Interpreter (Chinese/English) - On-Call basis

Remote | Beijing

Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme
Location: Remote | Beijing
Grade: Consultancy - National Consultant - Locally recruited Contractors Agreement
Occupational Groups:
- Translations and Languages
Closing Date: Closed

Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is currently implementing a project that requires the services of an individual to perform the work described in this document.

Should you be interested and decide to submit an offer for this assignment, kindly submit directly in the online supplier portal no later than the Aug 30th 2024.

Offers must be submitted directly in the system following this link: using the profile you may have in the portal.

In case you have never registered before, you can register a profile using the registration link and following the instructions in guides available in UNDP website: . Do not create a new profile if you already have one. Use the forgotten password feature in case you do not remember the password or the username from previous registration. If you are new registered for IC, the company name should be the name of individual.

Once you login the supplier platform, Click-View Active Negotiations, Search with Negotiation Number: UNDP-CHN-00119, then Create response.

Please note that only the application submitted in UNDP online supplier portal is accepted!

If any discrepancy between deadline in the system and in deadline indicated elsewhere, deadline in the system prevails.

We look forward to your favourable response and thank you in advance for your interest in working with UNDP.

Sincerely

1. Background

UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to end poverty, reduce inequalities and exclusion, as well as protect the planet, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Together, these efforts aim to ensure that improvements in human wellbeing remain within ecological boundaries. We also help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities and institutional capabilities, as well as build resilience, in order to achieve the SDGs.

UNDP China has been working in China over the past 40 years, partnering to advance various phases of China’s development. UNDP China’s actions and programmes for the period of 2021-2025 are defined in its Country Programme Document for China (CPD), prepared in cooperation with the Government of China and other partners. The CPD contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for China 2021-2025 and aligned to support the development priorities outlined in the Government of China’s 14th Five Year Plan.

We support the attainment of the SDGs in China, by promoting sustainable development principles in policies and decision-making, focusing on reducing inequality, promoting inclusive, low-carbon growth and protecting the environment. Our work involves shaping the policy discourse and practices in China’s development cooperation and overseas public and private financing by providing policy and technical guidance on alignment with international best practices and norms. In addition, UNDP leverages its global network and South-South Cooperation (SSC) to facilitate mutual knowledge and experience sharing between China and partner countries on best practices and lessons learned to advance the SDGs.

Given significant and continuous needs in working with partnership with various sectors of society including executive and legislative bodies of the government, private sector and civil society where translation and interpretation services are extensively required, especially in intensively technical fields of sustainable development such as clean energy, UNDP China Country Office invites candidates to send their applications for inclusion in the “Roster for Individual Consultants: Interpreter.” UNDP China would invite candidates to enter into a Long-Term Agreement (LTA), with one or more individuals that will perform the services described on Term of Reference on a need-basis. Where a request for service arises, UNDP China can engage the individual on LTA roster in a timely fashion. Every assignment shall have specific tasks, scope of services and outputs to be delivered within a specific period.

Duties and Responsibilities

2. Description of Responsibilities

Provision of high-quality simultaneous interpreting services from English into Chinese and vice versa;
Provision of high-quality consecutive interpreting services from English into Chinese and vice versa;
Conducts adequate research on conference materials, ensure the accurate use of vocabulary, terms and terminologies.
Provides simultaneous/consecutive Interpreting services for occasions including but not limited to:
- Technical Working Group meetings;
- Conferences;
- Official missions;
- Field trips;
- Workshops;
- Meetings between the international and national partners.
Observe confidentially and refrain from divulging any information about the content of the text;
Interpretation should be done within agreed time frame;

Intellectual Property:

All information and production of documents, pictures and videos pertaining to the assignments as well as outputs produced under this contract shall remain the property of the UNDP who shall have exclusive rights over their use. The products shall not be disclosed to the public nor used in whatever format without written permission of UNDP in line with the national and International Copyright Laws applicable.

3. Institutional Arrangement and Contract Management

Under the overall guidance, the Interpreter will report to the UNDP Operations team and/ or in specific UNDP project teams which relevant to the assignment. The assigned UNDP staff member(s) will work closely with the consultant to ensure timely delivery of expected outputs for each assignment.

The Interpreters will provide technical support to the hiring unit and ensure that all deliverables follow UNDP relevant communications guidelines, provide the best possible functionality and usability to UNDP partners.

UNDP would conduct annually performance reviews of these LTAs, which might include meeting with the LTA holders and feedback from other stakeholders.

If the consultant fails to meet UNDP’s performance requirements, s/he will receive in the first instance a warning to improve their performance. Continued failure to meet performance requirements may result on termination of the LTA.

4. Duration of the Work

Long term agreement for a period of three years, starting from Sep 2024 to Sep 2027.

