Consultant for Operationalizing Conflict Prevention and Human Mobility Strategies

UNDP is the United Nation’s global development network advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to assist people build a better life. UNDP’s vision is to assist countries in achieving the simultaneous eradication of poverty and significant reduction of inequalities and exclusion. UNDP is mandated to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, reduce inequalities and exclusion and build inclusive institutions, while linking those to SDG and 2030 agenda. Through its Regional Hub for the Arab States, located in Amman, Jordan, UNDP provides technical assistance, programming and policy advice to country offices in 17 Arab countries, with the 18th located in the occupied Palestinian territory.  The Governance and Peacebuilding team is one of the teams providing assistance to the needs and priorities of its country offices and to regional projects and initiatives to ensure quality programming in the areas of conflict prevention and peacebuilding, inclusive political processes, human mobility, rule of law, state building and public sector reform, local governance, HIV, health and development.

The Arab region continues to witness major conflicts driven by multiple root causes related to governance crisis and political legitimacy, economic challenges, social drivers, climate security and, recently, the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. Conflicts and violence in the region continue to be the most challenging factor that is hampering progress on human and economic development, including in the form of education, health, quality of life, freedoms, rule of law and access to justice, gender equality, and climate security.

Additionally, violent conflicts and climate change have been a major cause for forced displacement and migration in the region. Human mobility context in the Arab region is one of mixed migration, involving asylum seekers and refugees fleeing conflict, persecution and climate change, irregular and regular migrants, persons who are trafficked and smuggled and people seeking better lives and opportunities. In 2019, the number of refugees and asylum seekers in the region increased to 9.3 million (33 percent of total refugees globally) and the region still accounts for a significant number of internally displaced people (IDPs), reaching 17.5 million in 2019 as a result of conflicts, violence and disasters.  

In light of the above, the Governance and Peacebuilding team at UNDP Regional Hub in Amman is developing a conflict prevention regional strategy, to be finalized by December 2021, focusing on expanding the regional offer on dialogue and mediation, reconciliation, social cohesion and environmental security. The strategy will aim at strengthening inclusive conflict prevention and peacebuilding solutions at a regional level. The initiative will consider ways to support youth and civil society engagement, and will include analysis on conflict prevention, insider mediation, local peacebuilding practices, environmental security, among others.

Moreover, the team is embarking on developing a Human Mobility Regional Strategy  for the Arab States, to be finalized in December 2021, to allow UNDP to expand its migration and displacement portfolio in the region and identify programmatic entry points that are of interest to several UNDP country offices to foster regional exchange and efficiency, as well as activities requiring regional partnerships, including on cross-cutting and cross-border issues that benefit from a coordinated approach. In particular, under this initiative, i) UNDP will develop regional resources, tools, networks and platforms to facilitate coordination and knowledge exchanges on cross-border migration issues; ii) produce knowledge to identify policy and programming entry points for meaningful regional interventions; iii) provide coherent tailored and gender-sensitive country support; and, iv) advocate to re-focus the policy and public debate on human mobility around leaving no one behind and the interrelated themes of human rights, conflict prevention, sustainable development and human security.

The aim of this consultancy is to support the Governance and Peacebuilding team in operationalizing the conflict prevention and human mobility strategies. She/he will contribute to the design and implementation of roll out the two strategies to strengthening inclusive conflict prevention and peacebuilding solutions, and to allow UNDP to expand its human mobility portfolio in the Arab States region. The two initiatives will promote a risk-informed, leave no one behind (LNOB), and prevention-oriented approach to programming and will incorporate a people-centric approach by supporting citizen engagement in development.

The overarching objective of this consultancy is to support the Governance and Peacebuilding team in operationalizing the conflict prevention and human mobility strategies by (i) designing and supporting the implementation of validating the strategies with partners and donors; (ii) guide the production of visual materials to communicate the strategies, (iii) conducting mapping exercise to identify concrete areas of cooperation with partners; and (iv) convene webinars to help rolling out the strategies.  In this regard, the consultant will be involved in the daily work of the team. She/he will prepare background briefs, research and analysis and assist in the preparation and drafting of documents that will support the roll out of the strategies.

