National Consultant: Feature Writer (For Philippine Nationals only)

Background

PROJECT TITLE: BIODIVERSITY FINANCE INITIATIVE – PHILIPPINES

Project Description

Since 2014, the United Nations Development Program through its Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) Project, has been supporting the Philippine Government in articulating the financial resources it needs to maintain a healthy biodiversity portfolio in-country. In particular, BIOFIN in collaboration with the Department of Natural Resources-Biodiversity Management Bureau has conducted the following assessments:  1) Policy and Institutional Review (PIR); 2) Public and Private Biodiversity Expenditure Review (PPBER); and 3) Finance needs assessment (cost and gap analysis of implementing Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP); and has prepared a finance plan.

Based on insights gained from the results of the three BIOFIN assessments, the finance plan acknowledges the importance of tapping additional financing to support the biodiversity agenda of the Philippines, mainly through its Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP). This Plan is cognizant of the parallel challenges that could not be addressed by generating financing alone: thus, the Plan transcends the focus on generating additional resources and also identifies a range of “finance solutions” that leverage finance, fiscal and economic tools and strategies to improve the outcome of biodiversity objectives in the country. Financing solutions include a range of transformative actions: generating more financing to fund the PBSAP or associated planning documents; appropriate attribution of biodiversity expenditures in the budget; attaining cost-effective budget execution by eradicating overlaps in biodiversity functions; eradicating expenditures that continue to or aggravate dissipation of biodiversity resources; and paving the groundwork for a responsive policy environment through greater awareness on biodiversity and biodiversity financing and enhancing institutional support towards monitoring of PBSAP.

BIOFIN is mobilizing financing for biodiversity through several finance solutions, one of which is crowdfunding done by initiating donation-based campaigns to raise awareness and contribute to conservation initiatives. Communication and visibility are essential in order for a crowdfunding initiative to be successful. At the same time, BIOFIN is also working to raise funds from private-sector donations through corporate social responsibility programs.  CSR as a finance solution is envisaged to be the main contributor to the five (5) PBSAP Priority Programs with actions focusing on aligning funds and forging strategic partnerships.

To successfully implement the abovementioned and other BIOFIN finance solutions with the objective of mobilizing and aligning funds towards biodiversity conservation as guided by the PBSAP, BIOFIN will be developing, writing, and seeding news and feature stories to increase the public’s awareness about BIOFIN and these finance solutions as well as the whole suite of finance solutions that BIOFIN is currently implementing. With the public well aware, this will catalyze a change in the behavior making the public join the movement of increasing financing for biodiversity.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

The Feature Writer shall research and gather relevant information from primary and secondary sources, write news and feature stories, and seed them to popular media outlets for publication. The Feature Writer shall develop the stories in close coordination with the BIOFIN project management unit to ensure the correctness of the story content. The Feature Writer shall also ensure that the news stories and features will be published in the media outlets specified in this TOR.  

Specifically, the Feature Writer should: 

1. Write a feature story or press release about the following topics with a biodiversity financing angle:

1. Year of the Protected Area Campaign Launch
2. Video and photo contest for YoPA (calling for the public to participate)
3. The link between the conservation of protected areas and pandemics highlighting the importance of sustainable financing
4. Presidential Proclamation for YoPA
5. YoPA PAs and campaign ambassadors
6. YoPA Green Passport
7. YoPA campaign in the age of Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, the International year of Caves and Karst, and the Decade of the Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
8. Responsible tourism within the Philippines’ protected areas (together with DOT)
9. At least 2 feature stories about any of the BIOFIN finance solutions
10. At least 2 press releases about any of the BIOFIN finance solutions

1. Fact-check with relevant individuals/agencies/organizations the content of the story and obtain clearance from the BIOFIN PMU before the article is submitted for publication in media outlets
2. Provide captivating and appropriate quotes and photos that will come with each story
3. Ensure that photos used are credited and people interviewed are quoted correctly
4. For each story, ensure that the BIOFIN PMU is involved in the brainstorming phase, angle establishment, outline development, research, and fact-checking stage.
5. Seed each story to media outlets and ensure its publication in at least two (2) reputable online social news network (local and/or international), at least one (1) broadsheet (e.g., Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, Business Mirror, Manila Bulletin, etc.), and at least one (1) glossy lifestyle/travel magazine (local and/or international)
6. Monitor hits of seeded stories and provides a monthly report (including the value in PhP of hits) to BIOFIN, or as needed  
7. Attend relevant meetings with BIOFIN PMU and other relevant organizations

D.Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Institutional Arrangement

The Project Manager together with the Information and Communications Assistant shall directly supervise the consultant. The Project Manger shall endorse the output to BMB Director and UNDP for approval.

