INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT – NATIONAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND GENDER SPECIALIST (FOR INDIAN NATIONALS ONLY)

Contract

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

Background

UNDP has been supporting the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in meeting its national and international environmental priorities and commitments. These include close to 40 projects in the area of biodiversity conservation, sustainable resource management, climate change and chemical management. UNDP’s support focuses on technical and policy advisory, institutional strengthening and building capacities of various stakeholders to utilize natural resources in a sustainable way, while increasing resilience to climate variability and associated risks and impacts. UNDP also supports India’s engagement with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and works with Central Ministries and state governments to implement GEF financed projects.

UNDP India along with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, is developing a GEF-supported project on sustainable management and restoration of degraded landscapes for achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN). The project aims to achieve Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) through ecosystem-based management and restoration of productive landscapes across degraded agricultural, forest, pastoral lands and surface water bodies.

UNDP seeks to engage a National Community Engagement and Gender Specialist to support the development of UNDP Project Document. The Consultant will develop mandatory project Annexes related to application of social and environmental safeguards and support adherence of project development to UNDP’s Social and Environmental Safeguards. Working closely with the International Safeguards Specialist, the consultant will develop and finalize the Stakeholder Engagement Plan, incorporating Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) as needed, Social and Environmental Screening Procedure (SESP) template, Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF).

The Consultant will also support the integration of gender issues into the Project Document including through completion of a gender analysis and mainstreaming plan. The consultant will have experience in conducting detailed gender analysis and local community engagement.

Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and responsibility

1. Preparatory Technical Studies and Reviews (Component A):

Prepare inputs and support the required analyses/studies, as agreed with the GEF PPG Team Leader and International Safeguards Specialist, including:

1. Finalize a stakeholder engagement plan for the PPG, including for appropriate consultations with local communities and indigenous peoples/ethnic groups;
2. Review the SESP pre-screening of the PIF; complete the UNDP Social and Environmental Screening Procedure (SESP); and support the detailed assessment of all project risks including consultations with local stakeholders;
3. Assess the presence of Indigenous Peoples/ethnic minorities within project landscapes and their interests. If present, assess potential impacts of the project on rights and interests, lands, territories, resources, and traditional livelihoods and determine when FPIC applies in accordance with national contexts and preferences. Carry out consultations with communities at demonstration landscape to assess level of understanding and capacity to give consent and identify community preferences for FPIC process; assist and/or advise the PPG Team in securing initial FPIC, where required;
4. Provides substantive inputs for the development of an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) in line with UNDP’s Guidance Note on Assessment and Management;
5. Prepare the comprehensive Stakeholder Engagement Plan for project implementation; and
6. Provide inputs, advice and/or feedback on relevant sections of the ProDoc to ensure alignment with and consideration of safeguards, including FPIC as needed including to: Gender Analysis and Action Plan; Risk Table and “Risks and Assumptions” section; Relevant project Outcomes and/or Outputs; Terms of Reference for the project management unit.
7. Support the completion of any additional studies that are determined to be needed for the preparation of the ProDoc and all other final outputs as guided by the PPG Team Leader.

2. Formulation of the ProDoc, CEO Endorsement Request and Mandatory Annexes as well as project specific annexes (Component B):

1. Complete the SESP, based on assessments undertaken during Component A and detailed development of project interventions, and identify management measures to mitigate risks to be incorporated into the ProDoc;
2. Support the agreements on project management arrangements and ensure that gender and safeguards are adequately incorporated into these arrangements.

3. Validation Workshop (Component C):

1. Contribute to the validation workshop; and
2. Support all necessary revisions that arise during the workshop, as appropriate.

Expected Deliverable/ Outcome

• Finalized PPG Stakeholder Engagement Plan outlining proposed consultation processes;
• Social and Environmental Screening (SESP);
• Substantive inputs to the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF);
• Comprehensive Stakeholder Engagement Plan, incorporating FPIC as needed for any Indigenous Peoples or Ethnic Minorities present within the demonstration landscape;
• Detailed documentation of any consultations with local communities in support of FPIC;
• Appropriate inputs to the final UNDP-GEF project document based on guidance from the PPG Team Leader and International Safeguards Specialist.

