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Individual Consultant - Wild Cats Specialist - (Open to Indian Nationals only)

Home Based - May require travel

  • Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
  • Location: Home Based - May require travel
  • Grade: Consultancy - National Consultant - Locally recruited Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)
  • Closing Date: Closed

Background

UNDP has been supporting the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in meeting its national and international environmental priorities and commitments. These include close to 40 projects in the area of biodiversity conservation, sustainable resource management, climate change and chemical management. UNDP’s support focusses  on technical and policy advisory, institutional strengthening and building capacities of various stakeholders to utilize natural resources in a sustainable way, while increasing resilience to climate variability and associated risks and impacts.

UNDP also supports India’s engagement with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and works with Central Ministries and state governments to implement GEF funds.

UNDP is developing a full-size project (FSP) entitled, “Strengthening conservation and resilience of globally-significant wild cat landscapes through a focus on small cat and leopard conservation”, with support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The project will be anchored in the Wildlife Division of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The project will fall under the GEF 7 Programme on Global Wildlife Programme, comprising a series of national child projects. The development of the FSP will thus entail working closely with a range of stakeholders – government departments and agencies at centre and state level, community -based institutions, civil society organizations, academic and research institutions, private sector and local communities.

UNDP seeks to engage a National Wild Cats Specialist for conducting assessments on the status and threats to target wild cat species in the project landscapes (in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Assam, Meghalaya and Uttar Pradesh) and help define appropriate project interventions to improve management and conservation of wild cats at site level (key PAs and surrounding buffer zones) and through integration with tiger portfolio and transboundary collaboration. S/he will be an expert in wild cat conservation, management and threat assessment including human-wildlife conflict and poaching and illegal trade. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Specific functions to be performed by the consultant include:

1. Preparatory Technical Studies and Reviews (Component A): Prepare inputs and support the required analyses/studies, as agreed with the GEF Project Development Specialist and National Lead Consultant, including:

  • Prepare inputs for the baseline/situational analysis for the full-size project covering i) assessment of the current threats, population status and population trends of small wild cats (plus leopards), their habitats, and prey at project sites (Component 2); ii) levels of human-wildlife conflict and current mitigation approaches (Component 3); and iii) transboundary partnerships and actions for wild cat conservation (Component 4);
  • On the basis of this information, assess priorities and identify appropriate site-specific interventions to help improve wild cat habitat and prey management, and human-wildlife conflict management and reduced poaching within the project landscapes. Confirm the feasibility and agree these interventions with key stakeholders within the landscapes. Assess priorities and identify key interventions to strengthen transboundary action and integrated action on wild cat conservation.
  • Assess existing capacity gaps and needs for effective conservation and management of wild cats, among key stakeholders, including government departments, local authorities and community and broader resource users. For front-line PA staff perform capacity needs assessment using a Capacity Development Scorecard adapted for wild cat conservation. Based on capacity gaps assessment, suggest interventions for strengthening these capacities, including designing preliminary elements of a capacity building programme that can be further developed during project implementation and needed Standard Operating Procedures. 
  • Provide inputs to the development of landscape profiles, including information on wild cat presence and status, and human-wildlife conflict hotspots;
  • Provide inputs for the development of practical and achievable project targets for the Results Framework, and identification of clear baselines;
  • Support the stakeholder analysis and consultations and ensure that they are complete and comprehensive, including through taking part in national and field site consultations, especially with PA staff and relevant communities;
  • Support the completion of any additional studies that are determined to be needed for the preparation of the ProDoc and all other final outputs as guided by the GEF Project Development Specialist.

2. Contributions to the Formulation of the ProDoc, CEO Endorsement Request and Mandatory and Project Specific Annexes (Component B):

  • inputs and support the development of final PPG deliverables, as agreed with the GEF Project Development Specialist and National Lead PPG Consultant.

3. Validation Workshop (Component C):

  • Participate in, and contribute to the validation workshop.
  • Support necessary revisions that arise during the workshop, as appropriate.

