Individual Consultancy on Review of Viet Nam National Action Plan for the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda Issued in 2017
Job no: 566529
Position type: Consultant
Location: Viet Nam Division/Equivalent: Bangkok (EAPRO), Thailand
School/Unit: Vietnam
Department/Office: Hanoi, Vietnam
Categories: Social Policy
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Background:
The National Action Plan to implement the 2030 Agenda for SDGs (SDG NAP) was promulgated as per Decision 622/QD-TTg dated 10 May 2017 by the Prime Minister, in which 17 SDGs of Viet Nam towards 2030 and 115 specific targets were set in corresponding to the global SDG targets. The SDG NAP shows the Government’s committed effort to implement the Vietnam SDGs. The SDG NAP is an important foundation to implement SDGs in Viet Nam. Since 2017, the Government of Viet Nam has issued important strategic and programmatic documents for attaining sustainable development, especially leaving no one behind. To name a few, they are the Socio-economic Development Plan 2021-2025; the National Master Plan 2021-2030, vision 2050; three National Targeted Programmes on Sustainable Poverty Reduction, Socio-economic Development for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas, and New Rural Development.
At the launch of the special edition of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Progress Report in April 2023, the UN Secretary-General made a remark that more than half of the world are left behind just seven years ahead of the deadline for the 2030 Agenda. The SDG Progress Report showed that just 12 percent of the Sustainable Development Goal targets are on track. Progress on 50 percent is weak and insufficient, and even worse – more than 30 percent of the SDG targets have stalled or gone into reverse. In Asia and Pacific, despite progress in various goals, there is little or even regression in some other goals. Covid-19 impact, and global economic recession has aggravated the challenges faced during the implementation of the SDGs. In the meantime, Viet Nam has also embarked on a new set of commitments. The country will need to meet both economic growth targets as well as emission reduction targets, at the same time delivering SDG commitments presented at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in New York in July 2023.
According to the 2023 Voluntary National Review (VNR) of SDGs implementation, on current pace, Viet Nam may risk missing 60 percent of the 83 targets that could be measured with available data. To ensure the successful attainment of the 2030 agenda, Viet Nam will need to accelerate progress towards achieving the SDGs by 2030. The VNR report of Viet Nam has identified specific areas such as enhancing education facilities and quality of teachers, reducing early marriage, providing employment opportunity for youth, access to financial services, reducing reliance on fossil fuel, and sustainable fisheries requiring urgent attention.
The Government of Viet Nam has tasked the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) to conduct a mid-term review (MTR) the SDG NAP issued in 2017 to identify areas for acceleration of SDGs including on governance, coordination and financing, and if necessary, to develop a new national strategy for SDG implementation. Under the framework of cooperation between UNICEF and MPI during 2023-2026, UNICEF will provide technical inputs to this assignment. Specifically, UNICEF will provide technical support to review the Government SDG NAP in relation to the responsibilities, key tasks and resources assigned to achieve SDGs on social issues that are related to children and women, i.e., SDG 1 (poverty), SDG 2 (nutrition), SDG 3 (health), SDG 4 (education), SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 6 (water and sanitation), SDG 10 (equality), and SDG 16 (justice). UNICEF and MPI (Department of Education, Science, Environment and National Resources – DSENRE) will recruit two national consultants to conduct this assignment. This is part of the overall MTR, to which MPI receives concerted technical support also from UNDP (overall review) and GIZ (focusing on economic and environmental issues in SDG 7, SDG 8, SDG 9, SDG 11, SDG 12, SDG 13, SDG 14, SDG 15 and SDG 17).
Objective and intended audiences:
This assignment is to support the Ministry of Planning and Investment – Department of Science, Education, Natural Resource and Environment to conduct the mid-term review of the implementation of the NAP 2030 to draw out recommendations for amendment/ replacement to the current NAP 2030 in the new context. Under this TOR, the consultants will provide technical contribution to the MTR of the SDG NAP with a focus on key tasks, responsibilities/governance and resources to achieve child- and women-related SDGs in social sectors.
