Yemen: International Consultant for Yemen’s Preparation for 6th National Report to the Convention of Biodiversity

Jun 17, 2018 | UNDP
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With funding support from the Global Environmental Facility’s (GEF) Biodiversity Enabling Activities (BD EA), UNDP is engaged with work the with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to support the national preparation of Sixth National Reports (6NR) to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD). The objective is to provide develop high quality, data driven sixth national report (6NR) that will improve national decision-making processes for the implementation of NBSAPs; that report on progress towards achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets (ABTs) and inform both the fifth Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO5) and the Global Biodiversity Strategy of 2021 – 2030.

An update on the national reports is urgently required for all Parties to the Convention of Biodiversity with objectives to understand the changes in the status and trends of biodiversity, and their implications. These information is expected to create grounds and reasons for the follow up work on the Strategic Plan beyond this decade and will help shape the post-2020 global biodiversity agenda.

The proposed 6NR will focus on monitoring the effectiveness of national strategies and actions in achieving the national/ABTs targets, this will require an assessment of progress of achieving these targets, using the global and/or national indicators of biodiversity status and trends.

A lack of spatial data analysis, root cause analysis, and monitoring changes in the status and trends of biodiversity at regular intervals are resulting a pervasive lack of evidence-based reporting and decision making. Additionally, biodiversity and climate change are closely interconnected. Global climate change is a root cause of biodiversity loss, while healthy ecosystems help to mitigate climate change and enhance adaptation capacities. The same data and monitoring gaps are limiting the ability of Parties to asses, plan for, and take action to mitigate the current and future impacts of climate change on biodiversity; to fully understand the role of ecosystems in addressing global climate change; to take related actions to protect them; and to include climate change adaptation as a strategy in NBSAPs and National Reports. Additionally, over the past few decades, the role of healthy ecosystems in providing cheap, reliable protection against natural hazards has been increasingly recognized. Forests and other vegetation help to stabilize slopes, prevent floods and slow or stop soil erosion and desertification. A range of coastal habitats, from corals to marshlands, protects people living near the sea from the worst of storms and tidal waves. These gaps are compounded during assessments regarding the impact of NBASP actions, many of which are not financeable, measurable or sufficiently detailed to be enacted.

Many parties will be challenged to populate the CBD online reporting system because of these issues and the variability in post 2010 NBSAPs and previous national reports. For example, without accurate data, Parties will be challenged to plan for strategies geared toward disaster risk reduction, and to assess the effectiveness of related actions to address this conservation and sustainable development challenge, such as the designation of new protected.

The 6NR approach necessitates new thinking about how to development a dynamic reporting framework and decision support system that builds the capacity of countries to facilitate dynamic monitoring, reporting, and decision making to ensure they can more efficiently and effectively undertake their national reporting obligations.

 Considering the above facts, UNDP -Yemen is seeking to hire an International Expert who will support the CBD national Focal point, the national experts and officials technically and will be responsible for the preparation of the 6th National Report in line with the requirement of the Convention of Biodiversity.

Duties and Responsibilities

Objectives:

The objective of this short-term assignment is to strengthen capacity of the Government of Yemen through supporting and facilitating the efforts to develop Sixth National Reports (6NR) to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD). The consultant is expected to provide technical guidance to the national experts and partners on achieving 6NR that meets CBD obligations, based on thorough analysis of data and information and assessment of the progress on National targets achievement and National Biodiversity Strategy and action plan(NBSAP) implementation.

Scope of Work:

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Economic Resilience and Recovery Unit Deputy Team Leader, the consultant will carry out the following tasks:

On Assessment of progress towards each ABT and/or national equivalent:

• Scoping the initial draft elements of the national report (Zero draft) that includes data and progress assessments already available for each ABT and/or national equivalent in addition to the information gaps in coordination with the UNDP Project Manager and the National coordinator.
• Review the Experts group/stakeholders’ inputs and comments and provide consultations regarding data, progress assessment, information gaps for each ATB/National target and NBSAP implementation.

On Production and submission of 6NR

• Review and provide advice on the series of small reports on each ATB /national target progress assessment, actions to mainstream biodiversity and effectiveness assessment of actions undertaken to implement NBSAP.
• Compile, review, revise the above reports and finalize 6NR comprehensive draft, with all formatting requirements to ensure consistency across targets.
• Submission the final 6NR, for final approval from the National partners and experts.

On supporting in capacity building

• Support the project coordinator and the National experts with the technical materials and knowledge products on CBD international reporting, lessons learned on other countries National reports
• Provide overall technical quality assurance in the National Report development processes.

Deliverables and Timelines.

• Submission of technical and knowledge products. Deliver materials to the training course.
• 6NR zero draft requires an adequate consultation on the content. Submit inputs and comments with appropriate consultation on the zero draft.
• Guidance on the small reports for ATB/National targets progress assessment, NBSAP implementation. - Submit Inputs and comments on each report.
• Submission of comprehensive draft 6NR and Compile, review, revise the above reports and finalizing drafting 6NR based on international standard.
• Submission of final 6NR and Review stakeholders’ comments and adjust 6NR final draft and Conduct consultation meeting with National Experts for final report review

Method of Payment

Payments will be made in four instalments based on the satisfactory accomplishment of the assignment and submission of quality deliverables. The dates and schedules of the payment instalments are:

Time and Method of payment:

Payment shall be provided upon satisfactory completion of the deliverables outlined in the table above. Payment requests submitted by the Consultant must be certified by the supervisor(s). Payments are to be made within 30 days from receipt of invoice.

