Back National Consultant Data collection - OMVG (GUINEA_BISSAU)

Background

UNCDF (UN Capital Development Fund) is a United Nations agency whose objective is to facilitate access to public and private capital for the poorest populations. Its expertise enables it to develop "last mile" financing models in regions where the supply of infrastructure, equipment or basic services, both financial and non-financial, tends to be lacking, in order to unblock public and private resources, particularly at the national level. The aim is to reduce poverty and encourage local economic development. UNCDF is based on two models of financing:

• Financial inclusion, an approach based on savings and new technologies, which enables individuals, households and small enterprises to fully participate in the local economy by providing them with the financial tools and services they need to lift themselves out of poverty and manage their financial situation;

• Local development finance - through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance and structured project finance - contributes to public and private financing underpinning local economic growth and sustainable development.

OMVG (Organisation for the Development of the Gambia River) was established in 1978 by the Republic of Gambia and the Republic of Senegal. Guinea and Guinea-Bissau joined the Organization in 1981 and 1983 respectively. OMVG covers the following basins: Gambia Kolibal-corubal Kayanga-Géba. The surface area of the basins is 118,000 km2 and the population amounts to 6.42 million inhabitants. The OMVG is a tool for regional cooperation with a legal and institutional framework that enables it to carry out its mission of rational and harmonious exploitation of the common resources of the basins, the Gambia, Kayanga-Géba and Koliba-Corubal rivers, especially through the development of its basins. The organization has proved its capacity to mobilize its technical and financial partners to design and implement large-scale projects that none of the states, taken individually, could have carried out.

Project’s Context

The challenge of financing for development:

Despite the progress made, significant development financing needs remain. Accelerated action is needed to achieve the goals set out in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In order to achieve the SDGs, multiple resources are needed, as indicated in the Addis Ababa Programme of Action (Financing for Development process). At the same time, the "sovereign" financing space has shrunk in recent years.

The OMVG, as a supranational entity, does not have direct access to international capital markets. Therefore, there are currently no financial instruments available to obtain direct funding for river basin organizations, commensurate with their needs. Thus far, OMVG's financial resources to finance its projects are mainly derived from contributions from member states. The process is generally cumbersome and results in complex conditionalities and contracts.

Within this context, the development of financial mechanisms for mixed financing and risk reduction of projects represents a significant opportunity for financing projects of Basin Organizations.

Meeting the challenge through the Blue Peace funding mechanism:

The Blue Peace funding mechanism is an innovative approach that supports OMVG Member States in the implementation of an Integrated Development Master Plan (PDDI), and a Joint Investment Plan (Master Plan), for the development of the Gambia River Basins, and to reap the shared benefits.

The approach is based on the development of joint cross-border and multi-sectoral investment plans, identified and managed by Member States. This portfolio approach allows for diversification and - possibly - subsidising of IDMP projects, thus enabling low-income projects to receive investment and thus be implemented, making OMVG financially efficient for its Member States. The Blue Peace Facility is also a mixed financing approach: the public sector, with the support of technical and financial development partners, takes on a significant part of the risk mitigation, thus allowing private investors to intervene at lower risk. The objective of the risk mitigation mechanism is to improve the risk/return profile of the investment, thereby attracting additional private investors. The insurance mechanism will also reduce the project-specific government burden. When OMVG borrows to invest in the river basin, instead of requiring a government guarantee from member countries, it will be able to use a commercial insurance scheme. The OMVG will continue to be owned by its member states, which will still have overall political responsibility. Once this mechanism has proved its worth to international investors, this approach will be easily replicable. The "Blue Peace Bond" can serve as a demonstrative example of innovative financing of future OMVG Master Plans (PDDI) and will provide a complementary source of funding to traditional sources.

The development of the Master Plan (PDDI) will be based on an inclusive process of stakeholder consultations at the local, national and regional levels. This process will be supported by technical experts in land use planning, particularly on water, agriculture and energy infrastructure.

The OMVG as a pioneer:

Blue Peace partners propose to "test" the financing mechanism for the first time in the West African region, due to the innovative projects in transboundary river basin management undertaken by OMVS (Senegal River Development Office) and OMVG.

In addition, the OMVG has a legal framework for issuing debt and strong political support across its member states. These particularities make OMVG an organisation that focuses ambitions to explore with Blue Peace partners new financing mechanisms for basin management.

Duties and Responsibilities

The National Consultant’s role is part of the first diagnostic work within the framework of the development of the OMVG’s PDDI.

One National Consultant will be recruited from each OMVG Member State, namely Senegal, Gambia, Guinea Bissau and Guinea Conakry. The National Consultant from Senegal will be responsible for ensuring the cohesion and coordination of the study projects carried out in each of the States.

The first activity of the National Consultant will be to propose a methodology as well as a list of data to be collected, which will then be validated during a meeting in Dakar bringing together all the National Consultants who will have been recruited for Senegal, Guinea, Guinea Bissau and the Gambia.

