Team Leader and Project Development International Project Design Specialist (GEF PPG) will also be the Team Leader the PPG

Contract

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

Background

1) GENERAL BACKGROUND

The Global Environment Facility (GEF), Project Identification Form (PIF) was approved in 58th Council Meeting of GEF in early June 2020. As a result of the approval a Project Preparation Grant (PPG) has been awarded to develop the project concept into a full project: Integrated Water Resource Management and Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in the Xe Bang Hieng river basin and Luang Prabang city. The project will strengthen integrated catchment management (ICM) and integrated urban flood management within the Xe Bang Hieng river basin (Savannakhet) and also the city of Luang Prabang, respectively, for increased climate resilience of rural and urban communities. This approach will ensure that water resources and flood risks are managed in an integrated manner, considering spatial interlinkages and dependencies between land use, ecosystem health and underlying causes of vulnerability to climate change. 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 capacity of national and provincial decision makers, as well as local stakeholders through use of the improved information system. Using Integrated Catchment Management( ICM) and integrated urban flood management approaches and also based on integrated adaptation planning, the project will support Ecosystem- Based Adaptation (EBA) interventions, including those that improve water resource management and reduce vulnerability to floods and droughts. These interventions will be complemented by capacity development and awareness raising as well as support for rural communities to adopt climate-resilient livelihood strategies and climate-smart agricultural practices. The project is expected to directly benefit 492,462 people, of whom over fifty percent will be women, and to enhance the climate resilient management of 86,000 ha of land. It will mainstream climate resilience in ten policies and plans, and train 2,116 people in climate change adaptation and vulnerability reduction. The following information is to be consulted as background for the GEF PPG phase: • PIF cleared for WP inclusion or GEF Council approved PIF (PFD and child project concept note for projects that are part of a program) and Project Initiation Plan. • SESP pre-screening (of PIF) • Comments from GEF Secretariat • Annotated UNDP-GEF Project Document Template and associated guidance included therein • UNDP policies and procedures • UNDP-GEF guidance notes on GEF project development (which will be provided by the RTA) and • GEF policies, in particular GEF polices on: Project Cancellation; Fee Policy for GEF Partner Agencies; Project and Program Cycle; and Minimum Fiduciary Standards for GEF Partner Agency (in particular sections dealing with the required separation of oversight and execution support services). All GEF policies are available here. The final outputs of the GEF PPG are: 1. UNDP-GEF Project Document (ProDoc). 2. Mandatory annexes to the ProDoc listed in the Annotated UNDP-GEF Project Document Template. 3. GEF CEO Endorsement Request and all mandatory annexes; and 4. Validation Workshop report (required for projects with a high SESP categorization; as appropriate for all others). Any additional studies and other reports produced under the GEF PPG and not included in Annex to the project document will be submitted to UNDP and saved for future reference.

Duties and Responsibilities

2) OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT The objective of the GEF PPG Team Leader is to lead the develop the project concept into a full project document: Integrated Water Resource Management and Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in the Xe Bang Hieng river basin and Luang Prabang city. As described in the project concept (PIF), this project aims to promote integrated management of sites in the Mekong River Basin for increased climate resilience of Savannakhet Province and Luang Prabang communities vulnerable to floods and droughts, which are expected to worsen under future scenarios. 3) SCOPE OF WORK 1) Management of the GEF PPG Team a. Define and submit a detailed methodology and work plan in consultation with the other consultants with clear delegation of responsibilities for the International Consultant (IC) and National Consultants (NCs), the PPG team; b. Ensure that project development is participatory, gender-responsive and based on extensive stakeholder engagements; and c. Verify and ensure that all project components are technically sound and cost effective. 2) Preparatory Technical Studies and Reviews (Component A): With inputs from the national consultants, as detailed in their respective TORs: a. Compile baseline/situational analysis for the full-size project (FSP). This will include a precise definition of baseline projects, activities, budgets, goals and co-financial links to GEF outcomes; definition of GEF incremental value per outcome and output; and presentation of results of the incremental costanalysis in matrices as appropriate; b. Lead and oversee the stakeholder analysis and consultations, with support from national consultants, and ensure that they are complete and comprehensive including consultations with the private sector and tourism associations and bodies; c. Ensure the preparation of the gender analysis and ensure its findings are meaningfully integrated into the project’s strategy, theory of change and results framework; d. Ensure action points, including risk assessments, from the UNDP Social and Environmental Screening Procedure (SESP) at the PIF stage (“pre-screening”) are fully implemented during the PPG, and update that screening in an iterative process throughout the PPG, and as appropriate; e. Oversee the identification of the project sites, with documentation of selection criteria and making sure that geo-referenced data and maps are clearly presented both for targeted protected areas and broader landscapes, as applicable; f. Ensure the design of appropriate project knowledge management processes and platforms, ensuring appropriate linkages to existing mechanisms and knowledge sharing in project landscapes; g. Lead and oversee the identification of opportunities for private sector engagement and co-financing; h. Ensure the preparation of partner capacity assessments and discussions on management arrangements early in the PPG process; i. Oversee the consultations with partners regarding financial planning; and j. Ensure completion of any additional studies that are determined to be needed for the preparation of the ProDoc and all other final outputs.

