Description

To enable you to prepare a proposal for this assignment, please find attached the Terms of Reference (ToR) (Attachment A) and the UNESCO’s contract for Individual Consultants, the contracting modality used for these assignments (Attachment B). Your
written offer should comprise:

(a) A Technical Proposal consisting of:

• an up-to-date curriculum vitae including the contact details of three professional references, and
• an approach and methodology for the assignment, a workplan and comments on the Terms of Reference if any (max. 2 pages).

(b) The total amount to be charged for the assignment, which should be quoted in
US dollars or euros only and should indicate the consultant’s monthly rate.

Your proposal and any supporting documents must be in either English or French.
Documents should be consolidated into a single document and all file names should
include the family name of the applicant.

UNESCO places great emphasis on ensuring that the objectives of the work assignment, as described in the Terms of Reference, are met. Accordingly, in evaluating the proposals for the assignment, attention will focus first and foremost on the technical
elements. From those proposals deemed suitable in terms of the criteria in the Terms of Reference, UNESCO shall select the proposal that offers the Organisation best value for money.

Your proposal should be submitted by e-mail to konstantina@iwlearn.org no later than the end of the day (23:59 CET) 24 February 2024. E-mail proposals should not exceed 5MB.

It is the individual’s responsibility to ensure that his/her proposal is received by the deadline.

Thank you for your interest in this UNESCO assignment; and we look forward to receiving your proposal.

Attachment A

Terms of Reference
Technical Coordinator of the 10th GEF Biennial International Waters Conference (IWC10)

1.  BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE PROJECT AND ASSIGNMENT

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is the largest public funder of projects to improve the global environment. An independently operating financial organization, the GEF provides grants for projects related to biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, the ozone layer, and persistent organic pollutants. The GEF International Waters (IW) focal area targets transboundary water systems, such as river basins with water flowing from one country to another, groundwater resources shared by several countries, or marine ecosystems bounded by more than one nation. The GEF currently unites 183 member countries—in partnership with international institutions, civil society organizations, and the private sector—to address global environmental issues while supporting national sustainable development initiatives. Since the inception of the GEF in 1991, the IW portfolio (more than 470 projects with about US$2.8 billion of GEF grants and US$18.6 billion in co-finance invested in more than 170 GEF recipient countries) has delivered substantive results and replicable experiences to be scaled up and mainstreamed globally. GEF IW:LEARN is one of these projects, and its mandate is to promote experience sharing and learning among the GEF IW projects and the country officials, agencies, and partners working on them. IW:LEARN operates as a central hub of information and knowledge sharing and delivers a host of programmatic initiatives for the benefit of the GEF IW portfolio of projects. In pursuit of its global and regional objectives, IW:LEARN seeks to strengthen global portfolio experience sharing and learning, dialogue facilitation, targeted knowledge sharing and replication to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of GEF IW projects to deliver tangible results in partnership with other IW initiatives. More information about GEF IW:LEARN is available at www.iwlearn.net/abt_iwlearn.

The GEF Biennial International Waters Conference (IWC) is the signature event of the GEF IW portfolio. The IWC objectives are to facilitate cross-sectoral and portfolio-wide learning and experience sharing. Participants strive to solicit advice from the existing GEF IW portfolio on burning issues and to assist in building participant capacity in key management and technical areas. The 300-350 participants (from more than 100 GEF IW projects and 80 countries, and including government representatives, project managers, staff of international and non-governmental organizations, and the private sector) sum up progress achieved and look to the future of programming within and beyond the GEF IW focal area.

The IWC10 will take place on 23-26 September 2024 in Uruguay, with a preconference on 21-22 September 2024 in Montevideo. It will feature, among others: an innovation marketplace (exhibit area); interactive training for project managers and country representatives through participant-directed workshops and roundtable discussions; highlights of GEF IW project contributions to ecosystem-based management of shared water bodies and their results; interaction among project representatives and the GEF Secretariat, GEF agencies and partner institutions working on GEF IW projects; and technical site visits, which are field trips to demonstration sites funded by the GEF, to other examples of good water management practices (both marine and terrestrial cases), or to examples of successful public-private water management partnerships.

  2. OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY

This ToR is designed to recruit a consultant to act as IWC10 Technical Coordinator, to co-lead the content design and implementation of the conference, ensuring that the session content is consistent with objectives and expected outputs/outcomes set by the IWC10 committees, as well as the overall strategic objectives of the GEF IW focal area.

3. SPECIFIC TASKS

The Technical Coordinator will provide key technical and content-related inputs to the execution of the IWC10, communicating and coordinating closely with the IWC10 Organizing, Steering and Local Host Committees, the IW: LEARN Project Coordination
Unit (PCU) and associated consultants on Communications and Knowledge Management, , the GEF IW agencies and project partners.

