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International consultant on appraising tourism certification process and recommending most appropriate certification schema to apply in Vlora Bay

Home Based - May require travel

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Home Based - May require travel
  • Grade: Consultancy - International Consultant - Internationally recruited Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Sustainable trade and development
    • Resilience and Climate Change
    • Public, Private Partnership
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

UNDP has supported the Albanian Government to improve the coverage and management effectiveness of Albania’s network of marine and coastal protected areas as an essential complement to its network of terrestrial protected areas and contribute to Albania’s obligations under different UN Conventions and the EU accession process. Significant achievements were made in the Vlora region by catalyzing the involvement of stakeholders and by supporting the establishment of a clear institutional and legal framework for MCPA designation and management. However, multiple stages of development are needed before an Albanian ecologically representative MCPA network is fully realized and can provide coastal communities with sustained benefits from the marine and coastal environment.

The current project is focused on developing a scientifically designed, stakeholder supported network of MCPAs to effectively protect 30% of representative marine and coastal habitats of Albania. 

Among others, the project focus is given to intensifying and strengthening management activities for Karaburuni-Sazani MPA, strengthening the governance-based institutional support to the MCPAs network and ensuring that relevant authorities, administrations and stakeholder groups have the necessary capacities and tools to sustain the management and monitoring of the MPCAs network.

The richness of MPA S-K with its magnificent landscapes, high quality habitats and their abundant biodiversity, both on land and in the sea, its history and the existing built heritage, exceptional agro-culinary, combined with its centuries-old living arts, will serve as a brand ready to be communicated in international markets for high value added sustainable tourism as well as provide a strong potential for various types of conservation activities integrating both tourism and education. The site could even play a structuring role in the management of the whole bay generating positive economic impacts and benefits to the local population, through green tourism, improvement and greater coordination of private sector initiatives to match the initiatives of NGO and public sector leaders with these development challenges;

The bay of Vlora and all sensitive marine sites in that area are holiday destination and tourism attractions because of its exceptional historical, cultural and natural heritage. There is an increasing number of visitors each year (domestic and foreigner) welcomed in that site, and it is forecasted to rise in the following years. Therefore, it is to highlight the risk linked to un-sustained tourism development, causing as a direct consequence a decline in territorial quality and the artificial modification of coastlines and threat to marine ecosystems; In order to conserve local biodiversity while sustaining the tourism industry, new ecotourism approaches and certification frameworks & tools must be implemented to duly consider increasing pressure into the ecosystem; and for this very reason, the different components of the tourism industry need to be integrated into a wider strategy of environmental protection, i.e. since the hotel business is at the heart of tourist activity, it is important to evaluate and assess its environmental impact. This assignment will encourage and advice for eco-efficiency measures adapted to the hotel industry in Vlora in order to reduce their impact on the marine ecosystems and environment at wide.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the project manager the expertise will provide advice on integration of the environment as one component of day-to-day hotel management, identify significant and priority measures for hotels, enabling their implementation and ensuring sustainability over time, schemas to promote rational and eco-efficient use of resources and provide hotels the opportunity to make the first steps towards an integrated environmental management system

The rationale is to contribute on mainstreaming nature protection conservation into the tourism sector, to further strengthen marine protected area Karaburun - Sazani. As such the expert will assist the project unit, local authorities and others project stakeholders to enable engagement of tourism accommodation providers in Vlora bay into a Sustainable Tourism Certification Process             

The International Consultant will have the following tasks and responsibilities:

  • Assisted by the project staff provide an overall review of the main hotels in Vlora region and their compliance with environment standards
  • Inform on applicability of best international practice on sustainable tourism standards, comparable  certification schemes /bodies (advantages and disadvantages in the given specific case), voluntary certification, destination awards and incentives scheme and evaluate their applicability to Vlora region and the level of market interest (basically focusing sustainable energy, water, waste consumptions ad management approaches, renewable resources as well as education and information means); 
  • Demonstrate and support market research exercises / examples among selected private sector operators incl. their level of interest and willingness to pay for voluntary certification, procurement of local products and services (e.g. fish, locally run tours) and options for protected area concessions, licenses and entrance fees.
  • Advise and provide guidance on economic incentives for tourism investors to integrate sustainable development and biodiversity conservation needs.
  • Advise on sustainable tourism standards, and on certification and biodiversity offset schemes for tourism sector planning and operations, namely ecolabel ling for tourist accommodation, as unique opportunities to satisfy customers ‘expectations
  • In coordination with the project unit, conduct a workshop with concerned parties and local stakeholders,  on basic information for hotels Eco certification and best available practice thereof, in similar sites

Duration and deliverables:

The assignment is 13 days within 3 months   June – August , 2018.

