International Consultant - Sustainable Land Management Specialist - (Open to Indian Nationals only)

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 Sustainable Land Management and Community Engagement Specialist to conduct assessments on land use and land management practices in the project landscapes (in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Assam, Meghalaya and Uttar Pradesh) and help define appropriate project interventions to improve land management practices to support the conservation of wild cats including through diversified livelihoods of local communities. S/he will be an expert in sustainable agriculture/sustainable land management, with experience working with communities on the adoption of improved/value-added land management practices and livelihoods improvement.

Under the overall coordination of the International GEF Project Development Specialist and National Lead Consultant, in close collaboration with other PPG Team members (particularly the Wild Cats Specialist and Community Engagement Specialist), the consultant will participate in and support the PPG process, assessments, field visits, and the preparation of the ProDoc/GEF CEO Endorsement Request package, providing specialist inputs and expertise relevant to sustainable land management and livelihoods improvements.

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 land use, land management practices and livelihoods in demonstration landscapes, including threats to wild cat habitats (Components 2 and 3).
• On the basis of this information, assess priorities and identify appropriate site-specific interventions to help improve wild cat habitat and prey management through improved land management practices and promotion of diversified livelihoods, including opportunities for value addition to agriculture and livestock products. Confirm the feasibility and agree these interventions with key stakeholders within the landscapes.
• Identify opportunities for private sector participation in site-based interventions and partnerships with agricultural businesses operating in project landscapes.
• Provide inputs to the development of landscape profiles, including information on land use status and land management practices;
• 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 government 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):

• Prepare 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 along with Inputs on land use/land management for landscape profiles; Due date: 30 September 2019

Deliverable 3: Draft report with appropriate inputs provided to the Final Project Document and Annexes, as agreed with GEF Project Development Specialist. Due date:  15 November 2019.

Deliverable 4: Final report inputs provided to the Final Project Document and Annexes, as agreed with GEF Project Development Specialist, incorporating comments (if any) received from GEFSEC and GEF Council.  Due date: 30 April 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:

• Masters’ degree in a relevant field, such as agriculture, natural resources management, environmental management, or similar.

Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of demonstrated relevant professional experience in sustainable land management, with specific experience in working with communities on adoption of sustainable land management practices and diversified livelihoods.
• 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:

• 4 weeks (maximum of 20 days) spread over 12 months.

Payment Schedule:

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

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