International Consultant (Graphic Design Advisor)

Background

UNDP Afghanistan Mission Statement:

UNDP supports stabilization, state-building, governance and development priorities in Afghanistan. UNDP support, in partnership with the Government, the United Nations system, the donor community and other development stakeholders, has contributed to institutional development efforts leading to positive impact on the lives of Afghan citizens. Over the years, UNDP support has spanned such milestone efforts as the adoption of the Constitution; Presidential, Parliamentary and Provincial Council elections; institutional development through capacity-building to the legislative, the judicial and executive arms of the state, and key ministries, Government agencies and commissions at the national and subnational levels. UNDP has played a key role in the management of the Law and Order Trust Fund, which supports the Government in developing and maintaining the national police force and in efforts to stabilize the internal security environment. Major demobilization, disarmament and rehabilitation and area-based livelihoods and reconstruction programmes have taken place nationwide. UNDP Programmes in Afghanistan have benefited from the very active support of donors. UNDP Afghanistan is committed to the highest standards of transparency and accountability and works in close coordination with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and the UN system as a whole to maximize the impact of its development efforts on the ground.

Organizational context:

The UN Electoral Support Project (UNESP) is the international community’s programming vehicle to support the next elections in Afghanistan, including the parliamentary and district council elections announced by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) for 7 July 2018. The project has two overall objectives – 1) to build the capacity of the Afghan electoral institutions (the Independent Elections Commission and the Electoral Complaints Commission) to implement elections in line with the national electoral legal framework and Afghanistan’s international commitments; 2) to allow a programming mechanism for the international community to partially finance the elections as per the request of the Government of Afghanistan. The project follows previous UN projects in support of the Afghan electoral process, most notably the Enhancing Legal and Electoral Capacity for Tomorrow (ELECT) projects, from 2006-2011 (ELECT I) and 2012-2015 (ELECT II), and the UNDP Project Initiation Plan that is in place since July 2015 – October 2017. The UNESP places the UN’s electoral support to Afghanistan directly under the political and supervisory oversight of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), and reflects the growing sustainability of the Afghan electoral process, as evidenced by the Government of Afghanistan’s financial commitment to both electoral institutions, and the provision of significant in-kind support to the implementation of elections. The Project Board, under the overall political guidance of the UNAMA Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Political, will be co-chaired by UNAMA DSRSG for Political and the Chairpersons of the IEC and ECC or their delegates. It will be comprised of all key stakeholders to oversee and approve UNESP’s budget, annual work plans and policy in support of the Afghan electoral institutions. Project implementation support will be provided by the UNDP Country Office, reporting, on fiduciary and operational matters, to the UNAMA Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Development/ UN Resident Coordinator/ UNDP Resident Representative through the UNDP Country Director.

Along with support to both electoral institutions, UNESP will also support Afghan civil society’s civic and voter education and observation efforts to enhance the quality and quantity of participation in the electoral process. Overall, the project will have three outputs: (i) administration of credible elections is facilitated by the meeting of key IEC structural and planning milestones; (ii) credible electoral dispute resolution is provided by the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) (iii) public outreach (along with support to civil society) to encourage citizen engagement in the electoral process. Mainstreaming of gender throughout the project is evident in key output indicators related to women’s participation in all three project outputs, reflecting the importance that UNESP places on increasing the position of women in Afghan electoral and political life. The project also aims at supporting the EMBs in strengthening integrity of the electoral process by enhancing accountability of responsible actors and supporting the implementation of electoral fraud mitigation mechanisms. Assisting the EMBs to implement measures to increase public confidence in election and democracy will be mainstreamed through the electoral assistance provided.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Work and Deliverables:

Under the overall guidance of the of the Chief Electoral Advisor/UNEST Director and the supervision of Senior Electoral Operations Policy Advisor to IEC and the Election Information Management Specialist, in close coordination with the IEC, the Graphic Design Advisor consultant will work closely with the IEC DCEO Operations to advise the IEC on the design and security features for Voter Registration Cards, Registration Booklets, Forms and other electoral materials associated with Voter Registration.

The consultant will also review and report on the present status of the IEC Graphics Unit, the report to include capacities in staffing, equipment and the local commercial / publication print industry. 