  • 10% - upon delivery of the report outline and a clear work plan
  • 60%  - upon preparation of the first draft of the report, mission (6 days) in the site and workshop included  
  • 30% - upon delivery of the Final Report

Competencies

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

Core Competencies:

  • Communication - Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication.
  • Planning & Organizing – Develops clear goals in line with agreed strategies, identifies priorities, foresees risks and makes allowances accordingly.
  • Organizational Awareness - Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.
  • Teamwork - Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
  • Accountability – Takes ownership of all responsibilities and delivers outputs in accordance with agreed time, cost and quality standards.

Functional Competencies

  • Excellent inter-personal and teamwork skills, networking attitude;
  • Capacity to deliver as per deadlines;
  • Strong expertise in communication issues.
  • Familiarity with the International Conventions and EU Regulations
  • Ability to pick up new terminology and concepts easily
  • Ability and willingness to travel to the coastal and marine areas
  • Willing to work in a team with national and international expert.

Required Skills and Experience

Required Skills and Experience

  • University degree in tourism and related fields
  • At least 10 years of working experience in developing sustainable tourism approaches and/ or in implementing  eco-touristic certification schemas, preferably in MPA sites
  • Demonstrate knowledge and experience on developing and applying grants as support the interested    tourists operators in accessing the certification process
  • Proved experience on development of standards for sustainable tourism and certification systems (on both performance-based and process-based certification schemes)
  • Excellent English knowledge, including excellent report writing and presentation skills

EVALUATION OF APPLICANTS

Only those applications which are responsive and compliant will be evaluated.

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on Combined Scoring method taking into consideration the combination of the applicants’ qualifications and financial proposal.

Applicants obtaining 49 points or more of the total technical points will be considered for financial evaluation.

Combined weighted scoring: Technical (70%); Financial (30%).

Technical Criteria - 70% of total evaluation – max points: 70

  • Educational background                                                                       10 points
  • Professional experience and experience in similar assignments                35 points
  • Experience on Eco-tourism and Tourism Ecolabelling                               25 points

Financial Criteria - 30% of total evaluation – max points: 30

Application Procedure

Interested applicants are advised to carefully study all sections of this ToRs and ensure that they meet the general requirements as well as specific qualifications described. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.

The application should contain:

  • Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the "Resume and Motivation" section of the electronic application.
  • Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability-please fill in the attached form: http://www.un.org.al/doc/PSU_%20Individual%20Contract_Letter%20to%20UNDP.docx
  • Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees, please upload the P11 instead of your CV. Download here
  • Financial Proposal - specifying a total lump sum amount (working days, travel, per diems, and any other possible costs) for the tasks specified in this announcement. Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant/contractor during the contract period (e.g. fee, health insurance, vaccination and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of service, etc.). All envisaged international travel costs should be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel. 
  • Copy of Diplomas and copy of Passport.

*Kindly note that Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and Financial Proposal are two separate documents and should be both part of your application.

How to Submit the Application:

To submit your application online, please follow the steps below:

  • Download and complete the UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs);
  • Merge your UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SCs) and Individual Contracts (ICs), Financial Proposal. Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and cover letter into a single file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded;
  • Click on the Job Title (job vacancy announcement);
  • Click “Apply Now” button, fill in necessary information on the first page, and then click “Submit Application;”
  • Upload your application/single file as indicated above with the merged documents (underlined above);
  • You will receive an automatic response to your email confirming receipt of your application by the system.

Due to large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process.

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.

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.
This vacancy is now closed.
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