The MTR findings and report will be used as an evidence base to inform leaders of Viet Nam and other relevant stakeholders how to adjust the SDG NAP to ensure the achievement of the set targets. Therefore, its primarily target audiences are high-level government officials such as the Prime Minister, government agencies such as ministers and policy advisers of concerned ministries such as the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Health, Ministry Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Ministry of Education and Training, Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs, etc.; the National Assembly committees; as well as sub-national leaders. The MTR findings and report will also be used by development partners of Viet Nam to guide their continuous support to Viet Nam.
Scope of Work:
The two consultants commissioned by UNICEF and DSENRE (MPI) for the review of Viet Nam SDG NAP will cover the areas in the NAP, especially tasks, governance/responsivities and resources directly related to child- and women-focused SDGs, i.e., SDG 1 (poverty), SDG 2 (nutrition), SDG 3 (health), SDG 4 (education), SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 6 (water and sanitation), SDG 10 (equality), and SDG 16 (justice). The two consultants recruited by UNICEF and DSENRE are inseparable members of the MTR team supported also by UNDP and GIZ.
Consultant 1 is in charge of SDG 2 (nutrition), SDG 3 (health), SDG 4 (education), SDG 6 (water and sanitation).
Consultant 2 is in charge of SDG 1 (poverty), SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 10 (equality), and SDG 16 (justice).
The MTR report should include at least the following contents: 1. The current international and national context in the implementation of the SDGs and Viet Nam’s new international commitments and key development policies promulgated for the period 2021-2030. (relevance)
2. The role, position of SDGs in global commitments and in Viet Nam’s development policies for the period 2021-2030 in Viet Nam (relevance).
3. Assessment of the implementation of the goals, tasks, governance and solutions set out in NAP 2030 including: (i) Achievements (ii) Limitations and drawbacks, (iii) Lessons learned, (iv) Emerging issues in the implementation process regarding resources, implementation organization, roles & responsibilities of relevant units/agencies (relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and coordination).
4. Contents that need to be adjusted in the NAP 2030, including: (i) the objectives, (ii) the missions (iii) the measures, (iv) the assignment of tasks & responsibilities, (v) other issues. (relevance)
5. Priority areas of investment and transformation should be focused on in the period to 2030. (relevance and efficiency)
6. Recommendations for amending the NAP 2030: (i) Orientations for the NAP 2030 revision (ii) Layout & formatting (iii) Contents need to be reflected in the revision of NAP 2030.
Criteria and key questions for review:
Relevance:
– The extent to which Viet Nam SDG targets set in the NAP are logically organised and aligned to the global SDG targets and to Viet Nam’s socio-economic development plans and strategies for the same period?
– What are the key gaps including key emerging issues in Viet Nam that should be addressed under the NAP?
Effectiveness:
– The extent to which the Viet Nam SDG targets have been achieved or are expected to be achieved by the set milestones? (The response to this broad question will benefit from the Viet Nam VNR report 2023)
– What are key drivers/factors for the success or failure of not achieving?
– If the results achieved to date are equitable ensuring no one is left behind?
Efficiency:
– The extent to which the resources (funds, expertise, time, etc.) allocated by sectors and ministries to implement the SDG NAP are sufficient and well managed to achieve the targets by the milestones?
Coordination: – The extent to which sectors and ministries are coordinated within themselves and with other stakeholders/agencies to ensure Viet Nam SDG targets sufficiently budgeted, monitored, timely reported and adjusted.
Methodology:
The MTR will use a multiple-method approach, including document review, group meetings (workshops), individual interviews, focus group discussions, and field visits (if needed). The MTR will adopt an inclusive approach, involving a broad range of partners and stakeholders.