The consultant is expected to liaise/interact/collaborate/meet with the national and global (as necessary) BIOFIN project team, DENR and its units, and UNDP.  The technical content of the materials including text and photos, as applicable, shall be provided to the Graphic-Layout Artist to guide him/her in producing desired outputs. 

The project staff including other project consultants, as well as relevant technical staff shall provide comments on the outputs of the consultant within 3 days of the consultant’s submission of his/her outputs. Should there be further comments, the revised output shall be submitted within a week.  Should there be no comments, the Project Manager shall endorse the consultant’s output/s for approval.

UNDP Philippines will not provide a workstation, transportation, or ICT equipment for the consultant.

UNDP Philippines shall be entitled to intellectual property and other proprietary rights over all materials that have direct relation to the project.

Considering the COVID-19 pandemic and declaration of State of Public Health Emergency in the Philippines, all work of the Individual consultant shall be done within the guidelines and protocols set by the local and national government. During the entire duration of the Community Quarantine, this consultancy shall be performed remotely and will be a home-based assignment. The Consultant is expected to have his/her own equipment, office space, and internet connectivity. The Consultant shall not engage in any meetings or activities outside their homes. Coordination/meetings shall be done through phone or online communication until such time that the quarantine is lifted.

The project and the Consultant shall assess once the Community Quarantine is lifted if it is safe and necessary to have in-person meetings and collaboration.

1. Duration of the Work, Duty Station and Travel

The Contractor will be engaged from July 12, 2021 to July 1, 2022 unless revised in a mutually agreed-upon timetable by UNDP and the Contractor. Changes in the duration of the contract will be implemented through the issuance of a contract amendment. The consultant is expected to render a total of 105 person-days spread for 1 year.

Duty station: MANILA, PHILIPPINES - BIOFIN Project Management Office, 1/F Admin Bldg. Annex 2, Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center, Biodiversity Management Bureau, North Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City 1101. The Consultant is not required to report daily at the duty station but shall have an agreed reporting schedule with the project management unit and other relevant UNDP and BMB personnel. S/he shall be notified within a reasonable period of time of pertinent meetings where his/her presence is necessary.  Teleconferences shall be made to hold meetings as necessary.

Travel: As may be deemed relevant to the assignment, the Consultant may be required to travel within the Philippines. Travels will be endorsed by the Project Manager for approval by the Programme Manager. Travel expenses, to be covered by UNDP Philippines, will be agreed prior to travel and a travel report is to be submitted after trips are completed.

Competencies

Required Skills and Experience

Qualifications of the Successful Individual Contractor

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

?The combined scoring method where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a maximum of 70%, and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a max of 30% shall be adopted.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The Consultant must send a financial proposal based on an all-inclusive lump-sum amount for the delivery of the outputs below. The total amount quoted shall include all cost components required to deliver the goods and services identified above, including professional fees and any other applicable costs (e.g. supplies and materials, communications, etc.) to be incurred by the Consultant in completing the assignment.

The contract price will be a fixed output-based price. Any deviations from the outputs and timelines will need to be agreed on between the Consultant and the Resident Representative effected through a contract amendment. Travel, as deemed relevant by UNDP, will be covered and arranged by UNDP following UNDP Financial Rules and Regulations.

The Payment terms are as follows:

Recommended Presentation of Offer

The following documents are requested:

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
2. 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;
3. 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. 

Offerors must upload in one (1) file the aforementioned documents.

Templates for a) P11 Personal History Form and b)  Offeror's Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and Financial Proposal (Annex 2) are available through the link below. UNDP General Terms and Conditions for Individual Contractors  are also available http://gofile.me/6xdJm/bE9TCw8fU

Incomplete submission of required documents may result in disqualification.

Please see the deadline of submissions above.

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

---------------------------

You may apply directly here: UNDP Jobs - 99623- National Consultant: Feature Writer