UNDP National expert to develop programmatic fiches for the Blue Economy Programme 98 views

The “Enhancing the Development of Albanian Maritime Sector through Technical Assistance and Increased Partnership” project, aims to enhance the integration of Albanian Maritime Standards in line with the EU requirements, by developing and implementing maritime transport policy framework, improve capacities in the field and encourage the development of a Maritime Clusters in Albania with the relevant stakeholders driving innovative maritime and marine growth by promoting sustainable economic growth.

The Blue Economy Programme is developed following a participatory approach and in consultation and cooperation with line Ministries in charge and the Unit for Development Programs and Cooperation in the Department for Development and Good governance, Prime Ministry and will provide the following:

• A Stakeholders Mapping and Management Plan for every stage of the programme.

• A roadmap with clear objectives and targets to be achieved at each phase of the programme, with the involvement of relevant actors.

• A resource mobilization plan for the program, where potential sources of financing for the various components of the program are identified after consultation with relevant stakeholders.

Programme Components of the Blue Economy

Component 1: Enhancement of the Regulatory Framework and Capacity Building

This component seeks to amend and align the current legislation and procedures to create a regulatory framework that is in line with EU regulations and tailored to the needs and distinct characteristics of the Blue Economy.

It includes the amendment of laws and procedural rules applicable to the established blue economy sectors.

It also seeks to improve institutional and human capacity for servicing the maritime economy.

Some areas which need a revision and completion of the regulatory framework with laws and bylaws and also technical assistance to better implement legislation in force, include:

• Cruise and Diving, to align procedures to EU standards;
• International networking activities;
• Sailing schools, an academy to train professionals in maritime affairs, increase of skills of maritime students;
• Transport (ferries);
• Tourism : entrance, parking, navigation and exit of vessels in the Albanian coast, shipping safety;
• Environment conservation;
• Inspection and control of vessels approval of the Allocated Zones for Aquaculture (AZA), fishing inspection and control;
• common organization of the producers and market requirements, discard and landing obligations;

In order to achieve growth, qualified and skilled professionals are needed but there are some challenges:

• Relating to fisheries & aquaculture in Albania generally the nature of fishermen communities is unwilling to changes towards new activities or practices as they are conservative and traditionally oriented.
• Another challenge related to fisheries sector is related to human recourses due to the lack of professional training and education of the fishermen on technical, legal and environmental issues.
• Other challenges relating to tourism have to do with human management, training, lack of professional skills, and a shortage of management and other skills needed to diversify the tourism product.

Component 2: Upgrade of Public Infrastructure and Services

This component seeks supportive measures to improve existing infrastructure since the Albanian maritime industry and related infrastructure are still very underdeveloped, especially considering the extensive available coastline.

Infrastructure remains one of the key elements. The tourism industry can have neither quantitative nor qualitative developments with lagging infrastructure.

Investments should take into account the varying blue economy sectoral needs, in order to ensure that interventions reach the successful businesses (innovative, young) contributing to sustainable economic sectors.

It is a challenge for the blue economy program to create the appropriate financial mechanisms to support the private sector in the improving public fishery related infrastructure.

The Albanian Fisheries Strategy (2016-2021) includes the financing of public infrastructure conducive to a maritime economy, such as:

• Basic services,
• Transportation access,
• Administrative infrastructure,
• Specific marina infrastructure,
• Development of “Maritime Clusters”

However, a broader categorization in terms of investments could be defined under the following:

• Site development, 3 points of entry (TBD): (i) Attract lasting marina investments, (ii) create new development poles, (iii) internationalize the Albanian Coast.
• Development of 4 private investments,
• Focus on maritime ecosystem build up (including fisheries and fish markets)
• Financing for local project through credits.

Component 3: Marketing and Dissemination Activities

This component seeks to establish a positioning of the Albanian coast as a new marina tourism hub, as well as a connectivity hub in the region and broader.

Activities will include:

• strategy and marketing research, tools, plans, and budgets for promotion,
• execution of marketing plans,
• public relation activities (e.g., press, trade shows, events).

Some of the marketing strategies can be:

• Promoting fisheries tourism: Making a name for fisheries areas and their specific tourism offer.
• Promoting fisheries tourism products through joint marketing platforms or collective brands, where producers pool their resources to market their products.
• Create links and synergies between actors to strengthen their individual efforts

Marketing nowadays is realized in two ways, such as offline and online.

Component 4: Financing of Micro-credits and Grants

This component secures the provision of financial support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), fishermen and entrepreneurs in the vicinity of ports, marina sites, and fish farms; to remedy credit constraints that may prevent services and businesses to take place. This component will be an essential tool to achieve the consolidation of tourism hubs (clusters) and maritime ecosystems to strengthen the interrelated economic activities.

Activities include:

• micro-credits to support the maritime touristic SME, such as: agriculture and agro-processing fund, the SME lending scheme, the European Fund for Southeast Europe.
• micro-credits to support fishermen to ensure greater market access, and enhanced cooperation with the tourism industry and local retailers,
• sub-granting scheme for restructuring the fishing fleet and marine aquaculture farming activities, once the allocated zones for aquaculture are approved.
• Sub-granting scheme for formally recognized fisheries organizations to improve fishing marina infrastructure as landing sites, or to build new marina infrastructure as repair and maintenance facilities for fishing vessels & pleasure boats and fish wholesale markets.

Following the development of a programmatic approach for the national Blue Economy Programme (BEP), that will support the national maritime sector planning for a mid-term objective. The national expert will work under the guidance of the Project Implementation Unit in UNDP to develop the programme fiches based on the four outlined components described above and assess the effects of Covid-19 in the Maritime Industry in Albania and Develop Recovery Plan Guidelines as part of the (BEP).

