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National Consultant to support the institutional capacity development and strengthening of five thematic cross-river platforms.

Vacancy Number: Pr22/02365

Location:	Chisinau, Moldova
Application Deadline:	20 Jan 2022, 16:30 (GMT+2:00)
Application Extended deadline:	03 Feb 2022, 16:30 (GMT+2:00)
Application Extended deadline:	03 Feb 2022, 16:30 (GMT+2:00)
Starting date:	24 Jan 2022
Reference to the project:	European Union - Confidence Building Measures V
Expected Duration of Assignment:	157 working days
Submission Instructions: Proposals should be submitted online, by pressing the "Apply Online" button, no later than 20.01.2022. Requests for clarification only must be sent by standard electronic communication to the following e-mail: anatolie.terzi@undp.org UNDP will respond 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 applicants.
Supporting Documents: Terms of Reference Procurement Notice OFFEROR’S LETTER TO UNDP CONFIRMING INTEREST AND AVAILABILITY FOR THE INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTOR (IC) ASSIGNMENT UNDP General Conditions of Individual Contract

Background

The overall objective of the EU Confidence Building Measures Programme V (the EU CBM V Programme), is to contribute to an environment of trust and cooperation across the Nistru River generating new perspectives on shared interests and a shared future for people from both banks of the river while responding to their pressing development needs. The EU CBM Programme represents a framework for engaging in development interventions across the security zone on both sides of the Nistru River, comprising a series of activities that strengthen, regularize and intensify interaction between otherwise divided societies, aiming to establish this interaction as a norm.

The fifth phase of CBM started in January 2019 and consists of 4 components: Support to Economic Development and Entrepreneurship, Community Development and Cross-river Sectoral Platforms, Cultural and Historical Heritage Support and Support to Cooperative Media Content Development.

In the Phase 4 of CBM, five thematic collaboration platforms in the area of environment, health, culture, education and sports, were established in order to support the initiation of mutually beneficial sectorial dialogue and projects, as well as capacity building and transfer of experience from one bank to another. The platforms are stakeholder owned and driven.

Initially, the first Platforms’ members became Community Based Organizations (CSOs) which received grants to develop infrastructure on both banks of Nistru river, the platforms frameworks being at this stage a dialogue enhancement mechanism. Gradually, the platforms’ membership has been extended and includes about 350 professionals and experts as well. The ideas generated through thematic collaboration platforms are translated into specific confidence-building projects and blueprints for the upcoming development interventions. This cooperation framework has proven to be a promising non-political confidence building mechanism which also showed that in each of these thematic areas there is significant untapped potential for confidence building between organizations, institutions and communities of the two banks of the Nistru river.

CBM in its fifth phase continues supporting the cross-river platforms, focusing on their further qualitative and quantitative development through generating new thematic solutions and developing strategic directions with strong confidence building elements, through expanding their membership, and broadening areas of cooperation between NGOs and professionals from both banks of Nistru river.

Given the number of thematic platforms and the specific complexity of the process, a National Consultant is required to evaluate the platforms development to date, provide continuous guidance to platform leaders in the process of further development of their response to thematic problems, long-term strategies, assistance on their membership expansion, and contribution for Platforms strengthening and sustainability.

Scope of work

The overall objective of the National Consultant on Cross-River Sectoral Platforms Institutional Capacity development (hereinafter National Consultant) is to support the institutional capacity development and strengthening of five thematic cross-river platforms created with support of CBM through the provision of continuous guidance to the thematic collaboration platforms.
 
Specific tasks:
The national consultant, under the supervision of the EU CBM V Programme Manager, will have responsibility to carry out the following main tasks:

1. Assess institutional capacities and needs (including development of evaluation criteria and checklist; overall assessment of each platform; provision of recommendations);
2. Develop inclusive strategic documents and action plans for next 1,5 years under the Grant agreements with the EU CBM V Programme and long-term sustainability plans (based on existing strategic plans, with large engagement of members);
3. Develop members’ capacities through training and coaching (as per results of needs assessment conducted under p.1) and through improved functionality, including through expansion of platform membership and engagement with value adding stakeholders, other networks, etc. as needed to achieve platforms’ strategic goals;
4. Develop mutually beneficial solutions for problems common to people on both riverbanks and fundraise for their implementation.

 For detailed information, please refer to Annex 1 – Terms of Reference.

Requirements for experience

Academic Qualification:
• University degree in Management, Public Policy, Social Sciences, International Relations, Development Studies, Public Administration, or other related to the assignment areas.

Experience:
• At least 7 years of professional experience in organising capacity development in the area of institutional development of CSOs;
• Proven experience of work with/for with focus on platform/networks/alliances of NGOs is a strong asset.
• Good knowledge of the civil society and local stakeholders on both banks of Nistru River;
• Proven understanding of the Transnistrian region setting, knowledge and in-depth understanding of the working environment, its sensitivities, political challenges, ability to build solid ground for joint work between the two sides are a strong advantage.

Competencies:
• Proven ability to conceptualize and put together cooperation programmes for representatives of the civil society and community-based stakeholders;
• Good analytical and evaluation skills;
• Demonstrated communication, teamwork, presentation and advocacy skills, particularly with regard to human rights and gender equality issues;
• Flexibility, ability to work under tight deadlines;  
• Ability to focus on goals and adapt processes to achieving goals
Language requirements:
• Fluency in in English, Romanian and Russian is mandatory.

The UNDP Moldova is committed to workforce diversity. Women, persons with disabilities, Roma and other ethnic or religious minorities, persons living with HIV, as well as refugees and other non-citizens legally entitled to work in the Republic of Moldova, are particularly encouraged to apply. Please mention in CV if you belong to the group(s) under-represented in the UN Moldova and/or the area of assignment.

Documents to be included

Applicants shall submit the following documents:

• Cover letter, explaining why they are the most suitable for this position
• Offeror’s letter to UNDP confirming interest and availability for the Individual Contractor (IC) assignment with Financial Proposal (in USD, specifying the requested amount per working day, including all related costs - quoted in separate line items). Financial Proposal template prepared in compliance with the template in Annex 2;
• Updated CV, including past experience in similar projects and 3 references.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

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 instalments 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 (including fees, taxes, travel costs, accommodation costs, communication, and number of anticipated working days) (see Annex 2 of the Offeror’s Letter Confirming Interest and availability attached to this Procurement Notice).