Individual Contractor (IC) – SDGs and Statistics Senior Expert for Jordan

Consultant

Contract

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Background

CONTEXT/BACKGROUND

The data revolution is an essential cornerstone of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with data considered to be one of the fundamental pillars of the accountability framework of the 2030 Agenda. However, online access to quality data in the Arab region remains difficult. Data and knowledge resources on development issues in the Arab region are often outdated, unreliable, and fragmented across multiple international, regional and local sources. When available, access to credible and official data is burdensome. By having access to and effectively using data, individuals, firms and communities in the Arab region can become more actively and meaningfully engaged in rethinking development policies, taking fact-based positions, or leading on entrepreneurial initiatives, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of their countries and regions.

The Arab Development Portal (ADP) is an initiative of the Coordination Group of Arab, National and Regional Development Institutions (CG) to create a knowledge platform to promote timely and high-quality knowledge and advance data-driven analysis and debates, advocacy and policy-making in the Arab region.

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS) launched the ADP http://arabdevelopmentportal.com online on 25 April 2016, as a bilingual data warehouse and knowledge platform offering data and knowledge on key development topics in the Arab region based on national and international sources. The primary target audiences for the ADP include decision-makers in the public sector, private sector, academia, media and civil society with an active interest in development efforts in the Arab region.

Leveraging on big data technology, the ADP data portal aims to enhance the research experience of users enabling them to search for, visualize, extract, share and therefore analyze and create content based on official statistics. Since 2018, the ADP has expanded its database to enhance its thematic coverage of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and launched the first regional SDGs Tracking Tool in the Arab region, offering a multi-level SDG monitoring framework based on the global indicators, but also on national indicators and targets identified in national development plans of Arab countries. ADP currently offers data users a multi-source and bilingual database hosting 15 thematic topics and more than 8,300 unique indicators accessible through advanced data browsing and visualization options.

Furthermore, ADP succeeded in consolidating its role as a service provider to NSOs, assisting them in assessing and improving their strategy for disseminating official statistics, with a focus on reporting on the SDGs. ADP’s technical services widened to include assessing their national statistical capacity to report on SDGs and disseminate SDGs data and establishing adapted national data portals/SDGs tracking tools. A customized version of the tool was successfully implemented in Syria in 2019 and is almost finalized in Jordan, the Jordan Data Portal expected to be ready to be launched in the first quarter of 2021.

Within this context, UNDP-RBAS is seeking to engage the services of a qualified SDGs and Statistics Expert to support the Department of Statistics (DOS) in Jordan in the mapping of national SDGs indicators by identifying the national-level targets and benchmarks. The expert will also provide on the job training to relevant national staff at DOS in this area.

Duties and Responsibilities

SCOPE OF WORK, RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED WORK

The contractor will be responsible to carry out and deliver the expected outputs below:

• Identify national-level targets and benchmarks for each SDG indicator taking into account:

1. The most recent available official statistics at the national level;
2. The benchmarks and targets of similar indicators from the national vision and strategy: Jordan 2025.

• Assess the comparability of Jordan with other similar identified economies/countries;
• Provide on job training by conducting capacity building for the relevant national staff at DOS in this area;
• Prepare and submit a final report presenting main findings of the assessment.

EXPECTED OUTPUTS AND DELIVERABLES

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Expected number of working days for each deliverable

Targeted Due Dates

Review and Approvals Required

Deliverable 1.1: Identify national-level targets and benchmarks for each SDG indicator based on the most recent available official statistics at the national level and the benchmarks and targets of similar indicators from the national vision and strategy: Jordan 2025;

Up to twenty-five (25) working days from contract signature date

Three (03) calendar months after the start of the contract

The Arab Development Portal (ADP) Project Manager and Technical Specialist

Deliverable 1.2: Assess the comparability of Jordan with other similar identified economies/countries;

Deliverable 2: Provide on job training by conducting capacity building for the relevant national staff at DOS;

Up to five (05) working days from the satisfactory completion of deliverable 1

One (01) calendar month after satisfactory completion of deliverable 1

Deliverable 3: Prepare and submit a final report presenting main findings of the assessment.

Up to ten (10) working days from the satisfactory completion of deliverable 2

One (01) calendar month after satisfactory completion of deliverable 2

Competencies

Corporate

• Demonstrates integrity and fairness, by modeling the UN/UNDP’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability

Functional

• Ability to plan and organize work programme and flow;
• Good teamwork and interpersonal skills;
• Flexibility and ability to handle multiple tasks and work under pressure;
• Excellent drafting and formulation skills;
• Experience in using statistical computer programs (STATA, SPSS, E-Views, etc..,) and Excellent computer skills with MS. Office (Word, Excel, Power Point).

Knowledge Management and Learning

• Ability to strongly promote and build knowledge products;
• Seeks and applies knowledge, information and best practices from within and outside of UNDP;
• Demonstrates a strong capacity for innovation and creativity in providing strategic policy advice and direction.
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills.

Judgment/Decision-Making

• Mature judgment and initiative;
• Proven ability to provide strategic direction to the project implementation process.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Minimum Master’s degree in Economic or Statistics.

Work experience:

• Minimum of eight (08) years of previous working experience in Statistics, particularly experience on SDGs targets and indicators;
• Demonstrated knowledge of the socio-economic developments, and statistical traits of the Arab region, working particularly with National Statistical Offices in the Arab region;
• Previous working experience with the United Nations is desirable.