Payment Scheduled: Payments will be deliverable linked per the following schedule of payments:

Outputs and Deliverables

Duration from Signing of Contract

Payment Milestones

(Deliverable 1)

• Stakeholder engagement plan for the PPG phase of the project

within 10 days

20%

(Deliverable 2)

• Report on consultations and focus group discussion with local communities and other stakeholder groups as appropriate
• Report on assessment of needs and interests of local communities and potential impacts of the project on lands, resources, traditional rights etc;

March 30, 2022

30%

(Deliverable 3)

• Comprehensive Stakeholder engagement plan for project implementation;
• Final SESP and Gender Mainstreaming Action Plan for the project

April 30, 2022

30%

(Deliverable 4)

• Final Project Document and Annexes, as agreed with GEF Project Development Specialist.

July 30, 2022

20%

Competencies

• Analytical skills: Able to synthesize large sets of inputs and data to form coherent outputs
• Ability to effectively and efficiently interact with senior members and stakeholders
• Must be detail-oriented
• Communication skills: Able to communicate clear ideas across a variety of mediums
• Writing and presentation skills: Able to produce high quality reports and presentations
• Team skills: Able to work independently as well as in teams

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualification:

• Master’s degree or higher in a relevant field, such as environmental studies, gender and development, women and environment, or international development;

Professional Experience:

• Minimum 7 years of demonstrated relevant professional experience in the technical area of gender mainstreaming, community development, and social and environmental safeguards risk assessment and mitigation;
• Prior experience in the safeguards assessments and processes of international organizations and donors
• Demonstrated understanding of the links between sustainable development, social and gender issues;
• Demonstrated experience working on policy and programmatic issues with national and local governments and civil society organizations including community organizations;
• Demonstrated experience in carrying out consultations with stakeholders, specifically with Indigenous Peoples and women, on FPIC, protection of cultural heritage, and/or community engagement;
• Experience with project development and results-based management methodologies is highly desired;
• Excellent analytical, writing, advocacy, presentation, and communications skills are required.

Language Requirement: Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.

Evaluation Criteria

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as Responsive to the requirement. Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation;

• Technical Criteria weight - 70%;
• Financial Criteria weight – 30 %

Technical Criteria (70% of the total evaluation)

1. Criteria 1: Prior Experience (30%)

1. 7 years of demonstrated relevant professional experience in the technical area of gender mainstreaming, community development, and social and environmental safeguards risk assessment and mitigation.

2. Criteria 2: Demonstrated Knowledge on Community Engagement and Gender Mainstreaming (30%)

1. Worked on community consultation and engagement and having relevant knowledge of policies and programmatic issues.

3. Criteria 3: Multi-stakeholder coordination (10%)

1. Consultant should have demonstrated experience in coordinating and working with multi-stakeholder groups.

Financial Proposal:

Technically qualified consultants will be requested to submit their lump sum rate i.e. consultants who score more than 70% i.e. 49 marks with respect to the above-mentioned evaluation criteria. Consultant should not specify their consultancy fee on their CV or with the submission. The CV will not be evaluated further in case the consultant submits the same.

Documents to be submitted:

Detailed updated CV with relevant experience

Notes: 1. Any kind of miscellaneous charges i.e. internet, phone etc. would not be reimbursed; 2. Tickets will be issued considering the most direct and economical option and Consultants are not eligible for DSA; 3. Individuals working with Instituions may also apply, contract would be issued in the name of Institution for the specific services of Individuals.

The applicant receiving the highest combined score (technical + financial) will be awarded the Individual Contract.

UNDP strives to have a workforce which reflects diversity and gender balance, and applies an equal opportunities approach. Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

All selections are on merit.