National Consultant to support the development of the National Adaptation Planning Framework of South Sudan

Background

South Sudan National Development Strategy (NDS 2018-2021) centres on sustainable livelihoods and aims to consolidate peace and stabilize the economy with a focus on enabling a return to productive work; price stability; and access to basic social services. This is expected to be achieved through six strategic action areas and 12 priority actions. The strategic action areas include (i) Return the displaced; (ii) Enforce the law; (iii) Secure food; (iv) Silence the guns; (v) Maintain basic services, and (vi) Maintain basic roads.  Different studies and assessments prepared by development partners including by Netherlands MOFA 2018; USAID 2016 South Sudan over the past 30 years has been among the most rapidly warming locations on the planet, with temperatures increasing as much as 0.53C per decade.  Future projections agree that warming will continue at a rate significantly higher than global averages.  In addition, records indicate that much of South Sudan has experienced a 10-20% decrease in long rains since the mid-1970s.  In a country where approximately 87% of the population depends on agriculture, livestock, and forestry, changing environmental conditions threaten to imperil millions and undermine development progress, miring the country in poverty and instability into the future. 

To address climate change risk in the short- mid- and long-term, establish and strengthen policy and capacity-building efforts, integrate climate change into development planning and budget processes, and catalyse investment for climate change adaptation, the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) is embarking on a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process.  The NAP process builds on the National Adaptation Programme of Action (2016), and the recently submitted (August 2019) Initial National Communication (INC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).  In addition, the NAP process responds to the South Sudan National Environment Policy (2015-2025), which was endorsed by Parliament in 2016 and calls for the development of a national strategy for climate change adaptation and mitigation, the formulation of a climate change policy for South Sudan, and support to efforts to reduce community vulnerability to climate variability and change.  These policies and strategies have not yet been developed, and so the NAP process presents an opportunity to develop a coherent and uniform national response to climate change. 

Priority sectors that have been identified in South Sudan’s Nationally-Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement include agriculture and livestock; health; adapting vulnerable communities to climate change (which includes improving access to water, enhancing food security through the introduction of climate-smart agriculture and irrigation, gender inclusive adaptation interventions, improved hydrometeorological monitoring, improved disaster risk mechanisms); forests, biodiversity, ad ecosystems; and infrastructure.  The NDC also calls for capacity building and transfer of technology, including in the area of climate information systems, water technologies, and methods and tools to access climate impacts and vulnerabilities.

During a LEG training workshop on NAP formulation (2-6 September 2019, Nairobi) the GoSS had a preliminary discussion with the NAP Global Support Programme on National Adaptation Plans (NAP-GSP) on possible support from the NAP-GSP for accelerating the preparation of a National Adaptation Plan (NAP). Follow-up discussions between the NAP-GSP and the GoSS and UNDP Country Office contributed in further defining the scope of the support. As a result, the GoSS has decided to prepare a National Adaptation Planning Framework (NAP Framework). The framework will be part of the mainstreaming of climate change adaptation into all of the country's development policies and strategies in order to reduce the vulnerability of populations, ecosystems, and development sectors and to strengthen their resilience. It will serve as an important building block towards the formulation of a more comprehensive national adaptation plan (NAP).

A National Consultant to support the development of the NAP Framework is required.  The consultant will be conducted under the supervision of team Leader Human Development and inclusive, work in close coordination with South Sudan UNFCCC Focal Point and Deputy Director for Climate Change and UNFCCC Ministry of Environment and Forestry Government of South Sudan, with overall Guidance from the senior programme Advisor UNDP South Sudan and Undersecretary Ministry of Environment and Forestry Government of South Sudan.

