Technical Adviser (Sustainable Fuelwood Management in Nigeria) at UNDP

Additional Category: Climate & Disaster Resilience
Type of Contract: Individual Contract
Post Level: International Consultant
Starting Date: (date when the selected candidate is expected to start)  11-Jun-2018
Duration of Initial Contract: 12 Months
Expected Duration of Assignment: 12 Months
Project name: Sustainable Fuelwood Management in Nigeria

Background
Over half of Nigeria's estimated 170 million inhabitants live below the poverty line, with over 70% of the population still relying on biomass for fuelwood. Rapid deforestation is a major concern with over half of the country's primary forests cut down in the last 10 years, exacerbated by rapid population growth of 2.5%. The unsustainable production and utilization of biomass resources represents one of the key drivers of deforestation and land degradation in Nigeria. In response to this challenge, the Government of Nigeria has secured funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for a sustainable fuelwood management project. The project, which began implementation in February 2017, has a GEF grant of $4,410,000 and co-financing of $16,400,000.

The objective of the project is sustainable fuelwood production and consumption to secure the flow of multiple environmental benefits, including carbon storage and sequestration. This will be achieved through i) supply side management (the production and procurement of certified fuelwood from sustainably sourced feedstock from a) woodlands outside the protected forests in Cross River and Delta State in the South and b) from farmer-managed woodlots in Kaduna State in the North and ii) demand side management through the promotion of improved stoves/kilns in the domestic sub-sector as an inclusive business to reduce fuelwood demand, improve health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Four components will support the achievement of objective:

• Sustainable fuelwood supply
• Fuelwood demand management
• Domestic industry for clean cook stoves and other clean energy alternatives
• Financial models for sustainable fuelwood management:
  • The project is nationally implemented by the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) as the implementing partner, with oversight support from UNDP. ECN is accountable to the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and UNDP for the quality of project outcomes and appropriate use of the project resources, both when directly implementing project activities and when delegating others to do so.

Scope of Work, Responsibilities and Description of the Proposed Analytical Work

• The project is seeking the services of a Technical Advisor (TA). The TA will be responsible for providing overall technical guidance and backstopping to the project.
• He/She will render technical support to the Project Manager, the Project Steering Committee (PSC) and other Government counterparts as may be deemed necessary.
  

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist the Project Manager and project team to prepare a detailed Annual Work Plan of project activities in line with the project document and approved budget.
• Ensure delivery and disbursement of project funds in accordance with agreed Annual Work Plans, in order to achieve expected quarterly disbursement schedules and to meet the stated project outcomes and outputs; work closely with the Finance Officer to review expenditures and ensure cost-efficiency and effectiveness.
• Provide administrative oversight to the Project Manager and support staff, and work in close consultation with GoN and UNDP in contracting, procurement, administrative and related issues to support efficient project implementation.
• Coordinate and provide strategic guidance to the Project Manager on the implementation of the project.
• Ensure adherence to all donor requirements, including policies and procedures and financial rules and regulations, including those of UNDP that may be applied to financial management of the project.
• Assist the Project Manager in the timely completion of quarterly progress reports and yearly Project Implementation Reports (PIRs).
• Facilitate meetings with project partners and resolve any issues, conflicts or delays affecting project implementation.
• Provide guidance and oversight to the Project Manager to fulfill all required progress, technical and financial reporting (to the Project Steering Committee and UNDP).
• Work with the Project Manager to create tenders for procurements of inputs and services, and evaluate and provide recommendations on bids (to National Project Director).
• Provide strategic guidance to the Project Board.
• Provide on-the-job technical guidance and mentoring to the project management unit (PMU) in order to strengthen their capacity to effectively implement the technical aspects of the project.
• Participate in and advise on the recruitment of local consultants and international experts.
• Support UNDP Country Office staff on their regular field missions and monitoring visits to the project sites.
• Facilitate the development of strategic regional and international partnerships for resource mobilization and the exchange of skills and information related to sustainable fuelwood management.
• Facilitate the development of communication for results.
• Prepare the mid-term sustainable forest management, land degradation and climate change mitigation tracking tools prior to the mid-term review, in consultation with the Project Manager and the Regional Technical Advisor in UNDP's Regional Service Centre.