Payment Instalments / Due date / Percentage of total contract

• 1st instalment: Submission of technical and knowledge products / 3 days from signing of contract / 25%
• 2nd instalment: 6NR report (zero draft) is prepared with data and progress assessment for each Target / 20 days / 35%
• 3rd instalment: Submission of comprehensive draft 6NR / 4 months  from signing of contract / 20%
• 4th instalment: final 6NR submitted officially to CBD / 31-Dec-2018 / 20%

Institutional Arrangement: Deputy Team Leader of Economic Resilience and Recovery Unit, is the focal point for the study and responsible for day-to-day questions and management of the study

Reporting: The Consultant shall report directly to the UNDP – ERRU Deputy Team Leader  on the progress of the preparation in line with the timelines and deliverables mentioned above.

Duty Station: The assignment is to be carried out in homebased.

Competencies

Corporate:

• 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;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism.

Technical:

• Demonstrated ability in strategic thinking;
• Strong organizational, reporting and writing abilities;
• Able to work independently and remotely with minimal supervision;

Professionalism:

• Focuses on achieving results;
• Sets priorities, produces quality outputs, meets deadlines and manages time efficiently;
• Works toward creative solutions by analyzing problems carefully and logically;
• Has a dynamic, positive and adaptive attitude towards work-related challenges, bringing innovative and effective solutions to them;
• Leads and supports team decisions;
• Facilitates meetings effectively and efficiently
• Writes and presents clearly and convincingly
• Able to communicate effectively verbally and/or in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience to convey information effectively.

Knowledge Management:

• Shares knowledge and is willing to provide support to others who request advice or help.

Client Orientation:

• Maintains strong relationships with partners and client.

Required Skills and Experience

Document to be submitted:

Documents to be included when submitting the Proposal: Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications and interest.

Technical Proposal: (which will include the following):

• Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability using the template provided by UNDP;
• Personal CV including past experience in similar projects and at least 3 references or UN P11 Form (“CV Form”) – Annex
• A brief Methodology on how the candidate will approach and conduct the work. (The expert is asked in his/her offer submission in the methodologies section to bring the description of the above-mentioned points.

Financial proposal:

The applicants requested to submit lump-sum and the Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive fixed total contract price, supported by a breakdown of costs, as per template provided (please see attached breakdown template). https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wkkkhru6n4zgpqz/AAAFg8uftM4akTkB0kNrLKZBa?dl=0

Evaluation Criteria:

The award will be based on the Combined Scoring method 70% technical evaluation and 30% financial evaluation (highest ranked candidate).

Technical proposal 70%

The following evaluation criteria will be used:

Education:

• Master’s degree, preferably PhD, in environmental management/sciences, geography, conservation biology/ecology, natural resource management, or another related field.

Experience:

• At least four years of experience with any of the thematic areas included in National Biodiversity strategies and action plans and National Biodiversity reports. This experience may include work in: protected area design, indicators and criteria for measuring conservation effectiveness; restoration of ecosystems.
• Experience in working with international institutions, NGOs and civil society regarding biodiversity-related issues.
• Experience in spatial data/ GIS/ remote sensing or in analytical and practical experiences in biodiversity.
• Experience in the context of Yemen will be an advantage.
• Computer skills; strong communication and international reporting skills.
• Fluency in English with a high ability to write reports based on international conventions regulations in clearly English.

The Consultant should be in a position to undergo the following:

• Willingness to undergo a medical exam. This applies only for consultant of 62 years of age and above where a full medical exam will be required from a UN certified doctor if selected for award of contract.

Description of technical evaluation criteria / Scoring method % 100

• Possessing relevant education (25%)
• Any of the thematic areas included in National Biodiversity strategies and action plans and National Biodiversity reports. This experience may include work in protected area design, indicators and criteria for measuring conservation effectiveness; restoration of ecosystems. (25%)
• Experience in working with international institutions, NGOs and civil society regarding biodiversity-related issues. (15%).
• Experience in spatial data/ GIS/ remote sensing or in analytical and practical experiences in biodiversity. (10%).
• Computer skills; strong communication and international reporting skills. (15%).
• Fluency in English with a high ability to write reports based on international conventions regulations in clearly English (10%).

Financial evaluation: 30 %:

To be computed as a ratio of the Proposal’s offer to the lowest price among the proposals received by UNDP.

In this methodology, the maximum number of points assigned to the financial proposal is allocated to the lowest price proposal. All other price proposals receive points in inverse proportion. A suggested formula is as follows: p = y (µ/z)

Where:

p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated

y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal

µ = price of the lowest priced proposal

z = price of the proposal being evaluated

The candidate obtaining the overall highest score after adding the score of the technical proposal and the financial proposal should be selected for the award.