UNDP Jobs - 51671- International Consultant in Environmental Fiscal R

International Consultant in Environmental Fiscal Reform Capacity Building

Location :

Chisinau, MOLDOVA

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

09-Dec-2014

Application Deadline :

02-Dec-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

40 working days

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

December 2014 - April 2015

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.

Background

The GEF funded “Environmental Fiscal Reform Project” (EFRP) was launched in 2011 and sets out to build capacities for implementing environmental fiscal reforms (EFR) that will produce increased national and global environmental benefits through the adoption of selected subsidies, fees, fines, taxes and other appropriate fiscal instruments.

It will initiate and pilot EFR instruments targeted to meeting Rio Convention objectives and ensure their integration within national plans and policies, especially in national taxation and decentralization process in Moldova. The reforms will focus on creating conditions, financial incentives and disincentives, and decreased opportunity costs to undertake actions that deliver environmental outcomes. The expected outcome is that EFR will be adopted as an important element of Moldova’s development policy, whereby improved economic, financial and fiscal instruments and their use would strengthen regulatory and other approaches to environmentally sound and sustainable development, with a particular emphasis of meeting obligations under the three Rio Conventions (Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Desertification). The project will also contribute to and complement a broader national decentralization reform process, including policy planning at the national level, redesigning of competencies and responsibilities of local and sub-national governments and reforming local government revenue systems.

One of the objectives of the project is the improved management and performance of the National Ecological Fund (NEF) including project cycle management, which is the main financing source in the environment sector. With the support of the project, the Ministry of Environment initiated a comprehensive reform of the National Ecological Fund, in view of ensuring the sustainability and functionality of the Fund as an effective tool for financing the implementation of environmental policies and strategic priorities in Moldova. The new draft Regulation and Operational Manual for the National Ecological Fund brings best international practices for public environmental expenditure and project cycle management.

The project strategy of focusing in parallel on strengthened capacities of the Ministry of Environment and other governmental authorities involved in the implementation of the environmental fiscal reform. This will require significantly improved skills of the public servants from central and local authorities to ensure an adequate level of understanding and cooperation for fulfilling Moldova’s national and global environmental priorities. By providing necessary training to concerned stakeholders, practitioners, and decision makers regarding the technical and policy options needed for greening and reforming environmental subsidies and charges, analysis of financing markets, and costing exercises to meet global environmental objectives, it is possible to mobilize and engage policy-makers in responding to national and global environmental priorities through the implementation of an EFR process in Moldova. Such an EFR process thus responds to Moldova’s commitments to both national and global environmental goals.

Duties and Responsibilities

GEF EFRP seeks International Consultant in EFR Capacity Building (hereinafter Consultant) in order to compile and transfer relevant knowledge and a best practice experience in environmental fiscal reforms and financial instruments that can be meaningfully applied at national and sub-national level in the context of decentralized functions of the sub-national authorities in Moldova.

More specifically, the Consultant will design and deliver a capacity building programme focusing on specific areas of environmental fiscal reform, including planning, budgeting and financial management, economic and fiscal instruments, tax revenue management at national and local level, climate change risk transfer mechanism, and other relevant issues as required. Such tools as training programs, on-going coaching and mentoring, benchmarking, desk and peer review will be used.

Tasks

The assignment will require the completion of the following tasks:

EFR capacity needs assessment and planning

Map key stakeholders of the EFR (central and local governments, NGOs, private etc.) and identify main capacity gaps in the EFR implementation.
Conduct a capacity building needs assessment of relevant institutions in EFR implementation, including on cross-sectoral aspects (Ministry of Environment as a focus, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Agriculture, NGOs, private sector, if relevant, etc.)
Based on the capacity building needs assessment, prepare a comprehensive capacity building plan with concrete actions, target groups, responsible parties, timelines and resources
Design a capacity building package (toolkit incorporating guidelines, case studies and best practices, agenda, hand-outs, PPP, supporting materials, etc.) in the defined areas

Conduct capacity building activities on specific EFR areas

Conduct at least 3 training sessions on specified EFR areas (planning and financial management, economic and fiscal instruments, tax revenue management at national and local level, climate change risk transfer mechanism etc.) for specified target groups;
Provide coaching and mentoring to the Ministry of Environment staff and other target groups (representatives from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Agriculture) on relevant EFR areas;
Develop and apply tools for evaluating impacts of training programs and other capacity building programs.

