Procurement Notices

Terms of Reference for Individual Contractor

A.Project Title

Environment Information Expert

B.Project Description 

Organizational Setting:

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. The West Asia Office delivers advisory services and capacity building support to countries to achieve environment and sustainable development objectives. This consultancy is established at the West Asia Office within the framework of the Strategic Cooperation Agreement between UNEP and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Expert will report to the Project Manager for the Saudi Environment Sustainability Programme at UNEP West Asia Office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

C.Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Manager in UNEP West Asia Office and in coordination with the respective department in the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in Saudi Arabia, the expert will carry-out, inter alia, the following duties and responsibilities:

1. Develop the scope and framework for establishing the environment data and information department in MEWA.
2. Provide technical inputs and support on the environmental performance results and national ranking and update of data and information.
3. Technical support in establishment of data centres in other environment funds.
4. Technical advice on environment situation data at the international level including afforestation, pollution, desertification, meteorology etc.
5. Analyze and assess environment information systems under deputy ministry of environment.
6. Define a suitable set of environment information indicators, considering the results of the analysis of information systems previously conducted, and taking into account international best practices and SDG-related indicators.
7. Collect information on the environment management in KSA, which will serve as a test of the previously identified indicators, and as a baseline for indicator-based assessments and information platforms in the region.
8. Provide technical assistance to the target departments of MEWA, for strengthening data and information systems. As a result, it is expected to guide the creation or use of existing systems and new platforms to deliver data in a sustainable and internationally comparable way over time and reports on environment.
9. Support the development of a training and workshops on environmental data management, and associated indicator.
10. Development of a report on the status of environment management systems KSA, taking into account the indicators defined and the information collected, and in collaboration with other key partners.

D.    Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The consultant will be expected to deliver the following outputs:

1. Report outlining work methods of the data collection, processes, and the assessment of information systems and reporting in the target countries.
2. Document containing a list and description of the selected indicators, and the rationale for their suitability.
3. Report document with the necessary information, taking into account the methodology and format.
4. A document reflecting the technical assistance plan, including key departments to be engaged.
5. A document reflecting the training plan, stakeholders involved, description of the conducted workshop, including recommendations by participants.

E.     Institutional Arrangement

The expert will be supervised by the Project Manager in UNEP West Asia Office in close collaboration with the relevant department in the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture of Saudi Arabia.

F.     Duration of the Work[1]

The contract duration will be for an initial period of six months with a possibility of extension subject to continuation of mandate, availability of funding and satisfactory performance.

G.     Duty Station

This assignment will be based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

• UNDP/UNEP will cover the cost of travel of the individual to the duty station, as well as their return to their home upon completion of their services. Travel costs are covered only in the event that the function will be undertaken physically in the duty station and exclude working from home arrangements.
• Include any official travel expected to be associated with performing the functions.
• Any change to the preliminary travel plan/schedule above, in such cases, UNDP/UNEP will cover travel costs in accordance with corporate regulations and rules.
• If unforeseen travel outside the assigned duty station is requested by UNDP/UNEP and not required by the Terms of References (ToR), such travel shall be covered by UNDP/UNEP in line with applicable rules and regulations and upon prior written agreement. In such cases, the consultant shall receive living allowances not exceeding the United Nations (UN) Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) rate for such other location(s).
• Note: A written approval from UNDP/UNEP and relevant authorities will be required to facilitate the consultant's travel to other locations than Riyadh on official missions where necessary.

H.    Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

All proposals must be expressed in a lump sum amount. This amount must be “all-inclusive”. Please note that the terms “all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, living allowances, communications, consumables, etc.) that could possibly be incurred are already factored into the final amounts submitted in the proposal.

Payments shall be made to the individual contractor upon successful completion and certification by UNDP that services have been satisfactorily performed, based upon the actual number of working days.

Payment shall be made as a deliverables-based lump sum payment, to be paid in instalments. The schedule of payment will be distributed upon satisfactory submission of the deliverables listed in the table hereunder:

1. Qualifications of the Successful Individual Contractor

Education Qualifications

• PhD, or master’s degree computer science, data science, environmental science, natural sciences, or related fields.

Work experience

• Minimum of 10 years of professional technical experience in the field of environmental information systems is required.
• Previous practical experience in similar tasks in environment information management.
• Knowledge of environmental information systems in Saudi Arabia is an asset
• Experience working in West Asia is desirable.

COMPETENCIES:

• Conceptualizes and analyses problems to identify key issues, underlying problems, and how they relate;
• Ability to identify beneficiaries’ needs and to match them with appropriate solutions.
• Shares knowledge and experience and provides helpful feedback and advice;
• Excellent communication and interview skills (with groups and individuals);
• Excellent interpersonal skills and is able to negotiate with diplomacy and tact.
• Focuses on results for the client and responds positively to feedback.
• Ability to handle a large volume of work, possibly under time constraints.
• Strong time management and sensitive deadline abilities.
• Remains calm, in control and works well under pressure;
• Excellent report writing skills.

Required skills and competencies:

• Previous practical experience in similar tasks in environment information management.

Desired additional skills and competencies     

• Knowledge of environmental information systems in Saudi Arabia is an asset
• Knowledge of environment issues in Saudi Arabia is an asset

Required Language(s) (at working level)          

• Fluency in written and spoken in both English and Arabic is required.

J.Recommended Presentation of 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:

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP.
2. Personal CV or P11, indicating all 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 total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided. The term “all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, travel costs, living allowances, communications, consumables, etc.) that could possibly be incurred are already factored into the final amounts submitted in the Proposal. 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.

K.Evaluation

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodologies:

Step I: Screening and desk review:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology.

Technical Criteria (CV review and Desk Review/Interview optional) – maximum 70 points. Only candidates who obtained at least 70% of points from the CV desk review (who will score at least 49 points) will be considered for the next stage of evaluation, i.e. financial evaluation.

Applications will be first screened and only candidates meeting the following minimum criteria will progress to the pool for shortlisting:

• Educational qualifications: PhD, or master’s degree computer science, data science, environmental science, natural sciences, or related fields.
• Minimum of 10 years of professional technical experience in the field of environmental information systems is required.
• Previous practical experience in similar tasks in environment information management.
• Experience working in West Asia is desirable.
• Fluency in spoken and written English and Arabic is required

Financial evaluation - Total 30% (30 points)

The following formula will be used to evaluate the 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

Interested applicants are advised to carefully review this advertisement and ensure that they meet the requirements and qualifications described. 

L.Approval

This TOR is approved by: [indicate name of Approving Manager]

Signature                                                                                  

Name and Designation                                                          

Date of Signing                                                                       

[1] The IC modality is expected to be used only for short-term consultancy engagements.  If the duration of the IC for the same TOR exceeds twelve (12) months, the duration must be justified and be subjected to the approval of the Director of the Regional Bureau, or a different contract modality must be considered.  This policy applies regardless of the delegated procurement authority of the Head of the Business Unit.