International Consultant - Lead a Preliminary Assessment of the Regulatory Framework and Policy Coherence on Responsible Business Practice in Lao PDR

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UNDP - United Nations Development Programme

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LA Home-based; Vientiane (Laos)

Application deadline 1 year ago: Sunday 10 Apr 2022 at 23:59 UTC

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Contract

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

Background

UNDP CO in Lao PDR: Guided by the global UNDP Strategic Plan (2022 – 2025) and UNDP Country Programme for Lao PDR (2022 – 2026), the UNDP Country Office (CO) in Lao PDR works closely with the line Ministries, mass organizations, civil society, development partners, and the private sector at both national and sub-national levels in pursuit of the national socio-economic development priorities defined in Lao PDR’s five-year National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) and localized Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UNDP CO’s work is strongly focused on the provision of policy advice and technical support to the Government in the design and implementation of national legislation and strategies across four broad Priority Pillars – (1) inclusive growth and reduced inequalities, (2) UXO clearance and risk education, (3) natural resources, climate change, and disaster risk reduction, as well as (4) effective, responsive and accountable governance.

UNDP CO, Governance Unit: The UNDP CO’s programming on effective, responsive, and accountable governance, inter alia, focuses on the provision of policy advice and technical support to the Government to (1) enhance the rule of law and access to justice, (2) strengthen the role and capacities of the National Assembly and People’s Provincial Assemblies, (3) streamline the public administration reform and national initiative on decentralization (Sam Sang Directive), as well as to (4) expand public participation in the national policy- and decision-making.

UNDP Governance Unit, Responsible Business Practice: In the area of the rule of law and access to justice, UNDP CO partners with a number of line Ministries (MoIC, MPI, MoJ, MoLSW, MoNRE, MoEM), Lao National Chamber of Commerce, and Industry (LNCCI) and international Chambers, National University of Lao PDR and Non-Profit Associations (NPAs) to strengthen the understanding and capacity of the Government, private sector, civil society, and other non-profit stakeholders to uphold the international standards for responsible business practice, including the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), in Lao PDR, particularly through the implementation of the Improving Performance, Accountability, Conduct, and Transparency of Business in Lao PDR” (IMPACT Biz) Project, funded by the Government of Japan. The UNDP IMPACT Biz Project is a part of the global UNDP-Japan joint action on “Human Rights Due Diligence in Global Supply Chains: Leveraging the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights for a Just Recovery”, being implemented in 17 target countries in 2022-2023.

In the framework of the IMPACT Biz Project, UNDP CO seeks to achieve the following results:

  • (Output 1) Capacity of the Government of Lao PDR to prevent and address environmental and social impacts caused or contributed by business operations and relationships is enhanced;
  • (Output 2) Capacity of businesses to avoid causing or contributing to environmental and social impacts through their business operations and relationships and to address such impacts when they occur is enhanced;
  • (Output 3) Capacity of civil society and other non-profit stakeholders to monitor and report on environmental and social impacts caused or contributed by business operations and relationships is enhanced.

To contribute to the delivery of the Government-focused Output 1, UNDP and MoIC will undertake a Preliminary Assessment of the Regulatory Framework and Policy Coherence on Responsible Business Practice in Lao PDR.

Duties and Responsibilities

The overall objective of the assignment is to conduct a Preliminary Assessment of the existing laws and policies related to responsible business practice and their alignment with the UNGPs and other Lao PDR’s international commitments, with the focus on the following research questions:

  • What laws and policies regulating business practice are in place in Lao PDR?
  • What laws and policies protecting marginalized and vulnerable groups from environmental and social impacts caused by business practice are in place in Lao PDR?
  • What state-based (judicial and non-judicial) and non-state-based grievance mechanisms are available in Lao PDR to provide effective remediation to victims of environmental and social impacts caused by business practice?
  • How are the existing laws and policies aligned with the UNGPs and other Lao PDR’s international commitments related to responsible business practice?
  • What areas should be prioritized to revise the existing laws and policies to strengthen their alignment with the UNGPs and other Lao PDR’s international commitments related responsible business practice?

