Title: Long Term Agreement (LTA) for Engagement of Individual Consultants for Strategic Advisory Services On Undersea Cable Economics for Connectivity

Duty Station: Remote-based with some mission travels to Geneva, Barcelona and countries working with Giga

Duration of LTA: Two years with the possibility of extension for one more year (max. 3 years)

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

 

For every child, Connectivity

The Office of Innovation (OoI) is a critical driver of UNICEF’s mission, leveraging expertise and resources from across the organization and its partners to address key challenges facing children worldwide. By continuously ideating, testing, and scaling the most impactful solutions, the OoI plays a pivotal role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals related to children.

Giga (giga.global), an initiative launched in 2019 as a joint effort between UNICEF and ITU (itu.int), seeks to connect every school in the world to the internet, thereby addressing the growing digital divide. With over 75 years of experience in delivering emergency assistance, technical advice, and building systems in health, education, and child protection, UNICEF, through Giga, aims to provide children with access to information, opportunity, and choice. The initiative not only focuses on connectivity but also uses schools as community hubs, creating broader economic and social opportunities.

The Giga team (https://giga.global/about-us/) has experience and background in building technology products, finance and investment, design, and infrastructure. It’s a global team, with two “centres of gravity” (in Barcelona, Spain and Geneva, Switzerland) with many team members located around the world.

Giga works across three main areas: Mapping, Finance, and Market Influence and Procurement. The Country Engagement Team supports the initiation and implementation of all three areas of Giga’s support in countries. The Mapping team maps schools and their connectivity, creating a real-time display of access and need on Project Connect (https://projectconnect.unicef.org/map). The Finance team works to create the financing (grant, loan, and investment) for connectivity. The Market Influence and Procurement team works closely with UNICEF Supply Division to support governments through public procurement processes for contracting sustainable, high quality and affordable school connectivity. There are also cross-cutting teams that support on communications, partnerships, staff wellbeing, and operations.

The team functions similar to a tech start-up, but within the United Nations. We aim to have agility and flexibility in how we work and to be driven by real-time data about what we are doing. We also work within the political and global framework of the UN, which means that we can collaborate with policy makers and regulators, governments, civil society, and of course, most closely with our 135 country offices, in everything we do.

You can read more about Giga’s work at https://giga.global/ and by following us on twitter @Gigaglobal

Undersea cables are a critical component of global internet infrastructure, connecting continents and facilitating international data transmission. These cables are particularly vital in ensuring that remote regions, such as many parts of Africa, can access global networks at affordable rates. However, the high costs of undersea cable deployment and maintenance, combined with regulatory barriers, can pose significant challenges for expanding connectivity to underserved areas.

As Giga aims to connect every school in the world to the Internet, understanding the economics and regulatory environment surrounding undersea cable infrastructure is essential. This role will focus on providing strategic insights into the financial models, investment strategies, and market dynamics related to undersea cables. By advising Giga on the economic aspects of undersea cable deployment and supporting partnerships with cable operators, this consultancy will help ensure that Giga’s connectivity goals are achieved efficiently and sustainably.

 

How can you make a difference? 

This Long-Term Agreement (LTA) aims to provide Giga with ongoing strategic advisory services focused on the economics and regulation of undersea cable infrastructure. The consultant will support Giga’s mission to connect schools globally, especially in regions where undersea cables are critical to expanding connectivity.

The consultant will be called upon for specific tasks as needed under the LTA. These tasks will include:

Economic and Market Analysis:

• Conduct targeted analyses of costs and market conditions for undersea cables in specific regions.
• Provide financial estimates to assist Giga in evaluating the feasibility of undersea cables for school connectivity.

Regulatory and Policy Support:

• Offer advice on the regulations and policies affecting undersea cable projects.
• Recommend ways for Giga to work with governments and regulators to support the rollout of undersea cables.

Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement:

• Assist Giga in identifying and establishing partnerships with undersea cable operators and other stakeholders.
• Provide recommendations on structuring partnerships to meet Giga’s objectives.

Reports and Presentations:

• Develop concise reports and presentations summarizing insights and recommendations for internal and external stakeholders.

