Research Consultant / Call for Papers (HDRO)
(date when the selected candidate is expected to start)
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
Background
The mission of the Human Development Report Office (HDRO)/UNDP is to advance human development. The goal is to contribute towards the expansion of opportunities, choice and freedom. HDRO works towards this goal by promoting innovative new ideas, advocating practical policy changes, and constructively challenging policies and approaches that constrain human development. HDRO works with others to achieve change through writing and research, data analysis, outreach and advocacy work.
The 2021/22 Human Development Report will draw from and extend the discussions of the 2019 HDR (on inequalities) and of the 2020 HDR (on the structural risks of the Anthropocene), highlighting the ways in which inequalities and uncertainty interact with one another, fanning exclusion and polarization. Together, inequalities and uncertainty undermine for many a sense of control over one's life, impeding their ability to do and be what they value and have reason to value – the expansion of which is central to human development. As we go deeper into the Anthropocene and as technology continues to race ahead, shocks (of which Covid-19 may be a harbinger of what might come) will persist and may even be heightened. The discussions around the climate/security nexus are another example.
The 2020 HDR argued for the importance of easing planetary pressures to mitigate these physical hazards, in a context of heightened uncertainty. This calls for transformational change, which also drives uncertainty: inherent in transformational change are multiple and overlayed dislocations, which give rise to a compounding set of transition uncertainties overlayed on physical uncertainties. Marginalized or otherwise disadvantaged groups face a double whammy of disempowerment – first, as uncertainty diminishes individual choice for everyone and second, as social fault lines, themselves often exacerbated by shocks, reduce their agency further. But polarization is not driven only, or even primarily, by deprivation and marginalization, with support for extreme political views often associated not with being deprived, but by belonging to a group that has power or social standing that perceives being under threat.
The interaction of inequalities and uncertainty with new forms of technology will form a central part of the Report's examination of the erosion of institutions to respond to both transformational change and people's concerns about it. How people feel about the future, and how insecure they are about their prospects, has implications for economic, social, and political decisions.
Through a human development lens, the Report will examine the features of policies and institutions that can be responsive and nimble to advance transformational change while committed to the protection and promotion of human rights. The Report will look not only at the institutions and policies that help address immediate concerns but also the processes of institutional renewal geared towards empowering people to face uncertain times in ways that seize on the opportunities of change to expand human development.
The report is currently organized in the following away:
Part I characterizes the types of uncertainties that people around the world are facing – including in context of COVID and more broadly in contest of the Anthropocene. It highlights transitional uncertainties for easing planetary pressures, and consequences of technological change, the good and the bad.
Part II of the report explores the implications of these uncertainties in unsettling lives – including, but not limited to, through its impacts on inequality, mental health, other socioeconomic implications.
Part III of the report explores the limitations of current policy choices to navigate course-correction in the Anthropocene, and how we may broaden our policy options (emphasis on collective action, culture) to navigate to a desired future in the Anthropocene.
Duties and Responsibilities
Interested applicants must submit:
Research statement: brief description of the paper (max 1200 words)
The research will meet the following criteria:
- The proposal will include a set of questions that the research will cover, ideally linked to policies and innovation to tackle global challenges in connection with uncertain times and unsettle lives.
- The proposal could be based innovative ideas or on the assessment of existing policies or institutions.
- The research scope can be global or regional. If the coverage is regional, the especial relevance of the topic to the region and the region-specific challenges will be covered. The focus can also be on a group of countries, such as developing countries.
- The proposal must indicate connection to current literature and explain how it advances the learning in the field. Sources for literature and data will be cited clearly.
Timeframe: February 16 -April 30, 2022.
Competencies
We are looking for an experienced consultant with innovative ideas, to work closely with the HDRO team on policies and institution to face the context of uncertain times and unsettle lives.
The ideal candidate will have at least 10 years of experience, a strong academic background and demonstrated familiarity with the work of international organizations.
The consultant will be leading the implementation of its own research proposal, drafting a paper of publishable quality.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Advanced degree, preferably a PhD
- Demonstrated knowledge in proposed subject of the research
- Fluency in written and spoken English
Experience:
- Ideally, more than 10 years of relevant experience
- Demonstrated experience working with international organizations, strongly valued
Scope of financial/price proposal and schedule of payment(s)
The prospective service provider will indicate the cost of services in US dollars when applying for this consultancy. The proposer will be paid only after approving authority confirms the successful completion of each deliverable.
Recommended presentation of offer
For purposes of generating proposals whose contents are uniformly presented and to facilitate their comparative review, your Proposal document must have at least the preferred content:
- Technical Proposal: Brief description of the paper (max. 1200 words) that addresses all criteria (a, b, c, d) listed in the section 1. Research Statement).
- Personal CV/Experience of author(s), indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references.
- Financial Proposal: Your fee quote (lumpsum) in USD for the assignment/consultancy.
Papers will be assessed on a rolling basis.
Criteria for selecting the best offer
Upon the advertisement of this assignment, qualified Individual Consultant is expected to submit both the Technical and Financial Proposals. Accordingly, Individual Consultants will be evaluated based on Cumulative Analysis as per the following scenario:
- Responsive/compliant/acceptable, and
- Having received the highest ranked score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical and financial criteria specific to the solicitation. In this regard, the respective weight of the proposals is:
- Technical Criteria weight is 70%
- Financial Criteria weight is 30%
Criteria
Weight
Max. Point
Technical Competence (based on Proposal, CV and interview (if required)
70%
100
Set of questions that the research will cover- Focus on the advancement of human development and/or human security, beyond economic indicators. Interaction with existing inequalities, as relevant.
- The research scope (global, regional)
- Connection to current literature and explanation
- Assessment of impact of proposal in the context of the Human Development Report or related publication.
60
Suitability of an applicant for the required service (based on CVs) on CVs).
40
Total Score
Technical Score * 70% + Financial Score * 30%
Process
The author(s) will work closely with the HDRO research team. The scope of the proposal might be adjusted after selection, as part of a consultative process.
The author(s) will be asked to consult remotely with the Human Development Report team via Zoom or phone to discuss the work. In-person meetings will be held as needed.
The final version of the background paper (potentially co-authored by members of the HDRO team) may also be published on the HDRO website. Please refer to the annexed HDRO publishing policy.
The HDRO's research team will oversee the work of the selected consultant(s).
Expected places of travel
This contract covers the potential participation of the author(s) of this background paper in consultation(s) during the research process of HDR 2021/HDR 2022, as well as reviewing relevant segments of the draft for HDR 2021/HDR 2022. Any expenses related to travel and accommodation in the report related meetings and events will be responsibility of HDRO following UNDP rules, but no additional fees will be paid. In consultation - and collaboration- with the author, HDRO may also develop strategies and communication products to effectively disseminate the findings of the paper to the right audiences.
Annex: HDRO publishing policy
The copyright for all research commissioned by the Human Development Report Office will be held by HDRO/UNDP. HDRO reserves the right to publish it online as a Working Paper of the HDR Paper Series. Therefore, authors are requested to submit the papers in a form they would be satisfied with, substantively and stylistically, for publication. Publication and dissemination elsewhere is not permitted before the article here commissioned is published as a Working Paper of the HDR Paper series, or the author is informed that the paper will not be published by HDRO. After the publication of the Working Paper by HDRO or the written communication to the author that the paper will not be published by HDRO, authors are free to edit, update, expand and publish the papers elsewhere as long as they explicitly acknowledge that the original research had been commissioned by HDRO.