Procurement Notice – National Consultant: Team Leader for Preparation of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2024-2030)

Education:

• Master's degree, preferably a PhD on Natural Resources Management, Forestry, Biodiversity, Agriculture, Ecology, Environment or a related field.

Experience:

• At least 15 years of experience on Biodiversity, Natural Resources Management, Environmental Management, and/or related activities.
• Experience in working with international and national institutions.
• Experiences in working with indigenous people, local communities, women and marginalized groups.
• Experience on biodiversity sector policy and strategy review and formulation
• Past engagement with biodiversity-related studies, including result-based reporting
• Previous experience working with UNDP and/or other UN Agencies would be an asset.
• Experience working with national policy and institutional structures, and ability to advise on institutional capacities and functioning relationships.
• Demonstrate experience in leading a team to conduct at least 5 research or similar assignments.
• Experience as lead author in at least 5 major journals and articles.

Competencies:

• Good understanding of national biodiversity policies, priorities and institutional structures.
• Strong analytical, writing and communication skills.
• Ability to prepare clear publications, reports and presentations.
• A good command of English is an asset.
• Ability to work and build partnerships with diverse stakeholders in the government, private and non-governmental sectors.
• Proven ability and experience in workshop facilitation.
• Ability to work with a multidisciplinary and multicultural team.
• Strong motivation and ability to work and deliver under short deadlines.
• Focuses on impact and result for the client and responds positively to critical feedback.
• Able to work independently with little or no supervision.
• Sound understanding of key software packages (MS Office).
• Familiarity with the government's policy formulation, planning and budgeting process strongly desired.

Language Requirements:

He/she will need to have excellent inter-disciplinary, writing and communication skills. He/she should be bi-lingual in Nepali and English and be proficient in use of computer. The NBSAP will be prepared in English language.

Interested individual applicants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their expertise and qualifications:

1. Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability along with expressing suitability of candidacy highlighting (a) how your qualifications, experience and list of track record can lead to successful completion of this assignment;
2. Technical Proposal for undertaking the assignment highlighting understanding of the task, technical approach and methodology, work plan etc. (not exceeding 2000 words) within the required timeframe,
3. Financial Proposal should specify unit price (daily professional fee). All travel and relevant costs will be covered by UNDP.
4. A recent curriculum vitae, including areas of expertise and past experiences in similar projects, that provides adequate information for evaluation as per the above-given criteria and at least three (3) referees.

Note:

• Applicants of 65 years or more require full medical examination and statement of fitness to work to engage in the consultancy.
• The candidate has to be an independent consultant (If the candidate is engaged with any organization, the organization employing the candidate will be issued with a Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA) to release the employee for the consultancy with UNDP.)
• Due to sheer number of applicants, the procurement unit will contact only competitively selected consultant.

Lump sum contracts

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 in the TOR. 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.

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodologies:

Cumulative analysis  

When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract should be made to the individual consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as: 

a)   responsive/compliant/acceptable, and 

b)   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%