Deliverables:

Deliverable 1: Submission of Workplan and methodology with timelines; Due date: 15 July 2019

Deliverable 2: Report summarizing technical studies as described above along with Inputs on wild cat status and threats for landscape profiles; Due date:  5 October 2019

Deliverable 3: Baseline capacity development scorecards for frontline institutions; Due date: 15 November 2019

Deliverable 4: Draft report with appropriate inputs provided to the Final Project Document and Annexes, as agreed with GEF Project Development Specialist. Due date: 10 December 2019

Deliverable 5: Final report with inputs provided to the Final  Document and Annexes, as agreed with GEF Project Development Specialist and after comments (if any) received from GEF Secretariat and GEF Council. Due date: 30 Arpil 2020.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

  • Excellent drafting, documentation and communication skills in English;
  • In-depth knowledge of environment issues and project management skills;
  • Proven record on similar documentation work at the National level.

Corporate Competencies:

  • Promote the highest standards of ethics and integrity;
  • Support creativity and innovation;
  • Help create an enabling environment for open communication;
  • Share knowledge and support a culture of learning;
  • Demonstrate fairness and transparency.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • Maters’ degree in a relevant field, such as conservation biology, environmental law, biological sciences, environmental management, or similar.

Experience:

  • Minimum of 10 years of demonstrated relevant professional experience in biodiversity conservation, with specific experience in wild cat biology and/or conservation, including in threats such as human-wildlife conflict and illegal trade.
  • Demonstrated understanding of policy and operational context for wild cat conservation in India, and of partnerships related to wild cat conservation.
  • Experience working with UNDP and/or WWF on GEF projects an advantage.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.

Language:

  • Excellent command of English is required.

Duration:

  • 7 weeks (maximum of 35 days) spread over 12 months.

Payment Schedule:

  • 10% on successful completion and acceptance of Deliverable 1
  • 35% on successful completion and acceptance of Deliverable 2
  • 30% on successful completion and acceptance of Deliverable 3
  • 10% on successful completion and acceptance of Deliverable 4
  • 15% on successful completion and acceptance of Deliverable 5

Evaluation Criteria:

Cumulative analysis

The award of the contract shall be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

  • Responsive;
  • 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 Proposal : 35 marks
  • Relevant Experience : 25 marks
  • Qualification : 10 marks

Documents to be submitted:

Offeror letter to UNDP confirming interest and availability for the Individual Contractor Assignment;

Updated Curriculum Vitae including experience in similar projects, name / contact details of 3 referees;

A brief (not more than 3 pages) technical proposal that includes a write-up on the methodology for achieving the activities mentioned above.   

A financial proposal indicating all-inclusive per day consultancy rate, excluding travel expenses.  All Travel will be arranged and borne by UNDP  following UNDP’s rules and regulations or will be reimbursed on submission of F10 on the most direct and economical route.

All the above documents should be clubbed in one pdf file before uploading as the system will accept only one attachment.

Notes:

  • Any kind of miscellaneous charges i.e. internet, phone etc. would not be reimbursed;
  • Individuals working with institutions may also apply, contract would be issued in the name of institution for the specific services of individual;
  • Please note proposals without financial proposal will not be considered;
  • All the documents should be clubbed in one file (pdf) for uploading;
  • Consultants must bring his/her own computing equipment.

The following documents can be accessed by clicking the link:

General Conditions for Individual Contract-http://www.in.undp.org/content/dam/india /docs/procurement/UNDP%20General%20Conditions%20for%20Individual%20Contracts.pdf

Offerors Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability for the Individual Contractor (IC) Assignment, including Financial Proposaltemplate-

http://www.in.undp.org/content/dam/india/docs/careers/PSU_%20Individual%20Contract_Offerors-Letter-UNDP.pdf

For queries, please email to: ic.india@undp.org 

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 does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
This vacancy is now closed.
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