National Consultant to prepare the local reintegration action plans for Roma returnees in the municipalities of Devoll, Berat and Fier

Background

UNDP is implementing a sub-regional Project “Strengthen national and local systems to support the effective socio-economic integration of returnees in the Western Balkans”. The Project is part of the IPA II Multi-Country Action “EU support to Fundamental Rights of Roma Community and Reintegration of Returnees”, which has been entrusted for implementation to UNDP, the World Bank and the Council of Europe and targets Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia. The project is implemented in 2020-2024 with an implementation budget of around 1,337, 099 USD for Albania.

 

The project promotes holistic approach in responding to the immediate needs of vulnerable returnees as well as in tackling the structural challenges, which propel unregulated migration of men and women from the Western Balkans to EU. The comprehensive mix of technical assistance, capacity building and direct support to vulnerable men and women aims to demonstrate innovative solutions that will underpin transformational change in the models of governance of reintegration services and socio-economic empowerment programmes, with an objective of ensuring sustainable reintegration of the vulnerable returnees and social cohesion. 

 

In each country, the project will support establishment of local reintegration platforms in 3 municipalities, with a purpose of mobilizing public service providers, business community and civil society in co-designing and implementation of local strategies/action plans for reintegration of returnees. Local strategies/action plans will propose a set of context specific innovative solutions for improving the livelihoods and social wellbeing of returnees and the broader community. Moreover, local strategies/action plans will tackle the local governance issues, individual and institutional bottlenecks and gaps, which hinder the effective service provision.

 

In each of the target countries, the project will support establishment of local reintegration platforms in 3 municipalities, with a purpose of mobilizing public service providers, business community and civil society in co-designing and implementation of local strategies/action plans for reintegration of returnees. Local strategies/action plans will define the mutually agreed priorities and a set of context specific innovative solutions for improving the livelihoods and social wellbeing of returnees and the broader community. Moreover, the strategies/action plans will tackle the local priorities related to governance of returnee’s agenda, individual and institutional bottlenecks and gaps, which continue to hinder the effective service provision.

 

To ensure effective targeting, during the inception phase, in selected number of municipalities, the project carried-out several assessments related to the scale and propensity for outward migration and re-migration of the local population; the economic potentials of local ecosystem for jobs creation; and capabilities gaps of institutions and individuals for provision of quality and accessible services to returnees.

 

Within this context, UNDP in Albania has contracted a national consultant, who under direct supervision of the UNDP in Albania and the Istanbul Regional Hub, is conducting an assessment of institutional and individual capacity bottlenecks for accessing quality local services by Roma returnees in the three municipalities of Devolli, Berati and Fieri, to identify the institutional challenges for Roma returnee’s reintegration in their home country and possibly in their hometown.

 

In addition, UNDP in Albania has commissioned the conduction of the assessment of the local economic development potentials in the three target municipalities (Devoll, Berat and Fier). The assessment will map out the prospective local supply and value chains, which can generate quality jobs, assess the employability level of returnees and the needs of potential employers. The analysis will highlight the existing gap between demanded skills by the employers and the skills level of the unemployed. The analysis will particularly focus on the skills gaps of the vulnerable population, Roma and the returnees.

 

Both above mentioned assessments, with their findings and recommendations, are laying the ground to developing local reintegration strategies/action plans for Roma Returnees in the three targeted municipalities. As such, the objective of this assignment is to prepare local reintegration strategies/action plans for three target municipalities based on the findings of previous assessments and identified strategic priorities, programs, and action plans.

 

For that reason, the consultant will have access to previous and ongoing assessments carried out under this project. The local reintegration strategies/action plans shall primarily focus on the improvement of the livelihoods and social wellbeing of returnees and the broader community and on promotion of innovative and sustainable solutions to reintegration of returnees. The strategies/action plans should mobilize a broad-based engagement of relevant stakeholders including representatives from public service providers, business community and civil society, both during the preparation and implementation of the local strategies/action plans. In addition, the local strategies/action plans will take into consideration the relevant initiatives for supporting local development and/or Roma inclusion. For example, preparation of the local strategies/action plans will be closely coordinated with the activities of ROMACTED II, implemented by the Council of Europe, which aims to assist local authorities to integrate Roma specific dimensions and measures into the mainstream local policies, action plans, budgets and public service delivery, while enhancing the participation of the Roma citizens in the design, implementation and monitoring of those policies and projects. Additional consultations will be undertaken with the World Bank, which provides technical assistance to Western Balkans beneficiaries at central level in the development and implementation of National Reintegration Strategy.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Aim of the Assignment

 

For each of the three targeted municipalities, the consultancy service should aim at:

1. Preparation of situational analysis based on available documents, analyses, reports, data available on local level.
2. Setting up strategic objectives, options, and priorities for reintegration of returnees and wider community.
3. Preparation of action plans incorporating innovative and sustainable, systemic solutions to reintegration of returnees.
4. Propose a mechanism for systematic coordination of state and local level institutions, municipal administration, and other local stakeholders for provision of more effective services targeting returnees.

