NATIONAL CONSULTANT FOR ENHANCEMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES AT LOCAL LEVEL

Background

UNDP is the development arm of the United Nations system, with offices in 180 countries. Globally, the organization employs 17,000 people and manages a budget of USD 5 billion each year.

The UNDP office in Skopje employs a team of 65 and currently manages a portfolio of projects in environmental protection, good governance and social inclusion worth USD 15 million per year.

UNDP is seeking a National consultant specialized in social policies and services for enhancement of implementation modalities of the Community Works Programme (CWP), having in mind exiting models and situation concerning identification, designing, implementation and resource mobilization related to social services at local level and their subsequent improvement and initiation of new services for ensuring better conditions and results for different vulnerable groups at local level.

The country’s decentralized system of local government aims to improve the quality, efficiency and inclusiveness of public services by bringing local governments closer to the people. However, many municipalities struggle to fulfill their responsibilities for social protection, education and healthcare. The 2012 saw the introduction of an innovative programme challenging social exclusion on two fronts at once. The Community Works Programme (CWP) was designed to tackle social exclusion by offering unemployed people the opportunity to gain valuable working skills while providing services to those who are most at risk of social exclusion. Piloted in 4 municipalities, by Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP), Employment Service Agency (ESA) and UNDP, the programme very soon gain in popularity among municipalities. In its nine cycle of implementation in 2020 it covered 65 municipalities including City of Skopje that have built their capacities through CWP how to plan, design and deliver social services at local level in co-operation with the local units of the MLSP and ESA. Nowadays it is an integral part of the country’s employment strategy and is one of the active labour market measures stated in the Operational Employment Plan of the Government. However, the lack of various professionals and service providers of social services at local level is a huge challenge especially for smaller and rural municipalities. Thus, there is a need to operationalize the provisions of the New Law on Social protection that enables regional dimension of designing and implementing social services.

The MLSP, ESA and UNDP continue to join forces to build an innovative approach, which will support social services provision at local level and encourage gradual inclusion of the most vulnerable citizens in the labour market. The specific activities eligible under CWP primarily target the elderly people; pre-school children, children and people with disabilities; citizens of rural areas and elderly.

Moreover, a new four-year project funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, to be implemented by UNDP, in one of the main objectives shall work to generate innovative policy and programming solutions to help Roma and persons with disabilities to access the labour market while delivering services for broader social inclusion.

UNDP believe that with the modernization of services provided through CWP will secure additional benefit of all the member of the community and contribute to promote the welfare of the society in general.  

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective of the Assignment

The overall aim of this consultancy is to support the MLSP in upgrading the system for development and implementation of social services at local level. Assignment will be focused on development of capacities within  municipalities, as the main implementing partner, to define social services that will quickly and efficiently identify citizens' needs, prioritizing them, provide participatory involvement of all local actors in the field of social services, and by using a different mechanisms of service delivery ensure service sustainability. The National Consultant is expected to review the current implementation and status of the Local Social Strategies, and by exploring, provide recommendation on possible models for improvement of the strategic document and/or local programmes on Social Protection, in order to provide a basis for applying for funding from different sources. 

In order to broaden the discussion with other relevant stakeholders on social services and opportunities enabled with the new Law on Social Protection, UNDP and MLSP will organize, info meetings with key actors at local level in order to familiarize municipalities with a new legislation, to portray the process and empathize the needs for local partnerships, underlining future potentials in the social sphere. The consultant is expected to be a part of facilitation of the above-mentioned meetings and provide training for development of new social services and upgrading the existing one.

Scope of Work

The methodology of work will consist of desk review of relevant project documentation and direct consultations with the project team and other key local stakeholders involved during the assignment. Guidance material will be provided by UNDP and will include, but not be limited to the following:

• Operational Guidelines for Community Works Programme
• Success stories “Community Works Programme”

Moreover, consultant is expected to:

• bring closer available possibilities, as per the new legislation, for provision of social services to plan regions and other relevant local actors, during the 8 information meetings (1 meeting per region)
• to train members of Regional Social Protection Council (RSPC), concerning strategic planning in social protection, networking, project preparation through multi-sectoral cooperation, mapping of social needs and preparation of regional social plan and annual programme
• to assist in identification and development of new social services on regional level, as well as to provide expertise for upgrading existing social services

EXPECTED OUTPUTS AND DELIVERABLES:

The consultancy is expected to deliver the following outputs:

Deliverables	Tentative date
Propose methodology and conceptual approach on how the assignment will be carried out in order to ensure enhancement of implementation modalities	5 days after the contract awarding
Develop a Brief Guidelines for local actors on strategic planning in social protection, networking at local level, project preparation through multi-sectoral cooperation, mapping of social needs and preparation of regional social plan and annual programme	By 30th of September 2021
Participation on the information meetings to be organized with plan regions for presentation of novelties in social services provision Presentation on the brief Guidelines concerning strategic planning in social protection	By 30th of September 2021
Organize and led at least eight one-day trainings in all 8-planning region with relevant local actors’ part of Regional Social Protection Councils (RSPC). Thematic workshops for members of RSPC should cover area such as:  strategic planning in social protection, networking at local level, project preparation through multi-sectoral cooperation, mapping of social needs and preparation of regional social plan and annual program, identification and development of new social services on local level, as well as expertise for upgrading existing social services.	By 30th of October 2021
Submit final report	By 15th of November 2021

 

Institutional arrangment

The consultant will work under direct supervision by the UNDP Social Inclusion Unit Staff. They will be in regular communication with the supervisor through e-mail and will provide regular progress reports on bi-weekly basis. UNDP Social Inclusion Unit Staff estimated lead time to review outputs, give comments, certify approval/acceptance of outputs, etc. shall be within 5 working days.