The initial contract would be for one year (Sep 2024 – Sep 2025) with possible extension for another two years subject to satisfactory performance.

5. LTA Contracting modality and Call-off mechanism

The Individual Contractor’s services will be used on an intermittent and repetitive basis when needed.

This agreement does not form a financial obligation or commitment from UNDP at the time Agreement is signed, and that such an agreement is non-exclusive. UNDP does not warrant that any quantity of services will be purchased during the term of the LTA as this will depend on forthcoming needs. Financial commitments will only be established each time a Purchase Order for the specific services/deliverable is committed.

When a specific need arises, the successful Individual Contractor will be approached and be provided with a specific TOR or specific deliverables with time frame but still within the scope of the responsibilities stated in the Agreement.
Upon receipt of the request from hiring unit, the consultant would have to confirm their availability for the assignment within two days. If positive, s/he would confirm the lump sum cost of the specific service based on the daily fee on the LTA as benchmark. If the consultant is selected for the specific service, UNDP will send the consultant a written communication confirming the requirement in the form of a work order or purchase order sent by email. The order will include details of the assignment, number of hours/days to be worked, and other practical details. Price in the order will be based on the agreed costs. After the work order has been sent, no further costs would be reimbursed by UNDP unless there is prior written authorization by UNDP.
Once the services are completed and have been approved by hiring unit, the consultant will send the following documentation for payment purposes, and remuneration will be paid within 30 days:

a) Complete timesheet indicating the detailed working hours/days.

b) Complete invoice (COP) indicating the number of days worked, consulting cost and travel costs (if any);

c) Copy of the UNDP purchase order for the assignment.

UNDP would conduct bi-annual performance reviews of these LTAs, which might include meeting with the LTA holders or feedback from other stakeholders. If the consultant fails to meet UNDP’s performance requirements, s/he will receive in the first instance a warning to improve their performance. Continued failure to meet performance requirements may result on termination of the LTA.

Competencies

6. Qualifications of the Successful Individual Contractor

Corporate Competencies

Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standard;
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.

Functional Competencies

Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure;
Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities.

Required Skills and Experience

To be selected for the roster, interested offerors must have:

Minimum a bachelor’s degree in linguistics, public policy, international relation, economics, energy and environment or any other related fields;
Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in both simultaneous and consecutive interpretation services on areas of sustainable development.
Interpretation experience for high-level conferences/meetings/visits/events etc. will be a strong asset (25 points);
Interpretation experience on environment and energy will be an asset (15 points);
Interpretation experience for UNDP or other UN organizations will be an advantage (15 points);
Good understanding of the development and institutional context of China and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals Agenda; Familiarity with UNDP or UN operations in China would be an advantage.(15 points)

Language Requirements

Expert in both English and Chinese is a must.
Holding a CATTI 2 Certificate or equivalent internationally accepted certificates for translation or interpretation programme completion is required.?

Required Skills and Experience

7. Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

Consultant must send a financial proposal based on Daily fee and half day fee in CNY.

Daily fee - consultant shall quote an all-inclusive Daily Feefor the contract period.

The term “all inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, communications, consumables, etc.) that could be incurred by the IC in completing the assignment are already factored into the daily fee submitted in the proposal. UNDP will pay to the Consultants based on the number of days spent in assignment.

The daily fee should not include the travel/lodging costs, these costs will be made according to the actual travel payment in each call-off order (if applicable if the event requires travel).

For contract purposes “daily” would be understood as 8 hours of work, and “half day” as 4 hours of work.
Daily Fee will be the basis for UNDP to calculate rates below one-day duration, additional hourly rate will be daily rate/8.
Payments shall be made within 30 days based on satisfactory achieved deliverables under each assignment and submission of approved invoice indicating number of working days spent for each specific assignment, upon verification of completion of deliverables and approval by the IC’s supervisor of each assignment.

8. Recommended Presentation of Offer

Interested individual consultants must submit the following to demonstrate their suitability for the assignment.

Submit valid application in UNDP cloud-based supplier platform - Quantum system.
Submit Personal CV or P11 in the system, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive daily fee/half day fee for the contract period as per template provided. If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNDP under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNDP.

9. Evaluation Criteria

The award of the agreement shall be made to the individual consultants whose offer have been evaluated and determined as a) responsive/compliant/acceptable, and b) having the highest score out of set of weighted technical criteria (70%) and financial criteria (30%), hence only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70% of the total technical points) would be considered for the Financial Evaluation.

Financial score shall be computed as a ratio of the proposal being evaluated and the lowest priced proposal received by UNDP for the assignment. UNDP will award the Long Term Agreement (LTA) with 4-6 top ranked consultants according to their cumulative evaluation.