Individual Consultant – National Public Finance 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 is developing a GEF-supported project entitled, “Strengthening institutional capacities for securing biodiversity conservation commitments”. The project would be led by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in partnership with the National Biodiversity Authority and UNDP. The project aims to mainstream biodiversity conservation and its sustainable use and management into local level self-governance institutional planning and budgeting systems in two high biodiversity landscapes in India.

UNDP seeks to engage a National Public Finance Specialist who will provide substantive inputs for design of project interventions for leveraging finance from public and private sector to implement actions for conservation and sustainable natural resource use. The Consultant will be an expert in Public Finance in India with knowledge of international best practices.

Duties and Responsibilities

The list below outlines key responsibilities and deliverables for the consultant:

1. Preparatory Technical Studies and Reviews (Component A): Prepare inputs and support the required analyses/studies, as agreed with the GEF Project Development Specialist including

• Review and assess the project baseline covering finance allocation and expenditure at state, district and Gram Panchayat level in target districts from various sources (public and private sectors, multi-laterals, donors, and non-governmental organizations);
• Review existing state, district and local level policies, programmes, financial plans and institutional/governance mechanisms for mapping the existing financial allocations and inter-linkages towards mainstreaming biodiversity and recommend actions to bridge the gaps.
• Identify stakeholders (along with their roles, impacts on the landscape) and their capacity gaps, interests and needs including local authorities and resource users;
• On the basis of this information and stakeholder consultations, identify define appropriate project interventions for assessing resource gap, and developing innovative/blended financial solutions and resource mobilization strategies at the landscape level
• Coordinate with relevant national, state and district line departments and agencies to understand priorities;
• Provide inputs for the development of practical and achievable project targets for the Results Framework, including Core Indicator values and identification of clear baselines;
• Support the stakeholder analysis and consultations and ensure that they are complete and comprehensive, including through taking part in national and field site consultations, especially with government staff and relevant communities; and
• 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 GEF Project Development Specialist.

2. Contributions to the Formulation of the ProDoc, CEO Endorsement Request and Mandatory and Project Specific Annexes (Component B): Prepare inputs and support the development of final PPG deliverables, as agreed with the GEF Project Development Specialist.

3. National, state and local level consultations and validation workshops (Component C):

• Participate in and contribute to the national, state and local level consultations and validation workshops;
• Support necessary revisions that arise during the workshop, as appropriate.

4. Expected Deliverables

• A report summarizing the baseline analysis on programmes and schemes of the public and private sector as described above and detailing project interventions for enhancing finance from public and private sector with budget, ToR and timelines for implementation.
• Inputs to capacity development scorecards for related agencies;
• Appropriate inputs provided to the Final Project Document and Annexes, as agreed with GEF Project Development 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)

• Report on initial consultations conducted with relevant stakeholders on existing schemes, programmes and policies of the Government and Corporate sector

March 30, 2022

20%

(Deliverable 2)

• Report on baseline analysis on state, district and Gram Panchayat level policies, programmes, plans, and schemes in target districts from various sources (public and private sectors, multi-laterals, donors, and non-governmental organizations); current public finance allocation and expenditure and the potential opportunities for enhancing finance for conservation

• Report on Policy and Institutional review, (mapping of financial allocation, inter-linkages, and recommendations) at the local level.

April 30, 2022

40%

(Deliverable 3)

• Report with detailed project interventions for enhancing finance from public and private sector with budget, ToR and timelines for implementation

May 30, 2022

30%

(Deliverable 4)

• Final UNDP-GEF Project Document and annexes, as agreed with GEF Project Development Specialist

June 30, 2022

10%

Competencies

• Analytical skills: Able to synthesize large sets of inputs and data to form coherent outputs
• Ability to interact with senior members and stakeholders effectively and efficiently
• 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
• Great organizational and time-management skills

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualification:

• Advanced University Degree in such as Public Policy, Economics, or any other related field

Experience:

• Atleast 5 years of relevant professional experience in public finance with experience of working with the government departments and agencies and communities
• Experience working with UN agencies on GEF projects will be an advantage.

Language:

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)

Criteria 1: Prior Experience (30%)

5 years of demonstrated relevant professional experience in public finance and policy and undertaking policy analysis

Criteria 2: Experience of working with the Government and international organizations (20%)

Experience of working with the Government and organizations of national and international repute and other relevant stakeholders.

Criteria 3: Demonstrated technical competency to undertaking the task (20%)

The methodology/approach for undertaking the assignment

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.

Document to be uploaded:

• CV should be submitted with a technical proposal (2 pages max) with the methodology/approach to be adopted to deliver on the assignment. (Upload as 1 document)

Note:****

• The shortlisted applicants may be invited to present on their technical competency as per the requirement of the position.

Any kind of miscellaneous charges i.e. internet, phone, relocation charges etc. would not be reimbursement. Travel, lodging and boarding as per UNDP rules subject to prior approval. Individuals working with Institutions may also apply, contract would be issued in the name of Institution for the specific services of the Individual.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individual from minority groups, indigenous groups and person with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination.

All sections is on merit.