Language Requirements:

• Language proficiency in both written and oral Arabic is required. Knowledge of any other UN language, particularly English , is an asset;

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT

• The individual is required to exhibit his or her full-time commitment with UNDP-RBAS;
• S/He shall perform tasks under the direct supervision of the Arab Development Portal (ADP) Project Manager and Technical Specialist as well as the Senior Statistician which include approvals/acceptance of the outputs as identified in the previous section;
• The individual is expected to liaise and collaborate in the course of performing the work with other consultants, suppliers and UNDP colleagues;
• The individual is required to provide periodical progress reports on regular and needed basis throughout the assignment in order to monitor progress;
• The individual is required to maintain close communication with UNDP-RBAS on regular and needed basis at any period throughout the assignment in order to monitor progress. In the event of any delay, S/he will inform UNDP promptly so that decisions and remedial action may be taken accordingly;
• Should UNDP deem it necessary, it reserves the right to commission additional inputs, reviews or revisions, as needed to ensure the quality and relevance of the work.

DURATION OF THE WORK

The expected duration of the assignment is expected to be up to forty (40) working days over a period of five (05) calendar months from the contract signature date.

DUTY STATION

Amman, Jordan.

TRAVEL PLAN

If unforeseen travel outside the consultant home-based city is requested by UNDP and not required by the Terms of References (ToR), such travel shall be covered by UNDP in line with applicable rules and regulations and upon prior written agreement. In such cases, the consultant shall receive living allowances not exceeding the United Nations (UN) Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) rate for such other location(s).

SCOPE OF PRICE PROPOSAL AND SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS

The contractor will be paid an all-inclusive Deliverables/Outputs based lump sum amounts over the assignment period, subject to the submission of Certification of Payment (CoP) duly certified and confirmation of satisfactory performance of achieved work (deliverables/outputs) in line with the schedule of payments table hereunder, noting that the maximum number of working days for this assignment shouldn’t exceed five (05) calendar months.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Expected number of working days for each deliverable

Targeted Due Dates

Payment Schedule

Deliverable 1.1: Identify national-level targets and benchmarks for each SDG indicator based on the most recent available official statistics at the national level and the benchmarks and targets of similar indicators from the national vision and strategy: Jordan 2025

Up to twenty-five (25) working days from contract signature date

Three (03) calendar months from contract signature date

65% of total contract amount subject to satisfactory completion of milestone(s) 1 and submission of duly certified Certification of Payment (CoP)

Deliverable 1.2: Assess the comparability of Jordan with other similar identified economies/countries

Deliverable 2: Provide on job training by conducting capacity building for the relevant national staff at DOS

Up to five (5) working days from the satisfactory completion of deliverable 1;

One (01) calendar month from the satisfactory completion of deliverable 1

35% of total contract amount subject to satisfactory completion of milestone(s) 2 and 3 and submission of duly certified Certification of Payment (CoP)

Deliverable 3: Prepare and submit a final report presenting main findings of the assessment

Up to ten (10) working days from the satisfactory completion of deliverable 2;

One (01) calendar month from the satisfactory completion of deliverable 2

RECOMMENDED PRESENTATION OF OFFER

Interested individual consultants must submit documents under point 1&2 to demonstrate their qualifications. Candidates that fail to submit these documents, the application will not be considered.

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
2. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references
3. Financial Proposal: Please do not submit financial proposal in this stage. Financial proposal shall be requested from Candidates who are considered technically responsive

When the financial proposal is requested it should indicate the all-inclusive Deliverables/Outputs based total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided. The terms “all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, travel costs, living allowances, communications, consumables, etc.) that could possibly be incurred are already factored into the final amounts submitted in the proposal. If an 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 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.

Interested candidates shall submit required documents to Job Advertisement Website (https://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_jobs.cfm) as one document not later than 05th of May 2021

Interested candidates can find Procurement Notice, Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability and P11 templates on the following link: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF THE BEST OFFERS

This selection criteria will follow the Combined Scoring method – where the qualifications and methodology will be weighted a max. of 70%, and combined with the price offer which will be weighted a max of 30%; using the following evaluation criteria

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodologies:

Step I: Screening and Shortlisting:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology.

Applications will be first screened and only candidates meeting the following minimum requirements will progress to the pool for shortlisting:

• Criteria A: Minimum master’s degree in Economic or Statistics;
• Criteria B: Minimum of eight (08) years of previous working experience in Statistics, particularly experience on SDGs targets and indicators; and
• Criteria C: Language proficiency in both written and oral Arabic is required.

Step II : Technical Review

Shortlisted candidates will undergo a technical evaluation and a submission of a proposal to tackle the assignment.

Technical evaluation Criteria max 100 points (Weighted 70):

• Criteria A: Minimum master’s degree or equivalent in Economic or Statistics; (20 points)

• Criteria B: Minimum of eight (08) years of previous working experience in Statistics, particularly experience on SDGs targets and indicators; (40 points)

• Criteria C: Language proficiency in both written and oral Arabic is required. Knowledge of any other UN language, particularly English, is an asset; (10 points)

• Criteria D: Demonstrated knowledge of the socio-economic developments, and statistical traits of the Arab region, working particularly with National Statistical Offices in the Arab region.; (20 points)

• Criteria E: Previous working experience with the United Nations; (10 points)

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation

For those offers considered in the financial evaluation, the lowest price offer will receive 30 points. The other offers will receive points in relation to the lowest offer, based on the following formula: (PI / Pn) * 30 where Pn is the financial offer being evaluated and Pl is the lowest financial offer received.

Step II: Final Evaluation

The final evaluation will combine the scores of the desk review and the financial proposal with the following weights assigned to each:

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the cumulative analysis methodology (weighted scoring method), where the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and

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

  Technical Criteria weight: [70%]

  Financial Criteria weight: [30%]

  Only Individual Consultants obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70%) on the Technical evaluation would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

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Added 2 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: jobs.undp.org