Senior data analyst and research consultant

Please provide Offeror’s Letter and proposal together with your CV and cover letter (if applicable) in one single file while submitting application. And please note that the system will not accept the uploading of more than one document so please merge or scan all your documents into one prior to uploading. Below is the download link of Offeror’s Letter. 

Offeror’s letter download link: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GYP7hMPX3qJAbiy7KZppiWqR4JdKFYv4/view?usp=sharing

Southeast Asia is known as a hub for various types of transnational organized crime and illicit trafficking, due to high levels of inequality within the region. Situated right next to some of the world’s largest economies (China and India), and with thriving economies of its own, it is a region that is both the source and destination for many illicit products. Despite this, very little is understood about what the local factors that exist to facilitate and motivate illegal trade across the borders of Southeast Asia at the community level.

Border communities play a vital role in combatting illicit trafficking. Better understanding those drivers would lead UNODC to propose new avenues for cooperation to countries in the region that would be more tailored to the situation on the ground, thus further strengthening our partnership with Southeast Asian States and supporting them reaching their development and security objectives.

As part of its regular activities to better comprehend the hidden dynamics of illicit trafficking and organized crime, and to prepare for its future new Regional Programme for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, UNODC will carry out a comprehensive survey in pre-selected border locations across Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam about their perception of local factors, or actual factors, which influence/drive to illegal trafficking across border, particularly land-based trafficking.

OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The objective of this assignment is the drafting, editing and completion of a comprehensive regional report (per country and regionally or with a different presentation as agreed upon with the consultant) on the perception of selected border communities throughout the Southeast Asian region on the drivers to illicit trafficking.

The assignment entails regular interactions with the country teams tasked with interviewing people in border communities, data recollection and translation into English of the corresponding national matrix as well as the provision of expert advice on research methodology to guarantee the final report’s high quality, reliability and rigor. Finally, the senior consultant is expected to complement with secondary sources, comparable information on the drivers of illicit trafficking in Indonesia and Myanmar (countries where for COVID-19 reasons volunteers to carry out the interviews were not able to be recruited). UNODC anticipates the final product (regional report) to be concluded before 31st August 2021.

SCOPE OF WORK

The work will involve the following:

1. Review the survey’s methodology and provide guidance and regular advice to UNODC focal points assigned with the supervision of the full-time Community Volunteers conducting the interviews and the Data Compiling and Translation Officers;
2. Develop the structure/index of the regional report for UNODC Bangkok team’s consideration and approval;
3. Turn the collected data, as well as a bibliography and secondary sources, into a comprehensive regional report with concise narrative and graphs/charts/tables to support/enrich the text;
4. Maintain regular contacts (periodicity to be confirmed) with the Regional Coordinator of the Border Management Programme to discuss progress, setbacks and solutions during the data recollection and drafting phases;
5. Submit draft versions of the regional report to UNODC, with a summary of the main activities/tasks undertaken, for review and approval on the next development/drafting steps;
6. Work with the UNODC graphic designer to create the graphs, tables, maps and layout of the report;
7. Arrange a virtual session with the UNODC team in Bangkok to present and discuss the final draft of the report;
8. Hand over the completed product with an executive summary and supporting attachments;
9. Other tasks to be talked over and agreed with UNODC team.

DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT, DUTY STATION AND EXPECTED PLACES OF TRAVEL

The assignment is expected to start on 01 April 2021 and to be finished by 31 August 2021. The senior consultant is expected to work 50 days during the indicated period. It is a home-based consultancy with no expectation of physical travel within or to any Southeast Asian country covered in the report. Regular interactions with the UNODC coordination in Bangkok and country teams will take place through emails, telephone and business communication platforms, i.e. Microsoft Teams calls. A detail record of these encounters and other interviews that the consultant may need to undertake shall be included in the supporting documentation of the final regional report.

The incumbent will not hold the UNODC Regional Office responsible for any unforeseen or untoward incident during the duration of the consultancy. It is recommended that the consultant secure his/her own insurance coverage during the conducting of the consultancy.

FINAL PRODUCTS

The senior consultant is responsible for drafting the UNODC Regional Report on the Drivers to Illicit Trafficking in Border Communities in Southeast Asia (tentative title). The length of the report should be about 30 pages long, including maps, tables, charts, footnotes, and bibliography. Payments will be made based on outputs described below.

PROVISION OF MONITORING AND PROGRESS CONTROLS

The senior consultant will report directly to the Regional Coordinator of the Border Management Programme and have close contact with the Programme team based in Bangkok for substantive, logistics and contractual aspects. ROSEAP Regional Representative and Deputy Representative will be informed periodically about the report’s development and approve the final version of the regional report before publishing.

All the outputs should meet the satisfaction of UNODC (as assessed by) according to the following indicators:

•     Quality of the documents produced

•     Technical competence

•     Timeliness of the delivery

DEGREE OF EXPERTISE AND QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in law, political science, economics, criminology, criminal justice, or any other relevant discipline, is required. A first level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Work Experience and Skills:

• A minimum of 7 years working experience in the areas of transnational organized crime (TOC), human security, anti-narcotics, crime, investigation or intelligence is required;
• Prior work experience in the designing and use of qualitative and quantitative research and analysis methodologies is required;
• Prior published work as author in the areas of transnational organized crime (TOC), human security, anti-narcotics, crime, investigation or intelligence is required;
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in undertaking research in the area of TOC or border management in the region is required;
• Extensive knowledge of the Southeast Asian region and in developing country contexts is required;
• Experience working in countries in Southeast Asia is desirable;
• Experience working with UN agencies, international institutions, law enforcement, the judiciary, military or other public security agencies is desirable;
• Computer literacy, including proficiency in document design (MS Word or Google Docs), databases maintenance (MS Excel or Google Sheets) and visual presentations (MS PowerPoint or other tools) is required.

Language:

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English, with excellent drafting and communication skills, is required. Knowledge of another United Nations official language is an advantage.

REVIEW TIME REQUIRED

The incumbent’s outputs will be monitored and reviewed on a weekly basis by the Regional Coordinator of the Border Management Programme.

CONSULTANT PRESENCE REQUIRED ON DUTY STATION/UNODC PREMISES

None

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

• A Statement of Claim or Proposal addressing each selection criterion, explaining why you are the most suitable for the work. Please provide examples to demonstrate your capability.
  • Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experiences from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.

• Offeror’s Letter Confirming Interest and Availability and Financial proposal that indicatesthe daily rate/fee of the candidate, in US dollars, as per template provided in Annex 2.

CRITERIA SELECTION OF THE BEST OFFER

The award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and

determined as: a) Responsive/compliant/acceptable, and b) Having received the highest score out of a predetermined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

o Technical Criteria weight;70%

o Financial Criteria weight; 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 490 technical points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

PAYMENT TERMS

Lumpsum Milestone

UNDP applies a fair and transparent selection process that will take into account the competencies/skills of the applicants as well as their financial proposals. Qualified women and members of social minorities are encouraged to apply.

Please provide Offeror’s Letter and proposal together with your CV and cover letter (if applicable) in one single file while submitting application. And please note that the system will not accept the uploading of more than one document so please merge or scan all your documents into one prior to uploading. Below is the download link of Offeror’s Letter. 

Offeror’s letter download link: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GYP7hMPX3qJAbiy7KZppiWqR4JdKFYv4/view?usp=sharing