The Preliminary Assessment is not intended to be comprehensive as a National Baseline Assessment on Business and Human Rights. Rather, the intention is that the findings and recommendations of the Preliminary Assessment should provide helpful background information to support dialogue between relevant stakeholders in Lao PDR and be the first step in guiding the Government-led process of developing a National Action Plan (NAP) on Responsible Business Practice in the country.

Under the supervision of the UNDP IMPACT Biz Project and UNDP Team Leader for Governance, International Consultant will be working with the support of National Consultant procured for the same service.

The tasks of International Consultant will include:

  • Lead the Desk Review of (1) Lao PDR’s international commitments related to responsible business practice, including international Treaties, Conventions, and other global and regional frameworks, (2) Lao PDR’s regulatory framework as it pertains to responsible business practice, including laws and policies at the national and provincial levels (e.g., Civil Code, Law on Investment Promotion, Law on Firms, Law on Standards, Environmental Protection Law, Forestry Law, Land Law, Labour Law), (3) Lao PDR’s institutional framework, including the line Ministries and cross-Ministerial bodies with the responsibility to govern areas related to business operations and relationships, and (4) secondary knowledge products on business practice in Lao PDR, produced by various development partners;
  • Lead the preparation and facilitation of at least eight Stakeholder Interviews to verify and complement the Desk Review with (1) the line Ministries and cross-Ministerial bodies with the responsibility to govern areas related to business operations and relationships, (2) Chambers and individual businesses, (3) development partners, and (4) NPAs and academia;
  • Lead consultations with the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), established for this activity, on the overall direction of the Preliminary Assessment and on subsequent drafts;
  • Lead the elaboration of the Preliminary Assessment that assesses the alignment of Lao PDR’s regulatory framework with the UNGPs and other Lao PDR’s international commitments related to responsible business practice, as well as identifies gaps and makes recommendations to the Government to focus and guide its efforts towards the development of a NAP on Responsible Business Practice in Lao PDR.

Competencies

  • Strong analytical and writing skills
  • Skilled usage of computers and office software packages

Required Skills and Experience

  • Advanced University Degree (Master’s level) in business administration, governance, the rule of law, human rights, or a related field (e.g., international law, international relations, political science, etc.)
  • At least 8 years of professional experience in the fields of governance, the rule law, human rights, or a related field; working experience in business at the national and/or trans-national levels would be an asset
  • Demonstrated experience in conducting comprehensive research studies in the fields of responsible business and human rights; experience in country-level legal/regulatory assessments would be an asset
  • Experience within the UN system would be an asset
  • Experience with the legal systems in the ASEAN region would be an asset
  • Language: English proficiency; Lao would be an asset

Requirements for Submission of Proposals

All interested and qualified Individual Consultants should apply online using the following link: UNDP Lao PDR CO website.

In order to make a submission, please read the relevant documents available at the links below:

  1. TOR (Annex I)
  2. IC General Terms and Conditions _ Annex II

Interested Individual Consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

1. Free-Form Technical Proposal:

  • Explaining why you are the most suitable for the work;
  • Providing a brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the work, including the work schedule for the delivery of outputs/deliverables;

2. P11 Form: Education and work experience, including past experience in similar projects and contact references of at least three references for whom you have rendered preferably the similar services;

3. Financial Proposal From: Lump sum offer with clear cost breakdown against each deliverable.

Instructions for Online Submissions:

  • Step 1: Please prepare all required documents electronically;
  • Step 2: Combine all the required documents in ONE SINGLE FILE (preferably in PDF; however, Word format can also be accepted) and upload to the UNDP Jobs website using the link above;
  • Step 3: After that, you will receive an auto-reply from the UNDP Jobs website if your offer is received successfully.

Incomplete Proposals or Proposals received after the deadline will be rejected.

Note: Any request for clarification must be sent in writing before the submission deadline to the following email: surith.sengsavang@undp.org.

Added 2 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: jobs.undp.org