 

1. Scope of Work

 

Local reintegration strategies will mobilize a broad-based engagement of relevant stakeholders from public service providers, business community and civil society. Representatives of bilateral donors, international organizations or NGOs with relevant portfolios shall be invited to take part. Diversity of engaged stakeholders and public service providers will ensure that all aspects of reintegration process are adequately reflected in the local strategies. Moreover, the strategies should concentrate also on effectiveness of the relevant policies and regulation as well as on the encountered administrative bottlenecks which require action. Line ministries with a mandate in employment, social protection, education, and healthcare (such as the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of finance and Economy, Ministry of Health and Social Protection, Ministry of Education etc.) will be involved in the consultation process and in the final design of local strategies and actionable programmes. Their engagement is particularly important considering the shared mandate of central and local authorities on a number of social issues due to unfinished decentralization of competences and fiscal revenues. The engagement of national institutions in this process will ensure coherency and alignment of local actions with the relevant national policies and regulation. Their role will be also important for ensuring that identified priorities are included in the programmes, which are financed from the central budget. Policy makers from central authorities will be invited to take part in the work of local platforms on the specific topics of relevance.

 

1. In more details, the key targets of this consultancy assignment include:

 

• To prepare situational analysis of returnees based on available documents, analyses, reports, data available on local level. The situational analysis should take into consideration the roles of Council of Europe and World Bank as a basis for coordinating and seeking synergies in the developed local reintegration strategies and proposed action plans at a later stage.
• To set vision and strategic objectives, options, and priorities for reintegration of returnees and wider community using participative method involving public service providers, business community and civil society but also line ministries with a mandate in employment, social protection, education and health care.
• To prepare action plans based on prioritized options and respective monitoring plans. The monitoring plans should set targets and indicators on local level and should reflect the competence of local self-government units regarding socio-economic development. Nevertheless, close coordination should be established with World Bank in order to secure coherency in monitoring the progress in the implementation of the strategic priorities for reintegration of the vulnerable returned by local authorities and relevant central level institutions.
• To propose model mechanism for effective coordination among different stakeholders from central and local level involved in the policy making and service provision to Roma and other vulnerable returnees in the selected municipalities. The proposed structure should be an integral part of the local strategies for reintegration of returnees. The purpose of the proposed mechanism is not to create new structures, but rather to strengthen the existing capacities on local level, set up the network or a local platform, which will connect and further strengthen available resources.
• To deliver local reintegration action plans for the three municipalities: Devoll, Fier and Berat as integral documents based on the previous steps.

 

The methodology of work will consist of desk review of relevant documents and reports and participative consultations for setting of the vision and strategic objectives, preparation of the action and monitoring plans and delivery of the local reintegration strategies.

 

The consultant should take the following elements into account while undertaking this task:

 

• Discussion and brainstorming with the project team regarding the proposed methodology.
• Desk review of relevant documents for this assignment.
• Collaboration and consultations with local stakeholders, representatives of public, private, and civil sector, local self-government administration, line ministries with a mandate in employment, social protection, education and health care, donors and international organizations with relevant project portfolios.
• Understand the context of vulnerabilities of Roma communities with focus on returnees and possibilities for increased employability through models for skills development, self-employment support programs and labour insertion services.
• Collaborate and work closely with municipal administration dedicated for Roma, social, education and economic development issues on local level.
• Coordinate with the Council of Europe and the World Bank to ensure coherence of the proposed models for governance of returnees related issues, complementarity of national and local strategies, to explore possibilities for collaboration and synergies in the implementation local priorities.

