Consultancy – Common Premises Roll Out, Country Business Strategy Section, UN Development Coordination Office

Consultant Leadership

Contract

This is a International Consultant contract. More about International Consultant contracts.

Background

In his December 2017 report,[1] the Secretary-General (SG) presented his vision and proposals to reposition the UN development system to better respond to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. While the focus was firmly placed on improving the overall effectiveness, accountability and cohesion of the UN development system’s collective results on the ground, the SG further anticipated that the proposed change measures would have the potential to also achieve cost savings that could be redeployed into development activities.

This aspect of the reform – which later came to be known as “the efficiency agenda” - aims to realize cost avoidance and performance improvement by harmonizing, centralizing and consolidating the use of resources to generate efficiencies in financial and quality terms, to be redeployed as part of programmes to better support the 2030 Agenda.[2] Both the overall reform process and the efficiency agenda were adopted in General Assembly resolution 72/279 on the repositioning of the UN development system.

Based on estimates of potential efficiency gains from various sources[3], the Secretary General had requested external management consultancies to apply external benchmarking to estimate the potential for efficiencies. These benchmarks – applied to operational data gathered from surveys and data collected from UN development – led to a broad projection of savings of around US$ 310 million[4] a year by 2022, across the UN system. The Secretary-General also outlined several necessary conditions and variables that would ultimately influence these estimates.

Specifically, the SG report cited six initial but non-exhaustive potential areas[5] for consolidation of business operations:

1. “…establish common back offices for all UN country teams by 2022…”;
2. “…ensure compliance with an improved Business Operations Strategy by 2021…”:
3. “…*increase the proportion of UN common premises to 50 per cent by 2021**…”;*
4. *“**explore various options, including the possible consolidation of location-independent business operations into six or seven networks of shared service centers”;*
5. A new generation of UN Country Teams; and
6. Integrating UN Information Centers into Resident Coordinator’s Offices.[6]

This consultancy pertains to target number 3 notably increase the proportion of UN Common Premises to 50% by 2021. The UNDCO developed a methodology that is to be rolled out in 131 countries starting January 2021. The methodology focuses on each country establishing a Country Common Premises Plan as a blueprint towards increasing thrie respective Common Premises percentage.

Under the direct supervision of the Common Premises Lead/CBS, the Common Premises Consultant will work with the UN DCO Country Business Strategy Section (CBSS) for the implementation of particular deliverables to support the roll out the common premises methodology and platform globally.

[1] Secretary General’s report, Repositioning the United Nations development system to deliver on the 2030 Agenda: our promise for dignity, prosperity and peace on a healthy planet, A/72/684-E/2018/7, December 2017.

[2] Id., Ops 11 and 43.

JIU Report October 2018, Opportunities to improve efficiencies and effectiveness in administrative support services by enhancing inter-agency cooperation, October2018.

[3] JIU Report October 2018, Opportunities to improve efficiencies and effectiveness in administrative support services by enhancing inter-agency cooperation, October2018.

[4]UNDS Repositioning- Explanatory Note #10, 29 March 2019

[5] To facilitate achievement of the targets, the Secretary General’s report also describes two enablers, mutual recognition and client satisfaction principles, which are necessary to achieve the back-office reforms. A third enabler has also been added, costing and pricing principles, to ensure transparency underpins the system.

[6] Secretary General’s report December 2017 report, OPs 32, 33, 44, 45 and 47.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development of the Common Premises platform portal in UNINFO in the capacity of business expert in coordination with the data team and the team of developers.

• Provide technical support to UN Country teams such as review of space calculations; Country common premises plans during the roll out of the common premises methodology.

• Coordination support during the roll out of the Common Premises methodology.

• Assist in the preparation of training materials and delivery of training for Common Premises.

• Support the development of guidelines for the establishment of Facilities services in the Common Premises context.

• Support the development of Environmental sustainability and accessibility guidelines in the context of Common Premises and Facilities management of UN buildings.

• Support development of the branch wide communication and outreach plan, in collaboration with the CBSS Communication and Outreach Advisor and DCO Communication team.

• Assist in the preparation of outreach material such as one pager, articles, Op-eds, updates, newsletters, power points for targeted agency and UN Country team briefings for common premises.

• Contribute to Branch’s communication on internal communication platforms, such as the UNSDG website updates, Yammer groups, and SharePoint and other means of community engagement.