Deliverables/Outputs: Individual work plan
Estimated Duration to Complete: within 2 weeks of contract signing
Target Due Dates: June 2018
Review and Approvals Required: PM, PSC

Deliverables/Outputs: Recommendations on activities to fast track implementation
Estimated Duration to Complete: within 2 months of contract signing
Target Due Dates: July 2018

Deliverables/Outputs: Terms of reference for various technical consultancies
Estimated Duration to Complete: within 2 months of contract signing
Target Due Dates: August 2018
Review and Approvals Required: PM, PSC

Deliverables/Outputs: Technical backstopping (demonstrated in project monthly reports, timesheets)
Estimated Duration to Complete: monthly duration of contract
Target Due Dates: Monthly
Review and Approvals Required: PM

Deliverables/Outputs: Project Implementation Report (PIR
Estimated Duration to Complete: within 2 months
Target Due Dates: July 2018
Review and Approvals Required: PM, PSC, UNDP, RSC

Deliverables/Outputs: Quarterly progress reports
Estimated Duration to Complete: quarterly:
Target Due Dates: Quarterly
Review and Approvals Required: PM, PSC, UNDP, GoN

Deliverables/Outputs: Project communication tools
Estimated Duration to Complete: within 6 months of contract signing
Target Due Dates: October 2018
Review and Approvals Required: PM, PSC

Deliverables/Outputs: Knowledge Management tools
Estimated Duration to Complete: within 6 months of contract signing
Target Due Dates: October 2018
Review and Approvals Required: PM, PSC

Deliverables/Outputs: M&E system, indicators, targets
Estimated Duration to Complete: within 6 months of contract signing
Target Due Dates: October 2018
Review and Approvals Required: PM, PSC

Deliverables/Outputs: Annual Work Plan 2019
Estimated Duration to Complete: 2 months
Target Due Dates: December 2018
Review and Approvals Required: PM, PSC

Requirements for Experience and Qualifications
Qualifications:

• Minimum 10 years' experience in public or private sector management, preferably with direct experience in programme or project management.
• Master's Degree in natural resources management, environment or natural sciences, or a related discipline.
• Sound knowledge and understanding of forest restoration and sustainable land management.
• Demonstrated strong analytical skills and ability to draft high quality reports in a concise manner.
• Excellent leadership, negotiation and communication skills.
• Sensitive to government and civil society interactions.
• Ability to lead, manage and motivate teams to achieve results.
• Fully computer literate.

Languages:

• Excellent English, both oral and written.

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

• Personal CV, indicating education background/professional qualifications, all experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
• Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, on how they will approach and complete the assignment;

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 will be based upon output as shown below.
• The financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount (including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).

The consultant shall be paid the consultancy fee upon completion of the following milestones.

• Deliverable/Outputs Target Due Dates % of lump sum to be paid
• Signing of contract and travel to duty station, individual work plan Contract signing 10%
• Recommendations on activities to fast track implementation / Terms of Reference for various consultancies 30 June 2018 30%
• Technical backstopping (demonstrated in project monthly reports, timesheets) monthly Forms basis for quarterly payments as per timesheet and the schedule of payment
• Project Implementation Report / M&E system, indicators, targets / Outreach and communications 31 August 2018 30%
• Annual Work Plan 2019 10 December 2018 30%

Evaluation
Individual consultants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis of the technical and financial proposal.
The award of the contract would 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; [70%]
  • Financial Criteria weight; [30%]

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70 points would be considered for the Financial Evaluation

• Criteria Weight Max. Point
• Technical
• Minimum 10 years' experience in public or private sector management, preferably with direct experience in programme or project management.
• 20% 20
• Master's Degree in Natural Resources Management, Environment or Natural Sciences, or a related discipline.
• 10% 10
• Sound knowledge and understanding of forest restoration and sustainable land management.
• 20% 20
• Demonstrated strong analytical skills and ability to draft high quality reports in a concise manner. 10% 10
• Sensitive to government and civil society interactions.
• 10% 10
• Financial 30% 30

Note

• Any request for clarification must be sent in writing, or by standard electronic communication to the address or e-mail indicated above. UNDP will respond in writing or by standard electronic mail and will send written copies of the response, including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry, to all consultants.