The Graphic Design Advisor will be responsible for the following key functions to achieve desired results:

Technical Support for Voter Registration (VR) Sensitive Materials

• Provide technical support to IEC on all aspects of the design and security features of the Voter Registration Cards, Registration booklets and other electoral materials associated with VR, including but not limited to the designing, production, printing, packaging, storage and security of the VR cards and books;

• Advise the IEC on sensitive “security” features that can be incorporated into the design of the VR Card and quality control mechanisms that can ensure that printed materials are produced according to graphic standards and technical specifications; 

• Assist the IEC with the technical specifications (design artwork / layout, security features, paper gsm, binding) for Voter Registration Cards;

• Assist the IEC with the specifications (design artwork / layout, security features, paper gsm, binding) for Voter Registration booklets;

• Assist the IEC with the technical specifications including but not limited to the designing, production, printing, packaging, delivery, storage and security of the VR cards and booklets;

• Act as the technical specialist during the procurement tender process and be an observer for any evaluation processes conducted in relation to VR security printed materials;

• On award of contract assist the IEC in the liaison with printing companies to ensure transfer of final files and quality control of the printing process of VR cards, VR booklets and other electoral materials associated with VR.

Technical Support for Voter Registration (VR) Non-sensitive Materials

• Assist the IEC in the design of all VR non-sensitive printed materials for in-house training of IEC support staff in HQ, Provincial and District offices;

• Review the IEC existing art-works, photos, charts and other graphic elements in relation to VR and support the IEC in development of new materials;

• Advise and assist the IEC in production of voter education/information and training materials for IEC support staff in HQ, Provincial and District offices.

Review the present status of the IEC Graphics Unit and Local Commercial / Publication Print Industry. 

• Conduct a review and report on the present status of the IEC Graphics Unit, including capacities in staffing, office location and requirements as well as all equipment;

• Conduct a review and report on the capabilities of the local commercial / publication print industry to determine future national contracts to support election day processes;

• Conduct a skills assessment of IEC Graphics Unit staff to ascertain technical capabilities and training requirements for future trainings to be implemented by UNEST;

• Advise on the necessary graphics software, security features, and hardware upgrades required for the IEC Graphics Unit to raise higher standards (international level) in Voter Registration Sensitive and Non-sensitive related electoral materials;

• Assist in the installation of graphic design software (Windows / MAC OS), hardware and equipment as required.

Support the IEC in their Cooperation with Publishing Agencies, Art Production, and Printing Companies:

• Advise the IEC on project management techniques for work performed by outside agencies, art services, printers, etc.;

• Ensure that company awarded the printing of Voter Registration and in-house training materials, design and production processes are done according to agreed technical specifications, production timelines, standard operating procedures, and if not, advise on appropriate remedies;

• To support the IEC in liaising with external printers on a regular basis to ensure deadlines are met and materials are produced to the highest quality;

• In coordination with the Graphics Unit, supervise printing and advise the IEC on quality control mechanisms which will ensure materials are printed to an appropriate standard as per specifications, and packaged, labeled, and delivered according to requirements.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables:

The Graphic Design Advisor consultant will:

• The Consultant will provide technical advice to the IEC in close coordination with the UN Electoral Support Team (UNEST);

• The Consultant will submit monthly and ad-hoc reports during the consultancy period.

Schedule of Payment:

Payments shall be done monthly based on actual days worked, upon verification of completion of specific reports and approval by the consultant’s supervisor and a timesheet according to UNDP procurement formats for individual contractors.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Building support and political acumen;

• Building staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation;

• Building and promoting effective teams;

• Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;

• Creating an emotionally intelligent organization;

• Leveraging conflict in the interests of UNDP & setting standards;

• Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;

• Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking.

Building Partnerships

• Effectively networks with partners seizing opportunities to build alliances;

• Identifies needs and interventions for capacity building of counterparts, clients and potential partners;

• Displays initiative, sets challenging outputs for him/herself and willingly accepts new work assignments.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing

• Makes the case for innovative ideas documenting successes and building them into the design of new approaches;

• Participates in the development of mechanisms, including identifying new approaches to promote individual and organizational learning and knowledge sharing using formal and informal methodologies.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

• Understands advanced aspects of primary area of specialization as well as the fundamental concepts of related disciplines (financial resources management);

• Continues to seek new and improved methods and systems for accomplishing the work of the unit;

• Keeps abreast of new developments in area of professional discipline and job knowledge and seeks to develop him/herself professionally;

• Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;

• Continually looking for ways to enhance financial performance in the office.