The consultant will undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

• Design and support the implementation of validation sessions to present the strategies to make sure that our strategies are effective, relevant and address gaps. The session(s) will be held with four groups: country office, partners (NGOs, networks, etc.), Other UN Agencies (ESCWA, UNWomen, UNHCR, IOM, etc.), and donors.
• Guide the production of animated infographic and visual presentations to explain the strategies in a direct and simple manner.
• Support the production of three knowledge products including, but not limited to, mapping exercise to identify mutual elements and initiatives between our strategies and strategies produced by other donors and partners to underline entry points and area of cooperation and partnership; roll out action plans with potential country offices; and  linking our strategies to global offers on conflict prevention and human mobility.
• Map and analyze potential and concrete areas for collaboration with other UNDP portfolios (governance, elections, gender, innovation, youth, livelihoods and recovery, SDGs, environment, 3RP, etc.) for the operationalization of the strategies at both regional and country offices levels.
• Design and implement four webinars (2 for each strategy) including producing leaflets and visual materials to roll out the two strategies.

EXPECTED OUTPUTS AND DELIVERABLES

Corporate

• Demonstrates integrity and fairness, by modeling the UN/UNDP’s values and ethical standards;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional

• Time management and organizational skills, with the ability to undertake multiple tasks and deliver under pressure;
• Strong analytical and synthesis skills;
• Strong research and data gathering skills;
• Ability to work independently and achieve quality results with limited supervision and within tight schedules;
• Experience in reports production;
• Ability to write in a clear and concise manner;
• Good teamwork and interpersonal skills;
• Flexibility and ability to handle multiple tasks and work under pressure;
• Excellent computer skills especially Word, Excel and Power Point

Leadership

• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and to provide credible leadership;
• Demonstrated flexibility in leadership by performing and/or overseeing the analysis/resolution of complex issues;
• Ability to conceptualize and convey strategic vision from the spectrum of development experience.

Managing Relationships

• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain strategic partnerships;
• Demonstrated well developed people management and organizational management skills;
• Excellent negotiating and networking skills with strong partnerships in academia, technical organizations and as a recognized expert in the practice area.

Managing Complexity

• Ability to address global development issues;
• Demonstrated substantive leadership and ability to integrate knowledge with broader strategic, policy and operational objectives.

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Ability to strongly promote and build knowledge products;
• Promotes knowledge management in UNDP and a learning environment in the office through leadership and personal example;
• Seeks and applies knowledge, information and best practices from within and outside of UNDP;
• Demonstrates a strong capacity for innovation and creativity in providing strategic policy advice and direction.

Judgment/Decision-Making

• Mature judgment and initiative;
• Proven ability to provide strategic direction to the project implementation process;
• Independent judgment and discretion in advising on handling major policy issues and challenges, uses diplomacy and tact to achieve result.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences with a focus on peace and conflict studies, international relations, political science, communication, development studies or a related field is required;

Work experience:

• At least 5 years of relevant work experience in governance, conflict prevention, human rights and peacebuilding, including in crisis and fragile contexts;
• Demonstrated experience in leading multi-stakeholder consultation processes, and partner engagement.
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge in facilitation, consensus-building, multi-stakeholder dialogue processes, mediation, dispute resolution, social cohesion, and relevant conflict prevention and peacebuilding intervention areas is required;
• Proven report-writing with the ability to present recommendations supported by findings gathered through desk review.
• Experience working with the United Nations and international organizations.
• Experience in conducting inclusive conflict analysis, including through enhancing women’s participation in conflict analysis processes, is highly desirable;
• Substantive knowledge of and work experience in the Middle East and North Africa is highly desirable.

Language Requirements:

• Language proficiency in both written and oral English is required. Knowledge of Arabic is desirable.

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT

• The individual is required to exhibit his or her full-time commitment with UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS);
• S/He shall perform tasks under the general guidance and direct supervision of the Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding, Programme Advisor based in the UNDP Regional Hub in Amman;
• The supervision will include approvals/acceptance of the outputs and deliverables as identified in the previous section;
• The consultant will be provided with relevant background information, studies and concept notes to be able to carry out the assignment successfully.
• The individual is expected to liaise and collaborate in the course of performing the work with other consultants, suppliers and UN colleagues;
• The individual is required to provide periodical progress reports on regular and needed basis throughout the assignment to monitor progress;
• The individual is required to maintain close communication with UNDP-RBAS on regular and needed basis at any period throughout the assignment in order to monitor progress. In the event of any delay, S/he will inform UNDP promptly so that decisions and remedial action may be taken accordingly;
• Should UNDP deem it necessary, it reserves the right to commission additional inputs, reviews or revisions, as needed to ensure the quality and relevance of the work.