3) Formulation of the ProDoc, CEO Endorsement Request and Mandatory and Project Specific Annexes (Component B): With inputs from the national consultants, as detailed in their respective TORs, and based on international best practice: a. Develop, present and articulate the project’s theory of change; b. Develop the Results Framework in line with UNDP-GEF policy; c. Develop a detailed Monitoring and Evaluation Plan and Budget; d. Oversee and ensure the preparation of a comprehensive Stakeholder Engagement Plan; e. Oversee and ensure the preparation of a Gender Action Plan and Budget; f. Oversee and ensure the updating of the SESP based on assessments undertaken during Component A, and ensure the development of required environmental and/or social management plan(s) as required; g. Oversee the preparation of the required GEF tracking tools (if required) and GEF Core Indicators and ensure these are supported by robust and validated data; h. Secure all co-financing letters; i. Prepare the indicative procurement plan; j. Secure and present agreements on project execution and management arrangements and ensure that the project aligns to UNDP-GEF guidance on UNDP execution support; k. Ensure the completion of the required official endorsement letters; and l. Synthesize all analyses, studies, etc. that are prepared under Components A and B to produce the draft UNDP-GEF ProDoc, GEF CEO Endorsement, and all mandatory and project specific Annexes, using the templates.1 4) Validation Workshop (Component C): a. Lead the validation workshop to present, discuss and validate the final draft ProDoc and mandatory and project specific annexes, with a special focus on the SESP and any management plans; b. Oversee all necessary revisions that arise during the workshop; and c. Ensure completion of Validation Workshop Report.

4) DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT, DUTY STATION AND EXPECTED PLACES OF TRAVEL This is an 80-day (over 8-month period) consultancy service, starting as soon as possible. The International Consultant will be required to perform this assignment as home-based with in-country travels to the project sites in Savannakhet Province and Luang Prabang in close consultation with the UNDP Lao PDR Country Office and relevant agencies of the Government of Lao PDR (Department of Water Resource, Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment) . The International Consultant will work closely with UNDP Country Office, especially Natural Resource Management (NRM), Climate Change (CC) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and UXO Portfolio and relevant Government of Lao officers at provincial and district level within the target areas. Due to COVID-19, should travel not be possible contingency plans for remote working will be established.

5) FINAL PRODUCTS Output 1: Detailed methodology and work plan with clear delegation of responsibilities for the International Consultant (IC) and National Consultants (NCs), the PPG team; Output 2: Consolidation of all technical and consultation inputs and comments including from national stakeholders, UNDP, GEF Secretariat, STAP and GEF Council, into a well written and concise UNDP ProDoc with all required sections and Annexes, in line with the standard UNDP-GEF ProDoc template and annotated guidance; Output 3: Finalized SESP (and stand-alone management plans as required); Output 4: Validation Workshop Report. Output 5: All documentation from GEF PPG revised based on feedback (including technical reports, meeting minutes, etc.); and Completion of the GEF CEO Endorsement Request;

Competencies

• Demonstrated understanding of the GEF rationale and procedures, and demonstrated experience in formulation of GEF-funded project proposals, using the logical framework and the results-based management approaches;
• Knowledge of and experience in submission GEF LDCF proposals as a Team Leader.
• Experience working in Lao PDR on related initiatives highly desired.

Required Skills and Experience

• Master’s degree or higher in a relevant field, such as natural resources
• management, Integrated Water Resource Management, Ecosystem-based Project, forestry, environmental economics, environmental science or
• conservation or related field;
• Minimum 10 years of demonstrable experience in the technical area of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) and Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) and in preparing high quality project documents, particularly for UNDP and GEF projects;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English;

Requirements for submission of proposals:

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

UNDP Lao PDR Country Office website at https://www.la.undp.org/content/lao_pdr/en/home/jobs.html or

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

• TOR (Annex I)
• IC General Terms and Conditions _ Annex II;
• OFFEROR’S LETTER TO UNDP CONFIRMING INTEREST AND AVAILABILITY _ Annex III
• P11 Form

• Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

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

• Technical and Financial Proposal as per Annex III “OFFEROR’S LETTER TO UNDP CONFIRMING INTEREST AND AVAILABILITY”

• (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;

  (iii) 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;

  2. Financial proposal:

  (i) Detailed financial proposal: Lump sum offer with clear cost breakdown against each deliverable.

  Note: The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon monthly outputs, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days). All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. UNDP accept travel costs not exceeding of an economy class air ticket.

  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.