Under the control and supervision of the UNCDF Regional Coordinator, West and Central Africa and in consultation with OMVG, the National Consultant will collect data, documents and information covering all sectors of the economy (economic and financial, social, forestry and environmental, agricultural, energy, transport, mining, tourism, trade and industry, governance, to name a few). The data, documents and information will be structured around (but not limited to) : 

• National Development Plans ; 
• Legal and institutional frameworks, policies, development plans and strategies, programmes and projects in the different sectors ;

• Any other relevant data, documents and information.

In addition, it should be noted that :

• All data, documents and information collected by the National Consultant will serve as direct sources for the PDDI’s development.

• All data, documents and information collected by the National Consultant should be submitted in hard copy and electronic format (if available). 

In addition to data collection, the National Consultant will assist in the organization of the workshops (national and regional).

Location: Bissau, Guinea-Bissau - possible travel in the sub-region, kick-off meeting in Dakar, Senegal during the first week.

Initial contract term: 60 days over 4 months - this term will be divided as follows : 3 months for data collection and 1 month to complete additional data after review by the regional consultant.

A final meeting will be organized in order to return the information collected by the National Consultants to the firm that will be in charge of establishing the PDDI.

Competencies

• Ability to work in a team and initiative spirit developed ;
• Excellent writing, synthesis and oral communication skills;
• Ability to identify program needs and find solutions proactively ;
• Ability and experience to work independently and deliver quality reports in a timely manner ;
• Good negotiation, interpersonal and communication skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

• University degree in economics, engineering, planning, administration, management or a similar discipline

Experience

• At least 10 years of professional experience in the public sector in a senior position ;
• Practical experience in the development and implementation of strategies, policies, projects and programmes ; 
• A good understanding of OMVG's operations and activities ;

Linguistic Requirements

• A perfect command of written and spoken Portuguese is crucial. A good command of English and/or French is desirable.

Application process 

Interested individuals must submit the following in their submissions to demonstrate their qualifications: (NOTE: the system does not allow multiple uploads of documents. Applicants must ensure that they upload all documents in a single PDF file).

All applications must contain the following information :

• Motivation letter with a summary of skills related to the mission,
• Earliest availability and proposed schedule for consultation,
• Confirmation of Interest  and availability letter duly completed using the template provided by UNDP,
• Personal CV, indicating all past experience on similar projects, as well as the candidate's contact information (email and phone number) and at least three (3) professional references,
• Financial proposal indicating the all-inclusive daily fee, accompanied by a breakdown of costs, in accordance with the model provided http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=29916  

Please ensure that you have provided all the requested documents.

Evaluation  

Individual consultants will be evaluated on the basis of the following methodology :

• Weighting the technical evaluation - 70% - of which :
  • 50% on the basis of an analysis of their training, previous experience and management skills,
  • 50 % based on the interview score.
• Weighting of the financial assessment – 30%.

• 50% on the basis of an analysis of their training, previous experience and management skills,
• 50 % based on the interview score.

The Long-list will be drawn up on the basis of minimum education, professional experience and language requirements (proficiency in English and French).

• Criterion A : 20 points.
  • University degree in economics, engineering, planning, administration, management or a similar discipline.
• Criterion : 70 points.
  • At least 10 years of professional experience in the public sector in a senior position ;
  • Practical experience in the development and implementation of strategies, policies, projects and programmes ;  
  • A good understanding of OMVG’s operations and activities ;
  • Ability and experience to work independently and deliver quality reports in a timely manner ; 
  • Good negotiation, interpersonal and communication skills.
  • Criterion D : 10 points
    • Linguistic requirements.

• University degree in economics, engineering, planning, administration, management or a similar discipline.

• At least 10 years of professional experience in the public sector in a senior position ;
• Practical experience in the development and implementation of strategies, policies, projects and programmes ;  
• A good understanding of OMVG’s operations and activities ;
• Ability and experience to work independently and deliver quality reports in a timely manner ; 
• Good negotiation, interpersonal and communication skills.
• Criterion D : 10 points
  • Linguistic requirements.

• Linguistic requirements.

Short-listed candidates with a score of 70 % or more for the technical aspect of their profile and technical proposal will be invited for an interview.  Only shortlisted candidates will be considered for financial evaluation. 

Payments:

Payments will be based on the submission and validation of deliverables presented with an invoice, as defined in the table below: 

Deliverable

Percentage

Estimated Date

Methodology and data list

20%

Between week 1 and 3

Mid-term report and presentation of the first data collected

30%

Between week 4 and 10

Final report

30%

Between week 11 and 16

Restitution of the results of the study to the firm recruited for the PDDI

20%

Date to be defined later - in the course of 2020

Travel : The consultant will be required to carry out numerous field missions. If requested, UNCDF will organize and cover the cost of travel in accordance with UNCDF rules and regulations.