Expected Deliverables:

Inception report which includes Detailed work plan and Methodology of capacity needs assessment;
Capacity building needs assessment conducted and capacity building plan developed and discussed; one mission accomplished;
Capacity building materials and capacity building intervention package developed and approved;
Training programs conducted and coaching/mentoring provided. Evaluation of training programs and other capacity building programs (2 missions);
Final Activity report.

Management and Institutional Arrangements:

All deliverables will be developed in English. The deliverables shall be endorsed by GEF/UNDP EFR Project Manager and representatives of the Ministry of Environment of Moldova. The Consultant will report directly to the GEF/UNDP EFR Project Manager. The Consultant will be assisted in performing the above-mentioned tasks by a national consultant.

The tentative time-frame for this assignment is tentatively planned for December 2014 – April 2015. The consultancy should involve at least 12 working days in Moldova (up to 3 missions), while the remaining working days are home-based.

Financial arrangements:

Payment will be disbursed in six instalments upon submission and approval of the final documents as specified under ‘Deliverables and Timeframe’ section and certification by the Project Manager, and UNDP Portfolio Manager, that the services have been satisfactorily performed.

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.

Functional competencies:

Good analytical, problem solving, negotiation, and diplomatic skills;
Ready to work flexible schedules throughout the consultancy term;
Builds strong relationships, focuses on impact and results; establishes and maintains relationships to understand the needs and gain support;
Ability to work under pressure;
Proven networking and communication skills;
Be familiar with the legal, policy and institutional framework of the environment sector of Moldova;
Good oral communication skills and conflict resolution competency to manage inter-group dynamics and mediate conflicting interests of varied actors.;

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Master’s degree in education, environmental management, public finance, economics, or a closely related field.

Experience:

At least 7 years of progressively international experience in training and capacity building in environmental fiscal reform and financial instruments;
Demonstrated knowledge and expertise in governance and operational management of Environmental Funds;
Extensive professional experience in Eastern Europe would be a strong assets;
Experience in working and collaborating with governments.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in written and spoken English is required in this assignment.

Documents to be included when submitting the proposals:

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:

Proposal explaining why they are the most suitable for the work;
Financial proposal;
Personal CV including past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references or the dully filled Personal History Form (P11).

Financial proposal:

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. whether payments fall in installments or upon completion of the entire contract). Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified above.

In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including all related costs e.g. fees, taxes, travel, phone calls etc.) and the number of anticipated working days. The consultant shall bare costs for all supplies needed for data collection and data processing including possession of his own personal computer.

Travel

The consultancy should involve at least 12 working days in Moldova (up to 3 missions), while the remaining working days are home-based.

All envisaged travel costs must be included in the financial proposal. This includes all travel to join duty station/repatriation travel. In general, UNDP should not accept travel costs exceeding those of an economy class ticket. Should the IC wish to travel on a higher class he/she should do so using their own resources.

In the case of unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Evaluation:

Initially, individual consultants will be short-listed based on the following minimum qualification criteria:

Master’s degree in education, environmental management, public finance, economics, or a closely related field;
At least 7 years of progressively international experience in training and capacity building in environmental fiscal reform and financial instruments.

The short-listed individual consultants will be further evaluated based on the following methodology:

Cumulative analysis

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

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.

* Technical Criteria weight – 60% (300 pts).

* Financial Criteria weight – 40% (200 pts).

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 210 points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.