Terms of Reference

for INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANTS

POST TITLE: / Consultant for Local Level Annual Planning (National)
AGENCY/PROJECT NAME: / UNDP/ Comprehensive Programme of Support to the Ministry of Planning and Investment and Poverty-Environment Initiative Component 1
COUNTRY OF ASSIGNMENT: / Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Duration of Assigment / 70 working days during the period of 7.5 months (frombeginning of May to mid-December 2015)
Starting date / ASAP
1) GENERAL BACKGROUND
The fast-growing economy of Lao PDR is largely based on its wealth of natural resources, with over 50% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) derived from agriculture, forestry, mining and hydropower over the past decade. The recent influx of foreign direct investments (FDI) into the country has accelerated GDP growth, contributed to government revenues and is a force for reducing poverty. However, these investments have also led to rapid loss of natural ecosystems, on which the large majority of rural Lao people depend for their food and incomes and has increased livelihood uncertainty through change in traditional livelihood systems and loss of farming lands.
The ambitious target of at least 8% annual GDP growth set forth by the 7th National Socio Economic Development Plan (7th NSEDP) for 2011-2015 will lead to increasing demand for exploitation of the country’s natural resources. With the aim to achieve the goal of quality growth as set out in the 7th NSEDP, the Government of Lao PDR (GoL) urgently needs to respond correspondingly and manage investments in such a way that this growth is translated into substantive revenues for the government, real development benefits for the people and sustainable management of the environment.
UNDP currently works with the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) Department of Planning (DoP) to mainstream poverty-environment issues in the implementation, monitoring and assessment of the 7th NSEDP and the provincial and local-level plans under the five-year programme (2011-2015), “Realizing the MDGs in Lao PDR - Consolidated Programme of Support to MPI for the Achievement of the Valuable Goals of the 7th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) 2011-15.”
The UNDP-UNEP Poverty-Environment Initiative (PEI) programme in Lao PDR, with the goal of ensuring the country’s rapid economic growth that generates inclusive and sustainable development, is supporting a number of activities as part of UNDPs wider support to the Department of Planning at MPI. One of these activities includes the further development of green growth planning in the national planning process to promote a green economy and the finalization of the 7th Plan Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.
2) OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT
The objective of the assignment is to initiate local level green orientated planning for sustainable development that integrates poverty-environment concepts. This will be achieved through the development of a broad set of criteria that can be used to rapidly assess Public Investment Programme (PIP) projects and One District One Product projects for “green growth” attributes with an end goal of transforming a number of identified green grown investment opportunities into short concise investment profiles that can later be showcased to investors and the donor community for financing and implementation.
3) SCOPE OF WORK
  • Desk review of document related to green growth implementing in Lao PDR and define screening criteria for the selection of green growth projects
  • Coordinate with DoP and relevant agencies to collect, consolidate and prepare list of PIP and One District One Product projects from PEI pilot provinces including those projects that have already secured funding.
  • Use screening criteria to assess the portfolio of projects to determine the inclusiveness of green growth concepts that will cater to the establishment of a green economy.
  • Through the assessment above, identify one of the most promising green growth project ideas from three of PEIs pilot provinces and transform each of these into short concise Investment profiles that clearly presents each investment opportunity. This will be done in close coordination with DoP/IPD/province/district while using the PEI/GiZ developed guidelines on developing investment profiles.
  • Assist DoP to pilot Poverty and Environment specific indicators that are part of the 8th NSEDP M&E Framework.
  • Assist DoP to review and assess annual development plan of the three PEI pilot province to assess and identify gaps in poverty and environment integration.

4) DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT, DUTY STATION AND EXPECTED PLACES OF TRAVEL
The total duration of the assignment is 70 working days over a period of 7.5 months, starting from May to midDecember 2015.
The duty station is UNDP, Vientiane, Lao PDR with possible travel to 3 provinces.
5) FINAL PRODUCTS
  1. Inception report that suggests planned activities and approach of the assignment (by 4 May 2015)
  2. In close consultation with DoP, the consultant will be required to develop a set of Green Growth screening criteria accompanied by a clear description of why each of the criteria was chosen and what information the criteria provides to the GoL to support the implementation of Green Growth planning.(by 29 May 2015)
  3. Prepare and deliver a concise report that lists all PIP and One Product One District projects for four PEI pilot provinces with their respective score for “green” based on the developed green growth screenings criteria. This report should provide the GoL a good summary of level of green growth planning for the pilot provinces and identify the 6 projects that will be used to prepare investment profiles - with clear justification for their selection(15 June 2015).
  4. In coordination and consultation with DoP and DPIs, conceptualize, lead and finalize the development of three green growth investment profiles identified in the report above (16 July 2015)
  5. As a result of DoP consultations in Vientiane province on the 8th Plan M&E framework indicators, the consultant needs to prepare a user friendly handbook that clearly shows how the 8th plan indicators in the M&E framework should be collected i.e. methodology, why this information is important and how each indicator will inform the planning process. During this assignment, she/he should determine which of these indicators can be attributed to Poverty and Environment (PE) concerns and the difficultly of data collection ( mid-October 2015)
  6. Prepare a report on piloted indicators from the 8th Plan M&E framework. This will be done by providing methodology on chosen indicators to provincial authorities and piloting data collection against these indicators in THREE provinces to determine if there are any complications experienced to collect the data. The consultant will be required to compile data provided by the authorities to assess if there were any problems experienced, as well as providing recommendations on how these indicators in the 8th NSEDP could be improved. (end of November 2015)

