National Consultant- Project Support for BIOFIN -Thailand

Contract

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

Background

UNDP is the lead development agency of the United Nations, working to support countries’ work towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs. UNDP has more than 50 years of experience leading the UN’s development work, providing knowledge, practical expertise, and a legacy of trust. UNDP works in nearly 170 countries and territories, helping to eradicate poverty, and to do that in a way which also reduces inequality and exclusion, and avoids wrecking the ecosystems on which life depends.

The UNDP Strategic Plan 2018-2021 embraces the complexity of development and commits the organization to help countries to find faster, more durable solutions to achieve Agenda 2030. Important development trends like urbanization, climate change, and rising inequalities pose significant challenges to achieve the 2030 agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UNDP Thailand is working with the Royal Thai government, civil society, national partners and the Thai public to help find solutions to persistent development challenges. We continue to work to provide technical expertise, such as improved data quality and collection, international expertise on environmental issues like climate change finance and adaptation.

UNDP, in October 2012, launched the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) as a new global partnership seeking to address the biodiversity finance challenge in a comprehensive manner – building a sound business case for increased investment in the management of ecosystems and biodiversity, with a particular focus on the needs and transformational opportunities at the national level.

During BIOFIN Phase II (2018 – 2022), the Biodiversity Finance Initiative will implement its prioritised Biodiversity Finance Solutions which were endorsed by the National Steering Committee of BIOFIN Thailand, the Global team of UNDP BIOFIN and the Country Office of UNDP Thailand (December 2018). Under the overall guidance of Finance Solution Manager of BIOFIN Thailand, the Project Support Consultant provides ongoing project and administrative assistance and support to the project as assigned by Finance Solution Manager, performing a variety of standard administrative and financial processes ensuring high quality and accuracy of work.

The Project Support Consultant works in collaboration with programme and project staff in the UNDP Thailand, UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub (BRH), service providers, responsible parties, and the project partners to exchange information and ensure consistent services delivery.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work

The Project Support Consultant will work with project teams to provide support in implementing various project activities in Thailand. The scope of work includes:

Administrative, Logistical and Financial Support

• Provide administrative and logistical support to the Team; handle travel services for staff and meeting participants;

• Support in consolidating the data from multiple ATLAS financial reports, including expenditures and commitments monitoring and tracking;

• Support in processing payments of ICs, contractual services and vendors and provide quality checks of vouchers in terms of accuracy and documentation;

• Support in preparing expenditure records, and support finance solution on budget management including Funding Authorization & Certificate of Expenditures(FACE) process, and review and monitoring of project budgets;

• Support in recruitment for project related-staff/consultant/intern; assist in preparing the TOR, selection memo, budget, and coordinating with candidates;

• Assist in procurement of goods and services including Individual Contracts, Institutional Contracts, Contract for Professional Services, LTAs and ensure supporting documentation needed for contract files is obtained;

• Assist in developing procurement plans for projects under BIOFIN Thailand ensuring compliance with UNDP policies and standards;

• Work closely with procurement team to plan and manage procurement and operational activities.

Effective programmatic management of ongoing projects

• Assist in reviewing and keeping track of planned activities as well as assessing the progress toward and the achievement of planned targets in accordance with Annual Work Plan (AWP);

• Coordinate with the Team in AWP preparation and project revisions, ensuring that activities, targets and benchmarks have been formulated according to standard procedures and meet the programmatic standards and agreements with the partners;

• Assist in the process of projects’ audit assurance activities (Spot Checks, Internal Control Audit) and evaluations (Mid-Term Review and Terminal Evaluation);

• Follow-up on the implementation of recommendations resulting from the evaluations.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Each month, the consultant shall submit a timesheet and a progress report on tasks undertaken, challenges encountered, and work plans for the following month to Country Project Manager and Finance Solution Manager for review and approval. Payment shall be made within two weeks after the receipt of approved timesheet and progress report

Institutional Arrangement

Under the overall guidance of the Finance Solution Manager of BIOFIN Thailand, the consultant will report directly to the Finance Solution Manager and also work closely with BIOFIN Global Team/UNDP Country Office in Thailand as assigned. The consultant will be a member of the UNDP Thailand Country Office team and is expected to join the staff meetings regularly.