The consultancy is expected to deliver the following outputs:

 

Deliverables	Weight %	Tentative date
Methodology of work with focus on the participative methodology for setting up a vision and strategic priorities of local reintegration strategies (including the methodological approach, proposed list of stakeholders and beneficiaries to meet and the workplan with clear deadlines for stages of the consultancy) The document will be submitted in English language	5%	By 10th November
Situational Analysis of the three municipalities in English and Albanian Languages.	35%	By 30th November
Three Local Reintegration Strategies/Action plans including a model mechanism for effective coordination, governance of returnees’ agenda and a framework for monitoring the progress at each of the targeted municipalities, submitted after the consultation with the local stakeholders. The local reintegration strategies should be delivered in Albanian and English language.	60%	By 15th December

 

 

I.institutional arrangment

 

The consultant will work under direct supervision by the UNDP Albania Project Coordinator on daily bases, while UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub will ensure quality assurance. The consultant will be in regular communication with the supervisor through e-mail and will provide regular progress reports on bi-weekly basis. UNDP estimated lead time to review outputs, give comments, certify approval/acceptance of outputs, etc. to the consultant shall at least 5 working days. All documents and produced materials shall be submitted in a suitable digital format, upon agreement with the project team.

In the course of performing the job, the consultant will need to organize meetings in the country with stakeholders deemed important for the task. The UNDP office will assist with scheduling these meetings.

Competencies

Skills and Competencies

• Strong analytical, reporting and writing abilities.
• Proved expertise in the area of social protection in Albania.
• Familiarity with Roma, migration and returnees’ policy in the country.
• Familiarity of local self-governments system and its functioning in Albania, as well as with a network of stakeholders at the local level in Albania in the context of returnees. 
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Willing to take responsibility, act professionally at all times, and make sure tasks are fully completed.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Ability to work under pressure and uses time efficiently. Identifies priority activities and adjust them as required.

Required Skills and Experience

Master’s degree in relevant fields (i.e., sociology, psychology, social or public policy or economy or other related fields) is required.

 

Qualifications

 

Work experience:

• Minimum 5 years of general professional experience in strategic development processes reflecting relevant engagements to Roma reintegration, innovative approaches related to migration processes, or areas of engagement pertaining to the subject matter of the requirements under this ToR. 
• Minimum 3 assignments (local development strategies, plans or other relevant documents, analysis on vulnerabilities, inclusion of Roma or other relevant assignments).
• At least 3 years of relevant professional experience in facilitation, moderation of participative development processes and Roma inclusion/integration.

 

Knowledge

• Excellent knowledge of social protection sector, on national and local level in Albania, and related strategic, legal and institutional frameworks for Roma and returnees in Albania.

 

Language requirement:

• Excellent command of written and spoken English; fluency in Albanian language.

 

I.Evaluation Procedure

 

UNDP applies a fair and transparent selection process that would consider both the technical qualification of Individual Consultants as well as their financial proposals. The contract will be awarded to the candidate whose offer:

• Is deemed technically responsive / compliant / acceptable (only technically responsive applications / candidates will be considered for the financial evaluation)
• And has obtained the highest combined technical and financial scores.

 

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

• Criteria A: Minimum 5 years of general professional experience in strategic development processes reflecting relevant engagements to Roma reintegration, innovative approaches related to migration processes, or areas of engagement pertaining to the subject matter of the requirements under this ToR.– max points: 25
• Criteria B: Minimum 3 assignments (local development strategies, plans or other relevant documents, analysis on vulnerabilities, social inclusion of Roma or other relevant assignments, conducted as participative development processes with relevant stakeholders and beneficiaries both at local and local level – max points 20
• Criteria C: Excellent knowledge of social protection sector, on national and local level in Albania, and related strategic, legal and institutional frameworks for Roma and returnees in Albania – max points: 20
• Criteria D: Education background – max points 5

 

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

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.

 

Contract Award

Candidate obtaining the highest combined scores in the combined score of Technical and Financial evaluation will be considered technically qualified and will be offered to enter into contract with UNDP.

 

Payment modality

Payment to the Individual Contractor will be made based on the actual number of days worked, deliverables accepted and upon certification of satisfactory completion by the project manager.

 

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 & Detailed Financial Proposal - please fill in the attached form. Download Here (kindly use Firefox browser)
• Filled P11 form including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees, please upload the P11 instead of your CV. Download Here (kindly use Firefox browser)

• Financial Proposal in ALL*- Specify a Total Lump Sum in Albanian Lek for the tasks specified in this announcement. The attached template may be used - Download Here (kindly use Firefox browser) Please note that the financial proposal is all-inclusive and shall consider various expenses incurred by the consultant during the contract period (e.g. fee and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services). 

• Copy of Diplomas and copy of Passport. 
• Technical proposal – specifying the methodology which the consultant will employ to conduct this assignment.

*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); In the P11 Form make sure to include Email Addresses of the Persons who are willing to provide References on your past experience in working with them.
• 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.