Capacity Building Consultant

Background:

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ensure inclusive, equitable, prosperous and sustainable future for all. The regional and local governments are mandated to implement the SDGs and can play a vital role in achieving the 2030 Agenda.

Pakistan is amongst the first countries to adopt SDGs 2030 Agenda through a unanimous resolution of the parliament in February 2016. The Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives of Pakistan internalised SDGs in Pakistan’s Development Framework, well before formally signing it in September 2015 and embedded SDGs in Pakistan Vision 2025. The Government of Pakistan prepared a National Framework on SDGs in March 2018, considering SDGs as National Agenda for Development. The Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives has established a coordination mechanism with the provinces to implement SDGs. Although Pakistan has made significant efforts to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), however the intended targets were not achieved mainly due to lack of ownership, absence of coordination mechanisms and capacity issues at the sub-national governance level.

United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) is the united voice and advocate of democratic local self-government, which promotes cooperation between governments and within the wider international communities in the Asia-Pacific Region. The ASPAC is the biggest of the Regional Sections in UCLG with linkages to more than 7,000 local governments. UCLG and UCLG ASPAC in collaboration with UNDP and UN Habitat have made great efforts to reach Local Governments (LGs) and foster their engagement in the achievement of the SDGs.

LEAD for SDGs in Pakistan

LEAD for SDGs Programme is being implemented by UCLG ASPAC, the Association for Development of Local Governance (ADLG) and Local Council Associations (LCAs) of Balochistan and Sindh, co-financed by the European Union (EU) and UCLG ASPAC, aims to contribute in the localisation and implementation of SDGs in Pakistan.”

This will be achieved through fostering an enabling environment for mainstreaming SDGs in local development processes through effective leadership and policy advocacy, supported by evidence-based research, capacity building and improved coordination, and piloting innovative approaches for SDGs localisation. The programme closely works with the government institutions at all levels and LCAs to plan, implement and monitor SDGs at the local level.

2- Purpose of the Assignment:

In the first place, it is crucial to raise awareness of the local government functionaries and other stakeholders on SDGs with the notion of ‘Leaving No One Behind’ and its linkages with the DDPs, PSDP and ADP and national and provincial SDGs framework. LGs also have vital role in the adoption of the provincial SDGs Frameworks and contribute in implementation plans of the SDGs framework.

LEAD for SDGs team has carried out need assessment of LGs in Sindh and Balochistan provinces and came up with comprehensive findings with regards to the knowledge of SDGs and their effectiveness to contribute to the achievement of SDGs. Moving forward, LEAD for SDGs is looking for the services of an expert/firm to develop content on identified needs of LGs for their effective role for local development aligned with SDGs frameworks and targets. The resource person will further be engaged for the training sessions.

3- Objectives of the Assignment:

To develop contents for the capacity building session with contextualised learning methodology for local governments who are supposed to be engaged in planning and contribute in achievement of SDGs targets at districts level. The part of the modules will be developed on:

a)      Knowledge on role and responsibilities (administrative and financial powers) of the local governments under their respective legal and policy frameworks in Balochistan and Sindh Provinces.

b)      Capacity and tools to translate needs/priorities of the community in annual district plans, align the development plans with SDGs indicators, and implementation of the district plans by linking it with the SDGs indicators progress/achievement.

c)      Resource mobilisation.

d)      Finance Management (Budget & tendering process etc.).

4- Qualification/Experience:

The consultant/firm must have demonstrated expertise and experience in the areas of local governance and development. Thorough familiarity with SDGs will be preferred. More specifically, the consultant/firm must have:

• Minimum Master’s degree in social and development studies or related fields (In case of firm, this qualification applies to the consultant assigned by the firm).
• At least 10 (ten) years working experience in training and capacity building.
• Demonstrated strong knowledge and experience for the capacity building, preferably in the areas of local level development planning, devolution, local government and SDGs.
• Considerable experience of working with local governments with good knowledge of structures as well as political, legal and financial authority of the local governments.
• Contextual knowledge of the financial opportunities and challenges of local government for their contribution in localisation and implementation of SDGs.
• Solid knowledge on the 2030 Agenda and the localisation process and the national and provincial frameworks of SDGs.

5- Deliverables:

• Develop Content for the training module, knowledge material and contextualised learning methodology for the sessions, highlighted in the objective section.
• Conduct at least 10 training sessions for local government functionaries and other stakeholders in Sindh and Balochistan Provinces.
• Develop a training report, with pre- and post-evaluation analysis to measure the knowledge and behaviour change.

6- Documents need to be submitted to LEAD for SDGs:

a) All interested firms/consultants will have to submit a brief proposal including methodology relevant experience of the individual consultant/firm highlighting the experience on local planning, finance & budgetary processes, level of efforts for this assignment and daily rate. The proposal should provide firms/consultant profiles clearly stating the capabilities and capacity of undertaking the presented task

7- Timelines:

Timeline for completion of this assignment August 20, 2021. The interested consultants/firms are required to propose a tentative schedule in the proposal. The selected consultant will be required to submit a detail work plan including outputs and timeline.

8- Mode of Payment:

• The consultancy fee will be paid lumpsum at completion of the assignment.
• The consultant/ firm will submit a formal request through invoice for the payment and LEAD for SDGs will release amount as per its SOPs.