National Lead Technical Expert on the review and processing data for the development of Project Identification Form to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in the Republic of Tajikistan

Contract

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Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) operates in over 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, to reduce inequalities and to increase sustainability. One of its critical priorities for 2020 is to support countries to accelerate ambitious action on climate change.

A healthy ozone layer and climate are essential to meeting all of the Sustainable Development Goals. The Montreal Protocol continues to protect people and planet alike. The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol agreed in October 2016 is expected to avoid up to 0.4°C of global warming by the end of this century through phasing down the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), powerful climate-heating gases largely used in cooling systems. Cooling is essential to human health, food security, economic productivity, and is becoming more important in the context of increasing global mean temperatures accompanied by more extreme heat waves. It is urgent to assist developing countries to access and scale up the use of the efficient and sustainable cooling technologies as a priority for tackling and adapting to the climate change.

UNDP’s current Montreal Protocol portfolio covers 56 countries supported by the Multilateral Fund and 5 countries supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). UNDP helps countries to meet the objectives of the Montreal Protocol on the phase-out of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) and HFC phase down under the Kigali Amendment.

The Republic of Tajikistan, as a country with economy in transition, honours its international commitments under the Montreal Protocol and is undertaking successful actions to accelerate the phase out of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs).

On the 29th of June 2022, the Government of Tajikistan ratified the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. The Kigali Amendment brings the future production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the control of the Protocol and will make a major contribution towards the fight against climate change.

According to the Kigali Amendment, Tajikistan is facing an ambitious reduction schedule to phase down 5% of HFCs at 2020 from their baseline level, 35% at 2025 and 70% at 2029.

The Committee on Environmental Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan has requested UNDP’s support to access financial support from GEF to phase down HFCs to meet the reduction target for the Kigali Amendment. This will be achieved through the development of a Project Identification Form (PIF)[1]. The PIF should:

• be aligned with the national priorities and policy frameworks of the Government of Tajikistan,
• be in accordance with the GEF-8 programming strategy, particularly the chemicals and waste focal area, and
• meet the relevant requirements of the Kigali Amendment.

UNDP Country Office in Tajikistan is thus seeking to recruit an experienced National Lead Expert who possesses excellent understanding of country context, knowledge of chemicals (HCFCs and HFCs) and assist Team Leader with the development of the PIF to UNDP-GEF to achieve Kigali targets on HFCs phase out in Tajikistan

[1] UNDP/GEF PIF Template and Guidance will be provided by UNDP Country Office

Duties and Responsibilities

Specific tasks and responsibilities of the National Lead Technical Expert include:

• Participate in the review of current regulations and policies on the implementation of the Montreal Protocol as well as the relevant climate action in Tajikistan and identify the activities to be needed in terms of policy framework and regulatory work for compliance with the Kigali Amendment.
• Coordinate organization, preparation and execution of the activities in conjunction with UNDP Country Office, UNDP-GEF and the Team Leader.
• Participate in coordination meetings and collaborate with other national experts working on other aspects of the assignment.
• Assist in finalization of the methodological guidelines to study HFC consumption in Tajikistan.
• Act as a local coordinator for the study and related data collection and consolidation.
• Review and analyze data on the current national legal and regulatory frameworks governing the use of ODS/HCFCs and HFCs, including a description of applicable laws, regulations (licensing, import and export controls, any distribution quotas, etc.), as well as current organizational structure, and an assessment of existing administrative practices and availability of funds necessary to implement them. This also includes any elements of previous international financial assistance, including investment and other aspects of the ODS/HCFC phase-outs.
• Conduct a detailed review and analysis of existing data on HCFCs and other ODSs that have been officially submitted by Tajikistan to the Ozone Secretariat of the Montreal Protocol since 1997, including official data on imports/exports, trade and consumption derived from the national ODS licensing system and customs information (if applicable);
• Conduct a desk review for preparation of a situational analysis of consumption (and, where applicable, production), import, export/re-export of HFCs and distribution channels within the country. Calculation and determination of the baseline of HFC consumption for Tajikistan, according to the endorsed methodology of the Kigali Amendment of the Montreal Protocol in CO2 equivalent.
• Interact with various suppliers/importers/distributors of chemicals and equipment and/or their representatives, relevant industry associations that are consumers of HFCs.

• When needed, pay visits to individual largest consumers (target enterprises) and collect baseline information about the enterprises and other documentation in accordance with the methodological to study HFC consumption. Information gathered at the enterprise level, where practicable, should include, but is not limited to, the following information:

• General history of the enterprise, scope of activities, production capacity and product range;

• Dates of commissioning of the respective production lines;
• Percentages of local and foreign investments (specify country and % for different countries if more than one);
• Percentage of manufactured products exported (by countries, if exports are made to more than one country);
• Use of CFCs and HCFCs over the past three years and sources of supply.
• Has there been previous financial assistance from the GEF to phase out CFCs and HCFCs, if yes, please describe.

• Actual production of products using ODS and HFCs over the last 3 years by type/model

• Collect and incorporate data obtained in accordance with the methodological guidelines to study HFC consumption and its annexes.

• At the request of UNDP and/or the Team Leader, assist in obtaining any other verifications, documentation or information from the identified HFCs users.
• Facilitate organization and conduct of meetings with key decision-makers and technical specialists from stakeholder organizations, especially major users of HFCs, as well as organizing site visits.
• Facilitate discussions of alternative technologies with interested industrial and commercial enterprises in various industries and sub-sectors. Discussions should be held in close cooperation with and under the guidance of UNDP International Consultant.
• Assist in organizing stakeholder consultation workshops or other necessary outreach activities.
• Assist UNDP Country Office and Team Leader to identify and develop priority actions (in the short-, medium- and long-term periods).

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

• Professionalism;
• Communication;
• Teamwork;
• Accountability.

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism;
• Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Advanced university degree in Refrigeration Engineering, Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management, Climate Change, or other relevant disciplines. (Criteria A)

Qualification:

• Excellent understanding of the country’s context and environmental issues. (Criteria B)
• Sound knowledge of International/Global Treaties on Chemicals. (Criteria C)

Experience:

• At least 5 years of experience in project management, administration and implementation with national and/or international partners in the field of climate change, environmental and biodiversity conservation. (Criteria D)
• At least 10 years of experience in undertaking surveys and assessments related to HCFCs and HFCs. (Criteria E)

Language:

• Fluency in Tajik and Russian. (Criteria F)

Application Procedure:

Please follow the link to download Individual Consultant Procurement Notice and follow the application procedures indicated in the downloaded ICPN:

http://www.undp.tj/va/upload/va/2.%20ICPN_National%20Lead%20Technical%20Expert_HFC_PIF.pdf

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

DOCUMENTS TO BE INCLUDED WHEN SUBMITTING THE PROPOSALS.

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

Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP. Personal CV and/or resume. Brief description of approach to work/technical proposal of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a proposed methodology on how they will approach and complete the assignment (the methodology is a subject for evaluation (Criteria G)) Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price and all other travel related costs (such as flight ticket, per diem, etc.), supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template attached to the Letter of Confirmation of Interest template. If an applicant 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 applicant must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP. All application materials should be submitted by email at the following address ONLY: ([email protected]) by 19 December 2022. Incomplete applications will be excluded from further consideration.