The MTR will benefit from a series of documents prepared recently for the SDG submit globally and in Viet Nam including the UN GA SDG report, UNICEF SDG report and call for action, Viet Nam’s 2nd VNR, Viet Nam SDG’s profile etc.
The selected consultants will be required during the inception phase to develop a more detailed methodology, including methods to collect and analyse qualitative and quantitative data to answer specific review areas (e.g., effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, etc.).
Governance:
This consultancy will be recruited by UNICEF and MPI, contracted and supervised by UNICEF, led by the Chief of PME (UNICEF), with day-to-day management by UNICEF PME specialist. PME will make sure consistent and timely consultation within UNICEF and with UN agencies, including the RCO and its SDG group/and UN Results Groups as key channels for consultation.
As this consultancy is part of the MTR technical assistance to MPI contributed also by GIZ and UNDP, the cooperation scheme during the assignment implementation should be as follows: – The consultants need to work closely with GIZ, UNDP, DSENRE as well as other stakeholders (such as ministries, government agencies, local authorities) during the assignment implementation.
– The consultants are to closely collaborate with other external experts from UNDP and GIZ under the coordination by GIZ, DSENRE and UNDP. These external experts shall be treated as inseparable members of the Working group on NAP. Their contributions to the final report, hence, would be integral and indispensable.
Detailed Work Assignments and Deliverables as attached TOR national consultants to review gov NAP 2030.pdf
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Education: – Master Degree in Public Policy, Sociology, Law, Anthropology, Development Economics or related areas.
Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:
– 8-10 years of professional experience regarding development policy assessments, development social/economic/ financial analysis, regulatory impact assessment, policy development and advisory, etc.
– Professional experience in SDG implementation and assessment.
– Comprehensive knowledge and understandings across various topics on SDGs.
– Analytical and reporting skill.
– Networking with relevant stakeholders (government, private sector, research institutions, civil society…).
– Good inter-personal skills and presentation skills.
– Good command of English in communication and writing.
– Experience working with government ministries and international organizations.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).
To view our competency framework, please visit here.
Assessment criteria:
For evaluation and selection method, the Cumulative Analysis Method (weight combined score method) shall be used for this recruitment: a) Technical Qualification weight 75 points: – Educational background: 10%
– Professional experience regarding development policy assessments, development economic/ financial analysis, regulatory impact assessment, policy development and advisory, etc.: 10%
– Professional experience in SDG implementation and assessment: 25%
– Comprehensive knowledge and understandings across various topics on SDGs: 10%
– Analytical and reporting skill: 10%
– Networking with relevant stakeholders (government, private sector, research institutions, civil society…) and others: 10%
b. Financial Proposal weight 25 points: – The maximum number of points shall be allotted to the lowest Financial Proposal that is opened/evaluated and compared among those technical qualified candidates who have attained a minimum 50 points score in the technical evaluation. Other Financial Proposals will receive points in inverse proportion to the lowest price.
– The Contract shall be awarded to candidate obtaining the highest combined technical and financial scores, subject to the satisfactory result of the verification interview if needed.
Submission of applications:
Applicants are requested to indicate if they apply for Consultant 1 or Consultant 2. The submission includes: a. Letter of interest/confirmation of availability and CV;
b. A technical proposal which clearly explains the outline on how to deliver the tasks and deliverables (preferably less than 10 pages);
c. Samples of similar products;
d. Financial proposal: All-inclusive lump-sum cost including consultancy fee and any other relevant costs for this assignment.
UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.
Remarks:
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.
The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.
Advertised: Oct 11 2023 SE Asia Standard Time
Application close: Oct 17 2023 SE Asia Standard Time
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- Closes Oct 17 2023Individual Consultancy on Review of Viet Nam National Action Plan for the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda Issued in 2017 in Viet Nam
To review the implementation of the National Action Plan for the 2030 sustainable development agenda, and provide recommendations for revision, with a focus on children- and women-related SDGs.