DURATION OF THE WORK

The expected duration of the assignment is expected to be up to sixty (60) working days over a period of three (03) calendar months from contract signature date.

DUTY STATION

Home-Based Assignment.

TRAVEL PLAN (OPTIONAL)

If any unforeseen travel outside the consultant home-based city is requested by UNDP and not required by the Terms of References (ToR), such travel shall be covered by UNDP 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).

SCOPE OF PRICE PROPOSAL AND SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS

Interested candidates should provide lump sum fees for requested services with detailed breakdown.  This amount must be “all-inclusive”. Please note that the terms “all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, communications, consumables, etc.) that could possibly be incurred are already factored into the final amounts submitted in the proposal. Also, please note that the contract price will be Deliverables/Outputs based – not fixed – subject to change in the cost components.

The contractor will be paid an all-inclusive Deliverables/Outputs based lump sum amounts over the assignment period, subject to the submission of Certification of Payment (CoP) duly certified or an invoice and confirmation of satisfactory performance of achieved work (deliverables/outputs) in line with the schedule of payments table hereunder:

RECOMMENDED PRESENTATION OF OFFER

Interested individual consultants must submit documents under point 1,  &2 & 3 to demonstrate their qualifications. Candidates that fail to submit these documents, the application will not be considered.

1. 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;
2. Brief Description of why you consider yourself as the most suitable candidate for this assignment; 
3. One sample of work.
4. Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive Deliverables/Outputs based total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided. The terms “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.

When the financial proposal is requested it should indicate the all-inclusive Deliverables/Outputs based total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided. The terms “all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, , 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.

Interested candidates shall submit required documents to Job Advertisement Website (https://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_jobs.cfm) as one document not later than 24 November, 2021.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF THE BEST OFFERS

This selection criteria will follow the Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a max. of 70%, and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a max of 30%; using the following evaluation criteria

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.

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

• Criteria A: Bachelor’s degree in social sciences with a focus on peace and conflict studies, international relations, political science, communication, development studies or a related field is required;
• Criteria B: At least 5 years of relevant work experience in governance, conflict prevention, human rights and peacebuilding, including in crisis and fragile contexts.
• Criteria C: Language proficiency in both written and oral English is required.

Step II: Interview: 

Shortlisted candidates will undergo a technical evaluation which will include desk review and  interview for shortlisted candidates as per above criteria, 

Interviews will be conducted by the technical evaluation committee remotely. 

Step III: Technical Review 

Technical evaluation Criteria max 100 points (Weighted 70):

• Criteria A: Bachelor’s degree in social sciences with a focus on peace and conflict studies, international relations, political science, communication, development studies or a related field; (10 points)
• Criteria B: At least 5 years of relevant work experience in governance, conflict prevention, human rights and peacebuilding, including in crisis and fragile contexts.(10 points)
• Criteria C: Demonstrated experience in leading multi-stakeholder consultation processes, and partner engagement.(10 points)
• Criteria D: Demonstrated experience and knowledge in facilitation, consensus-building, multi-stakeholder dialogue processes, mediation, dispute resolution, social cohesion, and relevant conflict prevention and peacebuilding intervention areas is required; (15 points)
• Criteria E: Work experience with UN and international organizations (5 points)
• Criteria F: Substantive knowledge of and work experience in the Middle East and North Africa is highly desirable. (5 points);Criteria G: Experience in conducting inclusive conflict analysis, including through enhancing women’s participation in conflict analysis processes, is highly desirable (10 points);
• Criteria H: Proven report-writing with the ability to present recommendations supported by findings gathered through desk review (10 points);
• Criteria I: Language proficiency in both written and oral English is required. Knowledge of Arabic is desirable. (5 points)
• Criteria J: Interview (20 points).

Shortlisted candidates will be assessed and scored against the following evaluation criteria:

Financial Criteria – 30% of total evaluation

For those offers considered in the financial evaluation, the lowest price offer will receive 30 points. The other offers will receive points in relation to the lowest offer, based on the following formula: (PI / Pn) * 30 where Pn is the financial offer being evaluated and Pl is the lowest financial offer received.

Step IV: Final evaluation

The final evaluation will combine the scores of the desk review and the financial proposal with the following weights assigned to each:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis methodology (weighted scoring method), where the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Technical Criteria weight: [70%]

Financial Criteria weight: [30%]

Only Individual Consultants obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70%) on the Technical evaluation would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.