future of work8, the project will work on strengthening institutional and individual capacities by supporting women and women organizations in STEM in both education and employment and providing opportunities for mentorship of and by women in STEM. To achieve this objective, the project aims to implement the following activities:

a. Conduct a workshop to assess the needs of women and women organizations in STEM education and employment and identify design solutions in promoting women’s participation in STEM education and employment;

b. Design and implement solutions through a capacity development program such as fellowship and mentoring program with the involvement of women STEM professionals, young women STEM professionals and students enrolled in a STEM program in various universities in the Philippines with participation from technological companies and BARMM-based institutions and organizations; and

To ensure national ownership, national partners from the private sector, government agencies, and academic institutions will be engaged in the implementation of these activities. UNDP will ensure that Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) will be actively involved in all activities and will work in close collaboration with UN Women.The project supports the implementation of the regional programme, Transforming Future of Work for Gender Equality (TFoW4GE), which explore new innovations and/or scaling up on existing local initiatives to address gender inequality within the context of Future of Work. The project recognizes the value of increased women’s participation in STEM in promoting women’s empowerment, removing gender inequality and discriminatory practices, and contributing to achieving national development goals aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Thus, the project aims to achieve increased participation of women in STEM, by providing equal access to opportunities both in education and employment.

C. Scope of Work

To ensure successful implementation of the project, it is proposed that an individual contractor (IC) or gender specialist will be engaged to design and implement a capacity development program for women STEM professionals, young women STEM professionals and students enrolled in STEM program in various universities in the Philippines with participation from technological companies and BARMM-based institutions and organizations. The scope of work includes:

1. Develop a database of national professional organizations in STEM and academic institutions with STEM curriculum including mapping of those with gender-responsive policies and programs (technological companies and BARMM-based institutions and organizations included);

2. Organize and conduct workshop to assess the needs and identify design solutions in promoting women’s participation in STEM education and employment;

3. Design and implement solutions through a capacity development program such as fellowship and mentoring program with the involvement of women STEM professionals, young women STEM professionals and students enrolled in a STEM program in various universities in the Philippines with participation from technological companies and BARMM-based institutions and organizations; and

4. Develop and submit a documentation report of the entire process to UNDP guided by the TFoW4GE learning map.

The IC will cover the expenses of the needs assessment workshop, hence, this should be included in the financial proposal. The IC will work with the Programme Analyst (Institutions and SDG Partnerships Team, UNDP Philippines) with guidance from the UNDP BRH Gender Team.

D. Expected Outputs and Deliverables

E. Institutional Arrangement

The IC shall work in collaboration with UNDP Institutions and SDG Partnerships Team and UNDP Gender Team, Bangkok Regional Hub. The consultant will be under the over-all management of the Programme Analyst, Institutions and SDG Partnerships, UNDP Philippines. The Gender Advisor, upon the recommendation of the Programme Analyst, will approve outputs submitted by the IC.

F. Duration of the Work
The expected duration of engagement is 57 working days, from December 2019 to February  2020. The IC will be required to travel as the need arises.

G. Duty Station
This engagement is output-based. The IC is not expected to report on a daily basis to UNDP. S/he shall be notified within a reasonable period of time of pertinent meetings where her/his presence is necessary.

H. Scope of Price and Schedule of Payments

Corporate competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN's values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Functional and technical competencies

• Ability to work in a diverse and multi-cultural environment;
• Self-motivated and ability to work under pressure and to meet strict and competing deadlines;
• Displays analytical judgment and demonstrated ability to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities;
• Computer literate.

I. Qualificatiosof the Succesful Individual Contractor

1. Educational Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree on development studies, community development, gender studies, women and development, sociology,
and other social sciences courses from a reputable university; Masters’ degree on the abovementioned courses would be an advantage

2. Experience

• At least 5 years’ experience on gender and development work
• At least 3 years’ experience in conducting research on development issues, preferably on gender and women
• Knowledge on STEM and gender-based STEM issues at the national and local level
• At  least 3 years’ experience in conducting capacity-building workshops

3. Language

Excellent command of English and Filipino, both spoken and written

4. Competitiveness

Proficiency in MS word, excel, and powerpoint

J. Evaluation Method 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.

K. Recommended Presentation Offer

For purposes of generating Offers whose contents are uniformly presented and to facilitate their comparative analysis, it is best to recommend the preferred contents and presentation of the Offer to be submitted, as well as the format/sequencing of their presentation. The following documents may be requested:

a) Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
b) 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;
c) Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how they will approach and complete the assignment. A methodology is recommended for intellectual services, but may be omitted for support services [Note: this is optional for support services];
d) Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided. If an 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 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.

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/292aN/5eiV7qhBq

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