Duration of the Work

May 2021 - 30 April 2022 with a maximum of 261 days worked

Duty Station

Bangkok-Based, Thailand with possible travel.

The consultant will be Bangkok-Based with possible travel to pilot site(s) in Thailand. Duty travel will be agreed in advance as the need arises. Travel expenses and reimbursements will be administered in compliance with UNDP Duty Travel Policy under UNDP Policy.

Competencies

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills;
• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities skills;
• Openness to change and ability to receive/integrate feedback;
• Ability to plan, organize, implement and report on work;
• Ability to work under pressure and tight deadlines;
• Proficiency in the use of office IT applications and internet in conducting research;
• Outstanding communication, project management and organizational skills;
• Demonstrates integrity and ethical standards;
• Positive, constructive attitude to work;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Required Skills and Experience

Educational Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration, Economics, Political Science, Social Sciences, Business Administration, Human Resource or related field

Experience

• Minimum 3 years of experience in programme and administrative support.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in workshops/events organization support and/or logistical arrangements.
• at least 2 years of xperience in supporting implementation of UNDP project(s), i.e. knowledge of UNDP projects or equivalent in similar areas.
• At least 2 years of experience in coordination with government institutions and coordination mechanism.
• At least 2 years of experience in UNDP system, rules and procedures is an advantage.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and handling of web-based management systems.

Language:

• Excellent command of writing and speaking Thai and English.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The contract will be based on D****aily

Consultant shall quote an all-inclusive Daily Fee for the contract period. The term “all-inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, communications, consumables, etc.) that could be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment are already factored into the daily fee submitted in the proposal. If applicable, travel or daily allowance cost (if any work is to be done outside the IC’s duty station) should be identified separately. Payments shall be done on a monthly basis based on actual days worked, upon verification of completion of deliverables and approval by the IC’s supervisor of a Time Sheet indicating the days worked in the period. [Remove this paragraph if Lump sum is selected]

In general, UNDP shall not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources

In the event of unforeseeable travel not anticipated in this TOR, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and the Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Travel costs shall be reimbursed at actual but not exceeding the quotation from UNDP approved travel agent.

Evaluation Method and Criteria

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology;

Cumulative analysis

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as a) responsive/compliant/acceptable; and b) having received the highest score out of set of weighted technical criteria (70%) *and financial criteria (30%). Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced qualified proposal received by UNDP for the assignment.

• Only those applications which are responsive, compliant and accept in general condition will be evaluated;
• For those who passing technical and interview evaluation above, offers will be evaluated per the Combined Scoring method:

a. Technical and Interview (70%)

b. Financial Evaluation (30%)

Technical Criteria for Evaluation (Maximum 100 points)

• Criteria 1: Relevance of education - Max 10 points;
• Criteria 2: Experience in programme and administrative support - Max 20 points;
• Criteria 3: Experience Experience in workshops/events organization support and/or logistical arrangements - Max. 20 points
• Criteria 4: Experience in supporting implementation of UNDP project(s), i.e. knowledge of UNDP projects or equivalent in similar areas - Max 20 points;
• Criteria 5: Familiar and understand government institutions and coordination mechanism – Max 20 points;
• Criteria 6: Familiarity of UNDP system, rules and procedures is an advantage-Max 10 points

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70 points (70% of total 100 points in technical evaluation) would be considered for Financial Evaluation.

Documentation required

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications. Please group them into one (1) single PDF document as the application only allows to upload maximum one document:

• Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided in Annex II.
• Personal CV 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.
• Financial proposal, as per template provided in Annex II. Note: 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.

Incomplete proposals may not be considered. The shortlisted candidates may be contacted and the successful candidate will be notified.

To download form and related documents, please follow the link below:

https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=77573