Consultant specialized in project management

Contract

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

Background

The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) facilitates access to public and private capital for the poorest populations in the world's 46 least developed countries (LDCs). As part of its mandate to provide capital and investment instruments, UNCDF offers "last mile" financing models to unlock public and private resources, including at the national level, to reduce poverty and encourage local economic development. UNCDF's financing models operate through three axes, namely: 1) inclusive digital economies, which connect individuals, households and small businesses to financial ecosystems that catalyze participation in the local economy and provide tools to overcome poverty and manage their financial lives; 2) financing for local development, which enables municipalities to boost local economic expansion and sustainable development through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal financing and structured project finance; and 3) investment finance, which provides catalytic financial structuring, risk reduction and deployment of investments to foster the impact of the SDGs and resource mobilization at the national level.

UNCDF's digital strategy aims to leave no one out of the digital age. UNCDF supports the promotion of inclusive digital economies at national and regional levels, in close coordination with governments, regulators, the private sector and academia. Particular attention is paid to the development of appropriate services to bridge the digital divide and empower key customer segments (youth, women, migrants, refugees, and micro-small and medium-sized enterprises). The approach is organized into four areas: policies and regulations, open digital payment ecosystem, inclusive innovation and customer empowerment: https://www.uncdf.org/article/4931/global-strategy-leaving-no-one-behind-in-the-digital-era .

UNCDF is implementing its inclusive digital economy strategy that leaves no one out of Burkina Faso. UNCDF supports Burkina Faso in the implementation of its development priorities through several projects.

Nowadays, digital technology plays a very important role in the process of structural transformation of the economy, the acceleration of economic and social development and the achievement of the SDGs. Therefore, Burkina Faso intends to turn resolutely to digital technology to accompany and support the development of priority sectors. To this end, the establishment of digitalized community centers is one of the actions that can contribute to it.

A community center or multimedia center is a room grouping a set of computer equipment that promotes, popularizes the use of digital technology. It can be assimilated to a point of accessibility to the Internet connection and to information and communication technologies open to young people and the various socio-economic actors. Seen as digital mini-technopoles, these centers will be spaces for incubation, acceleration and co-working of young people.

UNCDF, in the continuity of its support to the Government, plans to accompany the development of a project document for the digitalization of community centers that is part of the National Strategy for the Development of the Digital Economy 2018 – 2027, to support the development process of the inclusive digital economy in Burkina Faso.

This project will allow the digitization of community or multimedia centers through the pilot technopole that will be tested in Ouagadougou and amplified in the thirteen (13) regions of Burkina Faso.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the responsibility of the Country Manager, UNCDF's Technical Specialist in Burkina Faso, the Project Management Consultant will complete the following outputs and deliverables.

• Diagnostic study of existing community center’s making a return:
  • Framing meeting to clarify the orientations of the study.
  • an assessment of the merits of the proposed project.
  • problems related to accessibility to the centers.
  • a detailed analysis of the technical, economic, financial, legal, and social feasibility of the proposed project.
  • a detailed analysis of the potential sustainability of the expected results of the project.
• Elaboration of the project document by specifying:
  • a detailed plan that specifies indicators for project objectives, results and activities, necessary resources.
  • the institutional implementation structure and responsibilities of the various management bodies.
  • a proposal for a project schedule/phasing.
  • an estimate of the costs.
  • a matrix of the logical planning framework.
  • an execution projects.
  • a preliminary funding proposal.
  • recommendations for the next steps and any subsequent action required to ensure the financing and implementation of the project.
  • a proposal for a monitoring and evaluation mechanism for the project.

Expected deliverables

• Diagnostic study report of existing community centers conducted Timeline: Week 7
• The project document for the digitization of community centers developed Timeline: Week 12

Competencies

Competencies related to the function:

• Ability to establish strong working relationships with institutions and administrators of various stakeholders.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and be aware of political sensitivities.
• Ability to think and act strategically.
• Be able to listen and collaborate with a wide range of actors.
• Be able to work independently and proactively.

Time management:

• Ability to work on multiple opportunities across different sectors while meeting deadlines and managing time efficiently.

Partnership and Networking:

• Ability to build relationships and develop a network of relevant external contacts, as well as internally within different teams.

Change Management:

• Ability to lead projects in the digital field.

Knowledge Management and Training:

• Excellent skills in planning and managing digitalization projects.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• A master’s in project management, Local Development, Development Economics, or a related field is required

Experience A minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in socio-economic project feasibility studies; mandatory.

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in the formulation of local development projects; mandatory
• Experience in digitalization project management.
• Knowledge in the field of digitalization of community centers
• Previous relevant professional experience in the formulation of digitalization projects is considered a distinct advantage.

Languages

• Have a good command of written and spoken French and knowledge of English Language.

Duration of Assignment and Travel

The mission will have a duration of three (3) months.

Travel

The consultant will have to provide a lump sum budget in the financial proposal to cover the cost of travels during the training sessions outside Ouagadougou and the travel costs are at his/her expense.

Progress Controls & Payments

Payment shall be made only upon satisfactory completion and UNCDF’s written acceptance of each deliverable duly approved by the Country Lead and authorization of payment by the Financial Manager. The disbursement of the final payment will require an evaluation of the consultant's performance.

Specific deliverables will include:

Deliverables

Target

Due Dates

Approximate % of Payment

Deliverable 1: The report of the diagnostic study of existing community centers validated

Week 7

40 %

Deliverable 2: The project document for the digitization of community centers validated

Week 12

60 %

Application Procedure

Interested persons must submit the documents mentioned below in the form of proposals in order to demonstrate their qualifications (Editor's note: the system does not allow multiple downloads of documents. Applicants must ensure that they upload all documents in a single PDF file):

• A letter of introduction with a summary of competencies for these terms of reference and a CV.
• Date of availability at the earliest.
• Completed and signed P11 Personal History Form including the names and contacts of 3 reference persons (available via http://sas.undp.org/documents/p11_personal_history_form.doc ).

Technical and financial proposal signed for the entire mission (available at http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=29916

Evaluation

Step I: Long list

Applications will be screened and only applicants who meet the following mandatory criteria will progress to the pool for shortlisting.

• A Master's degree (BAC+5) in Project Management, Local Development, Development Economics, or a related field is required
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in socio-economic project feasibility studies; mandatory.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in the formulation of local development projects; mandatory
• Have a good command of written and spoken French and knowledge of English language.

Step II: Shortlist (70 of technical assessment points)

The evaluation panel shall meet to establish a shortlist based on the following criteriawith the corresponding points (100 points):

• A Master's degree (BAC+5) in Project Management, Local Development, Development Economics, or a related field (20 points)
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in socio-economic project feasibility studies (20 points)
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in the formulation of local development projects (20 points)
• Experience in digitalization project management (15 points)
• Knowledge in the field of digitalization of community centers (15 points)
• Previous relevant professional experience in the formulation of digitalization projects is considered a distinct advantage (10 points)

Step III: Financial Evaluation

Only candidates who have obtained scores above 70% of the technical assessment will be considered technically qualified and will be subject to further examination for a financial assessment.

The following formula will be used to evaluate the financial proposal: lowest proposal/price of the evaluated proposal x 30%.

Award criteria

The contract is awarded to the best candidate whose bid has been evaluated and determined as: Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and having received the highest combined weight (technical scores) 70% + financial 30%= 100%.

Individual consultants and persons employed by a company or institution are invited to apply.

Anyone employed by a company or institution who would like to submit an offer in response to a supply notice for IC must do so on an individual basis (provide a CV so that their qualifications can be judged accordingly). Female-owned applicants or businesses are strongly encouraged to apply.