Promoting Organizational Change and Development

• Performs appropriate work analysis and assists in redesign to establish clear standards for implementation.

Design and Implementation of Management Systems

• Makes recommendations regarding operation of systems within organizational units;

• Identifies and recommends remedial measures to address problems in systems design or implementation.

Client Orientation

• Anticipates client needs;

• Demonstrates understanding of client’s perspective;

• Solicits feedback on service provision and quality.

Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management

• Provides inputs to the development of organizational standards for accountability.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:         

• Bachelor’s Degree (Undergraduate) or equivalent in Graphic Arts or Design or related field.

Experience:

• 10 years of relevant, diversified, and professional experience in graphic arts, design, and printing technologies;

• Previous experience in assisting in the design of electoral voter registration sensitive and non-sensitive related materials;

• Advanced graphic computer skills with Windows and Mac OS;

• Excellent knowledge of election related issues;
• Ability to apply development theory to the specific country context to identify creative, practical approaches to overcome challenging situations;
• Excellent graphic skills;

• Knowledge/experience in working with Arabic fonts is a must;

• Previous experience in Afghanistan or other Islamic countries an asset.

Language Requirements

• Good oral and written English is required;

• Knowledge of Pashto and/or Dari Languages would be an asset.

Working Arrangements

Institutional Arrangements:

• The UNDP project will provide office space, IT equipment (mobile phone, sim card & laptop) as well as security equipment (Handheld Radio, PPE) and office transportation;

• Accommodation will be arranged by UNESP, with payment being made directly by the consultant to the relevant accommodation management office;

• The Consultant will be based in Kabul, Afghanistan, however there may be instances where the consultant may work from home due to the specifics of the task at the time. During the contract period, the UNESP will directly discuss the requirements of in country / work from home arrangements with the consultant;

• All airfares and travels costs including visa on arrival charges will be borne by the project. DSA will only be paid periods of time spent in Afghanistan.DSA will not be paid for work days outside of Afghanistan.

Duration of the Work:

• 6 months - with maximum of 132 working days (possibility of extension).

Duty Station:

• Kabul, Afghanistan.

Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

The contractor shall submit a price proposal as below:

• Daily Fee – The consultant shall propose a daily fee, which should be inclusive of her/his professional fee, local communication costs and insurance (inclusive of medical health insurance and evacuation). The professional daily fee, all inclusive of the above elements, shall be paid upon submission of timesheet. The number of working days for which the daily fee shall be payable under the contract is 132 days’ maximum;

• Living Allowance - The contractor shall propose a Living allowance at the Kabul applicable rate of USD 162 per night for his/her stay at the duty station. The maximum number of nights for which the Living allowance shall be payable under the contract is 184 nights. The contractor is NOT allowed to stay in a place of his choice other than the UNDSS approved places. UN will provide MORSS compliant accommodation in UNOCA to the contractor. The payment of UNOCA accommodation shall be made directly by the contractor;

• Travel & Visa – The contractor shall propose an estimated lump sum for home-Kabul-home travel and Afghanistan visa expenses;

• The contractor shall be entitled for R&R - 7 calendar days (paid as per UNDP policy) for every six weeks during the assignment. After the last R&R, the contract should mandatorily stay in country for minimum of 30 calendar days as per UNDP rules and regulations;

Payment: Payments shall be done monthly based on actual days worked, upon verification of completion of specific reports and approval by the consultant’s supervisor and a timesheet according to UNDP procurement formats for individual contractors.

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:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and

• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation.

Technical Criteria weight 70%;

Financial Criteria weight 30%.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Technical Criteria 70 points:

Technical Proposal (40 marks)

• Technical Approach & Methodology (20 marks) – Explain the understanding of the objectives of the assignment, approach to the services, methodology for carrying out the activities and obtaining the expected output, and the degree of detail of such output. The Applicant should also explain the methodologies proposed to adopt and highlight the compatibility of those methodologies with the proposed approach;

• Interview the shortlisted candidates (20 marks).

Qualification and Experience (30 marks) [evaluation of CV]:

• General Qualification (10 marks);

• Experience relevant to the assignment (20 marks).

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications in one single PDF document:

• Duly accomplished Confirmation of Interest and Submission of Financial Proposal Template using the template provided by UNDP (Annex II);

• Personal CV or P11, 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.

Technical proposal:

• Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment;

• A methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment and work plan as indicated above.