Deliverables

Monthly Progress report that will include:

1. Tasks completed towards the establishment and testing of the Common Premises Platform;
2. Country support provided;
3. Tasks completed for the roll out of the CP methodology;
4. Trainings conducted;
5. Outreach material prepared;
6. Progress on guidelines for the establishment of Facilities management services

Indicators for Evaluation of Deliverables

• Timeliness in delivery of documents and response to clients
• Accuracy of Technical support
• Ability to work constructively with internal and external partners.

Work implies frequent interaction with the following:

Internal DCO colleagues, and various UN system partners, as well as for members of the client group.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

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

Technical Competencies:

Ability to analyze and review architectural and engineering plans; Analytic capacity and demonstrated ability to process, analyses and synthesize complex, technical information;

Communication:

Communicate effectively in writing to a varied and broad audience in a simple and concise manner.

Professionalism:

Knowledge of space planning, environmental sustainability related to buildings, Construction and Real estate; Capable of working in a high-pressure environment with sharp and frequent deadlines, managing many tasks simultaneously; Excellent analytical and organizational skills.

Teamwork:

Projects a positive image and is ready to take on a wide range of tasks; Focuses on results for the client; Welcomes constructive feedback

Required Skills and Experience

Education: Minimum: University Degree (Bachelor’s degree) in architecture, engineering, real estate or related fields.

Experience: Minimum of 5 years of experience in the construction industry (space planning or architecture or engineering or real estate) or related field.

Working knowledge on platform development is an asset;

Experiences in the development and implementation of space programing and environment sustainability initiatives is an asset.

Experience in delivering training is an asset.

Language: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

EVALUATION METHOD

The award of the contract shall be made to two individual consultants whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and

b) Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

* Technical Criteria: weight 70% (desk review and interview)

* Financial Criteria weight 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 490 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation

Technical Evaluation (700 points, Weight 70%)

All applicants will be initially screened against the minimum qualification requirements as specified above.

Responsive candidates will then be further evaluated against the following criteria:

• Criterion 1: Relevance of the educational background regarding this assignment Weight = 30%; Maximum Points: 150;
• Criterion 2: Relevance of the work experience in space planning or architecture or engineering or real estate work (up to 5 years of relevant experience: up to 100 points; from 6 to 10 years of relevant experience: up 150 points; more than 10 years of experience: up to 200 points) Weight = 40%; Maximum Points: 200;
• Criterion 3. Working knowledge on platform development. Weight = 10%; Maximum Points: 100;
• Criterion 4. Experiences in the development and implementation of space programing, accessibility and environment sustainability initiatives; Weight = 10%; Maximum Points: 50;
• Criterion 5. Experience in delivering training .Weight=10% .Maximum points 50

The maximum points that can be achieved in the desk review is 500 points.

Only the top five technically qualified applicants (obtaining a minimum of 350 points (70% of points obtainable in the desk review) will be considered for an interview.

The total obtainable score on the interview is 200 points bringing the total points for the technical evaluation to a maximum of 700 points. Candidates obtaining less than 140 points during the interview (70% of points obtainable during the interview) will be disqualified.

Only those candidates who obtain a total technical score of 490 points and above on the technical evaluation will be considered for financial evaluation and will be asked to submit a financial proposal.

Financial evaluation (300 points, Weight 30%)

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

For the General Conditions of contracts for the Services of Individual Contractors, see https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/procurement/business/how-we-buy.html

Note: only shortlisted candidates will be invited to submit a financial proposal. Please do not include your financial proposal in your technical application package.

• The financial proposal should specify an all-inclusive daily fee, take into account various expenses that will be incurred during the contract, including: the daily professional fee; cost of travel from the home base to the duty station and vice versa, where required; 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 the Individual Consultants, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the ICs 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

Application Procedure

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

1. CV or P11 Form.

2. Motivation letter indicating why the candidate is a good fit for the position.

Contract Award

The candidate who obtains the highest 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 engaged consultants will work under the guidance and direct supervision of Common Premises Lead/CBS and will be responsible for the fulfilment of the deliverables as specified above.

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

Payment Modality:

• Payments are based upon delivery of the services specified above and deliverables accepted and upon certification of satisfactory completion by the supervisor.
• The work week will be based on 35 hours, i.e. on a 7-hour working day, with core hours being between 8 h00 and 17h00 New York time daily.

Qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Due to the large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.

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 bmsops.services@undp.org

The UNDP BMS Operations team 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. Please indicate Job ID in the subject line of the email.

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Added 3 years ago - Updated 3 years ago - Source: jobs.undp.org