Duties and Responsibilities

Mission objective

With step-by-step guidance and technical inputs from an International Consultant, the main objective of the National Consultant/Consultancy firm mission is to in-country coordination to develop a NAP Framework through an Open NAP workshop. The latter will promote a participatory approach to drafting the Framework, drawing from existing information and data.Specifically, the national consultant will be responsible for:

Identifying, analyzing and synthesizing all documents specific to the most vulnerable sectors;Mapping relevant stakeholders and resource persons taking into account the gender dimension;Facilitating the collection of data and information for developing the NAP Framework content in accordance with the LEG guidance provided during the September workshop, including by focusing on:

• National circumstances (national economic, environmental and social context)
• Vision for adaptation in the country
• Regulatory frameworks and institutional arrangements for adaptation
• Processes supporting the development of a NAP (stocktaking, decision-making processes, stakeholders ‘engagement, and guiding principles)
• Impacts, vulnerability, and risk (short-medium and long-term)
• National adaptation priorities
• Climate change adaptation implementation strategies (costs, cross-cutting programmes, strategies to mobilize resources)
• Reporting, monitoring, evaluation and learning framework
• References and Annexes

Organizing an Open NAP workshop for collecting further information, validating some of the findings and drafting parts of the NAP Framework, including by defining the role of the stakeholders, the agenda, and preparing support materials;Facilitating the Open NAP workshop;Finalizing the NAP Framework, including through integrating comments received during and after the workshop.amework, including through integrating comments received during and after the workshop.

The NAP Framework will serve as a basis for the preparation of a more comprehensive NAP through GEF/LDCF funding, the consultancy is expected to achieve the following results:

• Climate-relevant documents of vulnerable sectors are identified, analyzed and synthesized;
• Key Stakeholders and resource persons are identified and mapped;
• The NAP Framework is structured according to the LEG guidance, taking into consideration South Sudan circumstances;
• An Open NAP workshop is organized, facilitated and support materials produced;
• Feedback received during the Open NAP workshop is reflected in the finalized version of the NAP Framework;
• The NAP Framework is submitted to the UNFCCC.

Deliverable:

• Desk Review, and Inception not with a clear approach, timeframe for the preparation South Sudan NAP. 3 working days
• Data and relevant documents collection; 20 working days 
• Organize NAP facilitated NAP workshop and support materials produced; 12 working days
• Nap Workshop final report, NAP Framework is structured according to the LEG guidance; 5 working days.

Competencies

• Proven knowledge of community adaptation to climate change;
• Knowledge of climate change issues in vulnerable sectors;
• Good analytical and written skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• A master’s degree in science, environment, economics, forestry, development or other related fields.

Experiences:

• A minimum of 5 years progressive and relevant experience in the field of climate change adaptation or any other relevant fields;
• Experience of engaging the private sector in climate change action;
• Experience in the process of developing policies related to the environment, climate change and livelihood management.

Language

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in the English language; 
• Fluency in other UN languages is an advantage

Application Procedure:The application package containing the following (to be uploaded as one file):A cover letter with a brief description of why the Offer considers her/himself the most suitable for the assignment;Personal CV, indicating all past experience from similar projects and specifying the relevant assignment period (from/to), as well as the email and telephone contacts of at least three (3) professional references;Note: The above documents need to be scanned in one file and uploaded to the online application as one document. Evaluation Process:Applicants are reviewed based on relevance of qualifications, required Skills and Experience stated above and based on the technical evaluation criteria outlined below.  Applicants will be evaluated based on cumulative scoring.  When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract will be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

• Being 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 where technical criteria weighs 70% and Financial criteria/ Proposal weighs 30%.

Technical Evaluation - Total 70% (700 points)Relevant Educational experience Weight = 20%; Maximum Points: 200Relevant work experience as per TOR requirements Weight = 40%; Maximum Points: 400Competencies, skills and language Weight = 10%; Maximum Points: 100

Having reviewed applications received, UNDP will conduct a desk review of the top five shortlisted candidates. Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (49 points) of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria (70 points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

Financial Evaluation - Total 30% (300 points)The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:p = y (µ/z), wherep = points for the financial proposal being evaluatedy = maximum number of points for the financial proposalµ = price of the lowest priced proposalz = price of the proposal being evaluated Contract Award:Candidate obtaining the highest combined scores in the Technical and Financial evaluation will be considered qualified and offered to enter into contract with UNDP. Institutional Arrangement:The consultant will work under the guidance and direct supervision of the head of the HDIG Unit and will be responsible for the fulfilment of the deliverables as specified above.The Consultant will be responsible for providing her/his own laptop.