Task 1: Assess the effects of Covid-19 in the Maritime Industry in Albania and Develop Recovery Plan Guidelines.

The assessment will consider the economic impacts in the maritime sector, in the following, but not limited to:

• Data processing to characterize labor markets, assess potential impacts of alternative policy measures.
• Economic data processing to characterize vulnerability of maritime businesses, assess potential impacts on employment and firm survival of alternative policy measures.
• Analysis of implementation challenges of the measures adopted: Policy response effectiveness to contain the COVID-19 crisis will depend on the quality of policy design, on the capacity to provide support in the required amounts, and on the national and local government’s implementation capacity.
• Provide inputs in the draft Blue economy programme, in all the related components and to the Roadmap, related to the recovery framework.

The Recovery Plan Guideline shall include, but not be limited to:

1. establishing objectives by identifying the strategic goals and determining constraints;
2. analyzing the risks;
3. selecting controls and evaluating the alternatives to address the risks;

Task 2: The fiches will be developed following a participatory approach and in consultation and cooperation with the Prime Ministry Office of Development Programmes and Cooperation, and will provide for programmatic fiches following the EU IPA, WBIF guidelines on project identification forms, that will include the following but not limited to:

• Aligning cruising and ferry operation activities procedures with EU Standards
• Aligning Diving activities procedures with EU Standards
• Promote International Networking Activities
• Improve Curricula of maritime institutions offering professional trainings according to the STCW-78 as amended Convention, in order to increase the professional and seafarers’ skills of trainees and maritime institution students
• Inspection and control of vessels
• Enhance Shipping safety
• Marine environment conservation
• Enhance existing fishery legislation on common organization of the producers and market requirements discard and landing obligations.
• Approval of the Allocated Zones for Aquaculture (AZA)
• Fishing inspection and control
• Development of “Maritime Clusters” which connect businesses, suppliers and associates in the maritime field located in the same geographical area and affected by related institutions.
• Development of marinas, port infrastructure, fishing ports improvement, development of Aquaculture Zones, etc.
• Fishing and environment
• Other fiches as required.

Deliverables:

30%- 15 November 2020- Assessment of the effects of Covid-19 in the Maritime Industry in Albania and Develop Recovery Plan Guidelines.

50%- 30 December 2020- Draft programmatic fiches developed, sent out for consultations with the line Ministries.

20%- 31 March 2021- Final programmatic fiches developed, reflecting stakeholder comments

Education

• Advanced university degree in finance, economy, socio-economy, business administration, public administration, legal studies or relevant.

Work Experience

• 10 years of work experience related to project management and/or project development with proven expertise in forecasting and budget development for programmes/ projecs.
• Experience in the maritime sector and knowledge of the maritime sector development programme and strategies to date.
• Knowledge on public administration functioning and mechanisms related to programme development and government funding.
• Knowledge on programme development and international funding mechanisms.

Language

Excellent oral and written communication skills in Albanian and English.

EVALUATION OF APPLICANTS

UNDP applies a fair and transparent selection process that would consider both the technical qualification of Individual Consultants as well as their financial proposals. The contract will be awarded to the candidate whose offer:

• Is deemed technically responsive / compliant / acceptable (only technically responsive applications / candidates will be considered for the financial evaluation)
• And has obtained the highest combined technical and financial scores.

Technical Criteria – 70% of total evaluation – max points: 70

Criteria A: 20%- Education Background

Criteria B: 30%- Relevant work experience

Criteria C: 20%- Knowledge on public administration functioning and mechanisms related to programme development, government funding and international funding mechanisms.

Financial Criteria – 30% of total evaluation – max 30 points

Candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% (49 points) of the maximum obtainable points for the technical criteria (70 points) shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

Application Procedure

The application should contain:

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position. Please paste the letter into the “Resume and Motivation” section of the electronic application.
• Latest personal Curriculum Vitae (CV) including past experience in similar projects and contact details of referees, including past experience from similar projects or completed and signed UN Personal History Form (P11) for Service Contracts (SC) and Individual Contracts (IC) – Blank form Download here.
• Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability-please fill in the attached form… www.un.org.al/sites/default/files/IC_Offerors%20Letter%20to%20UNDP%20Confirming%20Interest%20and%20Availability.docx
• Financial Proposal in ALL – specifying a total lump sum in Albanian Lek
  http://www.un.org.al/doc/Financial%20Offer%20template.doc (The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount, and payment terms around specific and measurable -qualitative and quantitative- deliverables . Payments are based upon output, i.e. upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR. In order to assist the requesting unit in the comparison of financial proposals, the financial proposal will include a breakdown of this lump sum amount-including travel, per diems, and number of anticipated working days).- Please note that with regard to travel component you may provide an average estimated travel cost for one circuit with and without accommodation.
• Copy of Diplomas and copy of Passport.

* Kindly note that Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and Financial Proposal are two separate documents and should both be part of your application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

How to Submit the Application:

To submit your application online, please follow the steps below:

• Merge your CV or P11, Financial Proposal Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability and cover letter into a single file. The system does not allow for more than one attachment to be uploaded;
• Click on the Job Title (job vacancy announcement);
• Click “Apply Now” button, fill in necessary information on the first page, and then click “Submit Application;”
• Upload your application/single file as indicated above with the merged documents (underlined above);
• You will receive an automatic response to your email confirming receipt of your application by the system.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Due to a large number of applications we receive, we are able to inform only the successful candidates about the outcome or status of the selection process