In course of performing the job, the consultants will need to meet with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. The UNDP office will assist with scheduling these meetings.

Duration of the Work

The assignment shall commence on 15th August 2021 and the tasks should be completed latest by 15th of November 2021.

Duty station and travel

This assignment covers period between 15th August 2021 - 15th of November 2021, in the country as following:

• At least ten days for development of Guidelines concerning strategic planning in social protection
• At least 20 days for preparation and provision of eight one-day trainings in all 8-planning region with relevant regional actors, including days for preparation of a Manual for regional actors' workshops as a basic training material

If unforeseen travel is requested by UNDP and not required by the Terms of References (ToR), such travel shall be covered by UNDP in line with applicable rules and regulations and upon prior written agreement.

Competencies

 

• Excellent communications and facilitation skills;
• Excellent analytical and negotiation skills.
• Excellent public speaking and presentation skills.

Required Skills and Experience

The selected candidate shall possess:

• Advanced university degree in Social Sciences or related disciplines, where specialization in social welfare systems, social protection, labor market inequalities and sustainable growth shall be considered as an asset 
• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible relevant experience in social welfare systems, social protection, labor market inequalities and sustainable growth
• Record of at least 3 undertaken researches in social welfare systems, social protection, labor market inequalities and sustainable growth
• Record of at least 2 developed manuals, policy papers, assessment reports, in a role of an author or co-author, where focus on social welfare systems shall be considered as an asset
• Excellent writing and oral communication skills in English

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF BEST OFFER

The award of the contract shall be made to the offeror whose offer has been evaluated and determined using Cumulative analysis methodology. When using this weighted scoring method, the award of the contract will be made to the consultant whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

a) Being responsive/compliant/acceptable, and

b) Having received the highest score based on the following weight of technical and financial criteria for solicitation as per the schedule below:

* Technical criteria weight: 70%

* Financial criteria weight: 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70%) in the technical evaluation shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

For the considered offers in the financial evaluation only, the lowest price offer will receive 30 points. The other offers will receive points in relation to the lowest offer, based on the following formula: (Pn / Pl) * 30 where Pn is the financial offer being evaluated and Pl is the lowest financial offer received.

Technical Criteria:

Criteria	Maximum points 70
Advanced university degree in Social Sciences or related disciplines, where specialization in social welfare systems, social protection, labor market inequalities and sustainable growth shall be considered as an asset MA = 7 PhD = 10	10
Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible relevant experience in social welfare systems, social protection, labor market inequalities and sustainable growth 10 years = 15 points Above 10 = 20 points	20
Record of at least 3 undertaken researches in social welfare systems, social protection, labor market inequalities and sustainable growth at least 3 assignments of interest - 10 points at least 5 assignments of interest - 15 points more than 5 assignments of interest - 20 points	20
Record of at least 2 developed manuals, policy papers, assessment reports, in a role of an author or co-author, where focus on social welfare systems shall be considered as an asset Good experience – at least 3 assignments of interest - 10 points Very good experience- at least 5 assignments of interest – 15 points Excellent experience – more than 5 assignments of interest – 20 Points	20

 

DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED

Interested offerors, are invited to submit the following documents/information to be considered:

1. Offeror’s letter, as per the following form LINK
2. Most updated CV with focus on required qualification as well as the contact details of at least three (3) professional references;
3. Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment
4. List of relevant assignment as per the section criteria
5. Financial Proposal The financial proposal must be expressed in the form of a lumpsum all-inclusive cost*, supported by breakdown of costs as per template provided in MK Denars for this consultancy as per given deliverables (The term “All inclusive” implies that all costs (professional fees, travel costs, living allowances, communications, consummables, etc.) that could possibly be incurred by the Contractor are already factored into the final amounts submitted in the proposal).

Failure to submit complete set of all four required documents will result in disqualification from the process.

Payments will be made only upon confirmation from UNDP on delivering on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner.

Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under dss.un.org.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Step 1

1. Click on the "Apply now" button

2. Input your information in the appropriate sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume, and motivation (cover letter). You can type in or paste your short Resume into the last box.

3. Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. On the next page, you will be asked to upload other required documents listed in the step 2.

Step 2

Interested individual consultants must submit the documents/information listed in the “Documents to submit section” above.

The system will allow only one attachment. Therefore, please upload all required documents as one file.

Failing to submit any of these documents may result in disqualification of the application.

Please note that shortlisted candidates might be interviewed.

If the deliverables are not produced and delivered by the consultant to the satisfaction of UNDP as approved by the responsible Portfolio Manager, no payment will be made even if the consultant has invested man/days to produce and deliver such deliverables.