International Consultant For Developing A Methodology For Mainstreaming Climate Change Considerations Into Spatial Plans (Land Use Plans)

UNDP and the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning (MoEPP) are implementing the project “Macedonia’s Fourth National Communication (NC) and Third Biennial Update Report (BUR) on Climate Change under the UNFCCC (4th NC/3rd BUR)”. The immediate objective of the project is to assist the country in the preparation and submission of its Fourth National Communication and Third Biennial Update Report on Climate Change to the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for the fulfilment of its obligations to the Convention under FCCC/CP/2002/7/Add.2 and Dec.2/CP. 17 Annex III.

The Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning is currently coordinating the revision of the Spatial Plan for the country for the period 2000 - 2020. The Agency for Spatial Planning is the only entity that has a mandate to develop such plans and is currently revising the methodology for development of special plans, which is rather old and outdated. One of the identified deficiencies of the current methodology is absence of climate change considerations as one of the guiding principles for spatial planning in the country.

Scenarios for expected climate change in Macedonia have been developed by 2100. Scenarios for climate change induced extreme weather events shall be developed by the end of 2019. The need to incorporate the nexus between climate change and spatial planning has been determined in several climate change strategic documents (Law and Strategy on Climate Action, 3rd Biennial Update Report and 4th National Communication on Climate Change). It opened a door for building climate resilience by mainstreaming climate change and climate variability as one of the guiding principles for spatial planning in the country.

Spatial planning has also a vital role to play in the move to a low carbon energy future and in adapting to climate change. To do this, spatial planning must develop and implement new approaches. Therefore, UNDP would like to engage an International Consultant that shall develop methodology for mainstreaming climate change consideration into special planning (land use planning in the country), with particular focus on the Special Plan for the whole territory of the country.

Objective of the Assignment

The consultant is expected to develop a methodology for mainstreaming climate change consideration into special plans, with particular focus on the upcoming country Spatial Plan 2021 - 2041. The consultant shall work in close cooperation with the Project Manager, the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning and the Agency for Spatial Planning.

Scope of Work

• Assess the existing national methodology and relevant national legislation for development of Spatial Plans (shall be provided by the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning);
• Assess the existing climate change relevant analyses (climate scenarios and vulnerability and adaptation assessments), shall be provided by the project office;
• Prepare comparative analyses of global best practices for methodologies for development of spatial plans (land use plans) that mainstreaming climate change into spatial planning, and identify good practices applicable to Macedonian circumstances;
• Develop a methodology for mainstreaming climate change consideration into spatial planning, with particular focus for the development of national Spatial Plan;
• Carry out 3 missions in Skopje (3-5 days each), one fact-finding mission at the beginning of the assignment, the second one during the development of the methodology, and the third one upon preparation of the draft methodology (more details in the Travel section below);
• Provide online expert support and guidance to the team from the Agency for Spatial Planning during the process for development of the national Spatial Plan;
• Present the draft methodology for mainstreaming climate change consideration into spatial planning (land use planning) at a workshops.

Expected outputs and deliverables:

The consultant is expected to prepare and submit the following deliverables:

• Comparative analyses of methodologies for mainstreaming climate change into spatial planning (land-use planning) (20 Dec 2019);
• Draft methodology for mainstreaming climate change consideration into the national Spatial Plan (30 Jan 2020);
• Final methodology for mainstreaming climate change consideration into the national Spatial Plan (30 Feb 2020);
• On-line technical support and guidance by the end of March 2020 (up to 50 hours in total).

Institutional arrangment

The consultant will work under direct supervision of the UNDP Project Manager. He/she will be in regular communication with the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning and the Agency for Spatial Planning.

The reports shall be prepared in English language.

Duration of the work

The duration of the Consultant is estimated up to 50 working days in the period Nov 2019- March 2020.

Duty station and travel

Three missions in Skopje are envisaged:

1. Fact finding mission – Dec 2019 (3 days)
2. Working with the national team for mainstreaming climate change consideration into special plans – Jan 2019 (5 days)
3.  Presentation of the methodology - Feb 2020 (2 days).  

• Excellent communications and facilitation skills;
• Excellent analytical and negotiation skills.
• Excellent public speaking and presentation skills.

The selected candidates shall possess:

• University degree in Land-Use Planning/Spatial Planning, Urban Planning, Architecture/civil engineering; or any related disciplines;
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in spatial/land use/urban planning;
• Experience with at least 3 assignments related to mainstreaming climate change into spatial planning.

Criteria for selection of best offer

The award of the contract shall be made to the offeror whose offer has been evaluated and determined as:

a) Being responsive/compliant/acceptable, and

b) Having received the highest score based on the following weight of technical and financial criteria for solicitation as per the schedule below:

* Technical criteria weight: 70%

* Financial criteria weight: 30%

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 49 points (70%) in the technical evaluation shall be considered for the financial evaluation.

For the considered offers in the financial evaluation only, the lowest price offer will receive 30 points. The other offers will receive points in relation to the lowest offer, based on the following formula: (Pn / Pl) * 30 where Pn is the financial offer being evaluated and Pl is the lowest financial offer received.