GENERAL INFORMATION

Services/Work Description: Technical Assessment of Community Gardens Project/Program Title: Rapid Response Facility

                Post Title:                       National Consultant                

                Consultant Level:                Level B (Specialist) 

                Duty Station:                  UNDP Gambia Country Office 

Expected Places of Travel: North Bank Region, Lower River Region and Central River Region  

                Duration:                         10 working days 

Expected Start Date: Immediately after Concluding Contract Agreement

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through the Rapid Response Facility (RFF is implement the Economic and Social Vulnerabilities project to mitigate the negative effects of COVID-19. The project seeks to reduce economic and social vulnerability of the poor and marginalized populations affected by COVID-19 through green and eco-friendly community livelihood interventions, and through use of digital solutions to promote financial and socio-economic inclusion. It will provide alternative livelihoods; prioritizing green economic pathways to mitigate environmental degradation, including socioeconomic empowerment of youth, women, and other vulnerable populations to build beneficiaries’ resilience to cope with and mitigate the socio-economic effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the population. 

Leveraging the opportunities offered by digitization as a tool with special focus on green development pathways and the youth, the project will promote nature based sustainable tourism as a means of economic empowerment to improve and sustained livelihoods and resilience for rural communities particularly women and youths. Hopefully, the foundational enablers built by the project outputs will contribute to the deployment of a national social protection scheme in the country that will address the needs of rural dwellers and in particular informal sector workers. The project has three components which are briefly described below.

1. Social Protection

The project will implement a community based social protection initiative for communities living around Four Protected Forest Areas (PAs) which are Kiang West National Park, Jokadu Forest Park, Baobolong Forest reserve and Kunkilling Forest Park, and eco-tourism destinations; Juffureh, Albreda and Tumani Tenda, to compensate for lost incomes due to decrease in tourism. The scheme will provide productive assets to members of small groups; women (especially female headed household heads and widows), youths, people living with disabilities; to make investments in agriculture (seed and cereal banking), horticulture, small ruminant rearing, back yard poultry, oyster culture and harvesting, beekeeping, forest fruits and nuts harvesting etc. Communities will also be able to install solar technologies to ensure food security and environmental protection.

2. Sustainable/ Green livelihoods

To build the resilience of these vulnerable communities that depend on the surrounding natural resources for their livelihoods, the project will provide alternative greener sustainable livelihood options so that the diverse natural habitats, species, and ecosystems which make The Gambia a popular ornithological tourist destination, are sustained. Interventions will include redefining the ecotourism offer, modernizing PA infrastructure, and promoting sustainable practices such as beekeeping, tree nurseries, grafting, composting. The project will also support and upscale other livelihood interventions to reduce dependence of PA communities on eco-tourism as their main source of livelihood.

3. Digitization

To support the revival of the Eco-Tourism industry, interventions will include studies on the digital economy and financing schemes, training, and building capabilities focusing on women-led households and decentralized systems through on technologies to help reduce the carbon footprint of both individuals and businesses. Climate change adaptation and climate-related interventions will promote rebuilding of social relations while developing/designing more climate-resilient communities and restoring their vital services, ultimately resulting in more resilient livelihoods.

II. SCOPE OF THE WORK

UNDP is hiring an Independent Quality Assurance (IQA) to undertake a technical assessment of Infrastructure needs (water, fencing, toilets and Rest Area) in five selected gardens located in Daru Fodeba in Jokadu, Salikene and Bureng Ya in Badibou, Wurokang in Jarra Central and Boraba in Fulladou.  

The independent Quality Assurance would work closely with UNDP and the RFF project Manager, to ensure the work under specification consists of provision stated on the SOW on the following description:  

1.    Assess the infrastructure needs, which include fencing, provision of water and water distribution systems, Toilets and Rest Areas within the garden, for the five gardens

2.    Prepare design, drawings, Bill of Quantities based on the need’s assessment for each garden

3.    Prepare the Specifications of Works

4.    Provide Programme Schedule for the construction works

Objective  

The Technical Assessment seek to address the access to water in community gardens whilst providing women a safe and protected space to venture in community gardening

 The expected outputs for this assignment are-

1.    Architectural Designs and Drawings

2.    Bill of Quantities

3.    Final Report on the Technical Assessment

4.    Programme Schedule

Indicators to evaluate the consultant’s performance 

All deliverables/outputs must be submitted in English and meet the satisfaction of the UNDP according to the following indicators: 

Ø  Quality of the deliverable produced

Ø  The evaluation of the consultant's performance (the quality of the report and products, the technical competence shown, and the timeliness of the reports) will be determined by UNDP.

IV. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT / REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS   

a. Through the Project Manager of the RFF project, UNDP will manage and oversee the process with support from the UNDP Engineer. The consultant would oversee and submit the deliverables to the UNDP procurement unit and UNDP Engineer.  

V.    LOGISTICS AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT 

The consultant is fully responsible for the transportation to and from all the sites

VI.  DURATION OF THE WORK   

a. The duration of the consultancy is expected to be 10 working days   

VII. QUALIFICATIONS OF THE SUCCESSFUL INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTOR (IC) 

a.  Academic Qualifications:

Advanced university degree in civil engineering, or water resource engineering or rural development, or architecture, or construction management or any related field.

b.  Years of experience:

•       At least 5 years’ experience in the design and construction of water systems for rural communities

•       Experience in technical assessment of infrastructure, especially in the design of water systems  

•       Experience working with international organizations such as the EU, UN is desirable.

b. Competencies:

•       Ability to demonstrate a genuine knowledge and interest of the water sector and environmental issues in The Gambia

•       Excellent teamwork, communication and interpersonal skills, computer, analytical, and report writing skills

d.  Language and other skills:        

Excellent command of English. 

Capacity to communicate fluently with different stakeholders 

e.  Compliance with UN Core Values:

 Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN's values and ethical standards

 Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

IX. PAYMENT MILESTONES AND AUTHORITY 

The Independent Consultant would receive payment upon certification of the completed deliverables satisfactorily, as per the following payment schedule:

XI. CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROPRIETARY INTERESTS 

§ The consultants during the term or after termination of the assignment, disclose any proprietary or confidential information related to the contract service without prior written consent. Proprietary interests on all materials and documents prepared by the consultants under the assignment shall become and remain properties of UNDP.

XII. ANNEXES TO THE TOR 

Submit Technical and Financial Proposals to: bids.gm@undp.org

Email subject: Assessment of Community Gardens

Deadline for submission: 21^st February 2022