Consultancy – Junior Disability Research Specialist, BPPS/Governance

The United Nations Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) is a unique collaborative effort that brings together UN entities, governments, disabled people’s organizations and the broader civil society to advance the human rights of persons with disabilities around the world.

The UN entities participating in the UNPRPD are the International Labor Organization (ILO), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the World Health Organization (WHO). The UNDP Inclusive Political Processes Team serves as the Technical Secretariat for the Partnership.  The UNPRPD also works closely with multiple civil society organizations including the International Disability Alliance (IDA) and the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC).

The UNPRPD is supported by the UNPRPD Fund, a Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) established to mobilize resources for the Partnership. The UNPRPD MPTF is administered by the UNDP Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF Office) and builds on the experience developed by the MPTF Office in managing multiple Multi-Partner Trust Funds and joint programmes around the world.

Since 2012, the UNPRPD has funded over 40 country level joint UN programmes worldwide to support CRPD implementation as well as 5 regional initiatives to strengthen the voices of persons with disabilities, and 8 global initiatives to develop strategic resources on the rights of persons with disabilities. 

In June 2020 the Policy Board approved the new Strategic Operational Framework (2020-2025) has been approved. The new Strategic Operational Framework outlines the three strategic approaches to support countries to develop and implement, policies, plans, budgets, programmes and services with the meaningful participation of OPDs in line with their CRPD commitments and SDGs.

The Fund has launched the 4th Funding Call in August and has selected 26 countries for funding. Countries will carry out an inception phase which will include a situational analysis based on a methodology developed by the UNPRPD.

The purpose of this consultancy is to support countries during the Situational Analysis (SA) and ensuring the outcome is in line with UNPRPD set standards and expected quality.

SCOPE OF WORK, RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ANALYTICAL WORK

Under the supervision and guidance of the UNPRPD TS team and the Senior Technical Adviser:

• Overall support the operationalization of the Situational Analysis guidelines

• Review reports and edit before publication

  Produce high-quality global report with an overall metanalysis of the countries’ reports produced, presenting identified similarities and differences and develop appropriate conclusions

  Support the presentation and dissemination of the findings

  Support the revision of the SA tool as per learning generated from the first 26 countries.

  Other tasks as identified by the TS within the scope of the deliverables.

Specific outputs:

An indicative list of deliverables would include:

1. Preparatory meetings with UNPRPD TS and weekly meetings with the (20 days)

2. Create database to keep track of the status of the Situational Analysis in each country(20 days)

3. Report weekly on support provided to project teams 15th May 15th September 2021(20 days)

4. 26 Situational Analysis completed reviewed and ready for publication ensuring consistency in the outline’s formats etc Indicative by October 2021 (20 days)

5. Draft and finalize global report Indicative by October 2021 (20 Days)

6. Revised SA tool Indicative by November (20 days)

Detailed timeline and workplan will be agreed with consultant at the beginning of the contract.

Functional Competencies:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English;
• Strong research skills;
• Excellent organizational skills and proven ability to deliver projects within assigned deadlines;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and objectivity;
•  Strong innovative and creative approach.

Technical Competencies:

• Strong theoretical understanding of issues related to the promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities rights in the context of developing countries;

• Strong understanding of research principles and methodologies including data collection and analysis.

• Strong analytical and writing skills including ability to synthetize information.

  Corporate Competencies:

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

Academic qualifications:

• Master’s degree in, Social Science, Public Health, Development Studies or related is required;

Experience:

• At least 3 years of previous experience in research and data compilation and analysis around inclusion required
• Good understanding of the rights and needs of persons with disabilities, required
•  Proven experience in drafting high quality reports required.

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English is required;
• Working knowledge of another UN language would be an asset

Application Procedure

The application package containing the following (to be uploaded as one file):

• A cover letter with a brief description of why the Offer considers her/himself the most suitable for the assignment;
• Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects and specifying the relevant assignment period (from/to), as well as the email and telephone contacts of at least three (3) professional references
• 3 writing examples, candidates that do not submit proof of writing examples will not be considered

Note: The above documents need to be scanned in one file and uploaded to the online application as one document.

Shortlisted candidates (ONLY) will be requested to submit a Financial Proposal.

• The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around the specific and measurable deliverables of the TOR. Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR, and deliverables accepted and certified by the technical manager. 

• The financial proposal must be all-inclusive and take into account various expenses that will be incurred during the contract, including: the daily professional fee; (excluding mission travel); living allowances at the duty station; communications, utilities and consumables; life, health and any other insurance; risks and inconveniences related to work under hardship and hazardous conditions (e.g., personal security needs, etc.), when applicable; and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services under the contract.
• This consultancy is a home-based assignment, therefore, there is no envisaged travel cost to join duty station/repatriation travel. 

• In the case of unforeseeable travel requested by UNDP, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between UNDP and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. In general, UNDP should 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.
• If the 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 a 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.

The Financial Proposal is to be emailed as per the instruction in the separate email that will be sent to shortlisted candidates.

Evaluation process

Applicants are reviewed based on Required Skills and Experience stated above and based on the technical evaluation criteria outlined below.  Applicants will be evaluated based on cumulative scoring.  When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Being responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation where technical criteria weighs 70% and Financial criteria/ Proposal weighs 30%.

Technical evaluation – Total 70% (70 points):

• Criteria 1. At least 3 years of previous experience in research and data compilation and analysis; Maximum Points: 30;
• Criteria 2. 3 years of proven experience in drafting high quality reports; Maximum Points: 20;
• Criteria 3. Demonstrated understanding of the rights and needs of persons with disabilities; Maximum Points: 20

Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (49 points) of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria (70 points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

Financial evaluation – Total 30% (30 points)

The following formula will be used to evaluate 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

Contract Award

Candidate obtaining the highest combined scores in the combined score of Technical and Financial evaluation will be considered technically qualified and will be offered to enter into contract with UNDP.

Institutional arrangement

The consultant will work under the guidance and direct supervision of the Manager of Technical Secretariat and will be responsible for the fulfilment of the deliverables as specified above.

The Consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own laptop.

Payment modality

• Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified above and deliverables accepted and upon certification of satisfactory completion by the manager.

• The work week will be based on 35 hours, i.e. on a 7-hour working day, with core hours being between 9h00 and 18h00 daily.

Annexes (click on the hyperlink to access the documents):

• Annex 1 – UNDP P-11 Form for ICs
• Annex 2 – IC Contract Template
• Annex 3 – IC General Terms and Conditions
• Annex 4 – RLA Template

Any request for clarification must be sent by email to [email protected] 

The UNDP Central Procurement Unit will respond by email and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all applicants.