National Consultant - for Baseline Survey for the Integrated Water Management and Climate Resilience in Xe Don and Xe Ban Fai River Basins

Contract

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

Background

This project for Enhancing Integrated Water Management and Climate Resilience in Vulnerable Urban Areas of the Mekong River Basin seeks to address the critical need for risk data to inform integrated water resources management and, in so doing, enable increased investment in risk reduction measures in Lao PDR and Cambodia. There is a strong connection between the upstream and downstream impacts associated with floods and water availability in the transboundary region. As such, the project seeks to address these problems faced while acknowledging the transboundary nature of the challenge and making adjustments as necessary to tailor for the variances of each country. Taking a barrier-removal approach, the project will address gaps in data collection, management, and analysis, enhance institutional and technical capacity at the subnational level for integrated climate and flood risk management, enhance the availability of resources for investment in water-related risk reduction, and aid the flow of risk knowledge and coordination across borders.

The project will also contribute towards improved hydrological and climate risk modelling and information systems, which will in turn inform flood management as well as adaptation planning and enhance the capacity of national and provincial decision-makers, as well as local stakeholders using the improved information system.

The project applies a human rights-based approach to address development challenges associated with disasters and enhance resilience to increasing climate risks through improved policy, strengthened capacity, and risk information. This approach fosters resilient and sustainable socio-economic development and contributes to the achievement of the SDGs. The number of direct beneficiaries of the project is approximately 106,481 (38,388 residents of Thakek and 68,093 residents of Pakse) and overall beneficiaries (direct + indirect) are over 1.6 million people of Khammouane and Champasack Provinces.

This project is implemented by UNDP, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (MLSW). Asian Water Council (AWC) and K-Water will conduct some of the activities.

OBJECTIVE

The main objective of the project is to strengthen the climate and disaster resilience of people and communities in vulnerable regions of Lao PDR and Cambodia through improved risk and vulnerability assessment and advancing an integrated approach to water resources management. There are two outcomes intended at the country-level activity implementation: 1) Inclusive assessment of water-related climate risks completed in the priority river basins, 2) Enabling environment for gender-responsive climate risk-informed integrated water resources management developed. UNDP is seeking an expert with deep knowledge and field experience in water resource management, climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction to conduct a comprehensive baseline and analysis to understand the current status of Lao PDR with special focus on the targeted river basins (Xe Don and Xe Ban Fai) and their urban areas (Thakek and Pakse) into a consolidated stock taking report. This study will inform the project interventions with data gaps, information management and sharing systems, local capacity to analyze and translate data into investment plan, as well as existing national and local policies and programmes

Duties and Responsibilities

SCOPE OF WORK

• Develop an inception report outlining the scope of work, objectives, methodology and deliverables
• Review existing policies and programmes of relevant ministries and local governments, especially review and make recommendations on the concept of Water Resources Protection Zones developed by the Department of Water Resources, MONRE
• Review and evaluate recent past, current, and pipeline projects of the government, UN agencies, other donors, and NGOs on gender-sensitive and inclusive integrated water resource management and climate and disaster risk reduction in the target areas
• Summarize relevant studies on climate risk, water resources management, hydrological and climate modeling, early warning systems, collection, analysis, and utilization of disaster risk data
• Compile and map the existing climate risk and vulnerability data, tools, and systems in the target areas
• Review disaster damage and climate risk data and analyze the current status of climate disaster risk and water recourse management in the target areas
• Conduct capacity assessment of relevant stakeholders at the national and subnational levels, especially the Provincial and District authorities through field visits
• Identify data, policy, and capacity gaps and propose clear and actionable recommendations, and work plan to inform the project implementation strategy

Competencies

• Writing and publishing research skill

Required Skills and Experience

• A Master’s degree in water resource management, hydrology, meteorology, climate change, disaster risk management, or a related field. PhD is preferred [10 points].
• At least 5 years of experience working as a technical expert or researcher in water resource management, climate change adaptation, or disaster risk management [20 points].
• Proven record of writing and publishing research papers, technical studies, or policy reviews and analyses [20 points].
• Demonstrated knowledge in water resources management and/or climate and disaster risk management in Lao PDR [10 points].
• Experience in working with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and UN agencies in similar role is an advantage [5 points].
• Language: Excellent verbal and written skills in English and Lao is required [5 points]

Requirements for submission of proposals

All interested and qualified International or National Independent Consultant should apply on-line using the following links:

UNDP Lao PDR Country Office website at https://www.undp.org/laopdr/jobs or

In order to make your submission, please read the relevant documents available on the link below

1. TOR
2. IC General Terms and Conditions _ Annex II;
3. OFFEROR’S LETTER TO UNDP CONFIRMING INTEREST AND AVAILABILITY _ Annex III
4. P11 Form

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

1. Technical Proposal

   (i) Explaining why you are the most suitable for the work;

   (ii) Providing a brief methodology on how you will approach and conduct the work including the work

   schedule for the delivery of outputs/deliverable;

2. P11 Form Education and work experience, including past experience in similar projects and contact references of at least 3 references for whom you have rendered preferably the similar services;

3. Financial proposal: Detailed financial proposal: Lump sum offer with clear cost breakdown against each deliverable. Please use this template OFFEROR’S LETTER TO UNDP CONFIRMING INTEREST AND AVAILABILITY _ Annex III

Instructions for on-line submissions:

Step 1: Please prepare all required documents electronically;

Step 2: Combine all documents in ONE SINGLE FILE (preferably in PDF however Word format can be also accepted) and upload to the UNDP Jobs using the links above;

Step 3: After that you will receive an auto reply from the UNDP jobs 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 emails:

surith.sengsavang@undp.org