A. Task One: IWC10 Preparation

• Establish a detailed workplan with clear tasks, deliverables, and timelines.
• Monitor and report on progress against agreed milestones/roadmap.
• Elaborate on the findings of the Expression of Interest issued in June 2023, the IW portfolio survey and conduct further survey, as required, to identify the key thematic priorities and other important content for the conference agenda and inputs.
• Co-lead the regular meetings with the IWC10 Organizing and Steering Committees, by preparing the meeting agenda in consultation with the IW:LEARN Project Coordination Unit (PCU) and draft the minutes of the meeting’s decisions and actions.
• Together with the IWC10 Committees and IW: LEARN PCU, lead the preparation of the conference agenda and conference inputs, including the pre-conference targeted workshops for project managers and other key portfolio partners. This includes liaising with agencies and handling communications with key partners.
• Ensure the quality of IWC10 conference sessions (both design and implementation), by ensuring that the session content is consistent with objectives and expected outputs/outcomes set by the IWC10 Steering Committee, as well as the overall strategic objectives of the overall GEF IW focal area.
•  In collaboration with the various Committees and the IWC10 Service Provider, help prepare the technical site visits.
• In collaboration with the various Committees and the IWC10 Service Provider, prepare the VIP programme (including identification of what and when we want them to intervene in the conference regular program).
• Liaise with and guide the lead session coordinators from each part of the conference, setting out objectives and expected outcomes of sessions, as well as clarifying a reporting plan.
• Conduct meetings with session coordinators prior to the conference online and in-person meeting prior to the conference start on location.
• Travel to the conference location (Punta del Este, Uruguay) prior to the conference to ensure all necessary arrangements on the ground.
• Draft marketing package to request sponsorship for the portfolio. The activity will be lead by the IW: LEARN Project Coordinator and supported by the IWC10 operations Manager.
• Draft messages and content for all key IW:LEARN outreach material to be developed for IWC10.

B. Task Two: Conference execution

• Support the PCU and other Consultants during the pre-conference events and conference. The Technical Coordinator should be available each day through the conclusion of events and be on hand to support the GEF IW: LEARN PCU with general assistance.
• Support conference registration, help to prepare meeting rooms with documentation and room layout, help run the plenary and breakout sessions in particular during breakout discussions with microphone and other support.
• Managing presenters and provide support to the master of ceremonies, including ensuring the collection of presentations and other conference content.
• Gather any session outputs, including presentations and other content.

C. Task Three: Conference Follow up

• Prepare the final conference report (in the context of the key conference sessions and themes). The report should focus on key analysis and recommendations for the GEF IW project portfolio, rather than a summary of events
• Draft the key messages for the post-conference communication.
• Contribute to the post-conference evaluation report.

4. DURATION OF THE CONSULTANCY

The consultancy will last for 7.50 months (March 2024 to mid-Oct 2024), on a part time basis for months 1-3 and on a full-time basis for months 4-7.5.

5. DELIVERABLES
The key deliverables are:

• detailed workplan with clear tasks, deliverables and timelines
• portfolio survey to identify the key thematic priorities and other important content for the conference agenda and inputs, building on the priorly issued Expression of Interest
• conference agenda-at-a-glance, conference agenda and conference inputs
• pre-conference agenda and pre-conference inputs
• technical site visit programme
• VIP programme agenda
• final conference report
• post-conference evaluation report

Throughout this contract, the Technical Coordinator will provide regular brief progress reports (status of tasks and/or deliverables submitted) to the IW: LEARN Project Manager. This schedule of deliverables and payments will be agreed with the IW: LEARN PCU or Project Supervisor and the IWC10 organizing Committee, as appropriate.

6. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• At least five years project management or related experience with UN organizations and UN-implemented projects, and preferred, familiarity with regulations and procedures of the UN System and in particular experience in UNDP/GEF, IOC/UNESCO procedures.
•  Advanced university degree required, preferably in the field of international relations/political science, economics, development studies or other related fields, and/or technical fields like environmental management.
• Demonstrated experience in planning and organizing. Ability to organize, plan, and implement work assignments, able to work under pressure of frequent and tight deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and reliably contribute to a geographically distributed work environment (via phone and email), including accountability to remotely located manager(s).
• Excellent ability to work in English.
• Good organizational, interpersonal and oral and written communication skills.
• Teamwork. Strong inter-personnel skills and ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multi-cultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Experience with researching and writing on international environment and/or international development issues.

Desired qualifications:

• Familiarity with transboundary waters regions and associated issues.
• Familiarity with or, ideally, work experience in GEF International Waters recipient countries and/or with donors or related NGOs
• Proficiency in at least one other UN language, preferably in Spanish

7. SUPERVISORY ARRANGEMENTS

The IW: LEARN Project Coordinator has the overall supervision of the PCU and relevant consultants. At no point should the Consultant make representations or act on behalf of IOC/UNESCO, any of the project partners, or IW: LEARN beyond the assigned tasks.

8. FACILITIES PROVIDED BY UNESCO

UNESCO will provide the Consultant with all required access to working files, UNESCO network, knowledge-management systems (including institutional email and Microsoft TEAMS accounts), and temporary office space if needed on occasional presence at UNESCO Headquarters.

9. TAXES

UNESCO will not reimburse any taxes, duties, or other contributions for which individuals may be liable in respect of any payments made to them under the terms of their contract.

10. INSURANCE

Individuals issued with a contract for individual consultants or other specialists are covered by UNESCO’s insurance policy for work-related illness, injury, accidents or death whilst performing their official duties or travelling on behalf of the Organization.
The insurance premium for the coverage, as determined by Pension and Insurance Section (HRM/SPI), must be included in the financial commitment for the contract.

11. SOCIAL BENEFITS

Individual consultants and other specialists shall be responsible for arranging, at their own expense, any medical insurance that they consider necessary during the contract period. Unless they are affiliated by virtue of their status as former staff members, they cannot be enrolled in the UNESCO’s Medical Benefit Fund or United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund. Individual consultants and other specialists are not entitled to paid annual or sick leave.

More information: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xcXHhEcnCc6VAjNt94uEb6a5dGdoHQCD/view