National Consultant on Integrated Water Resources Management

Contract

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

Background

Lake Sevan has a highly significant historical, cultural, and economic value for the country as it is a source of drinking water, irrigation water, and production of hydropower. It also serves as a recreational area for the Armenian population. However, because of the intensive and unsustainable use during the past decades, the water quantity and quality have significantly deteriorated. The Lake faces numerous environmental challenges and has also suffered significant biodiversity loss. The restoration and preservation of the lake's ecological balance, as well as its protection and sustainable use are top priorities of the Armenian Government in the field of climate and environment.

The Government of Armenia recognizes the importance of rehabilitation of Lake Sevan ecosystem and for over two decades has invested into setup of institutional and regulatory framework and plan of actions towards ecosystem rehabilitation. However, inadequate and disintegrated planning, weak inter-sectoral co-ordination, inefficient monitoring, control and law enforcement mechanisms as well as outdated policy framework not harmonized among sectors inhibit the progress towards sustainable management of the lake Sevan basin. EU4Sevan project aims to further enhance the environmental protection of Lake Sevan. The Project is part of the EU Action "EU4 Energy Efficiency and Environment", and of the BMZ-funded programme "Management of natural resources and safeguarding of ecosystem services for sustainable rural development in the South Caucasus (ECO serve)".

The project is implemented jointly by GIZ and UNDP, where UNDP component’s objective is further improvement of the overall governance system regulating lake Sevan ecosystem management and sustainable use. The improvement of water and lake area governance is a key prerequisite for effective basin management and monitoring, thus project aims to bring ecosystem-based approach as a basis for planning and management of productive landscape in the Lake Sevan basin and sectoral development in an integrated manner to help minimize further deterioration of ecosystems and enhance sustainable livelihood opportunities for communities. The Project supports formulation of a new long-term vision on Lake Sevan, update respectively the policy and regulatory framework governing Lake Sevan to consider change dynamics over the past 20 years and mainstream additional factors, such as ecosystem vulnerability due to climate change. This will be achieved through multi-stakeholder collaboration in course of elaboration of the Lake Sevan management plan as a means of managing different land use and resources in a joint-up way. In contrast to sectoral planning, in this landscape approach provides a framework for balancing the different daily needs with long-term conservation objectives. During prioritization of measures, the management planning process will build on Basin Management Plan for Lake Sevan and its Programme of Measures and the Action to be finalized by end of 2020 under umbrella of EUWI+.

The objective of this assignment is:

(i) Contribution to the technical planning of the necessary studies and analysis to be conducted, to ensure the efficiency of Project actions to improve Lake Sevan ecosystem governance. Particularly, from the policy, legal and institutional framework perspective to support the formulation of a new long-term vision on the Lake Sevan and to respectively update the policy and regulatory framework governing Lake Sevan.

(ii) Contribution to scoping of policy, legal and institutional framework regulating the Lake Sevan Ecosystem governance.

The national consultant will work with a team of multi-disciplinary international and national experts to ensure international and national knowledge and complementarity in data gathering, analysis and provision of inputs.

The national consultant on integrated water resources management will act under the direct supervision of the EU4Sevan Project Coordinator and will be responsible for ensuring the quality and timeliness of deliverables agreed in this ToR in coordination with other consultant(s).

Duties and Responsibilities

Consistent with the above general scope, the integrated water resources management consultant will work closely with international and local experts as coordinated by UNDP and will perform the following duties to:

• Contribute and advice a team of inter-disciplinary international and national experts engaged in the process of technical planning of the neessary studies and analysis to be conducted to improve Lake Sevan ecosystem governance, to ensure complementarity in data gathering, analysis and provision of inputs into the package preparation related to the expertise area of integrated water resources management and necessary economic calculations.

• Contribute to identification and proposing the list of necessary studies, analyzes to be conducted in the framework of EU4Sevan project related to integrated water resources management, based on review and analyses of the EU4Sevan Project expected outputs and the existing strategic operational plan for that area, considering the international best practices and local conditions, to ensure the correspondent evidence base for:

  • Assessment of the consequences/impact of raising the level of water in the lake with full environmental and socio-economic dimensions – to address potential risks associated with impact on physical infrastructures (roads and construction facilities) and landscapes (forests, agricultural and other community lands);
  • Data gathering, analysis and development of the Sevan National Park management vision and objectives to set bases for National Park management plan development.
• Contribute to the development of schematic overview of interlinkages between the studies, considering the sequence from the perspective of integrated water resources management.
• Contribute to brief description of (maximum 1 page) the main scope of each corresponding study identified, the list of key expertise to be involved, the key possible outputs (studies).
• Contribute to development of 2 technical ToRs for the identified studies and analysis to be conducted, prioritized from the list of studies identified (selection of 2 studies from the list to develop the ToRs will be agreed UNDP team), from the perspective of integrated water resources management and necessary economic assessment.
• Contribute to Presentation and discussion of the results during the stakeholder workshop, to prepare and deliver presentations as necessary.
• To address comments from the stakeholders and UNDP, during submission and final approval processes of deliverables from the perspective of integrated water resources management thematic area.
• Review and contribution to the document on Scoping of policy, legal and institutional framework regulating Lake Sevan Ecosystem governance from the perspective of biodiversity conservation and protected areas management.

Expected deliverables:

Description of deliverables

Delivery time

1. Final report, including the list and the schematic overview of the studies’ interlinkages, short descriptions, and the list of key expertise to be involved developed (in English)

   Up to October 15, 2021

2. Final 2 technical ToRs of agreed studies/group of studies developed (in English)

   Up to October 15, 2021

Payment mode:

The payment will be made in one installment upon successful completion of the consultancy tasks and approval of deliverables by UNDP country office.

Competencies

• Ability to support government agencies with the development of documents and policies.
• Strong track record of producing high-quality research and strong quantitative skills in analysis and research design.
• Excellent communication and consultation skills to liaise with a range of stakeholders including national, provincial authorities, local communities
• Proven knowledge of communication tools, excellent writing skills.
• Excellent coordination and collaboration skills; ability to work under time pressure and handle multiple activities and projects concurrently.
• Ability to work independently and to participate effectively in team-based information sharing.
• Good computer literacy, knowledge of MS office software and web-based applications.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced University Degree (MSc, MA or PhD) in water resources management, water engineering, natural and environmental sciences, other relevant disciplines. A relevant university degree in combination with qualifying experience in the abovementioned fields may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

• At least 7 years of experience in integrated water resources management field involving extensive writing, technical drafting and negotiation of agreements and other instruments
• Experience in scientific research, drafting and designing documents
• Proven practical experience in information gathering and research methodology.

Languages:

• Proficiency in Armenian and English, knowledge of Russian is an asset.

CANDIDATES WILL BE EVALUATED BASED ON THE FOLLOWING METHODOLOGY:

Candidates will be evaluated using a cumulative analysis method taking into consideration the combination of the applicants' technical qualifications, experience and financial proposal.The contract will be awarded to the candidate whose offer has been evaluated and determined as technically responsive/compliant/acceptable to the requirements of the ToR and received the highest cumulative (technical and financial) score out of below defined technical and financial criteria.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points in the technical evaluation would be considered for financial evaluation.

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation - max. 70 points

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation - max. 30 points.

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION.

• Financial Proposal and Availability form: OFFEROR’S LETTER TO UNDP (A total lump sum option is applicable for this assignment)
• CV shall include Education/Qualification, Processional Certification, Employment Records /Experience

General Conditions of Contract is available here: GENERAL CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT

Note: Please note you can upload only one document to this application (scan all documents that should be included in the application in one single PDF file and upload it).