Task-Based Strategic Support:

• Provide focused strategic input on specific undersea cable projects or issues as they arise during the LTA period.
• Share best practices and insights with Giga’s team to enhance their understanding of the undersea cable market and regulatory landscape.

You must access the full Term of Reference (ToRs) and read a more detailed description of the assignment in this file to prepare your financial proposal and learn more about the role:  ToRs Undersea Cable Economics.pdf

 

General conditions of Long-Term Agreement and contracts:

• The Long Term Agreement (LTA) will be established under each task for a period of 24 months with the possibility of renewal for a subsequent year on the same rates, terms and conditions, subject to satisfactory performance evaluation and continuing need for the service. The LTA to be signed will have a fixed fee rate for 24 months. However, UNICEF does not warrant that any quantity of services will be purchased during the term of the LTA.
• Contracts created against the LTA: Whenever consultancy services are required, details of the requirement/deliverables, including quantities and deadlines, will be presented to the LTA holder.
• Upon receipt of confirmation of availability and interest in the assignment, a contract will be issued based on the unit prices/fees agreed in the LTA. The consultant must sign the contract prior to the commencement of work.
• The consultant is responsible for arranging his/her own travel, including visa and travel insurance.
• The consultant is responsible for his/her own health insurance.
• Individuals engaged under a consultancy 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. Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants.
• Consultants 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.
• Payment will be made after completion of deliverables and submission of invoices for the actual work completed, subject to satisfactory performance.
• The consultant must submit a financial proposal as part of the application, establishing the fee for the services defined in each task. The quoted fee will remain fixed during the entire period of the Long-Term Agreement (see template below).
• UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment if the deliverables do not meet the required standards or if there are delays in submission. Payments will be processed only after the deliverables are approved by the relevant Giga team.

Consultant supervisor:

 The consultant supervisor will be determined at the contracting stage.

 

Location:

Remote-based, with some mission travels to Geneva, Barcelona, and countries working with Giga, which will be determined at the contracting stage.

 

Responsibilities of the Consultant:

• The consultant will use their own equipment; laptops, microphones, software and other accessories that may be required for this task.
• The consultant will not give the content/material or any part thereof, to any third party without the written permission of UNICEF. All components will be a property of UNICEF, and the consultant will not share the same with anyone else.
• The consultant will not put their own name or logo/emblem on the content / final product. The only organization branding will be UNICEF, if required. 

Responsibilities of UNICEF:

• UNICEF will provide all details pertaining to the activity and the requirements
• UNICEF will orient the consultant on UNICEF’s branding guidelines

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

• An advanced university degree in Economics, Telecommunications, Engineering, Public Policy, or a related field. A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in the telecommunications sector, focusing on undersea cable infrastructure and economics.
• Deep understanding of regulatory frameworks, economic models, and technical aspects of undersea cables.
• Proven experience in advisory roles, board-level experience, and the ability to guide high-level strategic discussions.
• Exceptional writing and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex ideas to diverse audiences.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

 

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

Core competencies: Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1), Work Collaboratively with others (1), Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1), Innovates and Embraces Change (1), Thinks and Acts Strategically (1), Drive to achieve impactful results (1), Manages ambiguity and complexity (1). Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

 

Application details: 

• Cover/motivation letter in the section “Please upload your cover letter”.
• Resume in the section “Please upload your C.V. / Resume”.
• Degrees and relevant certificates in the section “Please upload a copy of your highest level of education certificate”.
• Financial proposal in the section “Please upload financial proposals here”.
• This document must be submitted in United Stated Dollars (USD).
• You must use this template:  LTA Financial Proposal Undersea Cable Economics.docx

 

Technical Evaluation Criteria (With Weights For Each Criteria):

• The selection of consultants for the LTA will be based on technical evaluation and financial offers in the ratio of 80:20. The criteria for technical evaluation will be as follows:

• If no suitable candidate is found, UNICEF reserves the right to advertise this LTA again for an equal period for new candidates.
• Please note that only those candidates who are shortlisted will be contacted.

 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

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.