National Individual Consultancy for the Implementation of Research Tasks in the Education Sector on Scaling up Rooftop Solar (RTS) in Schools, Viet Nam

Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, education

Background:

Viet Nam is one of the most vulnerable countries to devastating impacts of climate change. Its fast-growing economy is heavily dependent on fossil fuel and polluting industries. Energy sector is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the country and Viet Nam’s increasing electricity demand has led to significant increase in highly polluting coal-fired power generation. By 2030, coal is targeted to take up a majority of electricity generation in the country and the current fossil-fuel dependent energy systems will make it very challenging for Viet Nam to pursue a sustainable development path that is aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement goals. Moreover, for Viet Nam to achieve its NDCs, scaling up investments in clean energy is of utmost importance. There is an urgent need for Viet Nam to transition towards a low carbon and climate resilient path for current and future generations.

Climate change and environment is a priority for all four programme areas of UNICEF Viet Nam. We has demonstrated innovative solutions for a greener, cleaner, and safer environment for every child and we are supporting MOET in its role to address climate adaptation and mitigation through the school system, moving towards a climate-smart education.

There are more than 40,000 schools in Viet Nam that have potential for clean energy transition, particularly by applying the Rooftop Solar (RTS) System. The implementation of RTS in schools in the country will not only build a climate-smart school model which provides clean and renewable energy resource, but also contribute to raising awareness of children in using clean energy.

However, the implementation of RTS in schools in Viet Nam is quite limited due to the lack of a mechanism to scaling up RTS. Schools in Viet Nam are publicly funded by state budget for their operation activities and thus, have the limited ability (or lack thereof) to pay for the heavy capital investment of the RTS systems upfront, which lead to lack of solar adoption by schools.

As such, UNICEF is partnering with Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), an inter-governmental organization specialized in green growth, for a project called “Clean Energy for Climate-smart Schools in Viet Nam” to assess and develop options that would incentivize schools and the private sector to invest in RTS, catalyzed by public finance. We are conducting an assessment with various agencies and organizations, including MOET, some Departments of Education and Training (DOETs) and schools towards replicating the solar power model in the education sector in Viet Nam, with the desire to bring green benefits to more than 21.2 million school-age children and their communities, especially those living in remote areas where electric facilities are not sufficient. In addition, MOET, as a strategic governmental partner of UNICEF, committed to work closely with UNICEF to deliver best results for this initiative, which serves as evidence to guide appropriate activities for the next 5 years partnership (2022 – 2026) between MOET and UNICEF. Findings from the assessment will provide recommendations for the way forward in the education sector.

Purpose and objectives:

The national consultancy aims to provide professional technical and operational assistance to UNICEF and MOET in assessing the potential of a climate-smart school model with RTS in the education sector for climate change mitigation and environment education. The selected consultant can make sub-contracts to other consultants and self-manage this team to submit required deliverables in a timely manner.

Specifically, the national consultant is expected to provide support to UNICEF and MOET on the followings:

1. To co-develop the final design of an online survey tool for RTS in schools on Google Form for MOET, DOETs, BOETs and schools in consultation with MOET;

2. To provide technical support and advice to MOET for implemetation of an online survey for RTS in schools in selected provinces, including field trips (if necessary);

3. To provide technical support and advice to MOET for giving comments and feedback to the report of clean energy for climate-smart schools in Viet Nam;

4. To provide technical support and advice to MOET and UNICEF for organizing the launch of the report.

Location of work:

The consultant is expected to work at home with meetings either online or offline at UNICEF and MOET offices as necessary.

Specific tasks, deliverables and timeline:

The consultant is required to work closely and collaboratively with UNICEF and MOET in all steps of the consultancy. The consultancy will primarily be home-based. Given changeable availability of government partners, this assignment necessarily allows a degree of flexibility to the timeframes to enable UNICEF to remain agile and responsive to the needs of MOET and related partners. It will involve a combination of home-based work and regular emails, phone calls, Teams/Zoom discussions with UNICEF and participation in relevant technical and advocacy meetings/workshops as required.

Please find attached the full TOR for specific tasks and deliverables Consultancy Notice National Consultant.pdf

Management and reporting:

The national consultant will be supervised by the Chief of Education in UNICEF. The Chief of Education is responsible for providing overall technical guidance and approving intermediate and final products, with support from the Education Specialist and the Adolescent Development Officer. The UNICEF Education Section will support MOET in the organization of the technical meetings and validation.

Performance indicators for evaluation:

Timeliness, inclusion of and response to UNICEF, MOET comments, quality of services will be rendered. The performance evaluation is conducted upon the completion of deliverables according to timeline as mentioned above.

Performance indicators for evaluation:

Timeliness, inclusion of and response to UNICEF and MOLISA comments, quality of services rendered.

The performance evaluation is conducted upon the completion of deliverables according to timeline as mentioned above.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Qualification/Specialized Knowledge and Experience:

Qualifications and Experience

- An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: education, public policy, environmental and/or social sciences;

- At least 10 years professional experience in strengthening education, including education management and policy, budgeting at government level, private sector engagement, scientific research and/or child welfare, or other relevant areas.

Knowledge and Skills

- Excellent knowledge and skills in survey design and data collection, sciences, technology, climate change and environment;

- Strong coordination skills at national and sub-national levels;

- Good writing and communication skills.

Competencies

- Working experience and familiarity with UNICEF’s vision, mission and programming on education or with another UN agency is preferable;

- Experience in working with Governments.

Languages

- Fluency in written and spoken English is required;

Assessment criteria:

For evaluation and selection method, the Cumulative Analysis Method (weight combined score method) shall be used for this recruitment:

a) Technical Qualification (max. 100 points) weight 70 %:

- An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: education, public policy, environmental and/or social sciences, 15 points.

- At least 10 years professional experience in strengthening education, including education management and policy, budgeting at government level, private sector engagement, scientific research and/or child welfare, or other relevant areas, 20 points.

- Excellent knowledge and skills in survey design and data collection, sciences, technology, climate change and environment, 20 points.

- Strong coordination skills at national and sub-national levels, 20 points.

- Working experience with the government and familiarity with UNICEF’s vision, mission and programming on education or with another UN agency is preferable, 10 points.

- Strong writing capacity and communication skills in both English and Vietnamese, 15 points.

Financial Proposal (max. 100 points) weight 30 %

The maximum number of points shall be allotted to the lowest Financial Proposal that is opened/evaluated and compared among those technical qualified candidates who have attained a minimum 70 points score in the technical evaluation. Other Financial Proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price.

The Contract shall be awarded to candidate obtaining the highest combined technical and financial scores, subject to the satisfactory result of the verification interview [if needed.]

Submission of applications:

Interested candidates are kindly requested to apply and upload the following documents to the assigned requisition in UNICEF Vacancies: http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/

1. Letter of interest and confirmation of availability;
2. Technical proposal which clearly explains the outline on how to deliver the tasks and deliverables (preferably less than 3 pages);
3. Performance evaluation reports or references of similar consultancy assignments (if available);
4. Financial proposal: All-inclusive lump-sum cost including consultancy fee, travel and accommodation cost for this assignment as per work assignment.
5. CV/P11 form (UN Personal History Form) P 11 form.doc

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.