6) PROVISION OF MONITORING AND PROGRESS CONTROLS
The consultant will work in close consultation with the Deputy Director General of Department of Planning of MPI and will report directly to the Chief Technical Advisor for the PEI and tothe Head ofPoverty Reduction Unit, UNDP Lao PDR.The consultant is required to allocate at least 50% of his/her timefor this consultancy service at the project office based in DoPto ensure close coordination and consultation with the government counterparts. Payment schedule will be on an agreed output basis.
7) DEGREE OF EXPERTISE AND QUALIFICATIONS
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
  • Master Degree in Economics, Development Studies, Environment, Natural Resource Management or related fields.
Year of Experience:
  • A minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience on issues related to inclusive and equitable growth, particularly on national and local level economic and socioeconomic development, annual plan formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in developing countries;
Competencies
Corporate Competencies:
  • Demonstrates integrity and fairness by modeling UN values and ethical standards;
  • Displays cultural and gender sensitivity and adaptability;
  • Treats all people fairly and without favoritism; and
  • Shows strong corporate commitment.
Functional Competencies:
  • Extensive understanding the socio-economic development and environmental management in Lao PDR.
  • Extensive experience in reviewing and conducting results-based policy analysis in the area of national development policies, poverty reduction, environment, Green growth, MDGs and human development.
  • Experience in working with the Government on national and local level policies in developing countries, particularly in Southeast Asia;
  • Experience in providing awareness raising and capacity building workshops for the Government officials;
  • Field experience is required, preferably in countries of the transitional economies
  • Strong knowledge of, and experience with participatory planning at the local level;
  • Strong knowledge of monitoring and evaluation tools is desirable, particularly results based management;
  • Substantive knowledge and understanding of green growth and green development issues;
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills and full computer literacy.

8) REVIEW TIME REQUIRED
DoP and UNDP isrequiredat least 2 weeks to review the agreed deliverly outputs before proceeding to payment.
9) SCOPE OF BID PRICE AND SCHDULE OF PAYMENT
Fixed lump sum output -based fees will be paid as per agreed timeframe and satisfactory certification of receipt of outputs by the UNDP in consultation with the government counterpart.
Total amount for professional service fee, DSA, air/ground transportation in Vientiane Capital, miscellaneous, and communication cost are included into lump sum amount. In case of travelling to other provinces related to this assignment, the project will support the consultant separately according to NIM rules and regulations.
Deliverables/Description of payment / Deliverable timeframe
10% of the professional fees shall be paid upon submission and acceptant of below outputs:
  1. Agreed inception report, which outlines approach, methodology and work plan to be conducted by the consultant to complete this consultancy service.
/ 4 May 2013
40% of the professional fees shall be paid upon submission and acceptant of below outputs:
  1. In close consultation with DoP, the consultant will be required to develop a set of Green Growth screening criteria accompanied by a clear description of why each of the criteria was chosen and what information the criteria provides to the GoL to support the implementation of Green Growth planning.
  1. Prepare and deliver a concise report that lists all PIP and One Product One District projects for four PEI pilot provinces with their respective score for “green” based on the developed green growth screenings criteria. This report should provide the GoL a good summary of level of green growth planning for the pilot provinces and identify the 6 projects that will be used to prepare investment profiles - with clear justification for their selection.
  1. In coordination and consultation with DoP and DPIs, conceptualize, lead and finalize the development of three green growth investment profiles identified in the report above.
/ 29 May 2015
15 June 2015
16 July 2015)
50% of the professional fees shall be paid upon submission and acceptant of below outputs:
  1. As a result of DoP consultations in Vientiane province on the 8th Plan M&E framework indicators, the consultant needs to prepare a user friendly handbook that clearly shows how the 8th plan indicators in the M&E framework should be collected i.e. methodology, why this information is important and how each indicator will inform the planning process. During this assignment, she/he should determine which of these indicators can be attributed to Poverty and Environment (PE) concerns and the difficultly of data collection.
  1. Prepare a report on piloted indicators from the 8th Plan M&E framework. This will be done by providing methodology on chosen indicators to provincial authorities and piloting data collection against these indicators in THREE provinces to determine if there are any complications experienced to collect the data. The consultant will be required to compile data provided by the authorities to assess if there were any problems experienced, as well as providing recommendations on how these indicators in the 8th NSEDP could be improved.
/ mid-October 2015
End-November 2015
10)PRESENCE OF THE CONSULTANT ON DUTY STATION
If the assignment requires full time presence on UNDP premises, a sound justification on why a full time presence is required.
 NONE x PARTIAL  INTERMITTENT  FULL-TIME
11) ANNEXES to TOR
n/a
This TOR is approved by : Margaret Jones Williams
Signature
Name and Designation
Date of Signing